At least 42 dead in rain-related incidents in Bihar, orange alert issued in three districts

At least 42 people died due to rain-related incidents in Bihar between September 27 and September 30. The weather department issued an orange alert for Patna, Khagaria and Begusarai districts for October 3 and October 4. Work to restore the districts back to normalcy was carried out at a faster place more efficiently as the rain subsided on Wednesday.

UK court upholds India’s claim to £1 million sent by 7th Nizam of Hyderabad to London in 1948

The High Court of England and Wales on Wednesday rejected Pakistan’s claim to £1 million (now valued around £35 million or Rs 306 crore) the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan, sent to a London bank in 1948. Instead, the High Court upheld the claims made by India and the Nizam’s two descendants in the matter.

Jaipur, Jodhpur, Durgapura railway stations bag top spots in Indian Railways’ cleanliness survey

Three railway stations in Rajasthan – Jaipur, Jodhpur and Durgapura – bagged top places in a railway cleanliness survey unveiled by Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday. The three stations won the top honours in a survey of 720 stations.

Hindi is a little child in diapers when compared to Tamil, says Kamal Haasan

Makkal Needhi Maiam President Kamal Haasan on Tuesday said the Hindi language was a “little child in diapers” compared to older languages such as Tamil and Sanskrit.

Supreme Court’s order on SC/ST Act exposed ‘bitter life realities’ of Dalits, says Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Wednesday said the Supreme Court’s order on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act had highlighted the “bitter life realities” and struggles of the Dalit community. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said it was necessary that the entire nation and the society remained aware of it.

‘Pursue path of truth, then talk about Gandhiji’: Priyanka Gandhi hits out at BJP

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party should first begin the pursuit of the path of truth shown by Mahatma Gandhi before talking about him. Priyanka Gandhi made the remarks ahead of a silent march in Lucknow held by the Congress to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Karnataka: Centre will release funds for floods in next few days, says Chief Minister Yediyurappa

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday said that the Centre would release funds for floods in a couple of days and added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was aware of the situation in the state. This came a day after the state units of the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) accused Modi of being indifferent towards Karnataka when it was facing a flood-like situation in August.

No NRC talks held with Bangladesh so far, says India’s foreign ministry in RTI response

The Indian government has admitted that it has never discussed with Bangladesh the question of deportation of those declared foreigners by tribunals after being left out of Assam’s National Register of Citizens. “Government of India has not held any meeting/discussion with Government of Bangladesh in this regard,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in response to a Right to Information query filed by Scroll.in. The response was dated September 9.

In NYT article, Modi proposes ‘Einstein challenge’ for innovators to spread Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday wrote an opinion article in The New York Times on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary, urging thinkers, entrepreneurs and technology leaders to use innovation to spread the ideas of India’s independence leader. Modi called it the Einstein challenge, referring to a famous quote by Albert Einstein about Gandhi.

House arrest of Jammu politicians ends after almost two months: Reports

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has ended the house arrest of all politicians in Jammu who were detained in the lead up to the Union government’s August 5 move to revoke the state’s special constitutional status, NDTV reported. Politicians in Kashmir Valley, however, remain in detention or house arrest.

Tamil Nadu: After techie’s death, government seeks court assent for banners ahead of Modi-Xi summit

The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday moved the Madras High Court to seek permission to erect banners to welcome dignitaries for the upcoming informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders are slated to meet on October 11 and 12 in the coastal town of Mamallapuram.

J&K governor approves bill to set up National Law University in the state

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Tuesday approved a bill to establish a National Law University in the state. The government spokesperson said the enactment of the Jammu and Kashmir National Law University Act would bring the state at par with other states where such universities have been established.

West Bengal: Trinamool Congress MLA Sabyasachi Dutta joins BJP

Trinamool Congress MLA and former Bidhannagar Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday in the presence of party President Amit Shah. Dutta is the eighth legislator of the ruling party to switch sides since the Lok Sabha elections.

Auto sales continued to slump in September but manufacturers look forward to festive season

Sale of domestic vehicles continued its downward trend in September even though the numbers improved compared to the month before. But manufacturers said they were hopeful of buyers returning to the market in the ongoing festive season.

RSS ideology is not rigid but cannot compromise with ‘Hindu rashtra’ belief, says Mohan Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday said the organisation neither had ideologues nor did it believe in any rigid ideology or doctrine. The leader of the right-wing nationalist outfit, which is the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, said it could change everything in its ideology apart from its belief that India is a “Hindu rashtra”.

J&K: Development in Valley will thwart Pakistan’s plans to destabilise region, says S Jaishankar

Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on Tuesday said Pakistan’s plans regarding Jammu and Kashmir in the last 70 years would fall flat once development starts picking pace in the Valley. Jaishankar, who is on a three-day tour of the United States, made the remark after his address at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

PM Modi set to declare India ‘open defecation free’ later today at Ahmedabad event

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will declare India open defecation free on Wednesday evening on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary. A single-use plastic ban by several state governments and departments came into force in some parts of the country even as the Centre clarified no new order on the matter was issued.

Several events were lined up in Delhi and Gujarat to mark Gandhi Jayanti. The prime minister visited Rajghat – the resting place of Gandhi – and paid floral tributes. He also paid tributes to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.

‘Divisive politics will not work in Bengal,’ says Mamata Banerjee after Amit Shah’s NRC pitch

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said divisive politics would not work in the state, hours after Union Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused her of misleading people about National Register of Citizens, PTI reported.

“Everyone is welcome to our state and enjoy the hospitality of our people,” Banerjee said. “But please do not profess any divisive politics...It will not work in Bengal.”

Bihar floods: ‘What happened in America?’ asks an enraged Nitish Kumar after media questions him

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday lost his temper at reporters when questioned about the incessant rain and floods in his state, ANI reported. The Janata Dal (United) leader was talking to the press after a survey of the worst flood-hit neighbourhoods of capital city Patna.

At least 40 people have died in Bihar. A few places such as Patna’s Rajendra Nagar have not had electricity or phone connection for the last 64 hours.

Jammu and Kashmir administration directs officials to reopen all schools by October 3, colleges by October 9

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Monday directed officials to ensure that all schools in the Kashmir Valley reopen by October 3, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday. An official spokesperson for the administration said Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan issued the directives at a meeting held on Monday.

Ayodhya case: Hindu parties tell SC opposing side made submissions of a communal character

The Hindu parties in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that they had made no submission that could disturb communal harmony and peace, PTI reported. However, they claimed that the arguments of the opposing party were of a communal character.

The Hindu parties also submitted that the Muslim litigants in the case made “unwarranted” and “unfortunate” claims that the report of the Archaeological Survey of India should be trashed, and that the wall it had excavated from the Ayodhya site was that of an Idgah.

Ishrat Jahan’s mother says ‘spirit shattered by impunity’, can no longer be part of court hearings

The Central Bureau of Investigation court hearing the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case on Tuesday took on record a submission made by Jahan’s mother Shamima Kausar, demanding that the agency secure the conviction of former Gujarat Police officers DG Vanzara and NK Amin. The CBI had told the court in July that the agency will not appeal against the discharge of the two ex-officers.