Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat saying that his remark that India got "true independence" after the Ram temple consecration amounts to treason and is an insult to every Indian, reported news agency PTI. Speaking at the inauguration of the new Congress headquarters in Delhi, Rahul Gandhi said every party worker is fighting this battle of ideologies under difficult circumstances where institutions have been captured by the BJP and the RSS and investigative agencies are being used against opposition leaders, reported PTI. The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha also hit out at the Election Commission and alleged that there is a "serious problem" with the country's election system. "Mohan Bhagwat has the audacity to say to the country what he thinks about the independence movement and the Constitution. What he said yesterday is treason... Because he is stating that the Constitution is invalid and the fight against the British was invalid," he said, reported PTI. "He has the audacity to say this publicly. In any other country, he would be arrested and tried. That is a fact," Gandhi said at the inauguration of the Indira Gandhi Bhawan. "To say that India did not get independence in 1947 is an insult to every Indian. And it is time to stop listening to this nonsense that these people think they can keep parroting out and shouting," he said, reported PTI. The former Congress president said the party has worked with the Indian people and it has built the success of this country on the foundations of the Constitution and that is what this building symbolises. "It is important that we take ideas from this building and spread these ideas in the rest of the country," he said. Gandhi said "we are fighting a civilisational war with these people, they are attacking every day the ideas that we believe in" and asserted that only the Congress can fight them, reported PTI. Hitting out at the Election Commission, he said, the EC has refused to give us information about the increase in the number of voters in Maharashtra from Lok Sabha elections to assembly elections. "What purpose does it serve? Why will it damage the EC? Why are they not giving us the list? It is the duty of the EC to ensure transparency in elections. If there is an increase of one crore in (the number of) voters in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha in Maharashtra, it is the duty and sacred responsibility of the EC to show us exactly why this has happened. There is a serious problem with our election system," Gandhi said. (With inputs from PTI)
15 January,2025 02:42 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAfter the Centre authorised ED to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in an alleged liquor scam case, AAP national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar on Wednesday raised questions over the timing and said that this has been done when the elections are near, ANI reported. Speaking to ANI, Kakkar criticised the decision, calling it part of a political agenda aimed at defaming the party's leaders ahead of the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. "This will be the first such case in the history of the country where you jailed Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. Both were granted bail from the trial court and even from the Supreme Court...After two years, you gave sanction to prosecute and this is when the elections are near. Their same old routine is to file false cases and defame the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party. But now the public has understood everything," the AAP leader said. BJP candidate Parvesh Verma responded to the developments claiming that Kejriwal was building his house while the residents of Delhi were suffering from COVID. "We all know what a big sin Arvind Kejriwal had committed. When COVID was spreading in the whole world, people were dying, at that time he was making the liquor policy...When people were asking for medicines, asking for houses, he was building his 'Sheesh Mahal'. The person who was elected by the people of Delhi was building his 'Sheesh Mahal' but did not provide medicines to the people," he said, ANI cited. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has authorised the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to initiate prosecution against the former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for their alleged involvement in money laundering in connection to the liquor scam case. The sanction order against these AAP leaders was received earlier this month in a new development to the case connected to the alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22, ANI reported. The move comes as the Supreme Court ordered Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia to be released on regular bail in September of last year and August of last year, respectively, in instances involving the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. The development is noteworthy since Arvind Kejriwal challenged the trial court's decision to take cognisance of the chargesheet in the absence of specific PMLA prosecution sanctions. Later a special PMLA court in Delhi postponed the filing of charges against him. (With ANI inputs)
15 January,2025 01:13 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognizance of a recent case in Pune, where a woman working in a BPO company was allegedly hacked to death by her colleague over a money dispute, a press release said, reported news agency ANI. The crime occurred in the parking lot of the company and despite the presence of several onlookers, none intervened to stop the attack, highlighting the growing phenomenon of the bystander effect. In response to this shocking incident, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Vijaya Rahatkar, has constituted a fact-finding committee to thoroughly investigate the matter and recommend necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such crimes, the press release said, reported ANI. The Fact-Finding Committee includes: Meenakshi Negi, Member Secretary, National Commission for Women; BK Sinha, former Director General of Police, Haryana and R Sreelekha, former Director General of Police, Kerala, reported ANI. The fact-finding committee arrived in Pune on Tuesday and has started its investigation to uncover the facts. Over the next two days, the committee will focus on examining how the incident occurred in broad daylight despite the presence of many people, interview the victim's friends and colleagues, and will visit the site of the incident to find any new insights. The committee will engage with associations representing IT and BPO employees as well, reported ANI. The committee will also meet with the Commissioner of Police, District Authorities, the Investigation Officer, and other relevant authorities. The committee will submit its findings and recommendations within 10 working days. The National Commission for Women will explore ways to prevent such incidents in the future, the press release said. In another case, in December, a 54-year-old cook was arrested for allegedly killing two minor sisters, aged 9 and 8, after sexually assaulting them in Maharashtra's Pune, police said. According to officials, the accused, who worked as a cook at a local hotel, was a neighbour of the victims and known to their family. According to Pune Superintendent of Police (Rural) Pankaj Deshmukh, the girls were playing near their home when they went missing, prompting a search operation. Later, the bodies of the girls were found inside a water drum near their house. A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and also under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. (With inputs from ANI)
15 January,2025 12:42 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentCongress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the party's new headquarters located at 9A, Kotla Road in Delhi on Wednesday, marking a key moment in the history of the grand old party which has operated from the 24, Akbar Road premises for the last 47 years, reported news agency PTI. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K C Venugopal, among other senior party leaders, were present on the occasion, reported PTI. The event saw party leaders hoist the party flag at the new headquarters and the singing of Vande Matram and the national anthem. Sonia Gandhi then inaugurated the building, asking Kharge to join her in cutting the ribbon at the entry of the building. The new state-of-the-art AICC headquarters -- Indira Gandhi Bhawan - symbolises the Congress party's continuing mission to uphold the vision of its stalwarts, the party had earlier said. "It is time for us to move ahead with the times and embrace the new," AICC general secretary, organisation, Venugopal had said, reported PTI. The construction of Indira Gandhi Bhawan was started during Sonia Gandhi's tenure as Congress chief. "Situated at 9A, Kotla Road, New Delhi, the Indira Gandhi Bhawan is designed to meet the evolving needs of the party and its leaders, featuring modern facilities to support administrative, organisational, and strategic activities. This iconic building reflects the Congress party's forward-looking vision while paying homage to its extraordinary past, which has shaped the political and social fabric of India," he had said, reported PTI. Sources have said the party will not vacate its present 24, Akbar Road office, which has been its headquarters since 1978 after the Congress (I) was formed, and it will continue to house some of its cells. The construction of the new AICC headquarters was delayed by several years owing to "paucity of funds" ever since the Congress lost its government at the Centre. The BJP has also not vacated its old party headquarters at 11, Ashoka Road, even after shifting to its new headquarters at Deendayal Upadhyay Marg, reported PTI. Congress old-timers and romantics agree that modern amenities and a larger area are the need of the hour but the emotional connect and unfolding of history associated with the 24, Akbar Road address will always stay strong, reported PTI. The Akbar Road bungalow once housed Sir Reginald Maxwell, who was a member of Viceroy Lord Linlithgow's executive council. It was also home to a teen Aung San Suu Kyi in 1961 when her mother was appointed ambassador to India. The Congress has been its mainstay though. More than just an office for the party, the premises set in expansive lawns was witness to the tenure of seven Congress presidents. (With inputs from PTI)
15 January,2025 11:19 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has authorized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to initiate prosecution against former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for their alleged involvement in money laundering linked to the Delhi excise policy case, reported news agency ANI. The sanction order against these Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders was received earlier this month in a fresh development to the case pertaining to the alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22, reported ANI. The move comes as the two leaders are out on bail in the Delhi excise policy case as the Supreme Court in September last year ordered Arvind Kejriwal to be released on regular bail as well as Manish Sisodia a month ago in August in cases linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. The development is significant as a special PMLA court in Delhi had delayed the framing of charges against Arvind Kejriwal after he challenged the trial court's decision to take cognizance of the chargesheet in the absence of specific sanctions for prosecution under PMLA. Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has filed a chargesheet against Arvind Kejriwal under the Prevention of Corruption Act, received the necessary sanction for prosecution in August of last year. This decision follows the Supreme Court's ruling on November 6, which mandated that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) must also obtain prior sanction for prosecution under Section 197(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (now Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita) in money laundering cases, similar to the requirement for the CBI, reported ANI. The framing of charges against Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy case had been delayed in a Delhi court due to the lack of the necessary sanction. Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have been accused of accepting bribes from the 'South Group,' a cartel that controlled the sale and distribution of liquor in Delhi and allegedly profited from the excise policy implemented by the Delhi government for 2021-22, reported ANI. To date, the ED has conducted searches on 245 locations across the country including Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and other places in the Delhi excise policy case. Over a dozen persons including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Vijay Nair from AAP have been arrested in the case so far. The ED arrested Arvind Kejriwal on March 21 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and named him in a charge sheet filed on May 17. The ED alleges that out of an alleged Rs 100 crore bribe received for favouring certain liquor traders, Rs 45 crore was used to fund AAP's election campaign in Goa, reported ANI. The ED claims Arvind Kejriwal, as the national convenor and a member of AAP's national executive, was ultimately responsible for overseeing the funds and activities. The agency labelled Kejriwal as the "brain" behind AAP, asserting that he controlled the party's operations. Citing witness statements, the ED also accused Kejriwal of playing a key role in the policy's decision-making and demanding kickbacks. The ED claims to have identified proceeds of crime totalling Rs 1,100 crore, reported ANI. Kejriwal, along with his then-deputy Manish Sisodia and former AAP media head Vijay Nair, is accused of soliciting additional funds beyond the Rs 100 crore bribe to finance election campaigns. The ED described Kejriwal as the "kingpin" behind the irregularities linked to the excise policy. (With inputs from ANI)
15 January,2025 10:54 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentOver 100 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport on Wednesday morning due to dense fog resulting in low visibility, PTI reported. As per PTI, an official claimed that no flight diversions or cancellations have been reported so far. "Low visibility and fog over Delhi may lead to some delays. We're keeping a close watch on the weather and doing our best to get you where you need to be, safely and smoothly," IndiGo said in a post on X at 8.18 am. #6ETravelAdvisory: Stay updated on your flight status via https://t.co/IEBbuCsa3e for the latest information. pic.twitter.com/U7KWVVVwKi — IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) January 15, 2025 Delhi airport operator DIAL said that even though landings and takeoffs continue at the airport, flights that are not CAT III-complaint may get affected, PTI cited. CAT III facility helps flight operations in low visibility conditions. As per the information available on Flightrader24.com, more than 100 flights were delayed on Wednesday, PTI reported. "Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted," Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said in a post on X at 7.35 am. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital handles around 1,300 flights daily movements, PTI reported. Last week, 15 flights were diverted at the Delhi airport as low visibility due to dense fog impacted operations for the second straight day. Due to the adverse weather conditions, many flights were delayed and the country's largest airline IndiGo temporarily put arrivals and departures on hold. An official said that 15 flights were diverted at the Delhi airport between 12.15 am and 1.30 am due to reduced visibility. "While landing and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information. Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted," the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said in a post on X at 6.56 am. CAT III facility allows aircraft to operate in low visibility conditions. Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) is operated by DIAL. "#6ETravelAdvisory: Departures and arrivals at #DelhiAirport are currently on hold due to reduced visibility," IndiGo said in a post on X at 1.05 am on Saturday. Air India said in an update on X at 1.16 am that poor visibility due to dense fog is impacting flight operations in Delhi and parts of northern India. (With PTI inputs)
15 January,2025 10:42 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentWelcome to Mid-Day's Top News at this hour! We bring you a curated selection of the most significant and compelling news from around the globe. Stay informed with the latest developments in the nation, Mumbai, entertainment, sports, and more. Let's dive into the headlines shaping our world today. Markets climb in early trade on firm Asian peers Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty began the trade on an optimistic note on Wednesday mirroring a firm trend in Asian peers and buying in bellwether stock Reliance Industries. Easing retail inflation also added to the markets' strength. The 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex climbed 401.53 points to 76,901.16 in early trade. The NSE Nifty advanced 97.5 points to 23,273.55. Mumbai: Brave granny, 91, fights off robber with glass tumbler in Malad A ninety-one-year-old woman from Malad put up a brave fight after a burqa-clad woman entered her home to snatch a gold chain worth more than Rs 1.5 lakh from her neck. Despite having chilli powder in her eyes, the nonagenarian caught hold of the accused’s hair and refused to loosen her grip while being dragged from her kitchen to the front door. Eventually, the senior citizen threw a glass tumbler at the intruder, forcing her to flee empty-handed. The accused was eventually nabbed by the Malwani police with the help of CCTV cameras. Read more. Four months after injuring legs in crash, runner gears for Mumbai Marathon Four months after a September 21 accident left him with a broken right wrist, stitches on his chin, cuts and stitches inside his mouth, bruises on the head and stitches on both legs below his knees, runner Subhash Motwani is all set to run the half-marathon (21.097 km) at the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) on Sunday, January 19. Read more. Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani stars to have cameos in Kartik Aaryan's Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Teri Tu Mera? Karan Johar surely knows how to play his cards right. The producer-filmmaker, who has managed to present narratives in a way that appeases the young generation, has come up with a way to gain the eyeballs of both Gen Z and millennials. Read more. It's Gambhir v Superstars? Gautam Gambhir’s position as head coach will be “revaluated” on the basis of India’s Champions Trophy performance next month amid concerns that there is discontent in the dressing room due to his push to end the long-prevalent “superstar culture” in the team. Read more.
15 January,2025 10:40 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAmid rising concern around Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), Haryana Health Minister Arti Singh Rao assured the people that the state is ready to handle the situation and said there is no need to panic. "We are ready. All the districts have been informed to stay alert... I want to request that the people should not be panicked. This virus can spread but it is not dangerous. It can be treated..," Rao told ANI. She also urged people to stay fit during the winter season. "Since it is winter now, there are chances of more people getting Pneumonia, so I request everyone to get a mucus test done in case they have any symptoms. They should also keep their hands clean like we did during Covid-19..." she further said. On January 12, a 10-month-old child in Assam had been diagnosed with the virus, which marked the state's first recorded case, as per officials. Superintendent of Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dhruv Jyoti Bhuiyan confirmed the infection, stating that a test was conducted on the child, which returned positive results. "This morning, we got the report of the child who had come here who had cough and symptoms and had been diagnosed with the HMPV virus. The test was part of the routine but the results came positive. There is nothing to worry about, the child is perfectly alright, it is a 10-month-old child.." said Buiyan while speaking to ANI. The virus was first identified in 2001. On January 9, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a rise in acute respiratory infections, including HMPV, in the Northern Hemisphere and noted that the rate of infections follows typical seasonal trends. In its disease outbreak news, WHO observed that while the trends in acute respiratory infections are increasing in many countries of the Northern Hemisphere, these are not unusual and are "typically caused by seasonal epidemics of respiratory pathogens such as seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other common respiratory viruses, including human metapneumovirus (HMPV), as well as mycoplasma pneumonia". The WHO further added that the co-circulation of multiple respiratory pathogens during the winter season can sometimes cause an increased burden on healthcare systems treating sick persons. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 January,2025 08:54 AM IST | Haryana | ANIAt least six Indian Army personnel were on Tuesday injured in a landmine explosion in a forward village in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. The troops were on patrol duty when one of the soldiers accidentally stepped over the landmine near Khamba Fort in Nowshera sector around 10.45 am, triggering the explosion. The injured were immediately shifted to hospital and their condition was stated to be stable. As part of an anti-infiltration obstacle system, the forward areas near the LoC are dotted with landmines which sometimes get washed away by rains resulting in such types of accidents. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 January,2025 08:36 AM IST | Jammu | AgenciesChief Minister Atishi filed her nomination for the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls from Kalkaji constituency on Tuesday at the at the district magistrate’s (DM) office in Lajpat Nagar. Atishi was supposed to file her papers on Monday. However, there was a delay due to a roadshow and she could not reach the DM’s office before the 3 pm deadline. Atishi is pitted against the BJP’s Ramesh Singh Bidhuri and the Congress’ Alka Lamba. A seasoned politician and former MP, Bidhuri won Tughlakabad assembly seat in 2003, 2008 and 2013. Lamba was with the AAP for almost five years and joined the Congress in 2019. Kalkaji constituency has a total of 1,94,515 voters—1,06,893 male, 87,617 female and five transgender. Complaint against Atishi A police complaint was filed by a returning officer against Chief Minister Atishi, alleging the use of a government vehicle for political purposes on January 7. Following this, a detailed investigation was carried out and a Public Works Department’s (PWD) south-east divisional executive engineer was booked for allegedly using a government vehicle for election campaigning. An officer said that the FIR has been registered for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct. The case was filed at the Govindpuri police station here. A complaint letter regarding the matter was submitted to the assistant commissioner of police, Kalkaji. BJP buying votes: Kejriwal AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday alleged the BJP is distributing money and gold chains to lure voters ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference, he also claimed the AAP’s graph is soaring and it will once again get a full majority. The BJP lacks the vision and leadership to challenge the AAP, Kejriwal said. “The BJP has surrendered all its weapons as it has no narrative, no vision and no chief ministerial face. It doesn’t have anything,” the former chief minister said. Accusing the BJP of adopting unfair means, Kejriwal claimed that the party is distributing jackets, shoes, sarees, money and even gold chains to buy votes. “I have heard that gold chains are being distributed in two colonies. The BJP is saying it will buy votes. I appeal to the people of Delhi to not vote for anyone, including AAP candidates, if they are offering money or goods during the polls,” he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 January,2025 08:35 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesSeeking an apology from social media giant Meta for allegedly “tarnishing” India’s image, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who heads the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, said on Tuesday that the panel will summon the firm following its chairman’s comments that India’s ruling dispensation lost the Lok Sabha election last year. “My committee will summon Meta for this incorrect information. Incorrect information about any democratic country tarnishes its image. This organisation will have to apologise to the Indian Parliament and the people here for this mistake,” Dubey said in a post on X. He was reacting to Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s criticism of Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, who owns the controlling stake in the Meta group of companies, for making a “factually incorrect” statement that the incumbent government in India lost the election in 2024 over issues arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is disappointing to see misinformation from Mr Zuckerberg himself. Let’s uphold facts and credibility,” Vaishnaw said, tagging Meta on X and other social media platforms. Appearing on the Joe Rogan podcast, Zuckerberg had said that 2024 was the big election year around the world and in a lot of countries like India, the incumbents lost the polls. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 January,2025 08:33 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
