THE HEADLINES: –
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate several development projects worth seven thousand crore rupees at Prayagraj in a short while to provide seamless connectivity ahead of Maha Kumbh next year.
- Lok Sabha begins two-day special discussion on glorious journey of 75 years of Constitution of India.
- Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day as Treasury and Opposition members trade charges over no-confidence motion against Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
- External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says, India expects Bangladesh to take measures to ensure minorities are safe in their country.
- Nation pays tributes to bravehearts of 2001 Parliament terror attack.
- Heavy rain disrupts normal life in several districts of Tamil Nadu.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch several development projects worth seven thousand crore rupees at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, in a short while, to provide seamless connectivity in the city ahead of the Maha Kumbh next year. The Maha Kumbh 2025 will be held from the 13th of January to the 26th of February at Prayagraj.
The projects to be launched are related to railway, road and corridor works including 10 new Road Over Bridges (RoBs) or flyovers, beautification of ghats, and riverfront roads, among others, to boost infrastructure and provide seamless connectivity in Prayagraj. It also includes major temple corridors such as Bharadwaj Ashram Corridor, Shringverpur Dham Corridor, Akshayavat Corridor and Hanuman Mandir Corridor among others.
Earlier in the day, Mr Modi undertook a cruise journey at Sangam area to inspect development works for the Mahakumbh. The cruise services will be available to devotees during the Maha Kumbh. He also undertook a walkthrough of the Mahakumbh exhibition site. Prime Minister Modi reached Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh this afternoon. After arriving, he performed puja at the Sangam as well as at several prominent temples in the city.
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The Lok Sabha began a two-day special discussion on the glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India.
Initiating the discussion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, the Indian Constitution paves the way for nation building by touching all aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life. He said, the Constitution is the expression of the country’s civilizational values. The Minister said, the Constitution created by the constituent assembly was not just an official document but it was an expression of the will of the people.
In a veiled attack on the opposition Congress, Mr Singh said, the Constitution is not a contribution of any single party but an unparalleled, transformative document aligned with the values of India.
The Minister said, the Government is working in accordance with the Dharma written in the Constitution of India.
Participating in the discussion, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of Congress said, the Constitution is the safety armour to keep the citizens safe. Ms Vadra accused that the ruling side has made attempts to break this safety armour.
Participating in the debate, Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party said, Constitution is the soul of democracy. He said, the House is again discussing the constitution after 75 years.
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The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned for the day following heated exchange of words between Treasury and Opposition members on the issue of the no-confidence motion against Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. The motion was brought by the Congress-led Opposition.
Now we go live to our correspondent Sudhindra for the latest updates from Parliament.
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The Nation is paying tributes to the bravehearts who sacrificed their lives defending the Parliament during a terrorist attack on this day in 2001. Eight security personnel were martyred during the terrorist attack.
Remembering the martyrs, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, the country remains eternally grateful to them for their courage and selfless service.
In her message, President Murmu reiterated India’s unwavering resolve to combat terrorism and emphasized that the nation stands united against the forces of terror.
Vice President Dhankhar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid floral tributes to the martyrs at Parliament House Complex in New Delhi this morning.
Later in his message, the Prime Minister said, the sacrifice of the martyrs will forever inspire the nation.
Both the Houses also paid tributes to the martyrs of the 2001 Parliament attack. Members in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha observed silence as a mark of respect to the brave security personnel.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, the resolute bravery of security personnel stood firm in thwarting malicious sinister plans of the terrorists.
Speaker OM Birla said, on the 23rd anniversary of the tragic attack, the House reiterates its resolve to fight terrorism firmly.
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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that it is the expectation of India that Bangladesh in its own interest will take measures so that the minorities are safe in the country. Replying to supplementaries in the Lok Sabha today, Dr Jaishankar said, the treatment meted and multiple attacks on minorities in Bangladesh has been a source of concern.
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External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has emphasized the need to scale up defence and security cooperation with the UAE for mutual benefit. In his opening remarks at the 15th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting with his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in New Delhi today, Dr. Jaishankar said that India and the UAE share a common interest in preserving and promoting the stability, security, and prosperity of their regions. He noted that enhancing defense and security cooperation would contribute to this shared goal.
The two leaders co-chaired the 4th India-UAE Strategic Dialogue in New Delhi yesterday.
UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday night to take part in the 4th Strategic Dialogue and the 15th India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting.
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Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said the government has taken several steps for infrastructure development in the country in the last ten years. Briefing media in New Delhi today, the Minister said, record budget allocations were made to improve the infrastructure resulting in massive coverage of road, railways and aviation infrastructure in the north-eastern states.
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Union Civil Aviation Minister K R Rammohan Naidu has said the government will soon be launching the Udaan Yatri Cafe for passengers travelling through the UDAN scheme at the airports. The Minister was speaking after unveiling the official Centenary Celebrations Logo on the completion of hundred years of Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in New Delhi today. He said, the cafe will address the issue of overpriced food and beverages at airports and provide affordable food to travellers.
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In Chhattisgarh, two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Basaguda area of Bijapur district today. Security forces have recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from the spot. The search operation was going on in the area when reports last came in.
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Telugu star Allu Arjun has been detained by the Hyderabad Police in connection with a tragic stampede at the premiere of his film Pushpa 2. The incident occurred on December 4 when a stampede-like situation happened at the premiere show of his latest film, at a theatre in Hyderabad.
According to authorities, the stampede was triggered by an unmanaged surge of fans attempting to enter the theatre for a chance to see Allu Arjun. Police officials stated they were not informed in advance that the Pushpa 2 team would be attending the event, leading to insufficient crowd management measures.
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In Tamil Nadu, normal life has been disrupted due to heavy rains in several parts of the state. Educational institutions have been closed for the day in several districts as a precautionary measure. The Regional Meteorological Department said, the well-marked low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal will gradually weaken in the next few hours. More from our correspondent:
“North East Monsoon has advanced in the State, recording more than the normal percent this year.Till yesterday it was 16 percent more rainfall than usual. Due to continuous rains, the water levels in River Thamirabarani which flows in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar has been rising above normal and surplus water has been discharged. A flood alert has been issued to those residing near the banks and the district administration has asked the people living in low-lying areas to move to safer places. Several reservoirs in the state have been receiving spells of heavy showers in catchment areas. Reservoirs which supply drinking water to Chennai is also fast filling up and flood alerts have been issued to low lying areas. Rains are likely to subside once the low pressure weakens gradually later in the day. JOY, AKASHVANI, CHENNAI.”
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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has announced a prize money of five crore rupees to the World Chess Champion D Gukesh. In a social media post, the Chief Minister said, with Gukesh’s feat, Chennai has reaffirmed its place as the Global Chess Capital by producing yet another world class Champion who will inspire millions of young minds.
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Benchmark domestic equity indices were trading higher in the afternoon trade today. The 30-share BSE Sensex rose 683 points to 81,972, and the NSE Nifty50 added 184 points to 24,733, when reports last came in.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN: –
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate several development projects worth seven thousand crore rupees at Prayagraj in a short while to provide seamless connectivity ahead of Maha Kumbh next year.
- Lok Sabha begins two-day special discussion on glorious journey of 75 years of Constitution of India.
- Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day as Treasury and Opposition members trade charges over no-confidence motion against Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.
- External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says, India expects Bangladesh to take measures to ensure minorities are safe in their country.
- Nation pays tributes to bravehearts of 2001 Parliament terror attack.
- Heavy rain disrupts normal life in several districts of Tamil Nadu.
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