Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Sunday that any person with a bad public image has no place in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) headed by him, reported the PTI. Ajit Pawar said those who do wrong will be expelled from the party. Ajit Pawar, who rebelled against his uncle Sharad Pawar to stake claim to the NCP in 2023, said the future belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party. "The NCP worker base should be created in villages and every nook and corner. Everyone should work in coordination," he said in his valedictory address at the NCP convention in Shirdi, according to the PTI. The NCP won 41 seats in the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, four times more than the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). "Our responsibility increased after the assembly elections. Those interested in contesting the upcoming local bodies polls should choose responsible workers to ensure votes from a cluster of 25 houses. If four votes are cast (for NCP) from each of the 25 houses, we will get 100 votes," Ajit Pawar said, as per the PTI. He appealed to NCP workers to involve youth, doctors, engineers, and lawyers. Ajit Pawar said the NCP is seeing an influx, but the party should stay united and that its image should not be affected. "A person with a bad image in the public mind has no place in the party. There should be no misconduct. Those who do wrong will be expelled," he said. Ajit Pawar's remarks come against the backdrop of the Opposition's criticism of NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde over the sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case. He announced the formation of medical assistance and "assurances implementation" cells. "The medical assistance cell will be in every minister's office. We are preparing an application. Health ambassadors should be appointed in every district next month. We will also create a cell to implement promises which will function from the offices of the NCP and ministers," he added. Ajit Pawar said the NCP will try to fulfil at least one poll promise in every constituency by Ganesh festival. (with PTI inputs)
19 January,2025 11:06 PM IST | Shirdi | mid-day online correspondentTaking a dig at AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who demanded the resignation of the central government over an attack on Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan, the BJP on Sunday said the former Delhi chief minister has been mum since learning that the attacker was a Bangladeshi infiltrator. The Mumbai Police said earlier in the day that Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, a Bangladeshi national who had illegally entered India and changed his name to Vijay Das, was arrested from Thane in connection with the attack on Khan on January 16. Kejriwal, who vocally reacted on the day Khan was attacked, has gone silent upon learning that the attacker is a Bangladeshi citizen, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been saying from day one that Rohingya Muslims and Bangladeshis pose a "security threat" not just to Delhi but to the entire country. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Kejriwal, provides them shelter and fosters them in Delhi, Sachdeva charged. Kejriwal, who showed deep concern after Khan was attacked, now has a responsibility to condemn the Bangladeshi individual involved in it, he said. Ahead of the February 5 Delhi Assembly polls, the BJP has charged AAP MLAs and leaders with helping illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims stay in Delhi and providing them with money, electricity and water connections. The saffron party has also alleged that these people were provided with documents by the AAP to become voters so that they can be used as a vote bank. In a post on X, AAP's chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said the prime minister and the Union home minister should apologise to Khan's family, and alleged that Bangladeshi "infiltrators" have entered different parts of the country in the last 10 years due to their "failures". Kejriwal slammed the Centre on Thursday over the attack on Khan. "The BJP-led central government must resign if it can't protect our borders, country, national capital and the people of India," he had said. The former Delhi chief minister had also said that attacks on celebrities were not new, citing a firing incident outside actor Salman Khan's house and the killing of his friend Baba Siddique in Mumbai. 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
19 January,2025 10:57 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIDelhi Chief Minister Atishi on Sunday closed her "Donate for Atishi" campaign after successfully raising Rs 40 lakh through crowdfunding to contest in the upcoming assembly elections. Over 740 supporters contributed to the campaign, helping Atishi reach her target within a week. "This isn't just financial support -- it's a resounding endorsement of clean, honest and transformative politics of the Aam Aadmi Party," Atishi said, announcing the campaign's closure. Thanking her supporters, she said their trust and generosity inspire her to work towards building a better Delhi. The funds will support her election expenses as she contests to retain her seat from the Kalkaji constituency in the upcoming polls. The "Donate for Atishi" crowdfunding campaign was launched on January 12, and within the first 10 hours, she received Rs 17 lakh in donations. 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
19 January,2025 10:47 PM IST | New Delhi | PTISeven people died allegedly after drinking spurious liquor in dry Bihar's West Champaran district, prompting the administration to order an inquiry, a police officer said on Sunday. The police came to know about the deaths on Sunday, though the first fatality occurred four days ago and the bodies of all seven were already cremated, the officer said. District Superintendent of Police Shaurya Suman said all the deaths were reported from the Lauriya police station area. Locals blamed the deaths on consumption of spurious liquor, but the SP asserted that the reason behind at least two fatalities was not hooch. One had been hit by a tractor, while another had suffered a paralytic attack, Suman said. "The first death took place on January 15 though we came to know about the episode only today. The cause of the remaining five deaths was unclear as all seven bodies were cremated before the police were informed. We have set up an investigation team to find out the cause of the deaths," Suman told PTI. West Champaran's Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC), Sumit Kumar said it is difficult to ascertain the cause of the deaths as all the bodies were cremated. "The investigation team was directed to submit its report within 24 hours," Kumar told PTI. The team will also ascertain the identity of those who died in the last three or four days in Lauriya, he added. A family member of one of the deceased said, "My brother Pradeep consumed liquor with his friend Manish. Both died." The sale and consumption of alcohol was banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April 2016. 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
19 January,2025 10:41 PM IST | Patna | PTIThe Railway Protection Force (RPF) has nabbed 586 Bangladeshis 318 and Rohingyas to prevent illegal migration since 2021, the officials said on Sunday. An official statement said, the RPF has been collaborating with Border Security Force (BSF), local police, and intelligence units to secure railway networks against illegal infiltration. The Railway Protection Force has successfully apprehended 916 individuals, including 586 Bangladeshi nationals and 318 Rohingya since 2021, showing their commitment to safeguard the nation, it said. In June and July 2024, RPF apprehended 88 Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants in areas under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). Some of these individuals confessed to entering India illegally and were intercepted while traveling by train to destinations such as Kolkata, it further said. "In October 2024, reports highlighted that despite increased security measures along the Bangladesh border, illegal migrants continue to infiltrate India, using Assam as a transit route and railways as their preferred mode of travel to reach other parts of the country. These incidents underscore the challenges faced by Indian authorities in monitoring and securing railway networks against illegal infiltration. The use of railways by infiltrators not only facilitates their movement across states but also complicates efforts to detect and prevent unauthorised entry into the country," the statement said. For considering the above issue, the RPF has intensified its efforts by collaborating with key security agencies such as the Border Security Force (BSF), local police, and intelligence units. This inter-agency approach has significantly enhanced operational efficiency, enabling swift identification and detention of individuals involved in illegal migration, it said. The statement said that despite its significant contributions, the RPF is not directly empowered to prosecute apprehended individuals. Instead, detained persons are handed over to police and other authorised agencies for further legal proceedings. In the light of recent political turmoil going on in the neighboring countries such as Bangladesh and Myanmar and geopolitical developments and socio-religious factors in these regions have led to an influx of individuals seeking refuge, employment, and shelter deep within India's hinterlands. It remains a significant concern for national security. While precise statistics on the number of infiltrators using railways are limited, recent reports indicate that illegal migrants often utilize railway networks to transit through regions like Assam and Tripura en route to other parts of India, the statement said. The RPF has risen to the challenge of addressing this critical issue, playing a pivotal role in identifying and apprehending illegal migrants attempting to penetrate India's borders. These individuals are not only a matter of national security concern but are also highly vulnerable to exploitation, including human trafficking for bonded labor, domestic help, prostitution, and even organ harvesting, it said.
19 January,2025 08:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA big fire broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela on Sunday due to a cylinder blast, engulfing 18 tents in Sector 19, officials said. There was no immediate news of any casualty. "Two LPG cylinders exploded in Sector 19 of the Maha Kumbh Mela, causing a big fire in the camps. Fire fighters are trying to douse the blaze," Akhara Police Station In-charge Bhaskar Mishra said. Kumbh Mela Chief Fire Officer Pramod Sharma said that fire has engulfed 18 tents and 15 fire tenders are on the spot to contain the blaze. The Maha Kumbh 2025 official X handle posted, "Very sad! The fire incident at #MahaKumbh has shocked everyone. The administration is ensuring immediate relief and rescue operations. We pray Maa Ganga for everyone's safety." It also shared a clip that showed a thick black column of smoke billowing out from the affected area. The 45-day Maha Kumbh 2025 started on Paush Purnima on January 13. More than 7.72 crore people have taken the holy dip, according to official figures available till Saturday. Officials said that more than 46.95 lakh devotees did the 'snan' (holy dip) on Sunday. 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
19 January,2025 05:49 PM IST | Prayagraj | PTIMaharashtra NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil on Sunday said that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar may have preferred to take up the guardian ministership of Beed district considering the prevailing situation in the aftermath of a sarpanch's murder, reported news agency PTI. Ministers in Maharashtra are given responsibility for one or more districts. As per a list released by the state government, Pawar has been allotted Beed district in addition to Pune, his home district, reported PTI. Talking to reporters here, Patil said there was no point in criticising the appointment of guardian ministers, and people now have to see how they perform. He said the situation in Beed is complicated, so Ajit Pawar may have preferred to go there. Minister Dhananjay Munde, MLA from Parali in Beed, was the guardian minister of this central Maharashtra district in the previous government. But he has been in the eye of the storm over the brutal murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in the district. Walmik Karad, Munde's associate, has been arrested in connection with the case, reported PTI. Ajit Pawar, who heads the NCP, had refused to ask Munde to resign over the controversy amid criticism from the Opposition and local BJP leaders, reported PTI. When asked about Minister Chandrakant Patil being allotted Sangli district, the NCP (SP) leader said, "Let's hope he takes everyone along for the development of the district," reported PTI. He further claimed that there was no law and order in the state, given the developments in the past one and half months, and the police have failed to show their strength, reported PTI. There is no fear of the law, and the police appear to be taking sides, Patil alleged. On reports of Malshiras NCP (SP) MLA Uttam Jankar's plans to resign on January 23 and submit his resignation to the Election Commission in Delhi, Patil said he might have taken the step to put pressure on the poll body to conduct elections on the ballot paper, reported PTI. Markadwadi village in the Malshiras constituency had demanded the use of ballot papers in polls. (With inputs from PTI)
19 January,2025 01:05 PM IST | Solapur | mid-day online correspondentThree men were mowed down by a state transport bus in Maharashtra's Beed district in the early hours of Sunday, police said, reported news agency PTI. The accident occurred around 6 am when a group of youngsters were training for police recruitment near Ghodka Rajuri village in Beed taluka, an official said, reported PTI. He said the bus belonging to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) was heading towards Parbhani from Beed when it mowed down the three men training on the roadside, reported PTI. Two others in the group managed to escape unhurt, he said. The deceased, Subodh More (20), Virat Ghodke (19) and Om Ghodke (20), were residents of Ghodka Rajuri village, the official said, reported PTI. The trio died on the spot, and their bodies were taken to the district hospital in Beed for further formalities, he said, adding that the bus driver was apprehended and a case was being registered against him, reported PTI. Following the accident, angry villagers vandalised the state transport bus and demanded jobs for family members of the deceased men in the state transport department, the official said. Nine killed, 8 injured in collision between tempo, minivan and stationary bus on Pune-Nashik Highway At least nine people were killed, including a five-year-old child, and eight others were injured after a tempo collided with their minivan, forcing it to ram into a stationary bus on the Pune-Nashik Highway on Friday, a police official said, reported PTI. The incident took place near Narayangaon at 9:30 am, he added. The tempo struck the minivan from behind, causing it to ram into an empty ST bus parked on the side of the road, the official said. "The impact of the collision was so severe that nine persons died on the spot," said Pankaj Deshmukh, Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural. Police identified the deceased as Debubai Takalkar (65), driver Vinod Rokade (50), Yuvraj Wavhal (23), Chandrakant Gunjal (50), Geeta Gaware (45), Bhau Bade (65), Najma Hanif Shaikh (35), Vashifa Inamdar (5), and Manisha Pacharne (56), reported PTI. "Eight others sustained minor to moderate injuries and are undergoing treatment. Following the crash, the tempo driver fled the scene. We have registered a case against the unidentified driver of the tempo and bus driver Bhausaheb Jaybhay under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Motor Vehicles Act," a Narayangaon police station official said. The ST bus driver has been booked since he had parked the vehicle in a dangerous manner, the official said. Efforts are on to nab the driver of the tempo, the official added. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called the incident unfortunate and announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the deceased. Vikram Bhor, sarpanch of Junnar tehsil's Kandali village, from where five of the deceased hailed, said everyone was shocked after hearing about the accident. "Minivan driver Vinod Rokade used to operate the vehicle locally. Bhau Bade was going to Narayangaon to buy medicines. Deceased Manisha Pacharne was a Zilla Parishad school teacher. Yuvraj Wavhal, a 23-year-old youth from a neighbouring village, was preparing for civil services exams," Bhor said, reported PTI. The distance between Kandali and Narayagaon is 10 kilometres and people use such private vehicles on the route. (With inputs from PTI)
19 January,2025 12:39 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | mid-day online correspondentThe Centre will hold a meeting with Punjab's protesting farmers on February 14 in Chandigarh to discuss their demands, thus ending a stalemate over the resumption of a dialogue with the agitators, who have been demanding a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops. Following the announcement of the proposed meeting, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered the 54th day on Saturday, agreed to take medical aid. However, he will not end his indefinite fast till a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops is given, said farmer leader Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande. Later, pictures showing Dallewal taking medical aid with an intravenous drip were released by the farmers. The breakthrough came after a delegation of officials from the Union agriculture ministry, led by Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan, met Dallewal and held a meeting with the representatives of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), which are spearheading the agitation for the last 11 months. Following the announcement of the meeting on February 14, farmer leaders appealed to Dallewal to take medical aid so that he can participate in the proposed deliberations. The Centre's delegation also urged Dallewal to take medical aid so that he can participate in the proposed meeting, which will take place at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration at Chandigarh at 5 pm on February 14. Talking to reporters at the Khanauri protest site, Ranjan said a high-level delegation was sent by the Centre, keeping in mind the deteriorating health of Dallewal. "We enquired about his health and held a meeting with the representatives (of the protesting farmer bodies)," he said. Ranjan said the meeting will be held in Chandigarh on February 14. "We urged him (Dallewal) to break his fast and take medical aid, so that he can participate in the meeting," he said. A letter addressed to Dallewal, SKM (Non-Political) and KMM read: "This is in continuation of the previous meeting with the leaders of SKM (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), which was held on February 15, 2024 at Chandigarh. "A meeting with the ministers of the government of India and the Punjab government regarding the demands of the farmers' unions has been convened on February 14, 2025 (5 pm) at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration Punjab (MGSIPA), Sector-26, Chandigarh. You are cordially invited to the meeting, please attend at the scheduled time. We hope that Dallewal will soon end his fast, recover and join the discussion," said the letter written by Ranjan. Four rounds of meetings had taken place between Union ministers and the protesting farmers on February 8, 12, 15 and 18 last year, but the talks remained inconclusive. Earlier in the day, the farmers protesting at the Khanauri and Shambhu border points between Punjab and Haryana said they have received a proposal from the central government which they will discuss. The Centre's delegation held meetings with the representatives of both the forums. A Punjab government team led by retired additional director general of police Jaskaran Singh and former deputy inspector general of police Narinder Bhargav, who were holding discussions with the farmer leaders, was also present. According to farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar, officials have said February 14 has been fixed for the meeting as Assembly polls are due in Delhi and the Model Code of Conduct will be in force in the capital till February 9. When the Model Code of Conduct is in force, no government can make any announcement, Kohar said. Sharing details about Dallewal's health, Kohar said the farmer leader was unable to take water and had been vomiting. Doctors have warned that anything could happen to Dallewal, he added. Before agreeing to take medical aid, Dallewal had asked the farmer leaders to take consent from the 121 farmers who were also on an indefinite fast. A few days ago, a group of 111 farmers and later, 10 more farmers sat on a fast-unto-death in solidarity with Dallewal. Dallewal, who is the convenor of the SKM (Non-Political), has been on the indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border point since November 26 last year in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops. Farmers had said Dallewal had not eaten anything since November 26 last year and was just surviving on water. Farmer leaders on Thursday said Dallewal has lost about 20-kg weight during his fast-unto-death. The weight of Dallewal has reduced to 66.4 kg now from 86.9 kg, when he began the indefinite fast. Farmers, under the banner of the SKM (Non-Political) and KMM, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points since February 13 last year, after security forces did not allow them to march to Delhi to press for their various demands, including a legal guarantee on the MSP for their crops. 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
19 January,2025 10:55 AM IST | Chandigarh | PTIThe third edition of the annual Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, an initiative by the Ministry of Education, will take place next month with participation from emerging entrepreneurs, education and technology sector representatives, and others. IIT Madras Director, Professor V Kamakoti on Saturday announced that this edition will see increased women's participation due to high demand. “We've already received 20,000 registrations, from which 1,200 will be selected after multiple rounds of scrutiny, including their performance in a quiz competition and their knowledge of Kashi. This time, we aim to offer opportunities to people from startups, innovation sectors, school students, and research scholars. We are also encouraging more women to take part,” he said during the curtain-raiser event at the IIT Madras Research Park. Previously held in October-November, the event has now been rescheduled to February, coinciding with the ongoing Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The devotional trip will run from February 15 to 24, culminating in a return to Chennai. “Participants will have the chance to stay in Prayagraj for one night, offering prayers and participating in the Shahi Snan or holy dip in the Ganga River as part of the Maha Kumbh Mela,” Kamakoti added. This year's theme will focus on highlighting the contributions of Sage Agasthiyar to the Siddha System of Medicine, Classical Tamil literature, and national cultural unity. An exhibition will showcase various aspects of Agasthiyar's influence on health, philosophy, science, linguistics, and literature. Participants will also visit sites such as the ancestral home of poet Subramania Bharati, Kedar Ghat, and Kasi Mandapam. 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
19 January,2025 07:52 AM IST | Chennai | AgenciesAlleging that the caste survey conducted by the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar was an exercise to befool the people, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said his party will stick to its demand for caste census as such an initiative is essential to plan development work in the country. Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in LS, also accused the BJP and the RSS of “undermining the Constitution and neglecting marginalised communities” in the country. He also alleged that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s “true independence” remark was “against the country’s Constitution”. Addressing “Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan” at Bapu Sabhagar here, Gandhi said, “Dalits, minorities and socially marginalised people comprise 90 per cent population of this country but they are not part of the system. This is the reason that we have been demanding caste census.” 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
19 January,2025 07:51 AM IST | Patna | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
