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Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan Slams CM Stalin Over ‘Childish’ Remarks in National Anthem Row

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Afternoon Voice
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Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan Slams CM Stalin Over 'Childish' Remarks in National Anthem Row 2

The Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan has hit back at Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, accusing him of arrogance after Stalin described Governor R.N. Ravi’s recent decision not to deliver his address to the Assembly as “childish.” In a scathing social media post, the Raj Bhavan warned that such behavior would not be tolerated and criticized the Chief Minister for undermining respect for the National Anthem and the Constitution.

The Raj Bhavan’s post, shared on its official ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) account, stated: “Thiru @mkstalin asserts that insisting on due respect to the National Anthem and performing fundamental duties enshrined in the Constitution is ‘absurd’ and ‘childish.’ Thanks for revealing the true intentions of the coalition you lead, one that refuses to accept Bharat as a nation and its Constitution. Such arrogance is not good.”

The statement further emphasized, “Please do not forget that Bharat is the supreme Mother and the Constitution is the supreme faith for her children. They will not like or tolerate such brazen insult.”

The remarks came in response to Stalin’s comments made a day earlier, where he accused Governor Ravi of being unable to “digest” the state’s progress and called his decision to leave the Assembly without delivering the customary address “childish.”

On January 6, Ravi walked out of the Assembly without delivering his address, citing that the National Anthem had not been played. The Raj Bhavan later claimed that Ravi left “in deep anguish.”

This ongoing row traces back to 2022 when Ravi had delivered his speech without any modifications. However, in the subsequent three years, he chose not to deliver his address, citing what Stalin called “absurd” reasons. The Chief Minister made these comments during his address in the state Assembly on Saturday.

The exchange between the Raj Bhavan and the Chief Minister has further intensified tensions between the state government and the Governor’s office, with both sides continuing to exchange barbs over matters of protocol and respect for the national symbols.

Controversial Conman Sukesh Chandrashekar Offers to Pay ₹7640 Crore Tax on Overseas Income

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Web Team
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Controversial Conman Sukesh Chandrashekar Offers to Pay ₹7640 Crore Tax on Overseas Income 4

Conman Sukesh Chandrashekar, currently incarcerated in Tihar Jail for his involvement in a multi-crore fraud, has made an unexpected move by offering to declare his overseas income and pay ₹7640 crore in taxes. In a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Chandrashekar expressed his intention to disclose his earnings for the financial year 2024-2025 under the relevant tax scheme issued by the Government of India.

Chandrashekar, who has been linked to several high-profile fraud cases, revealed that his overseas business operations are based in the United States and the British Virgin Islands. His companies, LS Holdings International and Speed Gaming Corporation, which are involved in online and offline gaming and betting, have been active since 2016. According to reports, these businesses generated a turnover of $2.70 billion in 2024 alone.

In his letter, Chandrashekar also mentioned the international reach of his businesses, with operations extending to the United States, Spain, the UK, Dubai, and Hong Kong. He made it clear that he is willing to settle all pending income tax proceedings and appeals in India.

A ‘Proud’ Indian?

Chandrashekar’s letter to Sitharaman also included a surprising declaration of admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He claimed to be a proud Indian and expressed his desire to contribute to the country’s development by paying taxes on his overseas income and investing in India.

“As of today, being a proud Indian, under the great leadership of our Prime Minister Modi Ji, I want to contribute my part towards the world-class development of this great nation. Henceforth, by willingly paying Indian taxes on my overseas income, and further investing my overseas income here in India,” he wrote.

Defending His Earnings

In his letter, Chandrashekar clarified that he is an undertrial and has not been convicted of any crime. He emphasized that his income, including earnings from his overseas businesses, is legitimate. He also pointed out that the Indian tax department has already initiated proceedings regarding his domestic income.

“I am currently facing multiple cases, financial in nature, here in India, and am in judicial custody. It’s important to mention that I am an undertrial and have not been convicted for any case. It would be wrong to say that any of my income is illegal. Your department has already initiated tax recovery proceedings on my Indian income, proving my earnings are legitimate,” he added.

Chandrashekar’s unexpected offer has raised eyebrows, leaving many to question the motivations behind such a move, given his controversial criminal history. His willingness to pay such a substantial tax amount will likely spark further discussions on the intersection of law, business, and accountability in India.

Chaos and Clashes in Bihar as Pappu Yadav Leads State-Wide Protest Over BPSC Exam Irregularities

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Web Team
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bpsc, bpsc exam, pappu yadav, bihar protest, bihar
Chaos and Clashes in Bihar as Pappu Yadav Leads State-Wide Protest Over BPSC Exam Irregularities 6

Independent MP from Purnea, Pappu Yadav, called for a state-wide ‘Bihar Bandh’ on Sunday, demanding the cancellation and re-conduct of the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) preliminary examination. The protest was fueled by allegations of question paper leaks and administrative mishandling of the exam, which had sparked outrage among aspirants. The bandh led to significant disruptions across the state, with major areas paralyzed.

Violent Clashes in Patna

The protest turned violent in Patna’s JP Golambar area, where Yadav’s supporters clashed with the police. Demonstrators breached police barricades and attempted to march forward, prompting a tense standoff. The police struggled to contain the crowd as the situation quickly escalated into violent confrontations.

Supporters of Yadav’s Jan Adhikar Party, including its youth wing, Chhatra Yuva Shakti, rampaged through various parts of the state. Protesters damaged vehicles, including trucks used for metro construction, smashing them with sticks. BJP banners were torn down, and tyres were set on fire, filling the air with thick black smoke. Key locations in Patna, such as Ashok Rajpath, NIT More, and Dak Bungalow Chauraha, were completely blocked, leading to massive traffic jams and disrupting daily life.

Pappu Yadav Leads Protest March

Pappu Yadav personally led a large procession from Income Tax Chauraha to Dak Bungalow Chauraha in Patna. Standing atop an open vehicle emblazoned with a banner reading ‘Ram Naam Satya,’ Yadav rallied his supporters to protest against the state government. His followers marched alongside him, chanting slogans demanding justice for BPSC candidates and condemning alleged corruption in the examination process.

The bandh, which began early in the morning, saw protesters burning tyres and forcing shops to shut. Several districts reported road blockages, and public transport services were severely affected. Major markets in Patna and surrounding cities were closed, leaving commuters stranded and creating widespread inconvenience.

Protests Over BPSC Exam Irregularities

The protests had been simmering since December 2024, when BPSC aspirants first raised concerns over the Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024, which was held on December 13. The candidates alleged that the exam had been marred by question paper leaks, leading to a call for its cancellation.

On Saturday, Pappu Yadav announced he was teaming up with Azad Party founder Chandrashekhar Azad and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi to push for justice in the BPSC case. They pledged to disrupt the functioning of the Bihar Legislative Assembly starting March 21 if their demands were not met.

Legal Developments

The protests come amid ongoing legal battles over the exam. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition alleging widespread malpractices in the BPSC exam. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna directed the petitioner to approach the Patna High Court with their grievances.

The counsel for the petitioners, Anand Legal Aid Forum Trust, highlighted the brutal actions of Bihar police against peaceful protesters demanding the cancellation of the exam, further fueling tensions across the state.

Sanjay Raut’s Bold Stand: Shiv Sena (UBT) to Contest Local Body Polls Solo

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Web Team
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Sanjay Raut's Bold Stand: Shiv Sena (UBT) to Contest Local Body Polls Solo 8

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut announced on Saturday that his party will independently contest the upcoming local body elections, distancing itself from alliances like the INDIA bloc and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Speaking to reporters, Raut clarified that these alliances were formed for the Lok Sabha and state assembly elections, not for local polls.

Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, emphasized that alliances often hinder the growth of individual parties and their workers. “We will fight elections to municipal corporations in Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur, and other local bodies, including zilla parishads and panchayats, on our own strength,” he said, adding that party chief Uddhav Thackeray had signaled this move.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also hit out at Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar for blaming the MVA for its state assembly defeat. “Those who cannot embrace consensus and compromise have no place in an alliance,” Raut asserted.

Taking a dig at the INDIA bloc, Raut revealed that no meetings were held after the Lok Sabha elections. He criticized the Congress, as the largest alliance party, for failing to convene even a single meeting or appoint a convenor for the bloc.

Raut also targeted Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for sidestepping the BJP’s poll promises, including farm loan waivers and financial aid for “Laadki Bahin” beneficiaries. “These promises are in the BJP’s manifesto. As finance minister in their government, he must deliver,” Raut insisted.

When questioned about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s podcast comment that he is human and capable of mistakes, Raut offered a sharp retort. “Modi is god, not human. If he claims to be human after being declared a god, something is wrong. There’s a ‘chemical locha’ (imbalance),” he quipped, in a statement laced with sarcasm.

Raut’s remarks underscore the growing divisions within political alliances and set the stage for a fierce battle in Maharashtra’s local body elections.

IMD Warns of Heavy Rains Amid Intensifying Cold Wave in Delhi-NCR

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Web Team
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delhi air pollution, air quality index, supreme court, delhi, delhi pollution
IMD Warns of Heavy Rains Amid Intensifying Cold Wave in Delhi-NCR 10

Delhi-NCR woke up to dense fog once again, but slight relief from foggy conditions is anticipated as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall for the weekend. The downpour, accompanied by icy winds, is expected to intensify the ongoing cold wave gripping the region.

Rain to Lash Northern States

The IMD predicts rain with thunderstorms in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan on January 11. The rain activity is expected to spread to Uttarakhand on January 11 and 12.

In Rajasthan, the Jaipur Meteorological Centre has forecast light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms across parts of the Bikaner, Jaipur, and Bharatpur divisions. Certain areas may also witness hailstorms on January 11.

Delhi-NCR to Witness Mercury Dip

Delhi’s Meteorological Centre predicts that the maximum temperature will range between 6°C and 20°C, with a significant drop in the coming days.

In Noida, temperatures are expected to peak at 18°C, with a minimum of 8°C. Ghaziabad may see a maximum of 20°C and a minimum of 5°C, while Gurugram could reach a high of 19°C, with lows around 8°C.

Residents of Delhi-NCR and surrounding states are advised to brace for harsher cold conditions and take necessary precautions as the cold wave tightens its grip.

SAD’s Working Committee Accepts Sukhbir Badal’s Resignation as Party Chief

By
PTI
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SAD's Working Committee Accepts Sukhbir Badal's Resignation as Party Chief 12

The working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Friday accepted the resignation of Sukhbir Singh Badal as party chief, party leaders said.

The move came over a month after Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh asked the SAD to implement the December 2 edict at the earliest, while referring to the direction of accepting the resignation of Badal.

Badal’s resignation was accepted in the working committee meeting held at the party’s headquarters.

Speaking to reporters after his resignation was accepted, Badal thanked the party workers and leaders for their support.

Badal had tendered his resignation as the party chief on November 16 last year but the party’s working committee did not accept his resignation, appealing him to reconsider his resignation otherwise the entire committee would resign enmasse.

While pronouncing the religious punishment for Badal and other leaders for the “mistakes” committed by the SAD and its government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017 on December 2, the Akal Takht had also directed the SAD’s working committee to accept the resignation of Badal as party chief and other leaders.

Badal was declared ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, on August 30 last year. He had undergone religious punishment.

ED Raids RJD MLA Ashok Mehta, Others in Bihar Co-op Bank ‘Fraud’ PMLA Case

By
PTI
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ashok mehta, ed, raid, bihar, enforcement direcotrate, bihar raid
ED Raids RJD MLA Ashok Mehta, Others in Bihar Co-op Bank 'Fraud' PMLA Case 14

The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches in multiple states, including in Bihar, on premises linked to an RJD MLA Ashok Mehta as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged fund embezzlement at a state cooperative bank, official sources said.

About 18 premises in Bihar, West Bengal (Kolkata), Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi are being searched, they said.

These include premises linked to RJD MLA and former Bihar minister Alok Kumar Mehta (58), who is the promoter of the Bihar-based Vaishali Shahri Vikas (VSV) Cooperative Bank, apart from some other linked entities, the sources said.

The money laundering investigation stems from some state police FIRs filed against the bank and its office-bearers for alleged embezzlement of funds worth about Rs 85 crore, they said.

The RBI had carried out a verification of the bank and identified the alleged diversion of the bank funds, the sources said.

Mehta is an MLA from the Ujiarpur seat of Bihar and is a senior politician of the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD). He has earlier served as the minister for revenue and land reforms in the state.

No immediate reaction was available from him or the party.

Prostitution Racket Busted in Thane; Man Held, Four Women Rescued

By
PTI
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prostitution racket, spa, thane, thane police
Prostitution Racket Busted in Thane; Man Held, Four Women Rescued 16

Police have exposed a prostitution business that was being run from a lodge in Maharashtra’s Thane city and rescued four women, an official said on Friday.

A garage operator, identified as Ranjit Vaishnav (42), has been arrested for forcing the women into the illicit business, while the lodge owner, Ashok Shetty, is on the run, he said.

The Kasarwadavali police on Wednesday raided the lodge, located under their jurisdiction, and rescued four women, aged between 26 and 30, from two rooms, the official said.

Vaishnav and Shetty have been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 143 (trafficking of person) and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, he added.

Sharad Pawar Applauds RSS Dedication, Urges NCP to Build Equally Committed Cadre

By
Web Team
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nationalist congress party, ncp (sp), sharad pawar, rss, rashtriya swayamsevak sangh
Sharad Pawar Applauds RSS Dedication, Urges NCP to Build Equally Committed Cadre 18

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar lauded the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for its unwavering dedication to ideology and called on his party to foster a similarly committed cadre base rooted in the progressive ideals of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and Yashwantrao Chavan.

Speaking at a party workers’ meeting in South Mumbai on Thursday, Pawar emphasized the RSS’s ability to maintain ideological loyalty, urging the NCP-SP to emulate this dedication for advancing social progress.

Reflecting on the party’s poor performance in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections, Pawar said, “We became complacent after our success in the Lok Sabha polls, while the ruling alliance immediately worked to address their setbacks.” Despite winning eight out of ten Lok Sabha seats it contested, the NCP-SP secured only ten out of nearly 90 seats in the assembly elections.

Pawar acknowledged a failure to effectively communicate the party’s contributions to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), a crucial vote bank. He also stressed the urgency of addressing the caste divide in Marathwada, particularly following the custodial death of a Dalit man in Parbhani and the brutal murder of a village sarpanch in Beed.

Recalling his leadership during the Marathwada University renaming controversy as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, Pawar emphasized the importance of direct engagement and social engineering to tackle current challenges.

In a bid to rejuvenate the party, Pawar announced that 50% of tickets for the upcoming local body elections will be given to new faces and hinted at a major organizational overhaul.

The NCP-SP, a crucial component of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), is now aiming to regroup and re-strategize for the battles ahead.

MahaRERA Suspends 1,950 Lapsed Real Estate Projects; Thousands More Face Uncertainty

By
Web Team
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maharera, maha rera, real estate, developers, builders, maharashtra
MahaRERA Suspends 1,950 Lapsed Real Estate Projects; Thousands More Face Uncertainty 20

The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has temporarily suspended the registration of 1,950 lapsed real estate projects across the state, a move aimed at protecting homebuyers. The regulatory body announced on January 9 that over 3,499 additional projects are likely to face similar action in the coming days.

This development follows MahaRERA’s issuance of show-cause notices in December 2024 to around 10,771 projects, predominantly located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, for failing to comply with statutory obligations. Developers were given a 30-day deadline to provide mandatory disclosures and update project details on the MahaRERA website.

So far, 1,283 developers have responded, with their submissions under review. However, developers of 3,499 projects have failed to respond, prompting MahaRERA to consider extending the suspension orders.

“MahaRERA is aware of the significant number of non-compliant projects and has initiated action to safeguard the interests of homebuyers,” said Manoj Saunik, Chairman of MahaRERA.

Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, developers are required to regularly update the status of their projects on the MahaRERA portal, including submitting quarterly and annual progress reports. Non-compliance can result in penalties, de-registration, and restrictions on transactions related to the projects.

This large-scale crackdown signals MahaRERA’s commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in the real estate sector, but it also raises concerns about the fate of thousands of homebuyers tied to these stalled projects.

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