Author: TheStateLine

Patna, Feb 11 (IANS) Renowned Bollywood playback singer Udit Narayan has been named in a written complaint filed by his first wife, Ranjana Narayan Jha, at the Supaul Women’s Police Station in Bihar on Wednesday.The complaint alleges marital fraud, criminal conspiracy, and mental as well as physical harassment against the singer, his two brothers and his second wife.According to the complaint, Ranjana Jha stated that she married Udit Narayan on December 7, 1984, following traditional Hindu customs.She alleged that after the singer moved to Mumbai to pursue his career, he gradually distanced himself from her.One of the most serious allegations pertains to her medical treatment.Ranjana Jha has claimed that in 1996, she was taken to a hospital in Delhi on the pretext of undergoing treatment, ...

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 11 (IANS) With Assembly elections round the corner, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government has rolled out what is being seen as a significant welfare intervention - one that could double as a political booster in the months ahead.Taking to his social media page, Vijayan said the State on Wednesday launched the 'Women's Safety Pension Scheme', transferring Rs 1,000 each to 10,18,042 beneficiaries within two hours of its state-level inauguration at noon."The speed of disbursal was highlighted by the government as evidence of administrative preparedness and commitment. The scheme provides a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to economically disadvantaged women and trans women aged between 35 and 60 who are not covered under any other social welfare pension schemes," said Vij...

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed grief over the shooting incident at a school in Canada's British Columbia and offered his condolences to the families who lost their loved ones while wishing speedy recovery to those who were injured."Deeply shocked by the horrendous shooting in Canada. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. India stands in solidarity with the people of Canada in this moment of profound grief," PM Modi posted on X.PM Modi's statement came after nine people were killed in a mass shooting allegedly by a person, possibly a woman, who committed suicide in a mining town in British Columbia on Tuesday (local time), according to officials.The area’s f...

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Former Babri Masjid litigant Iqbal Ansari on Wednesday welcomed the Union Home Ministry’s fresh guidelines mandating the rendition of all six stanzas of ‘Vande Mataram’ at designated government functions and in schools, saying the move was in the interest of the nation and should not be opposed.Speaking to IANS, Ansari said, “It is a good thing. Everyone should say ‘Vande Mataram’. We also say it. There is nothing wrong in it. Some people try to find fault in everything.”He added that the song had been part of the curriculum since primary school. “We have studied from primary to high school and intermediate, and it was taught from the primary level itself. Now the government has made it mandatory, which is a very good step. Everyone should recite ‘Vande Mataram’....

Patna, Feb 11 (IANS) Political tensions escalated in Bihar on Wednesday as several Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs), led by Leader of the Opposition Rabri Devi, staged a protest against the Nitish Kumar-led government outside the Bihar Legislative Council.The protesting RJD MLCs gathered at the entrance of the Council holding posters bearing slogans accusing the Chief Minister of intimidating opposition members and running a corrupt administration.The posters read: “Chief Minister, come to your senses (Chief Minister hosh mein aao). Stop threatening MLAs. Government of corrupt people, come to your senses.”The protest followed a heated exchange between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rabri Devi in the Bihar Legislative Council earlier this week.During the...

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report stating that 18 workers died following a blast at an illegal coal mine in the Thangskai area of East Jaintia Hills district in Meghalaya.The incident reportedly occurred on February 5, and several other workers are feared trapped at unspecified depths inside the mine.Observing that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights of the victims, the NHRC has issued notices to the Meghalaya's Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.The NHRC has said that the report is expected to include the status of the ongoing rescue operation, compensation provided to the aggrieved families, ...

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Wednesday praised the Modi government for the Union Budget 2026-27, calling it a 'Sarva Mangalkari' and 'Sarvjan Hitay Sarvjan Sukhaye' budget aimed at inclusive growth and national progress.Participating in the budget discussion in the Lok Sabha, Thakur said the budget reflects the continuation of what he described as a “12-year reform express” that has moved India from “policy paralysis to policy performance”, from “leakage to delivery”, from “megabytes to gigabytes”, from “megawatts to gigawatts”, and from “corruption to confidence”.Taking a swipe at the Congress party and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Thakur said, “Sir (Rahul Gandhi) was talking about the grip. He showed his shortcomings. During their tenure, they did so much corr...

New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS) Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde on Wednesday expressed strong support for the Union Budget 2026 while launching a sharp attack on the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his criticism of the India-US trade agreement.Speaking during the debate on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, Shinde congratulated Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for presenting the Union Budget for the ninth consecutive time. He said the scale of the Budget reflects the country's economic progress over the past decade."As a youth, I would like to tell today's generations how far the country has come. In 2013-14, the Union Budget was only Rs 16.5 crore, but now, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is Rs 53.5 crore. The victory for the third time means th...