"Torture": Court Raps UP Police For Detaining Pregnant Woman For 6 Hours

The Allahabad High Court has come down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh Police for "unlawfully detaining" a pregnant woman accompanied by her two-year-old child for over six hours to record her statement in a kidnapping case filed by her family, terming it "abuse of authority" and "torture".

It directed the police to pay Rs 1 lakh to the eight-month pregnant woman and instructed the state government to issue guidelines for police to handle cases involving women more carefully.

The woman's family had lodged a complaint with the Agra Police, claiming she was kidnapped in August 2021 while on her way to appear for an exam. An FIR was lodged but investigation into the case did not see much progress. During the hearing of a habeas corpus petition filed by the woman's husband, their counsels Raghvendra P Singh and Mohd Sheraj refuted the kidnapping charge, saying she got married and has been living with her husband in Lucknow.

The petitioner's counsels told the Lucknow Bench of the high court that Sub-Inspector Anurag Kumar of the Agra Police had taken the eight-month pregnant woman accompanied by her two-year-old child in custody on November 29 in Lucknow to record her statement in the kidnapping case.

They claimed the investigating officer neither brought the case diary nor checked the woman's age before detaining her at the Chinahat Police Station in Lucknow for over six hours.

In its ruling, the bench of Justice Attau Rahman Masoodi and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi expressed grave concern over the violation of the woman's rights and noted that the "investigating officer failed to apply his mind to the allegations in the FIR".

"The manner in which police duties were carried out was far from the process of law and amounts to abuse of authority," the bench remarked.

The bench ordered that the woman be immediately released, taken back to her home in Lucknow and handed over to her husband in the presence of her legal counsel.

It also directed the Uttar Pradesh Police chief to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the officer involved and submit a report to the court within three months.

The high court bench underlined that the woman, being in an advanced stage of pregnancy and accompanied by her child, should never have been subjected to police custody.

It sought an affidavit from the state within 10 days, outlining the steps taken to comply with the ruling and emphasised that this case should serve as a reminder to police authorities to act with greater sensitivity in matters involving women.

The next hearing is scheduled for December 11. 

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RG Kar Ex-Principal Named In CBI's 1st Chargesheet In Irregularities Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday filed its first chargesheet at a special court in Kolkata in connection with the multi-crore financial irregularities matter at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital here.

Sources aware of the development said that in the first chargesheet, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh and four others have been named.

The other four named in the chargesheet are Asish Pandey, Sandip Ghosh's personal bodyguard Afsar Ali, Suman Hazra and Biplab Singha. The last two individuals named are private contractors and suppliers.

Besides five individuals, three business entities engaged in the supply of products and services to the RG Kar authorities were also named in the chargesheet.

However, although the chargesheet was submitted by CBI to the court on Friday, it was not officially accepted by the court authorities.

This is because since Sandip Ghosh and Asish Pandey were attached to the West Bengal government as employees, the acceptance of the chargesheet by the court authorities can be done only after there is an official clearance from the state government.

Sources in the know of things said that in the chargesheet, the CBI officials had given details on how Sandip Ghosh used to manipulate the tendering process of RG Kar to ensure that only contractors close to him got work-orders or contracts against hefty commissions.

In the chargesheet, the investigating officials had also given details on the skyrocketing increase in the quantum of assets and properties of the accused persons, especially Sandip Ghosh, during the short period after he assumed the charge as the Principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Sources added that in the chargesheet, Sandip Ghosh has been identified as the mastermind behind the entire alleged scam.

Besides making manipulations in the tendering process, the other charges in the case are getting infrastructure-related work at R.G. Kar done by private outsourced agencies bypassing the state public works department, smuggling bio-medical wastes from the hospital and selling the organs of the unidentified bodies brought to the hospital for autopsy purposes.

Besides the financial irregularities case, the CBI is also probing Sandip Ghosh and former SHO of Tala Police Station Abhijit Mondal in connection with the ghastly rape and murder of a junior woman doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in August this year.

The main charges against Sandip Ghosh and Mondal in this case are tampering with the evidence and misleading the investigation while the initial probe was being carried out by Kolkata Police before the matter was handed over to CBI.

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Fact Check: Kangana Ranaut's Instagram Post Of "Woman Commando"

A photo shared by BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut on her Instagram 'story' has been cited as a huge example of women empowerment.

In the photo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seen walking in front of a woman in a dark suit.

Many speculated she could be part of the highly trained Special Protection Group (SPG), an elite force entrusted with the task of providing proximate security to the Prime Minister, former Prime Minister, and their immediate family members.

Some women SPG commandos are also part of the 'Close Protection Team'.

The woman is, however, not with the SPG, security sources said. She is a Personal Security Officer (PSO) to President Droupadi Murmu.

She is an Assistant Commandant of the Central Reserve Police Force, or CRPF.

The country's armed forces also encourage women to join their ranks. Women officers now command units such as air defence, signals, ordnance, intelligence, engineers and service corps.

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Google Appoints Ex-Apple Executive Mitul Shah To Lead Pixel Business

Google has roped in the former head of consumer sales at Apple India Mitul Shah to lead its Pixel smartphone devices and services business in the country, according to a social media post.

Google has appointed Shah as Managing Director for Google Devices and Services in India.

"I am happy to share that I've started an exciting new journey with Google as Managing Director for Devices & Services Business - leading Pixel's sales and expansion efforts in India," Shah said in a post on LinkedIn.

Google has partnered with Foxconn and Dixon to manufacture Pixel smartphones in India.

"It's an honour to be part of a company that's at the forefront of innovation, and I'm particularly thrilled to be working on a product that has the potential to put the magic and power of AI in the pockets of millions of people across my beloved country," Shah said.

People have been asking him for the reason for switching from Apple, he added.

"This is not a switch. This is a continuation of the mission of putting the world's best technology in the hands of fellow countrymen and women. I couldn't be more fortunate to have an opportunity to deliver the transformative power of AI and meaningful experiences to Indian consumers, with an immensely committed and talented team," Shah said.

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Centre Approves India's Own Space Station, Venus Orbiting Mission: ISRO

The Union government has given the green light to Shukrayaan-1 -- part of India's Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM) --, and setting up Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) -- India's own space station, Nilesh M Desai from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said.

"The Indian government has recently given a nod to our Venus Orbiting Satellite -- Shukrayaan. It will be launched in 2028," said Mr Desai, Director, Space Applications Centre, ISRO Ahmedabad, while speaking to the media.

Venus, often called Earth's twin, is the closest planet to our planet and is believed to have formed in conditions similar to Earth.

The VOM probe will help scientists understand how planetary environments can evolve very differently. It will also help search how Venus -- believed to be once habitable and quite similar to Earth -- transformed.

The mission would also enable India for future planetary missions with larger payloads, and optimal orbit insertion approaches.

Further, Mr Desai noted that "the government has also approved to construct India's own space station".

While the International Space Station has 16 pressurised modules, "BAS will have five", he said, adding that the first module will be launched in 2028.

"India's space station will be ready by 2035. As a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to land on the Moon by 2040, our space station will function as a transit facility en route," Mr Desai said.

Mr Desai also informed that the government has "proposed the idea of Chandrayaan 4 as a follow up of Chandrayaan 3". He noted that with Chandrayaan 4, India "will not only land on the Moon but also bring back soil and rock samples".

He further noted that India plans to collaborate with Japan for the Chandrayaan 4 mission, which "will go to the tip of the Moon's south pole at 90 degrees south". Chandrayaan 3 reached 69.3 degrees south on the lunar surface.

"Chandrayaan 4 will be a precise landing. The rover as a part of the mission will weigh 350 kg, which is 12 times heavier than the previous rover," Mr Desai said.

Although "ISRO is yet to get the government's nod for this mission, Mr Desai said, the space agency aims to "execute the mission by 2030".

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Hemant Soren Meets PM Modi, Invites Him For Swearing-In Ceremony

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday and extended a formal invitation for the swearing-in ceremony of his government, which is scheduled to take place in Ranchi on November 28.

Hemant Soren was accompanied by his wife Kalpana Soren, the newly elected MLA from the Gandey constituency.

Prime Minister Modi congratulated Hemant and Kalpana Soren on their electoral success and shared pictures of the meeting on X.

Earlier, Hemant Soren also met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and party President Mallikarjun Kharge, inviting them to the ceremony.

The swearing-in ceremony is set to take place at Morabadi Ground, Ranchi, on November 28 at 4 p.m. Along with the Chief Minister, several other ministers are expected to take the oath. Hemant Soren was unanimously elected as the leader of the INDIA bloc in the state on Sunday.

A JMM spokesperson said that invitations have been sent to various prominent political figures, including RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar's Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal, CPI-ML leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, and the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Punjab, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, and Jammu and Kashmir.

The results of the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly elections, announced on November 23, gave the Hemant Soren-led JMM-Congress-RJD alliance a resounding victory with 56 seats. The JMM won 34, the Congress 16, the RJD 4, and the CPI-ML 2 seats. This marks the first time a government in Jharkhand has secured a two-thirds majority.

Hemant Soren will make history as the first leader to be sworn in as Jharkhand's Chief Minister four times. He first took oath on July 13, 2013, leading a Congress-RJD-supported government until December 2014.

He returned as CM on December 29, 2019, but had to resign after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on January 31, 2024. After his release on bail, he was sworn in for the third time on July 4, 2024.

Earlier, his father Shibu Soren, and BJP's Arjun Munda have each served three terms as Jharkhand Chief Minister.

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Schools, Shops Reopen In UP's Sambhal 2 Days After Violence

Two days after violence broke out during a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque, life in Sambhal was gradually returning to normal on Tuesday with schools reopening and several shops selling daily essentials resuming operations.

However, internet services in the district continued to remain suspended.

Members of both Hindu and Muslim communities have called for unity and pledged to rebuild communal harmony even as police and administration officials were continuing to closely monitor the situation, with personnel deployed at key intersections and Rapid Action Force teams stationed in sensitive areas.

The authorities have imposed restrictions on the entry of outsiders and public representatives into Sambhal until November 30.

Although the situation in most parts of the district appeared calm, the area around Shahi Jama Masjid in city's Kot Garvi neighbourhood remained deserted.

Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the mosque was first surveyed on the court's orders following a petition claiming that a Harihar temple had stood at the site.

On Sunday, a large group of people gathered near the mosque and started shouting slogans as the survey team resumed its work. They then clashed with security personnel, torched vehicles and pelted stones.

According to official figures, four people have died because of the violence, which has left around two dozen others, including security personnel and administration officials, injured.

Divisional Commissioner (Moradabad) Aunjaneya Kumar Singh on Tuesday said, "The situation is normal in Sambhal and most of the shops are open. Some shops are closed in the area where the violence broke out, but in that area too there is no tension as such. There is security deployment and the situation is under control, moving towards normalcy." On the legal action after violence, Singh said as police continue to gather evidence, several FIRs have been registered and more could be filed in future. He also warned action against those spreading rumours and engaged in arson.

"The local MP and the son of the local MLA have also been booked for provoking (the crowd). Further probe is ongoing. CCTV footage are being checked. It was a spontaneous action. It was the second time that the survey was being carried out. "Everyone had a chance to present their side in the court, or they could take it up in higher courts. But that was not done...instead such an act was done, which spoiled the atmosphere. No guilty would be spared of strict action," he said.

DIG Muniraj G said there were no untoward reports from anywhere in Sambhal on Tuesday. "Normalcy is being restored, shops are opening, there is no problem," he said. Muniraj said the number of arrestees stood at 25 while investigations are on to identify violence suspects.

Haji Ehtesham, a Peace Committee member and leader of the All India Traders' Association, claimed the violence was instigated by outsiders, and what happened was deeply unfortunate.

"We must move on and restore peace. I have been a part of the Peace Committee for years and had also helped resolve tensions in 2013. During the initial survey, I was part of the five-member team, and we cooperated fully with the process," he said, appealing for calm.

Principal Shiv Shankar Sharma of Saraswati Shishu Mandir noted that such incidents disturb the environment.

"The survey was being conducted as per government orders, there shouldn't have been any issue. However, the people of Sambhal will rebuild communal harmony and work together again," Sharma said.

Deepak Kumar, a trader, said Sambhal has always been a peaceful place.

"I don't understand what happened that day to cause such unrest. Incidents like these also lead to economic losses, but the situation is now normal. I've reopened my shop, and soon, Sambhal will return to how it was before. Many of my friends are from the Muslim community, and our relationships remain unchanged," he stressed.

Seema Arya, president of the Women's Upliftment Committee, said, "The Muslim community should understand that the survey was conducted under court orders, and such extreme reactions were unnecessary. I have many friends from the Muslim community, but self-respect is paramount. Now, peace has been restored," Arya added. Chanchal Verma, BJP ward 18 councillor, said the poor have suffered the most due to this conflict.

"But we will all work together to take Sambhal forward again. The Hindu-Muslim unity here will once again set an example. People in this area have always been a model of communal harmony and will continue to be so.

"I have strong ties with many Muslim families, we participate in each other's events. Incidents like these have happened before, but now we must leave them behind and move forward together," Verma said.

Police have arrested 25 people so far and registered seven FIRs, naming the Samajwadi Party's Sambhal MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq, and Sohail Iqbal -- son of the party's local MLA Iqbal Mehmood -- and 2,750 unidentified individuals as accused.

Meanwhile, Sohail Iqbal said that he was not present at the site of the violence, and refuted the charges levelled against him.

"I have never worked for something which vitiates the peace in Sambhal. We believe in spreading love and serving the people. What has happened is unfortunate, should not have happened. My name has been drawn in it even though I have nothing to do with it, nor did I make any hate speech," Iqbal told PTI Videos.

While a magisterial probe into the violence is ongoing, Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi said on Monday that the situation was under control and emphasised that "strict action will be taken against those responsible for the unrest".

He had added that the police were analysing drone footage, CCTV camera recordings, and mobile videos to identify the suspects and apprehend them.

On Monday, District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya said that the survey was conducted under court orders.

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A 5-Minute Brain Scan Can Reveal Risk Of Psychosis In Patients: Study

A "single five-minute" brain scan could help predict individuals at risk of experiencing psychosis, according to a study.

Brain scans of psychosis patients revealed that regions processing information from senses were weakly connected to each other and strongly connected to the thalamus -- which acts as a "relay station" for sensory and movement information to the brain.

"A single five-minute scan could potentially improve our ability to predict which at-risk individuals will transition to a psychotic disorder, which in turn could allow for more timely treatments or interventions," author Brian Keane, an assistant professor of neuroscience at the University of Rochester, said.

Researchers analysed MRI scans from 159 participants, including 105 who developed a psychotic disorder up to five years prior to testing.

A psychotic disorder -- schizophrenia, manic phase of bipolar disorder -- involves losing touch with reality and developing symptoms such as hallucinations.

The differences in the brains of psychotic and non-psychotic patients were confined to two networks -- the somatomotor network, responsible for preprocessing bodily movement and sensations, and the visual one, which creates representations of objects, faces, and complex features, the researchers found.

By combining the dysconnectivity -- or abnormal brain connectivity -- patterns across these two networks allowed the researchers to create a "somato-visual" biomarker. 'Somato-' is a prefix meaning 'body'.

Detecting the biomarker in brain scans could help diagnose the psychiatric condition before the first symptom emerged, they said. Currently, psychosis is diagnosed through an interview between a mental health professional and patient.

"What makes this biomarker unique is its large effect size, its robustness to over a dozen common confounds, and its high reliability across multiple scans," Keane, also the corresponding author of the study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, said.

"It also gives us a place to keep looking. An important next step will be to determine if the somato-visual biomarker emerges before or as psychosis begins," Keane said.

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Ashok Gehlot's Ex-Aide Arrested In 2020 Phone-Tapping Case

Delhi Police has arrested Lokesh Sharma, the former OSD to ex-Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in a phone-tapping case of 2020 based on a complaint lodged by Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, officials said on Monday.

However, Sharma was granted bail soon after his arrest by the Crime Branch, police said.

In April this year, Sharma claimed that an audio clip of a purported telephonic conversation between Shekhawat and some Congress leaders discussing "toppling" the then Congress government in Rajasthan was given to him by Gehlot, the chief minister of the time.

In March 2021, Delhi Police registered an FIR against Sharma on charges of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and unlawfully intercepting telephonic conversations on the complaint of Shekhawat.

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Married Man Kills Live-In Partner, Burns Her Body In Haryana: Cops

A married businessman was arrested for stabbing his live-in partner and school-time love in Haryana's Sonipat and setting her body on fire over a domestic dispute, police said on Sunday.

Upkar killed Sarita, who had been living with him for six years after separating from her husband, on October 25 in Rishi Colony in the Civil Lines area and burnt the entire house to give it the shape of a fire accident, police said.

"Upkar's wife was aware of his live-in relationship, while Sarita had divorced her husband whom she married in 2004. Both of them were living as 'husband-wife' for six years," said Manish Kumar, Crime Unit, Ganaur.

Upkar, a resident of Vishnu Nagar, Yamunanagar, fell into the police net after the forensic examination of the body of Sarita, originally a resident of Punjab's Zirakpur who was teaching in a college here, revealed murder due to stabbing before burns.

A court has granted Upkar's custody to police for two days during which he will be questioned and taken to the crime scene, said an investigator.

The layers over the crime started coming off after Sarita's brother from Punjab, Trishla, filed a complaint at Civil Lines police station in Sonipat.

In his complaint, Trishla said Sarita had divorced her husband, Kapil, with whom she had a daughter and started living with Upkar in Sonipat in 2018 but they often had disputes.

The victim's brother alleged in his complaint that Sarita had told him that Upkar had called her on October 20 and demanded money.

Trishla's complaint said that on October 25 he received a phone call from his sister who said that Upkar was trying to strangle her but the phone went silent soon after.

Later, Trishla received information that Sarita's house caught fire the same night and she died in the blaze.

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Eknath Shinde Elected As Leader Of Shiv Sena Legislature Party

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was on Sunday night elected as the leader of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party.

The resolution to this effect was unanimously passed by all 57 MLA-designates at a meeting held at a suburban hotel.

Three more resolutions, including hailing Eknath Shinde for leading the party to a spectacular victory, thanking PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their support and the people of Maharashtra for reposing their faith in the Mahayuti alliance, were also passed.

The Mahayuti of Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP clinched a stellar victory, winning 233 out of 288 seats in the state assembly polls, leaving opposition MVA with a tally of 46 seats.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Manipur Cops Walk 3 Hours To Raze Poppy Farms, Face "90 Armed Miscreants"

A Manipur Police team that went to destroy illegal opium cultivation in the hills of Kangpokpi district were stopped by "80-90 armed miscreants" and forced to return without clearing the illegal farms, a police officer said in a first information report (FIR).

The police team had a mix of 25 personnel, and volunteers from the Liangmai Naga tribe and five drivers.

The team carried only three assault rifles as it is a physically demanding and difficult task to destroy poppy farms with farm tools while also carrying AK-type guns, a source who has first-hand information about the incident told NDTV.

"You can't hold a weapon and also destroy poppy efficiently in such a sensitive area. The authorities should have deployed other forces along with the police," the source said, requesting anonymity.

The small police team had no choice but to turn back when the armed miscreants tried to snatch the few guns the team had, the source said.

The area was remote and reinforcements would have taken a long time, so a decision was taken to ensure the safety of the joint team, the FIR stated.

While there is no official confirmation, there is a strong buzz in the security establishment in Manipur of a major operation involving central forces to clear new illegal opium poppy farms. The forces will retaliate if any armed miscreant threatens to stop the anti-poppy cultivation drive or fires at them, sources said.

The Kuki tribes in their demand for a separate administration carved out from Manipur often include Kangpokpi district in many unrecognised hand-drawn maps used for social media consumption.

Kangpokpi is also the turf of the insurgent group Kuki National Front (KNF), headed by ST Thangboi Kipgen, and this group is one of the over two dozen Kuki-Zo militant groups that have signed the controversial suspension of operations (SoO) agreement, which the Manipur government has been demanding to be scrapped. The SoO agreement's last renewal deadline was in February this year.

Civil society groups of the Meitei community have alleged the hand of Kuki insurgent groups in growing illegal opium poppy in areas dominated by them.

The Kangpokpi police chief in a flash message on November 18 ordered officers in charge of Kangpokpi and G Saparmeina police stations to destroy the illegal opium poppy farms in Makhan hill range, police sources told NDTV. The area of operation fell under the jurisdiction of the police in G Saparmeina, some 35 km north of the state capital Imphal.

READ | Exclusive: End Of Opium Poppy Cultivation In Manipur Soon? Satellite Imagery Data Shows...

"The team further proceeded by foot for about three hours and just before reaching the spot, some unknown armed miscreants numbering around 80-90 people blocked the team. The unknown miscreants were carrying guns, dagger and wooden cubs and threatened to even kill the team members if they proceeded for destroying the illegal poppy plantations," the incident details in the FIR stated.

"Considering the isolation of the location for reinforcement to reach in time and the number of miscreants with weapons and the safety and security of the life of the [poppy] destruction team, the joint team returned without destroying the illicit poppy plantations at 3 pm," the FIR stated.

The joint team which also included officers from the forest department and the executive magistrate had started out from G Saparmeina police station at 8.30 am.

The Makhan village authority in a statement said the government should clear the land encroachment by "opium poppy planters" and clear all the illegal cultivation from their area in four days, otherwise things would turn "repulsive and abominable".

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in an interview to NDTV on November 21 had said the authorities have found five villages in Kangpokpi that have been growing illegal opium poppy, while the security forces were busy monitoring other sensitive areas in the ethnic crisis-hit state, adding the farms would be destroyed in a few days.

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Explained: How The British Empire Robbed India Of $45 Trillion

During the nearly two-century-long rule over India between 1757 and 1947, the British Empire exploited the country's resources, wealth, and people. The impact of colonial rule is felt to this day. According to renowned economist Utsa Patnaik, professor emeritus at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, the British drained approximately $45 trillion from India between 1765 and 1938, a sum 17 times the current GDP of the UK.

This figure is substantial, but how did such an enormous amount of wealth end up in British hands? The story begins with the British East India Company, which, after gaining control of India, established a monopoly on its trade. The Company initially bought goods from India using silver, but over time, they developed a cunning system to exploit Indian resources without paying for them.

The process was simple yet devious. The East India Company began collecting taxes from Indian farmers and weavers, and instead of using the collected funds for local development or compensation, they used a portion of it to buy goods from the Indian producers. However, these purchases were made using the tax money collected from the same people. This system allowed the British to acquire goods for free, while the Indian producers were essentially robbed of their wealth.

Much of the goods that were "purchased" from India were re-exported, generating huge profits for Britain and multiplying the returns for the colonial power. The British didn't just consume these goods, they sold them at a markup in other countries, pocketing not only the original value of the goods but also the profits.

Once the British Raj was established in 1858. after the first war of Independence in 1857, this system evolved into an even more exploitative mechanism. Indian goods were exported to foreign markets, but payments were still funnelled through London. Traders wishing to purchase Indian goods had to use British-issued Council Bills, which they could only buy with gold or silver. This meant all the precious metals that should have gone directly to Indian producers instead ended up in British coffers. As a result, while India had a trade surplus with the rest of the world, the profits were effectively syphoned off by Britain.

Utsa Patnaik's research showed how India was a major source of funding for Britain's imperial ambitions. The wealth extracted from India financed British industrialisation and also funded the British wars of conquest, including the invasion of China in the 1840s and the suppression of the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Apart from that, the income that should have been invested in India's development was instead used to fuel European capitalist expansion, benefiting other parts of the world, including Canada and Australia.

This drain continued for decades, and the consequences for India were devastating. During the period of British rule, India's per capita income remained stagnant, and in the late 19th century, it even collapsed. Famine, poverty, and disease ravaged the population, and tens of millions of Indians died as a result of British policies such as exporting food grains during times of famine.

Despite this grim reality, some voices in Britain still promote the narrative that British rule in India was beneficial. Historian Niall Ferguson has suggested that British colonialism helped "develop" India, but Utsa Patnaik's findings have painted a very different picture. British rule in India was not a gesture of benevolence, but rather a systematic exploitation of the country's resources for Britain's gain.

Had India been able to retain the wealth and resources it produced, the country's course could have been vastly different. With the drain of $45 trillion, India could have potentially become an economic powerhouse, avoiding much of the poverty and suffering that followed British rule. The wealth that Britain extracted from India played a significant role in its own industrialisation, at the expense of the very people it governed.

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"No Binding Agreement For Any Airport Project In Kenya": Adani Group

The Adani Group on Saturday clarified on reports of Kenya cancelling more than $2.5 billion in deals after the US' allegations, saying it had not entered into any binding agreement to operate Kenya's main airport.

On the pact it had signed last month to build and operate key electricity transmission lines in Kenya for 30 years, the group said the project did not fall within the ambit of SEBI's disclosure regulations, thereby not warranting any disclosure on its cancellation.

The Adani Group was responding to notices sent by stock exchanges to confirm reports of Kenyan President William Ruto ordering the cancellation of a procurement process that had been expected to award control of the country's main airport.

The flagship firm Adani Enterprises Ltd, which houses its airport business, in a filing said it had in August this year incorporated a step-down subsidiary in Kenya to upgrade, modernise, and manage airports.

"While the company was in discussion with the relevant authority for the said project, till date neither the company nor its subsidiaries (i) have been awarded any airport project in Kenya, or (ii) entered into any binding or definitive agreement in connection with any airport in Kenya," the firm said.

Adani Energy Solutions Ltd, the firm that operates power transmission lines, in a separate filing said on October 9 it was awarded the project to construct transmission lines in Kenya. Thereafter, it had incorporated a step-down subsidiary in Kenya.

"We submit that the project does not fall within the ambit of item 4 of Para B, Part A, Schedule III of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, as amended (Sebi Listing Regulations) which requires intimation to be made for any awarding, bagging/ receiving, amendment or termination of awarded/bagged orders/contracts other than in the ordinary course of business," it said.

It said the award of the project was in the ordinary course of business of the company and its subsidiaries as they are engaged in the business of transmission and distribution of energy (among other things).

"Consequently, any cancellation of such Project will also not fall within the ambit of item 4 of Para B, Part A, Schedule III of the Sebi Listing Regulations," it added.

Adani Energy Solutions Ltd had last month signed a project agreement with the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Ltd (Ketraco) for developing three transmission lines and two substations.

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)

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Supreme Court Stays Disqualification Of 6 Himachal MLAs

In a relief to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Himachal Pradesh government, the Supreme Court on Friday stayed the initiation of disqualification proceedings against six MLAs who were appointed as chief parliamentary secretaries in 2023.

A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar stayed the findings of the Himachal Pradesh High Court that held as illegal and unconstitutional the protection from disqualification granted to the MLAs for being chosen as chief parliamentary secretary (CPS) and parliamentary secretary (PS) under a state law and cleared the way for initiation of disqualification proceedings as MLAs for holding office of profit.

Following the stay of the top court, though the six MLAs will not hold the post of CPS, they will not be disqualified as members of the legislative assembly.

The bench said it was not staying the entire November 13 judgement of the high court but only paragraph 50 of the verdict that paved way for the initiation of disqualification proceedings of the MLAs.

"Till the next date of hearing, no further proceedings in pursuant to paragraph 50 of the impugned judgement shall take place," the bench directed while issuing notice on the state government's plea challenging the high court's verdict.

Paragraph 50 of the 33-page high court verdict stated, "Protection granted to such appointment to the office of Chief Parliamentary Secretary/or Parliamentary Secretary as per Section 3 with Clause (d) of Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly Members (Removal of Disqualifications) Act, 1971 is also declared illegal and unconstitutional and thus, claim of such protection under above referred Section 3(d) is inconsequential. Natural consequences and legal implications whereof shall follow forthwith in accordance with law." Section 3 with Clause (d) of the 1971 law grants protection to the MLAs from being disqualified for being chosen to the office of CPS or PS.

The top court further made it clear to the Himachal government to not make any further appointment of chief parliamentary secretaries or parliamentary secretaries saying "it will be contrary to law".

The bench sought the response of BJP leader Kalpana Devi, who has moved the high court challenging the appointment of chief parliamentary secretaries along with several other BJP leaders.

The top court posted the hearing after a month while granting two weeks to Ms Devi to file her response and the state government to file its rejoinder, respectively.

The bench tagged the state government's plea filed through advocate Sugandha Anand along with other pending petitions in the top court and observed that contrary views have been taken by different high courts.

Mr Sukhu appointed the six chief parliamentary secretaries -- Sanjay Awasthi, the MLA from the Arki assembly constituency, Sunder Singh from Kullu, Ram Kumar from Doon, Mohan Lal Barakta from Rohru, Ashish Butail from Palampur and Kishori Lal from Baijnath -- on January 8, 2023, ahead of his cabinet expansion.

The high court noted that unlike the MLAs, CPS and parliamentary secretaries had access to official files to participate in the decision-making process of the government. They have been also allotted departments by the chief minister and have been attached with the cabinet ministers like deputy or junior ministers.

During the hearing, a battery of senior lawyers including Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Anand Sharma and Advocate General Anup Rattan, appeared for the state government and said contrary views were taken by different high courts on the issue of appointment of CPS and parliamentary secretaries.

"Some have quashed it and some like Chhattisgarh High Court have upheld it. These matters from Chhattisgarh, West Bengal are pending here. Please issue notice and tag it along with those matters," argued Sibal.

Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the BJP leader vehemently opposed the issuance of notice and said that Justice Khanna, during his tenure in the Delhi High Court, had dealt with the issue.

He said the creation of office of CPS was beyond the legislative competence of the state legislature and the Supreme Court had struck down a state law in a similar case from Manipur.

The bench said, "The thumb rule is that when we admit appeal, the status quo has to be maintained. We will not allow the process (disqualification) to go on in the meanwhile." Chief Justice Khanna pointed out to senior advocate Maninder Singh that there was no discussion on the reasons to strike down the protection from disqualification as MLAs in the high court.

"See first there was a legislation, it was struck down. Then they came out with second legislation, which says this would not amount to an office of profit, but it was also struck down, there is no discussion on the issue in the judgement," the Mr Khanna said.

The high court declared the Himachal Pradesh Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances, Powers, Privileges and Amenities) Act, 2006 as void.

It was for the second time that the appointments of the CPS and PS have been quashed in the hill state.

On August 18, 2005, the high court had quashed the appointments of eight chief parliamentary secretaries and four parliamentary secretaries. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Man Who Issued Death Threat To Shah Rukh Khan Tracked His Movements Online

Raipur-based lawyer Faizan Khan - who was arrested in connection with the extortion-cum-death threat to Bollywood mega-star Shah Rukh Khan - had scoured online to get sensitive security details of the actor and his family members, investigations have revealed.

Prior to issuing the death threat and a demand for Rs 50 lakh as extortion money, Faizan Khan had carried out extensive online searches on Shah Rukh Khan and son Aryan Khan's security details and also their movements.

This was found after forensic analysis of Faizan Khan's second mobile phone that the Bandra Police probe team recovered, as the accused lawyer remains in judicial custody for the next ten days.

However, Faizan Khan has been giving evasive and misleading replies on the motives behind collecting the information on the VIP star father-son duo's security set-up - who are accorded a Y-Plus level of protection.

On November 7, Faizan Khan set alarm bells ringing when he made the menacing call to the Bandra Police Station landline, which swung into action and registered a case against an unknown person.

Faizan Khan reportedly said to the policeman who picked up the phone, "Is not Shah Rukh Khan the same who lives in 'Mannat' (bungalow)... a Bandstand-wala... If he doesn't pay up Rs 50 lakh, I will kill him."

When the on-duty cop asked for his identity, Faizan Khan said, "It doesn't matter, my name is Hindustani", and disconnected the call after the threat.

The police immediately swung into action, filed the case, traced the number to the Chhattisgarh capital Raipur, deployed tech-intel, sought help from the local police and managed to zero in on Faizan.

He was finally arrested on November 12 by a Mumbai Police team and brought here for the probe.

The accused was produced before a court that remanded him to police custody till November 18, and then he was given judicial custody for 14 days.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Mobile Internet Suspension Extended For 3 Days In 7 Manipur Districts

The Manipur government on Wednesday extended the suspension of mobile internet and data services for three more days in seven trouble-torn districts, while with some improvement in the law and order situation, like the previous day, curfew was relaxed in four Imphal Valley districts for five hours.

Commissioner, Home, N. Ashok Kumar in his order said that in view of the prevailing law and order situation, the government has decided to extend the suspension of mobile internet and data services for three more days in seven trouble-torn districts with effect from 5.15 pm on Wednesday to 5.15 pm on Saturday. The seven districts, comprising both the valley and hills, are Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur.

After the widespread violence and attacks by mobs started in valley districts including Imphal East and Imphal West on November 16 following the recovery of six bodies of missing three children and three women in Jiribam district on November 15 and 16, Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi on November 16 ordered the suspension of mobile internet and data services in these seven districts for two days.

The Commissioner, Home, in his order on November 18, extended the suspension of mobile internet and data services for two more days in seven districts till 5.15 pm on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, with no major incident reported from any of the districts in Manipur, the Home Department on Tuesday conditionally lifted the suspension on broadband services (fixed line) considering the hardships faced by students, employees, common people, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and other offices.

Officials said that with no major incident reported from any of the four districts, curfew was relaxed in Imphal East and West, Thoubal, and Kakching districts from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Thursday to facilitate the people to purchase essential items and perform important work.

District Magistrates of four districts issued separate notifications relaxing the curfew, which was imposed for an indefinite period on November 16 after the widespread violence started in the Valley districts after the recovery of the bodies of children and women in Jiribam on November 15 and 16.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Exposed": BJP Alleges Bitcoin Scam In Maharashtra Poll, Supriya Sule Reacts

The Maharashtra Congress and ally Sharad Pawar's faction of Nationalist Congress party have been hit by corruption allegations on the eve of the crucial state elections. A retired police officer has accused Mr Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule  and state Congress chief Nana Patole of being involved in  a fraud case involving cryptocurrency that dates back to 2018. The funds, he alleged, have been used for campaigning in the assembly election.

Supriya Sule has denied any wrongdoing and called it "Familiar tactics of spreading false information to manipulate the righteous voters" the night before election.

"We have filed a criminal complaint to the Hon'ble ECI & the Cyber crime department against the fake allegations made of bitcoin misappropriation. The intent and mala fide actors behind it are amply evident, condemn worthy that such practices are taking place in a healthy democracy guided by the Constitution of India," read her post on X, formerly Twitter..

, 

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He Broke Into Homes To Hit Sleeping Women On Head. Cops Explain Why

A 30-year-old man, who was arrested for allegedly breaking into homes at night and hitting sleeping women on the head in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, has told police that he held a grudge against women and sought to take revenge after he was imprisoned in a 2022 child abuse case.

At a press briefing at the White House at Gorakhpur Police Line on Sunday, Gorakhpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gaurav Grover said the accused, Ajay Nishad, was involved in five such attacks on women, one of whom even succumbed to injuries. He would also speak to his girlfriend over the phone after committing each assault, police said.

"He always wore black clothes and remained barefoot as he broke into homes and hit women on the head with sticks or rods. He liked hitting the head of his women inmates in jail and that is why he carried out such assaults once he was released," SSP Grover said.

The police earlier said that Nishad was in prison for six months in a 2022 child abuse case. Out on bail, he lived in Surat for a while before returning to Gorakhpur. He carried out his first attack on the night of July 30, when he entered a house and hit a woman on the head, before fleeing away with some jewellery.

The police said that Nishad's role in the crime was established on the basis of CCTV footage of the localities he struck in.

They added that tracing the accused was a "challenging" task. Several teams were formed and a prize of Rs 100,000 was also announced for the team that would arrest the accused.

The police have recovered several blunt objects, including an iron rod and a bed leg, suspected to have been used in the attacks. They said they would put the matter before a fast-track court and ensure strict punishment for Nishad.

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K Sanjay Murthy To Be The Next Comptroller And Auditor General Of India

The government on Monday said K Sanjay Murthy will be the next Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Murthy, a 1989 batch IAS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, will succeed Girish Chandra Murmu.

He is currently Secretary, of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.

"By virtue of the power vested in her by clause (1) of article 148 of the Constitution of India, the President has been pleased to appoint K Sanjay Murthy to be the Comptroller and Auditor General of India with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office," said a notification issued by the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.

Girish Chandra Murmu assumed office as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on August 8, 2020. He will complete his term on November 20. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Madhya Pradesh Official Gets Show Cause Notice For Laughing During Hearing

A government official received a show cause notice for allegedly laughing in the presence of his senior colleagues during a public hearing in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district.

The show cause notice, issued on October 30, surfaced on social media on Saturday evening.

The notice was purportedly issued by additional collector Milind Nagdev to KK Tiwari, the assistant manager of e-governance at the district collector's office.

The notice stated that Tiwari was found laughing during the public hearing on October 29 in the presence of senior officials, which amounted to indiscipline and carelessness towards duty.

Public hearings are organised at select government offices on Tuesdays across the state.

In the notice, the additional collector stated that this was serious misconduct under the MP Civil Services Conduct Rules 1965 and punishable under MP Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules 1966.

Talking to reporters, the additional collector claimed he was unaware of how the show cause notice was issued and that he would inquire at his office.

Tiwari, however, said he had already submitted his reply to the notice.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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School Teacher's Body Found In Bengal With Private Part Chopped Off: Cops

In one of the brutal murders, a teacher of a private school in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal was killed by chopping off the private part of the victim.

In the gruesome murder, after chopping off the private part, the accused then pushed it into the victim's mouth.

An official said that the victim's body was recovered behind the public school where he was working in Jaigaon.

The official identified the victim as Santabir Lama.

His neighbours claimed that he was deeply associated with the welfare activities carried out by a local church. They also claimed that Lama was known in the locality as an extremely peace-loving person. His gruesome murder has left everyone in a state of shock.

District police officials said that the body of the victim had been sent for post-mortem while the police started the investigation.

Sources in the police said that prima facie evidence suggests that there are possibilities that more than one person might have been involved in the murder.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Reliance Asks Telecom Regulator To Review Reach Of Starlink, Amazon: Report

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance has asked the telecom regulator to review the potential reach of Elon Musk's Starlink and Amazon's Kuiper before awarding satellite spectrum amid concerns local players could suffer, a letter showed on Friday.

Reliance's letter, which is not public, is Mr Ambani's last-ditch effort in an ongoing face-off with Mr Musk over how India should grant spectrum for satellite services. While Reliance has called for an auction, India has sided with Mr Musk who - in line with global trends - wanted an administrative allocation.

In the letter, reviewed by Reuters, Reliance said it carried about 15 billion gigabyte of data every month in India after spending about $23 billion on spectrum auctions over the years, but Starlink would target the same customers with a potential capacity of nearly 18 billion gigabyte of data via its satellites with a likely much lower outlay.

Experts say auctions tend to mean higher initial investments which could have deterred foreign players in favour of Reliance.

"The authority should critically examine the capacities created by these mega ... constellations such as Starlink and Kuiper," the letter dated November 15 said.

A senior government source at the telecom regulator said all feedback being received would be reviewed before making final recommendations, tentatively before the year end. Starlink, Amazon and Reliance did not respond.

Starlink is seeking security clearance for a licence to offer satellite broadband services in India and will get a permit if it satisfies all conditions, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said this week.

Mr Ambani once gave data for free on his mobile plans, and Mr Musk has adopted similarly aggressive tactics. In Kenya, Mr Musk priced Starlink at $10 per month, versus $120 in the US, unsettling local telecom players.

Mr Ambani, Asia's richest man, has more than 479 million Indian telecom users, making Reliance Jio the No. 1 player. Mr Musk's Starlink, a unit of SpaceX, has 6,400 active satellites orbiting Earth providing low-latency broadband to four million customers.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"India Is My Second Home": Lonely Star Akon

Senegalese-American pop star Akon, who is in Shillong to perform at the Cherry Blossom Festival 2024, has said he thinks of India as his "second home" and can never find himself in a situation "far away" from the country.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV on Friday, the 'Lonely' and 'Chammak Challo' star said, "I have always had unforgettable moments here in India. It's like a second home to me. So, I am always here to do many things. Often for weddings... we do a lot of (performances for) weddings. So I always find myself in and out of India. I don't think I will ever be in a position where India would be far away from me."

The 51-year-old Grammy winning artiste made his Bollywood debut by singing the iconic 'Chammak Challo' and 'Criminal' songs in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Ra.One. He is also engaged in philanthropy in Africa and said he is "100 per cent" willing to be involved in social work in India.

"One hundred percent... The most important thing is finding the best potential partners here. But I would love to do a lot of work here in India for sure," he said, when asked about his philanthropic work such as the solar lighting project (Akon Lighting Africa) in Africa and the possibility of carrying out similar work in India.

He said he is visiting the northeast for the first time and the trip has been "amazing" so far. "This is the first time that I am visiting this side of India. It's beautiful," he said.

The R&B singer also visited an undisclosed location linked to the indigenous Khasi tribe in Meghalaya.

"Music is one of those things that you have to spread... (it) also speaks in a language that, most often, the world doesn't speak,.. music, everybody understands (stands for the language of) love, good karma and positive energy. So, oftentimes, if you do music with positive energy, it will spread quicker and you can become the biggest thing ever. So just keep it (your music) as positive as possible," he said.

In a message to all his fans, Akon said: "I appreciate all you guys for all the support and one love."

The Cherry Blossom Festival, which is supported by the Meghalaya government, is being held on Friday and Saturday. With impressive lineups, the festival attracts thousands of music enthusiasts from across the country every year.

Akon's performance at the event this year is part of his "Superfan Tour," which includes one show per country in Asia during November and December, with additional stops in as many as eight countries.

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Video: Students Put Cracker In Petrol Bag, Burst It In Front Of Fuel Tanker

In an attempt to make a viral social media post, three students in Karnataka's Hassan district placed a cracker inside a transparent plastic bag full of petrol and exploded it in front of a stationary fuel tanker. All three were arrested, produced in court and let off with a warning after paying a fine.

The 25-second video, shot on Tuesday, shows a massive explosion in front of the parked tanker as the youngsters set the bag ablaze before running to safety. The tanker, however, was unaffected by the blast and a bigger mishap was averted.

Police said the students are pursuing a graduation in Ayurvedic medicine. After the clip went viral, a case was registered against the three students and they were arrested.

"The three students were arrested under provisions of the Karnataka Police Act and produced in court. The court gave the students a warning and imposed a fine, before releasing them," Hassan Superintendent of Police MS Sujita said.

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After Maharashtra Polls, A Fresh Battle Brews For The Top Post

"Complicated" is going to be the middle name of the assembly election in Maharashtra this year. But the state is bracing for an even tougher battle once the dust settles - one for the Chief Minister's chair. No matter which side wins, ruling alliance Mahayuti or the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, that decision is unlikely to be simple or straightforward - so much so that many are expecting a political reconfiguration post-result, a sequel of what happened in 2019 that set the stage for a drastic political upheaval two years down the line.

What makes the situation complicated is resolute nature of the claimants -- on each side, only two appear to be running for the top post.

It is difficult to assess the ambitions of both factions of the NCP. On one side is veteran leader Sharad Pawar, dubbed by many as the Chanakya of Maharashtra, on the other hand, there is his nephew Ajit Pawar, who is being seen as the "kingmaker" in this election.

In the ruling alliance, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena is eager to see its leader get the top job again, and many surveys have already declared him a popular leader. But that could prove insufficient should the Mahayuti win, with Devendra Fadnavis and his supporters waiting in the wings.

Back in June 2022, Mr Fadnavis's supporters had been disgruntled over what they saw as short shrift to their leader despite the key role he played in steering the party back to power.

Mr Fadnavis had made his reluctance to accept the number 2 position clear - he accepted only at the last minute after orders from the party high command.  An extra chair had to be brought so he could join Mr Shinde on the dais for the oath ceremony at the Raj Bhavan.

This time, there are whispers that the BJP's chief strategist, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is garnering votes for Mr Fadnavis. At a recent public rally, he said, "Maharashtra has a lot of faith in Modi ji and Fadnavis ji". There was no mention of Eknath Shinde.

But the real drama appears reserved for the Opposition MVA should it come to power.

In 2019, the BJP had accused Uddhav Thackeray of breaking the alliance with his steadfast demand for the top post. This time, while Mr Thackeray has not been explicit, his allies are not expecting him to give up on his claim.

But unlike in 2019, a new claimant has appeared on the scene - the Congress with its 13 Lok Sabha seats.

While Mr Thackeray has repeatedly demanded that the Chief ministerial face of the alliance be declared well in advance, Congress' big leader and former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan made it clear that the party which has more MLAs, will get the top job.

There is also talk of Sharad Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party adding the veteran leader's daughter, Supriya Sule, in the mix if need be.

Maharashtra votes on November 20 in a single phase and the counting of votes will be held on November 23.

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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's Daughter Gets Married In Rajasthan's Kota

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's daughter Anjali got married at a function here on Tuesday night. His son-in-law Aneesh hails from a noted business family in Kota.

The marriage was solemnised on the occasion of Dev Uthani Gyaras.

Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Singh Rathore, the state's minister of youth affairs Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, MLAs and other dignitaries attended the function.

A reception will be held on Wednesday at a resort on Bundi Road and the city is expected to witness some VIP movement. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma are scheduled to visit Kota for the reception

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Video: Nitish Kumar Bends To Touch PM's Feet At Event, He Does This

Bonhomie was on display at an event in Darbhanga on Wednesday when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar bent down to touch the feet of Narendra Modi, only to be stopped by the Prime Minister, who shook his hands instead.

Having won 12 seats, Mr Kumar's Janata Dal United is the third largest partner in the National Democratic Alliance (fold) in terms of Lok Sabha constituencies. The party and Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party played a key role in ensuring that Narendra Modi became Prime Minister for the third time after the BJP failed to secure a majority on its own for the first time in 10 years. 

A video from the event shows Mr Kumar, who is 73, bending down and attempting to touch the feet of PM Modi, who is a year older than him, on a dais. The PM immediately gets up, holds the chief minister's arms and shakes his hands. Mr Kumar then sits next to the PM.

This is not the first time that Mr Kumar, who returned to the NDA fold after breaking away from the INDIA and Mahagathbandhan alliances earlier this year, has tried to touch the feet of PM Modi. He had done so during a meeting after the Lok Sabha results in June as well. 

At the event, where he laid the foundation for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and inaugurated infrastructure projects worth Rs 12,100 crore, PM Modi praised the Bihar chief minister and said he had ensured the state emerged from "jungle raj".

"Nitish ji has set up a model of good governance ('sushasan'), pulling the state out of the era of jungle raj. No praise is too high for this achievement," the PM said.

"Bihar is witnessing a lot of development. The NDA government is committed to the welfare of the people. The previous government in Bihar didn't bother about health infrastructure. They made false promises, but the situation has improved since Nitish Kumar ji came to power," he added.

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Menstrual Hygiene Policy For School Students Approved: Supreme Court Told

The Centre on Monday informed the Supreme Court of framing the "Menstrual Hygiene Policy for School Going Girls" approved by the Union Health Ministry.

The Centre referred to a top court order of April 10, 2023, and said the Union Ministry of the Health and Family Welfare framed the policy over menstrual hygiene of female school children which was approved by the minister concerned on November 2, 2024.

The top court was hearing a PIL filed by Congress leader and social activist Jaya Thakur seeking directions to the Centre and states to provide free sanitary pads to female students between Classes 6 and 12 and ensure separate female toilet facilities in all government, government-aided and residential schools.

"This policy aims to mainstream menstrual hygiene within the school system of the government to bolster change in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours, among schoolgirls, overcoming the barriers of low awareness that often restrict their freedom, mobility and participation in daily activities," the affidavit, filed in the pending matter, stated.

It said the policy enables coverage, needing assessment through appropriate levels of survey mechanisms that can be undertaken by states and union territories followed by gap filling, so that students in government and aided schools had regular access to menstrual hygiene products.

The Centre said the policy aimed at dissipating harmful social norms and promote safe menstrual hygiene practices, besides enabling environment-friendly management of menstrual waste.

A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and Pankaj Mithal, is scheduled to hear the PIL on October 12.

The Centre previously informed the apex court that over 97.5 per cent schools in the country, including government, state-aided and private ones, provided separate toilets facilities for female students.

States and union territories, such as Delhi, Goa and Puducherry, achieved 100 per cent targets and complied with the previous court orders, it added.

It also informed the court that 16 lakh toilets for boys and 17.5 lakh toilets for girls were constructed in over 10 lakh government schools apart from 2.5 lakh toilets for boys and 2.9 lakh toilets for girls in government-aided schools.

The Centre pointed out that in West Bengal, separate toilet facilities were provided for female students in 99.9 per cent schools and in Uttar Pradesh, 98.8 per cent schools had such separate facilities.

According to the Centre, the figures stood at 99.7 per cent in Tamil Nadu, 99.6 per cent in Kerala, 99.5 per cent in Sikkim, Gujarat, Punjab, 99.6 per cent in Chhattisgarh, 98.7 per cent in Karnataka, 98.6 per cent in Madhya Pradesh, 97.8 per cent in Maharashtra, 98 per cent in Rajasthan, 98.5 per cent in Bihar and 96.1 per cent in Odisha.

The northeastern states lag behind the national average of 98 per cent, the Centre said, adding even Jammu and Kashmir provided separate toilet facilities for female students in 89.2 per cent schools.

On July 8, the Centre said a national policy on the distribution of menstrual hygiene products to adolescent female students was at an advanced stage of formulation.

The PIL plea moved by Thakur, through advocate Varun Thakur, highlighted the difficulties faced by adolescent female students from underprivileged backgrounds in schools.

The Centre previously informed the court that it was in the process of collating all necessary material to form a national policy on the distribution of menstrual hygiene products to female school students in terms of the court's orders dated April 10, 2023 and November 6, 2023.

The top court directed the Centre to frame a national model for building toilets commensurate with the number of female students in all government-aided and residential schools in the country.

While emphasising a uniform procedure, it also asked the Centre about the national policy it formulated for the distribution of sanitary napkins to female school students.

On April 10, the court appointed the secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as the nodal officer to coordinate with the states and union territories, and collect relevant data for formulating a national policy.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Imported Seeds, Full-Spectrum Lights: High-Tech Marijuana Op Busted In Noida

A high-tech marijuana operation, using imported seeds and full-spectrum grow lights, has been busted in Greater Noida and an English graduate from Meerut has been arrested. Police said the man cultivated at least 100 marijuana plants, including premium (OG) and other varieties, at his flat in Beta-2's Parsvnath Panorama society, selling the produce from each of them on the dark web for between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000.

He was inspired to get into the drug trade after watching web series and used to gather information on growing marijuana on the internet, said an official.

Briefing reporters on Tuesday, a senior police officer said the accused, Rahul Chowdhary, would grow premium marijuana (OG) in flower pots by purchasing cannabis seeds from an international website, making payments through PayPal. He said since Chowdhary could not expose the plants to sunlight for fear of getting caught, he used full-spectrum lights for the purpose and also had air conditioners set at specific temperatures to facilitate their growth.

"During his interrogation, Chowdhary said he started the cultivation around four months ago. It would take him roughly 100-110 days to grow one plant. Cultivating a plant would cost Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 and he would get Rs 50,000-Rs 60,000 for each of them on the dark web," deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Saad Mian Khan told a press briefing.

The accused told police that he had managed to sell ganja from around 20 plants so far. At least 80 cannabis plants, over two kilograms of different types of marijuana, several chemicals and farming equipment were recovered from his flat, said Mr Khan.

"Chowdhary is a graduate in English and he used to watch web series on narcotics and read information on the internet to figure out how to grow marijuana," the DCP said, adding that Chowdhary's arrest was part of an ongoing crackdown on drug traffickers.

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2 Climb Mobile Tower In Jaipur, Demand CBI Probe Into 10-Year-Old's Murder

Two persons climbed atop a mobile tower on Monday demanding a CBI probe into the murder of a 10-year-old deaf and mute girl earlier this year, police said.

The two, the girl's uncle Tikaram and social activist Kamal Meena, also posted a video online in which they claimed that despite running from pillar to post for the last six months, justice has not been done, according to police.

In the video, they demanded that the case should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The two men climbed atop the mobile tower in the MI Road area after which civil defence and police teams reached the spot. Efforts were being made to bring down the two men safely, said Station House Officer, Vidhayakpuri, Poonam Chaudhary.

In May, Dimple Meena, 10, was found in a half-burnt condition in Karauli. Her family members suspected that she was burnt after being raped. However, rape was not confirmed in the investigation. She died on May 20 during treatment. The post-mortem report showed that she was poisoned.

Police have arrested her maternal uncle and parents in the case.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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India Not Among Nations Nervous About US After Trump's Return: S Jaishankar

There is a trend towards a more diverse, multipolar world but older, industrialised economies have not gone away and remain prime investment targets, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

Speaking at the silver jubilee celebrations of the Aditya Birla Group's Scholarships programme in Mumbai, S Jaishankar said while a lot of countries are nervous about the US -- following the return of Donald Trump as President -- India is not one among them.

"Yes, there is a shift. We are ourselves an example of the shift... if you look at our economic weight, you look at our economic ranking, you look at even Indian corporates, their reach, their presence, Indian professionals, which I spoke about. So no question there is a rebalancing," S Jaishankar said in response to a question on the reset in the global power dynamic that was playing out amid the shift in the balance of power from the west to the east.

"And to my mind, it was inevitable," he said, adding, "because once these countries after the colonial period got their independence, they started making their own policy choices, then they were bound to grow." "The part which is not inevitable is that some grew faster, some grew slower, some grew better, and there the quality of governance and the quality of leadership came in. So, there is, in a sense, therefore, the constant and the variable.

"There is a trend towards a more diverse, multipolar world. But there is also, you know, a period when countries really surge ahead. I mean, it's like what happened in the corporate world as well." He, however, said the industrialised economies in the west cannot be ignored and remain prime investment targets.

"But do remember one thing, the older, the western economies, the older industrialised economies, they have not gone away. They still count, they are still prime investment targets. They are big markets, strong technology centres, hubs for innovation. So let's recognise the shift, but let's not get carried away and kind of overstate it and distort our own understanding of the world," the minister said.

Speaking on the India-US relationship and Trump's win, he said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first three calls, I think, that President (elect) Trump took." India and Prime Minister Modi have built rapport with multiple presidents, he said.

"For him (PM Modi) there's something natural in terms of how he forges those relationships. So that's helped hugely. And I think the changes in India have helped as well," he said, when asked how he sees the US presidential election outcome impacting India-US ties, especially given PM Modi's strong personal rapport with the US President-elect.

"I know today a lot of countries are nervous about the US, let's be honest about it. We are not one of them," S Jaishankar said.

Earlier, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla said investment in talent is what shapes the future, and emphasised that with the scholarship programme, "we were driven by the ambition to create a cadre of handpicked leaders who would excel in India and also represent our country abroad".

"The Aditya Birla Scholarship is a tribute to my father's legacy and an ode to the spirit of ambition and extraordinary determination that defines India. With this scholarship programme, we were driven by the ambition to create a cadre of handpicked leaders who would excel in India and also represent our country abroad," he said.

Terming the scholarship a microcosm of India's immense talent -- abundant and outstanding -- Birla said, "The extraordinary success of the programme, as measured by the achievements of our scholars over the years, only indicates that ultimately investment in talent is what shapes the future." Established in 1999 in memory of late industrialist Aditya Vikram Birla, the programme has emerged as one of India's most-coveted merit-based scholarships, according to the group.

The programme partners with 22 premier institutions, including select IITS, BITS Pilani, leading IIMS, XLRI, and national law schools.

Over its 25-year journey, over 10,000 applications have been evaluated by a team of experts, maintaining a steadfast commitment to excellence and diversity. The total number of Aditya Birla Scholars now stands at 781 across engineering, management, and law disciplines, according to the group.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Made Mistake Twice": Nitish Kumar Says He Will Stay With NDA 'Permanently'

Maintaining that he "made a mistake twice" in the past by joining hands with RJD, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that now he would stay permanently with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Addressing a public meeting in favour of NDA nominee, Vishal Prashant of BJP for the Tarari assembly byelection, Kumar said, "I have said it earlier also...I am once again saying that we (BJP-JDU) were together earlier. I made a mistake twice in the past by joining hands with the RJD...I went 'idhar udhar' twice in the past...But now, I have again come to the NDA. I will remain permanently with the NDA".

He said, "We have been working for the development of Bihar since 2005. Several infrastructural and development works have been done in Bihar after 2005.....and it will continue further under the NDA rule".

Kumar accused RJD of trying to "polarise" votes on "communal lines" in the upcoming bypolls in the state.

"They (RJD) always try to create a divide on communal lines. When RJD was in power in Bihar, the state witnessed several communal clashes. But, now the situation is totally different when the NDA is in power. I am sure that people will give a befitting reply to the INDIA bloc in the coming bypolls in the state", he said.

By-polls on four Bihar assembly seats will be held on November 13 for which results will be out on November 23.

All four assembly seats had fallen vacant after MLAs representing them were elected to the Lok Sabha. The four seats where by-polls will be held are Ramgarh, Tarari, Belaganj, and Imamganj.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Wanted To Be A Militant After Torture By Army Officer," Claims J&K MLA

National Conference MLA Qaiser Jamshaid Lone on Friday said he wanted to become a militant after he was "tortured and humiliated" by an army officer during a crackdown when he was a teenager but a senior officer's action restored his faith in the system.

The senior army officer spoke to him and then reprimanded the junior officer for his conduct, Mr Lone said while participating in the Motion of Thanks to the Lieutenant Governor's address in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

The incident showed how dialogue can resolve issues, the Lolab MLA said.

"There was a crackdown in my area when I was a youngster. I must have been a student of the 10th standard. There were 32 youths, including me, who were singled out for questioning," he said.

Mr Lone claimed that he was asked by an army officer about a youth who had joined terrorist ranks. "I said yes I know him because he lived in our area. I was beaten up for that. Then he asked me if the terrorist was present in the crackdown. I replied in the negative and I was beaten up again," the ruling party MLA said.

He said later a senior officer came to the spot and spoke to him.

"He asked me 'what do you want to become in life?' I told him I want to be a militant. He asked me the reason and I told him about the torture I had gone through," the NC leader said.

Mr Lone said the senior officer rebuked his junior publicly, which reinstated his "faith in the system". He said that he later learnt that out of the 32 youths who were questioned, 27 joined the militancy. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Vande Bharat's Window Cracks After Stones Thrown In Uttarakhand, 1 Arrested

Stones were thrown at a Vande Bharat train in Uttarakhand on Thursday, causing a crack in one of the windows and sparking panic among passengers. A 22-year-old has been arrested.

Police said the Vande Bharat train (22546) was on its way to Lucknow from Dehradun when the stones were thrown near Kharanja Qutubpur village on the Laksar-Moradabad railway section. The C-6 coach was hit and one of the windows developed a large crack. 

The loco pilot informed the control room in Moradabad and the information was passed on to the Railway Police Force (RPF). An official said a team from the RPF reached Kharanja Qutubpur village and arrested 22-year-old Salman after making inquiries. 

RPF Inspector Ravi Kumar Siwach said a case has been registered against Salman under the Railway Act.

Northern Railways Chief Public Relations Officer Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay said action was taken as soon as the Railways was informed about the incident. "The accused has been arrested and a case has been registered," he said. 

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Aligarh Muslim University A Minority Institution? Big Top Court Verdict Today

The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce its verdict on Friday on a vexed legal question whether the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) enjoyed a minority status under Article 30 of the Constitution which empowers the religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions.

A seven-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud will pronounce the verdict.

The bench also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Surya Kant, JB Pardiwala, Dipankar Datta, Manoj Misra and Satish Chandra Sharma had reserved its verdict on the question on February 1 after hearing arguments for eight days.

On February 1, grappling with the intractable issue of the AMU's minority status, the top court said the 1981 amendment to the AMU Act, which effectively accorded it a minority status, only did a "half-hearted job" and did not restore to the institution the position it had prior to 1951.

While the AMU Act, 1920, speaks about incorporating a teaching and residential Muslim university in Aligarh, the 1951 amendment does away with compulsory religious instructions for the Muslim students at the university.

The vexed question has repeatedly tested Parliament's legislative acumen and judiciary's prowess in interpreting complex laws involving the institution that was founded in 1875 as Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College by prominent Muslim community members led by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. Years later, in 1920, it transformed into a university under the British Raj.

"One thing which is worrying us is that the 1981 amendment does not restore the position as it stood prior to 1951. In other words, the 1981 amendment does a half-hearted job," Justice Chandrachud had said while proceeding to close the arguments.

"I can understand if the 1981 amendment had said... okay, we are going back to the original 1920 statute, confer complete minority character on this (institution)," the CJI had said.

Earlier, the BJP-led NDA government refused to accept the 1981 amendment to the AMU Act and insisted that the court should go by the five-judge constitution bench verdict in the S Azeez Basha versus Union of India case in 1967. The Constitution bench had then held that since the AMU was a central university, it cannot be considered a minority institution.

The top court had said it needs to see what the 1981 amendment did and whether it restored to the institution the status it enjoyed before 1951.

Those who put forward the view favouring a minority status for the institution, including veteran lawyer Kapil Sibal, contended that the mere fact that only 37 members of the 180-member governing council are Muslim does not detract from its credentials as a Muslim minority institution.

Others like Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended a university getting enormous funds from the Centre and having been declared an institution of national importance cannot claim to belong to a particular religious denomination.

They had also argued that once the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College transformed itself into a university after the 1951 amendment to the AMU Act and began receiving funds from the Central government, the institution surrendered its minority character.

A lawyer disfavouring minority status to the AMU had claimed that it received over Rs 5,000 crore from the Central government between 2019 and 2023, nearly double what the University of Delhi, a central university, got.

Some of them had even contended that prominent people from the Muslim community who had lobbied with the then British government for establishing the institution as a university wedded to the cause of promoting education among the Muslims did not consider themselves as a religious minority in undivided India and advocated a two-nation theory.

Mr Sibal had mounted a spirited counterattack, asserting that Article 30 of the Constitution which deals with the right of religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions was applicable to the AMU.

Notably, the Allahabad High Court had struck down the provision of the 1981 law by which the university was accorded minority status. Appeals were filed in the Supreme Court, including by the AMU, against the high court verdict.

The row over AMU's minority status has been caught in a legal maze for the last several decades.

The top court had, on February 12, 2019, referred to a seven-judge bench the contentious issue. A similar reference was also made in 1981.

The Congress-led UPA government at the Centre moved an appeal against the 2006 verdict of the Allahabad High Court that quashed the 1981 amendment to the AMU Act. The university also filed a separate petition against it.

The NDA government spearheaded by the BJP told the Supreme Court in 2016 that it would withdraw the appeal filed by the UPA dispensation.

It cited the Supreme Court's 1967 judgement in the Basha case to claim that AMU was not a minority institution since it was a central university funded by the government. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Terrorists Kidnap, Kill 2 Village Defence Guards In J&K's Kishtwar

Two village defence guards have been kidnapped and killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district. The attack comes days after at least 12 people were injured in a grenade attack at a Sunday market in Srinagar. 

Officials said the two members of a village defence committee, Nazir Ahmad and Kuldeep Kumar, were kidnapped from a forest area in Kishtwar on Thursday and then shot dead. "A massive search operation has been launched to hunt down the terrorists," said an official. 

Village defence committees were set up by the Jammu and Kashmir Police to train local residents to protect their villages from terrorists.

An encounter also broke out in north Kashmir's Sopore on Thursday after security forces launched an anti-terrorist operation. Sources said two to three terrorists are believed to be trapped.

Chief Minister's Appeal

After the explosion in Srinagar on Sunday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had urged security forces to do "everything possible" to end a spate of attacks in the Union Territory at the earliest. 

"The last few days have been dominated by headlines of attacks and encounters in parts of the valley. Today's news of a grenade attack on innocent shoppers at the 'Sunday market' in Srinagar is deeply disturbing. There can be no justification for targeting innocent civilians. The security apparatus must do everything possible to end this spurt of attacks at the earliest so that people can go about their lives without any fear," Mr Abdullah had said in a post on X. 

Two migrant workers were also shot at in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam last week. Three attacks on migrant workers had taken place in less than a fortnight before that, the deadliest of which was the killing of seven people, including a local doctor and two workers from Bihar, at a tunnel construction site in Ganderbal district on October 20.

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In Maharashtra, Ruling Alliance's 10 Guarantees Vs Opposition's "Panch Sutra"

It is raining poll promises in Maharashtra, with around two weeks to go before the assembly election. The ruling alliance Mahayuti and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, have both released their manifestos which make tall promises, especially to the women, farmers and the young people of the state.

Given the do-or-die nature of the coming battle, parties like Shiv Sena of Uddhav Thackeray or Sharad Pawar's faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, released individual manifestos and made election announcements for every seat. 

While the ruling alliance is wooing voters with its 10 guarantees, the opposition has gone to the people with a "Panchsutra" (Letter of five promises) in its joint manifesto.

The Mahayuti's 10 guarantees include:

1. . Increasing the amount of Ladli Behan Yojana from Rs 1,500 to 2,100 and a promise to deploy 25,000 women in the police force.
2. . Farmers guaranteed loan waiver and under the Kisan Samman Yojana, the amount to increase from Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per year
3. . A 20% subsidy on MSP
4. . Old-age pension increase from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 per month
5. . Stability in prices of essential commodities 
6. . 25 lakh jobs and education allowance of Rs 10,000 per month promised, training for 10 lakh students 
7. . Anganwadi and Asha workers promised a salary of Rs 15,000 and insurance protection
8. . 45,000 connecting roads in rural areas
9. . 30 per cent reduction in electricity bill
10.  Vision Maharashtra 2029 to be completed within 100 days

"Opposition parties were making fun of Ladli Behan Yojana. What will Rs. 1500 do?" said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. "I promise that the scheme will never be stopped. Many more important decisions will be taken as soon as the government is formed," he added.

Congress's Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, held a "Swabhiman Sabha" in Mumbai and released the five promises of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. 

The "Panch Sutra" promise of Mahavikas Aghadi includes:

1.  Under the Mahalaxmi Yojana, women will get Rs. 3,000 per month and free bus travel 
2.  Farmers will get loans up to Rs. 3 lakh, and an incentive of Rs 50,000 for repaying the loan on time.
3.  Caste-based census will be conducted, in which an attempt will be made to remove the 50% reservation limit.
4.  Health insurance up to Rs 25 lakh and free medicines 
5.  Financial assistance of up to Rs 4,000 per month for unemployed young people.

In the Lok Sabha elections, the "Constitution in danger" narrative had given a big advantage to the Maha Vikas Aghadi. This time too, Rahul Gandhi was seen waving the Red Book of the Constitution in Nagpur and Mumbai. 

He was joined by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.

The BJP, however, claimed the Red Book Mr Gandhi had brought was completely blank, and called it an insult to Baba Saheb Ambedkar's Constitution.

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'Thadou Inpi GHQ' Says Won't Recognise New Body; 'Thadou Inpi Manipur' Pushes Ahead

The Thadou Inpi General Headquarters (TI-GHQ) which says it is the top body of the Thadou tribe has rejected the formation of another body, called the 'Thadou Inpi Manipur', or TIM. The new Thadou body was formed at the two-day Thadou Convention held on November 1 and 2 in Assam's Guwahati, an event which the organising committee billed as "historic" for the tribe.

"... The formation of the 'Thadou Inpi Manipur' and other bodies in the Thadou Convention held at Guwahati... under the aegis of the Thadou Community International is invalid," TI-GHQ said in a statement.

The TI-GHQ said the 'Thadou Inpi Manipur' and other bodies were formed "without the knowledge and consent of the TI-GHQ, [and] it is contrary to the principles or provisions of the constitution of the Thadou Inpi."

The TI-GHQ in the statement appealed to "all sensible members of our community" to consider the 'Thadou Inpi Manipur' and declarations at the Guwahati event "null and void".

The newly-formed TIM in a statement on Tuesday said it will have a three-year tenure. H James Thadou, Michael Lamjathang Haokip, and seven others have been unanimously elected as president, general secretary, and executive members, respectively, it said, adding three advisers have also been appointed.

"TIM shall function as the legitimate peak body of Thadou tribe for Manipur, providing strategic leadership, coordination and advocacy. TIM will also spearhead, be responsible for, and coordinate movements and representation and all affairs relating to Thadous of Manipur and beyond as needed," the TIM said in the statement.

The Thadou Convention held in Assam had released a 10-point declaration and a 9-point resolution after. The declaration emphasised on the tribe's distinct ethnic identity having its own language, culture, traditions, and history.

"Thadou is not Kuki, or underneath Kuki, or part of Kuki, but a separate, independent entity from Kuki... Thadou is one of the original 29 native/indigenous tribes of Manipur, India, that were all simultaneously and duly recognised as independent Scheduled Tribes of Manipur under the 1956 Presidential Order, Government of India," the declaration stated.

"Thadous have always been known and recorded as Thadou, without any prefix or suffix to it, and it has been the single-largest tribe in Manipur consistently since the first census of India in 1881 till the latest census in 2011 that recorded Thadou population at 2,15,913. Any Kuki Tribes (AKT) had a population of 28,342 in the latest Manipur census in 2011, the first time Kuki was ever recorded in a census," it stated.

Civil society organisations and a defence volunteer group of the Meitei community welcomed the formation of TIM to assert Thadou as a distinct tribe. Meitei Leepun in a statement said it gives "heartfelt appreciation" to the Thadou tribe for the new Thadou body's latest announcement that it would support the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise if the Centre decides to carry it out in Manipur.

The Meitei defence volunteer group Arambai Tenggol - similar to village defence volunteers of the hill-dominant Kuki tribes - in a statement in Meiteilon said it welcomes the decision taken at the Thadou Convention to support the NRC.

Volunteer groups from both sides have accused each other of atrocities.

The Kuki tribes and the Meiteis have been fighting since May 2023 over a range of issues such as land rights and political representation.

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Woman Arrested For Stabbing Husband's First Wife In Rewa, Madhya Pradesh

A woman stabbed her husband's first wife following an argument in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district, a police officer said on Monday.

The incident occurred in Chaura village, under the jurisdiction of Sohagi police station which is around 90 kilometres away from the district headquarters on the day of Diwali, October 31. After the incident, the police registered a case and arrested the accused lady, the police added.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vivek Lal told ANI, "A case was registered at Sohagi police station and during investigation it came to light that a man married two women. Both the women had an argument, following which the second wife attacked the first with a knife. She sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment."

The police arrested the second wife and investigation into the matter is underway. Reports from the doctors have been sought and further sections will be added accordingly if needed, ASP said.

When asked about the reason, the officer said, "In the preliminary investigation, it came to light that the reason for the attack is probably jealousy and hatred though we are investigating the matter. The facts revealed in the probe will be produced before the court."

Additionally, ASP refuted the claim of stabbing 50 times which is widely circulated over social media.

"It has been running on social media that she was stabbed 50 times but this fact is incorrect. She has been attacked with the knife and we have some photos of the incident as well but the fact of stabbing 50 times is false," ASP Lal added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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