Man beaten for refusing to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' in Kandivali; 1 out of 4 accused arrested 2
The police in Mumbai have registered a case after 34-year-old man Siddharth Angure alleged that he was assaulted by four people for refusing to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’, an official said.
The alleged incident took place around 11.45 pm on Monday at Gokulnagar in Kandivali East when complainant Angure was returning home from work, the official said.
Angure told the police that he was stopped by four people who insisted that he chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. The accused beat up and abused Angure after the latter refused to chant the religious slogan, according to the first information report (FIR).
Angure claimed that he was dragged on the road by the four, who also kicked and punched him, as per the FIR. The complainant was rescued by his brother and a relative, the police said.
He was then taken to a civic-run hospital for treatment.
Angure approached the Kurar police on Tuesday night about the alleged assault.
The police then registered the FIR against the four under Indian Penal Code sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 34 (common intention), 341 (wrongful restraint), 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
The FIR has named the accused as Suraj Tiwari, Arun Pandey, Pandit, and Rajesh Rickshawala.
One person named Suraj Tiwari was arrested, while three other accused are absconding.
“We have arrested one of the accused, Suraj Tiwari. The others are absconding. We are trying to find out why they intercepted Angure and whether he was intentionally stopped or was a random target,” said a police officer from Kurar police station.
More than 39,000 Ganesh idols immersed on last day in Mumbai as devotees bid farewell to their favourite deity 4
As the 10-day-long Ganesh festival drew to a close, more than 39,000 idols of the elephant-headed god were immersed in water bodies, including artificial ponds, across Mumbai till Friday noon in the presence of a sea of devotees.
The festival, which began with ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’ on September 19, concluded on ‘Anant Chaturdashi’ on September 28.
Amid the beating of drums and chants of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’, various Ganesh mandals in the city started processions on Thursday to immerse the idols of the deity, marking the culmination of the festival that is celebrated across Maharashtra with fervour.
The immersion processions in the city, which began a day ago, concluded on Friday afternoon on the second day. Till noon, nearly 40,000 idols of Lord Ganesh were immersed in the Arabian Sea and other water bodies, including the artificial ponds set up by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), civic officials said.
The city’s famous Lalbaugcha Raja idol, whose procession started at 11.30 am on Thursday, was immersed in the Arabian sea off the Girgaum Chowpatty around 9.15 am on Friday, they said.
A 16-year-old boy drowned in the sea off the Juhu beach on Thursday evening.
A total of 39,758 idols were immersed till noon on Friday, of which 32,345 were household Ganesh idols, 6,951 were ‘sarvajanik’ (public) Ganpati and 462 were the idols of Goddess Gauri, the officials said.
Of the total number of idols, as many as 11,107 were immersed in artificial ponds created by the BMC, they said, adding that 10,207 of them were household Ganesh idols, 740 sarvajanik and 160 of Goddess Gauri.
In view of the huge crowd during the immersion processions in Mumbai, more than 19,000 police personnel were deployed in the city to thwart any untoward incident, an official said.
Separate control rooms were set up to monitor the immersion processions, he added.
The BMC posted 1,337 lifeguards, including 1,035 at 69 natural water bodies and 302 at around 200 artificial ponds, and arranged 53 motorboats at natural water bodies.
A total of 242 inspection towers were set up at natural water bodies and artificial points, apart from the deployment of fire-fighting vehicles and trained manpower at the immersion spots, the civic body said.
Karnataka bandh: Passengers face harrowing time due to cancellation of flights, bus services 6
As many as 44 flights to and from the Kempegowda International Airport here were cancelled owing to the Karnataka bandh over the Cauvery water sharing issue with Tamil Nadu, airport authorities said on Friday.
Similarly, state transport corporations too cancelled many of their bus services, especially in the Cauvery basin districts of Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar, where the bandh had the most impact.
Some passengers had a harrowing time as they missed their flights, buses and trains due to the day-long shutdown. Many passengers were distraught following the cancellation of flights and bus services.
”We cancelled 44 flights today. They include 22 flights to and an equal number of flights from Bengaluru due to the strike,” an airport official told PTI. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) said there were only 59.88 per cent bus operations in southern parts of Karnataka.
The worst-hit KSRTC divisions in terms of operations were Mysuru and Chamarajanagar.
Against the scheduled departure of 447 buses, only seven plied in Mysuru while in Chamarajanagar, eight out of 247 bus services operated.
Mandya, Chikkamagaluru and Bengaluru witnessed 37.25 per cent, 51.49 per cent and 57.39 per cent operations, respectively, against the scheduled departures.
Bus stands and railway stations in southern Karnataka and the airport in Bengaluru wore a deserted look.
Farmers and pro-Kannada organisations staged protests outside the airport as well.
A group from pro-Kannada organisations gathered near the arrival gate of Kempegowda International Airport here to register their protest over the Cauvery water dispute.
They started raising slogans following which they were taken into preventive detention by the Bengaluru Police. ”We have taken 12 people into preventive detention. They had gathered at the airport premises to register their protest over the Cauvery water dispute. They were detained and taken into preventive detention,” a senior police officer said.
Similarly, agitation took place at bus stations where the activists staged demonstrations and raised slogans holding banners, posters and placards.
The agitators blocked many roads in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mandya and Chamarajanagar leading to a chaotic situation.
Canada committed to 'closer ties' with India, says PM Trudeau amid row over killing of Khalistani separatist 8
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said Canada is ”very serious” about building closer ties with India as it is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player, but wants New Delhi to work with Ottawa to ensure that they get the full facts about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Tensions flared between India and Canada following Trudeau’s explosive allegations of the ”potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani extremist Nijjar on his country’s soil on June 18 in British Columbia. India had designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.
India angrily rejected the allegations as ”absurd” and ”motivated” and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian official over the case.
Trudeau said despite “credible allegations” against India, Canada is committed to building closer ties with it, The National Post newspaper reported. Speaking at a press conference in Montreal, Trudeau said that he thinks it is “extremely important” that Canada and its allies continue to engage “constructively and seriously” with India given its growing importance on the world stage.
“India is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player. And as we presented with our Indo-Pacific strategy, just last year, we’re very serious about building closer ties with India,” he told reporters.
“At the same time, obviously, as a rule of law country, we need to emphasise that India needs to work with Canada to ensure that we get the full facts of this matter,” the paper quoted him as saying.
Trudeau said he got assurances from the United States that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would be raising the allegations made publicly about India’s role in Nijjar’s murder during a meeting with his Indian counterpart in Washington on Thursday.
However, the US State Department in its readout on the meeting between Blinken and Jaishankar did not say whether the two leaders discussed the India-Canada diplomatic standoff.
“The Americans have been with us in speaking to the Indian government about how important it is that they be involved in following up on the credible allegations that agents of the Indian government killed a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil,” said Trudeau.
This is something that all democratic countries, all countries that respect the rule of law need to take seriously, he said.
”We are moving forward in a thoughtful, responsible way anchored in the rule of law with all of our partners including in our approach to the Government of India,” he added.
Trudeau first spoke publicly about the allegations in the House of Commons on September 18.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre demanded that Trudeau release more information about the allegations. But the New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh, who has his security clearances and received an intelligence briefing on the matter, came to the same conclusion as Trudeau.
RS Chairman Dhankhar signs Women's Reservation Bill; to be placed before president for assent 10
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday signed the Women’s Reservation Bill as passed by Parliament before it is presented to President Droupadi Murmu for her assent.
The Constitution amendment bill was passed by the Lok Sabha with near unanimity and the Rajya Sabha with unanimity during a special session of Parliament earlier this month.
The bill, which seeks to give 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, will take some time before being implemented as the next census and the subsequent delimitation (redrawing Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies) exercise will ascertain the seats being earmarked for women candidates.
“Hon’ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha has signed the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 as passed by the Houses of Parliament, for being presented to Hon’ble President of India for her assent to the Bill under Article 111 of the Constitution of India,” the Vice President Secretariat said in a post on X. It also shared a picture of Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal receiving the signed copy of the bill from Dhankhar.
65% houses in Joshimath impacted by land subsidence: Govt report 12
Land subsidence has affected around 65 per cent of the houses in the pilgrimage town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand, according to a report by government agencies.
Starting January 2, a number of houses and civil structures in an area located near Joshimath-Auli Road began to display major cracks due to land subsidence, prompting the relocation of 355 families.
According to local residents, land subsidence had been noticed over several years but became increasingly severe from January 2 to January 8.
A 35-member team conducted a “Post Disaster Needs Assessment” from April 22 to April 25 to assess the damage caused and identify the assistance required for the long-term recovery and reconstruction of the affected sectors.
Moving step by step to address land subsidence problem in Joshimath: Uttarakhand CM
The team consisted of professionals from the National Disaster Management Authority, UN agencies, the Central Building Research Institute, the National Institute of Disaster Management, and other agencies.
According to the assessment report, 1,403 of the total 2,152 houses in Joshimath have been affected due to land subsidence and these need immediate attention.
“A total of 472 houses need to be reconstructed and 931 houses need to be repaired or retrofitted. It is important to note that the partially damaged houses must be retrofitted in line with ‘build back better’ principles in order to enhance their resilience against not just landslides but also other disasters,” the report read.
The report said the main causes of damage to buildings in Joshimath include the use of weak building materials, insufficient reinforcement, structural flaws, and the location of buildings on steep slopes.
It highlighted that the buildings suffered more damage, even when subjected to minor ground subsidence, due to the use of weak mud-based mortar to hold the bricks or stones together.
Some buildings do not have strong support structures like reinforced concrete (RC) or wooden bands to keep them stable. The agencies said some buildings have very long walls that aren’t well supported and light roofs, which cause the building to expand and contract, leading to damage when the ground moves.
They also urged the state government to completely ban new construction in the town till the end of the monsoon season and allow relaxation only for light-weight structures after the post-monsoon reassessment of ground conditions.
The report highlights that although building bylaws exist, they are not mandatory for residential buildings.
“People obtain permits only when they need a loan or for other government requirements. One of the primary reasons for Joshimath’s current situation is the absence of a building permit system. Had there been risk-based building bylaws in place and existing buildings were in compliance with them, the extent of damage would have been less, and retrofitting would have been less expensive,” the report said.
Another issue of concern identified in the report is the “lack of town planning and absence of risk-informed land use maps”.
“The roads are too narrow, and there are hardly any open spaces in the neighborhoods. This makes the town highly unsafe since access in emergency situations is almost impossible,” it said, emphasising the urgent need for a comprehensive development plan.
The agencies emphasised the immediate need for the development of a prospective plan with the objective of creating a safe and resilient Joshimath for the next 10–15 years.
Incidents of land subsidence in Joshimath were reported in the 1970s too.
A panel set up under the chairmanship of Garhwal Commissioner Mahesh Chandra Mishra submitted a report in 1978, stating that major construction works should not be carried out in the city and the Niti and Mana valleys as these areas are situated on moraines, a mass of rocks, sediment, and soil transported and deposited by a glacier.
The Himalayan town lies in seismic zone V (the region most vulnerable to earthquakes) and is prone to landslides and flash floods.
Situation calm but tense in Imphal after students' clash with RAF 14
The situation remained calm but tense in Singjamei area of Imphal on Wednesday morning after a clash between students and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel left 45 protesters injured the previous night.
Manipur Police, CRPF and RAF personnel were seen deployed in strength throughout Imphal Valley in anticipation of possible protests and violence.
A clash occurred on Tuesday night between RAF personnel and locals protesting against the killing of two students, who had been missing since July 6, prompting the law enforcers to lob teargas shells and fire rubber bullets at the agitators and baton-charge them, leaving 45 of the protesters, mostly students, injured.
Although the state government has declared a holiday for schools on Wednesday, students of some Imphal-based institutes vowed to congregate at their schools, sparking speculation of more protests later in the day.
“Security has been beefed up to prevent any untoward incident,” an official said.
A tense calm prevailed in Singjamei even though shops and business establishments were open and vehicles plied on the roads.
Karnataka to move SC challenging Cauvery panel's direction to release water to TN: CM Siddaramaiah 16
The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s direction to Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu will be challenged before the Supreme Court, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday.
The panel had directed Karnataka to release water at the rate of 3,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) to the neighbouring state from September 28 to October 15.
Siddaramaiah said he had spoken to the state’s legal team, which opined that it should be challenged in the apex court.
”We are challenging the order of the Regulation Committee before the Supreme Court. We don’t have water to give,” the chief minister told reporters at Male Mahadeshwara Hills in this district.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the CWRC rejecting the request of Tamil Nadu, which wanted Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs. The committee recommended Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of water to the neighbouring state.
Karnataka submitted before CWRC at its meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday the shortfall in cumulative inflows to its four reservoirs in the Cauvery basin up to September 25, which hold just 53.04 per cent of their capacity.
According to Karnataka officials, due to the failure of the south-west monsoon (from June to September) this year, there is no sufficient storage in the four reservoirs and the State is facing such a grave situation that it is finding it extremely difficult even to cater to the drinking water requirements, let alone supplying for irrigation.
The rainfall received in Karnataka this year in August and September is the lowest in the last 123 years, they said.
MP Assembly polls: BJP fields influential tribal leader's daughter Monika Batti from Kamal Nath's stronghold 18
A day after releasing the second list of candidates for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, BJP on Tuesday announced Monica Batti as the candidate from Amarwara (ST) seat. Monica Batti is considered a big bet for BJP in Kamal Nath’s stronghold. The Bharatiya Janata Party in Madhya Pradesh is upbeat after it won a ward in the Chhindwara constituency in the local body bypolls in the state in June this year, the stronghold of state Congress president and former CM Kamal Nath’s assembly constituency.
Chhindwara is a tribal-dominated area and Monica Batti is considered to have influence in this community.
Earlier on September 19, Monica was inducted into the party under the guidance of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Monica Batti, the daughter of Manmohan Shah Batti, a former MLA, was the National President of All India Gondwana. Manmohan Batti was MLA from Amarwara Legislative Assembly of Chhindwara district and was considered an influential leader of the tribal community who passed away due to Corona. Monika Batti have been fielded from Amarwara a seat which was won by her father Manmohan shah Batti in 2003.
After his death, Monica Batti took over the reins of the National President of the Gondwana Party. After joining the BJP, she resigned from the position of national president and primary membership of the Gondwana Party. Chhindwara District has a majority of the tribal population which includes the Gond, Pardhan, Bharia, Korku, Hindi, Gondi, Urdu, Korku Musai etc.
Meanwhile, Amarwara is a tehsil and a Nagar Palika Parishad in the Chhindwara district in the state of Madhya Pradesh. To counter anti-incumbency against its CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and offer an alternative leadership in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, the BJP released the second list of 39 candidates, union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar has been nominated from the Dimani seat, while minister of state for food processing and Jal Shakti Prahlad Singh Patel from Narsingpur.
Minister of state for rural development Phaggan Kulaste has been fielded from the Niwas seat. Tomar is also the chairman of the party’s election management committee in the state. In its list of 39 candidates, the party also fielded its national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya from the Indore-1 seat.
Other notable candidates in the list included MPs Ganesh Mantri, Rakesh Singh and Reeti Pathak. The BJP released its first list of candidates for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections on August 17, revealing the names of 39 candidates.
The state is scheduled to go for the Assembly polls later this year. Through the polls, the state will elect legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies.
BJP presents 400 page 'Chargesheet' against Chhattisgarh govt 20
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sambit Patra in a scathing attack on Congress led Chhattisgarh government has released a 400 pages’ allegation diary (chargesheet) named ‘Kathghare mein Congres.” Sambit Patra in a press conference said “As you all know there is election in 5 state. Like always congress is beating drums of false promises. Today we will show them mirror. I am carrying this allegation binder of 400 pages. There are 316 promises that Rahul Gandhi has made which Congress government has not fulfilled in Chhattisgarh” he said.
“PM Modi started a scheme for farmers to get Rs 6000 per year – ‘Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana’. Lakhs of farmers have been registered from Chhattisgarh but their verification has not been done by the state government, that is why lakhs of farmers are deprived of this scheme today” Patra added. “Modi ji wants to give and the farmers wants to take but Congress ensure that the money does not reach them. This is a government of scams,” he further said.
Patra further mentioned scams under the Congress government in Chhattisgarh mentioning the cess collected during Covid. “Scams worth crores have taken place under the Congress government in Chhattisgarh. Mining mafia and criminals are given free run under Congress government in the state. Where is the cess collected during the COVID? No action has been taken in several rape cases under the Congress government in Chhattisgarh,” Sambit Patra said.
“I want to ask Rahul Gandhi where is the cess collected during the COVID pandemic? No action has been taken in several rape cases under the Congress government in Chhattisgarh. Mining mafia and criminals are given free run under Congress government in the state,” he added. BJP spokesperson, Sambit Patra also mentioned Central schemes which did not reach the public.
“Regarding PM Aawas Yojana, it has to be said with great sadness that there are 16 lakh residents who have been deprived of this scheme by the ‘Thagesh government.’ Congress is working hand in glove with Naxalities. You remember what work Modi ji has done to eliminate Naxalites,” Sambit Patra said. “They blocked Central schemes in Chhattisgarh. Congress stood against anti-conversion law. They have betrayed the people of Chhattisgarh. The anti-conversion law brought by BJP was not aimed at destroying the society, its objective was to preserve our tribal people, their culture, their thoughts, their values,” Patra added.
