India

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hardly win 12-15 Parliamentary seats in the southern states in the Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking at a rally while campaigning for Congress leader Adoor Prakash in Kerala's Attingal, Revanth Reddy said that the grand old party will win all 20 LS seats in Kerala, while it will bag at least 14 out of 17 LS seats in Telangana.

On the BJP expressing confidence of crossing 400 seats, Revanth Reddy said even BRS president and former Telangana chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao while campaigning for last year's Assembly polls had claimed that he would win 100 seats but could bag only 39 seats.

Revanth Reddy said that "similarly, the BJP is trying to confuse people, but people are intelligent and they are going to teach a lesson to the party".

KCR has recently said that the Congress government in Telangana will not last more than a year "as nobody knows who will join the BJP and when".

"We don't know, the Chief Minister (Revanth Reddy) himself may jump to the BJP," he said.

KCR said while they want the Congress government to complete its five-year term, considering the recent developments, he doubts if it will last more than a year.

He also said that all surveys showed that the Congress would not get more than two Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.

--IANS

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Chandigarh, April 18 (IANS) Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Thursday expressed disapproval over BJP’s Ludhiana candidate Ravneet Bittu claiming the Congress never respected former chief minister Beant Singh, who was killed in a bomb blast in Chandigarh in 1995.

Warring questioned the use of Beant Singh’s image in the BJP’s election propaganda by Bittu, a rebel Congress MP.

The PPCC chief told the media here, “Beant Singh epitomized national leadership and commanded admiration nationwide. Revered as a symbol of peace, his sacrifices resonate across the nation. However, the use of his image for political gain by his grandson (Bittu), now aligned with the BJP, is regrettable and disrespects the sacrifices of Beant Singh.”

Warring added, “Bittu's defection to the BJP has already cast a shadow over Beant Singh’s legacy, and his actions continue to tarnish the distinguished memory of the former chief minister. Such actions are likely to dishearten the spirit of Beant Singh. The Congress has always kept Beant Singh in high regard, claims by Bittu about his statue being removed from Congress Bhavan Chandigarh are all false. We respect our leaders and martyrs, unlike Bittu who has disrespected his own grandfather.”

“It’s imperative to refrain from exploiting the legacy of his grandfather for political advantage, and Bittu should understand it. The people of Punjab recognize and reject such tactics. The valour of our martyrs demands reverence, and any attempt to undermine it will not find favour with the public,” he added.

--IANS

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Solapur (Maharashtra), April 18 (IANS) A man attired as 'Yamraj', the Hindu God of Death, and riding the deity's preferred mount, a buffalo, reached the Collectorate on Thursday to submit his nomination as an Independent candidate for Maharashtra's Madha Lok Sabha constituency

Ram Gaikwad, garbed in a gold-and-black robe and dhoti, a gleaming golden headgear with two protruding curved white horns and toting a shining mace, announced that he would contest the LS polls from Madha to enter the Parliament with the aim of saving the country from the menace of corruption, poverty, unemployment and other ills.

He claimed that he was donning the role of 'Yamraj' to "finish" off corruption in the country, ensure Maratha quotas, prevent the misuse of central investigation agencies by the government against political rivals, the politics of hacking and breaking political parties, self-centred politics, etc.

Gathering plenty of interesting glances from passers-by, who stopped to see the unusual spectacle, the handle-bar moustache sporting candidate’s arrival was heralded from quite a distance as over a hundred of his supporters lustily cheered and raised slogans in his support.

As his buffalo, guided and controlled by a couple of aides, reached the Collectorate office, Gaikwad alighted with aplomb, cast a menacing glance around and then stomped inside to submit his nomination papers.

In case his nomination is accepted, then 'Yamraj' Gaikwad will lock horns-cum-mace with two powerful contenders – Bharatiya Janata Party’s sitting MP Ranjitsinh Naik-Nimbalkar and Nationalist Congress Party-SP's Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil, who quit the BJP last week to join Sharad Pawar's party.

Though it was labelled as a ‘publicity gimmick’, Gaikwad’s arrival as ‘Yamraj’ not only made waves but managed to garner much attention though most decided to keep a safe distance from the God of Death.

--IANS

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Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), April 18 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh will soon get its first-ever glass skywalk bridge, which will be set against the picturesque backdrop of Tulsi Waterfalls in the Markundi range of the Chitrakoot forest division.

Built from a fusion of glass and steel, this marvel of engineering takes the form of Lord Ram's revered bow and arrow, thereby symbolising strength and valour.

According to reports, this bridge promises to redefine the landscape of eco-tourism in the region. This ambitious project aims to elevate the allure of Chitrakoot.

Drawing inspiration from Bihar's renowned skywalk glass bridge in Rajgir, Uttar Pradesh's glass skywalk is poised to captivate visitors with its blend of aesthetic charm and structural brilliance.

The bridge, said sources, will be inaugurated after the Lok Sabha polls.

Complementing the breathtaking vistas of the waterfall, the surrounding area has been transformed into a verdant oasis known as 'Kodand Van', which will provide visitors with a tranquil retreat amidst nature's splendour.

Built by the esteemed Ghazipur-based Pawan Sut Construction Company, the bridge stands as a testament to collaborative effort and visionary planning.

Originally known as Shabri Waterfall, the cascading beauty that serves as the foundation for the glass skywalk was recently christened Tulsi Waterfalls by the state government.

Offering both aesthetic appeal and structural integrity, the bow-and-arrow-shaped bridge spans an impressive length of 25 m towards the abyss and boasts of a width of 35 m between its sturdy pillars. With a robust load capacity of 500 kg per square metre, the bridge ensures safety and comfort for visitors eager to embark on this thrilling adventure.

--IANS

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Mumbai, April 18 (IANS) Ace filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani's son Vir is set to make his acting debut with the play 'Letters from Suresh', an updated version of the iconic 'Tumhari Amrita', which had featured the late Farooq Sheikh and Shabana Azmi.

'Letters from Suresh', as in the case of the original, is being directed by theatre veteran Feroze Abbas Khan.

Vir Hirani is a recent graduate of the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, better known as RADA, in London. He has been making short films since his teens.

The epistolary production 'Tumhari Amrita' was an adaptation of A.R. Gurney's American play 'Love Letters'. The Hindi/Urdu version was written in 1992 by playwright Javed Siddiqui after Feroze Abbas Khan approached him following a meeting with Gurney.

The play premiered at the Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai on February 27, 1992, during the Jennifer Kapoor Festival as a tribute to the late actress on her birth anniversary.

With the play set to return, albeit in a new avatar, Vir will be seen putting his skills to test in view of the legacy of 'Tumhari Amrita' and the shoes of Farooq Shaikh that he steps into.

In the original, Farooq Shaikh and Shabana Azmi were the two actors who drove the play, which was based on an exchange of letters between the two protagonists separated by Partition.

Vir Hirani, incidentally, has a film to his credit. He made his directorial debut with 'Return Gift', which premiered at the 18th edition of the International Children's Film Festival of India in Hyderabad.

The film, inspired by a true story narrated to Vir by his grandmother, and made along with his classmates, competed in the Little Directors category of the Festival.

--IANS

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A Delhi court on Thursday

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) A Delhi court on Thursday sent Chanpreet Singh, accused in the excise policy case, to judicial custody till April 23 after the probe agency said that he is a key person involved in the transfer and use of the proceeds of crime generated out of the Delhi excise policy scam. He was produced before the court on the expiry of his previously granted Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody.

The ED had sought his 14-day judicial custody alleging that "Chanpreet Singh is closely associated with co-accused persons and suspects such as Vijay Nair, Rajesh Joshi, and others. Chanpreet Singh is a cash handler on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Goa elections who received Rs 45 crore approx in cash through hawala operators and then distributed to the vendors, survey workers, and volunteers, etc., who were working for the AAP campaign in Goa".

Singh was arrested under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on April 13.

During the custodial interrogation, the ED claimed that his multiple statements were recorded.

“He is found to be giving evasive replies and concealing information during the custodial interrogation,” the ED said.

The federal probe agency while seeking his judicial custody told the court that Singh had been interrogated and questions were asked on the findings of the investigation. It is still investigating the matter to trace the proceeds of crime and involvement of the arrestee and other persons in the offence of money laundering.

“The arrestee was confronted with the statements of different witnesses and other co-accused who have revealed the role of the arrestee,” the agency said.

The agency also reserved its right to take further custody of Singh during the permissible period, if required.

--IANS

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Mumbai, April 18 (IANS) Bollywood actress Kiara Advani, who will be soon seen in the Telugu political action thriller ‘Game Changer’ has a penchant for baking.

The actress took to her Instagram on Thursday and shared a video of baking a cake and garnishing it with biscuits and choco chips, wearing a black T-shirt, a blue striped shirt, and a pair of denim.

She wrote in the caption, “Baking with my favourite snakk (sic)."

On the work front, the actress will soon be seen sharing the screen with Telugu star Ram Charan in ‘Game Changer’. The film directed by S. Shankar features Ram Charan in a triple role, leading an ensemble cast of Anjali, S.J. Suryah, Jayaram, Sunil, Srikanth, Samuthirakani, and Nassar.

The actress also has 'Don 3' in the pipeline, which has Ranveer Singh in the titular role.

--IANS

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New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) BJP President JP Nadda, on a campaign trail to Assam on Thursday, made a strong pitch for clean governance and said that only the BJP government can assure of the same as the ‘Ghamandiya alliance’ was a coalition of either ‘jailed or bailed’ leaders.

Underscoring the focus of the Modi government on putting the North-East region on a perennial growth trajectory, he said that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who described the eight states as ‘Ashta Lakshmi.’

On Thursday, Nadda addressed two poll rallies in Assam -- one in Udalguri and another in Kokrajhar.

He said that this election was a fight between NDA’s ‘Bhrashtachar hatao’ vs INDIA bloc’s ‘Bhrashtachari bachao’. He said that Congress regimes witnessed a series of scams including the VVIP chopper scam, 2G and Commonwealth scam and more but the Modi government brought an end to all.

He said that peace and development prevail in Assam today, under the BJP government.

“All the corrupt parties and leaders have ganged up under the Ghamandiya alliance while BJP is all for clean politics and transparent governance,” he said at a rally in Udalguri.

Nadda named many leaders of the INDIA bloc leaders, who are either in jail or on bail and said that this showed their approach to politics.

“Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal are in jail while top leaders of INDIA bloc including Rahul Gandhi, P Chidambaram, Lalu Yadav, Sanjay Singh are on bail,” he pointed out.

Earlier, addressing a rally in Kokrajhar district, the BJP President said that the North-East region is witnessing unprecedented attention and development under the Modi government.

He said that the Prime Minister described North-East as ‘Ashta Lakshmi’ and also went on to explain the ‘eight aadhar’ behind it.

“First aadhar is peace, the second is hydropower generation, the third is tourism, fourth is 5G connectivity, fifth is culture, sixth is natural farming, seventh is sports and eight is to nourish the potential of the region,” he told the public gathering.

Highlighting the government’s focus on N-E, he said that Prime Minister Modi alone has made 70 visits to the region in 10 years while Union Ministers have visited the region, 680 times.

He also cited various peace accords like the Bodo accord, and the Karbi Anglong accord signed by the Centre to bring peace and prosperity in the North-East. He also highlighted how a series of welfare schemes including Kisan Samman Nidhi, Ayushman Yojana, and the free ration scheme were bringing ‘welcome change’ and said that Asia’s biggest cancer institute being built in Assam will give the region new recognition.

--IANS

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New Delhi/Chennai, April 19 (IANS) The baby-food brands sold by global giant Nestle in India contain high levels of added sugar, unlike the same products in the UK, Germany Switzerland, and other developed nations, revealed an investigation by Swiss organisation Public Eye and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), sparking concern in the country at the violation of health guidelines.

The Indian government is reportedly looking into the issue of sugar being added to baby food.

Meanwhile, the share price of Nestle India Ltd went down in the bourses on Thursday following the study.

At the BSE, on Thursday, Nestle India’s shares opened at Rs 2,539 (Wednesday closing price Rs 2,547.15) and went down to close at Rs.2,462.75.

Findings showed that in India, all Cerelac baby products contain an average of nearly 3 grams of sugar per serving. The same product is being sold with no added sugar in Germany and the UK, while in Ethiopia and Thailand, it contains nearly 6 grams, the study said.

The report said that Nestle adds sugar to infant milk and cereal products in several countries which is a violation of international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases. Violations were found only in Asian, African, and Latin American countries.

However, a Nestle India Ltd spokesperson said the company has reduced the total amount of added sugars in its infant cereals portfolio by 30 per cent over the past five years and it continues to "review" and "reformulate" products to reduce them further. "We believe in the nutritional quality of our products for early childhood and prioritise using high-quality ingredients."

On Wednesday, the leading UK paper The Guardian reported that the Swiss food giant adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in "poorer countries". It cited data from Public Eye and IBFAN that examined Nestle baby food brands sold in these markets. Public Eye examined 115 products sold in Nestle’s main markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America across two key brands -- Cerelac and Nodi.

In India, all Cerelac baby cereal products examined by Public Eye contained added sugar -- on average nearly 3 gm per serving.

“Almost all the Cerelac infant cereals examined contain added sugar -- nearly 4 grams per serving on average, equal to roughly a sugar cube -- although they are targeted at babies from six months of age. The highest amount -- 7.3 grams per serving -- was detected in a product sold in the Philippines," the report said.

WHO expert Nigel Rollins was cited in media reports as saying that “this is a double standard that cannot be justified.”

--IANS

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Mumbai, April 18 (IANS) The makers of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's debut web series -- ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’ -- on Thursday dropped the character promo of Adhyayan Suman as Nawab Zoravar.

The show transports the viewers to the 1940s, into the lives of the courtesans filled with love, betrayal, power, and the fight for independence.

The character introduction promo shows Adhyayan in a drunk state wearing a golden kurta with courtesans dancing around him.

"Which courtesan will beguile me today? I am a Nawaab... Debauchery is my pastime and birthright. The only thing that matters is Zoravar must always be entertained," the actor says in the promo.

The post is captioned as: "Apne Nawabi Shauq Poore Karna Uska Haqq Hai - Bas, Zoravar Ka Dil Behalna Chahiye."

The series starring Sonakshi Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Richa Chadha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sanjeeda Sheikh, and Sharmin Sehgal in lead roles will release on Netflix on May 1.

--IANS

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