Month: April 2025

The students holding protests against the felling of forest located in Hyderabad Central University campus were lathicharged on Wednesday morning.

The police carried out a lathicharge to disperse the protesting students demonstrating against the actions of the Telangana government.

Amid ongoing chaos over 400 acres land dispute surrounding Hyderabad Central University, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha on Wednesday suggested the state government should use land which was not adjacent to the university, to create infrastructure for software companies or other industries. She said that the Congress government’s bulldozing of HCU’s land reveals a “disregard” for the environment and academic sanctity.

“If the Congress administration truly seeks land for infrastructure development, it should utilise the 397 acres previously allocated to Hyderabad Central University, compensating the 400 acres. Instead, it is targeting HCU’s 2,500-acre campus, threatening its rich biodiversity and peaceful academic environment. Hyderabad already has ample land for development, and bulldozing HCU land only reveals Congress’s disregard for environmental preservation and academic sanctity,” Kavitha said.

“If the government wants to create infrastructure for software companies or other industries, why don’t you use the remaining 397 acres of land not adjacent to the university land? Now, the issue here is that this 400 acres of land is adjacent to the university. You cannot spoil the atmosphere of the university,” the BRS MLC told ANI.

Dismissing the allegations levelled against BRS for favouring Rameshwar Rao, founder-chairman of My Home Group, Kavitha said that the state government lacks the courage to investigate the matter. Instead, she added, Congress was focused on disrupting HCU, punishing the poor and vulnerable while shielding the powerful.

Despite a court ruling in favour of the university in a 25-year-long legal battle for the land, Kavitha said that the Congress government was manipulating the outcome to claim the land as the government’s property.

“The Congress government in Telangana is making a brazen attempt to seize the University of Hyderabad (HCU) land, despite a clear court verdict affirming that the land rightfully belongs to the university. This land, originally given by Indira Gandhi and protected by the BRS, has been the centre of a prolonged legal battle for 25 years. The court has now ruled in favour of HCU, yet the Congress government is manipulating the outcome to claim that the land belongs to the government, not the university,” she added.

Earlier, BRS working president KT Rama Rao slammed the Congress government in Telangana for reportedly detaining a journalist covering student protests at Hyderabad University, saying that the “blatant suppression” of free speech and expression was “unacceptable”.

KTR took a dig at the Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over the detention of the journalist and said that he goes to “town preaching about democracy and free speech”.

The students were protesting against the felling of the forest on the university campus and the auction of 400 acres of land. (ANI)

Late celebrity manager Disha Salian’s father Satish Salian has arrived at the Bombay High Court for the first hearing on a writ petition filed by him against Shiv Sena (UBT leader) Aaditya Thackeray and others over their alleged involvement in the death of his daughter.

Satish Salian was accompanied by his lawyer Nilesh C Ojha. Disha’s father expressed his hope for justice for his daughter. While speaking with ANI, he said,

“”I have faith in the judiciary and god.”

Last week, Satish Salian made a passionate plea for justice, calling for narco tests to be conducted on all alleged accused individuals. He also revealed that he had demanded protection for himself and his counsel, emphasising his determination to see the case through to its conclusion.

While speaking to ANI, Satish said, “I demanded (Mumbai Police officers) justice for my daughter. I also demanded protection, even for my counsel…I am ready for a Narco Test. But there should be a Narco Test of Aaditya Thackeray, Sooraj Pancholi, and Dino Morea too. All accused should be tested…”

He expressed his frustration with the lack of progress in the case, citing the alleged inaction of the previous government, led by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), during their 2.5-year tenure. Satish Salian stated that he was forced to take matters into his own hands and approach the court for justice.

“They (MVA) were in power for 2.5 years; after that, an SIT was put in place, but they didn’t do anything. Then, I had to take this step…We will definitely get justice,” said Disha Salian’s father.

The grieving father reiterated his faith in the judiciary, asserting that he will not rest until justice is served.

“I have complete faith in the judiciary…My daughter could do only half her work, I have to give it the finishing touch through punishment (to the accused)…Nobody attempted to put pressure on me,” he added.

Earlier, Satish Salian approached the Bombay High Court seeking a probe into his daughter’s death and requesting the registration of an FIR against Thackeray, among others.

In response to allegations, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and father of Aditya Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray, denied any connection between his family and the Disha Salian case, emphasising that if evidence exists, it should be presented in court.

Uddhav Thackeray said, “If they have evidence then they must produce it in court as this matter is going on in the court. 6 to 7 generations of my family have worked for the people and we have no connection with this issue. If you are making false allegations against someone, then it can boomerang on you, too. What happened to the investigation of other cases like murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. His daughter is demanding justice.”

Disha was found dead on June 8, 2020, days before actor Sushant Singh Rajpur was found hanging in his flat in suburban Bandra, Mumbai. (ANI)

Lok Sabha on Wednesday took up for consideration the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which incorporates suggestions made by the Joint Parliamentary Committee that examined the bill tabled in Parliament in August last year.

The House also took up the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024 for consideration and passing.

Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju moved the two bills for passing in the House.

Congress member KC Venugopal accused the government of trying to bulldoze the bill, saying that they had not been given enough time to move their amendments.

“You are bulldozing the legislation, you need to give time for the amendments, their no time for amendments,” he said.

Speaker Om Birla said that he had given equal consideration to the amendments of the government and the opposition members.

With RSP’s NK Premachandran raising some objections to the procedure adopted by the government over the bill, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the union cabinet had approved the amendments which had been incorporated in the bill. He said the amendments were based on the report of JPC. “There is no point of order,” he said.

Rijiju told the media earlier that the bill is in the interest of the country.

“Today is a historic day and today the Waqf Amendment Bill will be introduced in the Lok Sabha and this bill is being introduced in the interest of the country. Not only crores of Muslims but the whole country will support it. Those who are opposing it are doing so for political reasons,” he said.

The bill was earlier presented in the Lok Sabha on August of last year and a Joint Parliamentary Committee, headed by BJP member Jagdambika Pal, examined it.

The bill seeks to amend Act of 1995. The Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records. (ANI)

Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan’s latest Instagram post is dedicated to his sister Kritika.

As it’s Kritika’s birthday on Tuesday, Kartik shared a video featuring his adorable and memorable moments spent with his younger sister.

Interestingly, Kritika’s birthday falls on April 1, which is celebrated worldwide as April Fools’ Day. In his caption, Kartik teased Kritika by calling her “fool.”

Have a look at his post

Meanwhile, on the work front, Kartik is currently busy shooting with Sreeleela for a love story.

Last week, he took to Instagram and shared a romantic picture from the scenic hills of the tea gardens of Darjeeling.

In the image, the two are seen sitting amidst the lush tea gardens. Kartik holding two cups of tea also caught our attention as it hinted at a romantic scene being shot.

For the caption, he wrote, “Tu Meri Zindagi Hai,” and added red heart emojis.

The yet-to-be titled film is being directed by Anurag Basu. In the film, Kartik will be seen donning a rugged look with long hair and a full-grown beard.Apart from this untitled project, Kartik Aaryan has Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri in his kitty.

The film is helmed by Sameer Vidwans, with whom Kartik previously collaborated on the 2023 romantic drama Satyaprem Ki Katha. This film is set to hit theaters on February 13, 2026, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

The film, produced under the banner of Dharma Productions, is expected to be a romantic comedy, although the plot details are still under wraps. (ANI)

Mumbai Police have issued a third notice to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, asking him to appear for clarification over his disparaging remarks against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in his latest stand-up video, “Naya Bharat”, on YouTube, officials said on Wednesday.

According to Mumbai Police, the stand-up artist has been called to record his statement on April 5.

“Mumbai Police has issued a third notice to Kunal Kamra to appear on 5th April and record his statement. Mumbai Police had called Kunal Kamra twice before for questioning, but he did not appear.” said officials from Mumbai Police.

The third summon notice came in response to Kamra’s failure to appear before the Mumbai Police on the previous summons.

Mumbai Police are investigating allegations that before making a mockery of former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Kamra had made satirical remarks about several other noted personalities.

According to the police, if the investigation reveals that the stand-up artist in question has previously made satirical comments about any politician, actor, or sportsperson, then action will be taken against him.

Officials clarified that while Kamra’s lawyer has contacted them, the comedian himself has not been in touch with police officials.

Currently, three separate cases have been filed on Kamra at the Khar Police station after his remarks about Eknath Shinde.

One of the complaints was filed by the Mayor of Jalgaon city, while the other two complaints came from a hotelier and a businessman from Nashik, as per the Mumbai Police.

Earlier, the Madras High Court on Friday granted interim anticipatory bail to Kunal Kamra in connection with multiple FIRs lodged against him. Justice Sunder Mohan ordered interim anticipatory bail until April 7 with conditions.

Kunal Kamra had approached the Madras High Court to seek transit anticipatory bail, claiming he has been receiving many threats following his recent satirical comments.

Kamra recently sparked a row with his “gaddar” (traitor) joke, allegedly aimed at Eknath Shinde. Several political leaders condemned his remarks during a stand-up show and demanded action against him. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed grief over a firecracker explosion in the Banaskantha region of Gujarat that claimed 18 lives and announced the ex-gratia of 2 lakh rupees to the next of kin of each deceased.

“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the explosion at a firecracker factory in Banaskantha, Gujarat. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected,” the Prime Minister’s Office posted on X.

PM Modi also announced an ex-gratia of 2 lakh rupees from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of each deceased and 50,000 rupees to the injured.

“An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000,” it added.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed grief over the incident and announced financial assistance of 4 lakh rupees to the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees to the injured persons.

“I am in constant touch with the administration regarding the relief, rescue and treatment operations in this accident. I have instructed the administration to ensure that the injured get proper treatment at the earliest. The state government will provide Rs 4 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured,” Patel posted on X.

The death toll from the firecracker blast in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat has reached 18. The explosion occurred at approximately 9:45 am.

According to officials, the explosion at the firecracker godown in the Deesa area on Tuesday morning led to the collapse of the structure, trapping several workers inside. Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities continue to assess the situation.

Banaskantha Superintendent of Police Akshayraj Makwana said that a case has been registered in connection with the incident.

“As soon as we received information about the incident, we initiated relief work. So far, 18 people have died due to the collapse of a slab. An FIR is being filed under Section 304 (causing death by negligence), and strict action will be taken against those responsible,” SP Makwana said.

Banaskantha police have formed five teams to identify and nab those responsible for the incident, the SP added. (ANI)

Ahead of the tabling of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha, Opposition has warned BJP allies, especially Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) and Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desham Paty for supporting the bill, saying that the ‘blame’ will be laid on them.

JD(U) and TDP, on whose NDA government majority largely depends, have expressed their support for the bill.

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor said the government can never make the bill a law if leaders like Nitish Kumar do not support it.

“The government doesn’t have a majority in Lok Sabha. They are able to bring this law because people like Nitish Kumar are supporting the Government; if leaders like Nitish Kumar do not vote in support of this Bill in Lok Sabha, then the Government can never make this a law. BJP doesn’t consider Muslims their vote bank,” Kishor told ANI.

Cautioning Nitish Kumar, Prashant Kishor said that he would be more blamed for this law when the history of this era is written.

“People like Nitish Kumar who tell Muslims every day that they are the well-wishers of the community should definitely think that aren’t they showing their hypocrisy by voting in support of this Bill even when they speak of Gandhi, Lohia and JP? When this era is written in history, the blame for this law will be more on leaders like Nitish Kumar than the BJP,” Kishor said.

Additionally, Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, Zia ur Rehman Barq said that the allies will face the consequences for supporting the bill.

“The government may have majority figures, but its allies know that if they support this bill, they will have to face a lot of consequences in the coming times,” he said.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs to be present at the bill’s tabling.

According to a press release, “The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has issued a three-line whip to all its Members of Parliament, directing them to be present in the Lok Sabha on April 2, 2025. This directive comes in light of the scheduled introduction of the Waqf Bill, which is expected to be a matter of significant discussion in the House.

The bill will be tabled after today’s Question Hour for consideration and passing. Following that, an 8-hour discussion will be held, which is also subject to an increase.

The bill aims to amend the Waqf Act 1995 to redress the issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties.

The Amendment Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards by introducing changes such as renaming the Act, updating the definitions of waqf, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records.

The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. (ANI)

In a move that’s left many on edge, President Trump’s highly anticipated tariffs are set to take effect sooner than some had expected–as in immediately, the White House said Tuesday.

Although many details remain unknown, perhaps even to Trump himself, the administration’s “Liberation Day” trade policy announcement is expected to be the most aggressive tariff move yet by the most tariff-obsessed president in modern history, CNN reported.

Trump is meeting with his trade team on Tuesday, and the tariffs he announces at a Rose Garden ceremony at 4 pm ET Wednesday will go into effect “immediately,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing.

While speaking to reporters on Sunday, Trump stated, that hat he’d “settled” on a plan for sweeping new tariffs to be announced midweek, catching some White House officials by surprise: If the president had indeed arrived at a final decision for the tariffs, it hadn’t yet been widely shared inside the building, as per CNN.

Still unclear is whether Trump plans to levy individual tariff rates on all US trading partners, put tariffs on only some countries, or apply a universal tariff — perhaps as high as 20 per cent — on all imports. Trump’s advisers are publicly supportive of Trump’s tariff agenda, but they differ in approach and scope behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, recently, Trump said that he had heard that India was dropping its tariffs on American goods substantially.

“I think I heard that India just a little while ago is going to be dropping its tariffs very substantially and I said why didn’t somebody do this a long time ago,” he said.

Trump was asked if his tariffs- which are to be effective from Wednesday- may push countries to side with China, to which he promptly said that the tariffs would actually help the countries do better.

He did not explain how that would be.

“No, I’m not worried about it. I think they have a chance of doing better with the tariffs. It can actually help them in a certain way, and I think a lot of them will drop their tariffs because they’ve been unfairly tariffing the United States for years,” he said.

Trump said that the European Union had dropped its tariffs on US-made cars to 2.5 per cent.

“If you look at the European Union- on cars, the European Union already dropped their tariff down to 2.5 per cent. It was announced a couple of days ago, which is a very small tariff the United States charged,” he said.

Trump will unveil a new tariff plan on April 2, which he has dubbed “Liberation Day,” in his first Rose Garden press conference of his second term, CNN reported. (ANI)

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is expected to be tabled in Parliament tomorrow, with both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress issuing whips to their MPs to ensure their presence in the House for the next three days.

With the parties in both the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and the Opposition INDIA bloc showing no signs of bipartisan consensus building, the final outcomes may be decided on the majority numbers on the floor.

In line with the BJP and Congress, their allies have also issued a whip to all their MPs to be present in the parliament on April 2 and 3.

Shiv Sena issued a 3-line whip to all its MPs of Lok Sabha to be present in the House on April 2 and 3 and support the government’s stand. Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who leads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), also issued a 3-line whip to all its MPs in the Lok Sabha to be present in the House.

However, INDIA bloc floor leaders’ held a meeting in Parliament to discuss the strategy over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which is set to be tabled tomorrow.

The Oposition has been vocal in its criticism of the Waqf Bill, with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief whip Dharmendra Yadav issuing a 3-line whip to all its MPs in the Lok Sabha to be present in the House on April 2 and participate in discussions on the Waqf Amendment Bill.

After the meeting of opposition parties, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, in a post on X, said that all the Opposition parties are united and shall work together on the floor of the Parliament to defeat the unconstitutional and divisive agenda of the Modi government on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said that the bill is against the basic spirit of the Constitution, terming it an attempt to divide the country.

“This bill is against the basic spirit of the Constitution. This is an attempt to divide the country. The INDI alliance will reject any such attempt with full force, will oppose it with full force. It is clear that the BJP does not believe in the Constitution. Today, the whole country is looking towards Nitish Kumar, Chandra Babu Naidu and Chirag Paswan. Tomorrow everyone’s faces will be exposed,” he said.

On Waqf Amendment Bill, RJD MP Misa Bharti said, “We have got to know that the Waqf Bill is likely to be tabled tomorrow. Our stand is clear; we are against it. The JDU should also make their stand clear as well, as the people of the state are looking up to them.”

CPI-M MP John Brittas stated that the INDIA alliance will take a strong position against the bill, claiming that the proposed legislation will create polarisation in society.

“The INDI alliance’s stand is clear on this matter; we will take a strong position against the bill. This bill is there to create polarisation in society. If Muslims are targeted today, other minority communities will be targeted tomorrow,” he said.

CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar said, “The INDI alliance will oppose this bill. We all will participate in the discussion. There will be fiery speeches. The INDI alliance is united in this movement.”

Reacting to the Waqf Amendment Bill, Jan Suraaj party founder Prashant Kishor questioned the silence of the Bihar Chief Minister, JDU Chief Nitish Kumar, saying, “This is an old tactic of Nitish Kumar. He voted in support of CAA-NRC. I was a member of his party at that time. It had been decided in the meeting of the party, and Nitish Kumar had spoken in detail that we strongly oppose this. But in Parliament, a vote was cast in support of CAA-NRC.”

Recalling an instance during the CAA-NRC bill, the Jan Suraj founder said, When I directly confronted Nitish Kumar, he told me to tell journalists that the bill wouldn’t be implemented in Bihar, that he was on a visit and did not know how his leaders voted in Lok Sabha. At that time, I felt that this man was not loyal to anybody, neither to the BJP nor to the Muslims. This is his old tactic to appease and fool all sections. People are watching this character of Nitish Kumar and are over it now.”

AIMPLB spokesperson Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said, “The way this bill has been brought, in any democratic setup, it is a wrong way. The way the JPC has been conducted is wrong. Other members were not heard in the committee. This bill is anti-constitutional; it is a discriminatory bill…”

BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai said that the bill is as per the Constitution and termed the previous ammendment in the Waqf bill made during UPA government in 2013.

“It is as per the Constitution. The important salient features of Constitution enshrined in it are Article 14 and 15 which speak about equality. However, the amendment brought out by the UPA government in 2013 just before the election for political purpose, it has caused a lot of aberrations where natural justice is totally avoided. So, to bring back natural justice and remove the aberrations of 2013 amendment, this was necessary. It (Bill) will set all anomalies right,” he said.

BJP MP Jagannath Sarkar said, “In democracy, Opposition always speaks against the ruling side, against the Government. But India is secular. So, there should be secularism. Why do you need a Waqf Board? There is no Waqf Board in Islamic nations. If there is Waqf Board in India, there should be something for Hindus too, for Christians too, for Jains. But that is not the case.”

On the Waqf Bill, BJP MP Rameswar Teli said, “They (Opposition) will oppose this bill, but our party has pledged to bring it in. We want everyone to participate in this nicely and hope we will pass the bill.”

The bill aims to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to address the issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties.

The Amendment Bill seeks to improve the administration and management of Waqf properties in India. It aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous Act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards by introducing changes such as renaming the Act, updating the definitions of waqf, improving the registration process, and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records.

The Waqf Act of 1995, enacted to regulate Waqf properties, has long been criticised for issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. (ANI)

Hopping on to the Ghibli-style trend that has taken social media by storm, the Israel Embassy in India has shared AI images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu.

While sharing the image on X, Israeli Embassy in India stated, “A #Ghibli tale of friendship India Israel @narendramodi @netanyahu #Ghiblistudio #ghibliart #IndiaIsrael.”

In response to their post on X, the Indian Embassy in Israel shared a picture of PM Modi and Netanyahu, which showed the two leaders enjoying a ride in a jeep. While sharing the picture on X, the Indian Embassy in Israel stated, “Driving the India-Israel friendship forward.”

The AI-generated pictures have taken the internet by storm, with social media feeds flooded with Ghibli pictures. Using the AI tool, a user can turn their imagination into visual art with the Text to Image feature.

Earlier in February, Israel’s Minister of Economy, Nir Barkat, said that the governments of India and Israel are aligned to make “very strong successful business-to-business relationships.” He stated that Israel is scaling rapidly to become a dominant global power.

While speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the India-Israel Business Forum event in New Delhi on Tuesday, Barkat lauded the government-to-government relationship between PM Modi and his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu and noted that Israelis love to travel to India and vice versa.

He said, “Israel has 10,000 startups, which is in ratio by far the most entrepreneurial country in the world. We excel in classic high-tech, agro-tech, food-tech, aqua-tech, desert-tech and climate change. We are very powerful naturally in defence and homeland security and in advanced industries. So, what we find, these clusters, these business clusters are very relevant for India. And we have a number of companies in each one of these business clusters sitting down and collaborating with numerous hundreds of companies here in India.”

“My expectation, and this is the discussion I had with Minister Piyush Goyal is to have another delegation coming from India to Israel where we can have multiple meetings and at the tail end of that process know how to help those companies both Indian and Israeli companies do more business. So, the two governments are aligned to make very strong successful business to business relationships,” he added.

Expressing Israel’s willingness to boost growth in India, he said, “Yes, we have a number of delegations. We are actually also seeking how to help invest in infrastructure and in companies that are going to do Make in India. So, we want to help boost growth in India aligned with the strategy of Prime Minister Modi and Minister Piyush Goyal on Make in India. This is something that makes sense for Israeli companies. So, we’re aligning the strategies of both countries to succeed more.” (ANI)