<p>Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will go back to Tihar jail on Sunday (June 2) after his interim bail ended on Saturday (June 1).</p>

<p>The AAP supremo was arrested in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam in March.</p>

<p>He was released from the jail on May 10 on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls.</p>

<p>Kejriwal took to his official X handle and said that he will surrender to the police and leave his house at 3 pm today.</p>

<p>"Today I will surrender by going to Tihar. I will leave home at 3 pm. First I will go to Rajghat and pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. From there I will go to Hanuman temple in Connaught Place to seek blessings of Hanuman ji. And from there I will go to the party office and meet all the workers and party leaders. From there I will again leave for Tihar," wrote Kejriwal.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">माननीय सुप्रीम कोर्ट के आदेश पर मैं 21 दिन चुनाव प्रचार के लिए बाहर आया। माननीय सुप्रीम कोर्ट का बहुत बहुत आभार।<br />
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आज तिहाड़ जाकर सरेंडर करूँगा। दोपहर 3 बजे घर से निकलूँगा। पहले राजघाट जाकर महात्मा गांधी जी को श्रद्धांजलि दूँगा। वहाँ से हनुमान जी का आशीर्वाद लेने कनॉट प्लेस स्थित…</p>
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArvindKejriwal/status/1797114756077342975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, the Delhi chief minister had moved&nbsp;the Supreme Court for an extension of interim bail, but the top court rejected his plea on Wednesday (May 29).</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kejriwal-set-to-return-to-tihar-jail-on-june-2-ed-accuses-delhi-cm-of-suppressing-facts-727742">Also read:&nbsp;Kejriwal set to return to Tihar jail on June 2; ED accuses Delhi CM of ‘suppressing facts’ in bail plea</a></p>

<h2><strong>Delhi's court reserves order on interim bail plea</strong></h2>

<p>Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court reserved its ruling on Kejriwal's bail extension plea and said it will pronounce the order on June 5.</p>

<p>Kejriwal's advocate N Hariharan made it clear in the Rouse Avenue Court that, "It's not a plea for an extension of the SC order, it is an application for medical bail."</p>

<p>Earlier, Kejriwal had claimed before the court that "he had lost 6kg during the 50 days he spent in jail - from 70kg to 64kg - and had failed to regain it after being freed on interim bail."</p>

<p>"Doctors are saying this can also be a sign of some major disease in the body. Many tests need to be done. The ketone level in my urine has also increased a lot," he added.</p>

<p>During the hearing, representatives of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed Kejriwal's bail extension plea, saying the Supreme Court order only allowed the Delhi CM to file a regular bail application.</p>

<p>The ED also said before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja that Kejriwal has made false claims regarding his ill health and has suppressed important facts.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will go back to Tihar jail on Sunday (June 2) after his interim bail ended on Saturday (June 1). The AAP supremo was arrested in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam in March.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will go back to Tihar jail on Sunday (June 2) after his interim bail ended on Saturday (June 1). The AAP supremo was arrested in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam in March. He was released from the jail on May 10 on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls. Kejriwal took to his official X handle and said that he will surrender to the police and leave his house at 3 pm today. "Today I will surrender by going to Tihar. I will leave home at 3 pm. First I will go to Rajghat and pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. From there I will go to Hanuman temple in Connaught Place to seek blessings of Hanuman ji. And from there I will go to the party office and meet all the workers and party leaders. From there I will again leave for Tihar," wrote Kejriwal. माननीय सुप्रीम कोर्ट के आदेश पर मैं 21 दिन चुनाव प्रचार के लिए बाहर आया। माननीय सुप्रीम कोर्ट का बहुत बहुत आभार। आज तिहाड़ जाकर सरेंडर करूँगा। दोपहर 3 बजे घर से निकलूँगा। पहले राजघाट जाकर महात्मा गांधी जी को श्रद्धांजलि दूँगा। वहाँ से हनुमान जी का आशीर्वाद लेने कनॉट प्लेस स्थित… — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 2, 2024 × Earlier, the Delhi chief minister had moved the Supreme Court for an extension of interim bail, but the top court rejected his plea on Wednesday (May 29). Also read: Kejriwal set to return to Tihar jail on June 2; ED accuses Delhi CM of ‘suppressing facts’ in bail plea Delhi's court reserves order on interim bail plea Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court reserved its ruling on Kejriwal's bail extension plea and said it will pronounce the order on June 5. Kejriwal's advocate N Hariharan made it clear in the Rouse Avenue Court that, "It's not a plea for an extension of the SC order, it is an application for medical bail." Earlier, Kejriwal had claimed before the court that "he had lost 6kg during the 50 days he spent in jail - from 70kg to 64kg - and had failed to regain it after being freed on interim bail." "Doctors are saying this can also be a sign of some major disease in the body. Many tests need to be done. The ketone level in my urine has also increased a lot," he added. During the hearing, representatives of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) opposed Kejriwal's bail extension plea, saying the Supreme Court order only allowed the Delhi CM to file a regular bail application. The ED also said before Special Judge Kaveri Baweja that Kejriwal has made false claims regarding his ill health and has suppressed important facts. (With inputs from agencies)

Arvind Kejriwal to return to Tihar Jail today; will visit Raj Ghat, Hanuman temple before surrendering

<p>Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took to her social media and shared a handwritten note by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he completed his meditation session at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari in the southern state of Tamil Nadu on Saturday (June 1).&nbsp;</p>

<p>He was on a spiritual sojourn from May 30 to June 1.</p>

<p>In the note, PM Modi wrote, "It is my fortune that today, after so many years, as India embodies the values and ideals of Swami Vivekananda, I too have had the opportunity to meditate at this sacred place."</p>

<p>"My meditation at this 'Shila Smarak' is one of the unforgettable moments of my life. Sitting at the feet of 'Ma Bharati', I once again reaffirm my resolve that every moment of my life and every particle of my body will always be dedicated to the service of the nation," he wrote.</p>

<p>"With wishes for the progress of the nation and the welfare of its citizens, I offer my utmost reverence to 'Ma Bharati'," he added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On completing his meditation on the Vivekananda Rock Memorial PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> writes:<br />
<br />
“Visiting the 'Vivekananda Rock Memorial' at Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India, I feel a divine energy.<br />
<br />
It is on this rock that Mother Parvati and Swami Vivekananda had meditated.… <a href="https://t.co/R9WJXb2Zps">pic.twitter.com/R9WJXb2Zps</a></p>
— Nirmala Sitharaman (Modi Ka Parivar) (@nsitharaman) <a href="https://twitter.com/nsitharaman/status/1796891213653770528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian prime minister ended his meditation after nearly 45 hours and will now return to Delhi and await the results of the Lok Sabha elections.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-completes-his-two-day-meditation-at-kanniyakumari-as-poll-comes-to-an-end-727803">PM Modi completes 2-day meditation at Kanniyakumari, to return to Delhi as Lok Sabha polls end</a></p>

<p>He also paid floral tributes to the Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PM Modi meditated through the entire day and night at the same place where Swami Vivekananda had meditated. This place is also called the Dhyan Mandapam.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is believed that Vivekananda had a divine vision about 'Bharat Mata' while he was meditating at the Dhyan Mandapam.</p>

<p>The prime minister's visit coincides with the last and final stage of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, which concluded with a 59.45 per cent voter turnout.</p>

<p>PM Modi, who is seeking a third term in the general elections, concluded his election campaign in Punjab's Hoshiarpur on Thursday (May 30).</p>

<p><em>(With input from agencies)</em></p>


Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took to her social media and shared a handwritten note by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he completed his meditation session at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari in the southern state of Tamil Nadu on Saturday (June 1).

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took to her social media and shared a handwritten note by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he completed his meditation session at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari in the southern state of Tamil Nadu on Saturday (June 1). He was on a spiritual sojourn from May 30 to June 1. In the note, PM Modi wrote, "It is my fortune that today, after so many years, as India embodies the values and ideals of Swami Vivekananda, I too have had the opportunity to meditate at this sacred place." "My meditation at this 'Shila Smarak' is one of the unforgettable moments of my life. Sitting at the feet of 'Ma Bharati', I once again reaffirm my resolve that every moment of my life and every particle of my body will always be dedicated to the service of the nation," he wrote. "With wishes for the progress of the nation and the welfare of its citizens, I offer my utmost reverence to 'Ma Bharati'," he added. On completing his meditation on the Vivekananda Rock Memorial PM @narendramodi writes: “Visiting the 'Vivekananda Rock Memorial' at Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India, I feel a divine energy. It is on this rock that Mother Parvati and Swami Vivekananda had meditated.… pic.twitter.com/R9WJXb2Zps — Nirmala Sitharaman (Modi Ka Parivar) (@nsitharaman) June 1, 2024 × The Indian prime minister ended his meditation after nearly 45 hours and will now return to Delhi and await the results of the Lok Sabha elections. Also read: PM Modi completes 2-day meditation at Kanniyakumari, to return to Delhi as Lok Sabha polls end He also paid floral tributes to the Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar. PM Modi meditated through the entire day and night at the same place where Swami Vivekananda had meditated. This place is also called the Dhyan Mandapam. It is believed that Vivekananda had a divine vision about 'Bharat Mata' while he was meditating at the Dhyan Mandapam. The prime minister's visit coincides with the last and final stage of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, which concluded with a 59.45 per cent voter turnout. PM Modi, who is seeking a third term in the general elections, concluded his election campaign in Punjab's Hoshiarpur on Thursday (May 30). (With input from agencies)

PM Modi pens note after meditation at Kanniyakumari; ‘life dedicated to nation’s service’

India PM Narendra Modi and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee both held rallies and roadshows in the Kolkata ahead of phase seven of the Lok Sabha elections. The seventh and final phase of the general elections will take place on June 1, and the results will be announced on June 4. Watch in for more details!

India General Election 2024: TMC, BJP face-off rallies in Kolkata

In WION's Poll Countdown we get you a roundup of all the latest updates in the realm of Indian politics. In the latest, Home Minister Amit Shah is confident of a third term for the Modi led government. He asserted that Uniform Civil Code will be implemented across the country in the next 5 years. Watch in for more details!

India General Elections 2024: UCC to be implemented in next term, says Amit Shah

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack against the Congress on Friday (May 24) stating that the grand old party allowed the "massacre of Sikhs" and protected the rioters.</p>

<p>While addressing a rally in Punjab's Jalandhar, PM Modi also hit out at the grand old party over its stance on the Citizenship Amendment Act stating that the opposition does not want to give citizenship to the ones who endured the horrors of partition.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Hindu-Sikh brothers who were left on the other side during the partition, they are our own. BJP-NDA government brought CAA to give them citizenship. But Congress had a problem with it. They are saying that they will withdraw the CAA if they come to power," he said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Punjab: Addressing a public rally in Jalandhar, PM Modi says, "The Hindu-Sikh brothers who were left on the other side during the partition, they are our own. BJP-NDA government brought CAA to give them citizenship. But Congress had a problem with it. They are saying… <a href="https://t.co/VcCfbu2IFe">pic.twitter.com/VcCfbu2IFe</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1793990153767358540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>He then took a jibe at the grand old party and said that the 'royal family' removed Amarinder Singh from CM's post when he refused to obey orders</p>

<p>"When Congress was in power in Punjab, Congress wanted to run the government of Punjab through remote control. But Captain Amarinder Singh refused to obey the orders of the 'Shehzada' of Delhi (Rahul Gandhi). He gave priority to national security being a border state. The result was that the royal family of Congress and the 'Shehzada' removed him from the post of Chief Minister. Can anyone ever forget this insult to Punjab?," he said in a separate rally in Punjab's Gurdaspur.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-says-he-would-have-taken-kartarpur-sahib-from-pakistan-if-he-was-pm-in-1971-724769">Modi says he would have taken Kartarpur Sahib from Pakistan if he was PM in 1971</a></p>

<h2><strong>'AAP leaders sitting in Delhi controlling Punjab,' says PM Modi</strong></h2>

<p>PM Modi also attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had to visit Tihar Jail in Delhi to take orders from party supremo Arvind Kejriwal as he cannot make decisions on his own.</p>

<p>"Unfortunately, Punjab is being governed via remote control. The Durbaris of Delhi are governing Punjab. The CM of Punjab cannot make a single decision on his own... The CM had to go to Tihar Jail to take new orders to run his government... After 1st June, the corrupt will go to jail again. Will the Punjab government function from the jail again?" he said in Gurdaspur.</p>

<p>He also accused the AAP leaders of being "wholesale traders of drugs", referring to the alleged liquor scam.</p>

<p>"The people of Punjab have understood that the 'jharoo' (broomstick, the poll symbol of the AAP) party people are themselves wholesale traders of drugs. Why will those who perpetrated such a big liquor scam (in Delhi) not dive into the black money of drugs in Punjab?" he said while addressing a large&nbsp;gathering.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack against the Congress on Friday (May 24) stating that the grand old party allowed the "massacre of Sikhs" and protected the rioters.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack against the Congress on Friday (May 24) stating that the grand old party allowed the "massacre of Sikhs" and protected the rioters. While addressing a rally in Punjab's Jalandhar, PM Modi also hit out at the grand old party over its stance on the Citizenship Amendment Act stating that the opposition does not want to give citizenship to the ones who endured the horrors of partition. "The Hindu-Sikh brothers who were left on the other side during the partition, they are our own. BJP-NDA government brought CAA to give them citizenship. But Congress had a problem with it. They are saying that they will withdraw the CAA if they come to power," he said. #WATCH | Punjab: Addressing a public rally in Jalandhar, PM Modi says, "The Hindu-Sikh brothers who were left on the other side during the partition, they are our own. BJP-NDA government brought CAA to give them citizenship. But Congress had a problem with it. They are saying… pic.twitter.com/VcCfbu2IFe — ANI (@ANI) May 24, 2024 × He then took a jibe at the grand old party and said that the 'royal family' removed Amarinder Singh from CM's post when he refused to obey orders "When Congress was in power in Punjab, Congress wanted to run the government of Punjab through remote control. But Captain Amarinder Singh refused to obey the orders of the 'Shehzada' of Delhi (Rahul Gandhi). He gave priority to national security being a border state. The result was that the royal family of Congress and the 'Shehzada' removed him from the post of Chief Minister. Can anyone ever forget this insult to Punjab?," he said in a separate rally in Punjab's Gurdaspur. Also read: Modi says he would have taken Kartarpur Sahib from Pakistan if he was PM in 1971 'AAP leaders sitting in Delhi controlling Punjab,' says PM Modi PM Modi also attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had to visit Tihar Jail in Delhi to take orders from party supremo Arvind Kejriwal as he cannot make decisions on his own. "Unfortunately, Punjab is being governed via remote control. The Durbaris of Delhi are governing Punjab. The CM of Punjab cannot make a single decision on his own... The CM had to go to Tihar Jail to take new orders to run his government... After 1st June, the corrupt will go to jail again. Will the Punjab government function from the jail again?" he said in Gurdaspur. He also accused the AAP leaders of being "wholesale traders of drugs", referring to the alleged liquor scam. "The people of Punjab have understood that the 'jharoo' (broomstick, the poll symbol of the AAP) party people are themselves wholesale traders of drugs. Why will those who perpetrated such a big liquor scam (in Delhi) not dive into the black money of drugs in Punjab?" he said while addressing a large gathering. (With inputs from agencies)

PM Modi attacks Congress over 1984 riots, alleges it 'allowed massacre of Sikhs'

<p>India's&nbsp;top poll body slammed Prime Minister Narendra&nbsp;Modi's&nbsp;Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday (May 24), while&nbsp;pulling&nbsp;down three Instagram posts that the opposition dubbed as&nbsp;"communal".</p>

<p>The&nbsp;state's&nbsp;Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Reena Kangale also issued a&nbsp;"strong warning"&nbsp;to BJP, asking the party against uploading such posts in future.</p>

<p>“We have taken down the three objectionable posts from the BJP Instagram handle and a stern warning has been given to them not to upload such posts in future,”&nbsp;Chief Electoral Officer Kangale said.</p>

<h2><strong>Three objectionable posts</strong></h2>

<p>The first video was published&nbsp;on May 15. The animated video showed a man wearing a skull cap and green clothes robbing a woman.&nbsp;The man is later helped by a caricature of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.</p>

<p>The second video, again animated, showed a caricature of Rahul Gandhi snatching a&nbsp;woman's&nbsp;mangalsutra and giving it to a man.&nbsp;This video was uploaded&nbsp;on May 20.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;India Elections 2024: Election Commission censures former judge-turned BJP politician | WION</strong></p>

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<p>The third animated video showed Rahul Gandhi placing an&nbsp;egg,&nbsp;labelled&nbsp;'&nbsp;Muslim'&nbsp;in a nest, along with other eggs marked with&nbsp;'&nbsp;SC, ST and OBC.'&nbsp;Later, the hatchling from the&nbsp;‘Muslim’&nbsp;egg grows so big that it pushes other eggs out of the basket.</p>

<h2><strong>EC's&nbsp;action</strong></h2>

<p>EC on Friday reached out to the BJP and&nbsp;also&nbsp;issued a direction to Instagram owner Meta.</p>

<p>The opposition Congress accused the BJP of disrupting communal harmony in the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It is an extremely serious issue where BJP is conspiring to disrupt communal harmony of India and defame Congress party. They have made it a habit of violating the code of conduct and&nbsp;BJP’s&nbsp;social media handles have posted dozens of such posts. Their handle must be suspended. Just letting the BJP off with a warning is not enough. The Election Commission should take legal action against the BJP,”&nbsp;said Sushil Anand Shukla, in charge of the&nbsp;Congress’&nbsp;communication cell in Chhattisgarh.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwj-jb7H4KiGAxXrxTgGHZVdBpUQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-tmc-alleges-evms-found-with-bjp-tags-ec-responds-725270" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-tmc-alleges-evms-found-with-bjp-tags-ec-responds-725270&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj-jb7H4KiGAxXrxTgGHZVdBpUQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">Lok Sabha elections 2024: TMC alleges EVMs found with BJP tags, EC responds</a></strong></p>

<p>BJP, on the other hand, defended its posts, saying there was nothing&nbsp;'objectionable'.</p>

<p>"There was nothing religious about it… The posts were related to the Congress narrative of inheritance tax and taking away reservation and giving it to Muslims,” said Somesh Pandey, from the social media cell of the BJP in Chhattisgarh.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


India's top poll body slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday (May 24), while pulling down three Instagram posts that the opposition dubbed as "communal".

India's top poll body slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday (May 24), while pulling down three Instagram posts that the opposition dubbed as "communal". The state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Reena Kangale also issued a "strong warning" to BJP, asking the party against uploading such posts in future. “We have taken down the three objectionable posts from the BJP Instagram handle and a stern warning has been given to them not to upload such posts in future,” Chief Electoral Officer Kangale said. Three objectionable posts The first video was published on May 15. The animated video showed a man wearing a skull cap and green clothes robbing a woman. The man is later helped by a caricature of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The second video, again animated, showed a caricature of Rahul Gandhi snatching a woman's mangalsutra and giving it to a man. This video was uploaded on May 20. Watch: India Elections 2024: Election Commission censures former judge-turned BJP politician | WION × The third animated video showed Rahul Gandhi placing an egg, labelled ' Muslim' in a nest, along with other eggs marked with ' SC, ST and OBC.' Later, the hatchling from the ‘Muslim’ egg grows so big that it pushes other eggs out of the basket. EC's action EC on Friday reached out to the BJP and also issued a direction to Instagram owner Meta. The opposition Congress accused the BJP of disrupting communal harmony in the state. “It is an extremely serious issue where BJP is conspiring to disrupt communal harmony of India and defame Congress party. They have made it a habit of violating the code of conduct and BJP’s social media handles have posted dozens of such posts. Their handle must be suspended. Just letting the BJP off with a warning is not enough. The Election Commission should take legal action against the BJP,” said Sushil Anand Shukla, in charge of the Congress’ communication cell in Chhattisgarh. Also read: Lok Sabha elections 2024: TMC alleges EVMs found with BJP tags, EC responds BJP, on the other hand, defended its posts, saying there was nothing 'objectionable'. "There was nothing religious about it… The posts were related to the Congress narrative of inheritance tax and taking away reservation and giving it to Muslims,” said Somesh Pandey, from the social media cell of the BJP in Chhattisgarh. (With inputs from agencies)

India's poll body pulls up PM Modi's BJP, gets Meta to remove 'communal' posts

A political row that has erupted after BJP leader Sambit Patra referred to Lord Jagganath as a devotee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Patra who is also the BJP candidate from Odisha's Puri constituency made this remark during PM Modi's Road Show in Puri.

Sambit Patra says 'Lord Jagganath is a devotee of PM Modi'

<p>A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian crashed on Sunday (May 19) as it was crossing a mountainous terrain, an Iranian official told the news agency Reuters. In other news, the death toll after an Israeli airstrike targeted a house at Nuseirat refugee camp in the central part of the Palestinian enclave, rose to 31, said Gaza's civil defence agency on Sunday (May 19). This comes a day after Israeli troops and tanks pushed into parts of congested northern Gaza killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians, reported Reuters citing medics and residents. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Click on the headlines to read more.</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/helicopter-accompanying-iranian-president-ebrahim-raisi-involved-in-incident-723114">Iranian President Raisi’s helicopter crashes, fog hampers rescue efforts</a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/19/432455-iranian-president-ebrahim-raisi.png?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>The official said the lives of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister were "at risk following the helicopter crash". "We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-20-killed-after-israeli-strike-on-nuseirat-refugee-camp-in-central-gaza-723049">Death toll after Israeli strike on Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp rises to 31</a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/19/432415-yearender-2023-73.png?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>Israeli airstrike targeting a house at Nuseirat refugee camp in the central part of the Palestinian enclave, rose to 31. "The civil defence crew were able to recover 31 martyrs and 20 wounded from a house belonging to the Hassan family, which was targeted by the Israeli occupation forces in the Nuseirat camp," Gaza civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told journalists.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/watch-blue-origins-new-shepard-ns-rocket-lifts-off-with-six-crew-on-board-including-one-indian-723142">Blue Origin’s NS rocket lifts off with six crew on board, including one Indian</a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/19/432467-capture.JPG?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>US billionaire Jeff Bezos-backed aerospace company Blue Origin's New Shepard (NS) rocket lifted off Sunday (May 19) with six crew members, including one Indian.&nbsp;The mission, named NS-25, departed from Launch Site One in West Texas.&nbsp;Gopi Thotakura, from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, has thus become the first Indian space tourist. He is a commercial jet pilot and entrepreneur.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-hits-out-at-mamata-banerjee-says-tmc-threatening-ramakrishna-mission-to-please-vote-bank-723087">PM Modi slams TMC, accuses it of ‘questioning character of Sandeshkhali women’</a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/19/432438-succession-2024-05-19t165818208.jpg?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (May 19) lashed out at Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the Sandeshkhali incident stating that the party questioned the “characters of the sisters of Sandeshkhali” just to save their 'Shahjahan'.&nbsp;He stated that when the TMC came to power, it claimed to safeguard Maa, Maati, and Manush but failed to do so in due course of time.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/slovak-pm-robert-ficos-life-no-longer-in-danger-after-assassination-attempt-723105">Slovak PM Robert Fico’s life no longer in danger after assassination attempt</a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/19/432441-prime-minister-robert-fico-2.png?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>Robert Fico's deputy said on Sunday (May 19) that the Slovak prime minister is no longer in immediate danger but is still in a serious condition. On Wednesday, Fico was injured in an assassination attempt when he was greeting the supporters.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2024-we-have-seen-the-last-of-ms-dhoni-to-retire-heres-what-former-csk-batter-says-723139">IPL 2024: Dhoni to retire? Here's what former CSK batter says</a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/04/20/426377-untitled-design-2024-04-20t170112927.png?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>The speculation around Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni's IPL retirement is rife, especially after CSK failed to make it to the playoffs in the ongoing 2024 season. CSK were ousted after losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by 27 runs on Saturday (May 18).</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-lawyers-up-in-arms-after-they-caught-judge-receiving-instructions-on-wechat-723093">Chinese lawyers up in arms after they caught judge receiving instructions on WeChat</a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/19/432443-capture.JPG?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>Lawyers across China are up in arms over what they say&nbsp;is 'blatant sabotage'&nbsp;of the legal system as they stage a rare protest on Chinese social media.&nbsp;This&nbsp;happened after advocates at the Tianjun county court in Haixi&nbsp;Mongol&nbsp;caught the presiding judge red-handed receiving real-time instructions on WeChat group, a Chinese messaging app.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shani-louks-body-retyurns-from-gaza-emotional-parents-react-723065">Israeli hostage Shani Louk’s body returns from Gaza; emotional parents react</a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/18/432175-untitled-design-1.png?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>German-Israeli Shani Louk's father says that finally laying his daughter to rest will be a gift after her body was recovered from Gaza, months after she was killed in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-bjp-has-started-operation-jhaadu-so-that-aap-doesnt-become-big-says-kejriwal-723031">Lok Sabha polls: BJP started ‘Operation Jhaadu’ so that AAP doesn’t grow, become a challenge, says Kejriwal</a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/19/432404-untitled-design-4.png?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday&nbsp;(May 19) that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started "Operation Jhaadu" (Operation Broom) to ensure the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) doesn't grow big and become a challenge to the saffron party.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-selena-gomez-paints-cannes-red-in-custm-giambattista-valli-see-pics-723128">Selena Gomez paints Cannes red in a custom Giambattista Valli; see pics</a></p>

<p><img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/05/19/432460-untitled-design-2024-05-19t191043781.jpg?imwidth=400" /></p>

<p>Selena Gomez returned to Cannes 2024 to attend the&nbsp;<em>Emilia Perez</em>&nbsp;photocall on Sunday (May 19). The 31-year-old singer and actress looked stunning in a custom Giambattista Valli haute couture. The diva smiled at the paps and flaunted her ensemble before entering the venue to attend the event.</p>


A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian crashed on Sunday (May 19) as it was crossing a mountainous terrain, an Iranian official told the news agency Reuters.

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian crashed on Sunday (May 19) as it was crossing a mountainous terrain, an Iranian official told the news agency Reuters. In other news, the death toll after an Israeli airstrike targeted a house at Nuseirat refugee camp in the central part of the Palestinian enclave, rose to 31, said Gaza's civil defence agency on Sunday (May 19). This comes a day after Israeli troops and tanks pushed into parts of congested northern Gaza killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians, reported Reuters citing medics and residents. Click on the headlines to read more. Iranian President Raisi’s helicopter crashes, fog hampers rescue efforts The official said the lives of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister were "at risk following the helicopter crash". "We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Death toll after Israeli strike on Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp rises to 31 Israeli airstrike targeting a house at Nuseirat refugee camp in the central part of the Palestinian enclave, rose to 31. "The civil defence crew were able to recover 31 martyrs and 20 wounded from a house belonging to the Hassan family, which was targeted by the Israeli occupation forces in the Nuseirat camp," Gaza civil defence agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told journalists. Blue Origin’s NS rocket lifts off with six crew on board, including one Indian US billionaire Jeff Bezos-backed aerospace company Blue Origin's New Shepard (NS) rocket lifted off Sunday (May 19) with six crew members, including one Indian. The mission, named NS-25, departed from Launch Site One in West Texas. Gopi Thotakura, from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, has thus become the first Indian space tourist. He is a commercial jet pilot and entrepreneur. PM Modi slams TMC, accuses it of ‘questioning character of Sandeshkhali women’ Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (May 19) lashed out at Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the Sandeshkhali incident stating that the party questioned the “characters of the sisters of Sandeshkhali” just to save their 'Shahjahan'. He stated that when the TMC came to power, it claimed to safeguard Maa, Maati, and Manush but failed to do so in due course of time. Slovak PM Robert Fico’s life no longer in danger after assassination attempt Robert Fico's deputy said on Sunday (May 19) that the Slovak prime minister is no longer in immediate danger but is still in a serious condition. On Wednesday, Fico was injured in an assassination attempt when he was greeting the supporters. IPL 2024: Dhoni to retire? Here's what former CSK batter says The speculation around Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni's IPL retirement is rife, especially after CSK failed to make it to the playoffs in the ongoing 2024 season. CSK were ousted after losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by 27 runs on Saturday (May 18). Chinese lawyers up in arms after they caught judge receiving instructions on WeChat Lawyers across China are up in arms over what they say is 'blatant sabotage' of the legal system as they stage a rare protest on Chinese social media. This happened after advocates at the Tianjun county court in Haixi Mongol caught the presiding judge red-handed receiving real-time instructions on WeChat group, a Chinese messaging app. Israeli hostage Shani Louk’s body returns from Gaza; emotional parents react German-Israeli Shani Louk's father says that finally laying his daughter to rest will be a gift after her body was recovered from Gaza, months after she was killed in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. Lok Sabha polls: BJP started ‘Operation Jhaadu’ so that AAP doesn’t grow, become a challenge, says Kejriwal Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday (May 19) that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started "Operation Jhaadu" (Operation Broom) to ensure the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) doesn't grow big and become a challenge to the saffron party. Selena Gomez paints Cannes red in a custom Giambattista Valli; see pics Selena Gomez returned to Cannes 2024 to attend the Emilia Perez photocall on Sunday (May 19). The 31-year-old singer and actress looked stunning in a custom Giambattista Valli haute couture. The diva smiled at the paps and flaunted her ensemble before entering the venue to attend the event.

Top 10 world news: Iranian President Raisi’s helicopter crashes; Slovak PM’s life out of danger; and more

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a road show in the financial capital of India Mumbai he covered 2.5 km in his roadshow. Strict traffic guidelines were issued to ensure that there is no security lapse during his rally.

India general elections 2024: PM Modi's roadshow in Mumbai's Ghatkopar

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination from Varanasi constituency on Tuesday. The affidavit filed by the leader reveals the assets owned by Prime Minister Modi. Watch our report to know more.

Indian elections 2024: What does Indian PM Modi's affidavit reveal?

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (May 13) held a grand roadshow in the holy city of Varanasi, his home constituency, in Uttar Pradesh. PM Modi is seeking a third consecutive term from the seat, and will file&nbsp;his nomination on Tuesday (May 14). Before embarking on the six-kilometre roadshow, the PM paid homage at&nbsp;the statue of educationist and social reformer Madan Mohan Malviya at the Malviya Chauraha in the Lanka area. The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state, Yogi Adityanath, also accompanied him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to media reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader is also expected to take a dip in the holy Ganga river.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow underway in Varanasi.<br />
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Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath &amp; state BJP president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary present during the roadshow. <a href="https://t.co/ZM39cFhZ6x">pic.twitter.com/ZM39cFhZ6x</a></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Uttar Pradesh: On PM Modi's roadshow in Varanasi, a local resident says, "There has never been such a great preparation. For around 4-5 km all preparations have been made. This turnout of people is historic and this can happen only when PM Modi comes..." <a href="https://t.co/SHV4USCIaM">pic.twitter.com/SHV4USCIaM</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1789992271913292247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>As PM boarded his vehicle, a large group of saffron-clad women marched ahead of his convoy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The PM's roadshow concluded at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham after&nbsp;passing through Sant Ravidas Gate, Assi, Shivala, Sonarpura, Jangambadi and Godowlia. The PM is expected to stay in Varanasi at&nbsp;the BLW guesthouse.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjetPLw24qGAxXZQ2cHHW7TDgUQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/elections/lok-sabha-elections-phase-4-voting-snapshots-of-democracy-1715600724693" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/elections/lok-sabha-elections-phase-4-voting-snapshots-of-democracy-1715600724693&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjetPLw24qGAxXZQ2cHHW7TDgUQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">Lok Sabha Elections Phase 4 Voting: Snapshots of Democracy</a></strong></p>

<p>The roadshow offered a glimpse into the rich diversity of the vast nation as&nbsp;people from different communities—Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Maheshwari, Marwari, Tamil, and Punjabi— joined it.</p>

<p>Varanasi is up for elections on June 1, when the seventh and final phase of the elections will be held in the country.</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (May 13) held a grand roadshow in the holy city of Varanasi, his home constituency, in Uttar Pradesh. PM Modi is seeking a third consecutive term from the seat, and will file his nomination on Tuesday (May 14).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (May 13) held a grand roadshow in the holy city of Varanasi, his home constituency, in Uttar Pradesh. PM Modi is seeking a third consecutive term from the seat, and will file his nomination on Tuesday (May 14). Before embarking on the six-kilometre roadshow, the PM paid homage at the statue of educationist and social reformer Madan Mohan Malviya at the Malviya Chauraha in the Lanka area. The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state, Yogi Adityanath, also accompanied him. According to media reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader is also expected to take a dip in the holy Ganga river. #WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi's roadshow underway in Varanasi. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath & state BJP president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary present during the roadshow. pic.twitter.com/ZM39cFhZ6x — ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024 × #WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: On PM Modi's roadshow in Varanasi, a local resident says, "There has never been such a great preparation. For around 4-5 km all preparations have been made. This turnout of people is historic and this can happen only when PM Modi comes..." pic.twitter.com/SHV4USCIaM — ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024 × As PM boarded his vehicle, a large group of saffron-clad women marched ahead of his convoy. The PM's roadshow concluded at the Kashi Vishwanath Dham after passing through Sant Ravidas Gate, Assi, Shivala, Sonarpura, Jangambadi and Godowlia. The PM is expected to stay in Varanasi at the BLW guesthouse. Also read: Lok Sabha Elections Phase 4 Voting: Snapshots of Democracy The roadshow offered a glimpse into the rich diversity of the vast nation as people from different communities—Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Maheshwari, Marwari, Tamil, and Punjabi— joined it. Varanasi is up for elections on June 1, when the seventh and final phase of the elections will be held in the country.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: PM Modi holds grand roadshow in Varanasi, to file nomination on Tuesday

<p>Union Minister Smriti Irani taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned his ability to engage in a one-on-one discussion with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked&nbsp;if he was a “PM candidate of the INDI Alliance”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Her remarks came after Gandhi accepted an invitation to have a public debate with the Indian prime minister over crucial issues concerning the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.</p>

<p>"Firstly, the person who does not have the courage to contest against a normal BJP worker in his so-called castle should refrain from boasting. Secondly, who wants to sit at the level with PM Modi and have a debate? I want to ask him if he is a PM candidate of the INDIA bloc," said the BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Amethi.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Amethi, Uttar Pradesh: On Rahul Gandhi's challenge to PM Modi for a debate, Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Amethi Smriti Irani says, "Firstly, the person who does not have the courage to contest against a normal BJP worker in his so-called castle, should… <a href="https://t.co/mYdh0VxYw7">pic.twitter.com/mYdh0VxYw7</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1789417635890786431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gandhi, who is contesting the general elections from Kerala's Wayanad and Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli seats respectively, accepted the public debate invitation extended by former Supreme Court judge Madan B Lokur, former High Court Chief Justice AP Shah, and senior journalist N Ram.</p>

<p>The Congress leader took to his official X handle and said that such a debate "will help people understand our respective vision and enable them to make an informed choice."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">स्वस्थ लोकतंत्र के लिए प्रमुख दलों का एक मंच से अपना विज़न देश के समक्ष रखना एक सकारात्मक पहल होगी।<br />
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कांग्रेस इस पहल का स्वागत करती है और चर्चा का निमंत्रण स्वीकार करती है।<br />
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देश प्रधानमंत्री जी से भी इस संवाद में हिस्सा लेने की अपेक्षा करता है। <a href="https://t.co/YMWWqzBRhE">pic.twitter.com/YMWWqzBRhE</a></p>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1789270273641869619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>He further stated that both he and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge have agreed to take part in the debate.</p>

<p>"It is also critical to put to rest any unsubstantiated allegations attributed to our respective parties. As the principal parties fighting the election, the public deserve to hear from their leaders directly," Gandhi said. "Accordingly, either myself or the Congress president would be pleased to participate in such a debate."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/yogi-slams-kejriwal-over-remarks-on-pm-modi-says-opposition-making-futile-desperate-attempts-to-win-polls-720530">Yogi slams Kejriwal over remarks on PM Modi, says opposition making 'futile desperate attempts' to win polls</a></p>

<p>"Congress welcomes this initiative and accepts the invitation for discussion. The country also expects the prime minister to take part in this dialogue," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Irani slams Kharge&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The BJP leader also hit out at Kharge after he wrote a letter to the leaders of the INDIA bloc alleging discrepancies in the voting data released by the Election Commission.</p>

<p>"Congress talked about counting the wealth of the people. It showed the way to take away half of the property of the citizens. Congress speaks of reversing the decision on Ram Temple. All of these issues are national issues and not just the PM, but every citizen has the right to have an opinion on them," she said.</p>

<p>"If Kharge ji thinks that the aware voters and citizens should not take an interest in national politics, then maybe he thinks that everyone has thoughts like Rahul Gandhi," she added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Union Minister Smriti Irani taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned his ability to engage in a one-on-one discussion with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked if he was a “PM candidate of the INDI Alliance”.

Union Minister Smriti Irani taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned his ability to engage in a one-on-one discussion with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked if he was a “PM candidate of the INDI Alliance”. Her remarks came after Gandhi accepted an invitation to have a public debate with the Indian prime minister over crucial issues concerning the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. "Firstly, the person who does not have the courage to contest against a normal BJP worker in his so-called castle should refrain from boasting. Secondly, who wants to sit at the level with PM Modi and have a debate? I want to ask him if he is a PM candidate of the INDIA bloc," said the BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Amethi. #WATCH | Amethi, Uttar Pradesh: On Rahul Gandhi's challenge to PM Modi for a debate, Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Amethi Smriti Irani says, "Firstly, the person who does not have the courage to contest against a normal BJP worker in his so-called castle, should… pic.twitter.com/mYdh0VxYw7 — ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2024 × Gandhi, who is contesting the general elections from Kerala's Wayanad and Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli seats respectively, accepted the public debate invitation extended by former Supreme Court judge Madan B Lokur, former High Court Chief Justice AP Shah, and senior journalist N Ram. The Congress leader took to his official X handle and said that such a debate "will help people understand our respective vision and enable them to make an informed choice." स्वस्थ लोकतंत्र के लिए प्रमुख दलों का एक मंच से अपना विज़न देश के समक्ष रखना एक सकारात्मक पहल होगी। कांग्रेस इस पहल का स्वागत करती है और चर्चा का निमंत्रण स्वीकार करती है। देश प्रधानमंत्री जी से भी इस संवाद में हिस्सा लेने की अपेक्षा करता है। pic.twitter.com/YMWWqzBRhE — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 11, 2024 × He further stated that both he and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge have agreed to take part in the debate. "It is also critical to put to rest any unsubstantiated allegations attributed to our respective parties. As the principal parties fighting the election, the public deserve to hear from their leaders directly," Gandhi said. "Accordingly, either myself or the Congress president would be pleased to participate in such a debate." Also read: Yogi slams Kejriwal over remarks on PM Modi, says opposition making 'futile desperate attempts' to win polls "Congress welcomes this initiative and accepts the invitation for discussion. The country also expects the prime minister to take part in this dialogue," he added. Irani slams Kharge The BJP leader also hit out at Kharge after he wrote a letter to the leaders of the INDIA bloc alleging discrepancies in the voting data released by the Election Commission. "Congress talked about counting the wealth of the people. It showed the way to take away half of the property of the citizens. Congress speaks of reversing the decision on Ram Temple. All of these issues are national issues and not just the PM, but every citizen has the right to have an opinion on them," she said. "If Kharge ji thinks that the aware voters and citizens should not take an interest in national politics, then maybe he thinks that everyone has thoughts like Rahul Gandhi," she added. (With inputs from agencies)

Smriti Irani hits out at Rahul Gandhi over debate challenge to Modi: 'Is he PM candidate?'

Russia stands with its long-time ally India. Russia dismissed U.S' allegations against India regarding a foiled assassination plot against Pannun. Russian Foreign Ministry not only rejected the allegations but also accused U.S. of disrespecting India.

Pannun assassination plot: Russia backs India, questions US over lack of evidence

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday (Apr 29) that he had informed Pakistan about the 2019 Balakot airstrikes even before&nbsp;the Indian media was apprised&nbsp;of the attack. Citing the incident, Modi claimed&nbsp;that he&nbsp;doesn’t&nbsp;believe in attacking from the back and fights from the front. PM Modi said he himself postponed the announcement to the media as he wanted to inform Islamabad first.</p>

<p>"I&nbsp;had asked the forces to call the media and inform them, but I said before that I would inform Pakistan through telephone about airstrikes at night and the destruction caused, but Pakistan people did not come on the phone. So I asked forces to wait, and after informing them, we later disclosed to the world about airstrikes that happened during the night,"&nbsp;news agency PTI quoted the PM as saying.</p>

<p>PM Modi&nbsp;was speaking&nbsp;at a political rally in Bagalkot in the southern Indian state of Karnataka on Monday (Apr 29). He said he had dialled the neighbouring country&nbsp;but&nbsp; “they&nbsp;wouldn’t&nbsp;take calls”.</p>

<p>Modi further stated that India under his leadership has become&nbsp;‘Naya Bharat’&nbsp;or New India, which&nbsp;doesn’t&nbsp;shy away from killing inside the&nbsp;enemy’s&nbsp;own territory.</p>

<h2><strong>2019 Balakot airstrikes</strong></h2>

<p>India had carried out Balakot airstrikes in February 2019, demolishing training camps of the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed in the vicinity of the town of Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjPmbOL-emFAxXhxjgGHcwLAD84ChDF9AEoAHoECAcQAQ" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-delhi-congress-chief-arvinder-singh-lovely-resigns-from-top-post-715860" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-delhi-congress-chief-arvinder-singh-lovely-resigns-from-top-post-715860&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjPmbOL-emFAxXhxjgGHcwLAD84ChDF9AEoAHoECAcQAQ">Lok Sabha elections 2024: Arvinder Singh Lovely resigns as Delhi Congress chief</a></strong></p>

<p>The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed Mirage fighter jets and used five Israeli-origin Spice 2000 bombs to carry out the February 26 attacks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The bombing came in response to the February 14 suicide attack in Pulwama in India’s&nbsp; erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel&nbsp;were killed.</p>

<h2><strong>‘Saffron terrorism’</strong></h2>

<p>While speaking at another rally in&nbsp;Maharashtra’s&nbsp;Pune, PM Modi accused&nbsp;India’s&nbsp;main opposition Congress party of coming out with&nbsp;a ‘saffron terrorism’&nbsp;theory,&nbsp;in a bid to paint Congress as an anti-Hindu party.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;India elections 2024: Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh blames heatwave for low voter turnout in polls</strong></p>

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<p>Modi stated that Congress even had the plan ready to put the blame for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks on&nbsp;‘holy saffron’.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday (Apr 29) that he had informed Pakistan about the 2019 Balakot airstrikes even before the Indian media was apprised of the attack.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday (Apr 29) that he had informed Pakistan about the 2019 Balakot airstrikes even before the Indian media was apprised of the attack. Citing the incident, Modi claimed that he doesn’t believe in attacking from the back and fights from the front. PM Modi said he himself postponed the announcement to the media as he wanted to inform Islamabad first. "I had asked the forces to call the media and inform them, but I said before that I would inform Pakistan through telephone about airstrikes at night and the destruction caused, but Pakistan people did not come on the phone. So I asked forces to wait, and after informing them, we later disclosed to the world about airstrikes that happened during the night," news agency PTI quoted the PM as saying. PM Modi was speaking at a political rally in Bagalkot in the southern Indian state of Karnataka on Monday (Apr 29). He said he had dialled the neighbouring country but “they wouldn’t take calls”. Modi further stated that India under his leadership has become ‘Naya Bharat’ or New India, which doesn’t shy away from killing inside the enemy’s own territory. 2019 Balakot airstrikes India had carried out Balakot airstrikes in February 2019, demolishing training camps of the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed in the vicinity of the town of Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Also read: Lok Sabha elections 2024: Arvinder Singh Lovely resigns as Delhi Congress chief The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed Mirage fighter jets and used five Israeli-origin Spice 2000 bombs to carry out the February 26 attacks. The bombing came in response to the February 14 suicide attack in Pulwama in India’s erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed. ‘Saffron terrorism’ While speaking at another rally in Maharashtra’s Pune, PM Modi accused India’s main opposition Congress party of coming out with a ‘saffron terrorism’ theory, in a bid to paint Congress as an anti-Hindu party. Watch: India elections 2024: Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh blames heatwave for low voter turnout in polls × Modi stated that Congress even had the plan ready to put the blame for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks on ‘holy saffron’. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Informed Pak about Balakot strike before media’: PM Modi highlights his ‘fight from front’ policy

<p>Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, went to China on a surprise visit on Sunday (April 28), as reported by Reuters. China is Tesla's second-biggest market for electric vehicles. Musk's trip to India was postponed last week due to Tesla commitments. He had plans to meet&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announce Tesla's entry into the Indian market.</p>

<p>Now in China, Musk wants to meet with Chinese officials in Beijing to talk about deploying Full-Self Driving (FSD) software and getting approval to use data collected in China to improve Tesla's self-driving technology.</p>

<p>Musk responded to a question on social media platform X by mentioning that Tesla might offer Full-Self Driving (FSD) to customers in China "very soon." It's worth noting that Musk's trip to China was not widely publicised.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/elon-musk-accused-of-using-charity-foundation-for-serving-tax-breaks-and-self-interests-699225">Also read |&nbsp;Elon Musk&nbsp;accused of using charity foundation to serve tax breaks and self-interests</a></p>

<p>As reported by Reuters, Tesla has been storing all data gathered by its fleet&nbsp;in Shanghai since 2021, as mandated by Chinese regulators, and hasn't transferred any data back to the United States.</p>

<h2><strong>What's the FSD software?</strong></h2>

<p>The American electric vehicle manufacturer introduced Full-Self Driving (FSD), the most advanced version of its Autopilot software, four years ago. However, it has not yet released it in China, despite customer requests for its availability.</p>

<p>Musk's visit aligns with the Beijing autoshow, which started&nbsp;last week and concludes on May 4.&nbsp;Tesla does not have a presence at China's largest autoshow this year, having last participated in 2021. Instead, the company has announced intentions to use&nbsp;its current factories to manufacture new and more cost-effective vehicles.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk announces new X feature - Community Posts - now available in India</strong></p>

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<p>As a result, plans for constructing new factories in Mexico and India are uncertain, at least for the foreseeable future.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, went to China on a surprise visit on Sunday (April 28), as reported by Reuters. China is Tesla's second-biggest market for electric vehicles.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, went to China on a surprise visit on Sunday (April 28), as reported by Reuters. China is Tesla's second-biggest market for electric vehicles. Musk's trip to India was postponed last week due to Tesla commitments. He had plans to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announce Tesla's entry into the Indian market. Now in China, Musk wants to meet with Chinese officials in Beijing to talk about deploying Full-Self Driving (FSD) software and getting approval to use data collected in China to improve Tesla's self-driving technology. Musk responded to a question on social media platform X by mentioning that Tesla might offer Full-Self Driving (FSD) to customers in China "very soon." It's worth noting that Musk's trip to China was not widely publicised. Also read | Elon Musk accused of using charity foundation to serve tax breaks and self-interests As reported by Reuters, Tesla has been storing all data gathered by its fleet in Shanghai since 2021, as mandated by Chinese regulators, and hasn't transferred any data back to the United States. What's the FSD software? The American electric vehicle manufacturer introduced Full-Self Driving (FSD), the most advanced version of its Autopilot software, four years ago. However, it has not yet released it in China, despite customer requests for its availability. Musk's visit aligns with the Beijing autoshow, which started last week and concludes on May 4. Tesla does not have a presence at China's largest autoshow this year, having last participated in 2021. Instead, the company has announced intentions to use its current factories to manufacture new and more cost-effective vehicles. Also watch | Elon Musk announces new X feature - Community Posts - now available in India As a result, plans for constructing new factories in Mexico and India are uncertain, at least for the foreseeable future. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk travels to China days after postponing India visit

<p>The Election Commission of India (ECI) is examining a complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'infiltrators' remark that some viewed as anti-Muslim, India Today reported quoting sources. The PM, who is seeking a third consecutive term in office, is also facing allegations of spreading misinformation and misquoting former PM Manmohan Singh. The ECI source said the complaint is under consideration. Earlier, the commission had officially declined to comment on the matter.</p>

<p>The PM, during a rally in Rajasthan's Banswara on April 21, claimed that Congress&nbsp;party’s manifesto says they will calculate the gold with mothers and sisters, get information about it and then distribute that property.</p>

<p>“They will distribute it to whom - Manmohan Singh's government had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's assets," the PM said.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Why Punjab matters for Indian polls</strong></p>

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<p>The opposition is also accusing&nbsp;PM&nbsp;of&nbsp;labelling&nbsp;all Muslims in the country as ‘infiltrators’. "It will be distributed to the infiltrators. Should your hard-earned money go to the infiltrators? Do you approve of this?," he said.</p>

<h2><strong>Opposition asks ECI to take strict action</strong></h2>

<p>Congress termed Modi’s speech as "divisive, objectionable and malicious” and asked the ECI to take action against the PM.</p>

<p>Congress also said that&nbsp;PM&nbsp;had made “blatantly defamatory”, “false” and “unverified allegations” against the party.</p>

<p>Congress warned that the poll body “risks tarnishing its legacy and abandoning its constitutional duty by setting a precedent of helpless inaction that will go down in infamy.”</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiQpon3jtiFAxXITWwGHbhDC5wQxfQBKAB6BAgTEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-first-result-out-as-pm-modis-bjp-wins-first-seat-before-elections-713929" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2024-first-result-out-as-pm-modis-bjp-wins-first-seat-before-elections-713929&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiQpon3jtiFAxXITWwGHbhDC5wQxfQBKAB6BAgTEAE">Lok Sabha elections 2024: First result out as PM Modi's BJP wins first seat without voting</a></strong></p>

<p>The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI (M) leader, Sitaram Yechury, said an FIR needed to be lodged against the PM.</p>

<p>“The ECI’s failure to take suitable action will further undermine its credibility as an autonomous institution and lead to further vitiation of the environment for a free and fair poll,” he said.</p>

<p>The party alleged that a police station in the national capital refused to register its complaint against PM Modi.</p>

<p>"Since the Mandir Marg police station refused to accept the complaint, it has been sent to the commissioner of police, Delhi," the party said in a statement.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The Election Commission of India (ECI) is examining a complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'infiltrators' remark that some viewed as anti-Muslim, India Today reported quoting sources.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is examining a complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'infiltrators' remark that some viewed as anti-Muslim, India Today reported quoting sources. The PM, who is seeking a third consecutive term in office, is also facing allegations of spreading misinformation and misquoting former PM Manmohan Singh. The ECI source said the complaint is under consideration. Earlier, the commission had officially declined to comment on the matter. The PM, during a rally in Rajasthan's Banswara on April 21, claimed that Congress party’s manifesto says they will calculate the gold with mothers and sisters, get information about it and then distribute that property. “They will distribute it to whom - Manmohan Singh's government had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's assets," the PM said. Watch: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Why Punjab matters for Indian polls × The opposition is also accusing PM of labelling all Muslims in the country as ‘infiltrators’. "It will be distributed to the infiltrators. Should your hard-earned money go to the infiltrators? Do you approve of this?," he said. Opposition asks ECI to take strict action Congress termed Modi’s speech as "divisive, objectionable and malicious” and asked the ECI to take action against the PM. Congress also said that PM had made “blatantly defamatory”, “false” and “unverified allegations” against the party. Congress warned that the poll body “risks tarnishing its legacy and abandoning its constitutional duty by setting a precedent of helpless inaction that will go down in infamy.” Also read: Lok Sabha elections 2024: First result out as PM Modi's BJP wins first seat without voting The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI (M) leader, Sitaram Yechury, said an FIR needed to be lodged against the PM. “The ECI’s failure to take suitable action will further undermine its credibility as an autonomous institution and lead to further vitiation of the environment for a free and fair poll,” he said. The party alleged that a police station in the national capital refused to register its complaint against PM Modi. "Since the Mandir Marg police station refused to accept the complaint, it has been sent to the commissioner of police, Delhi," the party said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Election Commission ‘examining’ PM Modi’s ‘infiltrators’ remark: Report

Narendra Modi addressed an election rally in a city in Karnataka and he accused the I.N.D.I.A bloc of trying to destroy the strength of the Hindu religion. He was referring to Congress's boycott of Ram Temple's consecration ceremony in Ayodhya.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: PM Modi says opposition destroying Sanatan Dharma

In India, the first-ever Ram Navami is being celebrated at the newly inaugurated Ram Temple the Hindu festival celebrates the birth of Lord Ram. We leave you for this report.

Ram Navami 2024: Indian PM Modi watches Ram Lalla's Surya Tilak mid-air

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will campaign in Kerala today. Watch to know more.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi to campaign in Kerala

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at the opposition and accused it of spreading lies around the electoral bonds scheme and said that "everyone will regret it when there is an honest reflection".&nbsp;</p>

<p>In&nbsp;an interview to news agency ANI,&nbsp;PM Modi said that the electoral bonds scheme was launched by his government in a bid to combat the use of unaccounted cash and black money in&nbsp;polls, noting that this was a small plan to achieve the goal and not "the absolute way".</p>

<p>The Supreme Court of India had in a landmark decision in February this year&nbsp;scrapped the electoral bonds.</p>

<p>"There has been a discussion in our country for a long time that (through) black money a dangerous game is there in elections. The play of black money in the country's elections should end, this discussion has been going on for a long time," PM Modi said.</p>

<p>"I wanted that we try something, how can our elections be free from this black money, how can there be transparency? There was a pure thought in my mind. We were looking for a way. We found a small way, we never claimed that this was the absolute way," he added.</p>

<h2><strong>'Opposition is spreading lies'</strong></h2>

<p>He further lashed out at the opposition and accused it of spreading lies stating that out of the 16 companies that gave donations following action by the probe agencies, only 37 per cent of the amount went to BJP and 63 per cent to opposition parties.</p>

<p>"Of these (16 companies) 37 per cent of the amount went to BJP and 63 per cent to opposition parties," PM said.</p>

<p>"There is an ED raid... the donation is made&nbsp;to the opposition, will BJP do this? This means 63 per cent of this amount went to the opposition and you are making allegations against us. Their goal is to keep skirting around and run away," he said.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court in February scrapped the electoral bonds scheme calling it "unconstitutional".</p>

<p>The INDIA opposition bloc leaders have&nbsp;been repeatedly slamming&nbsp;the Union&nbsp;government over the&nbsp;court decision and sharply criticising BJP.</p>

<p>The top court in its decision ordered SBI to stop issuing the electoral bonds.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at the opposition and accused it of spreading lies around the electoral bonds scheme and said that "everyone will regret it when there is an honest reflection".

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at the opposition and accused it of spreading lies around the electoral bonds scheme and said that "everyone will regret it when there is an honest reflection". In an interview to news agency ANI, PM Modi said that the electoral bonds scheme was launched by his government in a bid to combat the use of unaccounted cash and black money in polls, noting that this was a small plan to achieve the goal and not "the absolute way". The Supreme Court of India had in a landmark decision in February this year scrapped the electoral bonds. "There has been a discussion in our country for a long time that (through) black money a dangerous game is there in elections. The play of black money in the country's elections should end, this discussion has been going on for a long time," PM Modi said. "I wanted that we try something, how can our elections be free from this black money, how can there be transparency? There was a pure thought in my mind. We were looking for a way. We found a small way, we never claimed that this was the absolute way," he added. 'Opposition is spreading lies' He further lashed out at the opposition and accused it of spreading lies stating that out of the 16 companies that gave donations following action by the probe agencies, only 37 per cent of the amount went to BJP and 63 per cent to opposition parties. "Of these (16 companies) 37 per cent of the amount went to BJP and 63 per cent to opposition parties," PM said. "There is an ED raid... the donation is made to the opposition, will BJP do this? This means 63 per cent of this amount went to the opposition and you are making allegations against us. Their goal is to keep skirting around and run away," he said. The Supreme Court in February scrapped the electoral bonds scheme calling it "unconstitutional". The INDIA opposition bloc leaders have been repeatedly slamming the Union government over the court decision and sharply criticising BJP. The top court in its decision ordered SBI to stop issuing the electoral bonds. (With inputs from agencies)

PM Modi accuses opposition of ‘spreading lies’ on electoral bonds scheme; says ‘everyone will regret it’

India is set to go to polls in the first of seven in just a few days from now tapping right into the first phase on the 19th of April. Let's take you through some major developments in the buildup well the Indian Prime Minister visited the state of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday as part of his election campaign.

PM Modi addresses rally in J&K ahead of polls

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed a massive election rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur region on Friday. He was campaigning for Union Minister Jitender Singh who is contensting the upcoming polls from the Udhampur Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Indian PM addresses rally in J&K's Udhampur, says 'statehood to be restored assembly polls soon'

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a massive election rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur region on Friday. He was campaigning for Union Minister Jitender Singh who is contesting the upcoming polls from the Udhampur Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Indian PM addresses rally in J&K's Udhampur, says assembly polls soon

Following Prime Minister Modi's remarks expressing the need for a resolution between India and China on their border disputes Beijing has now responded stressing that both Nations should urgently address the prolonged situation emphasizing that sound and stable ties serve the common interests of China and India.

China responds to PM Modi's remark on border issue

<p>Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has confirmed plans for his inaugural visit to India, where he will meet&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this month. During this visit, he is expected to announce major&nbsp;investments in the electric vehicle (EV) sector.</p>

<p>Industry analysts anticipate that India could come up&nbsp;as a big&nbsp;market for Musk's ventures in the foreseeable future,&nbsp;generating a minimum of $3.6 billion in revenue by 2030.</p>

<p>Musk's upcoming visit has generated&nbsp;excitement among Tesla enthusiasts in India, particularly after Prime Minister Modi's persistent efforts to persuade the tech mogul to consider India as his next destination for establishing a Tesla manufacturing facility and a global supply chain network.</p>

<p>Experts note that Musk's interest in entering the Indian market has been a subject of historical discussion and speculation.</p>

<p>"The list of possible announcements includes India providing duty cuts on imported Tesla cars, the company establishing an official sales and service presence in the country, followed by possible manufacturing facilities further out," senior analyst Soumen Mandal from Counterpoint Research told news agency IANS.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk takes to 'X' to confirm his meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi</strong></p>

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<p>As of now, electric vehicle (EV) adoption in India stands at 2.3 per cent. Industry data indicates that electric vehicles priced at approximately $25,000 (Rs 20 lakh and above) are anticipated to capture at least 15 per cent&nbsp;of the market share by 2030.</p>

<p>"India could grow into a considerable market for Tesla in the long term. As cars effectively become supercomputers on wheels, we anticipate Tesla could achieve $3.6 billion in revenue from car sales in India alone by 2030," Mandal noted.</p>

<h2><strong>India's EV potential</strong></h2>

<p>India could soon become a hub for making cars priced under $25,000, ready to export to other countries.</p>

<p>Experts think Tesla could help build more places to charge electric cars in India, similar to how US carmakers use common charging standards.</p>

<p>According to Liz Lee from Counterpoint Research, India's electric car market is about to take off, owing to government support like incentives and lower taxes, as reported by IANS.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/are-elon-musks-starlink-terminals-helping-russia-in-war-against-ukraine-709914">Also read |&nbsp;Are Elon Musk’s Starlink terminals helping Russia in war against Ukraine?</a></p>

<p>Car sales in India are expected to grow steadily, while electric car sales could skyrocket by 2024, driven by more interest from buyers and better government policies.</p>

<p>Experts also believe Tesla coming to India could boost local manufacturing and make India a bigger player in the global electric car market.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has confirmed plans for his inaugural visit to India, where he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this month. During this visit, he is expected to announce major investments in the electric vehicle (EV) sector.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has confirmed plans for his inaugural visit to India, where he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this month. During this visit, he is expected to announce major investments in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. Industry analysts anticipate that India could come up as a big market for Musk's ventures in the foreseeable future, generating a minimum of $3.6 billion in revenue by 2030. Musk's upcoming visit has generated excitement among Tesla enthusiasts in India, particularly after Prime Minister Modi's persistent efforts to persuade the tech mogul to consider India as his next destination for establishing a Tesla manufacturing facility and a global supply chain network. Experts note that Musk's interest in entering the Indian market has been a subject of historical discussion and speculation. "The list of possible announcements includes India providing duty cuts on imported Tesla cars, the company establishing an official sales and service presence in the country, followed by possible manufacturing facilities further out," senior analyst Soumen Mandal from Counterpoint Research told news agency IANS. Also watch | Elon Musk takes to 'X' to confirm his meeting with Indian PM Narendra Modi As of now, electric vehicle (EV) adoption in India stands at 2.3 per cent. Industry data indicates that electric vehicles priced at approximately $25,000 (Rs 20 lakh and above) are anticipated to capture at least 15 per cent of the market share by 2030. "India could grow into a considerable market for Tesla in the long term. As cars effectively become supercomputers on wheels, we anticipate Tesla could achieve $3.6 billion in revenue from car sales in India alone by 2030," Mandal noted. India's EV potential India could soon become a hub for making cars priced under $25,000, ready to export to other countries. Experts think Tesla could help build more places to charge electric cars in India, similar to how US carmakers use common charging standards. According to Liz Lee from Counterpoint Research, India's electric car market is about to take off, owing to government support like incentives and lower taxes, as reported by IANS. Also read | Are Elon Musk’s Starlink terminals helping Russia in war against Ukraine? Car sales in India are expected to grow steadily, while electric car sales could skyrocket by 2024, driven by more interest from buyers and better government policies. Experts also believe Tesla coming to India could boost local manufacturing and make India a bigger player in the global electric car market. (With inputs from agencies)

Tesla can make $3.6 billion in revenue from EV sales in India by 2030. Here's how

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at two public gatherings in preparation for the Lok Sabha elections: one in Karauli-Dholpur, Rajasthan, and another at an election rally in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.

Lok Sabha Election 2024: PM Modi campaigns in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi are campaigning in the country's tribal districts. PM Modi is in Chhattisgarh's Bastar, where he has announced that he has cancelled the Congress's license to loot. Rahul Gandhi was addressing a rally in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh. Has stated that the BJP and the Congress Party are fighting on ideological grounds. Watch to know more.

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Modi, Rahul campaign in tribal belt

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Heatwave situation in Indian states | Storm Kathleen disrupts UK flights

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Will Indian Rupee become global currency this summer? Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 100-day blueprint for the economy talks about making the Indian currency fully convertible. What is a fully convertible currency? Which other countries have a fully convertible currency? How does making the Rupee convertible affect your wallet?

Will India's Rupee become global currency this summer? Here's what PM Modi's economic blueprint says

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