Month: June 2025

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath celebrated his 53rd birthday in Ayodhya. The Chief Minister visited the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and witnessed the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ rituals.

CM Yogi attended the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony on the first floor of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. In this ceremony, the idols of Lord Ram, seated on the throne with Maa Janaki, with Bharat, Laxman and Shatrughan standing beside them, along with the idol of Lord Bajrangbali, were consecrated as per Vedic rituals. Yogi Adityanath offered prayers and ‘aarti’ at the temple.

CM Yogi also attended the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremonies in the other temples around the Ram Darbar. He also visited the famous Hanuman Garhi temple and offered prayers.

On the last day of the three-day ceremony, the worship of the invoked deities began at 6:30 AM and lasted for two hours. After this, the hawan began at 9 AM and lasted for an hour. During this, the President of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, General Secretary Champat Rai, Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj and other dignitaries were present at the temple.

Meanwhile, celebrating the Chief Minister’s birthday in Gorakhpur, traders performed milk coronation with Panchamrit on the picture of CM Yogi Adityanath. Along with this, they performed a hawan with Vedic mantras and prayed for his long life.

District in-charge Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh Radha Kant Verma said that on the occasion of his birthday, the Chief Minister’s picture was bathed with Panchamrit. He added that CM Yogi is popular in the state as well as the entire country, and now they want to see him as the Prime Minister of the country.

CM Yogi is set to attend Saryu Jayanti Janmotsav in Ayodhya today, said Mahant Rajkumar Das Maharaj, head of Shriramvallabhkunj. The Anjaneya Sewa Trust will organise the event. The event will be held from June 5 to 11, and the week-long celebration will feature devotional events, rituals, and spiritual discourses. (ANI)

Former Nepali Prime Minister and leader of the opposition Madhav Kumar Nepal has been charged with corruption by the anti-graft agency in connection with an alleged land scam. It is the first time that a former Prime Minister has been booked for corruption in the Himalayan nation.

The anti-graft agency, Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), on Thursday afternoon registered a case against Nepal along with 94 others on the land scam, court officials confirmed to ANI.

“CIAA registered the case at the Special Court on Thursday against Nepal and other defendants,” a Special Court official confirmed to ANI.

This is the first time that a Nepali Prime Minister has been charged in a corruption case in the nation’s history. The case involves alleged misappropriation of land acquired for a private company under government exemptions for land ownership ceiling.

As per the charges, the anti-graft agency has demanded NRs 186 million from the former Prime Minister.

Madhav Kumar Nepal, now the chairman of CPN-Unified Socialist (CPN-US), while in power on February 1, 2010, had approved the purchase of 815 ropani (1 ropani equals 0.0509 hectares) of land in Banepa, Kavre, under the ceiling exemption for purposes including yoga centres, Ayurvedic institutes, and the herbal industry.

The decision was made through a meeting of the council of ministers led by then Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.

The same cabinet meeting also approved the purchase of land under ceiling exemption: 75 bighas (1 bigha equals 0.677 hectares) in Dang, 300 ropanis in Lamjung, 250 ropanis in Syangja, 15 bighas in Chitwan, 25 bighas in Dhanusha, 150 ropanis in the Kathmandu Valley, and 40 bighas in the Bara-Parsa area within five years.

After receiving Cabinet approval, the private company’s Nepal Chief purchased 593 ropanis, 5 annas, and 3 paisas of land in the areas of Nasikasthan, Sanga, Mahendrajyoti, and Chalal Ganeshsthan in Banepa.

The decision-making process to grant approval for purchasing land under the ceiling exemption involved then Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, then Land Reform Minister Dambar Shrestha, then Chief Secretary Madhav Ghimire, then Secretary Chhabiraj Pant, along with other high-ranking officials and employees.

Within a month of receiving approval to purchase land under the ceiling exemption, on February 19, 2010, the company’s Chief submitted an application to the then Land Reform Minister Shrestha seeking permission to sell the land acquired under the exemption.

On March 16 of the same year, citing “as per Prime Minister Nepal’s instruction,” then Minister Shrestha took the proposal to the Cabinet to allow the company to sell the land obtained through the ceiling exemption.

Three days later, the Cabinet decided to approve the sale of the exempted land. However, on March 30, 2010, then Director General of the Land Reform Department, Keshar Bahadur Baniya, sent a letter to the ministry stating that the Cabinet’s decision was illegal and could not be implemented.

On April 8, 2010, the Cabinet decided to seek clarification from Director General Baniya, accusing him of challenging the approval given for the sale of land exempted from the land ceiling. The next day, to support the planned sale of the exempted land, Baniya was allegedly removed from his position as Director General, and Joint Secretary Jit Bahadur Thapa of the ministry was appointed in his place.

On the very same day he assumed the role, Thapa sent a letter to the Kavre Land Revenue Office approving the sale of the land exempted from the land ceiling.

On June 25, 2010, the company sold 353 ropani and 15 aana of land to Kasthamandap Business Homes Pvt Ltd. The investigation has also revealed financial irregularities in land transactions.

When the company sold the land in Banepa, the recorded price was NRs 42.25 million. Government records show that the private company later bought 104 ropani, 1 aana, 2 paisa, and 1 dam of land in Dhulikhel for Rs 10.75 million.

Following the registration of the case, the post of Member of Parliament (MP) of Madhav Kumar Nepal has been suspended with immediate effect. (ANI)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the government over the state of the economy, citing statistics that show a decline in sales of two-wheelers, cars, and mobile phones on Thursday. In a post on X, Gandhi stated that these numbers are not just figures, but a reality of the economic struggles faced by common Indians.

The Congress leader called for a change in politics, saying that it should focus on the reality of everyday life, rather than grand events. Gandhi also demanded an economy that works for all Indians, not just a select few capitalists.

“The statistics tell the truth. In the last year, two-wheeler sales have fallen by 17% and car sales by 8.6%. The mobile market has fallen by 7%. On the other hand, both expenses and debt are constantly increasing: house rent, domestic inflation, education expenses, and almost everything is becoming expensive. These are not just figures; this is the reality of the economic pressure under which every common Indian is suffering. We need politics that is not about the glitz of events, but about the reality of everyday life – that asks the right questions, understands the situation and responds responsibly. We need an economy that works for every Indian, not just for a select few capitalists,” Gandhi posted on X.

Earlier, Economist Sanjeev Sanyal said that India’s economic growth rate of 6 to 7 per cent is a result of many “process reforms” undertaken that are not part of the headlines. India continues to be among the fastest-growing major economies and is expected to maintain this momentum over the coming years, according to global agencies.

“The 6.5-7 per cent GDP growth rate we are now seeing is driven at least in part by the efficiencies we get from this kind of reform,” Sanyal said, highlighting the importance of micro-reforms. He said that the government has removed hundreds of outdated colonial-era laws.

He noted that while small reforms often go unappreciated, their cumulative impact has significantly improved systemic efficiency. This, he added, is one of the key drivers behind the current 6.5-7 per cent GDP growth rate.

Moreover, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Anantha Nageswaran affirmed that the Indian economy is doing well and may achieve a growth rate at the higher end of its 6.3-6.8 per cent projection.

“All in all, given the global environment, our economy is doing quite well,” the CEA told reporters at a virtual press conference, soon after the GDP data for 2024-25 and January-March were released.” And if we continue with the efforts to bring in more foreign direct investment and the private sector, if it continues its increase in capital investment, which we saw in 2024-25 and urban consumption picks up on the back of let’s say, better capital formation, hiring and compensation, then we can probably achieve a growth rate which is at the higher end of this range (6.3-6.8 per cent).”As was widely expected, the Indian economy grew by 6.5 per cent in real terms in the recently concluded financial year 2024-25.

According to NSO’s second advance estimates, the country’s economy was projected to grow at 6.5 per cent in 2024-25. The Reserve Bank of India had projected 6.5 per cent GDP growth for the fiscal year 2024-25. In 2023-24, India’s GDP grew by an impressive 9.2 per cent, continuing to be the fastest-growing major economy. The economy grew 8.7 per cent and 7.2 per cent, respectively, in 2021-22 and 2022-23. (ANI)

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday alleged that EVMs are being manipulated to prevent BSP candidates from winning elections and reiterated her demand for a return to ballot paper-based voting.

Speaking in Lucknow, the former UP Chief Minister and BSP Supremo Mayawati said, “EVMs are not trustworthy. If elections are conducted through ballot papers, the BSP will win. The current government will not allow this change because they benefit from this system.”

She further claimed that several political parties–both ruling and opposition–are working systematically to weaken the BSP, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, where the party holds a strong support base among Dalits and marginalised sections.

“BSP is the only party truly carrying forward the movement initiated by Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Other parties just take the name of Scheduled Castes and backwards classes to seek votes, but once in power, they do nothing for them. Their only aim is to divide and mislead our people to weaken the BSP,” she said.

Mayawati also alleged that these parties are exploiting Dalit sentiments for political gains and warned the community to remain vigilant. “They are trying to confuse and mislead Dalits in the name of Ambedkar, while working against his ideals behind the scenes,” she said.

The BSP chief also reacted to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, stating that poor border security has been a persistent issue.

“Our borders are not secure, and that’s why such terror attacks keep happening. Instead of addressing the root cause, political parties are now politicising the Pahalgam incident for their benefit,” she said.

The BSP Chief alleged that the ruling and opposition parties are conspiring against her party by forming other parties and influencing opportunistic individuals from among the Dalits and other neglected classes

“The casteist parties in power and the opposition have formed other parties behind the scenes by influencing some opportunistic and selfish people from among the Dalits and other neglected classes,” she said.

Mayawati claimed that these parties use various tactics to mislead the Dalits and other neglected classes, to divide their votes

Mayawati emphasised that her party remains committed to Ambedkar’s vision and will continue to work for the upliftment of Dalits, backwards classes, and other marginalised communities. (ANI)

A large number of devotees gathered on the banks of rivers across Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra, and took a holy dip in the sacred waters, celebrating the divine descent of Maa Ganga to Earth.

People took a dip in the Saryu river in Ayodhya, believing it would wash away their sins.

Devotees offered prayers and bathed at the Sangam Triveni, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj.

The holy ritual was observed as part of Ganga Dussehra, a Hindu festival that marks the arrival of the river Ganga on Earth from the heavens, as per ancient scriptures.

Meanwhile, in Varanasi, priests of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple performed special prayers on the banks of the river Ganga.

Thousands of devotees, including tourists and pilgrims, were seen across Varanasi taking a dip in the Ganga and participating in aarti rituals.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wished Ganga Dussehra and World Environment Day to the citizens of the state.

Speaking to ANI on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra, CM Yogi said, “Today is a very auspicious and holy day… On this day, not only the followers of Sanatan Dharma but every Indian’s desire to attain salvation was fulfilled… On this auspicious day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the country the Namami Gange Programme. We are grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the bottom of our hearts for this.”

Ganga Dussehra, which is celebrated on the tenth day (Dashami) of the waxing moon (Shukla Paksha) in the Hindu month of Jyeshtha, also marks the day when Goddess Ganga is believed to have descended from the heavens to Earth.

The festivities last for 10 days, with the last day being celebrated as Ganga Dussehra. (ANI)

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara visited the stampede site at M Chinnaswamy Stadium and said that a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be formulated for large-scale meetings, ceremonies and victory ceremonies.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “The CM has already announced a magisterial inquiry into the incident. I came here to see the situation at the gates where the stampede occurred.”

He added that the Chief Minister held a meeting yesterday. An investigation has been ordered to be conducted under the leadership of the Bangalore City District Commissioner. He assured that whoever the perpetrators are, strict action will be taken.

“I cannot say anything until the investigation report comes”, he said.

The Home Department will make a new SOP to ensure that such incidents do not happen. He said that from now on, when any big ceremony, meeting, or victory celebration is held, the programs should be held within the framework of the police department’s directives.

“We will make a new SOP. We will give some instructions. Such incidents should never happen. Innocent deaths should not happen. It hurts to see all this. It was sad when I saw it in the morgue yesterday. People aged 20-25 years have lost their lives when they came to celebrate happily. No one could have predicted all this,” he said.

11 people died in the accident, and 56 were injured. 46 people have been treated and have gone home. Officials said that 10 people are being treated in the hospital, and none of them were seriously injured.

The Home Minister said that the incident that took place yesterday was unprecedented in the state’s cricket history. He offered his prayers and condolences for the deceased and their families.

Parameshwara added, “A man told Vaidehi Hospital about the loss of his son. His son had left home at 6 am to go to college. This is how it happened. The community came in joy. No one could have predicted this. The stadium, which has a capacity of 34,000 seats, had 3 lakh people.”

“According to the information provided by the Metro, 8.7 lakh people travelled in the metro from 9 am to 11 pm. I will not say anything until the investigation report comes. I will inspect the scene of the incident at Chinnaswamy Stadium. I will hold a meeting with RCB and KSCA. Whatever is technical, the DGP and the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner will look into it,” he told reporters.

The stampede occurred at the gates of the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium when thousands of fans gathered to get a glimpse of RCB players after the franchise won the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

The Karnataka government announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased killed in the stampede. Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah addressed a press conference and said the government would also provide free treatment to the injured. (ANI)

Health authorities have confirmed the first case of wild poliovirus in Gilgit-Baltistan this year, raising Pakistan’s nationwide tally to 11 in 2025. The infection was detected in the Diamer district and verified by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Express Tribune reported.

This marks the first instance of wild poliovirus reported from Gilgit-Baltistan, a development that has alarmed health officials as the country continues its battle to eradicate the disease. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic, highlighting the global significance of every new case.

The announcement comes days after Pakistan concluded its third nationwide polio vaccination campaign of the year. The drive, which ran from May 26 to June 2, targeted more than 45 million children under the age of five across 159 districts – including many regions considered at high risk of polio transmission.

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that has no cure and primarily affects young children, potentially leading to permanent paralysis. Health experts emphasise that multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine are crucial in ensuring full protection against the virus. Each administered dose, they stress, strengthens children’s immunity and lowers the risk of lifelong disability, reported the Express Tribune.

In light of the recent case, officials have renewed appeals to parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive every scheduled dose. “This case is a stark reminder that polio remains a threat,” said an official from Pakistan’s polio eradication programme. “No child should be left behind.”

Community outreach continues to be a key strategy in achieving full vaccination coverage and preventing any resurgence. However, polio teams in Pakistan still face serious risks in the field.

Last week, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a polio vaccination team in Nushki, Balochistan. A police constable escorting the team was martyred, and another officer sustained injuries during the attack, the Express Tribune reported.

The incident drew strong condemnation from Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding health workers and sustaining the national effort to eradicate polio. (ANI)

Actor Alia Bhatt recently travelled to Spain to attend the wedding of her best friend Tanya Saha Gupta and David Angelov. She has treated her fans with a glimpse of her gala time at the wedding.

On Wednesday, the ‘Jigra’ actor posted an album on Instagram featuring her ‘group of girls’, a picture of herself with the bride and her looks from the wedding.

Some pictures feature the bride with her bridesmaids and were clicked in different poses.

Alia looks stunning in a modern black strapless dress.

Alia also shared pictures from another event where she was seen in a white embellished bralette, matching blazer, and cream skirt. She also wore a necklace, sunglasses, and a bag.

In one of the pictures, actor Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, also a close friend of Alia, was also there and clicked a selfie with Alia.

In another photo, Alia is all smiles as she poses with the newlyweds and her close friends.

Alia wore a colourful kalidar lehenga paired with a mustard yellow blouse. She added a purple bandanna and dark sunglasses for a fun, boho-chic feel.

Along with the post, she wrote an adorable note, “There’s nothing softer, stronger or more sparkly than a group of girls watching their best friend marry the love of her life (@tanya.sg @d_angelov). The most beautiful wedding, the most beautiful bride — and hearts fuller than we knew possible.Some places just feel like home – ours is wherever we are together (@akansharanjankapoor @meghnagoyal1 @kripamehta04 @rheachatterjee24 @devika.advani @dishakhatwani).”

Alia, who made her debut at the Cannes Film Festival this year, left fans speechless with her outfit choices on the red carpet.

For day one of her appearance, Alia chose a Schiaparelli gown, styled by Rhea Kapoor.

For the closing ceremony, the actress wore a custom Gucci saree–the brand’s first-ever made-to-order saree–which impressed fashion watchers.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Alia is busy filming her upcoming movie, Alpha. Directed by Shiv Rawail, ‘Alpha’ is set to be a notable addition to Yash Raj Films’ acclaimed spy universe and is scheduled for release on December 25. (ANI)

In a significant development in the alleged classroom construction corruption case, the Delhi Police’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has recorded statements of nearly 20 individuals, including engineers, contractors, and officials from the Education Department.

According to sources, police have also questioned an architect whose bank account allegedly received funds from the contractors. Notably, no architect was officially appointed in this government project, raising serious questions about how and why the funds were transferred to the architect’s account. This financial trail has now become a crucial aspect of the investigation.

Before summoning former Delhi ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain for questioning, ACB officials have conducted an extensive and technically detailed investigation. Two engineers were specially roped in to assess the financial losses incurred in classroom construction.

The ACB had earlier written to the Chief Technical Examiner, seeking expert assistance to evaluate the technical aspects of the case. This move aimed to determine whether there was deliberate cost inflation or procedural irregularities during construction.

With preparations complete and multiple testimonies on record, the case now appears to be heading toward the high-profile questioning of the two former ministers.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) issued summonses to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain over an alleged Rs 2,000 crore corruption scam in the construction of classrooms in government schools.

Minister Satyendar Jain was summoned to the ACB office on June 6, and Manish Sisodia was asked to appear in court on June 9.

This comes after a complaint was filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Harish Khurana, BJP MLA Kapil Mishra and Neelkanth Bakshi of the BJP’s Media Relations Department against the AAP ministers, who were accused of inflating costs for constructing semi-permanent classrooms, as per a statement by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) Shweta Singh Chauhan.

According to Chauhan, the probe into the investigation of the case revealed massive cost escalations and violations of procurement rules, with 34 contractors linked to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Speaking to ANI, Chauhan said, “We received a complaint against Manish Sisodia, former Deputy CM, and Satyendar Jain, former PWD Minister… the scam is of over Rs 2,000 crore. The classrooms were semi-permanent structures, and the cost estimate was around Rs 24,00,000 per classroom, which was more than the prevalent market rate back then.”

The complaint alleged irregularities in the construction of approximately 12,748 classrooms at a reported expenditure of Rs 2,892 crore. The cost per classroom, as per the awarded tenders, stood at around Rs 24.86 lakh, even though similar structures could be built in Delhi for approximately Rs five lakh, they claimed. (ANI)

Ace filmmaker Anurag Basu is all set to add a flavour of love to the month of July with his film ‘Metro…In Dino’.

The film’s trailer was launched on Wednesday, and since then, the audience’s curiosity has increased to the next level.

Anupam Kher, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ali Fazal, and Neena Gupta feature in ‘Metro…In Dino’, which will be released in theatres on July 4.

The trailer gave us a sneak peek into the love stories of the couples – Sara Ali Khan and Aditya Roy Kapur, Konkona Sen Sharma and Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and Fatima Sana Shaikh, Anupam Kher and Neena Gupta. Basically, it follows four different love stories of couples — young, old, and middle-aged — living in a metro, and serves as the spiritual sequel to Anurag Basu’s 2007 film Life in a… Metro.

Take a look

Sharing the trailer, Kher on Instagram wrote, “TRAILER OUT: Love isn’t easy. It’s layered, flawed, and deeply human. Metro…In Dino captures it all. Watch the Trailer Now! Catch your own story in cinemas on 4th July 2025!”

Gulshan Kumar & T-Series presents, in association with Anurag Basu Productions Pvt. Ltd., ‘Metro…In Dino’.

Directed by Anurag Basu, with music composed by Pritam, and produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Anurag Basu, and Taani Basu, the film will soon arrive in theatres. (ANI)