Skoda Superb 40k km update: Brake fluid, coolant replaced after 12 year

BHPian dkaile recently shared this with other enthusiasts. Brake Oil / Coolant / Fuel Filter Service - 40479 kms - 10-04-2024 I was having NO issues, however it had been 12 years since either the Brake Oil or the Coolant had been changed. The service manual specifies that the Brake Fluid should be changed first in the 3rd year and subsequently every 2 years. The Coolant, they say, is LIFELONG, but I decided to get it changed anyway - So off we went to try the local Meerut Skoda dealership -Brite Skoda, Meerut, for the 1st time for actual mechanical work - The odo was at40,479 kms The car was lifted up TheDOT 4 Brake Fluidand theReady Mix Coolant(no need to dilute). Plus my newbattery clamphad also arrived, which as I had mentioned in my previous battery change post, had completely corroded - the old corroded battery clamp visible here - www.team-bhp.com/forum/attac...9072023_11.jpg A total 6 liters of Coolant and 1 L of Brake Oil are required for this job - The first thing that needs to be done is that theair boxneeds to be removed - Now the special thing in the 1.8 TSIManualcar is that theClutch Slave Cylinderis also supplied with the same brake fluid for its operations, so that needs to be bled too. Here the arrow is pointing to its drain plug in the picture below - From Briskoda - According to the service manual, you should drain 0.3 l from each of the rear calipers and 0.2 l from the front ones, so that's 1 liter. If you have a manual gearbox like mine, the hydraulic clutch slave cylinder should be drained together with the brakes as the clutch shares the fluid with the brake system - the service manual states that 0.15 l should be drained from the slave cylinder. The order of bleeding is:Clutch slave cylinder (not if you have a DSG gearbox obviously)Right rear caliperLeft rear caliperRight front caliperLeft front caliperAccording to the service manual, you should use new brake fluid that conforms to USA standard FMVSS 571.116 DOT4andVW standard 501.14. (It seems that the VW 501.14 is a low viscosity version of the DOT 4 fluid that works better with ESP? Now the car is raised - And first it's time to replace thefuel filterthat has been lying with me for several years as the official replacement time is more than 50k kms. Here's the old petrol filter - Which was now removed - And replaced with this new one, a 5-minute job - Thebrake padswere serviced and checked - Thefront brake padshad plenty of life left in them as is visible - But therear brake padswere at the end of life and needed to be changed within the next 1000 kms. But they were not available at the dealership, hence cleaned and back ordered - The car was lowered back down back to bleed the brakes - Now I was not very happy with the 2-man manual brake bleeding followed at this dealership. They should have had some automated equipment to ensure zero air bubbles in the system. Anyways, here's the rear brake plug for the brake oil after oil removal - What was surprising to note was that the brake fluid removed was absolutely clear, as is evident in this sample I took, even after so many years - Again the clear brake oil is visible in this photo - Absolutelyfreshand clear Brake Fluid was fully replenished as is now visible in theBrake Fluid Reservoir- Thebattery clampwas also replaced with the new one as is visible in the top circle and theslave clutch cylinderin the lower circle in red - Getting ready to drain the coolant with the engine bash plate also removed now - TheLower Radiator Hose, as is visible in this picture, needs to be unclipped, to drain the coolant. Sad to see that there is no coolant drain plug here - Here you can see thecoolant draining. As is visible, it is also absolutely clear and pink in colour as the original. It really islifelongas they claim - Coolant is being collected in thedrain trayplaced below, no signs of any oil in it, as someone was earlier mentioning, and clear as visible - Fresh Coolantis being replenished. It took in about 5 liters (after engine start and auto burping) as 100% drain is never possible without total engine flush. Kept the rest in reserve - Total Damages wereRs. 6210/-(3712 for parts and 2500 for labour). Not bad. While I was there, also did the PDI for the newKodiaq, that was coming into our extended family - All done and ready to depart - The brake felt a little spongy at first. I talked to the service advisor and he remarked that they will get perfect within the next 2-3 short rides. And they did get better in this single 10 km ride back home. Will keep a lookout if the sponginess fully disappears or not, as claimed by them, in the next 2-3 days, otherwise would re-bleed them properly. Final odo at home after testing etc. - Cheers for now... Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Important Update: Apply for UPCATET 2024 Until May 17th & Edit Applications Now

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology (SVPUAT) Meerut has extended the registration deadline for the UP Combined Agriculture and Technology Entrance Test (UPCATET) till May 17, 2024. Candidates aspiring for undergraduate and postgraduate agriculture programmes are urged to complete their registrations promptly to avoid last-minute inconveniences.

Amid heatwave, 1 million individuals travelled on Namo Bharat so far

NEW DELHI: Going by the Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) data, a staggering 1 million individuals have boarded Namo Bharat till date, with a 17 km section inaugurated initially and a subsequent 34 km stretch opened to the public from March 2024. The 34 km operational stretch of the DelhiGhaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is proving to be a saviour for passengers amid the blistering heat, providing a comfortable and convenient travel experience Notably, travellers often encounter not only heat but also dust, and pollution while on the move. In this stretch, there were no reliable and comfortable public transport systems like Namo Bharat for commuters. Hence people now prefer Namo Bharat Trains for comfortable and convenient travel. Maintaining a comfortable ambiance, each coachs temperature is regulated at nearly 25 degrees Celsius, adjusted seasonally to accommodate varying weather conditions such as summer, winter, and monsoon. Recognizing the heightened demand for cooling during summer, the AC system of the Namo Bharat train has been tailored accordingly. Not confined to the younger demographic, both professionals and seniors also prefer Namo Bharat for travel, especially during hot weather spells. Furthermore, to conserve the conditioned air, the Namo Bharat train employs a passenger-controlled door operation system, a pioneering feature in the countrys railway infrastructure. By facilitating passengers to manually open doors using push buttons only when required, energy consumption is minimized, preventing the escape of cool air, thus alleviating stress on the AC system. This innovation underscores both energy efficiency and passenger convenience. The air-condition system undergoes regular maintenance and checks, including the cleaning of AC filters every 15 days, ensuring optimal functionality.

Meerut MLA Denied Relief by Allahabad HC in 1995 Case

Meerut MLA Denied Relief by Allahabad HC in 1995 Case The Allahabad High Court has refused to set aside the criminal proceedings against Samajwadi Party MLA from Meerut Rafiq Ansari in a 1995 case, saying that he failed to appear before the trial court despite the issuance of around 100 non-bailable warrants between 1997 and 2015. Dismissing an application filed by Ansari, Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh observed, ''Non execution of non-bailable warrant against the sitting MLA and allowing him to participate in assembly session will set a perilous and egregious precedent.'' The court added that by allowing individuals facing serious criminal charges to evade legal accountability, ''we risk perpetuating a culture of impunity and disrespect for the rule of law''. Ansari had filed an application under section 482 (inherent powers of high court) seeking quashing of criminal proceedings pending against him in a criminal case before the MP/MLA court of the additional chief judicial magistrate, Meerut. The case was registered at Nauchandi police station in Meerut in 1995. After the investigation, the first charge sheet was submitted against 22 accused persons and thereafter another supplementary charge sheet was submitted against the applicant Ansari, of which the concerned court took cognizance in August 1997. As Ansari had not appeared before the court, a non-bailable warrant was issued on December 12, 1997. Afterwards, despite repeated non-bailable warrants (101 in number) and processes under section 82 (proclamation for person absconding) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), the applicant did not appear before the trial court. During the hearing in the high court, the counsel for Ansari sought quashing of the criminal proceedings against the applicant on the ground that 22 accused persons, originally charged in the case, have already been acquitted after facing trial, hence, proceedings against him should be quashed. At the outset, the court noted that evidence recorded in a criminal trial against any accused is confined to the culpability of that accused only and does not have any bearing upon a co-accused who has been or will be tried separately. Dismissing Ansari's petition, the court observed that securing acquittal by co-accused cannot be considered relevant circumstances and a ground for exercising the power under section 482 CrPC to quash the proceedings against those accused, who have not faced trial. The court, in its order passed on April 29, also directed that a copy of its order be sent to the principal secretary of the UP legislative assembly for placement before the Speaker of the state assembly for information. The court also directed the director general of police to ensure the service of a non-bailable warrant already issued by the trial court against Ansari, if the same has not yet been served.

Delhi-Meerut RRTS Goes Green: All 25 Stations To Have EV Charging Station

Redemption and Triumph: Stories of India's Olympic-Bound Relay Teams

Redemption and Triumph: Stories of India's Olympic-Bound Relay Teams Redemption, fulfilment of a father's dream, a big step in a nascent career and justification of choices made early in life -- Olympic qualification meant different things to the different members of the 4x400m Indian men's and women's relay teams who booked their Paris berths on Monday. PTI gives a low-down on the eight runners -- four men and four women -- who finished second in their respective qualifying heats at the World Athletics Relay in Nassau, Bahamas to make the Olympic cut. THE WOMEN'S TEAM: ----------------------- MR Poovamma: ========== For Olympian Poovamma, it's a redemption of sorts after she faced the ignominy of a two-year ban for a doping offence in 2021 before getting a favourable decision after the intervention of Kerala High Court. The 33-year-old, a multiple medallist in the individual 400m and 4x400m relay race in the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, returned to action during the Goa National Games last year after serving a two-year ban. ''Finally, I can return to action now. The ordeal is over, though it left me mentally distressed,'' she had told PTI then. The Arjuna Awardee is one of the most decorated athletes in the country, having won a women's 4x400m relay gold and 400m individual silver in the 2013 Asian Championships. She went on to win a gold and a bronze in the women's 4x400m relay and 400m individual event. The Karanataka-born, who married another international athlete from Kerala, also won a gold each in the women's 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relay races in the 2018 Asian Games. Rupal Chaudhary: =========== She scripted history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win two medals -- silver in women's 4x400m relay and bronze in the individual 400m -- at the World U20 Athletics Championship in 2022 in Colombia. The 19-year-old hails from a family of modest means. Her father is a small farmer in Shahpur Jainpur village in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut district. As the closest stadium to her base -- Meerut -- does not have suitable synthetic tracks for training, she would endure a two-hour journey to Delhi for two days ever week to train. She became the second Indian to win a medal in the women's 400m after Hima Das' historic gold in the 2018 edition of the championships in Finland. Jyothika Dandi Sri: ============ Hyderabad-based Jyothika, who ran the second leg on Monday, took to sports to fulfil the dreams of her father who wanted his daughter to feature in the Olympics. The 23-year-old is quite close to it, though the final selection of the relay team rests in the hands of the Athletics Federation of India. She was part of the Indian women's 4x400m team that won a bronze in the Asian Championships last year. She won a 400m gold in the National Open Championships in and a silver in Goa National Games last year. Subha Venkatesan: ============ The 24-year-old from Trichy in Tamil Nadu is the daughter of a construction worker and a homemaker and she took to sports on the insistence of her maternal grandfather who works in the police department. Trained initially at the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu's (SDAT) Centre of Chennai, Subha went on to win medals in national meets before she became part of the women's 4x400m relay team that won a silver in the 2018 Asian Junior Championships. THE MEN'S TEAM ------------------- Muhammed Anas: =========== The 29-year-old Anas is the most well-known men's quarter-miler in the country and the national record holder. Already a two-time Olympian, Anas has won medals at the Asian Games, Asian Championships and 2016 he became is only the third Indian quarter-miler (individual 400m) to participate at the Olympics after KM Binu and Milkha Singh. He was a part of the Indian men's 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relays in Tokyo Olympics. He was also part of the men's 4x400m team that broke the Asian record in the World Championships last year and won the gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Anas hails from Nilamel village in Kerala and his father Yahiya was a state-level athlete. Anas has often stated that he became interested in running after seeing Jamaican legend Usain Bolt dashing down the track in the 2008 Olympics. He was a long jump champion at his school, but shifted to track on the advice of coaches. At the 2016 senior nationals, Anas clinched the 400m silver in his first attempt and broke the 46-second barrier at the Indian Grand Prix and Federation Cups that year for the first time. Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi: =================== Born in Palakkad, Kerala, Muhammed Ajmal was a football player just like many youngsters in his state. He participated at the U-19 state level football tournaments until his coach recommended a shift to running. He was a 100m sprinter first and then began competing in 400m. Amoj Jacob: ======== Born in Kerala but brought up in New Delhi, Jacob's sporting journey began during his time at St. Xavier's School in Rohini, when his coach suggested that he try becoming a sprinter. The 25-year-old was initially interested in football. His mother is a nurse at a Delhi hospital. He was part of the gold winning 4x400m relay team at the 2017 Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar, besides winning the Hangzhou Asian Games gold in the same event. Arokia Rajiv: ======== Hailing from a village near Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, athletics runs in Arokia's blood as his father Y Soundararajan was a state level sprinter and long jumper. Arokia's father Soundararajan was a bus driver while his mother a daily wager. The 32-year-old Armyman was part of the gold-winning 4x400m mixed relay team and he settled for a silver medal in the men's 4x400m relay at the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta. He was part of the Tokyo Olympics 4x400m relay team that broke the then Asian record.

Video: Narrow escape for Meerut businessman after masked men shoot at him

Video Narrow escape for Meerut businessman after masked men shoot at him

Blaze erupts at thread factory in Meerut, no casualties

Brick kiln owner killed in Meerut village, buried in RRTS yard

NCRTC Chief Inspects Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor

NCRTC Chief Inspects Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS Corridor National Capital Region Transport Corporation's managing director Kuldip Narayan on Saturday undertook a comprehensive inspection of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor, according to a statement. His visit commenced with an inspection of the under-construction section between Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar in Delhi, it said. Narayan reviewed the progress of the ongoing construction activities, emphasising the importance of timely execution and adherence to safety protocols, it said. He proceeded to the operational RRTS corridor between Sahibabad and Modinagar North and Duhai Depot to evaluate the operational efficiency and passenger experience. Later, Narayan headed to the Meerut section of the corridor where he closely examined the construction progress and also interacted with the engineers and on ground staff members, it stated. Currently, a 34-km section between Sahibabad and Modinagar North of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, comprising eight stations, is operational and construction on the remaining stretches is going on. The entire 82-km corridor, spanning from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram in Meerut, is expected to be operational by June 2025, it added

RLD national spokesperson quits party over BJP ticket to Brij Bhushan Singhs son

Meerut (UP): National spokesperson of BJP ally Rashtriya Lok Dal Rohit Jakhar has resigned from the party in protest against the BJP giving a ticket to the son of incumbent MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing criminal charges of sexually harassing women wrestlers. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is an accused in the sexual []

Five Students Killed, One Injured After Car Falls Into Gorge On Mussoorie-Dehradun Road

As per latest updates, the only survivor from the accident, a girl named Nancy, have now been admitted to a hospital in Meerut

Five engineering students dead as car falls into gorge near Mussoorie in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: Five people were killed in a road accident after a vehicle fell down into a deep gorge near Chunakhal on the Mussoorie-Dehradun road at around 5 am on Saturday. Four of the victims are identified to be engineering students while a fellow woman passenger survived the fall with minor injuries. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Fire Station Officer Dheeraj Singh Tadiyal said, On receiving the information of the incident at around 5:30 a.m., we rushed to the accident scene with the police force. The relief and rescue operations are currently underway with the help of locals. The injured are being taken to nearby hospital The victims have been identified as Aman Singh Rana, 22, (IMS University), Dingyash Pratap Bhati, 23, (IMS University), Tanuja Rawat, 22, (IMS University), Ashutosh Tiwari resident of Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh), Hridyansh Chandra, 24, (D.I.T. University). Meanwhile, the injured woman who survived the crash has been identified as 24-year-old Nayanshree, a student of IMS University, a native of Meerut.

Delhi: Udit Raj, Bidhuri, Khandelwal file nominations

NEW DELHI: Udit Raj from Congress while Praveen Khandelwal and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri from BJP were among 33 candidates who filed their nominations in Delhi on Friday. Union Minister Piyush Goyal, accompanying Khandelwal in a roadshow that started from the Red Fort, claimed that the Congress is going to be wiped out from entire north India after the ongoing election. Addressing a gathering ahead of Bidhuris roadshow in South Delhi, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami asserted that a wave in favour of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is sweeping the country. A large number of BJP workers carrying party flags and raising Jai Shri Ram slogans marched along the roadshows of Bidhuri and Khandelwal, who greeted people from open-top vehicles. Congress candidate Udit Raj from the North West Delhi constituency was accompanied Delhi minister Gopal Rai and senior Congress leaders. Khandelwal (64), in his self-sworn affidavit, he declared movable assets of Rs 1.62 crore and immovable assets of Rs 5 crore. The movable and immovable assets of his wife are worth Rs 81.20 lakh and Rs 4.08 crore, respectively. He also reported movable assets of Rs 18.71 lakh under the Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) Act. Khandelwal has liabilities of Rs 3.85 crore while that of his wife is Rs 2.20 crore. He completed his graduation from Delhi University Ramjas College. Congress nominee Udit Raj holds a roadshow Bidhuri (71), the BJPs candidate in South Delhi, has declared movable assets of Rs 11.73 crore. His spouse has movable assets worth Rs 12.11 crore. According to his 2022-23 Income Tax Returns, Bidhuri had an income of Rs 14.93 lakh. He also has Rs 5.50 lakh cash in hand. His movable assets are worth Rs 11.73 crore while that of his spouse are valued at Rs 12.11 crore. The BJP candidate has immovable assets valued at Rs 9.35 crore while that of his spouse are worth Rs 9.42 crore. He pursued his graduation from Delhi Universitys Deshbandhu College. Raj (66), the Congress North West Delhi candidate, completed his MA from Osmania University in 1988 and LLB from MMH College, CCS University, Meerut, in 1995. He received an honorary doctorate from Bible College and Seminary, Kota, in 2003. He has shown an income of about Rs 1 crore (Rs 1,00,07,030) in his 2022-23 Income Tax Returns. His wifes income was Rs 40.61 lakh.

Allahabad High Court grants bail to two men accused of firing shots at Asaduddin Owaisi

The Allahabad High Court has granted conditional bail to Sachin Sharma and Subham Gurjar, accused of attempting to murder on MP Asaduddin Owaisi by firing near Meerut Delhi Highway Toll Plaza. A Single Bench of Justice Pankaj Bhatia passed this order while hearing a Criminal Misc Bail Application filed by Sachin Sharma and Another. The []

Spark Lucknow beat K News Meerut by 6 wkts

UP Govt Official Meets with Farmers in Noida Amid Protests

UP Govt Official Meets with Farmers in Noida Amid Protests Uttar Pradesh Revenue Council Chairman Rajneesh Dubey on Thursday held a meeting with farmers' unions and leaders in Noida and Greater Noida to discuss solution for their woes, which have led to frequent protests in the area. The representatives and local leaders of the Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha, Bharatiya Kisan Parishad, Jai Jawan Jai Kisan Morcha, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU-Tikait), BKU Manch, BKU Lok Shakti, BKU Non-Political and Bharaiya Kisan Sangharsh Samiti among other farmers' unions attended the meeting. According to a statement by the district information office, the revenue council chairman while talking to the representatives of all the farmer organisations obtained information about their demands and problems. ''During the meeting the farmers also raised their demands, including the farmers being given the right to 10 per cent developed land against their land acquired by the authorities, increasing the limit of 450 square meter to 1,000 per square meter under the Population Regulations 2011. They also demanded that building rules should not be implemented on the houses of the farmers under construction in the villages,'' according to the statement. ''The chairman was also apprised about the demands for granting permission to carry out the commercial activities on 100 per cent developed land, increasing circle rate and employment etc.,'' the statement added. Meerut Divisional Commissioner Selva Kumari J, Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma and the chief executive officers of Noida and Greater Noida authorities Lokesh M and N G Ravi Kumar attended the meeting, it added. Gautam Buddh Nagar's twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida have witnessed multiple protests by the local farmers' groups over the years and their demonstrations, which have at times disrupted law and order have been a pressing political issue in the region. Such protests have been joined by the farmers from over 200 villages in Noida and Greater Noida who have been demanding increased compensation and developed plots in lieu of their land acquired by the local authorities and the NTPC in Dadri area in the past.

What are UP's Muslim voters up to in this Lok Sabha election?

Till about a decade ago, the voting behaviour of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh used to be a decisive factor in about two dozen Lok Sabha seats. The main political parties in those elections, such as the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress, whether in alliance or separately, used to bank heavily on the support of Muslims. This used to be the norm from the 1970s till the general election of 2014, when the Narendra Modi wave made all such factors redundant. Riding high on it, the Bharatiya Janata Party got the majority community to vote in such numbers so as to make the Muslim vote bank irrelevant. However, ten years of BJP rule at the Centre has taken away much of the wind from beneath that wave. With two phases of polling having already been completed in the state, the significance of the electoral heft of Muslim voters has once again come into play with both the SP-Congress alliance and the BSP renewing their efforts to wrest Muslim support. UP's Muslims have over the last few years and till this election been caught in a dilemma as they have not been able to consider any one party in the state their benefactor. Earlier, from the heydays of Mulayam Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party used to be their go-to party since the late former CM had made the welfare of Muslims nothing short of a sacred political pledge for himself and his party. But as Akhilesh Yadav inherited the party in 2017, he very quietly shelved the pro-Muslim policy and started pursuing a brand of ambivalent-- often so-called soft -- Hindutva. In the recent past, Akhilesh vociferously backed the construction of a statue of Parashuram, the deity revered by Brahmins, proposed the construction of a huge Krishna temple in Vrindavan, inaugurated a Lord Krishna statue in Saifai, and generally avoided having Muslim leaders in his core team of Samajwadi Party after the jailing and subsequent sidelining of Azam Khan. All this changed ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In order to counter the charge of ignoring Muslims, Akhilesh skipped the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, visited the family residence of late Mukhtar Ansari in Ghazipur to pay condolences (albeit belatedly) and risked disaffection in the party by ignoring upper caste-Hindus for key bye-elections. The importance of being Akhilesh Yadav in this Lok Sabha election Mayawati, meanwhile, had appeared to be softer towards the BJP in the beginning, but her Bahujan Samaj Party has still stuck to fielding Muslims in key elections in the past few years, and the trend is highly visible in this year's list as well. The party's candidates for 54 seats so far includes 14 Muslims. Then there is the AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who had declared his intention to fight from all seats in collaboration with Apna Dal (K) and some smaller parties with much fanfare, but the initiative seems to have lost steam. The Muslim vote in UP According to several estimates, Muslims account for 19% to 23% of the state's population. Based on figures from various organisations and development programmes, the districts with high Muslim population (above 25%) are: Rampur 50.57%, Moradabad 47.12%, Bijnor 43.04%, Saharanpur 41.95%, Muzaffarnagar 41.30%, Amroha 40.78%, Balrampur 37.51%, Bareilly 34.54%, Meerut 34.43%, Bahraich 33.53%, Shrawasti 30.79%, Baghpat 27.98%, Ghaziabad 25.35%, and Siddharthnagar 29.23%. Polling was completed in the first phase on April 19 in eight constituencies -- Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit. The eight constituencies where voting took place on April 26 were Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Aligarh, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Mathura. Of these 16 constituencies, at least 11 constituencies have a Muslim population above 20%. There are indications that in these two phases, Muslim voters may have resorted to voting to bring about a change, and the candidate's faith may not be a factor. This has been often referred to as actical voting where the sole aim is to ensure the defeat of a candidate whose party is considered to be apathetic to Muslims interests. Advantage INDIA bloc? In this case, voting to ensure the BJP's candidates defeat could have led Muslim voters to support either the SP-Congress INDIA bloc, or the BSP. It appears that the community could have preferred the former in most places, while the BSP could be preferred only in places where the INDIA combine is thought to be weaker. This is endorsed by Professor Hilal Ahmad, a veteran political analyst and social scholar. He says that Muslim voters appear to be in favour of the INDIA bloc, regardless of the result. In many districts, there have been reports of voters, including women, having voted in favour of the SP-Congress combine, he said, but added emphatically that the Muslim voter is totally silent with no proclamations from community leaders whatsoever. This, however, does not mean that the results will be follow the same pattern in all the Muslim-dominated seats. For the record, the 2014 Lok Sabha election saw the BJP winning at least eight such seats, including Amroha, Bijnor, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina, Rampur, Saharanpur and Sambhal. But in 2019, the SP-BSP fighting in alliance, won 15 seats including in Muslim-dominated Amroha, Bijnor, Moradabad, Rampur and Sambhal. Another fact to be remembered is that despite general perception that Muslims were voting against the BJP, the party succeeded in getting a percentage of the Muslim votes in the 2022 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. This came out in a post-election survey by CSDS-Lokniti which suggested that least eight per cent of the Muslim votes went to the BJP. Also, the BJP has gone into the 2024 election in alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal which has been favoured by Muslim voters in its stronghold areas. Even during the campaign for the first phase, BJP leaders accompanied RLD leaders in Muslim-dominated areas. UP battle shifts from Jat land to Yadav stronghold All this could mean on the one hand that Muslims are disillusioned that no party has shown faith in them, but rather than abstaining, they will vote for the candidate considered to be the BJP's strongest rival. On the other hand, they could also accept the BJP candidate for the simple fact that the state has a BJP government headed by Yogi Adityanath and no purpose may be served in getting identified as a non-BJP voter till 2027 (when the next Assembly election is scheduled). According to Anshuman Shukla, a veteran political analyst and columnist, although Muslims have increasingly voted in a unified way, political and social mobilization has highlighted divisions along sub-identities like caste and sect among them. This explains the BJP's outreach -- and success -- with Pasmanda Muslims, a term that includes backwards, Dalits and tribal Muslims. According to many researchers, the held belief of Muslims voting en bloc may not be completely true, an idea also suggested in a study Mapping Muslim Voter Behaviour in India by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Even some Muslim scholars agree that Muslims are increasingly getting divided along caste and sectarian lines, an example of which is the lukewarm response to Asaduddin Owaisi after he announced his decision to contest in UP with the Apna Dal (K). Anshuman Shukla says that even though figures show that Muslims could play a crucial role in deciding the result in more than 25 seats in UP, the results will show a different picture. Kashi: A date with the present

CCSU Hall Ticket 2024 Available for Download: Check Your Exam Center and Details

Chaudhary Charan Singh University, formerly known as Meerut University, has announced the release of admit cards for the annual and even semester examinations covering various courses such as BCom, BSc, BA, BBA, BCA, MA, MCom, MSc, BEd, BPEd, and others.

Delhi: Poll notification out, BJPs Chandoliya files nomination

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Monday issued notification for Lok Sabha elections in Delhi with Bharatiya Janata Partys candidate Yogender Chandoliya filing his nomination from North West Delhi. According to the gazette notification, candidates can file their nominations by May 6, which will be scrutinised on May 7 and can be withdrawn till May 9. The election is scheduled for May 25, with the votes to be counted on June 4. Thirteen candidates filed their nominations, and two submitted additional applications. Chandoliyas son Chitresh also submitted an application as a candidate from the saffron party. Chandoliya, the BJPs North West Delhi candidate, graduated with a BA (Political Science and History) degree from Subharti University in Meerut in 2022, according to his election affidavit.The 61-year-old showed an income of Rs 3.83 lakh in his Income Tax Return filed for 2022-23. The affidavit showed that his movable assets are worth Rs 29.31 lakh and those of his wife Rs 31.92 lakh. Chandoliya owns a third of a joint family property in Raigar Pura with a current market value of Rs 2,15,00,000 (Rs 2.15 crore). He and his wife also own separate vehicles. He possesses jewellery worth Rs 11 lakh, while his spouse owns Rs 18 lakh. The affidavit stated that the BJP candidate also has Rs 1.11 lakh in cash and a loan of Rs 9.38 lakh. As of February 1, 2024, the city has 1.47 crore voters of whom nearly 80 lakh are men, 67 lakh are women and 1,176 voters are third-gender people. In the past election, the citys voter turnout was 60.60 per cent, below the national average of 67 per cent.

Kashi: A Date With The Present

First of a four-part series VARANASI: In the mind of India, Varanasi or Kashi is an ancient space suspended in an unbroken continuum, not a project under construction. Its life is in the cultural imagination, entwined with centuries-old personal socio-religious historiescycles of birth and deathembedded far more deep than Ayodhya. The locals breathe this air too. Real antiquity is a historical detour when you keep encountering the refrain: Paanch hazaar saal purana sheher. Navigating between those five thousand years and the five-year cycles of modern democracy is, then, the peculiar fortune of Kashi. Its 2024, and elections to the 18th Lok Sabha are approaching. A different kind of continuity unfolds here too, of coursea prime minister is going for his third win. A sense of assuredness spreads up from the ghats, as it were, which stand like watchful sentinels of a lived experience. Lifted up into the city proper, you are thrown headlong into a bustling desi lifescape in all its contemporary variety. Here, what you find is continuity in conversation with change at many talkative streetcorners. Antiquity aside, various modern ages seem to coexist here. Baba Vishwanaths temple has an expansive, spanking new, 21st century corridor. Its high walls, with stone cut in rectangular patterns, also strangely remind you of Soviet architecture. The Banaras Hindu University exudes a century old Indo-Gothic charm. The Gyanvapi mosques 17th century architecture, of course, is often the subject of front-page headlines. Negotiating its place under the scorching sun, caught between Hindutva and high-rises, Varanasi balances itself between an old-world raison dtre and a newfound VIP-ism, like a trapeze artist. Its an uneasy cohabitation. The new tourism boom has steadily encroached upon the old spiritual ambience, which is slowly fading away. Just like a lot of old India. In a 15-minute walk up from Dashaswamedh ghat alone, about 300 new guesthouses have come up to cater to the new rush of religious touristsa good number of young among themfrom Pune, Rajkot, Meerut, Coimbatore, even Seoul. Evening time, they settle on plastic chairs to witness a Ganga aarti through bulb-lit bamboo arches. This new spirituality is not quiet: mantras, bhajans and then the Maha Tandav Aarti ring out from modern music systems. Kashis bargain between the ancient and the modern Even the cool wind from the river seems to hold its breath till its over. At the Pappu ki Adi tea stall, where even PM Modi once stopped by for a sip of its famous lemon tea, the hoi polloi brushes shoulders with professors from BHU, the odd poet, or locally hand-crafted intellectuals. The politics of the day is inescapable, though the city seems slightly disengaged from all the hullah on TV channels. Things are strangely cool. Perhaps we catch the fever at its onsetVaranasi votes only on June 1, in the seventh phase. But theres no sign of a wave or a narrative to get that lemon tea boiling over. Politics seems cast in a repeating pattern of high rectangular stone: Aayega toh Modi hi. Nothing much is left to conjecturethe question, if any, is only about margins of victory. How many vote will Modi pull in. Will it be 10 lakh this time? Turnouts in the west of the state have been tepid. For the party, Varanasi must stand out. Amit Shah, on a recent stopover, did only worker connectin other words, orange alert. Nonetheless, the constituents do speculate about the margin. Will Ajai Raistate Congress chief, local toughie and veteran of many a Lok Sabha joustlose his deposit or put up a real challenge? Very few believe there could be a downward trend for Modi. Broad-spectrum development has been, and is being, delivered as never beforeroads, bridges, bypasses and yes, the imposing temple corridor (better caught with evening lighting). Only an odd voice, a young IT professional at that, laments: Yes, but at what cost? They say you can reach the airport in 20 minutes now. Whats the need to reach so fast? That speed has come at the cost of 3,000 trees. That denudation means a population breathing toxic air. Wont that ultimately prove costlier? Theres no serious Opposition to raise these vital questions. Most of Varanasi is thrilled with the boom, though. Says Samir Mathur, whose tourist bureau takes in both local and international traffic: The visa regime is still quite restrictive, so my foreign business is still down, not recovered from Covid. But look at the domestic flow! Modiji was right, apne desh ke taraf dekho (think local). The economy here is booming. He has little patience for other topics in circulation, like any rumoured revamp of the Constitution. Wasnt the first amendment done by Nehru? he counters. Retired bank officer R N Singh nods in agreement: Modi has done real development here. Better infrastructure is still coming up. Says one-time industrialist and culture aficionado Ashok Kapoor: Its the unofficial spiritual capital of India. Here faith has been successfully channelised to fuel a hospitality boom. At the popular Pahalwan lassi shop, a glorified kiosk really, not much has changed. The lassi and the rabri in earthen kulhars can be better enjoyed if you dont look downwards at the wet squalor. Business is brisk at this row of small eateries, even if traffic screeches past and autos and rickshaws threaten to run you down. This is no Singapore-style Little India or Kampong Glam, where the Oriental is preserved in full glory amidst workable modern aesthetics. At least not yet. Varanasi is still as screamingly chaoticcrying for civic attentionas the rest of desi India. Only, traditional Kashi has been replaced by a breathless bustle, from the ghats to the city. The drive to the calm of the cantonment, where everything from the roads to the trees are maintained as they should be, makes the contrast starker. A few complaints float gingerly in the air, like uncertain whispers. Too many tourists. Things becoming too expensive. The compensation for those relocated to make way for the corridor still not evenly distributed. But theres no challenge to Modi. The demographics makes Varanasi a safe seat for the BJP: 6.5 lakh savarna, 6 lakh OBC, 1 lakh Dalit. The latter two, not immune to the charms of Hindutva. Even if Rai corners the 3 lakh Muslim votes in entirety and a sprinkling of his own Bhumihar Brahmins, and despite talk of core vote subsidence, the odds are too long. No wonder Priyanka Gandhi never bothered to respond to Mamata Banerjees suggestion to contest from here. In fact, Rai himself was rumoured to be trying to switch camp to BJP, till the evening before his name was announced, making it all the more tricky for him. Even a former NSUI voice like Ratnakar Tripathi is modest in ambition: Modi will win, but 400 paar is a distant dream. Unemployment, price rise, Agniveer, electoral bonds and a non-consultative way of functioningthese are being talked about. Thoda mohbhang hua hai (theres a touch of disenchantment. Whether in praise or critique, no one talks about the BJP or CM Yogi Adityanath here. Its only Modi. Even though Yogi apparently monitors Varanasi through weekly visits. Amidst the boom, a silent sadness hovers around the dying art of the Banarasi saree. Powerlooms have come up and theres little support for our traditional weavers. As a country we care little for our heritageonly a few still have the skill to weave that legendary saree, says Abhishek Sharma, a policeman whose duty includes taking VIPs tourists around the temple. He can reel out everything about Varanasi, right up to the nuances of Aurangzebs deeds, as he manoeuvres through the quagmire of bylanes. Unsaid words also flow quietly past you in a city thats like a stream of consciousnessa city defined by a river like none else. A city where Bismillah Khans shehnai will never be heard in the fresh morning air again, but where Liaquat Ali still sells flowers that can be offered to Baba Vishwanath for his blessings.

BJP's 400-Seat Goal Linked to RSS 'Plan' to Eliminate Reservations, Congress Alleges

BJP's 400-Seat Goal Linked to RSS 'Plan' to Eliminate Reservations, Congress Alleges The Congress on Monday alleged that the BJP wants ''more than 400 seats'' so that they can amend the Constitution and fulfil the decades-long ''conspiracy'' of the RSS to abolish reservation. The main opposition party said this is the first time that a political party's goal is not only to win an election but also to secure more than 400 seats. The Congress and the BJP have been sparring over the issue. While addressing the election rallies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been rebutting the Congress charge and saying even if ''Babasaheb Ambedkar comes, the Constitution cannot be changed''. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Monday shared media reports on RSS-BJP leaders' remarks in the last few years on ''ending reservation'' and alleged that they have been trying to do away with the quota in education and jobs for the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBC). ''RSS-BJP have been opposing reservation for 100 years. For the last 10 years they have been continuously attacking reservation -- in 2015, RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat had talked about reviewing reservation and its need and time limit. ''In 2017, RSS leader Manmohan Vaidya said reservation should be removed. In 2018, (former) BJP MP C P Thakur had opposed Dalit reservation,'' Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X. In 2021, former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur of the BJP had said the time had come to put an end to caste-based reservation, he said. ''You must be seeing that many BJP leaders are saying they want 'more than 400' seats so that they can amend Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution. These people have openly said so: Ananth Kumar Hegde, the BJP MP from Karnataka and a former Union minister; Arun Govil, the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Meerut; Lallu Singh, the BJP MP from Faizabad; Jyoti Mirdha, the BJP's Lok Sabha poll candidate from Nagaur,'' the Congress leader said on the microblogging platform. Ramesh said the people should note that this is the first time that the goal of a political party is not just to win an election but to emerge victorious in more than 400 seats. ''The BJP is a clear threat to our Constitution. It wants to amend the Constitution so that the decades-long conspiracy of the RSS to abolish reservation can succeed,'' he alleged. The Lok Sabha polls are being held in the country and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set a target of winning more than 400 seats. On the other hand, Prime Minister Modi accused the opposition party on Monday of planning to implement religion-based reservation in the country for the sake of vote-bank politics, while asserting that he will not let it happen. Modi alleged that this proposal of the Congress is for appeasing minorities as the SC, ST and OBC communities are now with the BJP. In another post, Ramesh said, ''Today in Patan, Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi brought out a copy of the Constitution of India and promised to uphold and protect it at all costs in full public view. The Indian National Congress is the true party of nationalism, constitutionalism, and justice - and we will never compromise on these principles.'' In yet another post, Ramesh also cited a debate in Parliament to hit out at the BJP over Prime Minister Modi's ''mangal sutra'' remarks. ''During the discussions in Parliament on the Union Budget on August 5th 1991, then MP Atal Behari Vajpayee made the following suggestions on how India could resolve its economic crisis. The only time that snatching mangalsutras was ever on the table was when Mr Vajpayee advocated for it! he said. ''Mr Narasimha Rao and Dr Manmohan Singh heard him intently but thankfully studiously ignored his advice,'' Ramesh said. According to the excerpt shared by Ramesh, Vajpayee had said, ''There is about 10,000 tonnes of gold in our country, out of which 5,000 tonnes is hoarded and 5,000 tonnes have been brought into the country through smuggling. If we succeed to [...] get 2,000 tonnes of gold from the public - I am not talking of 5,000 tonnes of gold but only 2,000 tonnes of gold [...] it would be worth 36 billion American dollars. ''If we sell gold worth 25 billion dollars to clear our debts and invest the rest of gold in such a way that it would fetch us 10 per cent profit, then it would help us in overcoming the financial crisis,'' Vajpayee was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the country has seen through the ''sinister plot'' of trying to amend the Constitution and doing away with reservation because that has been the core philosophy of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Even in the BJP, it is no coincidence that leaders such as Jyoti Mirdha and Anant Hegde are talking about amending the Constitution, Shrinate said. ''What does it mean? It simply means denying people the right to reservation. It simply means acting against Dalits, tribals, backward classes and the poor in the general category. People have understood your sinister plot and will throw you out,'' she said.

Namo Bharat Train: New Namo Bharat train will run on this route next month, check route and facilities

Namo Bharat Train operations may soon start for passengers from Sahibabad to Meerut South station. National Capital Region Transport Corporation has started preparations for this. Soon the team of Commissioner Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) may come to inspect the operation of Namo Bharat train between Modinagar North and Meerut South. New Namo Bharat train: Namo [] The post Namo Bharat Train: New Namo Bharat train will run on this route next month, check route and facilities first appeared on informalnewz .

On Camera, UP Teen Collapses, Dies While Dancing At Her Sister's Wedding

An 18-year-old girl, who was dancing at her sister's wedding ceremony in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut died after she collapsed.

UP Girl Collapses, Dies While Dancing At Sister's Wedding Ceremony

An 18-year-old girl, who was dancing at her sister's wedding ceremony in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, died after she collapsed. The girl has been identified as Rimsha and was dancing at her sister's 'haldi ceremony' (a pre-wedding event) on Friday evening. A video of the tragic incident, which has been widely circulated on social media platforms, shows Rimsha trying to match dance steps with her family members to loud music. But, seconds later, she was seen touching her chest and trying to hold the hand of the boy dancing next to her, before collapsing.

TROLLED For Leaving Meerut Right After Polling, Arun Govil Says - `In Mumbai For Party Campaign`

BJP's candidate for Meerut Lok Sabha seat Arun Govil later posted about his visit to Mumbai to the people of Meerut, though it is still unclear in what context he shared it.

BJPs Meerut candidates cryptic post stirs social media storm

In a now-deleted post, BJPs Meerut candidate rued believing a double-faced individual

Third Eye: Arrow back in quiver, savouring aroma, mission namesake

After a whirlwind campaign that received a mix response, TV serial's 'Rama', BJP candidate from Meerut, Arun Govil posted a cryptic tweet on 'X' on Sunday before deleting it and announcing that he is back in Mumbai on party's directions to carry out responsibilities there. Govil's deleted tweet in Hindi said: When somebody's dual face is revealed, one gets more angry at oneself than him as to how did one trust that person blindly. The tweet set political corridors abuzz.

Ramayan Actor Clarifies Why He Left Meerut For Mumbai Day After Polls

The kurta-pyjama on the campaign journey is replaced by shirt and trousers. The BJP scarf is gone and in comes a cap. The sandals have given way to shoes. That's Arun Govil, BJP's Meerut candidate, heading to Mumbai after a month-long stint in UP.

Ramayan Actor Clarifies Why He Left Meerut For Mumbai Right After Polls

The kurta-pyjama on the campaign journey is replaced by shirt and trousers. The BJP scarf is gone and in comes a cap. The sandals have given way to shoes. That's Arun Govil, BJP's Meerut candidate, heading to Mumbai after a month-long stint in UP.

Setback to opposition, several Samajwadi Party leaders join BJP in Lucknow

Amid Lok Sabha polls, Samajwadi Party leaders joined BJP in Lucknow. Praised PM Modi's 'Viksit Bharat'. UP sends 80 MPs to Parliament; voting in phases till June 1 including Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat.

Meerut madrasa scholarship scam: Allahabad High Court stays ongoing criminal proceedings against senior clerk at District Minority Welfare Office

The Allahabad High Court has stayed the ongoing criminal proceedings against Sanjay Tyagi, a senior clerk at the District Minority Welfare Officer, who is accused of the 13-year-old Meerut madrasa scholarship scam. A Single Bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh passed this order while hearing an application under section 482 filed by Sanjay Tyagi. The []

NRIs return home, line up for love of vote

Expatriates from the UAE, including Anwar Naha, returned to Kerala to vote, with chartered flights organized by KMCC. NRIs from various countries made efforts to vote in the Lok Sabha elections, some traveling to coastal states like Kerala and Karnataka, while others returned to Meerut in the north. Expatriates' participation, especially via chartered flights, drew attention in Kerala, while NRIs in Mangaluru and Bengaluru also prioritized voting. Harsha DM and Spoorthi CS flew from Sydney to cast their votes in Bengaluru's Bangalore North constituency.

Lok Sabha elections: 65% turnout in 2nd phase

NEW DELHI: In a relatively improved showing, the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections recorded over 65% voter turnout covering 88 seats across 13 states. The highest voting percentage was recorded in Tripura at 78.53% while the lowest was in Uttar Pradesh at 54.85%. Kerala, Karnataka and Rajasthan accounted for more than half the seats. Elections to 14 seats were held in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, 8 seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, 6 seats in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Bihar, 3 seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and 1 seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. All eyes are on the high stakes battle in Kerala, where the BJP has been aggressively working to open its account. The contests in Wayanad, where former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is contesting, and Thiruvananthapuram where Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar is pitted against sitting MP Shashi Tharoor, are keenly watched. Other top guns in the fray include actor-turned-politician Arun Govil in Meerut, Karnataka deputy CM D K Shivakumars brother D K Suresh in Bangalore Rural, and former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy (JDS) in Mandya. BJPs Hema Malini, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat are seeking a hat-trick of wins from Uttar Pradeshs Mathura, Rajasthans Kota and Jodhpur, respectively. With the conclusion of the second phase, voting has been completed in 14 states/UTs.

This time BJP will cross 400: BJP Meerut candidate Arun Govil

Arun Govil, BJP candidate from Meerut, aims for BJP to win over 400 seats in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Contesting against Sunita Verma and Devratt Kumar in a triangular race.

BJP's Arun Govil on outsider tag: 'Was born and brought up in Meerut'

BJPs Arun Govil on outsider tag Was born and brought up in Meerut

From Rahul Gandhi to Arun Govil: List of key candidates in Phase 2 LS polls

New Delhi: From Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram to Hema Malini in Mathura and Arun Govil in Meerut, the fates of several prominent personalities will be locked by the voters in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Friday. The second phase has 88 Lok Sabha constituencies including all 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 .

Meerut: Battle of perception with Ram chant in land of revolution

LUCKNOW: Yeh Arun Govil ji ka election hee nahin raha. Yeh Ram ki pratishtha ka election hai (This isnt an election for Arun Govil but for the prestige of Lord Ram). We will do everything to get a high voting percentage, is the common refrain among the BJP cadre in Meerut, the land of revolution, which is poised for a battle of perceptions in the Lok Sabha elections. Remember, the first war of Independence in 1857 began in Meerut. The constituency goes to polls on Friday. While the BJP is riding on the perception of Lord Ram to see Arun Govil, the silver screen Ram of 1987 TV serial, sail through, the Opposition INDIA bloc is confident that Samajwadi Party candidate Sunita Verma will pose a strong challenge because of her popularity among the Dalits and Muslims and her perception of being a good former Mayor. Muslims and Dalits constitute over 50% of electorate in Meerut, making it a formidable combination. The BSP, too, is a claimant of the same combo, with Mayawati giving the ticket to Devvrat Tyagi. Since all the three main candidates belonging to the majority community, the division of Hindu votes is inevitable. It is expected to put the BJP at a disadvantage. BJPs experienced MP Rajendra Agarwal had to make way for Govil. In 2019, Agarwal defeated BSPs Haji Mohammad Yaqoob with a thin margin of little over 4,700 votes. Govil, though tagged as an outsider by his rivals, is commanding attention and respect from the generation of viewers of the 80s, and also the section that got introduced to him via the telecast of Ramayan during the Covid period. Leading the campaign in a simple kurta-pyjama, he is striving to shed his outsider tag through his promise of making Meerut, which is his janmabhoomi (birth place), his karmabhoomi (workplace) and permanent abode. But SPs Sunita, who belongs to the Dalit community, dismisses Govil as a false Ram, claiming elections cant be fought on a past imagery. BJP has committed a mistake by fielding Arun Govil, who does not belong to Meerut. Lord Ram is in Ayodhya, not on roads seeking votes. There could have been some fight if the ruling party candidate hailed from the constituency. I see no challenge, says Sunita, the former BSP mayor of Meerut who switched over to the SP. It was after much flip-flop that Sunita got the ticket. Initially, Bhanu Pratap Singh was the nominee. He was replaced by sitting SP MLA from Sardhana Atul Pradhan who, was seeking the ticket for his wife. Pradhan was finally axed and Sunita chosen instead. However, BJP workers are confident of Govils win, hoping the Dalit-Muslim votes would be divided between the SP-Congress and the BSP. It is also depending on the Jat support from the RLD.

Crucial second phase voting today in UP, all eyes on Meerut

Will the people be swayed by the Ram sentiment call of Ramayan lead actor?

NCRTC offers premium coach upgradation in NaMo Bharat train for voters on April 26

Presently, a 34-km section between Sahibabad and Modi Nagar North of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, which includes eight stations, is operational

Riveting Contest In Meerut With Ramayan Actor, Dalit Candidate in Fray

The BJP's Arun Govil -- Lord Ram of the hugely popular television serial Ramayan -- set against Samajwadi Party's Dalit candidate Sunita Verma, Meerut is set to be the Ground Zero of one of the most interesting contests in Uttar Pradesh.

Its advantage BJP in 8 western UP seats

Indefatigable: The ruling party expects to counter local factors impacting seats such as Mathura, Meerut and Amroha with organisational strength and Modi appeal

LS polls Phase 2: Rahul, Tharoor in fray; Hema Malini, Om Birla seek hat-trick of wins

New Delhi: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, and actor-turned-politician Arun Govil are among the key candidates in the fray for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls with BJP's Hema Malini, Om Birla and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat seeking a hat-trick of wins from their respective constituencies.Staggered over seven stages, the first phase of the elections held last Friday for 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories saw a voter turnout of around 65.5 per cent. In the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday, polling is scheduled in all 20 seats of Kerala, 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, eight seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, seven in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, three seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi is the sitting MP from Wayanad in Kerala and is seeking re-election. He is pitted against CPI's Annie Raja and BJP's K Surendran. In the 2019 election, Gandhi secured victory by a substantial margin of more than 7 lakh votes against his closest rival, CPI's P P Suneer. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor is hoping to retain the Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth time. He is pitted against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar from the BJP and CPI's Pannyan Raveendran. Malini, who has represented the Mathura constituency since 2014, is contesting against Congress' Mukesh Dhangar while Om Birla, a two-time MP from Kota, is facing Prahlad Gunjal from the Congress party. Union minister Shekhawat is eyeing a third win from the Jodhpur seat while Congress candidate Karan Singh Uchiyarda would look to put a spanner in the works of the BJP candidate. Tejasvi Surya, the sitting MP for Bangalore South and the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), will face Congress' Sowmya Reddy. Former chief minister of Chhattisgarh and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel is contesting from Rajnandgaon, a stronghold of the BJP for over 30 years. Baghel is pitted against BJP's Santosh Pandey, who won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections succeeding Abhishek Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Raman Singh, also from the BJP. Replacing three-time MP Rajendra Agarwal, who has been holding the Meerut seat since 2004, Arun Govil, famous for portraying Lord Ram's character in Ramayan TV series, is making his electoral debut against BSP's Devvrat Kumar Tyagi and SP's Sunita Verma. In Madhya Pradesh, BJP leader Virendra Kumar Khatik is eyeing a fourth win from Tikamgarh. The Congress has fielded a new face, Pankaj Ahirwar, from the constituency. In 2019, Khatik defeated Congress' Kiran Ahirwar by a margin of over 3.48 lakh votes. The contest for the Alappuzha seat in Kerala has turned into a prestige battle for the Congress with All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal's return to the Lok Sabha poll fray after 2014 as the party looks to wrest the only seat it lost to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in its landslide 19-1 victory in Kerala in the 2019 polls. Venugopal has not lost any major election in his career. He won the Alappuzha Assembly seat thrice in a row in 1996, 2001, and 2006 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Alappuzha in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, he did not contest after the party elevated him to the post of the AICC general secretary. Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi is also in the fray from Thrissur against K Muraleedharan of Congress and VS Sunil Kumar of CPI(M). Sukanta Majumdar, incumbent BJP MP from Balurghat in West Bengal is seeking re-election. He is pitted against Biplab Mitra of the Trinamool Congress and Joydeb Siddhanta of the Revolutionary Socialist Party.

LS polls Phase 2: Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor in fray; Hema Malini, Om Birla seek hat-trick of wins

NEW DELHI: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, and actor-turned-politician Arun Govil are among the key candidates in the fray for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls with BJP's Hema Malini, Om Birla and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat seeking a hat-trick of wins from their respective constituencies. Staggered over seven stages, the first phase of the elections held last Friday for 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories saw a voter turnout of around 65.5 per cent. In the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on Friday, polling is scheduled in all 20 seats of Kerala, 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, eight seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, seven in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, three seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi is the sitting MP from Wayanad in Kerala and is seeking re-election. He is pitted against CPI's Annie Raja and BJP's K Surendran. Wayanad: Left, BJP hopes to prick Rahuls balloon In the 2019 election, Gandhi secured victory by a substantial margin of more than 7 lakh votes against his closest rival, CPI's P P Suneer. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor is hoping to retain the Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth time. He is pitted against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar from the BJP and CPI's Pannyan Raveendran. Malini, who has represented the Mathura constituency since 2014, is contesting against Congress' Mukesh Dhangar while Om Birla, a two-time MP from Kota, is facing Prahlad Gunjal from the Congress party. Union minister Shekhawat is eyeing a third win from the Jodhpur seat while Congress candidate Karan Singh Uchiyarda would look to put a spanner in the works of the BJP candidate. Tejasvi Surya, the sitting MP for Bangalore South and the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), will face Congress' Sowmya Reddy. Former chief minister of Chhattisgarh and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel is contesting from Rajnandgaon, a stronghold of the BJP for over 30 years. Baghel is pitted against BJP's Santosh Pandey, who won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections succeeding Abhishek Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Raman Singh, also from the BJP. Replacing three-time MP Rajendra Agarwal, who has been holding the Meerut seat since 2004, Arun Govil, famous for portraying Lord Ram's character in Ramayan TV series, is making his electoral debut against BSP's Devvrat Kumar Tyagi and SP's Sunita Verma. In Madhya Pradesh, BJP leader Virendra Kumar Khatik is eyeing a fourth win from Tikamgarh. The Congress has fielded a new face, Pankaj Ahirwar, from the constituency. In 2019, Khatik defeated Congress' Kiran Ahirwar by a margin of over 3.48 lakh votes. The contest for the Alappuzha seat in Kerala has turned into a prestige battle for the Congress with All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal's return to the Lok Sabha poll fray after 2014 as the party looks to wrest the only seat it lost to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in its landslide 19-1 victory in Kerala in the 2019 polls. Venugopal has not lost any major election in his career. He won the Alappuzha Assembly seat thrice in a row in 1996, 2001, and 2006 and was elected to the Lok Sabha from Alappuzha in 2009 and 2014. In 2019, he did not contest after the party elevated him to the post of the AICC general secretary. Actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi is also in the fray from Thrissur against K Muraleedharan of Congress and VS Sunil Kumar of CPI(M). Sukanta Majumdar, incumbent BJP MP from Balurghat in West Bengal is seeking re-election. He is pitted against Biplab Mitra of the Trinamool Congress and Joydeb Siddhanta of the Revolutionary Socialist Party. Uttar Pradesh: RLD onboard, BJP looks for dominance

Uttar Pradesh: RLD onboard, BJP looks for dominance

LUCKNOW: Having acquired more political muscle through Jat support by taking Jayant Chaudhury-led RLD onboard, the BJP is aiming for a dominance on the eight seats Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura set to vote on April 26, while the Opposition bloc is ready to put a stiff fight. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP, while facing the challenge from SP-BSP-RLD grand alliance, won seven of these seats. Only Amroha was won by the alliance. In 2024, the BJP has reworked its strategy by allying with the RLD and allotting the Baghpat seat to the party that has Jats as its core support base. To regain lost ground, the SP has tied up with the Congress. The BSP is going it alone. In this phase, both SP and Congress are contesting on four seats each as per their seat-sharing arrangement. While the SP has fielded candidates in Meerut, Baghpat, Gautam Buddha Nagar and Aligarh, Congress will contest in Ghaziabad, Mathura, Amroha and Bulandshahr. The fate of former Union minister Mahesh Sharma, who is seeking a third term on the BJP ticket from Gautam Budh Nagar, Ramayan fame actor Arun Govil in Meerut and actress Hema Malini, who is seeking a hat-trick from Mathura, will be decided in this phase. Former Mumbai Police commissioner Satya Pal Singh is not in the fray this time. He had defeated RLD chief Ajit Singh in Baghpat in 2014 and Jayant Chaudhary in 2019. BJP has allotted Baghpat to the RLD and Dr Rajkumar Sangwan has been fielded as NDA candidate. Amroha is set to witness a contest among Congresss Danish Ali, BJPs Kanwar Singh Tanwar, and BSPs Dr Mujahid Hussain. The BSP suspended Ali, who was its MP from Amroha, last year for anti-party activities and he joined the Congress. The BJP stronghold Meerut will witness a three-way fight among BJPs Arun Govil, SPs Sunita Verma and BSPs Devvrat Kumar Tyagi. In Meerut, the S P has fielded dalit candidate Sunita Verma replacing OBC aspirant Atul Pradhan. The BJP won the seat in 1996, losing it to Congress in 1999 and BSP in 2004. BJPs Rajendra Agrawal, who has been denied the ticket this time, won the Meerut seat in 2009, 2014 and 2019. The BJP has replaced Agarwal with Govil. Baghpat, an RLD bastion, is in for a three-cornered contest among RLDs Rajkumar Sangwan, SPs Amarpal Sharma and BSPs Praveen Baisala. Former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh had won the seat thrice in 1977, 1980 and 1984. His son Ajit Singh won it in 1989, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2004 and 2009. However, BJP candidate Sompal won the seat in 1998. A BJP bastion since it came into existence in 2008, the Ghaziabad seat is set for a fight between BJPs Atul Garg, Congresss Dolly Sharma and BSPs Nandkishor Pundhir. The BJP is banking on the popularity of Garg to retain the seat, while BSP plans to cash in on anger among Rajputs in rural areas over denial of ticket to two-time BJP MP and Union minister General (retd) VK Singh. The Congress is working on the Brahmin-Muslim formula. In Gautam Budhh Nagar, Mahesh Sharma, who was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 and 2019, is seeking a third term as the BJP candidate. He is facing the SPs Rahul Awana, a Gujjar leader, and BSPs Rajendra Singh Solanki, a Rajput. The Bulandshahr reserved seat is all set for a contest among BJPs Bhola Singh, who won the seat in 2014 and 2019, BSPs Girish Chandra, MP from Nagina, and Congresss Shiv Ram Valmiki. In Aligarh, BJPs Satish Gautam (Brahmin), who won the seat in 2014 and 2019, is in the fray for a third term. The BSP has fielded a Brahmin candidate, Hitendra Kumar aka Bunty Upadhyay, a former BJP leader. The SP has nominated Bijendra Singh. In Mathura, two-time BJP MP Hema Malini is seeking a third term. She is pitted against Mukesh Dhangar of Congress and Suresh Singh of BSP. The Congress was earlier planning to field boxer Vijendra Singh in Mathura but he joined BJP.

LS Polls: UP govt to provide medical kits for polling personnel in 2nd phase to combat hot conditions

LS Polls: UP govt to provide medical kits for polling personnel in 2nd phase to combat hot conditions In view of the soaring temperatures in Uttar Pradesh, medical kits to address health conditions such as heatstroke, will be provided to the polling personnel for the voting scheduled on April 26 across 8 constituencies in the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Directions have also been issued to ensure all necessary facilities for polling personnel and voters at polling stations. The polling parties will depart for polling stations on April 25 (Thursday) to ensure fair and peaceful elections in the state. The eight constituencies of UP that are going to polls in the second phase include Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Mathura. These 8 Lok Sabha seats fall under 9 districts of the state, namely, Amroha, Hapur, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, and Mathura. State Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said that instructions have been given to all the District Election Officers to send polling parties on time for the second phase of voting in 8 Lok Sabha constituencies scheduled for April 26. He mentioned that directions have been issued to all the concerned District Election Officers to ensure necessary facilities for voters and polling personnel at polling centres and polling booths. Before the departure of polling parties, the polling personnel will be provided with medical kits to address health conditions such as heatstroke. Because of the heat, tents, sheds, drinking water arrangements and other necessary facilities will be installed as per the guidelines issued earlier. In compliance with the directives of the Election Commission of India, continuous operations are being carried out across Uttar Pradesh by the Police, Income Tax, Excise, Narcotics, and other departments. For thorough inspection, 480 interstate check posts and 1836 check posts within the state are operational. From March 16 to April 23, 2024, the Police department seized 495 licensed weapons from criminals whereas licenses for 4553 weapons were revoked and deposited. Notices have been issued under the CrPC to 2,532,068 individuals over concerns of peace disruption, of which 2,061,166 have already been restricted. Additionally, the Police department seized 7650 unlicensed weapons, 7753 cartridges, 2900.32 kilograms of explosives, and 411 bombs. Besides, raids were conducted on 3153 illegal weapon manufacturing centres, while 148 were busted. On April 23, licenses for 249 weapons owned by criminals were revoked and deposited by the Police department. Under the CrPC, 36,978 individuals were restricted as a preventive measure. Additionally, 105 unlicensed weapons and 171 cartridges were seized. Raids were conducted on 96 illegal weapon manufacturing centres by the police. (ANI)

Thrilled on knowing his score, class 10 student faints

Meerut: Thrilled upon seeing his score in the class 10 exams, a 16-year-old boy from Uttar Pradesh fainted prompting hospitalisation. Digging into the specifics, the boy identified as Anshul Kumar is from UP's Meerut and his father Sunil Kumar works at a post office on contractual basis. Anshul Kumar, has secured 93.5 percent in the UP Board exam results that were released on Saturday. Thrilled on knowing the score he suddenly fainted. His parents, who tried to wake him up failed and had to shift him to the hospital for assistance. According to the family, Anshul is now stabilised and recovering. UP recorded a pass percentage of 89.55 and 82.60 in the recently released Class 10 and Intermediate results respectively.

Meerut: Why Arun Govils Fight In Meerut Has Become BJPs Battle For Rams Honour

Campaigning on eight LS seats for second phase in UP ends today

Lucknow: Campaigning for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in eight seats of western will conclude on Wednesday evening. The eight seats where polls will be held in the second phase are Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura. Polling for the second phase will be held on April 26. 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 .

Arun Govil Unplugged: On Jai Shri Ram, Minorities And 'Karmbhoomi' Meerut I #ElectionsWithTOI

Veteran actor Arun Govil, known for his portrayal of Lord Ram in the TV series Ramayan, elucidates his entry into politics. Arun Govil, who is fielded by BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls from Meerut seat, says he has no interest in politics but will treat it as his karmabhoomi.

Would Like To Do A Lot Of Developmental Work For Meerut: BJP's Arun Govil

Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Arun Govil, BJP's Meerut candidate, has said that he would like to do a lot of developmental work for the city of Meerut.

Would like to do a lot of developmental work for Meerut, says BJP's Arun Govil

Would like to do a lot of developmental work for Meerut, says BJP's Arun Govil Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Arun Govil, BJP's Meerut candidate, has said that he would like to do a lot of developmental work for the city of Meerut and would focus on the traffic issue to improve the connectivity of the city. Wednesday is the last day of campaigning in Meerut which will go to the polls on April 26 in Phase 2. Speaking to ANI, Arun Govil said that there is no limit to development and would like to work to improve certain things in the city. There is no limit to development, any amount of development can be done. But there are some two-three big things... There is no airport here and it should have been constructed. There is no sports stadium. The inner ring road is not completed. Some 4.7 kilometres are still left. If that is completed, there will be a lot of impact on connectivity. And I would like to do something on the issue of traffic in the city. That should get alright. Talking about the roadshow that was held a day before, the Ramayana actor said that he is receiving immense respect and love from the people. ... The response on yesterday's roadshow was quite good. People are very positive towards me and they are already positive towards elections. Be it women, or men, everyone is filled with enthusiasm. I am receiving a lot of respect and love from people. And I think everything is fine. Everything is absolutely perfect, he said. On Tuesday, Arun Govil and his 'Ramayana' co-star Dipika Chiklia Topiwala (who played the role of Sita) held a massive roadshow in Meerut as part of the BJP's ongoing election campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing the crowd, the 'Ramayana' actress urged the people to vote for Arun Govil. Lord Ram has come to serve the country and we are supporting him. I urge the people to vote for Arun Govil. Vote for Arun Govil and make him win by majority. He will surely win but make him win by majority, Topiwala had said. On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also held a roadshow in favour of BJP candidate Arun Govil. He appealed to the people of Meerut to send Govil, who immortalised the character of Lore Ram through mega TV serial 'Ramayana' to Parliament. Meerut, which is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, is set to go on polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. (ANI)

Would like to do a lot of developmental work for Meerut, says BJPs Arun Govil

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Mayawati pitches for statehood to west UP and HC bench in Meerut

NEW DELHI: Reiterating her promise to carve out a separate state comprising districts of western Uttar Pradesh, BSP chief Mayawati said that she would make all out efforts to get a bench of Allahabad High Court established in Meerut if voted to power. The central government has not been paying attention to it, but when we come to power at the Centre, we will take positive steps, Mayawati said. Addressing an election rally in support of her party nominee Devvrat Tyagi from Meerut, the BSP chief attacked both the Congress and BJP and targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP) on the issue of reservation, alleging the SP did not want people belonging to SC/ST communities to get quota benefits. Referring to a resolution for a separate state passed during her regime in UP, the BSP chief claimed that her party had been of the view that the western region should be made a separate state for better development. We had a resolution passed by the state assembly and sent to the central government, but they did not act on it, she said. Mayawati alleged that the quota facility meant for the Dalits, Adivasis (STs), and OBCs in government jobs had not been filled in the country for years, and the quota in promotions for the SCs/STs was also made ineffective. I want to remind the members of the SCs/STs that when the SP was in power in Uttar Pradesh, it ended reservation in promotions. Will the members of these sections give even a single vote to them and waste it on a party bent upon finishing their reservation? The SP does not want SC/ST people to get full benefits of reservation, she said. She also warned against the saam, daam, dand, bhed policies allegedly being adopted by these parties to attain power. Seeking votes for her party nominee from Meerut, Mayawati said that unlike the past elections, when her party fielded Muslim candidates, it has this time given a ticket to Devvrat Tyagi.

CM Yogi holds roadshow in Meerut, gets overwhelming response from people

CM Yogi holds roadshow in Meerut, gets overwhelming response from people Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday held a roadshow in favour of BJP candidate Arun Govil, evoking an overwhelming response. He appealed to the people of Meerut to send Govil, who immortalised the character of Lord Ram through mega TV serial 'Ramayana' to Parliament. In response, the voters of Meerut chanted 'Jai Shri Ram'. The roadshow on Hanuman Jayanti also set a new record. Throughout the roadshow, people kept chanting Jai Shri Ram and Ram Ji Ki Sena Chali. The slogans of Modi-Yogi Zindabad and Bharat Mata Ki Jai also resonated the streets of Meerut. Women, elders, men, youth, and children were eager to catch a glimpse of CM Yogi. People eagerly captured every moment of Yogi's roadshow on their mobile phones. In addition, saffron and BJP flags were visible everywhere here. Children dressed in saffron clothes greeted CM Yogi to show their support. The streets of Meerut were completely packed. Members of both the majority and minority communities enthusiastically welcomed the Chief Minister. During the roadshow, BJP candidate Arun Govil from Meerut, Rajya Sabha MP Lakshmikant Bajpai, Member of Parliament Rajendra Agrawal from Meerut, and BJP's regional president Satyendra Sisodia were present Meerut, which is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, is set to go on polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. The Meerut Lok Sabha seat is likely to see a triangular contest among the BJP, the opposition INDIA bloc, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The BJP is relying on Arun Govil's popularity as the actor who portrayed Ram in the immensely popular Ramayana series, as well as his status as a local resident, for their campaign strategy. (ANI)

Mayawati Promises To Work For A New State Comprising West UP Districts

BSP chief Mayawati today promised to work for a separate state comprising districts of western Uttar Pradesh and fulfil the longstanding demand of setting up a bench of the Allahabad High Court in Meerut, if voted to power at the Centre.

Will Make West UP A Separate State If Voted To Power - BSP's Mayawati

BSP Chief Mayawati today revived the demand for separate statehood for western UP. Addressing an election rally in Meerut in western UP, she assured the public that if BSP wins the ongoing Lok Sabha elections then it will work for making West UP a separate state and establishing High Court bench in Meerut. Mayawati did her first election rally in Meerut today in support of the party candidates. Addressing the rally at the Hapur Road, she took potshots at both Congress and BJP led alliances accusing them of meting out injustice to the people belonging to poorer and backward sections of the society. She alleged that BJP government while providing free rations to the poor people is depriving them of their right to work.

Mayawati promises to work for separate state comprising districts of western UP

Addressing an election rally in support of her party nominee from the Meerut Lok Sabha seat, the BSP chief attacked the Congress and BJP and also targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP) on the issue of reservation, alleging the SP does not want the people belonging to SC/ST communities to get quota benefits.

Lot of work has to be done in next five years...: BJP candidate Hema Malini

Lot of work has to be done in next five years...: BJP candidate Hema Malini Bhartiya Janta Party Lok Sabha Candidate and two-term Member of Parliament from Mathura, Hema Malini, said on Tuesday that many developmental works have been completed and a lot of work has to be done in the next five years in Mathura with the support of the party. Hema Malini told ANI, I feel proud that I have done a lot of work and I have to do a lot of work in the next five years with the support of Prime Minister Modi Ji, Amit Shah Ji, Nadda ji and Yogi Ji. A lot of good development work has been done here, including the 84 Kos Parikrama, the purification of Yamuna, centres for girls education, and theatres as centres for cultural activities. Along with the darshan of the temple, you will get to see various cultural activities here. Responding to the question of how many seats the BJP will win this time, Hema Malini said that they will win 80 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. Our party is saying that we will win from Mathura by a margin of more than 5 lakh votes. We will win by more votes than before. I appeal to all the people to vote when voting takes place on April 26th. Everyone should participate in it. I also appeal to the people of India that everyone should go and vote; each of your votes is very important, she said. Further, speaking on the Srikrishna Janambhoomi dispute, the BJP candidate from Mathura said that the issue is in the court and the court will decide but we are planning to make corridor for Banke Bihari Ji very beautiful, which is very congested and very soon work will start. Challenge is a challenge. You should not take it lightly. So, we will work hard, we have the capability to win. We have our work to show. Who will vote for someone who has not done anything? What has the INDIA bloc done till date? We will definitely cross 400, she added. The seats which will go to polls in the second phase on April 26 included-- Amroha, Meerut, Mathura, Baghpat, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar and Bulandshahar. (ANI)

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP's incumbent MP Mahesh Sharma to face SP, BSP candidates in Gautam Buddha Nagar in Phase 2

The Gautam Buddha Nagar constituency will go to polls in the second phase on April 26 along with Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Mathura and Bulandshahr seats in Uttar Pradesh.

Wallets, Mobiles Stolen During BJP Candidate's Ramayan Roadshow

A Meerut businessman raised both his hands and chanted the Jai Shri Ram slogan as a BJP roadshow featuring Ramayan stars crossed his shop. The downside: he lost Rs 36,000 as someone from the crowd picked his pocket.

People see positive factor in me due to their devotion for Lord Ram: BJP's Meerut nominee Arun Govil

BJP's Arun Govil, known for 'Ramayan', leverages his connection with Meerut's devotion to Lord Ram and PM Modi's popularity for victory. He plans to tackle traffic issues, construct a sports stadium, and airport after winning.

Student outreach initiative drives school students onto Namo Bharat trains, says NCR transport body

Student outreach initiative drives school students onto Namo Bharat trains, says NCR transport body The National Capital Region Transport Corporation's (NCRTC) student outreach programme drives school students onto Namo Bharat trains in order to enhance their awareness about the regional rapid transit system (RRTS), a statement said on Sunday. As part of this initiative, school students were invited to participate in rides aboard the state-of-the-art Namo Bharat trains. This immersive experience not only acquainted the students with the cutting-edge technology and comfort of the Namo Bharat, but also underscored the importance of sustainable and efficient transportation solutions for the National Capital Region (NCR), it said. This initiative has been a resounding success, with students from across the NCR actively participating in various educational activities aimed at familiarising them with the RRTS corridor. The outreach programme encompasses school visits, knowledge sessions, painting competitions, nukkad nataks (street plays), and most notably, exhilarating train rides on the Namo Bharat, the statement stated. Recognising the pivotal role children play as ambassadors for societal initiatives, the NCRTC has made concerted efforts to engage with these school children to make the awareness program engaging and interactive. It includes a painting competition with a specific theme related to the project, it said. They have been shown interactive videos to enhance their understandings. The children were encouraged to actively participate by sharing their understanding of the project. The session concluded with a street play that delivered key messages related to the project, it stated. These outreach programmes served as platforms for the students to not only learn about the RRTS project but also expressed their creativity and understanding through various mediums. By fostering an environment of curiosity and participation, NCRTC aimed to instil a sense of ownership and enthusiasm among the younger generation towards embracing the Namo Bharat trains as a preferred mode of transport in the future, the statement said. Presently, a 34-km section between Sahibabad and Modi Nagar North of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, which includes eight stations, is operational for passengers. The construction is advancing swiftly on the remaining stretches and the entire 82-km corridor is anticipated to be operational by 2025, it added.

Samajwadi Party struggling to save its Mainpuri, Kannauj bastions: UP minister

Samajwadi Party struggling to save its Mainpuri, Kannauj bastions: UP minister The Samajwadi Party is struggling to save its bastions of Mainpuri and Kannauj in the Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary said on Sunday and claimed that there is no impact of its alliance with the Congress. The Congress virtually has no public support in the state. As a result, there is no impact of its alliance with the Samajwadi Party, he claimed. Chaudhary, the minister for sugarcane development, said, ''The Samajwadi Party is struggling to save its Mainpuri and Kannauj seats and it will be extremely difficult for the party to save those.'' In Mainpuri, the BJP has fielded UP Minister Jaiveer Singh against Dimple Yadav, the incumbent MP and the wife of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Mainpuri goes to the polls in the third phase on May 7. In Kannauj, which goes to the polls in the fourth phase on May 13, the BJP has fielded sitting MP Subrat Pathak. The Samajwadi Party is yet to announce its candidate from the seat. Chaudhary further claimed that the BJP's alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) will prevent the division of about 20 per cent Jat votes as more than 70 per cent people from the community have so far been voting for the saffron party. The minister also asserted that the BJP will sweep western Uttar Pradesh, like it did in previous elections. ''In Mathura, Hema Malini will set a record for victory margin in the state,'' he said. The BJP's Hema Malini is eyeing a third term in the Lok Sabha from Mathura. Owing to the welfare programmes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the administration of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the BJP will register convincing victories in all 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Chaudhary admitted that while the poll battle will not be a cakewalk for the party in a few areas due to the caste factor, the BJP will ultimately win the elections on the back of the government's welfare programmes. The minister also lashed out at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, saying, ''Her latest trick to give tickets to Muslims is not going to work. I have visited three constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh but did not find any support for the BSP.'' Chaudhary claimed the BJP will also get votes from Muslims after the Centre introduced a law criminalising triple talaq and other welfare programmes. Mathura will vote in the second phase of polling on April 26, alongside Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Bulandshahr and Aligarh.

Patanjali Yogpeeth to Pay Service Tax for Yoga Camps, Supreme Court Upholds CESTAT Decision

New Delhi: Yoga guru Swami Ramdev has faced another setback from the Supreme Court as his yoga camps are now subjected to service tax. The Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Abhay M Oak and Justice Ujjwal Bhuiyan has upheld the decision of the Service Tax Appellate Tribunal in this matter. According to the tribunal's decision, 'Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust', the organization organizing yoga camps of Swami Ramdev, will now have to pay service tax for both residential and non-residential yoga camps. Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust charges an entry fee for Swami Ramdev's yoga camps. The bench of Justice Oak and Justice Bhuiyan stated in their decision, 'The Service Tax Appellate Tribunal has made the correct decision. After charging the entry fee, yoga provided at the camps constitutes a service. We see no reason to interfere with the Tribunal's order. Therefore, Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust's appeal is dismissed.' Additionally, the court declined to interfere with the order dated October 5, 2023, of the Allahabad bench of the Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT). CESTAT had acknowledged that Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust charges fees from participants for the yoga camps. Therefore, the trust's yoga camps fall under the purview of service tax. The tribunal stated that the trust provides yoga training in various residential and non-residential camps and collects money from participants in the form of donations, which essentially function as entry fees for the provided services. The Commissioner of Customs and Central Excise, Meerut Range, had demanded that Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust pay approximately Rs 4.5 crore, including penalty and interest, for camps organized between October 2006 and March 2011. The trust argued that it provides services for the treatment of diseases, which should not be taxable under the 'Health and Fitness Services' category. However, the tribunal stated that the trust's claim of providing treatment for specific diseases lacked positive evidence. CESTAT stated, 'In these camps, yoga and meditation are taught to the entire group, not to any individual. No prescriptions are written to diagnose or treat any specific disease/complaint of an individual. The Trust collects the camp entry fee as a donation and issues entry tickets of different price ranges, providing different privileges depending on the value of the ticket. Yoga camps organized by Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, which charge fees, fall under the category of health and fitness services and are liable to service tax.' Fatal Collision Claims Nine Lives in Rajasthan's Jhalawar District TISS Suspends PhD Student for Alleged Anti-National Activities Congress to Announce Candidates for Haryana Lok Sabha Elections; Deepender Hooda Likely from Rohtak

Female YouTuber Dies After Jumping from Second Floor of PG Accommodation in Delhi

A 29-year-old YouTuber named Swati died by suicide after jumping from the second floor of her paying guest (PG) accommodation in Mukherjee Nagar, northwest Delhi. Swati had been living in the area for the past 10 years. The police are investigating the incident, questioning witnesses and friends to determine the reasons behind her death. Swati hailed from Barla village in Alamgirpur, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. At the time of the incident, Swati's friend Priyam was with her in the PG room. The police are questioning Priyam and other acquaintances to gather more information. Initial investigations revealed that Swati had moved into the PG room four months ago. She informed the PG owner that she had finished her studies and was now a YouTuber. Police officials mentioned that the deceased's family did not suspect any foul play. Swati initially moved to Mukherjee Nagar to prepare for the UPSC exams but did not succeed. She also spent several years preparing for the SSC exams without success. Later, she turned to content creation on Instagram and YouTube, where she had around 28,000 followers on her Instagram account. PM Modi Commends Civil Services Achievers, Encourages Resilience in Unsuccessful Candidates 5 Weirdest Things in the World That Will Blow Your Mind From Fried Stones to Fish Eyes: Unveiling the 7 Weirdest Breakfasts Around the World

Yogi Adityanath takes jibe at Pakistan, cites new India

LUCKNOW: On a whirlwind tour of three western UP Lok Sabha constituenciesMeerut, Ghaziabad, and Bulandshahrset to vote in Phase II on April 26, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday drew a parallel between the economic situation of India and neighbouring Pakistan, which is grappling with a bankruptcy-like scenario. He stated that while India had provided free ration to 80 crore people for the past four years and would continue to do so for the next five years, in Pakistan, on the contrary, people were dying of hunger. Seeking support for Dr Mahesh Sharma, BJP candidate from Gautam Buddha Nagar Lok Sabha seat, Arun Govil from Meerut and Atul Garg from Ghaziabad, the CM made a high point of Surya Abhishek of Lord Ram idol on the first Ram Navami after his consecration in Ayodhya. Addressing the public rallies organised for Gautam Buddha Nagar Lok Sabha seat in Bulandshahr, he said: The BJP stands for faith, security, and prosperity. Under SP, BSP, and Congress rules, the state frequently saw curfews lasting for months. Now there are no curfews. These parties were known for inciting unrest through riots. They adopted a riot policy, while we prioritized a development policy. Highlighting the transformation in India, Yogi Adityanath said: We are now in a New India. Those who remember 2014 elections should make the new generation and first-time voters aware of the prevailing discontent and mistrust during that period. Terrorism, Naxalism, and separatism were on the rise across the nation. Corruption was rampant in all sectors. The youth were disheartened, and farmers were driven to suicide, he added. Addressing a public meeting in Kithore, Meerut, seeking votes for BJP candidate from the Meerut-Hapur Lok Sabha seat, Arun Govil, Adityanath said that when Govil played Lord Ram in the Ramayana serial, he didnt even know that one day, Lord Ram would celebrate his birthday in his abode. He added that Govils candidacy coincides with Lord Rams return to his birthplace. Leading the campaign in Pilkhua, Hapur, in support of Ghaziabad candidate Atul Garg, he reiterated the chant Phir ek bar Modi Sarkar, Abki bar 400 paar. He stated that the slogan was not merely echoing for no reason; it signified the transformation India had witnessed over the last decade. He appreciated skilled craftsmanship of Pilkhua artisans and their handloom expertise. He counted infrastructure developments in the area, includa 12-lane highway between Delhi and Meerut and rapid rail project and metro.

Muslim silence speaks amid poll noise in Uttar Pradesh

Men waving BJP flags in Meeruts Ghanta Ghar as UP readies for LS polls. Md Kamran notes the diminishing Muslim influence. Imran Masood, Iqra Hasan, and Mohibullah Nadvi are contesting, with Muslims urged to vote by Mufti Arshad Farooqui.

More rallies, roadshows planned for PM Modi in UP

Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hold a campaign blitzkrieg comprising several rallies and roadshows in western Uttar Pradesh in the coming days. The Prime Minister has already addressed three rallies in Meerut, Saharanpur and Pilibhit. He is set to address at least four more rallies and a roadshow beginning April 19 from 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 .

Muslim silence speaks amid poll noise in UP

Men waving BJP flags in Meeruts Ghanta Ghar as UP readies for LS polls. Md Kamran notes the diminishing Muslim influence. Imran Masood, Iqra Hasan, and Mohibullah Nadvi are contesting, with Muslims urged to vote by Mufti Arshad Farooqui.

Meerut constituency of Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha Election 2024: Date of voting, result, candidates list, main parties, schedule

Uttar Pradesh: BJP faces Rajput ire in 3-corner battle

SAHARANPUR: On Tuesday, all roads leading to Saharanpur city are lined up with lotus flags and huge cutouts of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and PM Modi. As Yogi Adityanath along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Raghav Lakhanpal took out a massive roadshow in an open, flower-decked vehicle in the evening, the waiting crowd on both sides of the pavement cheered with Jai Shri Ram chants. Significantly, this is the third visit of the Chief Minister to Saharanpur in an apparent effort to contain the ire of the Rajput community, which has openly issued boycott calls against the BJP in Western Uttar Pradesh. Saharanpur goes to poll on Friday (April 19), in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. Though the Rajputs, who traditionally vote for the BJP, organized maha panchayats in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, and Meerut last week extending support for BJPs rivals, the BJP leaders say that the effective intervention of Yogi Adityanath, Union minister Rajnath Singh and Haryana Chief Minister has helped to quell the dissent. Sanjay Chauhan, a BJP worker from Behat, admits that there was discontent over only one Lok Sabha ticket for the community. The issues have been settled now. We held a meeting yesterday and declared our support for the BJP after the top leaders assured us that our concerns will be addressed next time, says Chauhan, who runs a hardware shop. This election is between Hindus and Muslims. Only the BJP government at the Centre and state can rein in the majority Muslim community in this area, says another BJP loyalist Mohit Goel. Behat, one of the assembly seats in Saharanpur boasts of a large Muslim population. Saharanpur comprises the five assembly seats Saharanpur, Saharanpur Rural, Deoband, Rampur, Maniharan, and Behat. Though the fault lines are wide open, the Muslim community brushes off any confrontation between Hindus and Muslims in the locality. In this election, livelihood issues are more important. The wave is in favor of the Congress-SP candidate, says Mohammed Aslam, another shopkeeper from the locality. With a triangular contest between the BJP, the Samajwadi Party (SP) Congress alliance, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Saharanpur, a Muslim-dominated constituency, has become one of the most keenly watched elections in western Uttar Pradesh. The BJP has fielded Raghav Lakhanpal, for the third consecutive term, hoping to repeat its stunning 2014 performance. While Congress fielded Imran Masood, the BSP candidate Majid Ali is in the fray. Congress candidate Imran Masood, who hit headlines during the 2014 elections, with his controversial statement that will chop off Modi into pieces, is trying his luck for the third time. Though Masood switched parties after the 2019 election, the Congress workers are confident that he will get a comfortable majority this time with the support of the SP alliance. Muslims account for 40% of the electorate Saharanpur has Muslims making over 40 per cent of the electorate. After winning the seat in 2014 under sweeping Modi wave by drubbling Imran Masood of Congress by 65,000 votes, BJP candidate Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma had lost the seat to BSPs Fazlur Rehman in 2019 when SP, BSP and RLD were contesting in alliance. Saharanpur, the seat of Asias biggest Islamic seminary Darul Uloom in Deoband, comprises five assembly seats: Saharanpur, Saharanpur Rural, Deoband, Rampur Maniharan, and Behat. Kairana, a communal raga Earlier known for Kirana Gharana of Hindustani classical music, Kairana is now known for its communal raga. In a three-cornered fight, BJP has reposed faith in MP Pradeep Chaudhury, SP has fielded Munawwars daughter Ikra Hasan.Mayawatis BSP has fielded a retired BSF jawan Sripal Singh Rana. Rampur Rampur with over 51 % Muslim population, is set to witness an intriguing battle between BJP MP Ghanshyam Lodhi and SPs Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi, a Delhi-based cleric. However, BSP has made SPs job difficult by fielding Zeeshan Khan, who would dent SP core vote base. Bijnor Bijnor is in the kitty of NDA partner RLD, which has fielded Chandan Chauhan, its MLA from Meerapur. From Bijnor, Mayawati had contested her first election. However, this time it is being seen as a contest between RLD and BSP. Muzaffarnagar A Jat-dominated seat, Muzaffarnagar is witnessing a tough three-corner fight where Union minister and BJP candidate Sanjeev Baliyan is seeking a third term. He is, however, facing a tough challenge from SPs Harendra Mallik, also a Jat. Meanwhile, making the contest interesting, BSPs Dara Singh Prajapati is marking his presence by reaching out to potential voters. Nagina The reserved seat is witnessing a multi-cornered fight with BJP, SP, BSP and Chandrashekhar Azad of him Army in fray. In the 2022 Assembly polls, out of the five segments, SP won Najibabad, Nagina and Noorpur Assembly segments, but BJP got Dhampur and Nehtaur. If Chandrashekhar cuts into the votes of the BSP, the BJP candidates path would become easier. Pilibhit Though the slogans backing Maneka Gandhi are missing from political landscape of Pilibhit, as BJP has snubbed MP Varun Gandhi replacing him with Congress turncoat Jitin Prasada, yet the stage is all set for a fiercefight on the ground with SP having fielded Bhagwat Charan Gangwar. BSP has added colour to fight by fielding Anis Ahmad Khan alias Gulab Babu.

Oppn leaders read 'fatiha' for dead criminals but don't condole death of Hindus: UP CM Adityanath

Oppn leaders read 'fatiha' for dead criminals but don't condole death of Hindus: UP CM Adityanath Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday claimed that opposition leaders read the 'fatiha' for dead criminals but don't condole the death of Hindus. Addressing a rally at Nahtaur in Bijnor, Yogi Adityanath said that after 500 years, it would be for the first time that Ramlalla will celebrate Ram Navami -- the birthday of Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram -- in his temple. Attacking the opposition parties, Adityanath said the Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party are immersed in quagmire and hate goodness. ''They glorify mafias and criminals and go to their homes and read the fatiha,'' Adityanath said, referring to prayers offered by Muslims for the dead. ''But if an innocent Hindu becomes a victim of an accident, not a single word of condolence comes out of their mouth,'' he said. The chief minister said, ''We greet Ram-Ram to the common citizens and Ram Naam Satya to the mafia-criminals.'' He said that India is the only country where 'Aaradhya' (God) had to give proof for his birthplace. ''This situation was caused by the Congress and Samajwadi Party. They tried to jeopardize our faith, but Sanatan Samaj did not agree, it was determined to build a grand temple on the birthplace of Lord Ram,'' Adityanath said. ''We achieved success because of Prime Minister Prime Minister Modi,'' he said, according to a release issued in Lucknow. The chief minister said our generations are blessed that we will witness the birth anniversary programme in the grand temple. He said the credit goes to people also as they formed the BJP government. Adityanath appealed all to vote for Nagina Lok Sabha candidate Om Kumar. ''One right vote cast changes the fate. One vote cast in the wrong place creates an identity crisis,'' he said. The chief minister also extended greetings on Ram Navami along with the Ashtami Tithi of Basantik Navratri. Addressing an election rally in Shamli, Adityanath said that those responsible for the forced migration of people from Kairana have faced consequences. ''No one will be forced to migrate from here anymore. We won't let anyone tamper with our identity,'' he said. ''A good government makes wise decisions. In contrast, the Congress has disrespected Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and the messiah of farmers, Chaudhary Charan Singh. The Samajwadi Party has gone even further, they go to read 'fatiha' on the deaths of mafias and criminals,'' Adityanath said. ''Show your disapproval through your vote, directing them to their rightful place,'' he added. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav had visited the family of mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari at his home in Ghazipur, and said he hoped the truth of his death will come out and the family will get justice. Ansari, a five-time MLA from Mau, died due to cardiac arrest, on March 28. Yadav's visit and comments triggered a sharp attack by the BJP. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya then said that wherever the Samajwadi Party chief goes, the BJP or its allies will win elections. Stating there is a noticeable change in the country's atmosphere, Adityanath asserted, ''Lord Ram Lalla has been consecrated in his majestic temple, yet the Congress and SP seek evidence of his birth in Ayodhya. Our continuous chants of 'Ram-Ram' from dawn to dusk stand as our evidence.'' During the meeting, the chief minister appealed to people to vote for Pradeep Chaudhary, the joint Lok Sabha candidate of BJP, and Rashtriya Lok Dal from the Kairana Lok Sabha constituency. Adityanath also said that curfews will no longer be imposed in the state, and the Kanwar Yatras will be celebrated with great enthusiasm every year. ''Earlier, daughters in Shamli and Kairana were forced to go away from their parents to study, but today they top the Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education and Central Board of Secondary Education from here,'' Adityanath said. He said the construction of malls, business complexes, wide roads, new buildings, and police stations at various locations, signify a new era of development in western Uttar Pradesh. Highlighting the infrastructure development, the chief minister said, ''Previously, the journey from Meerut to Delhi took four to five hours, but now it is completed in just 45 minutes. Rapid rail track construction is progressing rapidly in Meerut.'' ''We are also establishing the first sports university. Today, our daughters are winning Olympic medals and bringing glory to the nation. This is all due to the farsighted thinking of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as his welfare schemes are benefiting everyone without discrimination,'' he added. Adityanath said the country is progressing positively under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ''Earlier, there were curfews, and both daughters and businessmen felt unsafe. Now, the situation has completely reversed,'' he said. Adityanath also said, ''The farmers of western Uttar Pradesh, now confidently chant 'Ram-Ram' and even say 'Ram nam satya hai' to criminals because they are getting security and prosperity.'' ''So far, sugarcane farmers have received payments worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore for their produce. There are issues with two or three sugar mills in Shamli. We have informed them that if they fail to pay the sugarcane farmers in full, we will ensure that the farmers become the owners of those sugar mills,'' he added. Adityanath also held a roadshow in Saharanpur on Tuesday.

BJP Meerut Candidate Arun Govil`s Constitution Remarks Draw Sharp Reaction From Akhilesh Yadav

BJP leader Arun Govil has given a remark on 'Constitutions' which drew a strong reaction from Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav.

Controversy erupts over Arun Govil's statement on Constitution: Here is what he said

Controversy has erupted over Arun Govil, BJP's candidate from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, after a viral video shows him discussing potential changes to the Constitution. Meanwhile, PM Modi rebukes Congress allegations of BJP tampering with the Constitution, asserting its sanctity. The exchange underscores ongoing debates over constitutional integrity amidst political rhetoric.

BJP promises three more bullet train corridors

NEW DELHI: The BJP manifesto released on Sunday promised three more bullet train corridors in the country apart from expanding coverage of new-age trains. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while releasing the BJPs Lok Sabha manifesto, said the work on the first corridor, which will connect Ahmedabad to Mumbai, is almost complete and the survey work for three more corridors will begin soon. We are constructing the first Bullet Train corridor in the country. Using the experience gained so far, we will initiate feasibility studies for Bullet Train Corridors in North, South, and East India, the BJPs manifesto states. The saffron party, seeking a third consecutive term for PM Modi, says that its government has developed and manufactured world-class Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat, and Namo Bharat trains. The BJP manifesto has accorded top priority to a slew of railway projects if it is voted to power for a third term at the Centre. Released as Modi Ki Guarantee, the manifesto pledged for constructing new tracks to expand capacity as well cargo transportation. It mentions that 31,000 km railway tracks were built in the last 10 years and now it would add 5000 km of new railway tracks every year for next five years after coming in the third term of power. In the backdrop of heavy waitlists in trains, the BJP has pledged to increase ticket availability significantly increasing passenger carrying capacity by 2030. The BJP also promised to carry on expansion of Kavach train protection system in a mission mode in next five years. The PM quoting from the manifesto said 1300 railway stations will be re-developed to world class standards in major and medium-sized cities. The manifesto promised to expand services of high frequency trains for regional connectivity and metro network in major urban centres ensuring last mile connectivity. We will launch Vande Sleeper trains for a comfortable overnight journey, Modi said, adding that his government will also launch Vande Bharat Metro. We have commissioned sections of RRTS between Delhi and Meerut. We will further expand these services and launch other regional connectivity programmes to other major cities to ensure robust connectivity and integrate the regional economies. It has been promised in the manifesto to launch a Super App to provide all train-related services to users. Vow to increase train ticket availability In the backdrop of heavy wait lists in trains, the BJP has pledged to increase ticket availability significantly increasing passenger carrying capacity by 2030. It promised to carry on expansion of Kavach train protection system in a mission mode in next five years. The PM quoting from the manifesto said 1300 railway stations will be re-developed to world class standards in major and medium-sized cities.

2 kids among 7 burnt alive as car rams into truck in Sikar

Seven, including 3 women & 2 children from UP's Meerut, died in car-truck collision on Churu-Salasar highway. Car on LPG cylinder caught fire, spreading flames to truck with cotton. Eyewitness saw victims shouting for help.

NDTV Election Carnival In Ayodhya: Ram, Ramrajya, Rajniti

NDTV Election Carnival, which started in Delhi, is now in Ayodhya after travelling through several cities in UP, including Meerut and Lucknow. This is the first Lok Sabha election after the consecration of the Ram Mandir and the political atmosphere has heated up in the city. Ayodhya is associated with faith, devotion, culture, and 'Ram Rajya'. BJP leader Awadhesh Pandey, Congress leader Sharad Shukla, and Samajwadi Party leader Dan Bahadur take part in NDTV's special programme in Ayodhya as poets Tarachand Tanha and Shailendra Pandey Masoom enthralled people with their poems and local artists Kirti Mishra and Ajneesh Gupta sang bhajans.

Leopard Enters House In UP's Meerut, Caught After 8-Hour Operation

A forest department team tranquilised and caught a leopard from a house here on Saturday following an eight-hour operation, officials said.

Commotion Erupts as Eid Namazis Pray on Meerut Streets, Prompting Police Intervention

Lucknow: I n Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, worshippers gathered on the streets to observe Eid prayers, prompting the UP Police to take action by filing a case against 200 individuals, as confirmed by a senior police official. SSP Rohit Singh Sajwan stated that further steps will be taken once the identities of the accused are determined based on viral video evidence. The incident occurred on Eid day, with a large crowd assembling at the Eidgah in Meerut, leading some to sit on the road for prayers. Tensions escalated when worshippers clashed with the police after being prevented from praying on the road at Shahi Eidgah. The following day, a case was lodged against 100-200 unidentified persons, following a complaint by Police Sub Inspector Ramautar Singh of the Railway Road police station. The complaint cited disruptions to traffic caused by individuals praying on the road despite police instructions. Efforts were made to redirect worshippers to Faiz-e-Aam College, but confrontations broke out between the crowd and law enforcement. Individuals in the crowd chanted religious slogans, pushed past police barricades, and removed barriers. Several videos of the incident circulated on social media. The detainees were placed under custody at the Railway Road police station. SP Ayush Vikram Singh explained that measures were taken to manage the large crowd at the Idgah, redirecting them to Faiz-e-Aam College. He noted that while some individuals engaged in verbal altercations with the police, appropriate legal actions were taken at the Railway Road police station. Mumbai Police's Innovative Reunion: QR Code Helps Locate Missing Child CBI Accuses BRS Leader K Kavitha of Coercing Aurobindo Pharma Promoter in AAP Payment Scandal Rameshwaram Cafe Blasts mastermind hiding in Bengal with 'Sanjay Agarwal & Uday Das' names

Stir Erupts Over Insects Found in Noodles at Restaurant in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal: I n Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, a stir ensued when patrons discovered insects infesting the noodles served at a local restaurant in the Mandi area. The unsettling incident gained traction after a family dining at the establishment recorded a video showcasing the contaminated noodles, which quickly circulated on social media platforms. Responding promptly to the complaint and the viral video, authorities from the Food Department swiftly intervened to investigate the matter. Upon receiving the complaint, a team from the Food Department was dispatched to the restaurant to conduct an inspection and evaluate the situation in line with food safety regulations. The officials meticulously assessed the restaurant's cleanliness and food handling practices to ascertain any lapses that may have led to the contamination. Additionally, a sample of the tainted noodles was collected and sent to a laboratory in Bhopal for thorough testing to determine the nature and extent of the contamination. During the inspection, the Food Department officials expressed dissatisfaction with the restaurant's overall hygiene standards and operational protocols. Sarika Gupta, an officer representing the Food Department, acknowledged the complaint regarding the presence of insects in the noodles and affirmed that appropriate action would be taken against the restaurant operator if any violations of food safety regulations were uncovered as a result of the investigation. Commotion Erupts as Eid Namazis Pray on Meerut Streets, Prompting Police Intervention Mumbai Police's Innovative Reunion: QR Code Helps Locate Missing Child CBI Accuses BRS Leader K Kavitha of Coercing Aurobindo Pharma Promoter in AAP Payment Scandal

Resignation of RJD President Vrushin Patel Amid Lok Sabha Elections

Patna: Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections of 2024, Lalu and Tejashwi Yadav have faced yet another setback as former minister and RJD president Vrushin Patel has tendered his resignation from his post. Patel sent his resignation letter to Bihar RJD President Jagdanand Singh, citing the lack of democracy within the party and expressing concerns about its shift away from communal harmony and social justice. Saddened by these developments, he has decided to part ways with the party. Patel, however, has not disclosed his future political plans. Reports suggest that Patel was vying for a ticket from the Vaishali Lok Sabha seat, which has been allocated to Bahubali Munna Shukla by RJD this time. Displeased with this decision, Patel has chosen to bid farewell to RJD. There are speculations circulating about his potential alliance with JDU. Prior to his association with RJD, Patel had been associated with Janata Dal, JDU, and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha. He has also served as a minister in the Nitish Kumar-led government. Vrushin Patel held a significant position within RJD as one of its senior leaders. He joined the party before the 2020 assembly elections, and Lalu Yadav appointed him as the vice president of the party. Following the announcement of RJD tickets, there has been a trend of leaders departing from the party. Recently, Ashfaq Karim, who was aspiring for a Lok Sabha ticket from Katihar, also resigned from RJD as the seat was allocated to Congress this time. There are widespread speculations regarding Karim's potential switch to JDU. Commotion Erupts as Eid Namazis Pray on Meerut Streets, Prompting Police Intervention Mumbai Police's Innovative Reunion: QR Code Helps Locate Missing Child CBI Accuses BRS Leader K Kavitha of Coercing Aurobindo Pharma Promoter in AAP Payment Scandal

Viral Video Emerges: Brutal Assault Near Amity University Gate in Noida Sparks Outrage

Noida: T he streets of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, witnessed another incident of violence as a viral video surfaced on social media. In the video, a group of youths is seen pulling a student out of a Fortuner car near Amity University Gate No. 5 in the Police Station Sector 126 area and assaulting him. The disturbing footage shows the young man being dragged from the car and subjected to kicks and punches before the assailants flee the scene. A girl can be seen inside the car during the altercation, and she later helps the victim to his feet after the attackers leave. Amity University, Noida, a group of rowdy youths pulled a student out of a car and beat him. Gundo ke chale jaane ke baad car se mahila utri aur unhone pehle jooto ki jaan bachayi aur baad me yuvak ki. pic.twitter.com/uP8x078Fry THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) April 13, 2024 The incident gained attention after the video circulated widely on social media platforms. Police authorities became aware of the situation through these online channels and have since identified the vehicle involved by tracing its number. Efforts are underway to contact the victim, although it remains unclear when the incident occurred. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the dispute and to locate and apprehend the perpetrators. Law enforcement officials have formed a dedicated team to identify and apprehend the individuals responsible for the assault. Once the victim is identified, further details about the incident are expected to emerge, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the violence. Authorities are committed to resolving the matter swiftly and bringing those responsible to justice. Commotion Erupts as Eid Namazis Pray on Meerut Streets, Prompting Police Intervention Mumbai Police's Innovative Reunion: QR Code Helps Locate Missing Child CBI Accuses BRS Leader K Kavitha of Coercing Aurobindo Pharma Promoter in AAP Payment Scandal

Uttar Pradesh: 200 People Booked For Offering Eid Namaz On Road In Meerut

Uttar Pradesh: Shehzadi pretends to be Naina Verma to entrap Hindu man in Meerut, forces him to convert to Islam and circumcises minor step-son

Shehzadi forged documents and assumed the identity of 'Naina Verma' before getting married to Vipin.

Who Will Be Crowned Winner In UP's Mainpuri, Stronghold Of The Yadavs

The 'NDTV Election Carnival' reached Mainpuri on Thursday after travelling hundreds of kilometres via Delhi, Haridwar, Meerut, and Bharatpur. Mainpuri is a seat considered the stronghold of the Samajwadi Party. It has been winning from the Mainpuri seat continuously since 1996. Mulayam Singh Yadav or his family members had been continuously winning elections from this seat. Dimple Yadav has once again been made a candidate in the Lok Sabha elections. This time, the BJP has fielded Jaiveer Singh Thakur as its candidate, who is also a minister in the state government.

Mastermind in UP police recruitment paper leak case arrested from Jewar

LUCKNOW: In a major breakthrough, the Special Task Force (STF) of UP Police nabbed Ravi Atri, 38, the mastermind of the police constable recruitment paper leak, on Wednesday. He was arrested from Jewar in Gautam Budhh Nagar. A native of Gautam Budh Nagar and based in Delhi before going underground following a probe into the police recruitment paper leak, Atri happens to be the 401st accused arrested so far in connection with the paper leak racket. UP Police Recruitment Board had held an examination to recruit 60,000 constables on February 17 and 18 where over 48 lakh candidates had appeared. Later, the government cancelled the tests and ordered re-examination following the paper leak. While the re-examination will be done in next 6 months, a manhunt was launched for those behind the fiasco. Atri was on the run ever since. An intensive investigation unfolded across various states including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana and districts of UP including Varanasi, Jhansi, Agra, Kanpur, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Prayagraj, Meerut, Gorakhpur, Hathras, Noida, and Ballia. A total of 12 cases have been registered in connection with the scandal. Additional DG, law and order, Amitabh Yash, said that efforts of STF Field Unit Meerut tracked Atri and arrested him. During interrogation, Atri said that after passing the Intermediate examination from Shriram Inter College, Thora, Gautam Budh Nagar, in 2006, the accused went to Allen Coaching Centre, Kota, Rajasthan for medical preparation where he came in contact with the examination mafia in 2007. He then started appearing as a solver in various competitive examinations. After passing the HPMT examination in the year 2012, he got admission in PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana and passed the third year in 2018 but did not appear in the fourth-year examination. Prior to it, he was nabbed by Daryaganj Crime Branch, Delhi in the paper leak case of NEET PG exam in the year 2012 and went to jail. He was also incarcerated the same year after Shahbad Dairy police station, Delhi arrested him for getting the paper of SBI exam out. In 2015, the AIPMT paper was out. The STF said that now Delhi police constable Vikram Pahal, Goldy, Guniya, Dawood, Neetu, Monu Dhakla, Anurag and Ankit Mishra were wanted in connection with the case. Held for getting paper of SBI exam out Prior to it, he was nabbed by Daryaganj Crime Branch, Delhi in the paper leak case of NEET PG exam in the year 2012 and went to jail. He was also incarcerated the same year after Shahbad Dairy police station, Delhi arrested him for getting the paper of SBI exam out.

Anti-social elements will not get land even for last rites, says Adityanath

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said those involved in intimidating and torturing innocents would be deprived of even a piece of land for last rites. Attacking the opposition at a poll rally in Sardhana segment to seek votes for Muzaffarnagar candidate Sanjeev Balyan, Yogi alleged that those attempting to mislead people today had put the BJP leaders like Sangeet Som and Sanjeev Baliyan behind the bars and had imposed curfews to add to peoples woes in 2013. The Sardhana assembly segment in Meerut district falls under Muzaffarnagar Lok Sabha constituency. He cautioned the people against those political forces which were entrenched in deceptive tactics of caste-based politics undermining nations integrity and religious values. At the rally, CM Yogi asserted that no individual could evade strict action if found indulging in wrongdoing regardless of their status. Without naming anyone, he referred to the downfall of prominent mafia empires allegedly patronised by previous regimes. The CM said the during the SP regime even top officials hesitated to confront mafias. However, under the present administration, those, operating with impunity, were dealt with iron fist under the law of the land, he claimed. He also drew a sharp contrast between Indias progress and Pakistans struggles, attributing the neighbouring countrys plight to poor governance. Rallied support for the BJP condidate, the CM highlighted the infrastructure push which the region has received during the last six years. Meerut will go to polls on April 26.

Biryani Reigns Supreme this Ramzan with close to 6 Million Orders: Swiggy Order Analysis

Swiggy, India's leading on-demand convenience platform, has unveiled its Ramzan order analysis, revealing the nation's continued love affair with Biryani during the holy month. Close to 6 million plates of Biryani were ordered during this period, marking a 15% increase compared to regular months. Hyderabad stood out by ordering over a million plates of Biryani and 5.3 lakh plates of Haleem. Traditional favorites like Biryani, Haleem, and Samosa continued to dominate the Iftar table, showcasing their enduring popularity during Ramzan. During Ramzan, Swiggy witnessed a 34% increase in Iftar orders between 5:30 to 7 pm. The top items ordered nationally for Iftar were Chicken Biryani, Mutton Haleem, Samosa, Falooda and Kheer. During Ramzan, there was a significant increase in orders for popular dishes across the nation compared to normal days. Haleem saw a huge increase of 1454.88%, followed by Phirni with an 80.97% increase. Malpua orders went up by 79.09%, while Falooda and Dates saw increases of 57.93% and 48.40% respectively. Ramzans Sweet Spot Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bhopal and Meerut saw a drastic increase in orders placed for Iftar sweet dishes including Malpua, Dates and Phirni. The above findings are based on an analysis of orders placed on Swiggy from March 12 th to 8 th April 2024.

NDTV Election Carnival: Rajasthan's Bharatpur Ready For BJP vs Congress Fight

NDTV Network's special program 'NDTV Election Carnival' entered Rajasthan on Wednesday via Delhi, Haridwar, and Meerut. Bharatpur in Rajasthan is seeing a contest between the BJP and Congress. Voting will be held in Bharatpur on April 19, the first of the seven phases. Sanjana Jatav is the Congress candidate, while Ramswaroop Koli has been fielded by the BJP.