Doyen of Indian hospitality PRS Oberoi passes away 2
Chairman Emeritus of The Oberoi Group, Prithvi Raj Singh Oberoi, widely known as the doyen of Indian hospitality, passed away on Tuesday, leaving behind a rich legacy.
”It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the peaceful passing of PRS Oberoi, Chairman Emeritus of The Oberoi Group, earlier today,” a statement said.
A luminary in the hospitality industry, Oberoi’s legacy transcends borders, leaving an indelible mark on the global landscape, it added.
Oberoi received numerous awards and accolades, including the Padma Vibhushan, in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the country in tourism and hospitality.
He was also honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market), recognizing his exceptional leadership and vision. Oberoi was also presented with the ‘Corporate Hotelier of the World’ award by HOTELS magazine USA.
The 6th International Hotels Investment Forum in Berlin honoured him with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also the recipient of Forbes India Leadership Awards, Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence, CNBC TV 18 India Business Leader Awards, Business India magazine’s Businessman of the Year, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
”As we mourn the loss of a true icon, we also aim to celebrate the extraordinary legacy PRS Oberoi leaves behind. In the coming days, we will share details of our plans to honour and remember him,” the statement said.
The cremation ceremony will be held at the Bhagwanti Oberoi Charitable Trust, Oberoi Farm, Kapashera, starting at 4 pm on Tuesday.
”We extend a heartfelt invitation to those who know Oberoi to attend and pay their respects. Additionally, prayers will be held for him at our hotels and the corporate office today,” the statement said.
PRS Oberoi, popularly known as Biki, was born in New Delhi in 1929.
The son of late Rai Bahadur MS Oberoi, the founder of The Oberoi Group, was the executive chairman of EIH Ltd for a long time when the group flourished.
Telangana Assembly Election 2023: BJP is getting stronger but unlikely to come in power 4
When it comes to Telangana, the BJP has only one issue to lure typical saffron-inclined voters and that is Hindutva. Other than Hindutva, the BJP has no merits to mention. Another factor would be Modi and the craze for him. Some sections of Hindus who are staunch followers of Modi will vote for the BJP but if you look at the larger picture, coming to power is not possible for the BJP.
This year’s Assembly election is seeing a brutal battle between the ruling BRS and Congress. There are many speculations that Congress can gain some seats here. The BJP’s vote share in Telangana might increase in 2023 compared to previous years but they will not be able to form a government. People prefer KCR because he was instrumental in achieving Telangana statehood. Unfortunately, the TDP and BJP joined hands in Andhra Pradesh in the 2014 elections. AIMIM and BJP are bitter enemies but silent mutual strategists. AIMIM helps the BJP cut votes.
KCR, daughter Kavitha, and son KTR, Nephew Harish, are the main players, and they have their grassroots homework; they know what Telangana wants. Since the formation of Telangana State in 2014, the people of Telangana have elected TRS in both the Assembly and Loksabha elections. Telangana has witnessed KCR rule as CM and his son KTR as Minister (locally, he is called shadow CM). Many leaders from BRS have expressed displeasure over the one-man show. At once, BRS took all the opposition MLAs and leaders into the party fold and now there is a rift between outsiders and the original party leaders. The TDP, which had won 15 seats in the 2014 Assembly Election, has lost ground in Telangana by conceding party leaders to either the TRS or Congress.
While Khammam district had a strong presence of the TDP, now it looks like Congress is gaining ground in this region due to the influx of other party leaders, and the KCR gave a careless statement on the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu, ex-CM of Andhra Pradesh, which is widely seen as a political dictum. KCR’s ambition to enter national politics, leaving Telangana CM Chair to his son KTR, is finding no takers. The BJP failed to build a party in rural areas. BJP local leadership lacks active participation in poll campaigning and depends heavily on central leadership. Moreover, Prakash Javadekar, the election in-charge, is a low-profile leader and not capable of changing the fate of the BJP in the state.
The BJP has failed to set an election narrative on which the people of Telangana can trust them. Many BJP leaders are on the verge of changing sides with Congress to see the defeat of BRS in the Assembly Election. The BJP party does not have a good cadre in all the regions of Telangana. They have limited party workers in a few areas only, and that too, there is no famous representation who has more face value or brand value in public where other parties have various people like Revanth Reddy and KCR. There is no prominent leader in opposition to match KCR. Even though there are leaders like Komati Reddy, Venkat Reddy, Revanth Reddy, and Jana Reddy, they are not able to show an impact throughout the state.
Congress has a good presence in rural areas but it is very weak in the old Hyderabad region, where BRS and AIMIM have a hold. Congress lacks leadership that can give a tough fight to BRS and AIMIM in the Old Hyderabad region on nearly 20 seats. The Telangana Congress is full of powerful Reddy leaders, but it lacks representation from Muslim leaders and backward classes. If Congress manages to attract backward class, SC, ST, and Muslim voters of at least 40 to 50%, it’ll win over BRS in the Assembly election in the present scenario.
In previous elections, TRS escaped anti-incumbency due to Congress’ illogical alliance with the TDP and going for early polls. BRS still has a good presence all over the state, which is positive in terms of being in contest in the majority of the constituencies. AIMIM’s internal support will help in getting Muslim votes for BRS, unless Congress campaigns effectively by projecting BRS as the “B Team” of the BJP. Lack of unity among the opposition and a split in anti-incumbency votes will help BRS.
BRS may come back to power for a straight third term with a simple majority, Congress may get some good seats, the BJP may stay in limited seats, and AIMIM, as usual, gets 7–8 seats in Hyderabad. If Congress gets a majority, then BRS may be restricted to less than 45 seats. In the Hung Assembly scenario, where both BRS and Congress may get around 50 seats and fall short of a majority, AIMIM may become the kingmaker with 7–8 seats. KCR’s dream of getting 100+ seats may not be fulfilled but TRS will form a government again.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Monday that troops targeted an armed terrorist cell inside Lebanon amid escalating tensions between the two neighboring nations.
In a post on X, the IDF’s spokesperson in Arabic, Avichay Adraee, said that “following up on the alerts in the northern region, two mortar shells were fired from Lebanon, which fell inside Israeli territory in an open area, without causing any casualties”.
“The IDF bombed firing sources inside Lebanon with artillery,” he added.
The spokesperson further said that IDF forces on Sunday night also “attacked a cell of armed saboteurs that was spotted in the Beranit area on the border, and casualties were detected”.
On Sunday, missiles and anti-tank rockets were launched from Lebanon towards the Krayot area, north of Haifa, and a community near the border.
According to Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service, a total of 18 civilians and soldiers were injured, one with critical injuries.
Lebanese military sources told Xinhua news agency that one Hezbollah militant was killed and four civilians were injured in the country’s southern border village of Yarine in fighting with Israeli forces on Sunday.
The sources said that Israel’s heavy artillery bombed seven towns in southwestern Lebanon and 17 in the southeast, destroying over 30 houses, and warplanes and drones raided the outskirts of 18 southern towns.
Hezbollah said it launched rockets and artillery attacks on three Israeli barracks and 10 other sites facing southern Lebanon.
The militant’s death brings the total number of casualties on the Lebanese side since October 8 to 97 — 76 Hezbollah terrorists; a member of the Amal Movement; nine Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants; and 11 civilians, including a photojournalist.
The Lebanon-Israel border witnessed increased tension for five weeks after Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets toward Israel on October 8 in support of the unprecedented Hamas attacks on southern Israel the previous day.
This prompted the Israeli forces to respond by firing heavy artillery toward several areas in southeastern Lebanon.
Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency: Battle would be between Kirtikar father and son 7
Two senior leaders, Ramdas Kadam and Gajanan Kirtikar, of the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, locked horns over the candidature of the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency, which Kirtikar represents in the Lower House. While Kirtikar has made a claim on the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat since he is the sitting MP, Ramdas Kadam is trying hard for a candidacy for his son Siddhesh from the same constituency.
Speculation is widespread in the political circle that to counter Gajanan Kirtikar during the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the Sena (UBT) is likely to field his son Amol against him and the battle would be between the father and son. Gajanan Kritikar’s son Amol is still with rival Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Father switched his loyalties to Eknath Shinde Sena. Kadam has asked if Kirtikar is going to contest elections to win the seat or help his Amol, who is also likely to contest polls on the ticket of Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena.
Meanwhile, the open tiff between the two senior Shinde-led Sena leaders over the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat candidature has come as a major awkwardness for CM Eknath Shinde, who is trying to keep his flock together and show a united front against his rival Uddhav Thackeray. The dispute started a couple of weeks ago after Kirtikar, 80, said he was tired and would not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Ramdad Kadam said, “If Kirtikar is not contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, my other son, Siddhesh Kadam, is willing to contest the election from this constituency”. However, Kirtikar replied to Kadam’s remarks, asserting that he is mentally and physically fit and will contest the upcoming elections. Kadam alleged, “Kiritikar’s son Amol is in the Sena (UBT) but even though the father and son are in different parties, they are working from the same office”. Kadam also alleged that Kirtikar was betraying the Shinde Sena and was making all efforts to get his son Amol elected.
Kirtikar, in a letter, addressed Kadam’s allegations and wrote, “Kadam has expressed his doubt that I am betraying the party, but Kadam’s history of betrayal is old and there is a long list of the betrayals by him”. “He had previously made many attempts to defeat me in the 1990 polls. Kadam had rallied workers for the defeat of his brother. All Shiv Sainiks are aware of the journey he took with Sharad Pawar from Khed village to Pune to join the NCP. Hence, Kadam should not talk about betrayal”.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought permission from Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to investigate allegations against Satyendar Jain, former jailed minister of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, for extorting money from high-profile prisoners during his tenure. The CBI has also requested permission to investigate the then Tihar Jail Superintendent Danics officer Raj Kumar, who allegedly aided in extorting money from one of the prisoners.
Jain and ex-Jail Superintendent Raj Kumar have been accused of extorting a large sum of money from “high-profile prisoners”, including conman Sukash Chandrashekhar, in exchange for providing protection in jails. The Tihar jail us under the AAP government’s jurisdiction. The CBI claimed that it had proof that Satyendar Jain allegedly ‘extorted’ and received money from Chandrashekar in various tranches to enable the alleged conman to live a peaceful and comfortable life in jail.
Sources said the CBI sent the request for prosecution to the LG and sought permission to prosecute Satyendar under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Earlier, the Supreme Court on November 6 extended the interim bail granted to AAP leader Satyendar Jain till November 24 in the money laundering case.
Jain has been in custody since May last year after the Enforcement Directorate attached properties worth Rs. 4.81 crore belonging to five companies in the money laundering case against him and few others. Satyendar Jain is accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him. The ED case is based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) complaint registered on the allegation that Satyender Jain had acquired movable properties in the name of various persons from February 14, 2015, to May 31, 2017, which he could not satisfactorily account for.
6 dead, 3 injured in massive fire at Godown in Hyderabad 10
Six people died after a massive fire engulfed a chemical godown on the first floor of a four-storey building at Nampally in Telangana’s Hyderabad, said an official. As many as three people sustained injuries, the official added.
“The repair work of a car was going on in the godown on the ground floor. The sparks spread to the chemical barrel kept in the godown and caused the fire. Within no time, the fire engulfed other floors of the building and caused six deaths”, said DCP Venkateshwar Rao, Central Zone, Hyderabad.
#WATCH | Six people have died in a fire at a godown located in an apartment complex in Bazarghat, Nampally of Hyderabad, says DCP Venkateshwar Rao Central Zone. pic.twitter.com/sXepmTPB2f
Delhi air quality dips as firework ban goes up in smoke 12
Delhi recorded a jump in pollution levels and a smoky haze returned on Monday morning after residents flouted the ban on firecrackers on Diwali night. The city recorded its best air quality on Diwali day in eight years on Sunday, with its 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) standing at 218 at 4 pm. However, firecrackers bursting until late Sunday night led to a spike in pollution levels amid low temperatures.
At 7 am, the AQI stood at 275 (poor category). Pollution levels even entered the very poor category in some areas, including Shadipur (315), Ayanagar (311), Lodhi Road (308), Pusa (355) and Jahangirpuri (333). The concentration of PM2.5, fine particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the respiratory system and trigger respiratory problems, exceeded the safe limit of 60 microgramme per cubic metre by six to seven times in these areas.
Firecracker bursting pushed the PM2.5 concentration at many places, including Okhla and Jahangirpuri, in the capital over 1,000 micrograms per cubic metre in the early morning hours. Delhi recorded an AQI of 312 on Diwali last year, 382 in 2021, 414 in 2020, 337 in 2019, 281 in 2018, 319 in 2017 and 431 in 2016, according to Central Pollution Control Board data.
The city’s AQI a day after Diwali stood at 360 in 2015; 445 in 2016; 403 in 2017; 390 in 2018; 368 in 2019; 435 in 2020, 462 in 2021 and 303 in 2022.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, 401 and 450 severe and above 450 severe plus.
Delhiites experienced clear skies and abundant sunshine on Saturday and Sunday as air quality improved sharply just ahead of Diwali this year. The improvement was attributed to intermittent rainfall on Friday and wind speeds favourable for the dispersion of pollutants.
The city experienced very poor to severe air quality for two weeks starting October 28 with a suffocating haze lingering over the national capital during the period.
In accordance with the practice of the past three years, Delhi has announced a comprehensive ban on the manufacture, storage, sale and the use of firecrackers within the city.
Last year, a decrease in stubble burning incidents, delayed spells of rain, favourable meteorological conditions and an early Diwali prevented the national capital from turning into a gas chamber following the festival of lights.
The Decision Support System, a numerical model-based framework capable of identifying the sources of particulate matter pollution in Delhi, estimated that stubble burning in the neighbouring states, particularly Punjab and Haryana, accounted for 35 per cent of the PM2.5 pollution in the city on Sunday. It is likely to be 22 per cent on Monday and 14 per cent on Tuesday.
The data also found that transport — another major cause of pollution in the city — contributed 12 to 14 per cent to Delhi’s foul air over the past few days.
On CM Bhupesh Baghel’s home turf, it is a battle between ‘kaka’ and ‘bhatija’ 14
On a dusty road undergoing repairs in Patan, a slogan reads ‘Is baar kaka par bhatija bhari’ (this time nephew will triumph over uncle), summing up the keenly watched contest in this constituency represented by Chhattisgarh Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. Vijay Baghel, the BJP MP representing the Durg Lok Sabha seat – Patan is one of the assembly segments of Durg – is taking on the CM, though not for the first time. Vijay Baghel (64) is a distant nephew of Bhupesh Baghel (62). Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) state president Amit Jogi, son of former CM Ajit Jogi, is seeking votes against “family” politics of ‘kaka’ and ‘bhatija’, seeking Patan a triangular contest. “So far, someone from the family (of Baghels) has been winning here,” he says at a public meeting. A total of 16 candidates, including AAP’s Amit Kumar Hirvani, are in the fray in Patan, which will go to polls along with 69 other seats in the second and last phase on November 17.
As Congress’ promises of farm loan waiver and Rs 3,200 per quintal of paddy gain traction, Vijay Baghel is seeking to counter it with what the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done for farmers. Vijay Baghel and Jogi accuse the chief minister of prompting liquor vends across the state. “Modi ji wants to make farmers self-reliant and not dependant on anyone for freebies,” Vijay Baghel says in his poll speech. The political rivalry between the two Baghels is not new to Patan.
The two have faced off thrice in the past – 2003, 2008 and 2013 – in which the chief minister has trounced Vijay Baghel twice, barring 2008 when he faced defeat for the first time since 1993. Bhupesh Baghel has been representing this seat since 1993 when it was part of Madhya Pradesh. Each time, he has bettered his own record. In 2018, Bhupesh Baghel won with a margin of 27,477 votes. Chhattisgarh was carved out of MP in 2000.
“We parted ways in 2000. Even after the Congress win in 2018 and four ministers from the state government being from the Durg Lok Sabha seat, I got a lead of over three lakh (votes) in the 2019 general elections. In Patan (the chief minister’s constituency) alone, my lead was 30,000,” Vijay Baghel says as he speaks to this reporter in his car. With the campaign fatigue evident, his driver passes on a napkin to wipe the sweat off his face and a comb to settle his ruffled hair.
Vijay Baghel defeated his nearest rival and Congress candidate by a whopping margin of over 3.91 lakh votes in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The Kharun river separates Patan and the capital city of Raipur. The Patan town does not give an impression that it is represented by the chief minister, like the Baramati of the Pawars or any established politician winning the seat five times. But the roads are tarred. The main market is bustling with activity that a small village or town witnesses. As one enters Patan and even the neighbouring villages, large swathes of standing crop of paddy waiting to be harvested indicate that people here are predominantly engaged in agriculture. A part of Patan, Matiya village has a mix of both. Some houses, more than a hundred years old, are made with rocks and earth and plastered with cow dung, while a few are new. One part of the road is done up, though the other requires attention. A section of the village has sewers, while in the other area, the sewage outlet is on the road.
“There is no samasya (problem) here. We have everything here,” says a man, identifying himself as only Verma, sitting outside a house from where the road needs attention.
As Vijay Baghel’s convoy enters Matiya, his supporters greet him with flowers and slogans. Two from the group appear intoxicated with one holding a party flag. The other supporter, seemingly under the influence of high spirit, raises slogans in favour of the other Baghel only to rattle the MP’s supporters. Allegations of graft against Bhupesh Baghel find little resonance on his home turf. Girish Kumar (31), a resident of Akhragaon, works at a dhaba.
He says he is backing the chief minister. For Lal Kunwar Sohri, the battle is not about who wins, but who offers what. “Everyone does what they want. But I would like to vote for someone who waives (farm) debt,” he said. Sohri, who runs a flour mill, has four acres of land where he cultivates rice. As the ‘chaha-bhatija’ face off for the fourth time on November 17, it needs to be seen whether the nephew trounces the uncle for the second time or the uncle betters his own electoral record.
Article on Adani Group: SC grants protection to 2 journalists summoned by Gujarat Police 16
The Supreme Court on Friday granted protection from arrest to two journalists who have challenged the summons issued to them by the Gujarat Police in connection with an article allegedly written by them on Adani Group.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and P K Mishra directed the journalists to cooperate in the investigation and issued notice to the Gujarat government on the pleas filed by the duo.
”Till next date of hearing, we direct that no coercive steps be taken against the petitioners, however, they should cooperate with the enquiry,” the bench said.
The top court was hearing a plea filed by Benjamin Nicholas Brooke Parkin and Chloe Nina Cornish challenging the summons issued to them.
The counsel appearing for them argued that the petitioners are not the ones who wrote the report in question.
Earlier this week, the apex court had granted interim protection to journalists Ravi Nair and Anand Mangnale in connection with an article written by them on the Adani-Hindenburg row.
Just helped me double 2024 winning margin: Mahua Moitra on Ethics panel report 18
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said on Friday she will be back with a bigger mandate in 2024, a day after the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee recommended her expulsion from the House in the ”cash-for-query” matter.
In a post on X, the TMC MP said, ”Proud to go down in parliamentary history as 1st person to be unethically expelled by Ethics Comm whose mandate doesn’t include expulsion. 1st expel & THEN ask govt to ask CBI to find evidence. Kangaroo court, monkey business from start to finish”.
”Never Waste a Good Crisis, they say—this just helped me double my 2024 winning margin,” Moitra said.
Proud to go down in parliamentary history as 1st person to be unethically expelled by Ethics Comm whose mandate doesn’t include explusion. 1st expel & THEN ask govt to ask CBI to find evidence. Kangaroo court, monkey business from start to finish.https://t.co/PW5bbgeyIp
The Ethics Committee on Thursday recommended Moitra’s expulsion, capping a fortnight of actions that included the deposition of three people over three sittings.
The committee, chaired by BJP Lok Sabha member Vinod Kumar Sonkar, met here and adopted its 479-page report, which, according to sources, recommended Moitra’s expulsion, possibly the first such action against an MP by the panel.
Sonkar told reporters that six members of the panel supported the adoption of the report and four opposed it.
The four opposition members said the panel’s recommendation was “prejudiced” and “incorrect”, and said businessman Darshan Hiranandani, who is alleged to have given bribes to Moitra, should have been asked to depose before the panel.
