Q&A - Interviews / The New Indian Express
LUCKNOW: Four more persons were arrested in connection with the lynching of a Dalit man in the Unchahar area of Rae Bareli district after villagers mistook him for a thief. The incident has snowballed into a political row, with the Congress party targeting the Yogi-Adityanath government and the Centre. Meanwhile, the police authorities said that all the accused would face charges under the Gangsters Act and the National Security Act (NSA). They also warned against the incident as a caste-based i
Excerpts : Could you tell us about your entry into cinema? I used to do mono-acting and take part in drama in school. I had a liking for acting, but never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would work in films. My first break came in 2014, through my friend who asked me to play a small role in Last Supper, which starred Unni Mukundan. Then, in 2018, another friend forwarded details of a casting call by Friday Films. That is how I landed the role of Chekuthan Lasser in Aadu 2. And thats how
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday celebrated his 25th year in office, having served as the chief minister of Gujarat and now as the prime minister of India, describing the accomplishment as a great blessing to me from the people of India. On October 7, 2001, Modi was administered the oath of office as the 14th chief minister of Gujarat. He relinquished the chair and took the oath as prime minister on May 26, 2014. Modi took to X to share his journey, saying, On this day in 2001,
CHANDIGARH: Following a sloganeering incident at a recent event attended by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu during his visit to Darlaghat in Solan district, the Police have registered a case against an unknown person. On October 4, a case was registered at Darlaghat police station under Sections 353(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertain to making or circulating statements, false information, or rumours with the intent to promote enmity, hatred, or
India on Monday condemned Pakistan for raising the Kashmir issue at the UN Security Council and accused it of historic atrocities, including bombing its own citizens and orchestrating mass rape during the 1971 crackdown in then-East Pakistan. Speaking during an open debate on Women, Peace and Security, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, said Pakistan's military committed systematic genocide and sanctioned the mass rape of over 400,000 women during Operati
GUWAHATI: The Assam government on Monday launched the Shraddhanjali Scheme to provide complete assistance for dignified transportation of the mortal remains of people from Assam who lose their lives, anywhere outside the State. The scheme, approved by the state cabinet on June 22, will be implemented by the Special Branch of the Assam Police. Families or individuals seeking assistance can report such death cases through designated helpline numbers. Government of Assam, upon receiving a report of
GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that the police will not be able to join the dots if the Assamese people, who were present on the yacht at the time of singer Zubeen Garg's death in Singapore, join the probe. People of Assam should put pressure on the Assamese community of Singapore so that those concerned are sent here, Sarma said. Garg died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore on September 19 while swimming in the sea. A number of Assamese community people liv
PATNA: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s manifesto committee on Saturday announced that the party would launch a Sujhav Yatra (suggestion tour) from October 5 to get feedback from the people on its agenda for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. BJP minister Prem Kumar told media persons in Patna that the yatra would be launched between October 5 and 20 and cover all the 38 districts. He revealed that the party would get feedback from people during the Ghar Ghar Jan Sampark Abhiyan. During
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had etrayed the people of Ladakh and demanded an impartial judicial probe into the death of four protesters in police firing in the union territory. Among those killed in Ladakh on Wednesday was Kargil war veteran Tsewang Tharchin. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, who is on a four-nation tour of South America, posted on X a video of Tharchin's father and said, Father in the army, son in the ar
BHATKAL (UTTARA KANNADA): The newly built fish market in Bhatkal has been at the centre of controversies, from rumours about demolishing the old market to, most recently, a communal message discouraging people from buying fish from Hindu fisherwomen. A video message circulating in Nawayathi, a dialect of the Konkani language, on a WhatsApp group titled New Fish Market Daily Update, which has over 1,000 members, alleged: Hindu women are looting us. They have looted us many times. Our people are s
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj on Saturday said it will roll out the People's Plan Campaign across all states and Union territories from October 2, initiating the process for the preparation of Panchayat Development Plans (PDPs) for the financial year 2026-27. In a statement, the ministry said since its launch in 2018, the People's Plan Campaign has enabled panchayats to prepare evidence-based, convergent and inclusive plans through special gram sabha meetings. Over the years, the res
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Saturday condemned the manner in which the government handled the violent situation in Ladakh and demanded a judicial inquiry into the death of four youths during protests earlier this week. The Congress also demanded immediate revival and restoration of institutions and democracy in Ladakh. The Indian National Congress strongly condemns the pathetic handling of the situation in Ladakh by the Government and subsequent arrest of Sonam Wangchuk under the draconian Nation
LUCKNOW: In order to counter the oppositions politics of caste and take the agenda of development forward, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath exhorted his cabinet colleagues to expose the corruption during the tenure of the Samajwadi Party government to the people. After presiding over a cabinet meeting on late Friday evening, Yogi met his council of ministers in his office, said the sources privy to the development. A senior minister emerging from the meeting confirmed that the CM asked them to c
GUWAHATI: The BPF, a constituent of the NDA, swept the Bodoland Territorial Council polls in Assam by winning 28 of the 40 seats, officials said. The Bodoland People's Front (BPF), led by Hagrama Mohilary, improved its tally from the 17 seats it had won last time and secured an absolute majority, they said. The United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL) and the BJP, both alliance partners in the outgoing council, finished far behind with seven and five seats, respectively. Mohilary won the Debargaon co
GUWAHATI: The Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) is set to emerge as the single largest party in Assams Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections, the counting of votes of which was under way at the time of going to press. According to latest reports, the BPF was leading in 21 of the autonomous councils 40 seats, United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL) in 11 and BJP in eight. The results are expected later tonight or Saturday. The BTC, currently ruled by the BJP-UPPL combine, went to polls on September
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister Suresh Gopi has allegedly accused the state government of failing to implement the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in Kerala. During a recent public interaction, the actor-MP alleged that hospitals in Kerala were unable to accept the scheme as the state government had not contributed its share. When a participant asked about a solution, Suresh Gopi responded, Hand over Kerala's administration to us and on the very first day we will implement it. I am ch
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Tuesday said the latest GST reforms have provided much relief to the people with a reduction in prices of commodities. It also took potshots at the Congress over its criticism, saying the opposition party keeps raising demands because it knows only Prime Minister Narendra Modi can fulfil them if they are in the public interest. On the Congress accusing the prime minister of taking credit for the GST rate cut decision taken by the GST Council comprising all states, BJP MP an
KOLKATA: With large parts of Kolkata thoroughly inundated, public life brought to its knees and at least seven people electrocuted in the wake of widespread and torrential overnight downpour, a political slugfest broke out on social media between the BJP, the state's prime Opposition, and its ruling dispensation, the Trinamool Congress. While the saffron party took to its social media handles to post pictures and videos of waterlogged streets of Kolkata and accused the TMC-run Kolkata Municipal
KOLKATA: Torrential rain paralysed Kolkata on Tuesday, leaving large swathes of the city waterlogged, and at least seven people died of electrocution, prompting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to describe the downpour as unprecedented and lash out at poor dredging of Farakka and lapses by power utility CESC. Even our houses are submerged; we are all suffering. I am feeling so bad for the Pujo pandals as well, Banerjee said, adding that schools have been asked to declare holidays and office-goers
IMPHAL: Locals of Nambol in Manipur's Bishnupur district on Saturday morning staged protests against the killing of two Assam Rifles personnel in an ambush in the area the previous day. Search operations are being conducted in the area for the attackers and the vehicle used by them, police said. The locals, wearing traditional mourning attire, raised slogans and held placards condemning the attack and for creating fear and panic among the public, at a sit-in just 1 km from the ambush spot. Later
LUCKNOW: The Samarth Uttar Pradesh Viksit Uttar Pradesh @2047 campaign, led by the Yogi government, is witnessing significant public participation and feedback, with nodal officers and intellectuals visiting all 75 districts of the state. They are engaging with students, teachers, entrepreneurs, farmers, business leaders, voluntary groups, labour unions, media representatives and the public. These interactions have not only highlighted the development journey of the past eight and a half years
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched yet another scathing attack on the Election Commission of India, accusing Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of protecting vote theives. Addressing a special press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, the former Congress chief said that he is making the statements fully aware of his responsibility as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. I'm going to show to black and white proof that the Chief Election Commissioner
Three years after independent India celebrated its 75th birthday, PM Narendra Modi follows suit on Wednesday. In the over 10 years since he became PM by becoming the first Indian leader to sweep to a single-party majority in three decades and the first to be re-elected with a bigger mandate in 2019, there have been many achievements. At a time when technology is increasingly at the forefront, even street vendors in India have embraced UPI and Digital Payments, making us the world's undisputed le
IMPHAL: Manipurs Imphal and Churachandpur have been decked up with the posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the eve of his visit to the ethnic violence-hit State. Captioned Viksit Bharat Viksit Manipur, the poster put up overnight by the State government said PM Modi will lay the foundation stone for development projects worth over Rs 7,300 crore in Churachandpur and inaugurate development projects of Rs 1,200 crore in Imphal. Officials said the projects will be launched for the entire Man
SINGAPORE: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday said the tariffs imposed by the US has impacted India with people already losing jobs, even as he lashed out at American President Donald Trump for being mercurial in nature and not honouring conventional standards of diplomatic behaviour. US has imposed a 50 per cent tariff, including 25 per cent as penalty for buying Russian oil, on shipments from India. India needs to diversify export markets to mitigate the impact of tariffs, Tharoor
SRINAGAR: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday alleged that AAP MLA Mehraj Malik was made a scapegoat to divert attention from the Hazratbal emblem controversy in Jammu and Kashmir. Malik, who is also the president of the J-K unit of AAP, was detained on Monday under the stringent law for allegedly disturbing public order in Doda district and was subsequently lodged in Kathua district jail. Speaking with reporters at the party headquarters here, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmi
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday reached out to flood-hit people in Jammu city and assured them of government support. The city was badly hit by floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains on August 26, resulting in huge damage to residential areas in Peerkho, Gujjar Nagar, and Rajiv Nagar. Sinha visited Rajiv Colony, where a health camp was being held for flood-affected families. He interacted with people and heard their concerns, an official said. The L-G
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday embarked on a day-long visit to flood-affected regions of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, reaffirming the Centres commitment to stand with those impacted by the natural calamity. Beginning his tour in Himachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister assessed the damage caused by torrential rains and landslides. He will later conduct an aerial survey of flood-ravaged areas in Punjab. Officials said PM Modi held high-level discussions with state authorities and chaired a r
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit the ethnic conflict struck Manipur on September 13, for the first time since the conflict broke out in May 2023. As the state prepares for the visit, Congress has slammed the 3-hour tour an insult to the people of Manipur who have waited for the prime minister for 29 long and agonising months. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the September 13 visit to Manipur will actually be a on-visit by the PM. The proposed
NEW DELHI: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday said that the GST reforms will not only provide a significant boost to the Indian economy, but will also greatly benefit the common people. During a press conference at the BJP central office, he lashed out at the previous Congress-led UPA government, claiming that the heavy burden of taxes during its tenure had negatively impacted peoples lives. Prior to 2014, a complex system of multiple taxes applied to every item, placing a heavy burden
GUWAHATI: Only three foreigners have received citizenship of India in Assam under the CAA against 12 applications, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official function here, he said it is futile to discuss the CAA on the backdrop of such a low number of applications against the apprehension that lakhs of foreigners would get citizenship in Assam. In Assam, only three people have got citizenship under the CAA so far, he said. The CM,
NEW DELHI: Over one billion people are living with mental health conditions, with anxiety and depression being the most common conditions, according to new data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday. The report shows that while the prevalence of mental health conditions can vary by sex, women are disproportionately impacted overall. Suicide remains a devastating outcome, claiming an estimated 7,27,000 lives in 2021 alone, said the new findings published in two reports World
NEW YORK: In a new rant against India for its purchases of Russian oil , White House trade adviser Peter Navarro has said that Brahmins are profiteering at the expense of the Indian people and it needs to stop. Look (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is a great leader, Navarro, the Trump administration's Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing, said in an interview with Fox News Sunday . The trade adviser said that he doesn't understand how the Indian leader is cooperating with Russian Preside
DEHRADUN: A day after heavy rains and a series of cloudbursts left a trail of destruction in various districts of Uttarakhand, rescuers frantically searched for the missing through knee-high debris at the break of daylight on Saturday. Six people died and 11 went missing in heavy rains, landslides and cloudbursts that pounded Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar and Tehri districts early on Friday. Breached roads delayed the arrival of rescue teams comprising SDRF and DDRF personnel to the affected a
CHANDIGARH: The flood situation in Punjab remains critical, with 836 villages and standing crops across more than 1.10 lakh acres affected in eight districts, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar, due to swelling of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers. So far, 7,689 people have been evacuated to safer locations. Heavy rains and the rising Ghaggar river, following intense rainfall in its catchment area and the opening of floodgates at Sukhna Lake
PATNA: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said the Voter Adhikar Yatra, launched by her brother and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, is a movement to fight for the peoples democratic rights. Addressing a public gathering in Muzaffarpur, Priyanka expressed satisfaction over the publics overwhelming response to the 16-day, 3,000-km Yatra, which commenced from Sasaram in Rohtas district on 17 August. The people have clearly understood our message, about vote thef
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on Wednesday and wished everyone happiness, peace and good health. Wishing you all a very Happy Ganesh Chaturthi. May this occasion filled with faith and devotion, be auspicious for everyone. I pray to Lord Gajanan to bless all his devotees with happiness, peace and good health. Ganpati Bappa Morya! Modi said in a post in Hindi on X. , ! Narendra Modi (@narendramo
KOLKATA: Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen expressed concerns over the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, warning that the exercise, if not handled sensitively, could end up disenfranchising a large number of poor and marginalised people. Sen also questioned the fairness of a bureaucratic process that demands strict documentation from citizens who may not have access to those things. He also said that administrative processes and periodic revisions are necessary, but these m
NEW DELHI: Amid a ruckus in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday as Home Minister Amit Shah introduced a Bill aimed at bringing the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and Union or state ministers under the ambit of law, Shah launched a sharp attack on the Congress-led Opposition, saying the people of the country must decide whether it is right for a leader to run the government while in jail. Shah said the Constitution Amendment Bill, tabled with the consent of the Lok Sabha Speaker, seeks to ensure key con
MUMBAI: Torrential rains over the past two days has displaced around 4,143 people across Maharashtra, with Raigad district reporting the highest number at 1,332, according to the state disaster management authority. On August 19, rain-related incidents, including wall collapses, drowning, falling trees and landslides, killed 10 people and injured two, while 52 animals also died, the report said. The data showed Raigad recorded the largest displacement at 1,332, followed by 610 in Thane, 471 in S
CHANDIGARH: In view of persistent rainfall, the district administration has called off the Kinnaur Kailash Yatra with immediate effect. A pilgrim from Uttar Pradesh was killed after being hit by a shooting stone on the Yatra route. With this, the death toll of pilgrims on the Yatra has risen to five. This year recorded the highest number of pilgrims 7,316. Sources said that 31-year-old Gaurav, a resident of Aditya World City in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, died after sustaining injuries from a sho
GUWAHATI: Claiming that some strange people from different parts of the country were visiting Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said they will be arrested if they cross limits. Speaking to reporters at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where he went on Monday night following the death of a newborn , Sarma said these people were advocates from Mumbai and Kerala. We are keeping a track of them. They had also come when the NRC was being updated in the state, and spoiled the e
NEW DELHI: A portion of Humayun's Tomb in Delhi's Nizamuddin area collapsed on Friday with the authorities saying that eight to nine people are feared trapped. A call regarding a portion of a dome falling was received around 4.30 pm, a Delhi Fire Services official said. Eight to nine people are feared trapped and five fire tenders have been rushed, the official said. The monument is a mid-16th century mausoleum that is frequented by tourists. VIDEO | Delhi: A portion of the structure at Humayuns
NEW DELHI: Flagging obesity as a major challenge for the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech on Friday, once again exhorted people to reduce edible oil consumption by 10 per cent to address this pressing health concern. This is the third time the prime minister has raised an alarm on rising obesity, which leads to heart diseases, strokes, type-2 diabetes, certain cancers, digestive problems, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and fatty liver disease. Addressing the na
GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday launched a digital portal, through which indigenous people living in sensitive areas can apply for arms licences. The aim of the initiative is to enable responsible citizens aid and assist the government in maintaining peace, and law and order situation in the state, Sarma said. He said the licences will be granted after proper scrutiny and a multi-layered process. The CM said the licences will be granted to those individuals who do
THANE: A fire broke out at a cafe located in a multi-storey residential building in Maharashtra's Thane city early Thursday morning, following which 35 persons were evacuated from the structure, officials said. No casualty has been reported as of now, Thane Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi said. The blaze erupted in the Parsik Cafe located on the ground floor of the six-storey building at Kharegaon in Kalwa (West), he said. The disaster management cell received
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday stepped up its campaign against alleged 'vote chori' by releasing a new video depicting how fake votes were being cast and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge asking people to raise their voice and save constitutional institutions from the clutches of the BJP. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also shared the minute-long video and said, Aapke vote ki chori aapke adhikar ki chori, aapki pehchaan ki chori hai. Tagging the advertisement titled 'booth par vote chori, Congr
NEW DELHI: Upping the ante over Rahul Gandhi's poll rigging claims, the Congress on Tuesday announced a roadmap to take its vote chori allegations to the people, which include taking out 'Loktantra bachao mashaal marches' on Independence Day eve. The opposition party also claimed that as more evidence of vote chori was coming to the fore, it seemed that it was not mere theft but dacoity. The assertion was made after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge held a meeting with party general secretar
RANCHI: More than 1 lakh people, including several VIPs, are expected to attend the Shradh-Karma of Dishom Guru Shibu Soren on August 15th and the Sanskar Bhoj on August 16th. As preparations are in full swing, four helipads have been built in Nemra. Out of these, three have been built near the ancestral house of Shibu Soren, while the other has been built on Lukaiyatand Road. Distribution of cards printed in Hindi and Santhali languages, has already started. The Cabinet Secretariat will send in
NEW DELHI: Upping the ante over Rahul Gandhi's poll rigging claims , the Congress has launched a web page where people can register to demand accountability from the Election Commission against what it called was vote chori and express support for his demand for digital voter rolls. Anyone can click on the portal link and download vote chori proof, demand EC accountability and report vote chori. It also carries Gandhi's video in which reiterated his explosive claims of a huge criminal fraud in t