Ahmedabad:

The 147th Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath rolled out early Sunday morning in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad city where a large number of devotees flocked the procession route to pay obeisance to the deity.

The raths (chariots) of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra, and sister Subhadra are pulled by Khalashi community members as per the age-old tradition.

The Rath Yatra is taken out on the Ashadhi Beej (second day of Hindu Ashadh month) every year.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah performed the ‘mangla aarti’ and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel performed ‘pahind vidhi’, the ritual of cleaning the way using a golden broom, as the chariots rolled out from the 400-year-old Lord Jagannath temple in Jamalpur area.

A senior police official earlier said more than 22,000 security personnel will guard the event and some balloon-mounted cameras will also be deployed to keep a watch on the people’s movement.

As many as 4,500 personnel have been deployed to walk with the procession along the entire 16-km route while 1,931 personnel are managing traffic during the 147th edition of the annual Rath Yatra.

As per the decades-old tradition, the procession, led by chariots, would return by 8 pm after traversing different localities in the Old City, including some communally sensitive areas.

The procession usually consists of 18 decorated elephants, 100 trucks, and 30 ‘akhadas’ (local gymnasiums).

Senior police officials will keep a close watch on the procession using 1,733 body-worn cameras linked to a control room.

Besides, 20 drones and 96 surveillance cameras have been installed at 47 locations on the route.

Nearly 1,400 CCTV cameras installed by shopkeepers on the route will also be used for live surveillance, Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police GS Malik told reporters on Thursday.

To address any medical emergency, 16 ambulances and medical teams at five government-run hospitals have also been kept on stand-by, as per officials. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The Lok Sabha witnessed heated exchanges between the treasury benches and the opposition during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. The claims, counterclaims, and interjections all point towards a confrontational atmosphere in the 18th Lok Sabha, perhaps shaped by changes in its composition.

From 2019 to 2024, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and friendly parties held a significant lead of around 300 MPs over the INDIA bloc and opposition. However, this session saw the margin narrowing to just 60 MPs. The verbal sparring between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi turned acrimonious and personal, reflecting the recently concluded election campaign dynamics and entrenched positions.

Both Congress And BJP Remain Steadfast

While the Congress aims to sustain momentum, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains resolute not to concede further ground. The shift in strength, allocation of time for parties, and the calibre of speakers on both sides will significantly influence proceedings over the next five years. During the recent Motion of Thanks debate, Rahul Gandhi, as Leader of the Opposition, spoke for nearly an hour and 40 minutes out of the allotted 16 hours – roughly 15% of the total time allotted to the opposition.

Time allocations are based on Lok Sabha strength. During the No Confidence Motion of August 2023, the BJP received around 45% of the time, while the Congress’ share was just 18% With the BJP’s friendly parties (the Biju Janata Dal, the YSR Congress Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party) losing ground in recent elections, their allocation has shifted notably to opposition parties.

Also Read | ‘Hug, Wink In Parliament’: PM Modi’s Dig At Rahul Gandhi

Some prominent speakers from the treasury benches, such as Smriti Irani, were notably absent. Conversely, the presence of parties like the Samajwadi Party (SP) has bolstered the opposition, particularly with effective speakers in fluent Hindi. Akhilesh Yadav’s speech, noted for its sarcasm without overt anger, followed Rahul’s assertive tone.

Rahul’s Performance As LoP

During Monday’s session, Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, highlighting issues including inflation, unemployment, NEET, Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, the Agniveer scheme, and Hindutva, aiming to put the government on the defensive. Top ministers, including the Prime Minister, intervened during Rahul’s speech.

While Rahul addressed critical issues, some noted the absence of specific data and figures in his speech. There is already an ongoing debate over Rahul’s performance in his role as Leader of the Opposition, with supporters arguing his assertiveness marks a significant political presence that cannot be ignored.

Not new to controversy, Rahul made a reference to the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), stating, that those who called themselves Hindu only talked about violence, hatred, and untruth. PM Modi rebutted instantly.

Also Read | “Every MP’s Right”: Rahul Gandhi Questions Expunging Of Parts Of Speech

References in Rahul’s speech to to Hinduism and violence, two prominent industrialists, the Agnipath scheme, and NEET, were expunged. The LoP subsequently wrote to the Speaker questioning the decision and demanding the restoration of his remarks in parliamentary records.

Modi’s Address

On Tuesday, PM Modi delivered the concluding remarks on the Motion of Thanks in the Lok Sabha. His speech, lasting around 2.5 hours, was a scathing attack on the Congress and Rahul. Throughout his address, the opposition shouted slogans, prompting Modi to use headphones to counter the noise. Despite the interruptions, Modi’s speech, though not entirely audible, gave enough hints of the things to come in the next five years.

Modi criticised the opposition’s maturity level, noting that while the treasury benches listened to Rahul’s speech with interjections rather than shouting slogans, the opposition did not afford the same respect to the Prime Minister. Expressing displeasure at the sloganeering, Modi referred to Rahul as “balak buddhi” (childish) and mocked how a party celebrating 99 out of 543 seats was acting as if it had won 99 out of 100. He criticised the Congress party’s promise of transferring Rs. 1 lakh to women’s bank accounts, highlighting the public’s scepticism about similar promises made earlier.

Modi accused Rahul of resorting to drama to garner sympathy, pointing out his bail status in alleged financial misconduct.

Overall, the debate was disappointing for both the opposition and the ruling party. BJP leaders neglected discussion around their agenda for the next five years, while the opposition failed to engage in constructive criticism and effectively address issues like NEET. Both sides instead resorted to mudslinging, seemingly forgetting that the elections were over.

The session’s outcome suggests the potential for more disruptions and chaos in Parliament. Both sides must reconcile with the electoral mandate and strive for a fresh start in the upcoming Budget session.

(Amitabh Tiwari is a political strategist and commentator. In his earlier avatar, he was a corporate and investment banker.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

New Delhi:
After Rahul Gandhi’s fiery speech in Parliament yesterday, in which he launched a scathing attack on BJP – large portions of which have been expunged from official records – the stage is set for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anticipated response

Here are 10 points on this big story:

Panchkula (Haryana):

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the three laws of the British-era that were governing the Indian Judicial system have been changed on the concept of delivering speedy justice.

Mr Shah was speaking at the MoU signing event between the Haryana government and the National Forensic Science University (NFSU), Gandhinagar in Panchkula to build a centre of excellence in the state.

In his address, Amit Shah said that, in association with NFSU, work has been done to give a scientific base to the criminal justice system of Haryana today.

“Three laws of the British era were governing the Indian judicial system, they have been changed with the concept of speedy justice and justice to all. As a part of these changes, forensic team visits have now been made mandatory for offences carrying a sentence of seven years or more. This will increase the demand for forensic experts across the country, which the NFSU will cater to,” Mr Shah said.

“Human resources have to be created to implement these new criminal laws. It was with this approach that the National Forensic Science University was taken forward and at the same time the framing of these new laws were also underway,” he added.

The Home Minister further mentioned that so far, campuses of this university have been opened in 9 states and work will be done to take this university to 16 states across the country.

“This would create trained manpower and help in speeding up the pace of solving crimes and improving the conviction rate,” Amit Shah said.

He said that this will not only result in trained human resources but will also be of great benefit in getting the new laws implemented at the grassroots level.

The Union Home Minister asserted that having a laboratory, university and training institute at the same campus itself will greatly simplify both the instructor and the trainee.

“If a training institute is planned to be opened here, then the Government of India will provide good arrangements for training in forensic science at its own expense. The Forensic Science University not only works to educate children and prepare trained manpower but also helps in strengthening the forensic infrastructure,” Mr Shah added.

“This will help Police Sub Inspectors (PSIs), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSPs) and Superintendent of Police (SPs) level officers and judges of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The BJP’s tally in Haryana has been halved in this year’s Lok Sabha elections, following the clean sweep in 2019, but the party has reposed its faith in Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and declared that the Assembly elections later this year will be fought under his leadership. Mr Saini had replaced Manohar Lal Khattar, who had been the chief minister of the state since 2014, in March.

Home Minister Amit Shah also announced that the party will go it alone in the upcoming elections. The BJP had formed an alliance with the Jannayak Janta Party after it failed to secure a majority on its own in the 2019 Assembly polls, and Dushyant Chautala had been appointed the deputy chief minister.

The alliance was called off when Mr Saini became the chief minister, reportedly following a disagreement over seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing BJP leaders and workers after a meeting of the party’s extended state executive in Panchkula on Saturday, Mr Shah said in Hindi, “Remove all doubts from your mind, we will not go with anyone (in an alliance for the upcoming elections). We don’t need any crutches. We will form a BJP government with a full majority. We will earn the trust of voters in Haryana under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nayab Singh Saini.”

Nayab Singh Saini, 54, is an influential figure within the OBC, or Other Backward Classes, community and was a Lok Sabha MP before taking over the top job in the state. 

Mr Khattar, who is now a Union Minister, was present at the party meeting, which was also attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is the BJP’s election in-charge for Haryana and the co-incharge, Biplab Kumar Deb, among others.

The upcoming elections in Haryana will be crucial for the BJP, especially because it won only five of the state’s 10 Lok Sabha seats after sweeping all of them in 2019. Along with Maharashtra and Jharkhand, which will also see Assembly polls this year, it will be an opportunity for the party to prove that it remains popular with voters after failing – for the first time in 10 years – to achieve a majority on its own in the general elections.

In Haryana, the BJP faces a challenge from the Congress, which has been buoyed after bagging the remaining five Lok Sabha seats in the state. The ruling party’s former ally, the Jannayak Janta Party, has also announced that it will support the Congress in the Rajya Sabha poll, the date for which is yet to be declared. One seat in the Upper House from the state has been vacated by Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda, who has been elected as an MP from the Rohtak Lok Sabha seat. 

Mr Chautala has ruled out an alliance with the BJP and said the JJP will take feedback from its workers and then decide whether it will partner with any other party.   

New Delhi:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will talk to both Meitei and Kuki communities at the earliest so as to bridge the ethnic divide in Manipur.

Reviewing the security situation in Manipur here, Mr Shah directed that strict action must be taken as per law against the perpetrators of violence in the northeastern state.

The home minister said the central forces deployment will be increased, if required, and that they should be deployed strategically to restore peace and tranquillity in the state, according to an official statement.

Mr Shah also directed to ensure that no further incident of violence take place in the state which has been witnessing ethnic violence for over a year.

The MHA will talk to both the groups, Meiteis and Kukis, so as to bridge the ethnic divide at the earliest, Mr Shah was quoted as saying in the statement.

He also instructed the chief secretary of Manipur to ensure proper health and education facilities for the displaced people and their rehabilitation.

The home minister said that the Centre, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is fully committed to ensure safety and security of all citizens of the northeastern state.

Mr Shah also reviewed the situation in relief camps, especially in respect of proper availability of food, water, medicines and other basic amenities.

He underscored the importance of coordinated approach to resolve the ongoing ethnic conflict.

The Centre has been actively supporting the Manipur government in strengthening the security situation in the state, the statement said.

Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023 after a tribal solidarity march in the hill districts of the state to protest against the majority Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Since then, over 220 people belonging to both Kuki and Meitei communities and security personnel have been killed in the continuing violence. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir show that terrorism has been forced to shrink to a proxy war from highly organised acts of violence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said at a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation. The minister said the fight against terror in the Union Territory is in its decisive phase. 

In Sunday’s meeting at the North Block, which was attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and Army Chief Manoj Pande among others, Mr Shah also directed security agencies to replicate the successes achieved in Kashmir valley through the area domination and the Zero Terror Plan in the Jammu division as well. 

The recent attacks, in which nine pilgrims and a CRPF personnel were killed, had taken place in Jammu. 

Reiterating the zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, Mr Shah asserted that the PM Narendra Modi-led government will leave no stone unturned in rooting out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. The home minister directed security agencies to work in mission mode and ensure quick response in a coordinated manner while identifying vulnerable areas and addressing security concerns there.

Pointing out the changes that have come about in the Kashmir Valley, the minister said the efforts of the government of India have yielded positive results with a significant reduction in terror-related incidents and this is reflected in the record flow of tourists in the Kashmir Valley.

He also appreciated the role of the security agencies and the Jammu and Kashmir administration for the successful conduct of the Lok Sabha elections, which witnessed a record voter turnout in the Union Territory.

Officials said the home minister was given a thorough briefing on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the places where security forces plan to intensify counter-terrorism operations in the coming days.

Mr Shah’s meeting came three days after the Prime Minister held a similar stock-taking exercise and directed officials to deploy the “full spectrum of counter-terror capabilities”.

Terror Attacks

Terrorists struck four places in the Reasi, Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir in as many days last week, killing nine pilgrims headed to a temple as well as a CRPF personnel. Seven security personnel and several others were injured. Two suspected Pakistani terrorists were also killed in an encounter in Kathua.

On June 9, terrorists opened fire on a 53-seater bus carrying pilgrims when it was en route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra from the Shiv Khori temple. The bus, which had pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, plunged into a gorge, killing nine people and injuring 41 others.

On June 11, terrorists fired at a joint checkpost of the Rashtriya Rifles and police at Chattergalla in Bhaderwah while a search party in the Gandoh area of Doda district was attacked the next day, resulting in injuries to seven security personnel, including a policeman.

Security For Amarnath Yatra 

In another meeting, the home minister reviewed the preparations for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage and said the government’s priority is to ensure the smooth conduct of the yatra so that pilgrims don’t face any difficulties. The yatra begins on June 29 and Mr Shah instructed to ensure sufficient deployment of personnel.

Under the leadership of PM Modi, the government is committed to ensure a convenient and hassle-free experience for devotees and adopt eco-friendly measures in management of the Amarnath pilgrimage.

Over 4.5 lakh devotees visited the cave shrine last year. The pilgrims travel through two routes, Baltal and Pahalgam, in Jammu and Kashmir. 

New Delhi:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, sources said. The home minister will also review the preparations for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage set to start on June 29.

Shah will chair a high-level meeting here at North Block, three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a similar meeting where he directed officials to deploy the “full spectrum of counter-terror capabilities” after a spate of terror incidents, including an attack on a bus carrying pilgrims.

The home minister is expected to give broad guidelines to intensify counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir, the sources said.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Army Chief-designate Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, Director General of CRPF Anish Dayal Singh, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police R R Swain and other top security officials are expected to attend the meeting.

Shah is likely to be apprised about the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the deployment of forces along the International Border and Line of Control, infiltration attempts, the status of ongoing anti-terror operations and the strength of terrorists operating in the Union Territory, the sources said.

He is expected to give broad guidelines about the immediate action to be taken by the security agencies in line with the prime minister’s directive, they said.

Terrorists struck at four places in Reasi, Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir within four days last week, killing nine pilgrims and a CRPF jawan and leaving seven security personnel and several others injured.

Two suspected Pakistani terrorists were also killed in an encounter with security forces in Kathua district and a huge quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from them.

The incidents come ahead of the annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Amarnath, located at a height of 3,880 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas, which is set to begin on June 29 and will continue till August 19.

The Amarnath pilgrims travel through two routes — Baltal and Pahalgam — in Jammu and Kashmir.

The sources said that last year over 4.28 lakh people visited the shrine and the figure could go up to five lakh this time.

All pilgrims are expected to be given RFID cards so that their real-time location can be traced and everyone will be given Rs 5 lakh insurance cover.

There will also be an insurance cover of Rs 50,000 for each animal carrying the pilgrims.

Shah is expected to stress on providing smooth arrangements on the route from the airport and railway station to the pilgrimage base camp and proper security of all pilgrims, the sources added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Congress’s decision to skip exit poll debates has provided fresh ammunition to the BJP ahead of the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha election, in which the party is hoping for a historic third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the announcement by senior Congress leader Pawan Khera, both BJP chief JP Nadda and the party’s chief strategist and Union Minister Amit Shah said it was obvious that the Opposition has conceded defeat.

In a Hindi post on X, formerly Twitter,                     Amit Shah said, “Congress has come to know about its huge defeat, so with what face will it face the media and the public now? Therefore, Congress is running away from the exit polls. I want to tell the Congress party not to run away, face the defeat and introspect”.

कांग्रेस को अपनी प्रचंड हार का पता चल गया है, तो अब किस मुँह से मीडिया और जनता को फेस करे? इसलिए, कांग्रेस एग्जिट पोल से भाग रही है।

मैं कांग्रेस पार्टी से कहना चाहता हूँ कि भागो नहीं, हार का सामना करके आत्मचिंतन करो। pic.twitter.com/pxeT3Qw8wA

— Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) May 31, 2024

Objecting to Congress decision, Mr Nadda, in a post on X, said: “It doesn’t behove India’s Grand Old Party to behave like a child, whose toy has been taken away. One expects a certain level of maturity from the largest political party in the Opposition”.

The Congress, he said, “opts out” when it doesn’t expect the results to go in its favour. But the party, he added, shows up if it thinks it has even an outside chance.

“Their hypocrisy is not lost on anyone. Let no one in Phase 7 waste their votes on them,” he said

He also said that by boycotting exit polls, the Congress was questioning the rigorous exercise carried out by several professional agencies that work day and night to compile the figures.

Earlier today, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said once the voting is over, nothing can be  gained through speculation.

“The results will be out on 4th June. Prior to that, we do not see any reason to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP,” he said in a statement shared on X.

“The Indian National Congress will not participate in the debates on Exit Polls. The purpose of any debate should be to inform the people. We will happily partake in debates 4th June onwards,” Mr Khera added.

Voting will be held tomorrow to pick representatives for 57 seats across seven states and one Union Territory, which would conclude the massive seven-phase exercise to form the 19th Lok Sabha. The counting of votes will take place on Tuesday.

New Delhi:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during an exclusive interview with NDTV, said that scrapping of Article 370 helped strengthen democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the move sent a clear message to the people of the Valley that they are a part of India.

“Modi ji scrapped Article 370 and sent a message to Valley that you are a part of India and India belongs to you, you belong to India. I believe because of this the foundation of democracy there got stronger, and not just Lok Sabha polls even panchayat polls there there was 90 per cent voting. I believe it is a huge achievement and every Indian should welcome this,” Mr Shah said during a conversation with NDTV’s editor-in-chief Sanjay Pugalia.

Elaborating, Mr Shah said that the BJP government has been so successful in the region that even members of separatist organisations are now casting their votes.

“Some people of Jamaat e-Islami and Hurriyat voted and said they voted under Indian Constitution since there is no J&K Constitution. Jammu and Kashmir is now under Indian Constitution, so I believe Narendra Modi’s Kashmir policy was successful. For so many years, Kashmir was being governed through appeasement politics but not anymore,” the Home Minister said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is hoping to win a third consecutive term. Last phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections will be held on June 1, and results will be declared on June 4.

To a question about BJP’s pitch of winning 400+ seats, Mr Shah said, “When we won the 2014 elections under Narendra Modi’s leadership on the slogan of absolute majority, many political analysts from Delhi had said this was not possible. But we got absolute majority. Then, in 2019, when we gave the slogan of ‘300 plus’, people said it is not possible. People are saying the same this time. But I think they will believe us in the next election before ‘400 par’ is happening this time.”