BJP accuses Congress leader P Chidambaram of mocking Ram temple demand

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday accused Congress leader P Chidambaram of mocking the idea of a Ram temple in Ayodhya and the statue of Vallabhbhai Patel. Chidambaram had compared the BJP’s 2014 election campaign promise of development with its “new promise” of temples and statues.

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‘Ram’s place is in a temple, not in the open’: Ayodhya head priest opposes plan for large statue

Satyendra Das, the head priest of a makeshift Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, has questioned the need for erecting a large statue of the deity in the city. “Lord Ram’s place is in a temple and not in the open,” said Das.

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Delhi court acquits Arvind Kejriwal in defamation case filed by Sheila Dikshit’s former aide

A court in Delhi on Monday acquitted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a criminal defamation case filed by a former aide of Congress leader Sheila Dikshit, PTI reported. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal cited lack of evidence while providing relief to the Aam Aadmi Party leader.

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Sabarimala: BJP Kerala president says protests were planned and executed by party members

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday criticised BJP state President PS Sreedharan Pillai for reportedly claiming that the party had orchestrated last month’s protests against the entry of women to the Sabarimala temple.

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INS Arihant completes first deterrence patrol, PM Modi hails it as a historic moment

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said INS Arihant, India’s first nuclear ballistic missile submarine, has completed its first deterrence patrol.

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Madhya Pradesh: BJP releases second list of 17 candidates for Assembly elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday released its second list of 17 candidates for the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh on November 28. Last week, the party had announced the names of 177 candidates in its first list.

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Uttar Pradesh: Train runs over three railway workers in Hardoi district

A train ran over three railway workers in Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district on Monday. Northern Railways spokesperson Deepak Kumar said the gangmen – whose job is to repair and maintain tracks – were working between Sandila and Umartali stations when the Kolkata-Amritsar Akal Takht Express ran over them.

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TCS set to go on trial in US over racial discrimination allegations by former employees, says report

Information technology company Tata Consultancy Services, or TCS, is set to go on trial in California on Monday after three of its American former employees who lost their jobs initiated legal proceedings alleging racial discrimination. The company denied any unlawful bias in its operations.

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Odisha: Five Maoists killed in encounter in Malkangiri, say police

At least five suspected Maoists were killed on Monday morning in an encounter with security forces in Odisha’s Malkangiri district, according to the police. The gunfight began on Sunday evening in a forest area near Papluru village in Kalimela and is reportedly still under way.

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Kolkata: Fire breaks out on Park Street, no casualties reported

A fire broke out on Monday at the Apeejay House on Park street in Kolkata. The incident took place at around 11 am. No casualties have been reported.

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‘Jammu and Kashmir BJP leader Anil Parihar’s murderers have been identified’

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday said that the state police had identified the suspected militants who killed Bharatiya Janata Party Secretary Anil Parihar and his brother. Malik said action will be taken against the accused soon.

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Mizoram: Congress MLA Hiphei resigns as Assembly Speaker, set to join BJP

Congress MLA and Mizoram Assembly Speaker Hiphei on Monday resigned from his post as well as from the party. The state is set to have Assembly elections on November 28.

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Arunachal Pradesh Police launch inquiry into violence involving Army personnel in Bomdila

The Arunachal Pradesh Police launched an inquiry against soldiers attached to the Indian Army’s 2nd Arunachal Scouts after they allegedly vandalised the Bomdila Police station, assaulted police personnel and a civilian on November 3.

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ASI order stops Muslims from offering daily namaz in Taj Mahal except on Fridays, says report

The Archaeological Survey of India has prohibited Muslims from offering namaz at the mosque located at the premises of the Taj Mahal in Agra on all other days barring Fridays. ASI officials on Sunday allegedly locked up the tank used by devotees to wash themselves before offering namaz.

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Air quality in Delhi plummets after improving marginally on Sunday, visibility affected

The air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region worsened on Monday with the pollution level falling under the “severe” category. The Air Quality Index in RK Puram area recorded PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) levels at 426 and PM10 at 351, according to data recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board.

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Fuel prices drop further, petrol costs Rs 78.56 per litre in Delhi

The Indian Oil Corporation on Tuesday decreased fuel prices on Monday with the rate of a litre of petrol down 0.22 paise at Rs 78.56 and diesel 0.20 paise lower at Rs 73.16 in Delhi. In Mumbai, petrol now costs Rs 84.06 per litre and diesel Rs 76.67.

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Heavy police security deployed at Sabarimala as temple reopens today

Around 2,300 security personnel, including a 20-member commando team and 100 women, have been deployed in areas around Sabarimala temple in Kerala as the hill shrine is set to open at 5 pm on Monday for the “Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal” puja, PTI reported. The temple will close on Tuesday 10 pm.

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After Avni’s killing, locals mow down tigress and beat her to death in Uttar Pradesh

Villagers in Uttar Pradesh’s Dudhwa mowed down a tigress and beat her to death after it purportedly killed a 50-year-old man in the tiger reserve, officials said. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve field director Ramesh Kumar Pandey said the accused will be penalised.

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RBI Governor Urjit Patel gets showcause notice for non-disclosure of wilful defaulters list: PTI

The Central Information Commission issued a showcause notice to Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel for allegedly dishonouring a Supreme Court order on the disclosure of wilful defaulters.

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J&K: After snowfall, nine-year-old dies in landslide, more than 700 evacuated

A nine-year-old Bakerwal girl died and four of her family members were injured in a landslide in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Saturday night. The incident took place near Sain Ganji shrine in Chatyar village when their makeshift camp was hit by a landslide.

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