INDIA bloc to hold ‘maha rally’ in Delhi on March 31 to ‘safeguard democracy’, says AAP’s Gopal Rai
The Opposition INDIA parties will hold a “maha rally” at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on March 31 to “safeguard the country’s interests and democracy”, AAP leader Gopal Rai said on March 24. The announcement comes after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 from his official residence in connection with an excise policy-linked money-laundering case.
Lok Sabha elections | JD(U) releases list of 16 candidates with caste composition
The Janata Dal (United) released a list of 16 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on March 24, providing a caste break-up, in a reflection of the impact that last year’s caste census has had on the State’s politics. Two sitting MPs have been dropped, while two turncoats have been given tickets, with preference given to backward class leaders. Six of the 16 candidates are from Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and five from Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), which together comprise 63% of Bihar’s population; three candidates are from upper castes, which make up only 15% of the population; and one each from mahadalit and Muslim communities. Two of the candidates are women.
Lok Sabha polls | BSP releases list of 16 candidates
The BSP on March 24 formally declared its list of candidates for 16 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha polls. The party in-charges in some districts had earlier declared candidates at district level. The Mayawati-led party has fielded Majid Ali from Saharanpur, Shripal Singh from Kairana, Dara Singh Prajapati from Muzaffarnagar, Vijyendra Singh from Bijnor, Surendra Pal Singh from Nagina (SC seat) and Mohammad Irfan Saifi from Moradabad.
Former IAF chief R.K.S. Bhadauria, YSRCP leader Varaprasad Rao join BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls
Former Indian Air Force Chief R.K.S Bhadauria joined the BJP on March 24 along with former MP and YSRCP leader Varaprasad Rao in the presence of Union Minister Anurag Thakur and party general secretary Vinod Tawde.. Mr. Rao, a leader hailing from Tirupati, is likely to get BJP ticket from that seat as part of the party’s seat-sharing agreement with the Telugu Desam Party and Jana Sena Party. Former Air Chief Bhadauria, who is being considered for a seat in Uttar Pradesh, said his new innings gave him a chance to contribute to nation-building.
BJP files complaint with EC against CM Siddaramaiah and Jayaprakash Hegde for their remarks
The Opposition BJP has filed a complaint with Election Commission of India, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of trying to defame the party in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls by levelling allegations that the BJP was trying to woo Congress MLAs by offering them ₹50 crore each. In a complaint before the Chief Electoral Officer in Karnataka on March 24, a delegation of BJP leaders led by former minister S. Suresh Kumar alleged that the chief minister had made such an allegation with a political intention of defaming the BJP at the time of Lok Sabha polls. Terming the allegations as “false”, the BJP delegation said the CM had failed to furnish evidence to support his allegations.
Rewari factory boiler blast toll climbs to 14
Four workers, who were injured in a boiler blast at a spare parts manufacturing facility in Haryana’s Rewari, have died, taking the death toll in the incident to 14, police said on March 24. While three of them died at the PGIMS, Rohtak on March 23, one passed away on March 24, Inspector Jagdish Chand, SHO of Dharuhera (Rewari) police station, said.
Miffed at police, Budaun boys’ father sets bike on fire, attempts immolation
The father of the two children from Budaun, who were killed by a barber in their house, set his bike on fire and tried to immolate himself, upset over the fact the police have yet not been able to ascertain the motive behind the attack. He was stopped by the police. Two children were killed in the Baba colony area in Budaun on March 19. Vinod’s mother Munni Devi said it’s been six days since she lost her grandchildren but the police were yet to come up with a motive behind the cruelty.
IIT-Guwahati student held for pledge to join ISIS
The Assam police have detained a student of the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati after he had allegedly slipped out to join the terror group ISIS, which expands to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The fourth-year student from Okhla in Delhi had pledged support to ISIS through emails and social media posts and said he planned to join the terror group. He disappeared from the IIT-G campus soon after his posts went viral. The police caught him March 23 evening in Hajo, about 30 km northwest of Guwahati.
Rajnath Singh celebrates Holi with soldiers in Leh
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh celebrated Holi with Army jawans in Leh on March 24 and lauded them for protecting the country from enemies while braving extreme weather conditions. Mr. Singh was supposed to go to Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, but his visit was cancelled due to inclement weather. Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande accompanied him.
India, Russia have taken extra care to look after each other’s interests: Jaishankar
Russia is a country with which India has always had a positive relationship and both countries have taken extra care to look after each other’s interests, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on March 24, as he dismissed the notion that Moscow is drifting towards China. Interacting with the Indian community in Singapore, Mr. Jaishankar said India should look at its relationship with Russia or any other country from its perspective. Responding to another question during the interaction, he said that “a terrorist is a terrorist” in any language and one should not allow terrorism to be excused or defended because of a different explanation of it.
Congress slams PM Modi over fall of rupee against U.S. dollar
The Congress on March 24 targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of falling value of the Indian rupee against the U.S. dollar, and sought answers from him. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the falling value of the rupee impacts the pocket of every Indian due to rising fuel rates, inflation and higher EMIs for loans.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur on March 24 hit out at Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over the death of 21 people due to the consumption of spurious liquor. Addressing a press conference at the BJP’s national headquarters in New Delhi, Mr. Thakur said that it was shameful that as Chief Minister of Punjab, a State where so many people lost their lives to a hooch tragedy, the Chief Minister [Mr. Mann] was stationed in Delhi and did not “utter a word about the incident, nor initiate an investigation”.
Pakistan to ‘seriously’ consider restoring trade ties with India: Foreign Minister Dar
Pakistan will “seriously” consider restoring trade ties with India that remained suspended since August 2019, Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar has said, indicating a potential shift in diplomatic stance towards the neighbouring nation. Mr. Dar made these remarks during a press conference in London following his participation in the Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels, Geo News reported. He highlighted the eagerness of cash-strapped Pakistan’s business community to resume trade activities with India. “Pakistani businessmen want trade with India to resume,” he said on March 23. Pakistan will consider restoring trade ties with India, he noted.
Russia launches another massive missile attack on Ukraine with one briefly entering Polish airspace
Poland demanded an explanation from Russia on March 24 after one of its missiles strayed briefly into Polish airspace during a massive missile attack on Ukraine, prompting the NATO member to activate F-16 fighter jets. The incident came as Russia launched its third massive missile attack on Ukraine in the past four days, and the second to target the capital of Kyiv.
Nearly 300 abducted schoolchildren in northwest Nigeria freed after over two weeks in captivity
Nearly 300 kidnapped Nigerian schoolchildren were released on March 24, local officials said on March 24, more than two weeks after the children were seized from their school in the northwestern State of Kaduna. Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani did not give details of the release of the 287 students, who abducted from their school in the remote town of Kuriga on March 7. In a statement, he thanked Nigerian President Bola Tinubu “particularly ensuring that the abducted Kuriga school children are released unharmed”.
IPL-17: RR vs LSG | Samson powers Rajasthan Royals to competitive total against Lucknow Super Giants
Sanju Samson yet again made a fiery start to his IPL campaign with a belligerent 82 not out as Rajasthan Royals posted a competitive 193 for four against Lucknow Super Giants in their season-opener, in Jaipur on March 24. Royals skipper Samson hit half a dozen of sixes along with three fours in his 52-ball-knock, which was replete with spectacular hits in all parts of the ground.
SL vs BAN first Test | Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva make history; Bangladesh in trouble
Dhananjaya de Silva and Kamindu Mendis both slammed their second century of the match as Sri Lanka set up a 511-run target for Bangladesh before pushing the hosts to the corner in the first Test on March 24. The visitors were all out for 418 in their second innings at Sylhet, with Mendis making 164 runs to go with his 102 in the first innings and De Silva, who also scored 102 runs in the first innings, adding 108. Sri Lankan pacers began the victory push immediately, reducing Bangladesh to 47-5 at stumps, with 464 more needed for an unlikely win.
