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Ayodhya, March 26 (IANS) After former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, Digvijaya Singh, visited Ayodhya and offered prayers at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on Ram Navami, seers and religious figures in the temple town reacted sharply, questioning the intent behind his visit while asserting that devotion to Lord Ram should rise above political positioning.Mahant Sitaram Das of Saket Bhavan Temple took a critical view, alleging that leaders who had earlier questioned the existence of Lord Ram were now attempting to align themselves with the faith. He remarked that those who once described Ram Setu as fictional and opposed the construction of the temple were now making statements that appeared politically motivated.Echoing similar sentiments, Arya Sant Varun Das Maharaj...

Jammu, March 26 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, said on Thursday that nobody should have any objection if Pakistan’s mediation succeeds in bringing a truce in the US-Israel conflict with Iran.Talking to reporters on Thursday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “If Pakistan has good relations with both Israel and Iran and if the US Vice-President is coming there to discuss the peace proposal through which peace can be brought in the region, why should you or me have any objection to it?"It must be mentioned that Kashmir Valley has a sizeable population of Shia Muslims, with this community living together at many places.After the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on February 28 in joint strikes by the US and Israel, both Shia and Sunni Muslims ...

Chandigarh, March 26 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party’s state President Sunil Jakhar on Thursday raised the issue of ensuring the security for the family of the warehousing corporation Divisional Manager Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, who committed suicide. ​A minister resigned following his death. In a video message, Jakhar said supporters of former minister Laljit Singh Bhullar are still raising slogans in defense of his ideology, while the government has made no arrangements for the family’s safety. ​“Moreover, not a single official has reached out to the family to express condolences,” the BJP leader said. ​He said that the wife of Randhawa “belongs to a truthful and honest family, and the courage with which she is fighting for justice”. ​Saluting her spirit, BJP chief Jakhar said that she h...

Chandigarh, March 26 (IANS) In a major breakthrough, Punjab Police have busted an interstate illegal weapons supply module with the arrest of two accused from Uttar Pradesh and recovered 7.65 MM country-made 10 pistols along with 20 magazines from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Thursday. Those arrested have been identified as Dalesh Kumar, alias Saurav Kumar, alias Nannu, a resident of Paindapur village in Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh and Amit Chahar, a resident of Baseri Chahar village in Agra. The development came almost a month after two BKI operatives -- Sukhwinder, alias Sunny, and Rawal -- were arrested for procuring and further placing three grenades and one IED near Balachaur on the directions of their foreign-based handler Jassi Kulam. The...

Kolkata, March 26 (IANS) After remaining airborne for over an hour due to adverse weather conditions and being denied landing permission at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, the chartered flight carrying West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee finally landed safely at around 5.30 p.m. on Thursday.The flight, in which the Chief Minister was returning after attending several campaign rallies in West Burdwan and Birbhum districts earlier in the day, was scheduled to land at the Kolkata airport before 4.30 p.m. The chartered flight had taken off from Andal Airport in West Burdwan district.However, after the flight reached Kolkata, the pilot contacted air traffic control (ATC) for permission to land, but clearance was denied due to adverse weather conditions, inclu...

Indore, March 26 (IANS) A day after a female software engineer was killed after being allegedly rammed by a car during a dispute in Sagarshree Enclave, a large residential township in Indore, the Residents Welfare Association (RWA) has decided to prohibit renting flats to bachelors.Gaurav Naik, president of the Sagarshree Enclave township, told IANS that residents have been objecting to commercial activities and nuisance from bachelors living on rent in the society.“Several residents have complained about the nuisance being created by bachelors living on rent here. Therefore, the committee has decided to impose a ban on it. Today, I have sent a message on society’s WhatsApp group and have requested all flat owners, especially those who have rented their flats to bachelors, to give their fl...

Kohima, March 26 (IANS) Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday said that the state budget for the 2026-27 fiscal serves as a road map for inclusive, sustainable, and growth-oriented development, aligned with the vision of a 'Developed Nagaland by 2047'.After presenting the budget for the ensuing financial year (2026-27) during the Phase-II of the 8th session of the Nagaland Assembly, the Chief Minister explained that the delay in its presentation was due to the discontinuation of Revenue Deficit Grants (RDG) for the period 2026–2031.He also cited a reduction in Nagaland’s share of central taxes from 0.569 per cent to 0.481 per cent, as recommended by the 16th Finance Commission.The Chief Minister stated that the state government plans to spend Rs 1,350 crore on development, reflec...

Thiruvananthapuram, March 26 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday sharply criticised the Election Commission over the circulation of a document bearing the office seal of the party ruling at the Centre to other political parties, calling it a serious breach of neutrality.In a strongly worded letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, Vijayan also condemned the reported police action against those who criticised the incident.He reminded the Commission that, as a constitutional body, it must reflect complete political neutrality in all its actions. Criticism, he said, is a democratic right, and issuing police notices to those who pointed out the Commission’s lapse is “anti-democratic”.The Chief Minister stressed that criticism which is neither defamatory nor personal in natu...