India

Bhopal, Feb 5 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar on Wednesday criticised RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) for “misleading” the farmers.

“Bharatiya Kisan Sangh is the outfit of the RSS which helps the BJP. These people had distributed pamphlets that the government would procure paddy at the rate of Rs 3100 per quintal and wheat at Rs 2700 per quintal, which never happened,” said Madhya Pradesh LoP.

He further alleged that whenever the Congress raised farmers' voices, the members of BKS maintained silence and misled farmers to support the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh.

“BJP government has been in power for the last several years, but farmers are yet to receive the benefits of schemes. I want to ask the farmers, have they got these benefits? Will the BJP announce this in this budget,” he asked.

However, Madhya Pradesh minister Vishwas Sarang hit back at Singhar, saying BKS has always fought for the rights of farmers.

“Congress should refrain from making irresponsible statements. BKS is a responsible organisation, which has always raised farmer issues and the state government is ready to communicate with them,” he said.

On Wednesday, hundreds of farmers from different regions of Madhya Pradesh reached Bhopal to participate in the protest called by BKS.

Before launching the protest, farmers assembled at the BKS office in Bhopal for a meeting and announced to gherao 'Bhallabh Bhawan' (state secretariat).

The farmers have called for the protest to raise the issues of adequate power supply, water for irrigation and various other issues related to the agricultural land.

“The protest is being organised against the top officials, who made policies for farmers and their lucrative approach for executing them. We have decided to gherao Ballabh Bhawan,” Arvind Singh, a member of BKS told IANS.

He further added that the farmers are not even getting adequate fertilisers on time.

To maintain the law and order in the city, heavy security has been deployed. Police barricades were placed on the road leading towards the Arera Hills area, where Ballabh Bhawan and other government offices are situated.

--IANS

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New Delhi/Jammu, Feb 5 (IANS) Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday chaired a high-level security review meeting in the national capital on the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir wherein he laid stress on zero tolerance to terrorism and infiltration.

The meeting was inconclusive on Tuesday as the Home Minister had to leave it midway to attend Parliament session.

The meeting started with the assessment of the overall security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir as it was held on the backdrop of a terrorist attack in Kulgam district in which an ex-serviceman was killed and his wife and daughter injured.

The Home Minister has ordered intensification of counter-terrorism operations and reinforced efforts to ensure zero infiltration in the union territory.

HM Amit Shah reiterated the government's unwavering commitment to eradicating terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Officials said that the Home Minister highlighted the fact that sustained and coordinated efforts of PM Modi-led government have significantly weakened the ecosystem of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

During the meeting, Amit Shah directed all security agencies to enhance their operations against terror networks.

"Our goal should be to uproot the existence of terrorists," he asserted, highlighting the need for proactive and pre-emptive action against terrorist elements.

A major concern raised in the meeting was the funding of terrorism through the narcotics trade.

HM Amit Shah stressed the urgent need to curb terror financing with alacrity and rigour.

He instructed law enforcement agencies to dismantle the financial networks supporting terrorist activities and ensure that no proceeds from drug trafficking fuel violence in the region.

The meeting was attended by top officials from security and intelligence agencies, including the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, senior officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and representatives from the Jammu and Kashmir administration.

According to a source, it was submitted during the meeting that the security forces continue to neutralise terror threats and tighten border security to prevent infiltration.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Feb 5 (IANS) The Karnataka government is contemplating the establishment of a second airport for Bengaluru but has yet to finalise a location for the prestigious project, while the Tamil Nadu government is strongly pushing for its Hosur city, located 40 km from Bengaluru.

To a question on the development, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara said: "The demand to build an airport in Hosur, a border city in Tamil Nadu, has been raised for a long time. They have already submitted a proposal to establish an international airport there."

"The footfall at Bengaluru airport is increasing. It should take about 40 minutes to reach cities such as Chennai and Mangaluru by air, but due to air traffic congestion, flights from the Bengaluru International Airport take nearly two hours. The objective is to provide separate domestic and international services to save time," he said.

"We are considering building a second airport to accommodate more international flights. Major cities worldwide have multiple airports. For example, Navi Mumbai Airport is being developed in Mumbai, and Delhi also has multiple airports. Given Karnataka’s population growth and development in industries, education, and healthcare, we believe a second airport is necessary. It remains to be seen whether the Central government will grant us permission or allocate it to Tamil Nadu," Parameshwara said.

"We will submit a proposal, and Minister for Large and Medium Industries M.B. Patil is working on it. The location has not been finalised yet, and they must choose among two or three potential sites in Karnataka, adhering to civil aviation guidelines,” he added.

"We have proposed Tumakuru, a neighbouring city close to Bengaluru, as the site for the second airport. Similarly, other locations have been suggested. The civil aviation authorities will decide which site is technically feasible. Previously, there was an attempt to build Bengaluru’s first international airport in Bidadi, on the outskirts of the city, but the DGCA ruled it out due to technical reasons. We will have to wait and see how the authorities evaluate the current proposals," he said.

Tumakuru is also Parameshwara’s native place.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated on Wednesday that the Industries Minister is currently searching for a suitable location for Bengaluru’s second airport. "So far, he has not discussed it with me or the Chief Minister. No final decision has been made in this regard," he said.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS) A total of 1.5 crore eligible Delhi voters sealed the fate of 699 candidates in the Assembly election on Wednesday to pick a new 70-member House with the turnout hovering around 60 per cent till reports last came in at 6 p.m., an official said.

The results will be declared on February 8.

The turnout touched 57.70 per cent by 5 p.m. with the ruling AAP eyeing a fourth straight win and the BJP putting up a tough fight to return to power after 1998.

The 11-hour voting remained largely peaceful while some sporadic complaints of bogus voting and model code violation continued to be made throughout the day.

The turnout in the 2020 Delhi Assembly election stood at 62.82 per cent, 4.65 per cent lower than 67.47 per cent in 2015.

Earlier in the day, there was a brief commotion at a polling booth in Seelampur where a bogus voter was caught casting a vote on someone else’s identity. The incident occurred at Aryan Public School, Booth Level Officer, Seelampur, Gayatri, said.

BJP nominee from the seat, Anil Gaur, accused the rival Congress and the AAP of bringing 300-400 fake voters from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

Special Commissioner of Police D.C. Srivastava confirmed getting complaints of attempted bogus voting. "Two persons have been detained on the allegation of bogus voting. The facts are being verified."

On Wednesday, Delhi’s 1.5 crore eligible voters were choosing from 699 candidates, 603 men and 95 women, in a direct fight between the ruling AAP, the BJP and the Congress.

Till 5 p.m., Mustafabad seat recorded the highest turnout of 66.68 per cent followed by Seelampur with 66.41 per cent.

The New Delhi seat of AAP convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recorded a turnout of 54.27 per cent by 5 p.m. The Greater Kailash seat of Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj recorded 52 per cent voting, Rajinder Nager recorded 57.88 per cent, Patel Nagar 54.63 per cent, R.K. Puram 51.81 per cent and Delhi Cantonment seat recorded 57 per cent voting till 5 p.m.

Chief Minister Atishi’s constituency recorded a turnout of 51.81 per cent till 5 p.m. Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s Jungpura seat recorded 55.23 per cent voting till 5 p.m.

Other turnout trends till 5 p.m. were Sangam Vihar 57.41 per cent, Badarpur 54.51 per cent, Tughlakabad 53 per cent, Okhla 52.77 per cent, Kasturba Nagar 51.70 per cent, Malviya Nager 52.07 per cent, Chhatarpur 60.53 per cent, Ambedkar Nagar 56.98 per cent, Deoli 56.8 per cent and Mehrauli 50.59 per cent.

Till 5 p.m., the turnout in Central Delhi's Matia Mahal was 61.40 per cent, Ballimaran 59.56 per cent, Burari 56.16 per cent, Sadar Bazar 57.06, Timarpur 53.29 per cent, Karol Bagh 47.40 per cent, Chandni Chowk 52.76 per cent.

In West Delhi, the turnout till 5 p.m. in Janakpuri was 59.28 per cent, Rajouri Garden 58.96 per cent, Madipur 58.13 per cent, Hari Nagar 57.92 per cent, Moti Nagar 55.21 per cent, Nangloi Jat 56.20 per cent and Tilak Nagar 56.65 per cent.

AAP’s Jangpura nominee Sisodia alleged that rival parties were giving money to voters, a charge which was dismissed by police as ‘unsubstantiated’.

His party colleague and AAP MP Raghav Chadha alleged that at many polling booths in the New Delhi constituency, the party’s polling agents and their relievers faced problems in entry.

AAP MP Sandeep Pathak raised the issue of slow voting in some constituencies, claiming that the party has raised the matter with the EC. His complaint was endorsed by the party candidate from Okhla seat, Amanatullah Khan who alleged voting was carried out at a slow pace.

Union Minister Harsh Malhotra accused the AAP of trying to use goons and money on the eve of the election to influence voters. "They want a street fight and vitiate the atmosphere out of fear of a big loss," he said.

On the eve of voting, the Delhi Police seized Rs 23.76 lakh, six illegal firearms and 4,119 litres of illegal liquor, said a police official.

Earlier, former Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his wife gave up their car and walked down to their polling booth. Both of them escorted their parents, both in wheelchairs, to the booth at a school close to their Ferozeshah Road residence.

Kejriwal’s BJP rival Parvesh Verma performed religious rituals on the Yamuna bank before proceeding to cast his vote with his wife and daughter at the Nirman Bhawan booth.

Congress candidate from New Delhi Sandeep Dikshit cast his vote at a polling booth on Rahim Khan Road and later accompanied voters from the party and members of the Gandhi family – Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – to their respective booths.

The turnout in the 2020 Delhi Assembly election stood at 62.82 per cent, 4.65 per cent lower than 67.47 per cent in 2015. In 2013, the turnout was 66.02 per cent, 8.42 per cent higher than 2008’s 57.6 per cent.

In 2020, the AAP won 62 out of 70 seats with a vote share of 53.57 per cent. The BJP won eight seats with a 38.51 per cent vote share. The Congress got 4.26 per cent of votes and others polled 3.66 per cent votes. In 2015, the AAP won 67 seats, getting 54.6 per cent vote share.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS) Calling him a visionary who dedicated his entire life to service and spirituality, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday condoled the demise of noted billionaire philanthropist and spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan IV.

Aga Khan was a spiritual icon to millions of Ismaili Muslims and also the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). He passed away in Lisbon on Tuesday, aged 88, surrounded by his family.

"Deeply saddened by the passing of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV. He was a visionary, who dedicated his life to service and spirituality. His contributions in areas like health, education, rural development and women empowerment will continue to inspire several people. I will always cherish my interactions with him. My heartfelt condolences to his family and the millions of followers and admirers across the world," PM Modi posted on X.

Aga Khan succeeded his grandfather, Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III, as Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims in 1957 at the age of 20.

Since then, he dedicated his efforts to improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable populations through the work of the Aga Khan Development Network, emphasising the view of Islam as a faith that teaches compassion and tolerance and that upholds human dignity.

During his visit to India in 2015, Prince Karim Aga Khan was conferred Padma Vibhushan for his contributions to social development in India.

Prime Minister Modi had then praised the work of the Aga Khan Foundation, especially in the areas of rural development and sanitation, which, he said, he had the opportunity to witness first-hand when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat.

PM Modi had also called upon the Aga Khan Foundation to play a key role in the 'Swachh Bharat' and 'Ganga Rejuvenation' initiatives.

The Diamond Jubilee of Prince Karim Aga Khan, which began in July 2017 and concluded in July 2018, was a year-long celebration that marked the 60th anniversary of his role as the 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.

It was during the Diamond Jubilee of his leadership that Aga Khan visited India once again - in February-March 2018 - on an invitation from the Vice President and also called on then President Ram Nath Kovind and PM Modi.

Sunder Nursery, a 90-acre park near Humayun's Tomb in New Delhi, was inaugurated by the Vice President in the presence of Aga Khan on February 21, 2018. The park, a part of the Nizamuddin Urban Renewal Initiative, was a partnership between Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Aga Khan Foundation, Central Public Works Department, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and Archaeological Survey of India.

In addition to these engagements, Aga Khan also visited the cities of Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Mumbai, where AKDN is involved in various development projects.

On Wednesday, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar also extended his profound condolences on the passing of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV.

--IANS

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Kolkata, Feb 5 (IANS) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Wednesday that West Bengal is an ideal business destination now as it does not witness power outages and strikes anymore.

"There is no power cut these days. The days of regular strikes are over. An ideal work culture in the state is prevailing now. This makes West Bengal the best investment destination," the Chief Minister said while addressing the 8th edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS)- 2025, the annual event to showcase the state as an ideal investment destination.

She also chose the occasion to reply to the frequent claims made by the opposition that such annual business summits are fruitless exercises and do not percolate to actual investment.

"Often some people raise questions about what would be the outcome of such business summits, but I want to tell them that many other states are following our examples and organising similar business summits. Such summits are quite necessary for the next generations," the Chief Minister said.

She also chose the occasion to highlight the different social welfare schemes run by the state government that had led to the empowerment of people, especially women.

"Bengal is the topper in women empowerment. It is also the topper in terms of development of medium and small scale industries," the Chief Minister said.

She also said that the infrastructure work for the Deucha-Pachami coal block in the Birbhum district of West Bengal is over.

"If we want the work of mining can start from tomorrow only. The process of distribution of compensation for the landowners is over. One member of each such family will be provided with jobs at the project. The projects will employ over a lakh of people. In addition, there will be ancillary industries which will provide additional employment,” the Chief Minister said.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS) Voting to pick a new 70-member Delhi Assembly continued peacefully on Wednesday as the turnout touched 57.70 per cent till 5 p.m. with the ruling AAP eyeing a fourth straight win and the BJP putting up a tough fight to return to power after 1998.

As the turnout continued to rise after a slow start, there were allegations of a model code violation after a brief commotion at a polling booth in Seelampur where a bogus voter was caught casting a vote on someone else’s identity. The incident occurred at Aryan Public School, Booth Level Officer, Seelampur, Gayatri, said.

BJP nominee from the seat, Anil Gaur, accused the rival Congress and the AAP of bringing 300-400 fake voters from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh.

Special Commissioner of Police D.C. Srivastava confirmed getting complaints of attempted bogus voting. "Two persons have been detained on the allegation of bogus voting. The facts are being verified."

Till 5 p.m., Mustafabad seat recorded the highest turnout of 66.68 per cent followed by Seelampur with 66.41 per cent.

The New Delhi seat of AAP convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recorded a turnout of 54.27 per cent by 5 p.m. The Greater Kailash seat of Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj recorded 52 per cent voting, Rajinder Nager recorded 57.88 per cent, Patel Nagar 54.63 per cent, R.K. Puram 51.81 per cent and Delhi Cantonment seat recorded 57 per cent voting till 5 p.m.

Chief Minister Atishi’s constituency recorded a turnout of 51.81 per cent till 5 p.m. Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia’s Jungpura seat recorded 55.23 per cent voting till 5 p.m.

Other turnout trends till 5 p.m. were Sangam Vihar 57.41 per cent, Badarpur 54.51 per cent, Tughlakabad 53 per cent, Okhla 52.77 per cent, Kasturba Nagar 51.70 per cent, Malviya Nager 52.07 per cent, Chhatarpur 60.53 per cent, Ambedkar Nagar 56.98 per cent, Deoli 56.8 per cent and Mehrauli 50.59 per cent.

Till 5 p.m. the turnout in Central Delhi's Matia Mahal was 61.40 per cent, Ballimaran 59.56 per cent, Burari 56.16 per cent, Sadar Bazar 57.06, Timarpur 53.29 per cent, Karol Bagh 47.40 per cent, Chandni Chowk 52.76 per cent.

In West Delhi, the turnout till 5 p.m. in Janakpuri was 59.28 per cent, Rajouri Garden 58.96 per cent, Madipur 58.13 per cent, Hari Nagar 57.92 per cent, Moti Nagar 55.21 per cent, Nangloi Jat 56.20 per cent and Tilak Nagar 56.65 per cent.

AAP Jangpura nominee Sisodia alleged that rival parties were giving money to voters, a charge which was dismissed by police as ‘unsubstantiated’.

His party colleague and AAP MP Raghav Chadha alleged that at many polling booths in the New Delhi constituency, the party’s polling agents and their relievers faced problems in entry.

AAP MP Sandeep Pathak raised the issue of slow voting in some constituencies, claiming that the party has raised the matter with the EC.

Union Minister Harsh Malhotra accused the AAP of trying to use goons and money on election eve to influence voters. "They want a street fight and vitiate the atmosphere out of fear of a big loss," he said.

On the eve of voting, the Delhi Police seized Rs 23.76 lakh, six illegal firearms and 4,119 litres of illegal liquor, said a police official.

Earlier, former Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his wife gave up their car and walked down to their polling booth. Both of them escorted their parents, both in wheelchairs, to the booth at a school close to their Ferozeshah Road residence.

Kejriwal’s BJP rival Parvesh Verma performed religious rituals on the Yamuna bank before proceeding to cast his vote with his wife and daughter at the Nirman Bhawan booth.

Congress candidate from New Delhi Sandeep Dikshit cast his vote at a polling booth on Rahim Khan Road and later accompanied voters from the party and members of the Gandhi family – Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – to their respective booths.

The turnout in the 2020 Delhi Assembly election stood at 62.82 per cent, 4.65 per cent lower than 67.47 per cent in 2015. In 2013, the turnout was 66.02 per cent, 8.42 per cent higher than 2008’s 57.6 per cent.

In 2020, the AAP won 62 out of 70 seats with a vote share of 53.57 per cent. The BJP won eight seats with a 38.51 per cent vote share. The Congress got 4.26 per cent of votes and others polled 3.66 per cent votes.

--IANS

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Mahakumbh Nagar, Feb 5 (IANS) Following the auspicious Basant Panchami Snan on February 3, the ‘Maha Kumbh of Culture’ (grand cultural festival) is set to resume, bringing together the rich diversity of India's traditions. The Culture Department has set the stage for a spectacular celebration at the Ganga Pandal, over the next four days.

Renowned artistes from across the country will grace the stage, adding vibrancy to the religious gathering. The line-up includes dazzling performances by Odissi dancer Dona Ganguly on February 7, veteran playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthy on February 8, classical dancer Sonal Mansingh and singer Suresh Wadkar on February 9, followed by the noted singer Hariharan on February 10.

All cultural programs will however remain suspended from February 11 to 13 due to the sacred Magh Purnima Snan on February 12.

Main events at Ganga Pandal

The Ganga Pandal will host a series of cultural performances from February 7 to 10, featuring renowned artists from different parts of India.

February 7:

Dona Ganguly (Kolkata) – Odissi Dance

Yogesh Gandharv & Abha Gandharv – Sufi Singing

Suma Sudhindra (Karnataka) – Classical Music

Dr. Devkinandan Sharma (Mathura) – Rasleela Performance

February 8:

Kavita Krishnamurthy & Dr. L. Subramaniam – Sugam Sangeet

Preeti Patel (Kolkata) – Manipuri Dance

Narendra Nath (West Bengal) – Sarod Performance

Dr. Devkinandan Sharma (Mathura) – Rasleela Performance

February 9:

Suresh Wadkar – Sugam Sangeet

Padma Shri Madhup Mudgal (Delhi) – Hindustani Classical Music

Sonal Mansingh (Delhi) – Odissi Dance

Dr. Devkinandan Sharma (Mathura) – Rasleela Performance

February 10:

Hariharan – Sugam Sangeet

Shubhda Varadkar (Mumbai) – Odissi Dance

Sudha (Tamil Nadu) – Carnatic Music

Earlier, on the sacred occasion of Basant Panchami, the saints and spiritual leaders took holy dip at Triveni Sangam in large numbers and also strongly responded to critics of the Maha Kumbh. They praised the arrangements made by the Yogi Adityanath government and the facilities provided to devotees while calling out the critics for alleged attempts to create ‘negativity and pessimism’ over the world's largest religious event.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Feb 5 (IANS) Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi said on Wednesday that the BJP-led NDA government has allocated nine times more funds to Karnataka’s railway projects in the latest budget compared to the UPA era.

He added that the Union government has consistently provided similar allocations over nine consecutive years.

The Union Minister, who is also the MP from Dharwad in Karnataka, provided a strong counter to the Congress’s claims about the state not receiving sufficient funds in the Union Budget.

“During the five-year tenure of the UPA government (2009-14), the annual average railway budget for Karnataka was Rs 835 crore. However, in the 2025-26 budget alone, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government has allocated Rs 7,559 crore, which is nine times higher,” he said.

He added that while the UPA government had allocated an annual average of Rs 835 crore, the NDA government has increased it nine-fold to Rs 7,559 crore.

“Key railway developments in Karnataka include, the construction of 31 new railway tracks and a total of 3,840 kilometres of new railway tracks are being developed across 31 projects at an estimated cost of Rs 47,016 crore,” he said.

He further underlined that Rs 1,981 crore has been allocated to modernise 61 major railway stations under the "Amrit Bharat Station" scheme.

“Ten Vande Bharat Express trains are currently operating through 12 districts of Karnataka, stopping at 18 key stations,” he stated.

He said that since 2014, Karnataka has constructed 1,652 km of new railway tracks, surpassing the total railway network of Sri Lanka.

He added that under the UPA government, only 113 tracks were built, whereas the NDA government has constructed 150 new tracks.

“96.5 per cent of Karnataka’s railway network and a total of 3,233 km covering 294 railway routes have been electrified. During the UPA era, only 18 routes were electrified, whereas, under the NDA government, the number has increased 16 times,” he said.

He said that for the convenience of passengers, Karnataka now has: Wi-Fi facilities at 335 railway stations; lifts at 61 locations; and escalators at 43 locations.

“An amount of Rs 1,240 crore is being invested in the redevelopment of four key railway stations in Karnataka. Bengaluru Cantt Station is being developed with Rs 475 crore. Yeshwantpur station at Rs 367 crore; Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal at Rs 300 crore and the tender process initiated for the Tumakuru Station at Rs 88 crore,” he said.

The Union Minister said that with these developments, Karnataka’s railway infrastructure is receiving an unprecedented boost, significantly enhancing connectivity and convenience across the state.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS) Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed sorrow and grief over the demise of Aga Khan, a noted billionaire philanthropist and spiritual leader of Ismaili Shia Muslims.

The 88-year-old Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, popularly known to people as Aga Khan IV, passed away in Portugal’s Lisbon on February 4.

Rahul Gandhi took to his social media handle on X and expressed grief over the loss of the visionary leader while also extending heartfelt condolences to his family.

“Saddened by the passing of His Highness the Aga Khan, Mawlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini -- a visionary leader devoted to humanity, education, and progress,” he wrote in a post.

“My heartfelt condolences to his family and the Ismaili Shia Muslim community in India and across the world,” he further wrote.

Aga Khan was a spiritual icon to millions of Ismaili Muslims and was also among the world’s most noted philanthropists. He passed away in Lisbon, surrounded by his family members.

Born on December 13, 1936, in Switzerland, he became the 49th hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims at the age of just 20 years, in 1957.

He had British citizenship, though he spent a major part of his life in France during his later years. A close friend of the late Queen Elizabeth II, he was granted the title of “His Highness” when he became the leader of the Ismaili Muslims.

He was highly devoted to charity and extensively participated in charitable work. He was widely credited for facilitating a dialogue between the Muslim world and the West. He stood clear of politics and also played an important role in facilitating cultural exchange.

Aga Khan’s demise has invited streams of tributes from across the globe with many of them sharing their condolences on social media.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau called him as an 'extraordinary man of vision, faith' and a 'good friend'. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described him as a 'symbol of peace, tolerance, and compassion in a troubled world'.

--IANS

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