India

Thiruvananthapuram, April 5 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, state Congress President K. Sudhakaran and others on Saturday slammed the mindset of the RSS even as it withdrew an article that appeared in their mouthpiece about the land holdings of the Catholic Church and the Waqf Board.

No sooner did the article appear than the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, said that after Muslims, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to go after Christians.

The Parliament had, this week, passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill after a heated debate. Incidentally, during the debate in both houses, the opposition MPs had stated that with this legislation, the government is targeting the Waqf properties and subsequently, they will shift the focus towards other minority communities, including Christians.

Vijayan, who is busy at the ongoing 24th Party Congress of his CPI-M in Tamil Nadu's Madurai, took to his X account to express his opinion. "The article in the RSS mouthpiece @eOrganiser about the Church's ownership of land, published soon after the Waqf Amendment Act was passed, lays bare the Sangh Parivar’s deep-rooted antagonism towards minorities. Though later withdrawn, it reveals a deliberate, step-by-step attempt to target and isolate minorities and their institutions. Secular forces must unite in resistance", he wrote.

Sudhakaran, in a statement, said it is strange that the RSS mouthpiece is coming out with baseless articles and is nothing but spitting communal venom.

"The article points out that after the government, it’s the Catholic church which holds the maximum land and fixed assets, and then only the Waqf assets come. This mouthpiece is one which puts out utterly baseless reports, and there was one which said that Congress MP Benny Behanan has resigned in protest over the Congress opposing the Waqf Bill. Fail to understand why such baseless reports are put out," asked Sudhakaran, who is also the Lok Sabha member from Kannur.

Congress General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal said the ‘article’ in Organiser is very clear in showing that after Muslims, now it’s going to be the Christians.

"It has reached a stage where ‘vested interests’ have a game plan to see that the Hindus, Muslims, and Christians in Kerala take on one another. Just see what has happened to the Empuraan film, when nothing happened to those who were behind films like Kashmir Files and Kerala Story," said Venugopal, referring to the ED raids at the residence and office of "Empuraan" co-producer Gokulam Gopalan.

The Catholic Church, meanwhile, has preferred to remain silent on the article.

--IANS

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Kolkata, April 5 (IANS) A joint platform of both 'genuine' teaching and non-teaching staff losing school jobs following the recent order of the Supreme Court and the candidates who were deprived of jobs illegally to accommodate tainted ones paying money have announced that they will be organising a “march to state secretariat” agitation on April 21, unless the state government takes definite initiative in solving the problems of individuals belonging to both the categories.

At a hurriedly convened press conference on Saturday afternoon, the leaders of the joint platform christened “Chakriprarthi o Chakrahara Oikya Mancha" (Joint Platform of Jobseekers and Job-losers) claimed that they want an appointment with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by April 15, which is Bengali New Year’s Day at the state secretariat Nabanna to discuss the surfacing fiasco following the Supreme Court order.

In case, they added, no confirmation about that meeting with the Chief Minister at the state secretariat is foreseen they will be conducting a ‘March to secretariat’ rally to the state secretariat on April 21.

"We do not want empty promises anymore. So we are insisting on a meeting with the Chief Minister at the state secretariat by April 15. At that meeting we would like to discuss with the state government what can be done about the surfacing uncertainties in the matter,” said a leader of the joint platform.

However, it is yet to be clear whether the said joint platform is holding any affiliation or receiving the backing of any political party or not.

Their main grievance was that the uncertainties in the lives of both “genuine jobholders” and “deprived candidates” have surfaced because of the inability of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) to segregate the “tainted” individuals getting jobs by paying money from the “genuine” ones.

On Thursday, the apex court’s division bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar upheld an earlier order by the Calcutta High Court’s division bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi cancelling a total of 25,753 appointments made by WBSSC in its panel for 2016.

The apex court also accepted the observation of the Calcutta High Court that the entire panel had to be cancelled since the commission or the state government failed to segregate the genuine candidates from those ineligible ones getting jobs paying money.

--IANS

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Gurugram, April 5 (IANS) A cybercrime police station team of the Gurugram Police has arrested four accused for allegedly duping a victim of Rs 1.20 lakh by threatening to make fake pornographic videos viral, police said.

A complaint in this regard was filed in October 2024 at the cybercrime police station (south), and a case was later registered under the relevant sections at the police station.

During the investigation, the police team led by Inspector Naveen Kumar, station house officer of the said police station, nabbed the four accused on Friday from Sikar, Rajasthan.

The accused were identified as Sameer, Roop Kishore, Shravan, and Manoj, all residents of Sikar, Rajasthan.

"In this alleged fraud, the bank accounts of accused Sameer and Shravan were used, and accused Roop Kishore and Manoj made these bank accounts available to cyber fraudsters. In return, Shravan, Sameer, and Roop Kishore got Rs 3000, and the accused Manoj got Rs 6000," Naveen Kumar, SHO of the cybercrime police station, said.

The Gurugram Police have claimed that due to steps taken by them against cybercrime, fewer complaints were received compared to the previous year.

Police claimed that there was a 45 per cent reduction in the amount of fraud as compared to last year, and more than twice the cybercriminals were arrested compared to last year.

During the first three months, about 13.7 crore were also seized/recovered while investigating the fraud committed by cybercriminals.

According to data released by the Gurugram Police, the police received 9,891 complaints related to cybercrime during the first three months of 2024.

In the same period of 2025, a total of 9,675 complaints related to cybercrime/fraud were received.

Similarly, in relation to cyber fraud, 298 cases were registered in the year 2024 during the above time period, and 420 cases have been registered in the year 2025.

During the first three months of 2024, a total of Rs 118.87 crore was defrauded by cyber thugs, and in 2025, a total of Rs 65.34 crore was defrauded.

Likewise, in 2024, out of the amount defrauded by cyber criminals, a total of Rs 1989 crore was seized/recovered, and in the year 2025, out of the amount defrauded by cyber criminals, a total of Rs 13.7 crore was seized/recovered, thereby neutralising the incidents of cyber fraud.

During the above time period, a total of 290 accused were arrested in the year 2024, and a total of 629 accused were arrested in the year 2025.

"In view of the increasing cybercrime in the last few years, necessary direction has already been given to cyber police station teams to arrest the cybercriminals in a planned manner as well as make the general public aware through various awareness programs," Vikas Arora, Commissioner of Police, said.

--IANS

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Patna, April 5 (IANS) With Ram Navami being celebrated on Sunday, Bihar Police and law enforcement agencies across the state are on high alert to ensure peaceful celebrations.

A major focus of the security drive has been the complete ban on DJ music during the festival. Despite clear directives, several individuals have flouted the ban.

In response, the police have launched a statewide crackdown, seizing 231 DJ consoles, including 26 in Patna alone, from areas like Jakkanpur, Kadamkuan, and Sultanganj.

An official said that action is being taken under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Loudspeaker Act.

FIRs are being registered, and DJ operators are facing legal consequences for non-compliance.

“On the instructions of the Police Headquarters, a campaign is underway against DJs playing music at high volumes. This is a preventive measure to avoid law and order issues,” said a senior police official.

ADG Kundan Krishnan (Headquarters) and ADG (Law & Order) Pankaj Dar have instructed all IGs, DIGs, SSPs, and SPs across the state to enforce the ban strictly.

Prior to this, meetings had been held between police officials and DJ operators to communicate the rules, but violations have continued.

Authorities are conducting intensive vehicle checks at key intersections and maintaining a close watch on all public activities to preempt any form of disturbance.

In recent years, communal tensions and violence have marred religious processions in parts of Bihar, including incidents of stone-pelting during Ram Navami processions.

These disturbances have often been triggered by loud music and provocative displays.

“We’ve seen how quickly tensions can escalate during religious events. Our job is to prevent a repeat of past incidents. Hence, proactive and strict enforcement is necessary,” a police official added.

The current security strategy includes increased patrolling, surveillance, coordination with local communities, and preventive detentions if necessary. The police have urged the public to cooperate and celebrate Ram Navami peacefully.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, April 5 (IANS) The Karnataka unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has announced that it will stage a peaceful protest at all district headquarters across the state on April 8, opposing the Congress-led government's move to provide a 4 per cent quota for Muslims in government tenders.

Speaking to the media, Deepak Rajgopal, VHP President, Karnataka, stated, “On April 8, we will peacefully protest at all district headquarters and submit memorandums to district authorities.”

"We are aware of the new policy introduced by the current government in Karnataka, which provides 4 per cent exclusivity in all government contracts up to Rs 2 crore and in services up to Rs 1 crore to a specific community. This move is being widely opposed by Hindus who are engaged in these businesses.

“The idea behind this policy is to uplift a backward community, but offering exclusivity to just one community is not healthy for society as a whole. Economic backwardness exists in every community and is widespread. As citizens and as Hindus, we believe that everyone should have equal access to government contracts, without religion being a criterion," he added.

Referring to Constitutional principles, he said: “The Constitution prohibits such religion-based reservations. Historically, similar attempts in neighboring states have been struck down either by the Governor or by courts at various levels.”

Deepak Rajgopal stated that the move goes against the Constitution authored by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.

"This appears to be a blatant attempt to favour one community while disregarding the majority community, which is equally suffering," he said.

"Hence, the representatives of the majority community strongly urge the government to reconsider this approach. Do not ignore the Hindus, who generally remain silent but are equally affected. Let the law be upheld in the spirit in which it was framed,” he added.

"We request the government, through our karyakartas, to do justice to the majority community, which is also facing severe economic hardships, and be a government for all citizens, not just for one community,” he said.

He clarified that the protest is a democratic expression of their dissatisfaction.

“This is the most democratic way to register our appeal. We will submit memorandums to senior officials and government representatives in all taluks, districts, and the state capital,” Rajgopal said.

“Our 20 karyakartas have already met the Governor and submitted a petition. The Governor accepted our petition and observed that such a precedent does not exist in any other state,” he added.

--IANS

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New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) Young entrepreneurs in India are not merely chasing success but solving real problems rooted in communities, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary said on Saturday.

In his address at the grand finale of the Futurepreneurs Challenge at Startup Mahakumbh 2025, being held in the national capital, Chaudhary stressed the need to nurture the skills of young entrepreneurs, to help "build not just a startup nation, but a nation of responsible creators and leaders".

"What stood out to me today wasn’t just the ideas -- it was the intent. Each young entrepreneur here isn’t chasing success for the sake of it; they’re solving real problems rooted in their communities," he said.

He added that "skills and startups go hand in hand. Our job now is to nurture this instinct, strengthen the ecosystem, and make sure every student, every dreamer, feels confident that their idea has a place in India’s future".

Startup Mahakumbh 2025, a gathering of over 3,000 startups, 1,000 investors, and 50+ global delegations, solidified India’s position among the world’s top-three startup ecosystems.

The Futurepreneurs Challenge showcased some of the country’s brightest student innovators who presented their pioneering solutions on a national platform.

The Challenge featured 10 standout student teams who presented their groundbreaking innovations in a rapid-fire format before Chaudhary and an esteemed audience of investors, policymakers, and industry leaders.

The MoS congratulated and felicitated the top 10 startups, recognising them as emerging changemakers in India's startup journey.

The top prize went to Chitkara University, Chandigarh, for Stick Buddy, a smart assistive device designed for the visually impaired, featuring obstacle detection, time-date updates, and emergency alerts.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, April 5 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a young woman was waylaid and sexually harassed under the Banasawadi police station limits in Bengaluru.

The incident occurred three days ago on Hennur Main Road, near the Indian Petrol Bunk in the Banasawadi locality, and has come to light only recently.

According to the police, the incident took place when the victim was riding her scooter from her friend’s residence to her own at around 4.30 a.m. Taking advantage of the deserted surroundings, two miscreants chased her scooter and waylaid her.

They behaved inappropriately and sexually harassed her by touching her private parts. When the woman raised an alarm, passers-by stopped and came to her rescue. However, when the public attempted to catch the accused, they threatened them with a knife and managed to flee the scene.

The victim has filed a complaint at the Banasawadi police station. Based on her statement, the police have registered an FIR and launched a manhunt for the accused. They have also obtained CCTV footage related to the incident.

Earlier, a young woman migrant labourer from Bihar was kidnapped and raped when she was searching for food with her brother in the early hours of Thursday near a railway station in Bengaluru. The incident was reported from the Mahadevapura police station limits.

On November 11, 2024, a young woman walking in the dark was inappropriately touched by a man on a bike in Bengaluru’s Ramamurthy Nagar. The act, caught on CCTV, had gone viral. The biker, identified as Arun, behaved in an obscene manner and was arrested just two hours after the woman filed a complaint at the Ramamurthy Nagar police station.

In another incident, a woman was allegedly gang raped in front of her two sons in a private bus in Karnataka’s Davanagere district. The incident came to light on April 4. The police nabbed three accused rapists in connection with the case.

--IANS

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Kolkata, April 5 (IANS) Two senior BJP leaders in West Bengal on Saturday claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is trying to confuse the people in the state on the issue of cancellation of the 25,753 school jobs following an order of the Supreme Court last week, by constantly blaming others.

They have also accused the Chief Minister of adopting the same stance of creating confusion as she allegedly did in the case of the ghastly rape and murder of a lady junior doctor of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata within the hospital premises in August last year.

“The Chief Minister is avoiding the basic question of why the state government failed to segregate the 'tainted' individuals getting jobs by paying money from the 'genuine' ones. She is realising that first because of the R.G. Kar tragedy and then because of the job loss, the general public sentiment is against her as well as her party, and her government. That is why she is trying to confuse people by blaming everyone other than her and her government for this fiasco. She tried to create the same confusion in the case of R.G. Kar tragedy,” former national vice-president of BJP and ex-Lok Sabha member Dilip Ghosh told mediapersons on Saturday.

According to the leader of the opposition in the state assembly Suvendu Adhikari, the state government had deliberately not ensured the segregation of the “tainted” ones from “genuine” ones since in that case, the Trinamool Congress leaders had collected money for arranging jobs from the backdoor.

“Now everything is clear to everyone following subsequent orders from the Calcutta High Court and the apex court. This has left the Chief Minister confused and hence she is now trying to confuse others by making misleading statements,” the leader of the opposition said.

Trinamool Congress leaders have claimed that the BJP, instead of sympathising with the individuals who are set to lose job is trying to do politics over the tragedy and that is why it will be again rejected by the people of West Bengal like in past elections.

The crucial assembly elections in West Bengal are scheduled for next year.

--IANS

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New Delhi, April 5 (IANS) Aiming to gain first-hand insight into innovative rainwater harvesting, flood management, and water conservation practices, a team led by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Vice-Chairman Kuljeet Singh Chahal visited Surat, an official said on Saturday.

Chahal met Union Minister C.R. Patil during the visit and informed the Minister about NDMC’s ongoing efforts in New Delhi, including the redevelopment of 272 rainwater harvesting pits and the construction of 101 new ones.

He emphasised that these efforts were a part of the commitment to fulfil the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of achieving zero water logging in NDMC areas and significantly improving the city’s groundwater levels.

The Surat meeting came close to a presentation that the NDMC made last month before the Union Minister, outlining plans for waterlogging prevention and drainage system upgrades in the NDMC area.

“Based on the discussions during that meeting, the Surat study tour was organised to observe and learn from one of the most successful urban water management models in the country,” said an official.

Chahal, while briefing about Surat’s Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), said that the centre was operationalised in 2016 under the Smart City Mission to strengthen inter-departmental coordination and improve the delivery of civic services.

This state-of-the-art facility integrates data from over 30 municipal services -- including BRTS, traffic management, emergency response, CCTV surveillance, streetlight monitoring, and grievance redressal -- onto a single, unified platform, he said.

Chahal added that the current ICCC of NDMC lacks several integrated services that are successfully implemented in Surat and emphasised the need to upgrade it by adopting the Surat model.

He said the NDMC team, during its visit to Surat, went to the Tertiary Treatment Plant at Bamroli, the Groundwater Recharge System at the Bio-Diversity Park.

“The Bio-Diversity Park, developed on a former waste dumping ground, stood as a shining example of the ‘waste to wealth’ concept under the Smart Cities Mission,” added Chahal.

--IANS

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Jaipur, April 5 (IANS) Lawrence Bishnoi gang member and Kuchaman resident Aditya Jain was presented in court in Kuchaman City on Saturday amid tight security.

An official said that the entire court premises were cleared during his appearance, and a large deployment of police personnel was seen throughout the area.

Aditya, who was brought from Jaipur under special security arrangements, was first taken to the Kuchaman police station for necessary legal procedures.

The official said that Aditya was then produced before the court, which remanded him to judicial custody.

He said that additionally, police sought permission for his arrest under a protection warrant in Case No. 403, adding that the court approved his arrest under this warrant.

ADG Crime Dinesh MN of the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) stated that Aditya Jain, also known as Tony, is an active member of the extortion network operated by notorious gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Rohit Godara - both currently incarcerated in Gujarat.

Aditya has seven criminal cases registered against him across various districts in Rajasthan. These cases include serious offenses such as kidnapping, rape, extortion through intimidation, possession of illegal weapons, facilitating mobile phones and other items for jailed criminals, and fraud involving identity changes.

He is also a wanted accused in a high-profile extortion case involving the collection of crores of rupees from five businessmen in Kuchaman.

In this case, the Kuchaman Police had earlier arrested four individuals - Shafiq Khan, Faheem Pathan, Soyeb, and Sarfaraz alias Vicky. Aditya Jain, along with Rohit Godara and Virendra Charan, was listed among the wanted accused.

“We did our homework well and coordinated with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and SpiceJet for deporting the notorious criminal Aditya Jain, who is an active member of the Lawrence-Rohit Godara gang to Jaipur from Dubai,” Additional Director General (ADG) of Crime, Dinesh MN told IANS.

Aditya was arrested by the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Rajasthan team from Dubai and brought to Jaipur on Friday morning.

ADG Dinesh said that Aditya, a key operative of the gang, was reportedly operating its “control room,” providing communication support and managing call facilities for gang members.

“He is wanted in multiple cases of extortion, firing incidents, and other crimes committed by the gang over the years,” said Dinesh MN.

--IANS

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