India

Raigad (Maharashtra), Dec 20 (IANS) At least five persons were killed and another 27 injured when a private luxury bus carrying a marriage party lost control and overturned in the Tamhini Ghat section of Raigad district on Friday, officials said.

The bus, owned by Purple Travels, was headed from Lohegaon in Pune district to Birwadi village in Mahad (Raigad) carrying people going to attend a marriage ceremony when the disaster struck.

The victims include three women and two men, while the injured have been rushed to the Mangaon Rural Hospital and other medicare facilities in Raigad.

The fatalities include Sangita Dhananjay Jadhav, Vandana Jadhav, Shilpa Pradeep Pawar, Gaurav Ashok Darade and another unidentified male member who was part of the wedding team of the Jadhav clan.

According to preliminary information, the bus was speeding from Lohegaon to Birwadi in the ghat sections, but while negotiating a sharp curve on the highway, the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle.

Moments later, around 9.30 a.m. the bus toppled to the sides on the sloping route, overturned, and crashed beside the road as many of the injured occupants screamed for help.

Some local villagers and others rushed to render assistance and informed the Mangaon Police which also reached the spot with rescue teams and medical aid, plus cleared the traffic.

Many of the injured victims were trapped inside the bus and were taken out by the rescuers and shifted to hospital, while five of them had succumbed instantly in the accident, said an official of Mangaon Police Station.

During the rescue operation, the survivors attired in their wedding finery were seen sitting beside the highway, wailing at the shocking tragedy and loss of lives of their near and dear ones, all bound for an auspicious marriage function, which turned into a tearful affair.

--IANS

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Raipur, Dec 20 (IANS) Amid ongoing tensions surrounding the scuffle within the Parliament premises and the subsequent FIR lodged against Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, senior Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has demanded that CCTV footage of the incident be made public.

Speaking to IANS, Baghel questioned the absence of CCTV evidence despite the high-security coverage of the Parliament complex. He stated, "Even 24 hours after the incident, there is no CCTV footage. Every corner of the Parliament complex is under surveillance. This is clearly a fabricated allegation aimed at defaming Rahul Gandhi and distracting the public from real issues. They will go to any lengths to achieve this."

Baghel also targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of making 'inflammatory' remarks.

"Whatever is in their hearts has come out through the mouth of Amit Shah. The BJP neither respects the Constitution nor its architect, Dr BR Ambedkar. That is why such derogatory remarks were made against Ambedkar. Our party president and Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, have demanded Amit Shah's resignation and a public apology," Baghel told IANS.

The altercation occurred during separate protests held by Members of Parliament from both the BJP and the Congress, each accusing the other of disrespecting Dalit icon B.R. Ambedkar. According to BJP, two MPs were injured during the incident, alleging that Rahul Gandhi physically assaulted and incited others. An FIR was subsequently lodged against him based on a BJP complaint.

The Congress has categorically denied the accusations. Rahul Gandhi responded, stating that BJP members were the aggressors, claiming they pushed and threatened him while he was attempting to enter Parliament House. The Congress also lodged a complaint in connection with the matter.

Talking about the law and order situation in Chhattisgarh, Baghel criticised the state government's track record under the BJP, highlighting concerns over the safety of marginalised communities.

"The law and order situation in Chhattisgarh is appalling. There have been numerous incidents that reflect this. Under this government, neither tribals nor Dalits are safe," he remarked.

--IANS

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Bhopal, Dec 20 (IANS) As the five-day winter session of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly concluded on Friday, as many as 10 Bills (Amendments) were passed during the House proceedings.

During five days of the session, high-voltage drama and protest over various public issues, allegations and counter-allegations from both the ruling BJP and opposition Congress, were witnessed in and outside the House.

However, despite heated exchanges between the members of BJP and Congress, the listed business was transacted, including the supplementary budget of Rs 22,460 crore, which was allocated for several departments to meet the expenses for completing several key projects.

The BJP-ruling state government brought as many as 10 Bills (Amendment) pertaining to different subjects and all those were passed with a majority. Interestingly, many of them were passed even without discussion in the House, and the Opposition also agreed on them.

The Assembly members debated mainly on two important Bills -- one related to private school fees aimed at ending the arbitrariness of private schools on fee hikes, and another 'Jan Vishwas' (Amendment of Provisions) Bill-2024.

The government said the Amendment Bill, approved targets the schools that are taking fees of more than Rs 25,000 per year and imposing arbitrary charges in the name of bus services and other charges. A high-power committee will be formed to monitor the school fee issue.

The MP Assembly also passed the 'Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill-2024' and became the first state to do so taking inspiration from the central government's Jan Vishwas Act, 2023, according to a government release.

The Bill introduced aimed at making life and business easier for the public and entrepreneurs by simplifying legal processes and ensuring transparency.

According to the government, the Bill amends 64 sections in eight acts of five departments of the state which include Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion, Energy, Co-operation, Labour and Urban Development and Housing departments.

"These include reforms like converting imprisonment into a fine, converting punishment into penalty and adding compounding provisions. Additionally, 920 outdated acts were eliminated," the government said.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) Several political leaders, particularly from the Opposition, have welcomed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat's statement condemning certain Hindu leaders for raising issues about new Hindu sites driven by hate and enmity.

However, they expressed skepticism about the actions of the Sangh Parivar and its affiliates.

Congress leader Husain Dalwai, speaking to IANS, lauded Bhagwat's remarks but questioned the RSS' role in ongoing societal tensions. “Mohan Bhagwat’s statement is correct, but what about the violence against Muslims -- mob lynchings, demolitions of their homes, and other oppressive acts? These actions are carried out by those who follow RSS ideology. Why is nothing done to stop them?” he told IANS.

Dalwai urged Bhagwat to take a stronger stand against divisive forces within his organisation.

“I respect Mohan Bhagwat. The RSS wields immense influence and could expel such elements, but it doesn’t. Bhagwat ji must clarify what Hindutva truly represents -- is it about coexistence, or is it against Muslims? Which Hindutva does he believe in?”

He criticised the RSS, claiming its ideology fosters division.

“They teach four things -- lying, oppressing society, inciting violence, and using nationalism in the name of Hindutva. These are harmful to the country’s unity,” Dalwai said.

Maharashtra Congress leader Naseem Khan also welcomed Bhagwat's statement but expressed doubts about its implementation.

“It’s good to hear such remarks, but what is their impact? India today faces widespread conflict -- Muslims are being targeted, mob lynchings continue, and even the Constitution is under attack,” he told IANS.

Khan highlighted the disconnect between Bhagwat’s statements and actions on the ground. “The RSS speaks of unity but practices division. The people causing these disturbances are closely tied to the Sangh Parivar,” he remarked.

NCP (SP) leader and former MP Majeed Memon echoed these concerns. While appreciating Bhagwat’s statement, he expressed frustration over the lack of action. “Bhagwat often makes good statements, but they are rarely implemented. He should address these issues within the RSS and ensure real change rather than publicity,” Memon told IANS.

Memon criticised the government for its treatment of Muslims. “The Prime Minister’s slogan of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ feels like a conspiracy. Muslim homes are bulldozed, mosques demolished, and they are vilified as terrorists. Bhagwat’s words need to translate into action,” he said.

Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Choudhary also welcomed Bhagwat’s remarks, calling upon other BJP leaders to follow suit. “It’s surprising to hear such a statement from Mohan Bhagwat. I hope this signals a shift. The country needs to focus on real public issues rather than exploiting religion for political gain,” Choudhary told IANS.

While leaders have broadly welcomed Bhagwat’s comments, they remain cautious, emphasizing the need for tangible steps on the ground to address societal divisions and uphold secular values.

Earlier on Thursday at an event in Pune, Bhagwat expressed concern over the resurgence of temple-mosque disputes across the nation, slamming individuals who exploit such issues to project themselves as "leaders of Hindus".

"The Ram Temple was about faith, and Hindus wanted it built. But raising disputes about new sites out of hate is unacceptable," he said, adding, "Some people think they can become leaders of Hindus by creating new controversies. How is this allowed?"

He further condemned acts of extremism and religious intolerance, asserting that such behaviour is against India's cultural ethos. "Forcefulness and disrespect toward other religions are not part of our culture," Bhagwat stated.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday revealed that New Delhi has taken "seriously" the latest threat issued by the US-based Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun against India's Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra and raised it accordingly with the authorities in Washington.

In a recent video, Pannun threatened that Kwatra is on the radar of pro-Khalistani Sikhs in America for allegedly coordinating with Russian authorities, who in turn were providing inputs to Indian intelligence agencies on the Khalistani network in the United States.

"As and when such threats are issued, we take them very seriously and raise them with the US government. In this particular case also, we have raised it with the US government and it is our expectation that the United States government will take our security concerns seriously and act on it," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday.

A former Foreign Secretary, Kwatra took charge as India's Ambassador to the United States in August this year, succeeding Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

His appointment came at a time when Khalistani separatists continue to target Hindu community in the country and also the Indian missions.

Khalistanis have been found to be involved in incidents of defacement of temples, including in California and New York, and also in acts of arson and vandalism at the Indian embassy in San Francisco.

Several lawmakers, including Shri Thanedar - a Democrat elected to the House of Representatives from Michigan state - have raised alarm over the "substantial increase" in attacks on Hindus and their places of worship in the United States.

The lawmaker had recently expressed frustration with the investigating agency for their failure to find the culprits behind the incidents at the temples and the consulate.

"It appears to be a very coordinated effort to attack these places of worship which has created a lot of fear in the community. And often what we have seen is that the law enforcement, the local law enforcement enters into these investigations and rarely any suspects have been identified, and that investigation goes nowhere.

“What that does is that it leaves the community feeling like nobody cares about them. Nobody reports back to them on what's going on. And that means that the community continues to live in fear, the computing community continues to live in an adverse situation with essentially no help from law enforcement," he said.

The lawmaker went on to state that he and his colleagues are asking the US Department of Justice for "coordinated efforts between the local law enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Department of Justice, and higher priority needs to be assigned to such hate crimes against this peaceful community".

--IANS

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Patna, Dec 20 (IANS) The two-day Bihar Business Connect 2024 witnessed the signing of memoranda of understanding (MoUs) for investments to the tune of Rs 1.8 lakh crore in the state by leading industrial groups of the country, Bihar Industries & Tourism Minister Nitish Mishra said on Friday.

The proposed investments represent a three-fold jump over the corresponding figure for the maiden investor summit held in Bihar last year.

The Adani Group which has emerged as the largest investor in the state unveiled investment plans of Rs 29,700 crore while Sun Petrochemicals proposes to invest Rs 36,700 crore and public sector giant NHPC has lined up 5,500 crore for the renewable energy sector.

Other MoUs that were signed at the Bihar Business Connect 2024 include SLMG Beverages for Rs 3,000 crore in the food processing sector, Shree Cements plans Rs 800 crore in the general manufacturing category while Haldiram Snacks Pvt Ltd has proposed an investment of Rs 300 crore in food processing sector.

Adani Enterprises Director Pranav Adani said that the Group plans to invest around Rs 20,000 crore to set up an ultra-supercritical thermal power plant, and another Rs 2,500 crore in setting up cement manufacturing plants. The power project is expected to open up at least 12,000 job vacancies in the pre-commissioning phase – and also lead to around 1,500 skilled jobs during the operational phase, he added.

Besides, the group has lined up investments in the infrastructure sector and city gas distribution projects.

During the second day of the Bihar Business Connect 2024, Dilip Shanghvi, Managing Director of Sun Petrochemical, announced a transformative investment of Rs 36,700 crore in renewable energy and storage infrastructure in Bihar.

“This initiative, aimed at strengthening green infrastructure and aligning with the Central government's renewable energy focus, is projected to create over 30,000 jobs in the state,” he said.

The summit itself has been a remarkable success, attracting 850 representatives from Indian and international companies. Over 350 companies are expected to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Bihar government, the minister said.

--IANS

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Chandigarh, Dec 20 (IANS) Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatraya on Friday expressed grief over the demise of former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala.

In his condolence message, Governor Dattatraya described Chautala as a seasoned politician and visionary leader who dedicated his life to the service of the people of Haryana.

"Om Prakash Chautala's contributions to the development of Haryana and his commitment to the welfare of its people particularly 'kisaans' (farmers) will always be remembered. His demise is a great loss to the state and its people," said Dattatraya.

Recalling his personal experience with Chautala, the Governor said: "When I was Union Urban Development Minister, Chautala was the CM of Haryana. He met me regarding the development of the National Capital Region.

"During the meeting of the NCR Development Board, Chautala, who was also a member, used to share his valuable insights and vision about the region's all-round development," the Governor said.

"Despite age, Chautala was active in public life. Only recently, I met his son Abhay Chautala at Raj Bhavan. I inquired about Om Prakash Chautala's health and conveyed my best wishes to him," he said.

Dattatraya spoke to Abhay and extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed for strength to help them endure this irreparable loss.

"May the departed soul rest in eternal peace," added Dattatraya.

Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) president and five-time Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, whose family ruled the state's dusty and defection-ridden politics for decades largely in rural areas with predominant Jat voters, died in Gurugram after a cardiac arrest.

The 89-year-old leader suffered a cardiac arrest at his home and was rushed to Medanta Hospital but he passed away.

Family said the elderly Chautala would be cremated at Teja Khera in Sirsa district on Saturday afternoon. His body would be kept there from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for people to pay respects.

--IANS

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Srinagar, Dec 20 (IANS) Senior religious leader and separatist Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest in J&K's Srinagar on Friday to prevent him from delivering the weekly sermon at the Jamia Mosque in the old city, sources close to the cleric claimed.

Although there has been no official word on it, sources in the Anjuman-e-Nusratul Islam, the socio-religious organisation headed by Mirwaiz Umar, said he had been placed under house arrest in his Nigeen residence on the outskirts of the city.

The sources said a posse of police posted outside his house refused to let the Mirwaiz move outside his house.

Mirwaiz Umar has been in house arrest most of the time since 2019 and his weekly sermons at the Jamia Mosque take place only when he is allowed to move out of his home.

The administration has not issued any statement on whether the Mirwaiz is under house arrest or not.

The separate conglomerate, All Parties Hurriyat Conference was formed in 1993 and Mirwaiz Umar was chosen as its first Chairman. Senior hardline separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani formed his own Hurriyat group in September 2003.

Mirwaiz Umar, however, continued to lead his own group of the conglomerate. He also heads Anjuman-e-Nusratul Islam which manages the affairs of the Jamia Masjid in the old city's Nowhatta area in addition to running the historic Islamia School in Rajouri Kadal area of Srinagar.

In 1899, the then Mirwaiz, Molvi Rasool Shah formed this organisation. The organisation, started in a cottage, later became a prominent educational organisation that imparted both secular and religious education to Kashmiris. In addition to his religious duties, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been closely associated with social and educational work. He himself had schooling in the Christian missionary Burnhall School in Srinagar.

--IANS

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Kolkata, Dec 20 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Friday rejected the state government’s objections on the venue for the sit-in protest by the West Bengal Joint Platform of Doctors, an association of senior doctors, against the default bail granted to two accused of tampering with the evidence in the case of the ghastly rape and murder of a woman junior doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital within the hospital premises in August.

The single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh on Thursday already gave permission to the doctors’ body to hold the sit-in-demonstration at Doreena Crossing in central Kolkata.

At the same time, the bench gave the opportunity to the administration to furnish its views by Friday on the possible restrictions on the programme.

However, on Friday, the counsel for the state government objected to the venue of the demonstration on grounds of traffic congestion on occasions of Christmas and New Year’s Eve and suggested an alternative location in the area for the event.

However, Justice Ghosh refused to accept the argument and said that when he had already given permission on Thursday for the demonstration to be conducted at Doreena Crossing, there was no reason for the administration to raise objections on the venue.

He advised the state administration to raise a seven-foot tall guardrail around the protest venue and ensure the protesters stayed within the enclosure during the protest period. He also said that under no circumstance, the protest programme can be extended beyond December 26.

He also ruled that the protesters should not make any objectionable comment from the protest venue or do anything that might hamper the festive mood of the city in this part of the year.

Justice Ghosh also ruled that under no circumstance the number of protesters assembling at the venue should exceed 250.

Last week, a special court in Kolkata granted default bail to the former and controversial principal of R.G. Kar Sandip Ghosh and the former SHO of Tala Police Station Abhijit Mondal as the CBI failed to file the supplementary charge sheet against the two within 90 days from the day of their arrests. Both were accused of misleading the investigation and tampering with evidence while the initial investigation was being carried out by Kolkata Police. Following the development, the representatives of the medical fraternity in the state as well as the victim’s parents accused the CBI of gross incompetence

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 20 (IANS) Over 10.05 crore women from rural households have so far been mobilised into 90.87 lakh self-help groups (SHGs) under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), the Parliament was informed on Friday.

Minister of State for Rural Development Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha, that the total bank loans disbursed to SHGs till November 2024 are Rs 9.71 lakh crore.

The MoS said that the Mission is being implemented in 7,138 blocks in 742 districts across 28 States and six UTs.

The number of SHGs formed and supported under DAY-NRLM during the last three years is 21.54 lakh, he said.

DAY-NRLM provides funds to create a resource in perpetuity for the community institutions to strengthen their institutional and financial management capacity and build their track record to attract mainstream bank finance.

These include Revolving Fund of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per SHG and Community Investment Fund up to Rs 2.50 lakh per SHG. The total amount of Capitalisation Support (Revolving Fund and Community Investment Fund) provided is Rs 48,290 crore.

He said that in order to reduce the effective cost of bank credit to women SHGs, DAY-NRLM provides interest subvention to SHGs on loans from banks.

In response to another question, the MoS said that the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP), a sub-scheme under DAY-NRLM, supports the SHG women or their family members to set up small enterprises. SVEP has so far supported 3.13 lakh rural enterprises.

Elaborating on the SHG women’s engagement, the MoS said that they are deployed as Banking Correspondents Sakhis, improving access to banking services, including deposits, credit, remittances, pensions and insurance.

Number of Banking Correspondents Sakhi/Digipay Sakhi deployed with support of DAY-NRLM is 1,35,127. Under Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETI), a sub-scheme of DAY-NRLM, a total of 53.89 lakh youth have been trained, out of which 38.35 lakh have been settled so far, the MoS said.

--IANS

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