Rising drowning deaths in Gaya: 52 cases reported in Aug amid environmental concerns

Gaya district witnessed a tragic surge in drowning deaths this August, claiming 52 lives, many of whom were children. Activists attribute this to neglected water bodies, illegal sand mining, and a decline in swimming proficiency, especially in rural areas. Excessive rainfall exacerbated the issue, filling dangerously altered water bodies.

Felt blessed to have connected with Bodh Gayas heritage: Bhutan Prime Minister

Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, along with his wife Tashi Doma, visited the Mahabodhi Mahavihara in Bodh Gaya on Thursday. He offered prayers and meditated under the Bodhi tree, expressing his blessed connection to the revered site.

Police headquarters: 8,025 trainee constables to assist in maintaining law and order during festivals

Bihar Police headquarters has directed the deployment of 8,025 trainee constables across various districts to maintain law and order during upcoming festivals like Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, Anant Chaturdashi, and Vishwakarma Puja. Gaya will receive additional forces, including BSAP battalions and specialised units, for Pitrapaksh Mela.

Pitru Paksha 2025: Start and end dates, significance, and rituals for honoring ancestrors

Pitru Paksha, a 16-day period for honoring ancestors, begins on September 7 and concludes on September 21, 2025, with Sarvapitri Amavasya. During this time, Hindus perform Shradh rituals to alleviate ancestral debt and seek blessings from departed souls. Observances vary regionally, with Gaya being a sacred site for Shradh and special prayers offered along riverbanks in North India.

Bihar: BJP workers protest in Gaya, Danapur as NDA observes 5-hour Bihar Bandh over 'abuses' against PM Modi

BJP workers led protests in Gaya and Danapur during a five-hour Bihar Bandh called by the NDA. The bandh was triggered by derogatory remarks made against Prime Minister Modi's late mother at a Mahagathbandhan event. Essential services remained unaffected, while BJP Mahila Morcha spearheaded the demonstrations against the objectionable comments made by Congress workers during the Voter Adhikar Yatra.

Two Modern 220 kV GIS Substations At Nelapadu And Lingayapalem In Amaravati

The minister reviewed the filling of vacancies in the AP power utilities and said the chief minister has agreed to clear the recruitments in the sector to strengthen the power utilities.

Citibank appoints Kaustubh Kulkarni as co-head of investment banking for Asia-Pacific

Citibank has appointed Kaustubh Kulkarni as co-head of investment banking. He will oversee operations in Japan, North Asia, Australia, and South Asia. Kulkarni will join from JPMorgan. He will be based in Singapore. Vikram Chavali and Deepak Dangayach have also been appointed to key roles. Citi's investment banking revenues increased by 15% in the second quarter.

Stamp papers worth Rs20 lakh looted in Gaya

Rising suicides by cops in Gaya raise concern of mental health

Gaya gears up for Pitripaksh Mela

Services at Gaya hosp disrupted

Basava Samskriti Abhiyan to enter Yadgir on Thursday

Organised by the Lingayat Mathadhipathigala Okkoota, it will mark the first anniversary of Basavanna being declared cultural icon of the State

Ghats widened, lighting upgraded as Gaya gears up for Pitripaksh

SI found hanging at BSAP barrack in Gaya

Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav joins 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar

SARAN: Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday joined the Congress' 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar's Saran district. In a post on X, senior Congress leader K C Venugopal said Yadav is a steadfast ally in the party's fight against the BJP's alleged attempt to destroy the country's democracy. This morning, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav Jee joined the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Saran. Welcomed him to this historic movement to protect democracy. He has been a steadfast ally in our fight against the BJP's destruction of our democracy, and a strong voice for the poor and underprivileged in UP and across the country, Venugopal said on the social media platform. , ! pic.twitter.com/cgi7XV8o7c K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) August 30, 2025 He also shared photographs of Yadav meeting Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. Rohini Acharya, the daughter of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, was also present there. Acharya had contested from Saran in the Lok Sabha polls last year, and failed to win the seat. Gandhi launched the Congress' 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' from Sasaram in Rohtas district on August 17 to protest against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. The yatra, supported by all INDIA bloc constituents, will culminate in Patna on September 1. The yatra has so far covered Gayaji, Nawada, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Katihar, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Purnea, West Champaran, Gopalganj, East Champaran, and Siwan districts. It will pass through Bhojpur and Patna. 'PM Modi is scared,' claims Rahul Gandhi during Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar

Gazab to gayab: How a model street in Ghaziabad faded out

Watch: Japanese artists welcome PM Modi with dances and chants of the Gayatri Mantra

Folk songs, Gayatri Mantra & more: PM Modi accorded grand welcome in Japan Watch

PM Modi in Japan: Japanese community welcomes Indian Prime minister by reciting Gayatri Mantra, watch video

PM Modi has embarked his 4 day visit to Japan and China ahead of the largest SCO Meet in China since 2001.

Entire village in Bihar shown residing in one house, claims Rahul

The Congress' post on X said that in Nidani village of Gaya district, under Barachatti assembly segment, all 947 voters of a booth have been shown to be esidents of house number six.

AK-47 cartridges recovered in Gaya

Bihar Badlav Yatra, Prashant Kishor pushes for peoples movement in Gaya

Drone breaches security at Bodh Gaya temple

State unveils funding plan to boost intl flights from Patna and Gaya

Govt online pind daan scheme sparks opposition in Gaya, minister assures to review

Bills disqualifying PM, CMs aimed at Opposition; creating revolt in regional parties: Akhilesh Yadav

LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday accused the Centre of bringing a legislation disqualifying the prime minister and chief ministers facing serious criminal charges solely to harass the Opposition leaders, pressurise regional parties, and engineer revolts within them. Referring to the Bills introduced in the Lok Sabha to disqualify the prime minister, chief ministers, or ministers placed under arrest for 30 consecutive days on serious charges, Yadav said the move was politically motivated. This government wants to trouble Opposition leaders, create pressure on regional parties and prepare revolts within them. They have deliberately brought this Bill to divert attention from the real debate on how they commit dacoity during elections and steal votes, Yadav told reporters at the party headquarters here. He accused the ruling party of selectively withdrawing criminal cases against its own leaders while using legal action to suppress rivals. Our chief minister (Yogi Adityanath) knew this day would come; that is why cases against him were withdrawn. Cases were also withdrawn for the deputy chief minister. The very people bringing this Bill have admitted in several places that false cases were lodged against them. If they could be falsely implicated, then tomorrow someone else can also be framed, Yadav said. The SP chief cited instances of party leaders being jailed, naming Mohammad Azam Khan, former minister Gayatri Prajapati, MLA Irfan Solanki, and former MP Ramakant Yadav. Look at how our leaders are being sent to jail for years. This shows the misuse of power, he added. Yadav reiterated that his party strongly opposed the Bill, calling it an attack on democratic values and regional political movements. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday introduced three Bills in the Lok Sabha for the removal of the prime minister, chief ministers, and ministers under arrest for 30 consecutive days on serious charges, drawing fierce protests from opposition MPs who tore up copies of the draft law and marched close to his seat shouting slogans. The Bills were sent by the House to a Joint Committee of Parliament comprising 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha for scrutiny. The three Bills are the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill 2025; the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill 2025; and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Bills have proposed that if the prime minister, union ministers or chief ministers are arrested and detained in custody for 30 consecutive days for offences that attract a jail term of at least five years, they will lose their jobs on the 31st day. Bill to remove PM, CMs: Won't nominate members to JPC, says TMC; SP also unlikely to send its MPs

Names of two alleged Pakistani nationals detected in Bihar voter list, probe underway

PATNA: Authorities in Bihars Bhagalpur district have moved to delete the names of two alleged Pakistani nationals from the electoral rolls and cancel their voter identity cards, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised concerns over infiltration at a rally in the state. The women, identified as Imrana Khanam alias Imrana Khatoon and Firdousia Khanam alias Firdousia Khatoon, are said to be from Rangpur village in Pakistans Khushab district, Punjab province, and have been living in Bhagalpur despite their visas expiring years ago. Officials said the women possessed Aadhaar and voter identity cards, but during a special revision of electoral rolls they were found to be living in India illegally on expired visas that had never been renewed. Sources said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) acted after the publication of draft electoral rolls on August 1. The ECI has sought a detailed report from the Bhagalpur district administration. District magistrate-cum-district election officer Nawal Kishore Singh said an investigation was conducted, and a report from the booth-level officer (BLO) confirmed the two Pakistani citizens names were on the voter list. During initial inquiry, it was confirmed that the two women were natives of Pakistan and had been staying in India illegally. The process of deleting their names from the electoral rolls and cancelling their EPIC cards has started on the basis of the BLOs report, Singh told reporters. The DM said a report would be sent to the ECI after the process was concluded. He added that the draft electoral roll was published on August 1 and those whose names were missing could submit forms with the required documents for correction. According to an MHA probe, Firdousia arrived in India on a three-month visa on January 19, 1956, while Imrana entered on a three-year visa. In a related case, Pakistani national Mohammad Aslam reportedly entered India on May 24, 2002, on a two-year visa and obtained an Aadhaar card, officials said. The state intelligence agency, Special Branch, has also alerted police headquarters about foreign nationals overstaying in Bihar districts and possessing Aadhaar and EPIC numbers. Districts along the India-Nepal and Bangladesh borders have been identified as the most vulnerable to infiltration. At a rally in Gaya on Friday, PM Modi claimed the growing population of illegal immigrants was a concern for the country and vowed to expel them. He said the demography of Bihars border areas was changing rapidly and added: We will not allow immigrants to take away jobs meant for the people of Bihar. The demographic mission will soon start its work and throw out every illegal immigrant from the country. BJP dares Opposition to dissolve state assemblies, says protests over Bihar voter list meant to shield infiltrators

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav faces FIR in Maharashtra for objectionable post on PM Modi

The official said BJP MLA from MaharashtrasGadchiroli, Milind Narote, alleged that RJD leader posted an objectionable comment against the Prime Minister on X ahead of his visit to Gaya, Bihar

PM Modi, Amit Shah attack Oppn for criticising Bill seeking dismissal of tainted politicians

GAYAJI(BIHAR)/KOCHI, Aug 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah today attacked the political parties for opposing the Constitution (One Hundred And Thirtieth Amendment) Bill 2025, with Modi asserting that the practice of people in seats of power running governments from jail should be stopped. The attack by Modi and Shah over the controversial Bill came amidst fierce criticism by the opposition parties, including the Congress, which has termed the Bill as WMD weapon of mass [] The post PM Modi, Amit Shah attack Oppn for criticising Bill seeking dismissal of tainted politicians appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

No terrorist can escape after striking anywhere on Indian soil: PM

We blew away Pak missiles like pieces of straw GAYAJI/BEGUSARAI (Bihar), Aug 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched projects worth over Rs 13,000 crore in Bihar, where assembly elections are due later this year, and charged the INDIA bloc with trying to protect infiltrators and shielding those with corruption taint. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO In what could be one of his last tours of the State before polls are announced by the Election Commission, Modi inaugurated projects [] The post No terrorist can escape after striking anywhere on Indian soil: PM appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Lingayats, Vokkaligas hold meetings ahead of re-enumeration of castes in Karnataka

Two disgruntled RJD MLAs turn up at PM's rally in Bihar

Two RJD MLAs, Vibha Devi and Prakash Veer, attended Prime Minister Modi's rally in Gayaji, fueling speculation of a potential switch to the NDA before the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.

Rahul calls Modi vote chor, questions PMs silence on election fraud charge during Bihar visit

PATNA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modis silence over alleged vote theft in Maharashtra, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, saying the Prime Minister had failed to answer his questions on the issue. Responding to Modis remarks on the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls during his visit to Gaya in Bihar, Rahul alleged that the Prime Minister was deliberately silent on the contentious matter. The SIR is an attempt by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and the EC to steal your votes. They are trying their best to snatch your voting rights. The 'vote chor' came to Gayaji, but he did not say even a word on his government's attempt to steal votes with the help of the EC, Gandhi said during his Vote Adhikar Yatra in Bhagalpur. The truth is that the Prime Minister, along with the Election Commission of India and the Bharatiya Janata Party, are bent on destroying democracy and the Constitution, and snatching away the votes of the people, he said. Rahul accused Modi of seeking to dismantle the constitutional principle of one person, one vote. He cited the example of a Congress supporter whose name was deleted from the electoral rolls during the first phase of the revision exercise. With SIR, the Modi government, in collusion with the Election Commission of India, was disenfranchising people who are supporters of Congress or RJD, the Lok Sabha LoP said. Vote Chori is an attack on the Constitution of India. The INDIA bloc will not allow the BJP to steal voting rights of the people of Bihar, he added. Speaking at a rally in Bihar, Modi in an indirect reference to SIR said, There is one more threat -- that of infiltrators (ghuspaithiye) that our nation faces, which I also spoke about in my Independence Day speech. They cannot be allowed to partake of the resources of our country. I have, therefore, called for a demography mission. But the Congress and the RJD want to protect these infiltrators for the sake of their vote bank politics. The allusion was to one of the stated objectives of SIR being the removal of names of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar from the electoral rolls. The EC, which has ordered the exercise in Bihar ahead of assembly polls, has made it clear that SIR will be undertaken across the country in due course. However, the INDIA bloc has been alleging that the exercise in Bihar was aimed at helping the BJP-led NDA in assembly polls through wrongful deletion of names of voters. During a stopover near Nathnagar in Bhagalpur, Rahul introduced a former Agniveer, Amarnath Jaiswal, who had suffered a serious hand injury and lost a finger in the line of duty. Jaiswal was discharged from the Army within two years, without any of the benefits that a regular soldier would have received in such circumstances. Rahul said the Modi government had closed avenues for the youth, calling the Agniveer scheme ill-advised and pointing to Jaiswals plight as an example of how recruits were left without support after service, even in cases of disability. He also said the government had crippled small and medium businesses through demonetisation, compounding unemployment. On the sixth day of his Yatra, the march passed through Bhagalpur, where large crowds gathered, chanting 'Vote Chor, Gaddi Chhor' in reference to alleged electoral fraud in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Bihar Chief Minister Promises 50,000 Jobs Before Elections, 1 Crore In 5 Years

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, while sharing the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bodh Gaya, made significant announcements aimed at the youth and for the welfare of the people.

Operation Sindoor Redefined Indias Defence Policy: PM Modi

SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Operation Sindoor has redrawn the contours of Indias defence policy, declaring that no adversary will be spared and Indian missiles will eliminate terrorists even in the depths of hell. Addressing a public gathering in Bihars Gaya, as per The Hindu, the Prime Minister recalled his visit []

PM Modi Inaugurates Aunta-Simaria Bridge In Bihar's Gaya | Video

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the AuntaSimaria bridge over River Ganga in Bihar on Friday.

PM Modi unveils Rs 13,000 crore projects in Bihar; defends anti-corruption bills, vows action on infiltrators

PATNA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hit out at the Opposition for opposing the three Constitution Amendment Bills introduced in the parliament. The bills aim for the removal of Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and ministers if they are arrested or kept in custody for serious criminal charges for 30 consecutive days. Modi was addressing a rally in Bihars Gaya Ji where he launched several development projects worth over Rs 13,000 crore. He also flagged off two new trains. We know why the Opposition leaders are scared of these laws? he said, in an oblique reference to several Opposition leaders being involved in corruption. He claimed that the Opposition leaders were criticising him and even abusing him for bringing the strict laws against corruption. He sought to know from the crowd gathered at the venue whether it was justified to run the government, issue orders and dispose of important files from the jail. The crowd answered in negative by waiving their hands. PM Modi said that action is initiated against a government employee if he was jailed for 50 hours. Then why this rule should not apply to PM, CM or ministers. If a government employee is imprisoned for 50 hours, then he is suspended automatically, be it a driver, a clerk or a peon. But a CM, a minister, or even a PM can enjoy staying in the government even from jail, he contended. He further said Some time ago, we saw how files were being signed from jail and how government orders were given from jail. If leaders have such an attitude, how can we fight corruption? The NDA government has brought a law against corruption, and the Prime Minister also comes under this purview, he remarked. NDA allies JD(U), TDP cagey on bills to remove arrested ministers While targeting Congress and RJD for indulging in corruption when they were in power both at the Centre and also in the state, Modi said that his government had faced not a single case of corruption but there was a long list of corruption during the 60-65 years rule of the Congress at the centre. What to speak about the corruption when RJD was in power, as every child was also aware of it, he remarked. He said that the fight against corruption would reach its logical conclusion only if nobody was kept out of its scope. Modi said that the demographic mission would be launched in bordering districts of Bihar as large-scale infiltration was happening there. He also cautioned people against the appeasement policy of Congress and RJD, claiming that they could go to any low for vote bank. He vowed to drive out infiltrators from Bihar and the country as well. He said if RJD-Congress comes to power again in Bihar, the state would be pushed to backwardness again. He hailed the chief minister Nitish Kumar for carrying out development in every sphere be it education, health and infrastructure. The double engine government has put the state on development path and it should continue, he added.

Photos: PM Modi flays INDIA bloc for opposing SIR

Gayaji (Bihar): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday charged the INDIA bloc with opposing moves aimed at rooting out corruption in higher echelons of power and steps taken to tackle threat posed to the nations demography from infiltrators. The PM made indirect references to the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, introduced by his government earlier Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Bihar polls: 2 RJD MLAs on PM Narendra Modis stage in Gaya spark buzz

Two RJD legislators, Bibha Devi and Prakash Veer, were seen on Prime Minister Modi's stage in Gaya, causing embarrassment for the RJD, especially after Modi's criticism of their appeasement politics. Bibha Devi is the wife of a former RJD MLA acquitted in a rape case, while Prakash Veer is unlikely to be renominated.

RJD, Cong Against 130th Constitution Amendment Bill As Its Leaders Either In Jail Or Out On Bail: PM

GAYAJI (BIHAR), Aug 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a scathing attack on the RJD and the Congress, alleging that the opposing parties were against the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill as most of their leaders were either in jail or out on bail. The Bill proposes the removal of the Prime Minister, chief ministers and ministers if they are arrested or detained for 30 days over serious charges. Addressing a rally in Gayaji after inaugurating several projects, PM [] The post RJD, Cong Against 130th Constitution Amendment Bill As Its Leaders Either In Jail Or Out On Bail: PM appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Op Sindoor has drawn new line of India's defence policy; no adversary will be left unpunished: PM Modi

Prime Minister Modi, addressing a gathering in Gaya, Bihar, declared that Operation Sindoor has redefined India's defence policy, ensuring adversaries face consequences, even in the deepest hideouts.

PM Modi inaugurates, lays foundation stone of development projects worth around 13,000 crore in Bihar; slams previous Congress-RJD regime for no projects in State

The Prime Minister flagged off two trains Amrit Bharat Express between Gaya and Delhi and Buddhist Circuit Train between Vaishali and Koderma

PM Modi launches 13,000 crore projects in Bihar, attacks RJD rule over lantern era, corruption

With Bihar elections on the horizon, Prime Minister Modi launched development projects worth over 13,000 crore, including housing, power, and infrastructure initiatives, across Gayaji, Patna, and Begusarai. He inaugurated a 660 MW power project, a six-lane bridge over the Ganga, and a four-lane highway section. Modi also criticized the RJD, accusing them of neglecting Bihar's development during their rule.

PM Launches Rs 6,880-Cr Buxar Thermal Power Plant, Other Projects In Bihar

Gayaji (Bihar), Aug 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched several projects, including the Rs 6,880-crore Buxar thermal power plant, from Bihars Gayaji district on Friday, officials said. The PM also flagged off two trains Amrit Bharat Express between Gayaji and Delhi and Buddhist Circuit train between Vaishali and Koderma. The latter will give a boost to tourism and pilgrimage across key Buddhist sites in the region. The Buxar thermal power plant will significantly enhance power generation capacity, [] The post PM Launches Rs 6,880-Cr Buxar Thermal Power Plant, Other Projects In Bihar appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Lalu Yadav attacks PM Modis Gaya visit

Patna: Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, political sparring has intensified with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav launching a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his visit to Gaya on Friday. Lalu Prasad Yadav took to X, posting a message and a video. He said in Hindi (loosely translated), Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

LIVE | PM Modi launches Rs 13,000-cr projects in Bihar; inaugurates Aunta-Simaria Bridge in Gaya Ji

PM to visit Bihar to launch Rs 13,000-cr projects, address rally

PATNA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar on Friday, where he will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth over Rs 13,000 crore, officials said. During his nearly four-hour tour of Bihar, the PM will undertake whistle-stop visits to Gayaji, Patna and Begusarai districts. The trip will begin at Gayaji, where []

PM Modi to perform Pind Daan of Nitish Kumar's politics: Lalu Prasad Yadav ahead of PM's Bihar visit

Ahead of Narendra Modi's Bihar visit, Lalu Prasad Yadav mocked the Prime Minister. Yadav claimed Modi will perform the 'Pind Daan' of Nitish Kumar's politics. Modi is set to inaugurate development projects worth Rs 13,000 crore in Gaya. Prashant Kishor criticized the visit, questioning its benefits for Bihar's unemployment and migration issues.

'There is no benefit to Prime Minister Modi's visits here': Prashant Kishor on PM Modi's visit to Bihar today

Prashant Kishor criticized Narendra Modi's upcoming Bihar visit. He stated it would not address Bihar's core issues. These include unemployment and migration. Kishor highlighted Modi's previous visits lacked solutions. Modi is scheduled to inaugurate development projects in Gaya. He will also launch train services. Additionally, Modi will inaugurate the Aunta-Simaria bridge. He will also launch Kolkata metro projects.

Security up at Jammu railway station as pigeon with threat note found

SRINAGAR: Security agencies in Jammu have gone on high alert after a pigeon carrying a threat note warning of an IED blast was intercepted near the International Border (IB) by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel. The pigeon was caught a few days ago in the Khatmari area of the RS Pura sector by BSF men on guard at the IB. A handwritten note in Urdu and Hindi was found attached to the bird with a rubber band. The note warned of a potential IED blast at Jammu railway station and carried messages saying, Kashmir Hamara Hai (Kashmir is ours) and Waqt Aa Gaya Hai (Time has come). Officials said the threat is being taken very seriously, and investigations are underway to determine the origin and intent of the note. A drone was also spotted on this side of the IB in Jammu, prompting a search operation to check for any suspicious objects or packages. Sources said the pigeon is believed to have come from across the border in Pakistan. The BSF immediately informed the Jammu and Kashmir police. A team of police officials visited the spot and began investigating the threat note. Police and paramilitary personnel have increased security at Jammu railway station. The forces are screening every vehicle entering and leaving the station. Close attention is being paid to commuters and vehicles moving along the station route. Additional security layers have been put in place, including dog squads, bomb disposal teams, and aerial surveillance through drones. Heightened security aims to protect commuters and prevent any untoward incident at the busy railway station. Authorities have assured that all precautions are being taken to ensure public safety.

Kashi to Gaya spl bus during Pitra Paksh

In sixth visit to Bihar this year, PM to visit Gaya ji, unveil bridge over Ganga in Mokama

The PM earlier this year visited Motihari, Bhagalpur, Madhubani, Rohtas, and Siwan districts to address public meetings, lay foundation stones, and unveil several large projects

PM set to launch power, tourism & industrial projects from Gaya today

Ahmedabad murder case: Junior student confesses of killing senior in new CHILLING chats, says, 'Ab jo hogaya, vo hogaya...'

A class 10 student Nayan, of Seventh Day School in the Khokhra area of Gujarat's Ahmedabad was stabbed to death by a Class 8 student after an altercation between the two students. the chilling chats between the accused and his friend have been revealed. What did the friend of accused asked?

PM Modi to visit Gayaji to launch projects, address rally on August 22 ahead of Bihar assembly polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Gaya district on August 22nd to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for multiple development projects, including Bihar's first six-lane bridge over the Ganga river. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced the visit, highlighting projects worth approximately Rs 1,200 crore. This visit comes ahead of the Bihar assembly elections later this year.

Lucknow Diary | Akhilesh takes torch against EC forward

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has mounted a sharp challenge against the Election Commission of India (ECI). His move coincides with Congress MP Rahul Gandhis Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, a 16-day, 1,300 km campaign through more than 20 districts. The SP has doubled down on its vote chori allegations, accusing the EC of hiding facts. When Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar denied receiving affidavits on voter fraud from Uttar Pradesh, Yadav demanded that the poll body itself submit an affidavit to back its claim. If the EC says it has not received our affidavits, what about the receipts we hold? he asked. Karikot carves a niche for itself in rural tourism Karikot, a village near the India-Nepal border in UPs Bahraich district, has become a beacon for rural tourism. Its recognition by the International Centre for Responsible Tourism, India Foundation Award 2025, has placed it on the global map. To be conferred in New Delhi on Sept 13 at the BLTM Trade Show, the award honours community-driven models. The villagers, with the backing of the tourism department, have opened homestays and launched border tourism projects. Women and youth have gained livelihoods through showcasing cuisine, crafts, and folk traditions. The Tharu tribal communitys involvement has been crucial. SBSP set to be a key ally for BJP beyond UP A rally in Bihars Arwal district on August 24 by the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), led by O.P. Rajbhar, will have a prominent guest: Home Minister Amit Shah. The event may signal the BJP-SBSP alliances expansion into the state, which faces Assembly elections later this year. Rajbhar has identified nearly 29 constituenciesincluding Sasaram, West Champaran, Nawada, Nalanda, Gaya, Aurangabad, and Bettiahfor contest. We seek close coordination with the BJP and a fair number of seats, Rajbhar said, while confirming talks with the partys top leadershipthe move positions SBSP as a strategic ally for the BJP beyond Uttar Pradesh. Namita Bajpai Our correspondent in Uttar Pradesh namita.bajpai@newindianexpress.com

BJP-EC will 'steal your voter ID first, then ration card, land': Rahul warns Bihar voters amid SIR row

PATNA: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday warned Bihar voters that deletions from draft rolls were part of the BJP and Election Commission's larger design and cautioning that after their votes, their ration cards and land will also be taken away. First, they will steal your voter ID, then your ration card and then they will snatch your land and give it to Adani and Ambani, he told a public gathering in Nawada on the third day of his Voter Adhikar Yatra , launched from Sasaram in Rohtas district on Sunday. , : ' ' @RahulGandhi , pic.twitter.com/P3MeZQlbyK Congress (@INCIndia) August 19, 2025 Rahul received a rousing welcome from the crowd on his way to Nawada from Gaya, where he had addressed a rally earlier in the day. The 16-day, 3,000-km Yatra has drawn large crowds, with people lining the roads and cheering. Hundreds of youths were seen taking selfies with the Congress leader. With frequent and unscheduled stops, the Yatra has been running behind schedule as Rahul insists on meeting as many people as possible. Some women expressed disappointment at not being able to get close to him because of the heavy rush. I wanted to take a selfie with Rahul Gandhi. But sorry to say that I could not do so because of huge rush during the Yatra, which crossed Nawada on Tuesday. I dont know whether I will get an opportunity next time to see him from close and have a selfie with him, said Sangeeta Kumari, 21, an undergraduate student of Nawada. Her cousin Raj Kishore, 24, a UPSC aspirant, was more fortunate. I had to jostle with supporters and workers of the Congress party to reach close to the leader. His security personnel did not allow anybody to reach close to him. But I somehow managed to click a photo with him, he told this reporter. Nawada town was draped in the flags of INDIA bloc partners as a show of solidarity. Rahul was accompanied by Tejashwi Prasad Yadav of the RJD, CPI-ML leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, VIP chief Mukesh Sahani and other senior leaders. At some places, residents watched from rooftops of multi-storey buildings. During a stopover in Nawada, Rahul invited Subodh Kumar, a member of the crowd, to speak. Kumar said his name had been deleted from the voter list despite voting in last years parliamentary elections and serving as a polling agent. Rahul told the gathering that there were lakhs of others like Subodh whose names had been struck off the rolls. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party had entered into a partnership with the Election Commission of India to steal the votes of the people of Bihar. You agree that they are stealing your votes does Bihar agree? he asked, as the crowd responded with a resounding yes. He went on to accuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Election Commissioners of being complicit in the conspiracy. But, he asserted: Wemyself, Tejashwi, and other INDIA bloc leaderswill not let them steal even a single vote from Bihar. Rahul said the Voter Adhikar Yatra was being taken out precisely for this reason, citing examples of Maharashtra, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, where he alleged the BJP, in collusion with the Election Commission of India, had stolen elections. He assured people that the INDIA bloc would not allow that to happen in Bihar. Partnership between EC-BJP; we'll not allow even one vote to be stolen in Bihar: Rahul Gandhi

Bihar Cabinet: Hotels in Nalanda, Vaishali approved; fee for competitive exams reduced

PATNA: The Bihar cabinet on Tuesday approved the construction of two five-star hotels at Rajgir in Nalanda district and a five star resort in Vaishali district in PPP mode to provide better and quality accommodation to the tourists visiting these places. As per the tourism departments proposal, two five star hotels will be constructed on 10 acres of land near Mela Maidan in Rajgir in Nalanda district, while a five star resort will be developed on 10 acres of land at the recently inaugurated Buddha Samyak Darshan Museum-cum-Memorial Stupa in Vaishali district, Cabinet Secretariat Departments Additional Chief Secretary S Siddharth told reporters in a post cabinet briefing here. He added that the two hotels and a resort will be constructed and operated in accordance with the provisions of Infrastructure Development Enabling (Amendment) Act, 2023. He also added that the land will be provided on lease to the private developer which will carry out construction of hotels on the said land. Stating that a huge number of tourists visit several tourist places in Rajgir and Vaishali, Siddharth said that the construction of five-star hotels and a resort will provide better amenities and quality accommodation to tourists visiting the two aforementioned places. The decision to provide modern facilities and quality accommodation at tourist sites apart from the state capital will not only give boost to the tourism sector of the state but will also spur economic and social activities leading to creation of both employment and trade opportunities, a cabinet press note said. In another important decision, the cabinet also decided to reduce the fee to Rs 100 for candidates appearing for Preliminary Test (PT) whereas no examination fee will be charged for mains. The application fee for PT has been reduced to Rs 100 for various competitive exams such as Bihar Public Service Commission/Bihar Staff Selection Commission/Bihar Technical Service Commission/Bihar Police Sub-Ordinate Commission/Central Constable Selection Board, Bihar etc, ACS Siddharth said. While the candidates clearing PT will not be charged any fee for the mains examination. It may be noted that the Chief Minister in his independence day address announced about the fee reduction and fee waiver for PT and Mains exams held by various commissions to fill the different posts of government jobs. State teacher award amount doubled In another important decision, the cabinet gave its nod to education departments proposal to double the amount of State Teacher Award from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000. The award is given by the state government to teachers of primary, middle, secondary, and higher secondary government schools for developing quality education system and also to motivate them for their good work, Siddharth said. Earlier, the number of recipients of the award used to be two-three but 42 teachers were given the state teacher award last year, he said. He also made it clear that the number of recipients could be more, depending on the availability of able teachers, as there is no cap with regard to how many teachers can be given this award. 2026 leave approved The cabinet also approved the list of holidays for the calendar year of 2026 which will be applicable in all the government offices and all the revenue magistrates' courts. There will be 24 holidays in 2026 declared under The Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 in Bihar. Besides, there will be one day holiday on April 1, 2026 for annual bank closing holiday. There will be 22 holidays in 2026 as per the list of optional/restricted holidays. Road construction The cabinet also sanctioned Rs 363.99 crore for the construction of a four-lane 7.40 km long road, including an ROB to connect Rajgir Sports Complex-cum-Rajgir International Cricket Stadium, ACS said. It also sanctioned Rs 539.19 crore for the construction of a 19.43 km long Salepur-Narsanda-Telmar-Karauta road (upto 224 km of NH-30), which will be converted into a four-lane road instead of two-lane road. The 19.43 km long stretch includes the construction of two flyovers, two major bridges, 13 minor bridges, 19 RCC box culvert and 34 pipe culvert. UPENDRA NATH VERMAS BIRTH ANNIVERSARY- A STATE FUNCTION It also decided to celebrate birth anniversary of late Upendra Nath Verma--educationist, social reformer, social worker- as state function every year on August 23, at a place where his statue has been installed on north west corner of Digghi talab in Gayaji town. Land transfer for BSAP headquarters and grid sub-station It also approved Revenue and Land Reforms Departments proposal to transfer 46 acres of land to the home department free of cost to construct Bihar Special Armed Police corps headquarters, while the department transferred another 2 acres of land to Bihar State Power Transmission Company Ltd, Patna on payment of Rs 2.25 crore for construction of 132/33 KV Grid Sub-Station at Mauza Rasulpur under Chausa circle of Madhepura district, ACS said. A total of 16 decisions were approved at todays cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

BJP using Nitish till Bihar polls: Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar

Gaya Ji: Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Tuesday claimed that the BJPs sole agenda is to use Nitish Kumar till the Bihar assembly elections and then discard him to install their own chief minister. In an interview with PTI on the sidelines of the Voter Adhikar Yatra, Kumar claimed that the people of Bihar are Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

BJP using Nitish till Bihar polls, will discard him and install own CM: Kanhaiya

GAYA JI, Aug 19: Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Tuesday claimed that the BJPs sole agenda is to use Nitish Kumar till the Bihar assembly elections and then discard him to install their own Chief Minister. In an interview with PTI on the sidelines of the Voter Adhikar Yatra, Kumar claimed that the people of Bihar are still not ready to give direct leadership to the BJP and so it is attempting to form the government through the backdoor. He [] The post BJP using Nitish till Bihar polls, will discard him and install own CM: Kanhaiya appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Partnership between EC-BJP; we'll not allow even one vote to be stolen in Bihar: Rahul Gandhi

NAWADA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that a partnership has been going on between the Election Commission and the BJP to steal votes, and asserted that the Mahagathbandhan will not allow even a single vote to be stolen in Bihar. Addressing a gathering at Bhagat Singh Chowk on the third day of his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, Gandhi said the right to vote has been given to the people by the Constitution, and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and the Election Commissioners are snatching it away from them. This is your right, given to you by the Constitution, and Modi, Shah, and the Election Commissioners are snatching it away from you. (RJD's) Tejashwi (Yadav), I, and the other (Mahagathbandhan) leaders standing here want to tell them that we will not let you steal even a single vote in Bihar, Gandhi said. He alleged that the EC-BJP nexus has stolen elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. In Maharashtra, about 1 crore voters were mysteriously added between the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, Gandhi claimed. He said the Congress asked the EC to provide a machine-readable voters' list and CCTV footage, but the poll body refused. Now in Bihar, they are carrying out 'vote chori' in a new manner. They are doing this chori (theft) right before your eyes, but we will not let them steal votes, said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Opposition holds protest against SIR in Parliament complex Warning the people, he said, First, your voter card will go. Then your ration card will go. And finally, your land will be handed over to Adani and Ambani, Gandhi alleged. This country belongs to farmers, labourers, small traders, and the youthnot to a few billionaires like Adani and Ambani, he added. Gandhi said all the wrong laws, including GST and demonetisation, were aimed at benefiting a few billionaires. You give money and resources, and yet the country cannot give you employment. This has to change, and that is why we have started this Voter Adhikar Yatra, he said in his address to the people, standing atop his vehicle, flanked by RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and CPI(ML) Liberation's Dipankar Bhattacharya. At the start of his address, Gandhi invited a person whose name had been removed from the voters list to speak. The person said he had been a polling agent in the Lok Sabha polls, but his name had been removed during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. There are lakhs of such people in Bihar who voted, but their names have now been cut from the voters list, Gandhi said. There is a partnership going on between the BJP and the Election Commission. They are colluding to indulge in vote chori, he charged. Asserting that vote chori is an attack on Bharat Mata , Gandhi on Monday had warned the Chief Election Commissioner and the two Election Commissioners of stern action once the INDIA bloc forms the government. Intensifying his attack on the Election Commission, Gandhi also said the whole country would demand an affidavit from the poll body and, if given time, his party would expose the vote chori in every Assembly and Lok Sabha constituency. On Tuesday, the Yatra began from Wazirganj in Gaya and entered Nawada later in the day. The Yatra will conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1. It is being undertaken in a hybrid modeon foot and by vehiclesimilar to Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur to Mumbai ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The Yatra will also pass through Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, and Supaul. Rahul Gandhi will become PM after next Lok Sabha polls: RJD's Tejashwi at Bihar rally

Rahul Gandhi begins third day of his Voter Adhikar Yatra from Gaya, Bihar

Gaya (Bihar) [India], August 19 (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday commenced the third day of his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar from Gaya, continuing his 16-day campaign to highlight alleged voter suppression and electoral manipulations by the BJP and Election Commission of India (ECI) through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Meanwhile, The Election Commission on Sunday refuted any claims of vote theft and electoral roll manipulation, while addressing a press conference in the national capital. The Poll body has asked the Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha to submit a signed affidavit

Rahul warns CEC, 2 ECs of stern action when INDIA bloc forms govt; says whole country will ask for affidavit from them

Gaya Ji (Bihar), Aug 19 (PTI) Asserting that vote chori is an attack on Bharat Mata, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday warned the chief election commissioner and the two election commissioners of stern action when the INDIA bloc forms government. Intensifying his attack on the Election Commission, Gandhi also said the whole country would ask the poll body for an affidavit and if given time, his party would bring out the vote chori in every assembly and Lok Sabha constituency. The fresh attack on the EC by the Congress leader came a day after CEC Gyanesh Kumar served a

Rahul warns CEC, ECs of stern action if INDIA bloc takes power, says nation will demand them for affidavit

Asserting that vote chori is an attack on 'Bharat Mata', Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday warned the chief election commissioner and the two election commissioners of stern action when the INDIA bloc forms government. Intensifying his attack on the Election Commission, Gandhi also said the whole country would ask the poll body for an affidavit and if given time, his party would bring out the vote chori in every assembly and Lok Sabha constituency. The fresh attack on the EC by the Congress leader came a day after CEC Gyanesh Kumar served a seven-day ultimatum on him to submit a signed affidavit to back his vote theft claims, else his allegations will be considered baseless. Gandhi said that just like Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about special package, the poll body also brought in a ew special package for Bihar, which is named SIR (Special Intensive Revision), a ew form of vote theft. His remarks came on the second day of the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' which began in Sasaram on Sunday and then moved to Aurangabad before reaching Gaya Ji on Monday. With RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, CPI (ML) Liberation's Dipankar Bhattacharya and Vikassheel Insan Party's Mukesh Sahani in tow, Gandhi resumed the second day from Dev Road, Kutumba and then moved to Rafiganj before reaching Daboor in Gaya Ji. Addressing a gathering here, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said the Election Commission was asking him to file an affidavit even after the poll body's vote theft had been caught. I want to tell the EC that the whole country will ask you to give an affidavit. Give us some time, we will catch your theft in every assembly and Lok Sabha seat, and put it before the people, he said. What did they do? Like PM (Narendra) Modi ji talks of a special package, the EC has brought a new special package for Bihar named SIR, which means a new form of vote theft, Gandhi said as he wound up the second day of the yatra at Khalees Park Chowk, Gaya Ji along with his Mahagathbandhan allies. Rahul hits back at CEC, says Modi govt shielded poll body with 2023 law to aid BJP in vote chori The former Congress chief also launched a direct attack on CEC Kumar and election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. Whatever I say, I do it. You have seen that I don't lie from the stage... these three election commissioners... I want to tell them that it is Modiji's government right now... Tejashwi (Yadav) ji said that you (election commissioners) have taken BJP membership and are working for them. But understand one thing, a day will come when there will be an INDIA bloc government in Bihar and Delhi; then we will take action against the three of you... You've stolen (vote) from the whole country, Gandhi said. Amid rain, Gandhi held up a copy of the Constitution and said the Constitution is of Bharat Mata and has been framed by the likes of B R Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru. It has the voice of the soul of India. When they steal votes, they attack the Constitution and Bharat Mata. Nobody can touch this Constitution, he asserted. Election commissioners must hear out that if they don't do their job, there will be strict action against them, Gandhi added. He said that after realising that vote chori had happened in Maharashtra and Haryana, the Congress investigated and found evidence of it after analysing the data of one assembly segment of a Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka. I said clearly that one lakh votes were stolen in one assembly segment, and what does the Election Commission do? It does not say that the leader of the opposition has raised questions, and let us check it. Instead, they ask me to give an affidavit, Rahul said. Then they say 'why you did not complain earlier?' They say 'if you do not give an affidavit within a week, then this complaint has no meaning', Gandhi said, adding, They (EC) are responsible, their theft has been caught, and they are asking me to file an affidavit. SIR new weapon for 'vote chori', will protect 'one person, one vote': Rahul The Congress leader claimed that the poll authority got to know that their theft had been caught in Maharashtra and Haryana, which is why they have come up with a ew form of theft through SIR (of electoral rolls) in Bihar. Gandhi asserted that Prime Minister Modi and the EC will not succeed in carrying out 'vote chori' in Bihar. In his first press conference after Gandhi levelled allegations of 'vote chori' in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and several opposition leaders flagged issues about the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, CEC Kumar asked the Congress leader to either apologise or back his claims with a signed affidavit as required under electoral rules. Give an affidavit or apologise to the nation. There is no third option. If an affidavit is not given within seven days, this means that all allegations are baseless, said Kumar on Sunday, flanked by Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi. Earlier in the day, Gandhi said the SIR of electoral rolls is a ew weapon for vote chori and vowed to protect the one person, one vote principle. Gandhi made the remarks in a post on his WhatsApp channel while talking about his meeting with a group of people who had cast their votes in the previous Lok Sabha elections but their names were deleted from the draft electoral rolls during the SIR exercise in Bihar. He met the group at the launch of his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar's Sasaram on Sunday. Later, in Aurangabad, Gandhi met another set of people who had voted in earlier elections but their names were deleted from the draft voters' list. Sharing an over four-minute video of his interaction in Aurangabad, Gandhi said, The votes of people who voted in the last four-five elections were also stolen in Bihar. And, when asked for the reason, the only answer received was -- an order has come from above. This is a fight for the rights of the poor -- we will not stop. We will stop vote theft, he said.

'Entire country will ask for your affidavit': Rahul Gandhi slams EC; calls SIR a new form of 'vote theft'

During his Voter Adhikaar Yatra in Gaya, Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of vote manipulation and criticised their demand for an affidavit regarding his vote chori allegations. He warned election officials of potential action if an INDIA bloc government is formed, alleging irregularities in Bihar's SIR exercise and past elections in Maharashtra and Haryana.

LIVE: Rahul & Tejshwi resume Voter Rights Yatra in Gaya, Bihar

SIR new weapon for 'vote chori', will protect 'one person, one vote': Rahul

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is a ew weapon for vote chori and vowed to protect the one person, one vote principle by stopping vote theft. Gandhi made the remarks in a post on his WhatsApp channel while talking about his meeting with a group of people who had cast their votes in the previous Lok Sabha election but their names were deleted from the electoral rolls during the SIR exercise in Bihar. The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha met the group at the launch of his Vote Adhikar Yatra in Bihar's Sasaram on Sunday. In his post in Hindi along with a picture of the meeting, Gandhi said, The SIR is a new weapon for vote theft. Coincidentally, these people standing with me in this picture are a 'living' proof of this theft. All of them had cast their votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha election -- but by the time the Bihar Assembly polls came, their identity, their existence were erased from the democracy of India, he said. Do you know who they are? Raj Mohan Singh (70): Farmer and retired soldier; Umravati Devi (35): Dalit and labourer; Dhanjay Kumar Bind (30): Backward class and labourer; Sita Devi (45): Woman and former MGNREGA labourer; Raju Devi (55): Backward class and labourer; Mohmuddin Ansari (52): Minority and labourer, he said. The collusion of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission (EC) is punishing them for being Bahujan and poor -- even our soldiers were not spared -- Gandhi said. Neither will they have a vote nor identity or rights, he added. Due to social discrimination and economic conditions, they are unable to fight against the conspiracy of the system. We stand here with them to protect the most basic right of 'one person, one vote', the Congress leader asserted. This is a question of rights and of everyone's participation in a democracy, he said, adding that we will not let it end under any circumstances. Later, in Aurangabad, Gandhi met another set of people who had voted in earlier elections but their names were deleted from the new draft voter list. Sharing an over-four-minute video of his interaction in Aurangabad, Gandhi said, The votes of people who voted in the last four-five elections were also stolen in Bihar. And, when asked for the reason, the only answer received was -- an order has come from above. This is a fight for the rights of the poor -- we will not stop. We will stop vote theft, he said. In the video, Gandhi is seen interacting with people whose names have been deleted from the voters' list. He was accompanied by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Vikassheel Insan Party's Mukesh Sahani and CPI(ML) Liberation's Dipankar Bhattacharya. Gandhi told the group that the Narendra Modi government brought in a law in 2023 to ensure that no one can take action against those who run the EC and it was completely wrong. Meanwhile, Gandhi, Yadav and Sahani also prayed at the Devkund Surya Mandir in Aurangabad as their Voter Adhikar Yatra entered its second day. Travelling from Kutumba, the yatra reached Gayaji on Monday evening. Embarking on the 1,300-km Voter Adhikar Yatra from Sasaram, Gandhi accused the EC on Sunday of stealing elections in collusion with the BJP and asserted that the INDIA opposition bloc will not let their latest conspiracy to steal the Bihar polls through the SIR exercise succeed. After 16 days, the yatra is scheduled to conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1. The yatra is being undertaken in a hybrid mode, on foot and by vehicles, as was Gandhi's Manipur-to-Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It will pass through Aurangabad, Gayaji, Nawada, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chhapra and Ara.

Whole country now knows EC 'stealing' elections in collusion with BJP: Rahul

SASARAM: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday claimed the whole country now knows that the Election Commission is stealing elections in collusion with the BJP and asserted that the INDIA bloc will not let their latest conspiracy to steal Bihar Assembly polls succeed, as he embarked on his 1,300 km 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in the state. Gandhi alleged that assembly and Lok Sabha polls were being stolen across the country and there was a conspiracy in Bihar to do the same through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Addressing the gathering here at the launch event of the yatra covering over 20 districts in Bihar, Gandhi said while he was asked to submit an affidavit after his press conference exposing vote chori, no such demand was made from BJP leaders who made claims in their presser. In the whole country, assembly and Lok Sabha elections are being stolen and their latest conspiracy is to delete and add voters through SIR to steal the elections in Bihar, Gandhi charged. We have come here to tell you that we will not let them steal the election in Bihar. People of Bihar will not let them steal elections. The poor only have the power of vote and we will not let them steal polls, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said. He said the whole country now knows what the EC is doing and the Congress showed how it is carrying out this heft. Wherever this theft is happening, be it Bihar, Maharashtra, Assam, West Bengal, we will catch their theft and put it before the people, Gandhi said. He also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi runs the government along with billionaires. Your vote is stolen and then your money is handed over to 5-6 billionaires...the truth of SIR, the vote chori in Bihar, we will put it before the people, Gandhi said. He asserted that it is a fight to save the Constitution. Gandhi alleged that the RSS and the BJP are trying to erase the Constitution. In every election the BJP wins. In Maharashtra, all opinion polls said the INDIA bloc will win the assembly polls. In the Lok Sabha polls, our alliance won but after four months in the same Maharashtra, the BJP alliance swept the assembly polls as one crore voters were added through magic and wherever such additions happened, the BJP won, he claimed. Gandhi said the INDIA bloc parties complained to the EC and asked for video footage but the poll body refused. He said the Congress had shown that over one lakh votes were stolen in one assembly segment of a Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka in 2024 and the BJP won that parliamentary seat. The Congress leader said the EC asked for an affidavit from him over his press conference but did not ask the BJP leaders to do so when they held their presser and made claims. They say submit an affidavit on the data I had put forward when it is their data that I cited, Gandhi said. The yatra launch event here was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, Vikassheel Insaan Party's Mukesh Sahani, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI(M)'s Subhashini Ali and CPI's P Sandosh Kumar. With the Assembly polls barely three months away, Gandhi, along with RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and other Mahagathbandhan leaders, launched the yatra from BIADA Ground, Sasaram. After 16 days, the yatra will conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1. The yatra will be in a hybrid mode, on foot and by vehicle, as was Gandhi's Manipur to Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, party leaders said. It will pass through Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chhapra and Ara.

Rahul Gandhi's 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' starts from Sasaram in Bihar on August 17

PATNA: With Bihar gearing up for assembly elections, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is all set to launch Vote Adhikar Yatra from Sasaram in Rohtas district on Sunday, to highlight the championing electoral reforms and exposing alleged in voter list through the special intensive revision (SIR) . After landing at Sasaram, Rahul will visit Suara Aerodrome Ground near Sasaram, where he will address a public meeting and meet people from Tribal community. Later in the day, he will hold a roadshow at Dehri-on-Sone and start his Pad Yatra. The 16-day Yatra, aimed at championing electoral reforms and exposing alleged in voter list through special intensive revision (SIR), will culminate in a grand rally in Patna on September 1. Leaders of INDIA bloc partners, including Tejashwi Prasad Yadav (RJD) and Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI-ML), are expected to join the yatra. The Yatra will cover districts, including Gaya, Nawada, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Katihar, Purnea, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, West Champaran, Saran, Bhojpur and Patna. On September 1, a mega Voter Adhikar Rally is scheduled to be held at Gandhi Maidan in the state capital, which will be attended by INDIA bloc leaders. Former Bihar Congress chief Alkhilesh Prasad Singh said that all necessary formalities like permission for landing of chopper and ground for public meeting have already been completed for the proposed Vote Adhikar Yatra. Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha member, said that the Yatra will build a tempo in favour of Opposition INDIA bloc ahead of assembly elections in Bihar scheduled to be held in October-November. The Opposition alleged that SIR launched by Election Commission led to deletion of names of 65 lakh electors in state. EC's special intensive revision is a deliberate design to tamper with votes, disproportionately affecting backward, Muslim communities and migrant workers, said Bihar Congress president Rajesh Kumar. He further said that on August 18, Rahul will start pad yatra which will pass through Dev Road Amba in Kutumba assembly constituency, covering Aurangabad district. On Saturday, Rahul on X said, Sixteen days, 20-plus districts, 1,300-plus kilometres. We are coming among the people with voter rights yatra. This is the right to protect the most fundamental democratic right-one person, one vote. Join us to save the Constitution. 16 20+ 1,300+ .. - , pic.twitter.com/4zturHDnOl Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 16, 2025

'Fight to protect one person, one vote': Rahul Gandhi to embark on 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' from Bihar's Sasaram

BIHAR: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will embark on a 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' across Bihar from here on Sunday, with his party asserting it will fight for the one person, one vote principle and not accept the Election Commission becoming a compartment of the BJP's so-called double engine. The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, along with RJD's Tejashwi Yadav and other Mahagathbandhan leaders, will undertake the 16-day and 1,300 km-long yatra from Sasaram, which will conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1. In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, 16 days, 20+ districts, 1,300+ km. We are coming among the people with the Voter Adhikar Yatra. This is a fight to protect the most basic democratic right - 'one person, one vote'. 16 20+ 1,300+ .. - , pic.twitter.com/4zturHDnOl Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 16, 2025 Join us in Bihar to save the Constitution, he added. Addressing a press conference at the Indira Bhawan in New Delhi, Congress's media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, said, Whenever Rahul Gandhi ji has set out for a yatra, the democracy of this country has turned a page. 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' will be a historic march. It will prove to be a milestone in the history of our democracy. We will not accept that the Election Commission becomes a compartment of this so-called 'double engine'. We are fighting against this and will continue to do so in the future, he added. The party has been protesting against the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging the EC's exercise is aimed at disenfranchising voters in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections due later this year. The Congress urged the people of Bihar to join the 'yatra' for their rights and entitlements so that democracy can get a direction from Bihar. The yatra, starting in Bihar from August 17, is a journey to make people aware because the conspirators will not be deterred and they will try to steal votes, Khera said. The yatra will conclude with a huge rally in Patna on September 1, and the people of the INDIA bloc will participate in it, he added. He added that the 'yatra' has been planned to fight for the right of 'one person-one vote'. It is possible to breathe freely in independent India because we have the power to vote. Rahul Gandhi has started a struggle so that every citizen of the country can breathe freely, Khera said. The way the game of adding and deducting fake votes was going on, the BJP people have been caught red-handed, he claimed, adding that ow, even ordinary citizens are giving evidence of vote theft. When our INDIA bloc colleagues and social workers appealed together, the Supreme Court also had to intervene. Public has woken up: Rahul Gandhi shares new video highlighting 'vote theft' This conspiracy was not just to snatch votes. It was a conspiracy to snatch your and our identity. Today, the right to vote is being snatched from the Dalits, the deprived, the oppressed, the exploited, the minorities; tomorrow their participation will be snatched, Khera alleged. He claimed that a conspiracy was being hatched to attack the poor, against which the people of the country have raised their voice. The 'yatra' will pass through Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chapra and Ara. At a press briefing in Patna, Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh said that when the Election Commission announced the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar, the leaders of the INDIA bloc went to meet poll panel officials, who had stated that 20 per cent of the voters in Bihar would lose their franchise. We demanded a discussion on this issue in the House, but the BJP government did not consider it necessary. When the new draft list came out after SIR in Bihar, many irregularities were revealed. When we are asking for answers on this, the BLO (block-level officer) has no answer, he claimed. In such a situation, we have decided that the Congress will start a 'Voter Awareness Campaign'. In this, we will go to all districts of Bihar and make people aware, so that they are not deprived of their rights, Singh said. He also said that Rahul Gandhi is fighting to save the Constitution. Rahul Gandhi is the voice of the poor, deprived, women, farmers, and labourers of the country. We request the people of Bihar to take part in this journey and help us in foiling the plans of the Election Commission-BJP, Singh added. Gandhi on Thursday said, We are waging a direct fight against 'vote chori' from Bihar with the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra. He asserted that his party will ensure a clean voters' list across the country. 'Vote chori' is not just an election issue but a decisive battle to protect democracy, the Constitution and the principle of 'one man, one vote', he had said. The Congress on Tuesday claimed that vote chori was a do-or-die issue for it, and announced a roadmap to take its allegations to the people through various activities. 'Got a chance to have tea with dead voters': Rahul Gandhi takes shot at EC over Bihar SIR

Officials Start Lifting Water From Yellampalli

From the Nandi reservoir, the water is being supplied through twin tunnels to the Gayathri Pump House in Laxmipur, located in the Ramadagu mandal of Karimnagar district, and subsequently to the Mid Manair Dam (MMD) reservoir.

Vachananand Swami favours uniform quota for all Veerashaiva Lingayat sub-sects

The seer of the Veerashaiva Lingayat Panchamasali Jagadguru Peetha sees the need for the policy as only then they will feel being one

Bihar SIR: 230 voters stay in single house

PATNA: Altogether 230 people reside in a single house in Bihars Jamui district, as recorded by a booth-level officer (BLO) of Chaudiha panchayat during the recently concluded special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Anomalies like this one in the voters list came to surface after Election Commission published the draft electoral rolls on August 1. More than 200 residents of Aamin village under Chaudiha panchayat complained to district administration that their address has been mentioned as house number 3 of ward number 3 in the draft rolls. According to the residents, they live in separate houses but the draft electoral rolls showed them staying in the house number 3. How is it possible? It shows that the BLO filled in enumeration forms sitting in office and did not bother to conduct house-to-house survey, said a resident of Aamin village. Noor Hasan (70), another resident, said the BLO did not visit her house to distribute enumeration forms. She alleged that the BLO visited a house on the outskirts of the village and filled forms without signatures of electors. This is sheer callousness, she said. Another resident Mohammad Danish alleged that BLOs Rajiv Kumar and Gautam Kumar filled in enumeration forms without conducting door-to-door campaign in the village. Mohammad Shahnawaz said the purpose of SIR has been defeated due to callousness of the BLOs. He said Kaushal Khatoon, wife of Mohammad Alizan, died three years back but her name figured in the draft rolls. The family had submitted enumeration form to the BLO, but it was not rectified, he alleged. Deputy election officer, Jamui, Mohammad Nazrul Haq refused to comment on the issue, saying that the report has been sent to the authorities for necessary correction. BLO Rajiv Kumar claimed that it happened due to technical glitch. I have informed the block development officer. The anomaly in inclusion of dead persons names in the draft rolls will be rectified by submitted form 7, the BLO said over phone on Saturday. In Patnas Gardanibagh, 22 dead persons figured in the draft rolls. In booth number 479 of Digha assembly constituency, voters list shows Shankar Prasad, his son Navin and Navins wife Sita Devi as electors with serial numbers 799, 804 and 806. The three people died in 2010, 2020 and 2021. Deceased Shankars brother Surendra Prasad revealed that the enumeration form that he filled in had anomalies. He cited the case of his daughter-in-law Ravita. In column of her husbands name, his (Surendras) name has been mentioned, he said. Ram Sundar Rai of Saristabad revealed that he was surprised to find his wife Sundarpari Devis name in the draft rolls. His wife died in 2023. I did not fill in enumeration form of my wife, who is no more. Yet her name exists in the draft electoral rolls, he said. In addition, 2,92,048 voters in the state have their house number 0, 00 and 000. The scrutiny of draft rolls showed Magadh and Patna divisions have the highest number of voters with their house numbers reading 0. The electoral list of Obra constituency in Auraganad district revealed the highest number of such voters at 6,637, followed by Phulwari (5,905), Maner (4,602), Forbesganj (4,155), Danapur (4,063), Gopalganj (3,957), Patna Sahib (3,806), Hajipur (3,802), Darbhanga (3,634) and Gaya Town (3,561). A total of 15 constituencies saw over 3,000 such names. Agiaon in Bhojpur district had the least at 47. When contacted, an official at the chief electoral office said that in villages, a majority of people didnt recall their house numbers, so they mentioned their house numbers as 0. We are looking into this, he said.

Coconut oil mills in Kangayam struggle to stem slide in production despite healthy market conditions

Amid 'GAY' airport code row, a look at other odd codes including OMG, LOL, POO, and many more

A row erupted after a BJP MP objected to the airport code for the Gaya airport: GAY. But it is far from being the only unusual or odd airport code out there. Some other ones include LOL, OMG, POO, PEE, and even BUM. Check out the interesting list of odd airport codes here.

Lingayat seer forced to quit Karnataka mutt over past Muslim identity

A young seer, a Muslim-born individual, stepped down from his position at a Karnataka mutt after villagers objected to his past. The 22-year-old, who now goes by Nijalinga Swamy, was asked to leave the Gurumalleshwara Shakha mutt in Chamarajanagars Gundlupet taluka, ending a brief six-week tenure amid a controversy sparked by the revelation of his [] The post Lingayat seer forced to quit Karnataka mutt over past Muslim identity appeared first on Northlines .

Karnataka Lingayat Seer Forced To Step Down After His Muslim Identity Gets Revealed

Born Mohammed Nisar in Shahpur, Yadgir district, he had embraced the teachings of 12th-century social reformer Basavanna and formally adopted the Lingayat faith five years ago.

BJP MP is not happy with 'GAY' code for an airport in Bihar, raises objection in the Rajya Sabha

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member in Rajya Sabha objects to 'GAY' as Gaya Airport's code. The MP finds it offensive. The Civil Aviation Minister says the code is permanent. Changes occur only for safety reasons. Past requests to change the code were rejected. IATA codes are for airline operations. The code is based on the city name.

Gaya Airports GAY Code Uncomfortable? Lets Talk About PEE, POO, LOL & YUM: Heres The List

MP Wants Gaya Airports GAY Code Changed: Who assigns these codes? Can they be changed? A list of the funny ones

BJP MP raises concerns over Gaya airport code GAY; Govt says airport codes considered permanent

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the three-letter airport codes are altered only under exceptional circumstances, usually involving air safety concerns

'Apna lafda official ho gaya hai': Shreeja Chaturvedi and Aman Jotwani announce their engagement on Instagram

Comedians Shreeja Chaturvedi and Aman Jotwani have joyfully announced their engagement, delighting fans with their adorable Instagram post showcasing matching gold rings. Aman shared details of the heartwarming proposal, complete with a board game victory and a handmade card from Shreeja.

BJP Member Raises Concerns Over Code 'GAY' For Gaya Airport, Centre Responds

A BJP member in Rajya Sabha has raised concerns about 'GAY' as the IATA identifier code for Gaya international airport in Bihar.

Ministers Kaleshwaram Pump Stunt Sparks Outcry

The pre-visit water releases from the Nandi and Gayatri pump houses were a calculated move by the Congress government to avert farmer protests: Choppadandi MLA Sunke Ravishankar (BRS)

Supreme Court agrees to examine plea to repeal Bodh Gaya temple law

The Supreme Court has agreed to review a petition seeking the repeal of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act of 1949, advocating for its replacement with a central law to better manage the Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar.

SC agrees to examine plea to repeal Bodh Gaya temple law

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine a plea for repealing the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949 and replacing it with a central law for the proper control, management and administration of Mahabodhi temple in Bihar. The Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bihar's Bodh Gaya, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the four holy areas related to the life of Gautam Buddha. Bodh Gaya is a place where Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment. The plea, which has also challenged the validity of the 1949 Act, came up for hearing before a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh. The petitioner's counsel said a plea with identical prayers was pending in the apex court. The bench issued notice to the Centre and others seeking their responses on the petition and tagged it for hearing along with the pending plea. The plea has sought to declare the 1949 Act as unconstitutional alleging it was inconsistent with Article 13 of the Constitution. Article 13 relates to laws inconsistent with or in derogation of the fundamental rights. The petition has also sought a direction to the authorities concerned to remove encroachments made in the premises of the Bodh Gaya temple for the exclusive worship of Buddhists around the world in order to manage, control and administer the religious, faith, belief and worship in the interest of justice. On June 30, the apex court refused to entertain a separate plea challenging the vires of the 1949 Act and asked the petitioner to moved high court concerned. The 1949 Act relates to the better management of the temple. The Mahabodhi Temple Complex comprises a 50-metre high grand temple, the Vajrasana, the sacred Bodhi tree and six other sacred sites of Buddha's enlightenment, surrounded by numerous ancient votive stupas, well maintained and protected by inner, middle and outer circular boundaries. A seventh sacred place, the Lotus Pond, is located outside the enclosure to the south. Both the temple area and the Lotus Pond are surrounded by circulating passages at two or three levels, and the area of the ensemble is 5 metres below the level of the surrounding land.

Rivers in spate in Bihar after heavy rain, CM directs officials to remain alert

PATNA: The water levels in several rivers in Bihar have risen due to heavy rain in the last 24 hours, officials said on Sunday. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed all officials concerned to remain alert. According to the latest district-wise rainfall bulletin issued by the Meteorological Department on Sunday, Light to moderate rain was recorded in many districts, including Patna, Banka, Muzaffarpur, Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Buxar, Gayaji, Jehanabad, Kaimur, Katihar, Khagaria, Munger, Nalanda and Vaishali since August 2. Several key roads and many low-lying areas in Patna were waterlogged following incessant rain in the state capital on Sunday. The Meteorological Department issued an 'orange' alert (be prepared) for several districts, including Patna, Gayaji, Jamui, Aurangabad, Khagaria, Banka, Vaishali, Samastipur, Seikhpura, Lakhisarai, East Champaran, Arwal, West Champaran and Nawada for the next 48 hours. Officials of the state Water Resources Department (WRD) said that incessant rain in several districts has caused rivers and streams to overflow. The increased inflow also caused the water level in many dams to rise, they said. Besides, incessant rainfall in catchment areas of Nepal has also led to the rivers touching or flowing above the danger level in several places, they added. No causality has been reported so far, and in certain areas in East and West Champaran, Bhagalpur and Patna districts, villagers of low-lying areas have been shifted to safer places by the district administration. Owing to moderate to heavy rain in certain areas in the state, major rivers, including Ganga, Kosi, Sone, Bagmati, Gandak, Kamla, and Adahrwa, are maintaining a rising trend in their courses in the past couple of days, the latest report of the WRD said. Ganga is flowing above the danger level in Bhagalpur, and at Gandhi Ghat and Hathidah in Patna, Burhi Gandak in East Champaran, and Kosi in Supaul and Khagaria, it added. Almost all rivers are maintaining a rising trend throughout their courses, engulfing low-lying localities along their courses. However, all embankments are safe, a senior WRD official said. Meanwhile, the chief minister on Sunday inspected the State Emergency Operations Centre of the Disaster Management Department (DMD). According to a statement issued by the DMD, During the inspection, the CM reviewed the rainfall situation in the state, water levels of rivers, and the status of crop coverage. Bihar Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the DMD, Pratyaya Amrit, briefed the CM about the rainfall situation in the state. The CM directed all officials concerned to remain alert, it added. From June 1 to August 3 this year, the state recorded 409 mm of rainfall, which is 22 per cent less than normal. The ACS also mentioned that the state received good rainfall in the past 24 hours, with 25 mm or more rainfall recorded in 222 blocks across the state, the statement said. Regarding the current water levels of rivers in the state, the ACS said that the water levels in the Ganga, Kosi, and Burhi Gandak and some other rivers have risen, but the situation is currently under control. Providing details on crop coverage, he stated that as of August 3, paddy crop coverage in the state stands at 79.43 percent, whereas it was 67.38 percent during the same period last year. It is expected that 100 per cent coverage will be achieved by August 15 under normal circumstances, the statement added.

Indian Railways announces Mahalaya Paksha special train from September 9

Spiritual tour to cover Saptha Moksha Kshetras including Ujjain, Varanasi, Ayodhya, and Gaya; 15-day journey offers pinda daan opportunity in Gaya

Ahead of elections Bihar cabinet clears Rs 316 crore for five new dairy, milk powder plants

PATNA: Milk producers in Bihar have reasons to rejoice ahead of the state assembly elections. The Bihar cabinet on Tuesday approved the setting up of five dairy plants, including two milk powder plants, at an estimated cost of Rs 316 crore in the state. Giving a nod to the State Animal and Fish Resources Departments proposal, the state cabinet led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar approved a SIDBI Cluster Development Fund (SCDF) loan for setting up a dairy plant each with a 2 lakh litre capacity at Darbhanga and Wazirganj (Gaya Ji), while another plant with a one lakh litre capacity is to be set up in Gopalganj district. Cabinet Secretariat Departments Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) S Siddharth told the media that the dairy plant at Darbhanga will be set up for Rs 71.32 crore, while the other two plants at Gaya Ji and Gopalganj will be set up for Rs 50.27 crore and Rs 54.73 crore, respectively. Milk powder plants will be set up with a capacity of 30 metric tonnes each at Dehri-On-Sone (Rohtas) and Sitamarhi districts, Siddharth said, adding that the plant at Rohtas will cost Rs 69.66 crore and the one at Sitamarhi Rs 70.33 crore. The decision would not only pave the way for the supply of additional quality milk, but people would also get it on time, besides creating employment opportunities at the local level, the ACS said. In another significant decision, the Cabinet approved the Urban Development and Housing Departments proposal for constituting the Bihar Rajya Safai Karmchari Aayog for the overall development and protection of the rights of sanitation workers across the state. The commission will be headed by a chairman, a vice-chairman, and five members, including one woman or transgender member. Its main job will be to bring sanitation workers into the mainstream, ensuring their economic and social development, welfare, rehabilitation, grievance redressal, and protection of their rights. Allocation for land acquisition for Maa Janki Temple In another important decision, the Cabinet also gave a revised approval of Rs 165.57 crore for the acquisition of 50 acres of land for tourism-related development work and infrastructure facilities at Punauradham temple, believed to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita, in Sitamarhi district. Earlier, Rs 120.58 crore was sanctioned for the purpose. Notably, the Cabinet had on July 1 sanctioned Rs 882.87 crore for the integrated development of Maa Jankis grand temple at Punaura Dham. It will be developed on the lines of the grand Ram temple at Ayodhya. The government has already constituted a nine-member trust christened Shree Janki Janm Bhumi Punaura Dham Mandir Nyas Samiti. CM Nitish Kumar, who unveiled the final design of the temple on June 22, inspected the Janki Mandir at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi district last Saturday. Giving necessary directions to officials, Kumar said that the old structure of the Maa Janki temple will be preserved as it is. Pension for journalists hiked The Cabinet also hiked the monthly pension and family pension for journalists, who will now get a monthly pension of Rs 15,000 against the existing Rs 6,000, and a monthly family pension of Rs 10,000 against the existing Rs 3,000, Siddharth said. The Cabinet approved Sections 4(1) and 5 of the Bihar Patrakar Samman Pension Yojana Niyamawali 2019. A journalists spouse would be eligible for the monthly pension and family pension only if he/she is neither employed with any media organisation nor with the government. The government said the decision to grant monthly pensions to journalists was aimed at helping them financially so they can lead a dignified life.

Satwik-Chirag return to top 10 in BWF rankings; Lakshya, Unnati climb in singles

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are back in the top 10 BWF rankings. Lakshya Sen improved his ranking to 17th. HS Prannoy also climbed to 33rd position. Unnati Hooda achieved a career-best ranking of 31. Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand remain at 11th in women's doubles. Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa moved up to 45th.

Gavel to gravel: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhars cookie-crumble

NEW DELHI: Lawyer, politician, governor, and vice president, Jagdeep Dhankhars political journey has been unconventional to say the least, tempered in phases by his legal acumen, unpredictable fidelity, and erratic swings between his sense of correctness and pugnacious confrontation. That sums up the manner of his resignation , quietly, long after sunset, which he made public through a social media note . It arose after the impression gained ground that Dhankhar had thwarted the ruling dispensations strategy to initiate the impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma. The treasury side was not yet ready with its motion when, as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar reportedly received the Oppositions notice. The government was not amused. In many ways, Dhankhars story reads like a political parable from the dusty village lanes of Kithana in Rajasthans Jhunjhunu district to the ceremonial grandeur of the Vice Presidents Enclave in Lutyens Delhi. Ambition, some legal finesse, and an appetite for the limelight forged his ascent. Yet the very elements that lifted him law, pugnacity, and showmanship ultimately contributed to his eclipse. Educated in physics and law at Jaipur University, Dhankhar built his early reputation at the Rajasthan High Court and later the Supreme Court. The black gown gave way to white kurta-politics in 1989, when he entered Parliament as a Janata Dal candidate backed by the BJP, a foreshadowing of the ideological tightrope he would walk for the next three decades. From there began a restless political voyage. A textbook example of Indias aya-ram-gaya-ram political culture, Dhankhar migrated from the Janata Dal to the Congress during PV Narasimha Raos liberalisation era, before eventually returning to the BJP fold in 2003. Opportunism or ideological evolution? His critics lean toward the former; his supporters may argue pragmatism and survival. VPs exit fuels BJPs ideological churn It was, however, in Kolkatas Raj Bhawan, where Dhankhars personality found full expression. Appointed Governor of West Bengal, he repeatedly clashed with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, casting aside traditional notions of gubernatorial neutrality. Daily duels and dramatic statements defined his tenure. To many, it seemed less a governorship than a one-man opposition front, laced with personal vendettas and partisan edge. Yet what seemed like overreach to his detractors looked like assertiveness to those in Delhi. His combative stint in Bengal may well have burnished his image in the eyes of the ruling NDA, which tapped him for the Vice Presidency, a post that he approached not as a constitutional referee but sort of a player-coach. In Parliament, Dhankhar quickly became a central, polarising figure. His defenders hailed a Vice President unafraid to call out disorder. His critics accused him of stifling dissent, echoing the high-handedness of his gubernatorial days. Walkouts in the Rajya Sabha became routine. The Opposition bristled at what they saw as partisan moderation. Accusations of overstepping his constitutional mandate trailed him persistently. The turning point, perhaps, came when Dhankhar admitted an Opposition notice against a sitting judgeseen by some in government as premature and unsanctioned. The move sparked speculation about internal rifts, followed by his unexpected outreach to the Opposition. On the foreign front, he made only four overseas visits during his tenurefar fewer than Venkaiah Naidus 13 and Hamid Ansaris 28. His Tehran trip for President Raisis funeral drew criticism due to protocol lapses. At home, Dhankhars combative tone in questioning the judiciary on issues like bill assent and the NJAC drew flak. He wanted to be the systems hand. But, in the end, the system pulled back. Unconventional? Certainly. He was. Forgotten? Time will tell. Health reasons or political unease? Dhankhars resignation raises questions