India

New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Pushpa Singh, the Congress candidate from Mehrauli, expressed confidence in her party's victory in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, emphasising the urgent need for development in the constituency.

Addressing the media on Friday, Singh assured the people of Mehrauli that the Congress would bring the much-needed change to the area.

“The day I filed my nomination, the support from my entire village was overwhelming,” Pushpa Singh said.

“People are thrilled to see a candidate who believes in the development of Mehrauli. For years, this constituency has been yearning for progress, and now it’s time for that to happen," she said.

Singh further pointed out the deteriorating condition of basic infrastructure in the area, saying, “Look at the streets, roads, and sewerage system. If the basic facilities, like clean water, good roads, and proper sewerage, are provided, then I will consider it a success. My priority will be to fix these fundamental issues first. If Mehrauli develops, it will be a model for the entire Assembly.”

Describing her connection with the people, Singh added, “Whenever I step out of my house, the people follow me. It feels like I’m not walking alone. The support is overwhelming, and the desire for change is palpable. This time, the Congress will bring real development, and I am determined to lead that charge.”

Singh also took a moment to emphasise her integrity, stating, “The character of the other candidates in this race has been questioned. But my family, my house, and my politics are clean. If anyone can point out a stain on my character, I will leave politics. We stand with the people, day and night, working with dedication and efficiency.”

Singh’s message was clear: The public is rallying behind her vision of Mehrauli’s transformation.

“On February 5th, I urge all the residents of Mehrauli to vote for the Congress. Press that button, and together, we will bring development to every street, every road, every sewer, and every water system in Mehrauli. The constituency is desperate for these changes, and I am committed to delivering them," she said.

As Delhi’s Assembly elections approach on February 5, with results to be declared on February 8, the competition remains fierce.

The AAP, which has dominated Delhi politics for over a decade, and the BJP, eager to regain ground, will both be eyeing a win. In the midst of this contest, the Congress is hoping for a strong comeback, with Pushpa Singh leading the charge for change in Mehrauli.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Aiming to build a resilient cyberspace in the region, BIMSTEC member states propose to implement an action plan in the next five years for cyber incident response and protection of critical information infrastructures, an official said on Friday.

The decision on formulating the action plan was taken at the Second Meeting of the BIMSTEC Expert Group on Cyber Security Cooperation, organised here by the National Security Council Secretariat, according to an official statement.

The action plan will cover mechanisms for the exchange of cyber-related information, cybercrime, protection of critical information infrastructures, cyber incident response and international developments related to cyber norms.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a regional organisation established on June 6, 1997 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration.

The Second Meeting of the BIMSTEC Expert Group was held on January 21, carrying forward the agenda and momentum built at the First BIMSTEC Experts Group Meeting on Cyber Security hosted by India in 2022 in New Delhi.

The main objective of the BIMSTEC Expert Group meeting was to formulate an "Action Plan" which will bolster coordination and collaboration amongst member states for strengthening cyber security in the use of ICTs.

Significant exchanges during the second meeting included the BIMSTEC CERT-TO-CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) cooperation mechanism, Cybercrime Cooperation Framework amongst the Law Enforcement agencies and capacity building programmes on cyber security in the region.

During the various sessions at the second meeting of the BIMSTEC Expert Group on Cyber Security Cooperation, India also made presentations about its initiatives on the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) on 'Cyber Hygiene for school children'.

The meeting agreed that the action plan's implementation will be a major step towards strengthening cyber security cooperation in BIMSTEC, the statement said.

It said that with these steps, BIMSTEC countries can work together to create a more secure and resilient cyberspace in the region.

--IANS

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Ranchi, Jan 24 (IANS) The Jharkhand High Court has issued notices to both the Central and State Governments in response to a petition seeking that the religious arrangements at Parasnath Hill, a major Jain pilgrimage site, be maintained in accordance with the religious beliefs and practices of the Jain community.

The petition was filed by the Jain organisation which raised concerns about activities at the site that contradict Jain religious principles.

The court has directed both governments to file their replies addressing the issues raised in the petition. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for February 19.

Parasnath Hill, located in the Giridih district of Jharkhand, is a major religious site for Jains, not only in India but globally. The petitioners argue that the sale of liquor and meat in the vicinity of the hill over the years is against the religious beliefs and sentiments of the Jain community.

The petition also highlights concerns regarding encroachment in the pilgrimage area, which the state government has reportedly failed to control effectively.

During the hearing, the court stressed upon the importance of respecting the religious sentiments of all communities.

Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan was reminded by the court that any act that hurts the religious sentiments of a community is a serious matter. The court underlined the need for religious sites to be preserved for the benefit of their devotees.

Representing the petitioners, Senior Advocate Darius Khambata, along with advocates Indrajit Sinha, Khushboo Kataruka, and Shubham Kataruka, argued that the state government’s current approach is undermining the religious sanctity of Parasnath Hill by developing the site as a tourist destination.

They pointed out that the sale of liquor and meat at the site is deeply offensive to the Jain community’s religious values.

In support of their position, the petitioners reminded the court of a notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change of the Central Government on January 5, 2023.

--IANS

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Kolkata, Jan 24 (IANS) West Bengal is becoming the choicest hub for setting up operational bases by inter-state online racket gangs targeting foreign citizens.

These are the recent findings of both central and state law enforcement agencies after busting some such rackets in the state.

Sources said that while targeting West Bengal on this count, such inter-state rackets follow a definite pattern for setting up operational bases there.

The first step is identification of the locations for setting up such operations.

Rented office accommodations in and around Kolkata are being given the maximum preference, especially those pockets that house many ordinary ITES sector units.

The second step, sources added, involves recruitment of unemployed youths with workable knowledge of Information Technology and then arranging for their proper training before engaging them in forgery rackets.

An interesting thing that the state and Kolkata Police have unearthed is that often experts from other states come to West Bengal for a certain period of time to conduct the training of the new recruits.

A state police insider said that earlier this week two such trainers were arrested from Nakashipara area in Nadia district and both of them came to West Bengal from Champaran district in neighbouring Bihar to conduct detailed training programmes for the new recruits.

They were arrested along with their local agents in Nadia district who had arranged for the logistical support to conduct the training.

Currently all four of them, namely Abhishek Kumar Rajak, Jitendra Kumar, Souvik Kar and Faizan Mondal are in police custody.

After the first two steps are over, sources added, the final step is to give the rented offices the camouflage of a call centre and then subsequently start the forgery operations involving the new recruits.

On Thursday, the officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) busted such a racket in West Bengal by conducting parallel raid and search operations at 10 such operational bases of the rackets in and around Kolkata.

The racket involved defrauding overseas citizens under the pretext of providing them with software- related services through fake call centres and thereafter diverting the proceedings collected abroad in the form of cryptocurrencies.

--IANS

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Ballari (Karnataka), Jan 24 (IANS) Cyber criminals have siphoned off Rs 2.3 crore after targeting a rural bank in Ballari district of Karnataka, said officials on Friday.

According to police, the incident was reported from the Ballari District Credit Cooperative (BDCC) bank in the limits of Hospet Town police station. The bank operates in the neighbouring Vijayanagar and Ballari districts.

The case has now been transferred to Ballari Cybercrime, Economic Offences, Narcotics (CEN) police station.

The preliminary investigations have indicated that the accused had targeted RTGS and NEFT transactions after managing to hack the system. The accused were able to change the account numbers and IFSC codes from XML files.

The police said the cyber crooks struck on January 10 when the cash transfers were made from the BDCC bank to the IDBI bank. The investigations have revealed that though the beneficiary names were not changed, instead of money getting transferred to their account, it was credited into 25 different bank accounts of various banks in different states in north India.

Sources stated that the fraud came to light after a series of complaints on January 10. Many branches of the BDCC bank have reported cases in this regard.

The authorities came to know about the cyber fraud on January 13. It came out in the investigation that the deposits of more than Rs 5 lakh have gone into other accounts.

The bank has suspended the RTGS/NEFT transfers following the online fraud coming to light. The authorities have filed an initial complaint with Hopset Town police station.

The police have registered ca ase under the IT Act and various sections of the BNS Act and investigating the crime.

An incident of cyber criminals conning a Japanese national and extorting Rs 35 lakh from him was reported from Bengaluru on December 27, 2024.

Hiroshi Sasaki, a 59-year-old Japanese national, has complained in this regard with the South East Cybercrime, Economic Offences, Narcotics (CEN) Crime police station.

A case of a state government employee falling victim to cybercriminals and being robbed of Rs 19 lakh after being digitally arrested for six hours in the Tumakuru district of Karnataka was reported on December 24, 2024. According to police, the accused had called the victim officer on the phone and introduced himself as a staffer from the Mumbai Crime Branch. The accused further charged that the money had been transferred illegally from his account.

An incident of a software professional losing Rs 11 crore after falling victim to digital arrest was reported from Bengaluru on December 23, 2024. According to the police, the cyber fraudsters disguised themselves as police officials from the Mumbai Crime Branch and committed the crime.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) The ongoing International Solar Conference celebrates the birth and growth of solar astronomy and physics in India, said the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) on Friday.

The IIA organised the conference on the theme ‘Sun, Space Weather, and Solar-Stellar Connections’ to commemorate the 125th anniversary of its Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO). “This conference celebrates the birth and growth of solar astronomy and solar physics in the country.

With experts from across the world, it will discuss all aspects of the Sun as well as space weather,” said Prof. Annapurni Subramaniam, Director of IIA, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

In the last 125 years, the KSO has been providing invaluable insights into the Sun's behaviour and its impact on Earth through its repository of photographic images.

It has been the harbinger of the birth of solar astrophysics in the country. In a video message, DST Secretary, Prof. Abhay Karandikar, spoke about initiatives undertaken by the IIA like the digitisation of KSO’s historic records, as well as the institute’s significant contribution to the Aditya-L1 mission.

He also underlined upcoming ventures like the National Large Solar Telescope proposed to be built at Merak, on the banks of Pangong Tso in Ladakh, while adding that “the efforts promise to open new frontiers of discovery in solar astrophysics”.

“ISRO has all the capabilities to help the solar physics research from space,” A.S. Kiran Kumar, former ISRO Chairman, and the chair of the Governing Council of IIA. He also challenged the community to come up with ideas for new instruments that ISRO can launch.

Established in 1899, the KSO is a cornerstone of Indian astronomy and has been at the forefront of solar research in the country. The observatory's unique location, coupled with its state-of-the-art equipment, has enabled it to make significant contributions to our understanding of sunspots, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and other solar phenomena.

The event, being held in Bengaluru, Karnataka from January 20-25, saw the participation of more than 200 solar physicists from India and abroad.

They discussed research in areas like solar magnetism, solar-stellar connection, and space weather.

The conference features a diverse programme of presentations, discussions, and poster sessions, allowing participants to share their latest findings, exchange ideas, foster collaborations, and strengthen international cooperation.

--IANS

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Hyderabad, Jan 24 (IANS) Telangana Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy had a narrow escape when cars in his convoy piled up in Suryapet district on Friday.

The incident occurred near Garidepalli when the minister was en route to attend Urs celebrations at Janpahad.

Eight cars in the minister's convoy were damaged in the collision when his vehicle suddenly stopped.

The minister reportedly wanted to meet party workers standing by the roadside and asked the driver of his vehicle to stop.

No one was hurt in the incident but eight cars suffered minor damages. The minister later resumed his journey.

Meanwhile, a truck overturned in Hyderabad's Lakdi Ka Pul area on Friday, resulting in a massive traffic jam in the heart of the city.

A tragedy was averted as the vehicle overturned when only a few vehicles were plying in the area.

The accident, however, led to a huge traffic jam on roads leading to Nampally and Secretariat. Police swung into action to control the traffic.

A crane was deployed to remove the truck. Hyderabad also witnessed two fire accidents on Friday.

In the first incident, seven new cars were gutted when a huge fire broke out in the Mahindra car showroom in the Kondapur area.

Fire tenders rushed to the area and doused the fire. There were no casualties in the incident. Fire services officials suspect short-circuit led to the mishap.

In another accident, three roadside shops were gutted in a fire in the Nizampet area. The incident occurred near the Fitness Studio.

The fire broke out in a food stall due to a gas cylinder explosion and spread to two adjoining shops. Fire engines rushed to the spot and doused the flames.

Police said there were no casualties. Police registered a case and took up further investigation.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) India’s manufacturing sector recorded a strong growth in January this year led by a sharp rise in new export orders and a likely flurry of restocking activity around the world, according to the HSBC flash PMI report released on Friday.

Based on an analysis of 100 activity indicators, the report suggests that the growth momentum has improved in the quarter ending December with 65 per cent of the indicators growing at a positive clip in the December quarter compared to 55 per cent in the previous one.

However, the services PMI in January was a tad lower than last month, the statement said.

“The divergence between manufacturing and services could be driven by tariff fears. We find that new export orders rose sharply for manufacturers, in fact, more sharply than the rise in domestic orders or the rise in service orders. This, we think, can be attributed to rapid restocking around the world, before new likely tariffs kick in. And manufacturing output responded to these new orders by raising output rapidly,” the report states.

Trends in the cost pressures diverged as well. While the input prices eased to a ten-month low for manufacturers, prices rose for the service providers -- the fastest since August 2023. Consequently, prices charged by the service providers rose. However, their margins continued to deteriorate as the rise in prices charged did not keep up with cost increases. Manufacturers' margins, on the other hand, improved, according to the report.

It also points out that inflation is on its way down, and expected to fall further to 4.2 per cent in January which is likely to pave the way for an easing of monetary policy. HSBC expects two rate cuts of 25bp each over February and April, taking the repo rate to 6 per cent.

The flash PMI provides an advance indication of the final Manufacturing, Services and Composite PMI data for the ongoing month, and is released approximately one week prior to the release of the final PMI indices. The flash PMI is typically based on approximately 80 per cent-90 per cent of total PMI survey responses that are received each month, all of which are used in the final release.

--IANS

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Bhopal, Jan 24 (IANS) In a fresh attack on Congress over the legacy of Dr B. R. Ambedkar, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Friday that the grand old party has misused the Constitution for its own benefits and now is "shedding crocodile tears".

Talking to media persons on Friday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said Madhya Pradesh, which is the birthplace of Dr Ambedkar, is progressing with the concept of "equality" and "co-existence".

"Congress is doing drama to hide its sins, but the people of the country and Madhya Pradesh have understood their real character. What Congress did with Mahatma Gandhi's family, what they did with Dr Ambedkar and how they misused the Constitution.. all are in the public domain," CM Yadav said.

The Chief Minister made these remarks while responding to a fresh controversy that erupted over the removal and shifting of statues of Dr Ambedkar and Sant Shiromani Ravidas in Indore on Thursday night.

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari shared a video on his social media account X, claiming that Ambedkar's statue was removed from the Shanti Nagar area in Indore late at night on Thursday. "Statues of Dr. Ambedkar and Sant Ravidas were removed in disrespectful manner and were taken away by keeping them on feet. This is not just an insult, it is the height of crime," Patwari's social media post read.

Patwari hit out at the ruling BJP, saying that Indore's incident is another big proof of BJP's anti-Ambedkar thinking. "I condemn it in the strongest terms and I warn that strict action should be taken against the culprits! Babasaheb's statue should be installed with full respect, immediately, as before," he added.

The opposition Congress and ruling BJP in Madhya Pradesh have been indulging in a war of words over Ambedkar's legacy as both sides have prepared events for his birth anniversary. While the Congress will launch its ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ campaign from Ambedkar’s birthplace in Mhow on January 27, the BJP has also announced its initiative, ‘Samvidhan Gaurav Diwas,’ with events planned across the state.

On the Congress side, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will lead the ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ campaign from Mhow, Ambedkar’s birthplace, located 25 km from Indore.

--IANS

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Ayodhya, Jan 24 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday hit out at the Samajwadi Party (SP) for allegedly spreading false propaganda regarding the Maha Kumbh, stating that while millions of people are participating in the holy event, the SP is playing with the faith of the people. He accused the party of misleading the public through deceptive claims.

On Friday, CM Yogi visited Milkipur to campaign for the Assembly bye-election to be held on February 5. He expressed confidence that the BJP will win every booth of the Milkipur Assembly constituency.

During his visit, he launched a strong attack on the SP stating, "The President of the Samajwadi Party is spreading false propaganda about Maha Kumbh every day."

"This is an attack on the faith of the nation. Even when Ram Lalla was enthroned on January 22, 2024, the Samajwadi Party opposed it. The hands of the SP are stained with the blood of innocent Kar Sevaks," he alleged.

He further criticised the SP for opposing various developmental initiatives, including the naming of Ayodhya International Airport after Maharishi Valmiki, the development of Maharishi Valmiki's birthplace in Lalapur, and the development of Rajapur, the birthplace of Sant Tulsidas.

"When our government beautified Maharaja Bijli Pasi's fort in Lucknow, the SP opposed it. They also opposed the development of Maharaja Suheldev's Vijay Smarak in Bahraich," he added.

The Chief Minister also accused the SP of opposing key figures and events tied to India's cultural heritage. "The SP opposes Babasaheb Ambedkar, Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, and Kashi Vishwanath," he remarked.

"They only shed tears when a mafia figure dies. Their hero is Moin Khan, a man accused of molesting a daughter. This is why it was said that the SP's daughter was scared on seeing him."

He further highlighted the support for Moin Khan by the Ayodhya MP and condemned it. "Ayodhya Dham has only one message -- unity. Only through unity can this country remain united. The Maha Kumbh also carries this message -- unity is the strength of this nation," he emphasised.

Yogi Adityanath urged people to reject those who support people like Moin Khan, claiming that such individuals pose a threat to the safety of daughters. "Moin Khan's supporters should not be allowed to win elections. These people, who respect Moin Khan, are a danger to the safety of our daughters," he said.

The Chief Minister also reflected on the significance of the Maha Kumbh, saying, “We took the benefit of virtue by bathing in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh. Devotees from all over the world came, and 10 crore people bathed in just 10 days. The population of many countries is not even 10 crore, and over the next 35 days, a total of 45 crore people will visit. There are only two countries in the world with more than 45 crore people.”

He asserted the privilege of being born in India, saying, “People from every caste and class are benefiting from the Kumbh.”

The Chief Minister also accused the SP of focussing solely on their family’s interests rather than the public good.

"Today is January 24, and in two days, we will celebrate the Amrit Mahotsav of the Constitution created by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. The Samajwadi Party opposes the Constitution created by Babasaheb," he claimed.

Yogi Adityanath also took a dig at the previous government, saying, "Today, the roads of Ayodhya are five to six lanes wide. What was the condition of Ram Ki Paidi during the time of the Samajwadi Party?"

--IANS

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