Regional

Imphal, Jan 14 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, soon after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was flagged off in the state on Sunday, questioned whether it was time for politics by holding rallies in the violence-hit state.

When the situation is getting better in Manipur, Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders are trying to make the situation more complicated, he alleged.

"Considering prevailing situation in the state, is it a time for politics by holding a rally ? This is the hour of protecting lives and properties, and providing comfort and relief,” Singh told the media on the sideline of a programme in Imphal.

Terming Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as ‘Bharat Todo’ (break India) yatra instead, he claimed that the situation in Manipur is gradually getting better and normalcy being restored.

"Whenever he (Gandhi) comes, problems crop up. If he comes, we have to be careful and alert so that he does not mess with the situation," Singh said.

Gandhi visited Manipur for two days in June last year, weeks after the violence broke out in the state on May 3, and visited a few districts and met the affected people lodged in relief camps.

Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi led 10-years governance as “anyay kaal” (period of injustice), the Congress on Sunday launched the 66-day long Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur’s Thoubal district. The yatra will culminate in Mumbai on March 20 after covering 6,713 km through 15 states. After the BJP Government gave limited permission to use the Hapta Kangjeibung Palace ground in Imphal for launching the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, the Congress shifted the launch venue to Thoubal's Khongjom War Memorial.

--IANS

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Amaravati, Jan 14 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and his wife Y.S. Bharathi Reddy celebrated Sankranti at his camp office here on Sunday amid rural ambience and festive spirit.

The Chief Minister extended Sankranti greetings to all Telugu people across the world and wished them well on the occasion. Attired in traditional dress, the Chief Minister and his wife worshiped cows at the Goshala and offered prayers at Vinayaka, Venkateswara Swamy and Kanaka Durga temples, besides offering Biksha to Haridasu and the Sankranti Gangireddu.

Vedic pundits blessed the couple reciting hymns.

Reflecting Sankranti grandeur, the camp office premises was spruced up with flowers and traditional Muggulu while the replica of Tirumala Silatoranam hogged limelight.

Replicas of the village secretariat, Government School and Rythu Bharosa Kendram also attracted the attention of the guests.

Going around the premises, the Chief Minister and his wife greeted the guests individually.

They also lit the bonfire (Bhogi Manta).

The couple also witnessed cultural programmes and listened to the devotional numbers rendered by singers, Sri Lalitha and others. Later, the Chief Minister felicitated the artistes.

Several YSR Congress leaders including Government Chief Whip Chevireddy Bhaskara Reddy, Deputy Chief Ministers Kottu Satyanarayana (Endowments) and Narayana Swamy (Excise and Commercial Taxes), Municipal Administration Minister A. Suresh, YSRCP Regional Coordinator YV Subba Reddy, MP Nandigam Suresh and other leaders participated in the festivities.

--IANS

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Jaipur, Jan 14 (IANS) Six people were killed while five others were injured as two cars collided in Rajasthan's Sikar on Sunday, police said.

The collision, which occurred at around 4.50 p.m. on the Jaipur-Bikaner (NH-52) highway near Laxmangarh in the district, was so severe that both the cars were completely shattered.

On receiving the information, police reached the spot and took out the bodies with the help of local people.

The bodies stuck in the badly-mangled vehicles were taken out with great difficulty.

Sikar MP Sumedhanand Saraswati also reached the spot. He said that Chief Minister has been briefed about the incident and that the state government will facilitate treatment of the injured.

The accident occurred as an SUV coming from Laxmangarh towards Sikar and the other vehicle, coming from the other direction, crossed the divider to the other side of the road and collided with the SUV, as per local people.

--IANS

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Amaravati, Jan 14 (IANS) Lakhs of rupees changed hands as despite ban, cockfights were organised on a large scale in parts of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, the first day of three-day Sankranti festival.

Organisers backed by politicians conducted cockfights on a large scale in East Godavari, West Godavari, Guntur and Krishna districts.

Lakhs of rupees changed hands as revellers bet big on the cockfight, which was banned in 2018 on the orders of the Supreme Court.

Prominent people from various parts of the state and other states were among hundreds of spectators and punters.

They included politicians of all hues, businessmen and celebrities. Cockfights were held in Gudivada, Penamaluru, Kaikalur, Gannavarm, Nandigama, Jaggayyapet, and Mylavaram constituencies under the alleged patronage of the leaders of political parties.

Wads of currency notes could be seen among the hands of organisers as well-trained cocks with small knives attached to their legs fought amid cheers by the spectators.

The fight often ends with the death of one of the two birds. Hundreds of people participated in the betting at the competitions, which are likely to continue for three days.

The organisers arranged generators and flood lights to organise the cockfights throughout the night.

Special galleries were arranged for women and VVIPs.

People from far-off places and even from neighbouring states of Telangana, Odisha and Tamil Nadu were participating in the betting.

Like in the past, the organisers built sprawling arenas in towns and villages.

Some even installed digital screens to beam the fight between roosters live.

They also deployed bouncers and installed CCTV cameras to deal with anyone creating problems.

The arenas built for cockfights and other games as part of Sankranti festivities resembled huge cinema settings or cricket fields.

Elaborate arrangements were made for parking of cars and other vehicles of the participants.

The organisers also provided passes to the spectators, tokens to those betting on cockfights and also wristbands for the participants.

The appeals by groups working for animal rights to the authorities to implement the court orders had no impact.

The organisers argue that cockfights are a part of culture and tradition.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India had stated on Saturday that on its complaint, the Animal Welfare Board has issued emergency advisory to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to stop cockfights during Makar Sankranti.

The NGO claimed that despite a ban on cockfighting in the country, arenas were set up and steroids and alcohol administered to roosters.

According to PETA, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) swiftly issued a letter to the Andhra Pradesh Animal Welfare Board and the Telangana State Animal Welfare Board to direct authorities to take appropriate actions under the law and furnish an action taken report.

Cockfighting is prohibited under Sections 11(1) (m) (ii) and (n) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

PETA India also sent letters to state police in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana urging action and offering to take in seized birds.

The Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police has issued instructions to unit officers to be vigilant against cockfighting during Makar Sankranti.

According to PETA, roosters raised for fighting are often kept in cramped cages and tormented in practice fights.

Their eyes may be gouged out, their wings and legs broken, their lungs punctured, or their spinal cord severed.

In fights, one or both birds may die and both are often critically injured.

At these events, roosters who are fitted with blades for cockfighting have accidentally killed humans and gambling is common, PETA said.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Jan 14 (IANS) On Makar Sankranti morning, Mumbai Congress was rudely jolted awake when senior leader Milind M. Deora announced that he was quitting the Congress and later on Sunday afternoon, he officially joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena.

The dapper, foreign-educated Deora did what many in the Congress and even the ruling MahaYuti felt was 'unimaginable' by discarding the tricoloured 'Hand' to grab the saffron 'Bow-and-Arrow' flag, and ending the Deora family's 55-year-long links with the Congress.

"I never thought I would ever leave the Congress. But the same Congress which had ushered in economic reforms in the country under the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is now abusing businessmen and industrialists and the good work of the government," said Deora in his acceptance speech as Shinde smiled broadly at the 'big catch' of the New Year, offered him party stole, a flag and flowers.

On his part, Shinde mouthed a filmy dialogue to forewarn 139-year-old grand old Congress of the political poaching shows planned ahead: "This is just a trailer, the main picture is still remaining."

Till late Saturday night, Deora and senior Congress leaders were in the denial mode with one leader terming the speculation over the upcoming defection as 'inconceivable'.

However, all political kite-flying ended as Makar Sankranti dawned and Deora perched himself in the Shiv Sena's lap, almost like a Pied Piper, with a horde of Congress leaders from the faction-ridden Mumbai and Maharashtra units tagging along.

For the Congress -- which had maintained a smug look when former CM Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) and senior leader Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party had also split vertically in June 2022 and July 2023, respectively -- Deora's walkout came as the proverbial 'ill-tidings' at an inopportune time.

Deora's departure -- akin to the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindi in March 2020 -- could prove damning for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ahead of the crucial civic, parliament and assembly elections due in 2024, when it would try to dislodge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The immediate trigger for the exit of Deora, 47 -- a two-time MP from Mumbai South -- is said to be the uncertainty over his nomination for the same prestigious seat in 2024, after the SS-UBT unilaterally staked claim over it.

Incidentally, his father, the late Murli S. Deora was a staunch Congress veteran enjoying excellent rapport with Sonia Gandhi and former PMs Rajiv Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh, and top leaders across the political and corporate honchos in India and world over.

Deora, who became MP at just 27, served as a junior minister in Manmohan Singh's cabinet for almost three years, from July 2011-May 2014, was Mumbai Congress President and had good relations with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Interestingly, Deora dumped the Congress on a critical day -- when Rahul Gandhi launched his Manipur-Maharashtra Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra (BJNY) -- and served to divert attention from the party's mass outreach initiative.

This has become a major pre-poll season exodus of sorts for the Congress as the MVA grapples with virtually a 'civil war' over the seat-sharing talks that could make or mar the fragile alliance. Maharashtra unit Congress President Nana Patole said that the BJP is rattled by Rahul Gandhi's BJNY which kicked off from Manipur and has taken away a strong associate with the threats of central investigative agencies.

Congress Legislative Party leader Balasaheb Thorat said that the timing of Deora's departure was intended to shift focus from the BJNY, and "even our Murli Deora will be pained by this".

NCP's Working President Supriya Sule said that the MahaYuti is getting in the Congress colours by taking away all talented leaders and wondered what would be the fate of their own workers.

SS-UBT Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut rued how today, "there's nothing like loyalty and ideology in politics, its all about power", and recalled his association with the late Murli Deora, "who was a great leader who knew what to do for the party".

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)

--IANS

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Chennai, Jan 14(IANS) The Madurai Police on Sunday said that the bull owners and tamers with passes issued by the police will only be allowed to entry the famous Avaniyapuram Jallikattu, which will take place on Monday, Pongal day.

Avaniyapuram Jallikattu is the famous bull taming event held annually in Madurai district as part of the Pongal harvest festival of Tamil Nadu.

Madurai City Police Commissioner J.Loganathan said that the passes with photo identity cards have already been issued and owners and tamers should also carry fitness certificates issued by the medical officer.

He said that if bull owners and tamers are found to be in an inebriated state, they will not be allowed to enter the arena.

He said that the police have informed the bull owners and tamers not to use knives or sharp weapons to cut the nose rope of the bulls.

“The district administration has already appointed a trained person to cut them. Police have also directed the owners of the houses along the Jallikattu venue not to allow any persons other than their relatives to witness the event from their premises,” he said.

He said that if any law and order situation arises due to the presence of strangers, the owners of the houses who permitted them inside will face stringent action.

He said that the bull owner and one assistant will be allowed to take the bull to the venue through Mullai Nagar and Avaniyapuram police station to join in the queue after midnight of Sunday to proceed towards the Jallikattu venue.

He said that traffic has also been regulated, anticipating huge crowds at the Jallikattu event.

--IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 25 (IANS) As part of the 2021 agreement between the various partners of the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front ( LDF), two Ministers in the Pinarayi Vijayan government have quit and their replacements would be sworn in on Friday.

The two ministers -- Antony Raju and Ahamed Devarkovil -- resigned on Sunday

In May 2021, when the second Pinarayi Vijayan government took office, there was an in-principle decision to share cabinet posts among the parties having single MLAs.

Under that formula, Antony Raju was given the Transport portfolio and Ahamed Devarkovil took over the Ports department and both on Sunday submitted their resignations to Chief Minister Vijayan.

As per the agreement, after the completion of 30 months in office, the two ministers had to make way for film actor-turned-politician K.B. Ganesh Kumar (to replace Raju) and veteran Kadanapally Ramachandran ( to replace Devarkovil).

But speculation is rife that there might be a reshuffle of the portfolios of existing ministers, especially the CPI(M), but that is being held as a closely guarded secret and it will be decided by none other than CM Vijayan, who is the final word not just in the government but also party and the LDF.

The talk of the rejig arose after Ganesh Kumar, who shifted his loyalty from the Congress-led UDF to the LDF ahead of the 2016 Assembly polls, had said that he did not want the Transport portfolio.

Ganesh Kumar as a Minister in the 2001 A.K. Antony government handled Transport, and according to sources he has expressed his desire that if possible he would like to get a different portfolio, as the state run Transport Department is having a hand to mouth existence, with salaries and pensions never paid on time.

Kumar, 57, has been a legislator since 2001. He was a minister in the cabinet of Antony in 2001, but made way for his father after a few years. Then again in the Oommen Chandy cabinet in 2016 and following a domestic issue with his then wife, Kumar quit and since had been upset with the Congress-led UDF. Finally, he along with his father moved their party -- Kerala Congress(B) -- to the Left fold.

Now Vijayan has to take the final call on the change in portfolios.

The Congress-led opposition has already announced that they will boycott the swearing in as Ganesh Kumar was largely instrumental in attacking the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the Solar scam case (2014) and in which Ganesh Kumar is facing a case filed by a Congress worker close to Late Chandy.

--IANS

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Srinagar, Dec 25 (IANS) Minimum temperature remained several notches below the freezing point on Monday as intense cold wave swept Kashmir.

A Meteorological (MeT) department statement said, “Minimum temperature was minus 2.3 degrees Celsius in Srinagar city today while it was minus 2.6 and minus 4.3 in Gulmarg and Pahalgam respectively.

“Leh town in Ladakh region had minus 6.7 and Kargil minus 8.1 as the night’s lowest temperature.

“Jammu city had 7.3, Katra 8.1, Batote 5.9, Bhaderwah 2.4 and Banihal 6.2 as the minimum temperature.”

The 40-day long period of harsh winter cold known locally as the ‘Chillai Kalan’ started here on December 21 and will end on January 30.

--IANS

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Etawah, Dec 25 (IANS) Four jail staff members have been suspended after an inmate escaped from the Etawah district jail in Uttar Pradesh.

Superintendent of Etawah district jail Kuldeep Bhadauria said that Ajay Kumar, resident of Jariya village under the limits of Bidhuna police station of Auraiya district, was sent to jail on October 27 in a kidnapping case.

On Saturday morning, he was sent to work in a garden inside the jail along with other inmates. Later, Ajay went missing, he said and added, “A search was conducted, but he managed to escape by scaling the wall.”

--IANS

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Lucknow, Dec 25 (IANS) A woman in her early 30s has been booked for marrying another man without revealing her marital status to him.

She has also been accused of extracting money from him and intimidating him with the help of her aides, including her husband.

In November 2022, Parmanand Singh of Senani Vihar locality got married to the accused through a matrimonial website where he had uploaded his bio data.

A month later, a man who identified himself as Anupam Soni called him and told him that he was the husband of the woman Singh had married. He also threatened Singh of dire consequences if he continued with the marriage. Singh talked to the woman about it.

“I came to know that my wife was already married to Anupam Soni, and before him to Ashutosh Pathak,” Singh said.

He said that the accused duped him of cash. “She hid her marital status from me and lied to me about her job. On the matrimonial site she had made the false claim that she was a professor at government degree college. When the negotiation for marriage was underway, she asked for Rs 25,000 as monetary help from me to purchase a mobile phone. Then she told me that the mobile phone broke in an accident, but I came to know that her former husband Anupam had broken it while fighting with her,” Singh said, adding that the woman decamped with Rs 2.67 lakh in cash and ornaments from his house in December 2022,” he said.

Singh said that the woman and her family members knew about his social standing and assets, and had an eye on it from the beginning.

SHO, PGI, B.C. Tiwari said investigation in the case has started.

--IANS

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