India Political Updates: Union govt fulfilled objective of peace, progress and prosperity in Nagaland, says Amit Shah

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Rahul will be invited for 'darshan' at Ram temple in Ayodhya: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Friday Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would be invited for a 'darshan' at the upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

Fadnavis, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, made the comments a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah attacked the Congress MP and announced the shrine would be ready by January 1 next year. “Rahul Gandhi will be invited to have a darshan at the Ram temple,” he told reporters in Bhopal, replying to a query on Shah’s statement. - PTI.

Allowing foreign universities to open branches in India will harm country's higher education system: CPI

The CPI has opposed the University Grants Commission's (UGC) decision to allow foreign universities to open branches in India, claiming that it will "harm" the country's higher education system.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Communist Party of India (CPI) said the time allotted to put forward suggestions on the issue is grossly insufficient.

"The policy will harm, dilute and destroy the Indian higher education system, leading to commercialisation. This decision will make education expensive and Dalits, adivasis, minorities and the poor will be adversely affected. - PTI.

Caste-based census will benefit all sections of society: Nitish

Asserting that caste-based census will benefit all sections of the society, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said the purpose of the exercise is to carry out developmental work for the people who are deprived.

The enumeration exercise will start in the state from Saturday.

"The caste-based headcount will be beneficial for all... It will enable the government to work for the development of various sections of the society, including those who are deprived. After completion of the enumeration exercise..., the final report will be sent to Centre also," Kumar said while interacting with reporters on the second day of his 'Samadhan Yatra' in Sheohar district. - PTI.

Will TN CM greet people on Hindu festivals, asks BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan

BJP Mahila Morcha President and Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan on Friday sought to know whether Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin would greet people on Hindu festivals.

Referring to Stalin's remarks at a government function in Chennai on Thursday that some people who could not digest 'Dravidianism' were trying to portray the DMK as "anti-Hindu", Srinivasan claimed India's southern parts were described as 'Dravidam' and those living in the region are all collectively known as 'Dravidians.' - PTI.

Union govt fulfilled objective of peace, progress and prosperity in Nagaland, says Amit Shah

Trinamool Congress releases first list of 52 candidates for Assembly Elections in Meghalaya

Modi govt 'heralding new era of cooperative federalism': Officials

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairing the ongoing second national conference of chief secretaries, official sources on Friday said the government has heralded a "new era of cooperative federalism" by making the process of policy making and implementation more collaborative and consultative.

The chief secretaries conference is aimed at rapid and sustained economic growth in partnership with states in coordination as the prime minister believes that this is an essential pillar for the development and progress of new India, they said. - PTI.

Ruckus created by AAP councillors unfortunate, says BJP's Rekha Gupta

The Kejriwal government's first day in Delhi Municipal Corporation has been very disappointing and Aam Aadmi Party councillors' behaviour was very unfortunate, said BJP mayor candidate Rekha Gupta on Friday's clash and chaos in the House.

Talking to IANS, Gupta said, "I am very pained to see that on the day when so many councillors were to be sworn-in and their term was about to begin today, the AAP councillors created such a ruckus in the House."

At Panipat rally, Rahul Gandhi targets BJP govt over Agnipath scheme, GST

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre over a host of issues, including the Agnipath scheme and GST.

Addressing a public meeting here as part of the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra, he also said there are two Indias -- one of farmers, labourers, small shopkeepers and unemployed youth and the second of 200-300 people who hold the country's wealth. - PTI.

Language is the life of a race, says TN CM Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday described language as the "life" of a race and listed out the various steps taken by his party DMK over the years to promote and nurture the Tamil language.

The Tamil race was the only one to have "given its life to protect the language," he said in an apparent reference to the anti-Hindi agitation of the 1960s.

He quoted his father, the late DMK president and former CM M Karunanidhi, as saying in 1974 that ensuring "language respect" was imperative. - PTI.

BJP freed Manipur from terrorism, bandhs, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asserted that the BJP government in the state freed Manipur from bandhs and terrorism and brought it on the path of development.

Addressing a public rally at Moirang in Bishnupur district after virtually inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of 21 projects worth over Rs 1,300 crore, Shah said the BJP government defeated insurgency and lifted Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA from six districts of the state.

"There was a situation of terror during the Congress rule in Manipur. Now, it is among the best governed small states," he said. - PTI.

MCD House adjourned as AAP, BJP councillors clash

Amid chaos and clash between the AAP and BJP members on Friday, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House was adjourned before the commencement of the mayoral polls.The House witnessed violent clashes between the councillors of the two parties.The chaos started after the AAP objected to the oath-taking of nominated councillors. After the presiding officer asked aldermen to take the oath, the AAP councillors started creating a ruckus claiming that it was not the custom for the aldermen to take oath before the elected councillors.

It takes years for a vaccine to be developed, but in the challenging times of Covid, it was April 2020 when PM Modi set up a task force, provided adequate funding, and helped develop the Covid vaccine in record time: Nadda in Davanagere, Karnataka

Neither the US nor the UK could decide between saving humanity or the economy in times of utter distress looming over the world, and it was India which took a timely and bold decision of announcing the lockdown and managing well the massive challenge of coronavirus: J P Nadda in Davanagere

Previous govts were dynastic parties, executed divide-and-rule fundamentals: Nadda in Karnataka

Previous governments like UPA were the dynastic parties. They were spearheading the government by believing in vote bank politics. They were executing the divide-and-rule fundamentals, and divided the country on the basis of castes and religion: J P Nadda in Davangere

When PM Modi took over the charge in 2014, it was not just the change of the Prime Minister, of the party, of the government, of a set of the people, it was actually a change of the political culture in India: Nadda in Davangere

"As Karnataka is nearing elections, it becomes my prime responsibility to interact with the people here and to discuss how under the leadership of PM Modi, India is going ahead on the path of development," BJP leader J P Nadda said at an event in Davangere.

Manipur totally free of terrorism: Amit Shah

"Manipur is totally free from terrorism, bandhs andmoving on the path of development," Union Home Minister Amit Shah said after inaugurating 12 projects in the state.

AAP claims Cong leader has a 'deal' with BJP ahead of MCD mayor poll

Ahead of the MCD mayoral election scheduled to be held on Friday, the Aam Aadmi party has claimed that a deal has been finalised between Bharatiya Janata party and the Congress party.AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said the Congress leader of the House in MCD Nazia Danish has made a deal with the BJP."The Congress leader of the House in MCD Ms Nazia Danish strikes the deal with BJP. And Congress decides to walk out to help BJP in MCD," tweeted Bhardwaj.

If you're in majority, why are you scared? Meenakshi Lekhi slams AAP for ruckus in MCD

BJP minister Meenakshi Lekhi said the ruckus in the MCD was started by AAP leaders. "This is because they are unaware of the rules. When they are in majority, why are they afraid? AAP MPs do the same in Rajya Sabha as well. They should allow voting,"Lekhi said.

BJP doing hooliganism: AAP councillor

AAP councillor Praveen Kumar slammed BJP for "doing hooliganism" in the MCD.

"Swearing-in of the nominated councillors was being held first. A ruckus broke out when we objected to it andasked that the swearing-in of elected councillors should be held first. They (BJP) threw a memento,"Kumar told ANI.

On the ruckus in the MCD, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari asked the Aam Aadmi Party what it is scared of. "AAP has been defeated morally. Does it think that its councillors won't be supporting their party?" he said.

AAP, BJP councillors clash over aldermen appointment during first meeting of new MCD House

AAP and BJP councillors clashed over the appointment of 10 aldermen by Lt Governor VK Saxena as the first meeting of the newly elected Municipal Corporation of Delhi House began on Friday.

The meeting began with BJP councillor Satya Sharma being administered the oath as presiding officer for the elections to the posts of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayor and deputy mayor.

After Sharma invited alderman Manoj Kumar to take his oath, AAP MLAs and councillors began to protest. Many also rushed to the well of the House, shouting slogans.

Telangana: Bandh in Kamareddy town as part of farmers' protest

A bandh was being observed in the district headquarters town of Kamareddy in Telangana on Friday as per a call given by local farmers who have been protesting against alleged inclusion of their agricultural lands in industrial zone in a draft masterplan for the town. Shops and other commercial establishments remained closed as part of the shutdown. A police official told PTI that the situation was peaceful and security arrangements have been made.

Centre should change its attitude towards cooperative banks: Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has said that the Union government must change its attitude towards cooperative banks and support them because they serve the common people. There is a misconception that irregularities largely take place in cooperative banks, the former Union agriculture minister said at a function here on Thursday.

FIR lodged against SP Twitter handle in UP for threatening tweets

An FIR has been lodged against unidentified persons who manage the Twitter account of the Samajwadi Party (SP) on the complaint of the Uttar Pradesh's BJP's social media cell in-charge, who alleged that the former had issued life and rape threats to her and her family on the virtual platform.The FIR has been lodged under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 354-A (sexual harassment), 504 (insulting) and 506 (criminal intimidation), and sections 66, 67 and 68 (misuse of social media platform by posting vulgar, abusive and life and rape threatening posts) of the IT Act, at the Hazratganj police station in Lucknow.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha during a rally for the launch of BJP's 'Jan Vishwas Yatra', in Dharmanagar

Bengal Panchayat polls: Nadda to kickstart BJP's campaign from Nandigram

The BJP is all set to deploy its central leaders in West Bengal to campaign for the panchayat polls as well as the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the state.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, National President J.P. Nadda and other central leaders will campaign in the state for the panchayat elections, a source said.According to the source, the party will hold 40 big rallies across Bengal. Nadda will kick off the campaign from Nandigram in January. Later, Prime Minister Modi, Shah and other leaders will hold meetings across the state.

Andaman BJP leaders urge Rajnath for better air connectivity

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met BJP leaders of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in Port Blair on Thursday.

At the meeting, the party's Andaman and Nicobar Islands president Ajoy Bairagi expressed concern over the steep airfares from Port Blair to other parts of India, and how tourism was getting affected because of lower flight services due to the runway upgradation work.

Adityanath says UP safe for investors, interacts with Bollywood members in Mumbai

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday pitched his state as a safe investment destination and also interacted with prominent Bollywood personalities during his visit to Mumbai, where Maharashtra's Opposition parties targeted him over his roadshow.

Producer Boney Kapoor, Gorakhpur Lok Sabha MP and actor Ravi Kishen, Bhojpuri actor Dinesh Lal Nirhua, playback singers Sonu Nigam, Kailash Kher, actor Suniel Shetty, filmmakers Chandraprakash Dwivedi, Madhur Bhandarkar and Rajkumar Santoshi, were among those who were present at the event.

Satyendar Jain should be shifted to prison in non-AAP ruled state: Delhi BJP

Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana has said that jailed Delhi minister Satyendar Jain should be shifted to a prison in a non-AAP ruled state.

Khurana made the remarks on Thursday in backdrop of media reports that top officials of Tihar Jail have accused Jain of "threat and intimidation" and lodged a complaint against the AAP leader with the Director-General (Prisons)

He said that Jain's "arbitrariness" as a minister and his "authoritarianism" in jail reminds him of Amrish Puri's role as a politician in Bollywood movie Nayak, where the villain (Puri) threatens government officials.

Bharat Jodo Yatra leaves UP, re-enters Haryana

(ANI)