THE HEADLINES: –
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, his talks with Bhutanese leadership will add more vigour to India-Bhutan friendship.
- External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar dismisses China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh as ludicrous.
- Death toll in Moscow terrorist attack rises to 115.
- in IPL Cricket, Punjab Kings beat Delhi Capitals by four wickets in Chandigarh; Another match underway between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata.
- In Swiss Open Badminton: Kidambi Srikanth to clash with Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei in Men’s Singles semi final at Basel tonight.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, his talks with Bhutanese leadership will add more vigour to India-Bhutan friendship. Mr. Modi termed his Butan visit as very special as he had the opportunity to meet King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. He returned to Delhi this afternoon after concluding his two-day state visit to Bhutan. In a special gesture, King of Bhutan accompanied by Bhutan Prime Minister accorded a warm send off to Mr Modi at the airport. In a social media post, Prime Minister Modi said he is honoured by the special gesture by the King of Bhutan. He also expressed gratitude to have been conferred the Order of the Druk Gyalpo. Mr Modi also thanked the people of Bhutan for their warmth and hospitality, saying that India will always be a reliable friend and partner for Bhutan.
Earlier today, Mr Modi and Mr Tobgay inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Mother and Child Hospital, a state-of-the-art hospital in Thimphu, built with the assistance of the Government of India. Yesterday, Prime Minister Modi announced assistance of ten thousand crore rupees to Bhutan over the next five years. Informing about the Prime Minister’s economic aid to Bhutan, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said, the assistance also includes India’s support to Bhutan’s economic stimulus package.
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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar today termed China’s claim on Arunachal Pradesh as ludicrous. He asserted that Arunachal Pradesh is a part of India and not because some other country says so. Speaking at an event in Institute of South Asian Studies in Singapore, Dr Jaishankar said India has been clear and consistent on the matter. He said this is not a new issue and China has laid claim earlier also and has expanded its claims.
On Pakistan, Dr Jaishankar emphasised that India’s mood right now is not to overlook terrorism. The External Affairs Minister said every country wants a stable neighbourhood and India has been unfortunate in this regard. He said it is a challenge to deal with a neighbour who does not hide the fact that they use terrorism as an instrument of statecraft.
Dr Jaishankar is on a three day visit to Singapore. He also interacted with leading Singaporean Corporate figures this afternoon. In a social media post, the Minister appreciated their positive feedback on the India growth story, based on investment experiences. He expressed confidence that their commitment to doing more business in India will further increase.
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Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court today extended the custody of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) till the 26th of this month in the money laundering case connected with the liquor policy scam. Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja passed the order after the BRS leader was produced in court on the expiry of her ED remand. The central probe agency had sought five more days of remand of Ms Kavitha in the court.
This comes a day after the Supreme Court refused to entertain Kavitha’s bail plea in the case and asked her to move the trial court.
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BJP leader Anurag Thakur today accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of being the kingpin of corruption in the liquor scam. Addressing media in Delhi, Mr Thakur criticised Mr Kejriwal for not resigning from the post of Chief Minister yet. The BJP leader said the AAP leader had said that once voted to power, he would run a campaign against drugs in Punjab. Mr Thakur pointed out that over 20 people lost their lives in Sangrur due to consumption of spurious liquor.
Meanwhile, Mr Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal today read out her jailed husband’s message to the people. In the message, the AAP leader said he will continue to serve the country, whether he is inside the jail or not.
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The Central Election Committee meeting of BJP is underway at party headquarters in New Delhi to give its nod to candidates for the Lok Sabha polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National President JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah among others are attending the meeting along with members of the committee and office bearers from states.
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The Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be held in seven phases across the country. Uttar Pradesh, which has the highest population in the country and the highest number of Lok Sabha seats, is also among those states where elections are to be held in all seven phases. A report.
“Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha constituencies, the highest in the country. Due to this Uttar Pradesh is the most important state in terms of the country’s politics, and the saying is that road to Delhi goes wia Lucknow. At present, there is a BJP government in the state under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath. Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party, Congress and Chaudhary Ajit Singh’s Rashtriya Lok Dal and Apna Dal are also important parties in the state.
Major political parties have announced the names of the candidates on many seats but not all. Union Minister Rajnath Singh is contesting from Lucknow. SP has fielded former minister Ravidas Mehrotra against him.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest from Varanasi seat for the third consecutive time. Dimple Yadav is SP candidate from Mainpuri and Shivpal Singh Yadav from Badaun seat. BJP has again given a chance to Bhojpuri film superstar Ravi Kishan from Gorakhpur parliamentary seat. In front of him, SP has also fielded Bhojpuri actress Kajal Nishad.
Sanjeev Balyan has got the ticket from Muzaffarnagar, an important seat of Western UP. SP has fielded Harendra Malik against him. BJP has given opportunity to Dr. Mahesh Sharma from Gautam Buddha Nagar seat for the fourth consecutive time. Similarly, Hema Malini has been fielded from Mathura seat for the third consecutive time. Sushil Chandra Tiwari, Akashvani News, Lucknow.”
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In Kerala, Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul today instructed the district administrators to monitor illegal money transactions in connection with the Lok Sabha elections. He directed them to take strict action in this regard. He was speaking at a meeting held in Kochi to assess the election preparations in 6 districts, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram districts.
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In Punjab, the death toll due to the suspected consumption of spurious liquor has reached 21 in several villages of Sangrur district with seven more persons succumbing today. More than 20 victims are undergoing treatment in various hospitals and some of them are critical.
The Election Commission of India has sought a report from Chief Secretary and DGP through Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab regarding the incident.
Meanwhile, in order to unearth the entire nexus, state police has constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team headed by ADGP Law and Order Gurinder Singh Dhillon.
Three FIRs have been registered in this regard and the police has arrested eight persons so far.
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Central Bureau of Investigation CBI today raided the Krishnanagar party office of expelled TMC MP Mahua Moitra today. Krishnanagar is the Headquarters town of Nadia district of West Bengal. The raid is in connection with cash for query enquiry. Mahua Moitra was expelled from Lok Sabha last year for her alleged involvement in raising questions in Parliament in lieu of cash received from a Dubai based business Darshan Hiranandani.
Lokpal on 19th March had ordered CBI to file an FIR against Ms Moitra and ordered the investigative agency to file a report within six months.
CBI had also searched another house beside the party office at Krishnanagar. CBI also raided the flat of Mohua Moitra at Alipur of Kolkata.
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On the eve of World Tuberculosis Day, President Droupadi Murmu has urged the nation to work together and make India TB-free. In her message to the nation, the President expressed happiness over observing World Tuberculosis Day every year on 24th March with an aim to increase public awareness about TB. She highlighted that this day will raise awareness about the challenges in controlling the disease, and support efforts to prevent it.
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Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar today said that the media should be an agent to convey right perspectives to understand India rather than be a prey to orchestrated narratives that taint and tarnish the country’s image. Mr. Dhankar said this while addressing the gathering at an award ceremony of a private media house in New Delhi. He emphasised that the credibility of the media lies solely within its own control, by being objective and not getting involved in politics.
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The International community has condemned the terrorist attack in Russia which claimed 115 lives.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed shock at last night’s attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow and condemned it in the strongest possible terms. The United Nations Security Council has called on all states to cooperate actively with the Government of the Russian Federation, as well as all other relevant authorities to bring to account those responsible for the terrorist attack.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned the terror attack at the Moscow concert. The US, EU, UK, France, Spain and the UAE have also expressed shock.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his country’s solidarity with the victims, their loved ones and all Russian people.
Spain said it was shocked at events in Moscow, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said it was an odious act of terrorism and expressed her full solidarity with the affected people and the victims families.
The Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) has claimed responsibility for the attack at the concert venue.
The Kremlin said, 11 people including four suspected gunmen have been arrested in connection with the shooting rampage. Russia’s Investigative Committee said, the death toll has risen to 115 in the attack in which gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons. It said, the death toll is expected to rise. Health officials said, more than 120 people were wounded.
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The nation pays tributes to freedom fighters – Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev – on their martyrdom day today.
On this day in 1931, British rulers had executed them in Lahore for their revolutionary activities against the empire. They were hanged a day before the scheduled date of execution.
A number of programmes were organised in Punjab and across the country to mark the day.
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In Badminton, India’s Kidambi Srikanth will take on Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei in the men’s singles semi final of Swiss Open at Basel tonight. In the quarterfinal match last night, Srikanth brushed past Lee Chia-hao of Chinese Taipei.
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In IPL Cricket, Punjab Kings have defeated Delhi Capitals by four wickets in Chandigarh. Punjab Kings surpassed the target of 175 runs scoring 177 for 6 in 19.2 overs this evening. Sam Curran steered the chase with a solid inning of 63 runs off 47 balls, while Liam Livingstone scored unbeaten 38.
Earlier, put into bat, Delhi Capitals made 174 runs in the stipulated 20 overs.
In the second match of the day, Kolkata Knight Riders were 200 for 6 in 19 overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, when reports last came in.
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In the Kashmir Valley, Tulip Garden, one of the biggest in Asia, was officially thrown open for the public today. According to officials, this year the garden will bloom with 17 lakh flowers of different varieties with a boast of five new flower varieties this year.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN: –
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, his talks with Bhutanese leadership will add more vigour to India-Bhutan friendship.
- External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar dismisses China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh as ludicrous.
- Death toll in Moscow terrorist attack rises to 115.
- in IPL Cricket, Punjab Kings beat Delhi Capitals by four wickets in Chandigarh; Another match underway between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata.
- In Swiss Open Badminton: Kidambi Srikanth to clash with Lin Chun-Yi of Chinese Taipei in Men’s Singles semi final at Basel tonight.
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