INDIA

New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended greetings to the countrymen on the Hindi Diwas and said the growing respect for Hindi worldwide is a matter of "pride and inspiration" for all Indians. Observed every year on September 14, Hindi Diwas commemorates the adoption of Hindi as one of India's official languages. The date holds historical importance, as in 1949, the Constituent Assembly reached a consensus on the official language framework during the drafting of the Constitution.Taking to X, PM Modi posted, "Heartfelt greetings to all on Hindi Diwas. Hindi is not merely a medium of communication, but a vibrant heritage of our identity and values."Urging the countrymen to pass the regional languages on to the future generations, he said, "On this occasion, l...

Kolkata, Sep 14 (IANS) When at an election rally at Esplanade in central Kolkata before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah mentioned the name of Late Gopal Mukherjee and described him as the Hindu braveheart who took the lead role against the post-Independence violence by Muslim mobs in Kolkata in 1946, the name hardly cut any ice among Gen X Bengalis in West Bengal then.However, with the recent controversies over the newly released Vivek Agnihotri-directed 'The Bengal Files', whose screening has been banned in West Bengal following silent threats from vested interests, the name of Gopal Mukherjee, a.k.a. Gopal Patha, has now become almost a household name in Bengal these days. All are discussing his role in taking up arms against the violent Muslim mobs unleashed ...

New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday witnessed a large-scale Joint Counter Terrorist Mock Exercise involving multiple security and emergency response agencies. The high-intensity drill was designed to bolster aviation security, enhance tactical preparedness, and evaluate real-time crisis response mechanisms.The CISF Quick Reaction Team (QRT) spearheaded the exercise, with active participation from the Delhi Police, National Security Guard (NSG), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Delhi Traffic Police, Fire Services, medical teams, and the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). The mock exercise replicated a high-threat scenario, beginning with alert initiation and moving into coordinated tactical action for threat neutralisation.The ope...

Guwahati, Sep 14 (IANS) Residents of Assam expressed enthusiasm as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for significant infrastructure and industrial development projects valued at Rs 18,530 crore on Sunday.Tight security measures are in place across the state ahead of the event.PM Modi arrived here on Saturday and attended the celebrations in Guwahati marking the 100th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika. The Prime Minister paid rich tribute to the legendary singer and cultural icon of the state.Ahead of his gathering later on Sunday, locals in large numbers have started gathering at the venue in Mangaldoi in the Darrang district, where the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for a cluster of health education projects, in...

Kolkata, Sep 14 (IANS) On the occasion of the 'Hindi Diwas’, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a social message on Sunday, highlighting the initiatives undertaken by the state government under her leadership for the Hindi-speaking people residing in the state.Her social media message comes amid the recent narrative coined by her and her party, Trinamool Congress, that “Bengalis are in danger”, alleging harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states. Many pro-Trinamool Congress intellectuals in Bengal have also accused the BJP-ruled states of enforcing “Hindi-language dominance” over Bengali and other regional languages there.Political observers feel that the Chief Minister’s message on Sunday morning was a kind of balancing act to send a message that neither she ...

Hyderabad, Sep 14 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao on Sunday slammed the Congress government in Telangana for "failing" to retrieve bodies of six workers from the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel even 200 days after a portion of the tunnel roof collapsed.He promised that if BRS returns to power, it will ensure justice to the six families and will "make those who buried the workers pay for it"."More than 200 days since the Srisailam Left Bank Canal tunnel collapsed, killing 8 hapless workers due to the criminal negligence of the corrupt Revanth government," KTR posted on 'X'."This inefficient Congress govt couldn't even retrieve the bodies of 6 victims, and hasn't paid any compensation to the families," he said."Shockingly, the Union BJP governme...

Palamu, Sep 14 (IANS) A Maoist carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jharkhand's Palamu district on Sunday, leading to the recovery of an INSAS rifle from the site, police said.The slain Maoist has been identified as Mukhdev alias Mukesh Yadav, a member of the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), a splinter group of the CPI (Maoist).He was reportedly associated with the TSPC's Shashikant Gang and had been active across Palamu and neighbouring districts for years, and was involved in numerous Maoist and criminal incidents.The encounter broke out around 7 a.m. on the border of Tarhasi and Manatu police station areas, where Mukhdev was gunned down by the forces.Security officials confirmed the seizure of an INSAS rifle and other materi...

Tirupati, Sep 14 (IANS) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla offered prayers at Sri Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati district on Sunday.Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Chairman B.R. Naidu and other officials welcomed the Speaker on his arrival.After the darshan, the Speaker took the Vedic blessings from the priests in the Ranganayakula Mandapam. TTD Chairman honoured the Speaker with a sacred shawl (sesha vastram) and presented him with prasadam and holy water.Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Speaker Raghurama Krishnam Raju accompanied the Lok Sabha Speaker.Om Birla arrived at Tirumala on Saturday evening and had a night halt at Sri Krishna Rest House. TTD Additional Executive Officer Ch Venkaiah Chowdary and other official...

Guwahati, Sep 14 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for major infrastructure and industrial development projects in Assam on Sunday, with a total investment exceeding Rs 18,530 crore.The Prime Minister's visit is part of his ongoing Northeast tour, state government officials said.At Mangaldoi in the Darrang district, Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone for a cluster of health education projects, including a new Medical College and Hospital, a GNM school, and a B.Sc Nursing College.Also on the agenda in Darrang are the Guwahati Ring Road Project, intended to ease traffic congestion and improve urban connectivity, and the Kuruwa-Narengi Bridge over the Brahmaputra, an infrastructure development expected to boost regional transport...

New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) Ahead of the India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 encounter on Sunday, devotees in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, held special prayers at the Rajendra Prasad Ghat, seeking divine blessings for Team India’s victory.The banks of the Ganga turned into a site of patriotic and spiritual fervour, with chants of "Har Har Mahadev" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" echoing across the ghats.Devotees performed the Ganga Aarti, offered prayers while standing in the river, and held up pictures of Indian cricketers and the national flag. Some carried images of Lord Hanuman, praying for strength and triumph for the team.Rajesh Shukla, a local cricket enthusiast, said, “India has always defeated Pakistan, whether on the battlefield, the economic front, or in sports. Today’s match is no less than a war. ...