Una (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 13 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off Vande Bharat Express from Una railway station today during his visit to the mountain state.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur were also present on the occasion.
According to Prime Minister's Office (PMO), running from Amb Andaura to New Delhi, it is the fourth Vande Bharat train that has been introduced in the country and is an advanced version compared to the earlier ones, being much lighter and capable of reaching higher speed in shorter duration.
It accelerates to 100 km per hour in just 52 seconds. The introduction of the train will help boost tourism in the region and provide a comfortable and faster mode of travel.
Heralding a new era of comfortable and enhanced rail travel experience, the new Vande Bharat Express is now ready for a commercial run today.
This is the fourth Vande Bharat train in the country, the other three being run between New Delhi - Varanasi and New Delhi - Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and between Gandhinagar and Mumbai.
According to Railways, the new Vande Bharat trains have improved features including reclining seats, automatic fire sensors, CCTV cameras, on-demand content with wifi Facility, three-hour battery backup and GPS systems to make travelling safer and more comfortable.
The Integral Coach Factory has set a target of manufacturing 75 Vande Bharat trains by August 2023.
It also has a photocatalytic ultraviolet air purification system in the roof-mounted package unit (RMPU) for air purification.
Vande Bharat Express is a new-age train redefining passenger travelling in India. (ANI)

Bhopal, Oct 13 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Kamal Nath has asked the party workers and leaders to gear up for upcoming assembly elections which are scheduled in November-December 2023.

The former Chief Minister made the remarks while addressing the gathering of party leaders who won panchayat and municipal elections two months back.

Nath said that the municipal elections were just a rehearsal ahead of the assembly polls. He said that not much time has left for the elections, and thus all party leaders and workers should tighten their shoelaces now.

"...the real test is coming now and you have to work with double energy. It's time to meet the people, and convince them of Congress's ideology. People are fed up with the false propaganda of the BJP and they want change in Madhya Pradesh," Nath added.

Meanwhile, Nath also accused the BJP of using money and administrative power during the urban and panchayat elections. Police and administrative officials were forced to work for the ruling party. "We are preparing a list of such officials who have worked for the BJP. I ask you too to find out the officials who are working as political agents. We are going to form the government in 2023 and then will teach them a lesson," he added.

Delhi-based Congress politician Jai Prakash Agarwal, who has recently taken charge as in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, slammed the BJP for mocking Rahul Gandhi's "Bharat Jodo Yatra".

"BJP leaders can't understand the meaning of 'Bharat Jodo'. They (BJP) are doing all these things because they have realised that Rahul Gandhi is going to be a bigger challenge after this 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'," Agarwal said while addressing the gathering.

Notably, the Congress has won five mayoral posts in municipal elections, including Gwalior and Morena, the region which is considered the strong bastion of two Union Ministers - Jyotiraditya Scindia and Narendra Singh Tomar.

Chennai, Oct 13 (IANS) Congress president post candidate and veteran leader Mallikarjun Kharge will be given a rousing reception by the party's state unit on his arrival to Tamil Nadu on October 14, sources said.

Tamil Nadu Congress chief K.S. Alagiri said on Wendesday that he will remain present when Kharge will reach Chennai for campaigning.

It may be noted that no prominent party leader was present at Satyamoorthy Bhavan, the TNCC headquarters, when Shashi Tharoor, who is also contesting the party president post election, reached Chennai for his election campaign.

Alagiri, however, told IANS that there was no direction from the high command to support any candidate. He also said that it was not mandatory to be present when the candidates reach the city for campaigning.

He further said that he was not in the city when Tharoor had arrived.

Lucknow, Oct 13 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) has sought a report in connection with clashes in Sultanpur after some clerics alleged that action was being taken against one side.

The police have booked 55 people and arrested 30 in connection with the clashes during a procession for Durga idol immersion in Sultanpur on Monday.

At least 12 persons had suffered minor injuries in the incident.

Cleric Maulana Mehatrul Islam said that those booked in the case were mainly from the minority community.

Police have charged the accused with attempt to murder and registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Act, 2020.

Superintendent of Police, Sultanpur, Somen Barma said, "On the basis of CCTV footage and video clips of the incident, 55 people have been identified of whom 30 have been arrested. The arrested persons include the principal and maulvi of a madrassa who had reportedly incited the mob to hurl stones at the procession."

The officer said that the statements of residents present at the spot would also be recorded. Cops are also making efforts to identify the people whose vehicles got damaged during the violence and get their case registered.

"Both sides were party to the violence," he said.

Around 6 p.m. on October 10, at least 50 people were taking out a procession for Durga idol immersion. When the procession reached Ibrahimpur locality, members of the minority community objected to the loud music and asked the processionists to lower the volume as they were offering 'namaz'.

An argument ensued which resulted in a clash between the two group

Bareilly, Oct 13 (IANS) The nephew of Uttar Pradesh minister Arun Kumar Saxena has been booked for allegedly trying to mow down workers of a restaurant when they refused to serve him food after closure of the outlet.

According to the complaint filed with the police, Amit Kumar Saxena, the nephew of Arun Kumar Saxena, abused the staff for failing to serve his colleague as the restaurant had closed.

He allegedly tried to ram his car into a group of restaurant workers for refusing to serve him. The workers were standing outside the restaurant when the incident took place.

SP City Bareilly Rahul Bhati said that the staff had to flee to save their lives and the car ended up destroying a cot lying there.

Inspector Meher Singh, in-charge of the police station of Prem Nagar said that when the police reached the spot, the accused had fled.

A case has been registered on the complaint of the hotel owner Naresh Kashyap's son Sushant Kashyap under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Kashyap claims to be a BJP worker.

He claimed that after the incident, he reached the minister's house to complain but was told that the minister was sleeping.

Patna, Oct 13 (IANS) Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Bihar Assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha slammed state Health Minister Tejashwi Yadav for "roaming out of the state" amidst the spike in dengue cases.

"The cases of dengue are rising every day with figures reaching above 3,500 in the state. Shockingly, the Health Minister of Bihar is outside of the state and enjoying life after sending his father to Singapore for treatment," Sinha said.

"...Beds in government hospitals are unavailable for poor patients while the private hospitals are taking hefty charges. The health system of Bihar has completely collapsed now and patients are feeling helpless," Sinha said.

"Tejashwi Yadav is holding 5 ministry portfolios and staying outside of the state. He is unable to handle the pressure of work. The Chief Minister should take cognizance of the situation and take back some of the ministries (from him)," the LoP asserted.

There is a "complete lack of communication" between the health department and civic agencies, he said, adding that the fogging is being carried out by the municipal corporation of Patna in only "those places where residents are registering complaints".

He said that the fight against dengue cannot be succeeded if fogging would take place in selective manners.

"As there is no regulatory body in the state, there is no check on the private hospitals amid rising cases of dengue," the LoP alleged.

According to an official of the health department, the tests in government hospitals are free "but as treatment facilities are not adequate, many patients are heading to private hospitals which charges Rs 3,000 for dengue Elisa test and Rs 1200 for IgG, IgM and Ns1 tests.

 Aligarh, Oct 13 (IANS) The students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have threatened to hold a massive agitation if the dates for the students' union elections are not announced immediately.

The elections have not been held in AMU since 2018.

Janib Hassan, a student leader, said that the Vice Chancellor was violating the rights of students by not holding the elections.

"It has been four years since the elections were held. We did not say anything because there was the pandemic in between but now we will not accept any delay in holding elections," he said.

AMU Proctor Waseem Ali said: "The delay in conducting elections was due to Covid-19 pandemic. Now that the situation has improved, things are slowly coming back on track. Student union elections will be held soon."

New Delhi, Oct 13 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that India has maintained accelerated growth momentum, after the contraction in 2020, by balancing the immediate needs of the economy with long-term structural reforms.

She said this on Wednesday while speaking in the first session of the 4th G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in Washington DC on the sidelines of the ongoing IMF-WB annual meetings 2022.

She spoke on the global economy, focussing on India's economic development and policy responses, the Finance Ministry tweeted.

Sitharaman called for enhanced policy cooperation and sharing of experiences to deal with downside risks and their spillovers.

The Finance Minister is expected to make her interventions in several sessions during the two-day meeting, official sources said.

New Delhi [India], October 12 (ANI): Communist Party of India (CPI) Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala Binoy Viswam has written to Prime Minister Narendra raising objection against the "11th Report of the Committee of Parliament on Official Languages" saying the report gives undue prominence to Hindi in order to make it India's dominant language.

Chitradurga (Karnataka) [India], October 12 (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from the Challakere town, Chitradurga in Karnataka on Wednesday. The Congress leader will also be meeting around 2000 unemployed youth from the southern state.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra is in its Karnataka leg and is on its 35th day here. The march started at 6:40 am, informed the veteran Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will be around 2000 unemployed youth from all over Karnataka, said the Congress veteran.
"Day 35 of Bharat Jodo Yatra began at 6:40 am from Challakere and the entire day will be in the historic Chitradurga district. The afternoon interaction of Rahul Gandhi will be with around 2000 unemployed youth from all over Karnataka who face a bleak future in the so-called 'New India'", tweeted Congress party leader Jairam Ramesh.
Karnataka Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, and State Congress chief DK Shivkumar were also present with Rahul during the Karnataka leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra today.
The state party chief shared the visuals of the march on the micro-blogging site, Twitter on Wednesday.
Large people were seen gathering here with Rahul Gandhi raising the tricolour and following the Congress MP to show their support for the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
The Indian National Congress shared a photo of Rahul Gandhi interacting with a group of women dressed in traditional attire.
"Tricolor is behind and Josh is high in front. Steps will not stop, as a resolve has been taken to unite the country", INC tweeted in Hindi.
Rahul Gandhi was also seen wearing a 'waist coat' representing Nagaland.The Padyatra will again resume after halting in Griyammanahalli village Arch. The Congress MP will stay in Swami Vivekananda National School, Hirehalli, Chitradurga at night.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra began on September 7 from Kanniyakumari and has covered a distance of 905 km so far. It will pass through a total of 12 states, to culminate in Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi along with 40 Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates who are part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra will cast their vote for the party presidential election at the campsite as a special booth will be established for them to take part in the polls.
The voting for the Congress presidential elections is scheduled to be held on October 17 and the padayatra will take a break for a day for voting.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh clearly stated that the voters only need an ID card for exercising their franchise.
All the arrangements have been made at the travel camp for their voting in the election of Congress President.
The Central Election Authority, headed by senior party leader Madhusudan Mistry, will oversee the voting, a notification of which was issued on September 22.
With Gandhis not running for the top post this time around, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years. (ANI)