Nepal earthquake: Mallikarjun Kharge says Indians stands shoulder to shoulder with neighbouring country

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. Pic/PTI

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday condoled the loss of lives in the devastating earthquake in Nepal and said in this hour of crisis, Indians stand shoulder to shoulder with the neighbouring country, reported news agency PTI.

At least 140 people were killed and several others injured when a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake jolted Nepal just before midnight on Friday, destroying hundreds of houses in the Himalayan country's remote mountainous region in the most devastating tremor since 2015.

According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake with an epicentre in Jajarkot district, about 500 km west of Kathmandu, was recorded at 11.47 pm.

In a post on X, Kharge said, "Anguished by the loss of precious lives due to the devastating earthquake in Nepal. Our deepest condolences, thoughts and sympathies are with the families of the victims and the injured."

"In this hour of crisis, Indians stand shoulder to shoulder with Nepal," the Congress president said, tagging Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'.

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said their party sent back Britishers and that the recent raids by central agencies in Chhattisgarh can't demoralise its workers, asserting they will win the assembly polls there as well as in Madhya Pradesh, reported PTI.

Kharge was addressing a public meeting at Katangi town in the Naxal-affected Balaghat district of MP, which goes to polls on November 17, reported PTI.

"I was in Chhattisgarh yesterday (Friday) and the force of Modi (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and Shah (Union home minister Amit Shah) was also there. Through ED, CBI and I-T raids they want to terrorise our party workers so that they sit in their homes," he said, reported PTI.

The Congress has been accusing the BJP-led Centre of weaponising the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax (I-T) to target its government in Chhattisgarh through various raids.

The latest accusation by the Congress came on Friday when ED claimed that a forensic analysis and a statement made by a 'cash courier' had led to "startling allegations" that the promoters of 'Mahadev' betting app paid about Rs 508 crore to the Chhattisgarh chief minister so far, and that "these are subject matter of investigation", reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)