<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday flagged off an electric locomotive converted from a diesel engine at the Diesel Locomotives Works (DLW) in his constituency here.</p>

<p>In a first, the Indian Railways has converted a diesel locomotive into an electric one, as part of efforts to completely electrify the broad gauge network.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Immediately after landing here, the prime minister reached DLW and flagged off the electric locomotive. He also inspected the engine from inside.</p>

<p>The work on the project began on December 22, 2017 and from concept to execution of the conversion of the diesel locomotive to electric was carried out in just 69 days, railway officials said.</p>

<p>In keeping with the Indian Railways' Mission 100 per cent electrification and de-carbonization agenda, DLW has developed a new prototype electric locomotive converted from diesel locomotive.</p>

<p>The prime minister will also visit the Sant Ravidas Temple to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of the mystic poet of the Bhakti Movement and attend several other programmes besides laying the foundation stone of projects worth several hundred crores.</p>

<p>He will also address a public meeting later in the day.</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday flagged off an electric locomotive converted from a diesel engine at the Diesel Locomotives Works (DLW) in his constituency here.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday flagged off an electric locomotive converted from a diesel engine at the Diesel Locomotives Works (DLW) in his constituency here. In a first, the Indian Railways has converted a diesel locomotive into an electric one, as part of efforts to completely electrify the broad gauge network. Immediately after landing here, the prime minister reached DLW and flagged off the electric locomotive. He also inspected the engine from inside. The work on the project began on December 22, 2017 and from concept to execution of the conversion of the diesel locomotive to electric was carried out in just 69 days, railway officials said. In keeping with the Indian Railways' Mission 100 per cent electrification and de-carbonization agenda, DLW has developed a new prototype electric locomotive converted from diesel locomotive. The prime minister will also visit the Sant Ravidas Temple to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of the mystic poet of the Bhakti Movement and attend several other programmes besides laying the foundation stone of projects worth several hundred crores. He will also address a public meeting later in the day.

PM Modi unveils diesel-turned-electric locomotive in Varanasi

<p>The fifteenth Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas will begin on Monday. The three-day event from January 21 to 23 will take place in Varanasi with Prime minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurating the event on Tuesday and President Ram Nath Kovind speaking at the closing ceremony on Wednesday. Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, who is on a week-long visit to India, will be the chief guest.</p>

<p>"On the 22nd evening, there will be a program on Ganga by Hema Malini," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said ahead of the event.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The attendees will be taken to Prayagraj for the Kumbh Mela on January 24, on the 25th they will be brought to Delhi for sightseeing, and on the 26th they will watch the Republic Day parade in the capital.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Uttar Pradesh government has made provisions for the stay of the attendees — they will be put up at people's homes in Varanasi and at a tent city in Prayagraj.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Under Varanasi Aatithya and to give the diaspora members the feel of Indian hospitality, families in Varanasi have opened their doors. PM wanted this and to facilitate this, people have registered and we have selected families where NRIs can stay," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A Youth PBD will take place on the first day of the gala and at which the chief guests will be Himanshu Gulati, member of parliament from Norway, and Kamaljeet Bakshi, member of parliament from New Zealand. Thirty people will be honoured by the President with Pravasi Samman awards on the last day.</p>

<p>The decision to hold a Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas was first taken by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the first PBD took place under his prime ministership from January 9 to 11, &nbsp;2003. To honour Vajpayee, the auditorium in which PBD 2019 will take place has been named after him. An exhibition is also being organised to remember him.</p>

<p>Asked how the PBD will increase diplomatic outreach, Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh — he was speaking at a curtain-raiser press conference, said, "The amount of money that our diaspora members send to India, which is not visible to everybody, the amount of remittances that we get back to India, that is not visible to everybody but their effect is not obviously visible to everybody. Whatever we spend on we do it after much deliberations and what I believe that the message that we put across through this and the way we have structured the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, it definitely improves our outreach."</p>

<p>The chief ministers of Haryana and Uttarakhand will be participating in the PBD.</p>

<p>This is the third PBD being organised by the Modi government. The first was held in January 2015 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, the second in January 2017 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. In 2015, the Modi government turned the PBD into a biennial event.</p>

<p>The PBD begins every year on January 9 to mark Mahatma Gandhi's arrival back in India from South Africa in 1915. It was moved back to the January 21 this year to align it with the Kumbh Mela and Republic Day so that the diaspora could experience India's culture at Prayagraj and its grandeur at Rajpath.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The fifteenth Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas will begin on Monday. The three-day event from January 21 to 23 will take place in Varanasi with Prime minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurating the event on Tuesday and President Ram Nath Kovind speaking at the closing ceremony on Wednesday.

The fifteenth Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas will begin on Monday. The three-day event from January 21 to 23 will take place in Varanasi with Prime minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurating the event on Tuesday and President Ram Nath Kovind speaking at the closing ceremony on Wednesday. Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, who is on a week-long visit to India, will be the chief guest. "On the 22nd evening, there will be a program on Ganga by Hema Malini," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said ahead of the event. The attendees will be taken to Prayagraj for the Kumbh Mela on January 24, on the 25th they will be brought to Delhi for sightseeing, and on the 26th they will watch the Republic Day parade in the capital. The Uttar Pradesh government has made provisions for the stay of the attendees — they will be put up at people's homes in Varanasi and at a tent city in Prayagraj. "Under Varanasi Aatithya and to give the diaspora members the feel of Indian hospitality, families in Varanasi have opened their doors. PM wanted this and to facilitate this, people have registered and we have selected families where NRIs can stay," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said. A Youth PBD will take place on the first day of the gala and at which the chief guests will be Himanshu Gulati, member of parliament from Norway, and Kamaljeet Bakshi, member of parliament from New Zealand. Thirty people will be honoured by the President with Pravasi Samman awards on the last day. The decision to hold a Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas was first taken by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the first PBD took place under his prime ministership from January 9 to 11, 2003. To honour Vajpayee, the auditorium in which PBD 2019 will take place has been named after him. An exhibition is also being organised to remember him. Asked how the PBD will increase diplomatic outreach, Minister of State for External Affairs General VK Singh — he was speaking at a curtain-raiser press conference, said, "The amount of money that our diaspora members send to India, which is not visible to everybody, the amount of remittances that we get back to India, that is not visible to everybody but their effect is not obviously visible to everybody. Whatever we spend on we do it after much deliberations and what I believe that the message that we put across through this and the way we have structured the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, it definitely improves our outreach." The chief ministers of Haryana and Uttarakhand will be participating in the PBD. This is the third PBD being organised by the Modi government. The first was held in January 2015 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, the second in January 2017 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. In 2015, the Modi government turned the PBD into a biennial event. The PBD begins every year on January 9 to mark Mahatma Gandhi's arrival back in India from South Africa in 1915. It was moved back to the January 21 this year to align it with the Kumbh Mela and Republic Day so that the diaspora could experience India's culture at Prayagraj and its grandeur at Rajpath.

Fifteenth Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to begin Monday in Varanasi, Mauritian PM Pravind Jugnauth will be chief guest

<p>Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna, who is making his directorial debut with 'The Last Color', says he never planned his foray into films and it all happened organically.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The celebrated chef said he has no plans to pursue direction full-time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I am not changing gears, I am just adding something. It just came honestly. I had no aspirations to be a filmmaker. I am doing it for the love of art. If something moves I do it. I don't know what will inspire me next," Khanna, who has made documentaries in the past, told PTI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The film 'The Last Color', based on a book of the same name by Khanna, revolves around the Supreme Court order against an age-old tradition of not allowing widows in Vrindavan to play Holi.</p>

<p>Khanna's visit to Vrindavan in 2011 for his book 'Utsav: A Culinary Epic of Indian Festivals' gave birth to 'The Last Color', which now has turned into a film.</p>

<p>"In Vrindavan while I was just crossing by a lane I saw hundreds of widows standing on the balcony, who were dressed in white while the streets, the walls and other people were in colors. This is so stark. As a chef, everything in my life has been about colors."</p>

<p>&nbsp;He went back to New York to his normal life but the image of widows remained with him. The celebrity chef went crazy after looking at a story that appeared in 2013 in New York Times about widows playing Holi for the first time, following the orders of the Supreme Court.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At that time a bereaved Khanna was unable to recover from the demise of his father and decided to visit his favourite city, Varanasi to get closure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A chance encounter with a young girl, who he called Chhoti, a tightrope walker approached him for money so that she could go to school and become a lawyer eventually, gave birth to a story for his book.&nbsp;<br />
The book follows the friendship between a young girl and a widow named Noor in Vrindavan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Michelin star recipient says, "Chotti gave me the inspiration for my story about women whose life is colourless.&nbsp;<br />
"Over the course of time, the book titled 'The Last Color' took a shape. A lot of people then had advised me not to write a fiction novel and that I should rather concentrate on writing books on cooking."</p>

<p>On his publisher's advice, Khanna decided to turn the book into a film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also visited ashrams to do his research for the film.</p>

<p>"We started scouting for directors we did not find anyone who felt the pain and also sensitivity to color, so I came on board."&nbsp;<br />
Khanna says he has dedicated this film to his father.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The film stars Neena Gupta in the lead and she was Khanna's first and only choice. He approached her while the actor was shooting for 'Badhaai Ho'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For Khanna, to enter into the world of cinema and to be on the sets was akin to being in the kitchen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Making a film is exactly the same as running a kitchen. You should know the craft, understand the frame and emotion and it is like understanding the menu, where and how the food will be cooked.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Like, how we decorate a restaurant and a dish similarly a film's scene are decorated with story, performances, etc. The dish that is ready on the table is just like a shot captured onscreen."</p>

<p>Khanna, who has taken the Indian cuisine on a global platform with his high-end restaurant Junoon in New York, says, "There is lot of food in the film but we are not keeping it in the forefront. I have touched upon lot of things in this film like caste system, food, it is all inter-layered."</p>

<p>The film was recently premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in California and it is likely to release in India this year.&nbsp;</p>


Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna, who is making his directorial debut with 'The Last Color', says he never planned his foray into films and it all happened organically.

Michelin-star chef Vikas Khanna, who is making his directorial debut with 'The Last Color', says he never planned his foray into films and it all happened organically. The celebrated chef said he has no plans to pursue direction full-time. "I am not changing gears, I am just adding something. It just came honestly. I had no aspirations to be a filmmaker. I am doing it for the love of art. If something moves I do it. I don't know what will inspire me next," Khanna, who has made documentaries in the past, told PTI. The film 'The Last Color', based on a book of the same name by Khanna, revolves around the Supreme Court order against an age-old tradition of not allowing widows in Vrindavan to play Holi. Khanna's visit to Vrindavan in 2011 for his book 'Utsav: A Culinary Epic of Indian Festivals' gave birth to 'The Last Color', which now has turned into a film. "In Vrindavan while I was just crossing by a lane I saw hundreds of widows standing on the balcony, who were dressed in white while the streets, the walls and other people were in colors. This is so stark. As a chef, everything in my life has been about colors." He went back to New York to his normal life but the image of widows remained with him. The celebrity chef went crazy after looking at a story that appeared in 2013 in New York Times about widows playing Holi for the first time, following the orders of the Supreme Court. At that time a bereaved Khanna was unable to recover from the demise of his father and decided to visit his favourite city, Varanasi to get closure. A chance encounter with a young girl, who he called Chhoti, a tightrope walker approached him for money so that she could go to school and become a lawyer eventually, gave birth to a story for his book. The book follows the friendship between a young girl and a widow named Noor in Vrindavan. The Michelin star recipient says, "Chotti gave me the inspiration for my story about women whose life is colourless. "Over the course of time, the book titled 'The Last Color' took a shape. A lot of people then had advised me not to write a fiction novel and that I should rather concentrate on writing books on cooking." On his publisher's advice, Khanna decided to turn the book into a film. He also visited ashrams to do his research for the film. "We started scouting for directors we did not find anyone who felt the pain and also sensitivity to color, so I came on board." Khanna says he has dedicated this film to his father. The film stars Neena Gupta in the lead and she was Khanna's first and only choice. He approached her while the actor was shooting for 'Badhaai Ho'. For Khanna, to enter into the world of cinema and to be on the sets was akin to being in the kitchen. "Making a film is exactly the same as running a kitchen. You should know the craft, understand the frame and emotion and it is like understanding the menu, where and how the food will be cooked. "Like, how we decorate a restaurant and a dish similarly a film's scene are decorated with story, performances, etc. The dish that is ready on the table is just like a shot captured onscreen." Khanna, who has taken the Indian cuisine on a global platform with his high-end restaurant Junoon in New York, says, "There is lot of food in the film but we are not keeping it in the forefront. I have touched upon lot of things in this film like caste system, food, it is all inter-layered." The film was recently premiered at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in California and it is likely to release in India this year.

Not changing gears, adding something new: Chef Vikas Khanna on feature directorial debut

<p>The Aam Aadmi Party Sunday said its convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not be contesting from Varanasi in the coming Lok Sabha elections, but the party will field a strong candidate for the seat.</p>

<p>"Kejriwal will not contest the Lok Sabha polls, as he wants to give special focus to his state. The AAP will contest on all the Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Goa. The party will contest on some seats in UP, and final modalities will be worked out by February. Apart from Varanasi, the party will contest from seats in eastern and western UP, where the organisation is strong," AAP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told PTI.</p>

<p>Singh said in Delhi his party is working on education, health, farmers, power and providing drinking water. "If we foray into national politics, then our issues will be education for all, free education to economically weaker sections of the society, ending unemployment and implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission," Singh said.</p>

<p>On a recent statement made by Kejriwal to not vote for the Congress in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Singh said, "Kejriwal was quoted out of context. He had said that in a meeting in the national capital that if you want to defeat the BJP, then do not waste your vote by casting it in favour of the Congress. His statement was in the context of Delhi, from where the AAP is contesting on all the seats."&nbsp;</p>


The Aam Aadmi Party Sunday said its convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not be contesting from Varanasi in the coming Lok Sabha elections, but the party will field a strong candidate for the seat.

The Aam Aadmi Party Sunday said its convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not be contesting from Varanasi in the coming Lok Sabha elections, but the party will field a strong candidate for the seat. "Kejriwal will not contest the Lok Sabha polls, as he wants to give special focus to his state. The AAP will contest on all the Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Goa. The party will contest on some seats in UP, and final modalities will be worked out by February. Apart from Varanasi, the party will contest from seats in eastern and western UP, where the organisation is strong," AAP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told PTI. Singh said in Delhi his party is working on education, health, farmers, power and providing drinking water. "If we foray into national politics, then our issues will be education for all, free education to economically weaker sections of the society, ending unemployment and implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission," Singh said. On a recent statement made by Kejriwal to not vote for the Congress in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Singh said, "Kejriwal was quoted out of context. He had said that in a meeting in the national capital that if you want to defeat the BJP, then do not waste your vote by casting it in favour of the Congress. His statement was in the context of Delhi, from where the AAP is contesting on all the seats."

Kejriwal to not contest Lok Sabha polls from Varanasi, party to field another candidate

<p>A Spicejet Boeing 737-Max made an emergency landing in Varanasi today after the plane's left engine developed a snag.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 737-Max, with over 140 passengers on board, was flying from Hong Kong to Delhi.&nbsp;All passengers and crew are safe.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Varanasi Airport Director: A Boeing 737 Max, Spicejet flight on Hongkong-Delhi route made an emergency landing due to a snag in the left engine at the Varanasi airport at 10am today. All 140+ passengers are safe. More details awaited. <a href="https://t.co/KZfjKoV1xO">pic.twitter.com/KZfjKoV1xO</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1081862017701404672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The Lion Air jet that crashed in Indonesia in October last year, killing all 189 people on board, had also been a Boeing 737-Max. The plane had crashed in the Java sea some 12 minutes after taking off from Jakarta.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Faulty data from one of the plane's onboard sensors had repeatedly forced the aircraft to tilt its nose down.&nbsp;The Lion Air flight had been commanded by Delhi boy Bhavye Suneja.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since the crash, Boeing has told WION that the 737-Max is "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/will-provide-answers-after-investigation-into-lion-air-crash-is-over-boeing-to-wion-185379">as safe as any other plane flying out there</a>".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, an Air India Express plane flying from Mumbai to Dubai also made an emergency landing at the Mumbai airport on Sunday due to a hydraulic failure.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


A Spicejet Boeing 737-Max made an emergency landing in Varanasi today after the plane's left engine developed a snag. The 737-Max, with over 140 passengers on board, was flying from Hong Kong to Delhi.

A Spicejet Boeing 737-Max made an emergency landing in Varanasi today after the plane's left engine developed a snag. The 737-Max, with over 140 passengers on board, was flying from Hong Kong to Delhi. All passengers and crew are safe. Varanasi Airport Director: A Boeing 737 Max, Spicejet flight on Hongkong-Delhi route made an emergency landing due to a snag in the left engine at the Varanasi airport at 10am today. All 140+ passengers are safe. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/KZfjKoV1xO — ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2019 × The Lion Air jet that crashed in Indonesia in October last year, killing all 189 people on board, had also been a Boeing 737-Max. The plane had crashed in the Java sea some 12 minutes after taking off from Jakarta. Faulty data from one of the plane's onboard sensors had repeatedly forced the aircraft to tilt its nose down. The Lion Air flight had been commanded by Delhi boy Bhavye Suneja. Since the crash, Boeing has told WION that the 737-Max is "as safe as any other plane flying out there". Meanwhile, an Air India Express plane flying from Mumbai to Dubai also made an emergency landing at the Mumbai airport on Sunday due to a hydraulic failure.

SpiceJet Boeing 737-Max makes emergency landing in Varanasi

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday accused the Congress of misleading farmers on loan waiver promises, calling them lollipops.</p>

<p>On a day's visit to the Purvanchal region, his second trip to Uttar Pradesh this month, Modi claimed the JD(S)-Congress coalition government which came to power in Karnataka recently had waived only 800 farm loans.</p>

<p>"Be wary of the Congress and its lies,"&nbsp;he said at a public meeting here after laying the foundation stone for a medical college and releasing a postal stamp on legendary king Suheldev.</p>

<p>"Will you trust the lollypop company"&nbsp;he said.</p>

<p>Modi's remarks on farm loans&nbsp;"made at other recent meetings as well"&nbsp;follow the waivers announced by the Congress governments in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh after the recent assembly polls.</p>

<p>Modi has been saying that the Congress had promised much more than its governments have delivered on loan waivers, a charge denied in the past by that party.</p>

<p>The prime minister described himself again as a "chowkidar' (watchman) of the people, a term ridiculed by Congress president Rahul Gandhi.</p>

<p>"This chowkidar of yours is toiling very hard day and night, and with honesty, to brighten your future and that of your children,"&nbsp;he said.</p>

<p>"Because of this chowkidar, some thieves are having sleepless nights. It is your faith and blessings on me that will take the thieves to their rightful place one day," he said.<br />
He described Maharaja Suheldev as a brave warrior.</p>

<p>"Maharaja Suheldev is among those bravehearts who had struggled for the honour of 'Maa Bharti',"&nbsp;he said.</p>

<p>"All people hailing from the deprived and the exploited sections of society seek inspiration from him. Remembering him strengthens the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas (inclusive development)," he said.</p>

<p>The PM's rally here is also being seen as an effort by the Bharatiya Janata Party to woo the Rajbhar community, which reveres Maharaja Suheldev.</p>

<p>However, BJP ally Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party has distanced itself from the event. SBSP chief and Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has claimed he was not invited in time.</p>

<p>Modi said his government will not let the memory of those who defended the country and worked for society to fade away.</p>

<p>"There are bravehearts of the country who have not been given the due respect by the previous governments. Our government is paying tribute to them,"&nbsp;he said.</p>

<p>"Several important steps have being taken to transform Purvanchal into a big medical hub and to strengthen small industries in UP," Modi said.</p>

<p>He said when a government works with transparency and public interest is put above self-interest, big tasks are accomplished effectively.</p>

<p>"Today even the poorest of the poor are heard. The government has been able to lay the foundation of a strong monument," he said.</p>

<p>Modi mentioned Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana and said for the first time healthcare had been given so much emphasis.</p>

<p>The prime minister listed several agriculture-related projects for the region.</p>

<p>These include the International Rice Research Institute in Varanasi, cargo centres in Varanasi and Ghazipur, a fertilizer plant in Gorakhpur and the Bansagar irrigation project.</p>

<p>He said the Union government has fixed the minimum support price of 22 crops at one and a half times the cost of production.</p>

<p>Mentioning connectivity projects, Modi said work is in full swing for the Purvanchal Expressway.</p>

<p>The recently opened waterway between Varanasi and Kolkata would also benefit Ghazipur, he added.</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday accused the Congress of misleading farmers on loan waiver promises, calling them lollipops. On a day's visit to the Purvanchal region, his second trip to Uttar Pradesh this month, Modi claimed the JD(S)-Congress coalition government which came to power in Karnataka recently had waived only 800 farm loans.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday accused the Congress of misleading farmers on loan waiver promises, calling them lollipops. On a day's visit to the Purvanchal region, his second trip to Uttar Pradesh this month, Modi claimed the JD(S)-Congress coalition government which came to power in Karnataka recently had waived only 800 farm loans. "Be wary of the Congress and its lies," he said at a public meeting here after laying the foundation stone for a medical college and releasing a postal stamp on legendary king Suheldev. "Will you trust the lollypop company" he said. Modi's remarks on farm loans "made at other recent meetings as well" follow the waivers announced by the Congress governments in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh after the recent assembly polls. Modi has been saying that the Congress had promised much more than its governments have delivered on loan waivers, a charge denied in the past by that party. The prime minister described himself again as a "chowkidar' (watchman) of the people, a term ridiculed by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. "This chowkidar of yours is toiling very hard day and night, and with honesty, to brighten your future and that of your children," he said. "Because of this chowkidar, some thieves are having sleepless nights. It is your faith and blessings on me that will take the thieves to their rightful place one day," he said. He described Maharaja Suheldev as a brave warrior. "Maharaja Suheldev is among those bravehearts who had struggled for the honour of 'Maa Bharti'," he said. "All people hailing from the deprived and the exploited sections of society seek inspiration from him. Remembering him strengthens the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas (inclusive development)," he said. The PM's rally here is also being seen as an effort by the Bharatiya Janata Party to woo the Rajbhar community, which reveres Maharaja Suheldev. However, BJP ally Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party has distanced itself from the event. SBSP chief and Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has claimed he was not invited in time. Modi said his government will not let the memory of those who defended the country and worked for society to fade away. "There are bravehearts of the country who have not been given the due respect by the previous governments. Our government is paying tribute to them," he said. "Several important steps have being taken to transform Purvanchal into a big medical hub and to strengthen small industries in UP," Modi said. He said when a government works with transparency and public interest is put above self-interest, big tasks are accomplished effectively. "Today even the poorest of the poor are heard. The government has been able to lay the foundation of a strong monument," he said. Modi mentioned Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana and said for the first time healthcare had been given so much emphasis. The prime minister listed several agriculture-related projects for the region. These include the International Rice Research Institute in Varanasi, cargo centres in Varanasi and Ghazipur, a fertilizer plant in Gorakhpur and the Bansagar irrigation project. He said the Union government has fixed the minimum support price of 22 crops at one and a half times the cost of production. Mentioning connectivity projects, Modi said work is in full swing for the Purvanchal Expressway. The recently opened waterway between Varanasi and Kolkata would also benefit Ghazipur, he added.

PM Modi attacks Congress on loan waiver promises

<p>Amid growing pressure from partners in the ruling alliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will visit Varanasi and Ghazipur, the areas where two NDA allies have considerable influence.</p>

<p>The prime minister's trip to his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi will be his second visit there in the last two months.</p>

<p>He will inaugurate the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) on the campus of National Seed Research and Training Centre (NSRTC) in Varanasi.</p>

<p>The centre will serve as a hub for rice research and training in South Asia and the SAARC region.</p>

<p>Modi will also attend the 'One District, One Product' Regional Summit at Deendayal Hastakala Sankul (Trade Facilitation Centre &amp; Crafts Museum) in Varanasi.</p>

<p>A commemorative postal stamp on the Maharaja Suheldeo will be released by the prime minister in Ghazipur, where he will also address a public rally at the RTI ground there.</p>

<p>However, senior minister in the Yogi Adityanath government and SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar, an MLA from Zahoorabad assembly constituency in Ghazipur district, announced that he will not attend the prime minister's programme.</p>

<p>"I will not attend the December 29 programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ghazipur," Rajbhar had told reporters a few days back.</p>

<p>Rajbhar is sore over the commemorative postal stamp on backward caste leader Maharaja Suheldev Rajbhar not carrying his full name.</p>

<p>A problem has arisen with the Apna Dal (S), which is represented in the Union government by Anupriya Patel, an MP from Mirzapur, adjacent to Varanasi.</p>

<p>Reflecting the "friction" with the BJP, Anupriya Patel said she stands by the remarks of her husband and party president Ashish Patel, who had voiced frustration with the saffron party over its "treatment" of smaller NDA allies.</p>

<p>Ashish Patel had recently alleged at a press conference in Mirzapur that smaller parties were feeling "ignored" by the bigger NDA partner -- the BJP.</p>

<p>The Apna Dal (S) has presence in over 15 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, with its core voter base of Kurmi Patel, and nearly one lakh of them only in the prime minister's constituency.</p>


Amid growing pressure from partners in the ruling alliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will visit Varanasi and Ghazipur, the areas where two NDA allies have considerable influence.

Amid growing pressure from partners in the ruling alliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will visit Varanasi and Ghazipur, the areas where two NDA allies have considerable influence. The prime minister's trip to his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi will be his second visit there in the last two months. He will inaugurate the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) on the campus of National Seed Research and Training Centre (NSRTC) in Varanasi. The centre will serve as a hub for rice research and training in South Asia and the SAARC region. Modi will also attend the 'One District, One Product' Regional Summit at Deendayal Hastakala Sankul (Trade Facilitation Centre & Crafts Museum) in Varanasi. A commemorative postal stamp on the Maharaja Suheldeo will be released by the prime minister in Ghazipur, where he will also address a public rally at the RTI ground there. However, senior minister in the Yogi Adityanath government and SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar, an MLA from Zahoorabad assembly constituency in Ghazipur district, announced that he will not attend the prime minister's programme. "I will not attend the December 29 programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ghazipur," Rajbhar had told reporters a few days back. Rajbhar is sore over the commemorative postal stamp on backward caste leader Maharaja Suheldev Rajbhar not carrying his full name. A problem has arisen with the Apna Dal (S), which is represented in the Union government by Anupriya Patel, an MP from Mirzapur, adjacent to Varanasi. Reflecting the "friction" with the BJP, Anupriya Patel said she stands by the remarks of her husband and party president Ashish Patel, who had voiced frustration with the saffron party over its "treatment" of smaller NDA allies. Ashish Patel had recently alleged at a press conference in Mirzapur that smaller parties were feeling "ignored" by the bigger NDA partner -- the BJP. The Apna Dal (S) has presence in over 15 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, with its core voter base of Kurmi Patel, and nearly one lakh of them only in the prime minister's constituency.

PM Modi to visit Varanasi, Ghazipur today

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - November 24th 2018

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his visit to parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Monday, inaugurated a host of developmental projects including country's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-parliamentary-constituency-varanasi-pm-modi-inaugurates-countrys-first-multi-modal-terminal-on-inland-waterways-176874">first multi-modal terminal on inland waterways</a>, National Waterway-1.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Prime Minister also inaugurated two sewage infrastructure projects worth Rs 425.41 and laid the foundation stone for another project worth Rs 72.91 crore for Ramnagar.</p>

<p>These projects, along with two other ongoing projects of 120 MLD at Goitha and 50 MLD STP at Ramana, will take the sewage treatment capacity in the city to 412 MLD, news agency PTI reported. The&nbsp;projects will provide sewage treatment requirements to Varanasi till 2035 and prevent pollution of river Ganga from drains in Ramnagar, an official release said. As of now, there is no sewage treatment facility in Ramnagar town.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During his address in Varanasi, the Prime Minister stated that "such projects should have been launched decades ago, but that did not happen".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Varanasi will witness the confluence of nature, culture and adventure," he added. &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Kuch der pehle maine nadi marg se pahunche desh ke pehle container vessel ka swagat kiya. Ye container vessel chalne ka matlab hai ki poorvi uttar pradesh, aur purvi bharat jalmarg se ab Bengal ki khaadi se jud gaya hai: PM Modi in Varanasi <a href="https://t.co/axmanr1THb">pic.twitter.com/axmanr1THb</a></p>
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<p>Later in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated Ring Road, Babatpur Airport road in the holy city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 16.55-km-long Varanasi Ring Road Phase-I has been built at a cost of Rs 759.36 crore, while the work of four-laning and construction of 17.25 km Babatput-Varanasi road on NH-56 cost Rs 812.59 crore, an official release said.</p>

<p>The Ring Road, with two rail overbridges and a flyover, will allow traffic on NH 56 (Lucknow-Varanasi), NH 233 (Azamgarh-Varanasi), NH 29 (Gorakhpur-Varanasi) and Ayodhya-Varanasi highways to bypass Varanasi, thereby reducing traffic congestion in the city. This will reduce travel time, fuel usage and pollution in the area.</p>

<p>The Ring Road will provide easier and more convenient access to Sarnath, an important site for Buddhist pilgrimage. Besides, there are seven targeted projects of 235 km costing Rs 8,265 crore. Also, 20 projects for 1455 km roads are in detailed project report stage, PTI reported.</p>

<p>The Babatpur Airport highway will connect the city with the airport and go on to link Jaunpur, Sultanpur and Lucknow. With a flyover at Harhua and a rail overbridge at Tarna, it will reduce the travel time from Varanasi to the airport, providing a big relief to the people of the holy city and tourists.</p>

<p>While inaugurating the projects in Varanasi, PM Modi said, "These projects are living examples of new India's new vision."</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his visit to parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Monday, inaugurated a host of developmental projects including country's first multi-modal terminal on inland waterways, National Waterway-1.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his visit to parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Monday, inaugurated a host of developmental projects including country's first multi-modal terminal on inland waterways, National Waterway-1. The Prime Minister also inaugurated two sewage infrastructure projects worth Rs 425.41 and laid the foundation stone for another project worth Rs 72.91 crore for Ramnagar. These projects, along with two other ongoing projects of 120 MLD at Goitha and 50 MLD STP at Ramana, will take the sewage treatment capacity in the city to 412 MLD, news agency PTI reported. The projects will provide sewage treatment requirements to Varanasi till 2035 and prevent pollution of river Ganga from drains in Ramnagar, an official release said. As of now, there is no sewage treatment facility in Ramnagar town. During his address in Varanasi, the Prime Minister stated that "such projects should have been launched decades ago, but that did not happen". "Varanasi will witness the confluence of nature, culture and adventure," he added. Kuch der pehle maine nadi marg se pahunche desh ke pehle container vessel ka swagat kiya. Ye container vessel chalne ka matlab hai ki poorvi uttar pradesh, aur purvi bharat jalmarg se ab Bengal ki khaadi se jud gaya hai: PM Modi in Varanasi pic.twitter.com/axmanr1THb — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 12, 2018 × Later in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated Ring Road, Babatpur Airport road in the holy city. The 16.55-km-long Varanasi Ring Road Phase-I has been built at a cost of Rs 759.36 crore, while the work of four-laning and construction of 17.25 km Babatput-Varanasi road on NH-56 cost Rs 812.59 crore, an official release said. The Ring Road, with two rail overbridges and a flyover, will allow traffic on NH 56 (Lucknow-Varanasi), NH 233 (Azamgarh-Varanasi), NH 29 (Gorakhpur-Varanasi) and Ayodhya-Varanasi highways to bypass Varanasi, thereby reducing traffic congestion in the city. This will reduce travel time, fuel usage and pollution in the area. The Ring Road will provide easier and more convenient access to Sarnath, an important site for Buddhist pilgrimage. Besides, there are seven targeted projects of 235 km costing Rs 8,265 crore. Also, 20 projects for 1455 km roads are in detailed project report stage, PTI reported. The Babatpur Airport highway will connect the city with the airport and go on to link Jaunpur, Sultanpur and Lucknow. With a flyover at Harhua and a rail overbridge at Tarna, it will reduce the travel time from Varanasi to the airport, providing a big relief to the people of the holy city and tourists. While inaugurating the projects in Varanasi, PM Modi said, "These projects are living examples of new India's new vision."

These projects are living examples of new India's new vision: PM Modi gifts projects worth 2,413 crore to Varanasi

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reached Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to inaugurate a slew of development projects. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.</p>

<p>According to reports, PM Modi inaugurated country's first multi-modal terminal on inland waterways in Varanasi on river Ganga. The Prime Minister also received the country's first container cargo transported on inland waterways from Kolkata. This was the first time that a container vessel travelled on inland waterways on river Ganga.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Kuch der pehle maine nadi marg se pahunche desh ke pehle container vessel ka swagat kiya. Ye container vessel chalne ka matlab hai ki poorvi uttar pradesh, aur purvi bharat jalmarg se ab Bengal ki khaadi se jud gaya hai: PM Modi in Varanasi <a href="https://t.co/axmanr1THb">pic.twitter.com/axmanr1THb</a></p>
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<p>The terminal is being constructed on the National Waterway-1 (river Ganga) as part of the World Bank-aided Jal Marg Vikas project of the Inland Waterways Authority of India.&nbsp;National Waterway-1, an inland water transport route, stretches between Haldia in West Bengal to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="it">Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the first multi modal terminal constructed on River Ganga <a href="https://t.co/ozfx2HQvdv">pic.twitter.com/ozfx2HQvdv</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1061926741944475648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 5,369.18 crore, which will be equally shared between the Government of India and the World Bank, news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PM Modi's Varanasi visit comes ahead of Lok Sabha polls scheduled next year. Earlier in the day, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-politics-begins-and-ends-with-one-family-pm-modi-in-bilaspur-chhattisgarh-176829">he visited poll-bound Chhattisgarh's Bilaspu</a>r and addressed a rally ahead of the second phase of elections in the BJP-led state.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="it">Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the first multi modal terminal constructed on River Ganga <a href="https://t.co/qH3eSE9fL6">pic.twitter.com/qH3eSE9fL6</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/1061926140762382336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>As many as 18 assembly constituencies, out of a total of 90, have gone to polls today in the first phase of the electoral fight marred by Naxal attacks.</p>

<p>The voter turnout in the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly election on Monday was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/chhattisgarh-assembly-polls-nearly-50-voter-turnout-recorded-till-3pm-176837">recorded at 56.58 per cent till 4.30pm</a>. By 2pm the same was recorded at nearly 38 per cent, the figure rose to nearly 50 per cent by 3pm.</p>

<p>(<em>With inputs from agencies</em>)&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reached Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to inaugurate a slew of development projects. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday reached Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to inaugurate a slew of development projects. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. According to reports, PM Modi inaugurated country's first multi-modal terminal on inland waterways in Varanasi on river Ganga. The Prime Minister also received the country's first container cargo transported on inland waterways from Kolkata. This was the first time that a container vessel travelled on inland waterways on river Ganga. Kuch der pehle maine nadi marg se pahunche desh ke pehle container vessel ka swagat kiya. Ye container vessel chalne ka matlab hai ki poorvi uttar pradesh, aur purvi bharat jalmarg se ab Bengal ki khaadi se jud gaya hai: PM Modi in Varanasi pic.twitter.com/axmanr1THb — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 12, 2018 × The terminal is being constructed on the National Waterway-1 (river Ganga) as part of the World Bank-aided Jal Marg Vikas project of the Inland Waterways Authority of India. National Waterway-1, an inland water transport route, stretches between Haldia in West Bengal to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the first multi modal terminal constructed on River Ganga pic.twitter.com/ozfx2HQvdv — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 12, 2018 × The total estimated cost of the project is Rs 5,369.18 crore, which will be equally shared between the Government of India and the World Bank, news agency PTI reported. PM Modi's Varanasi visit comes ahead of Lok Sabha polls scheduled next year. Earlier in the day, he visited poll-bound Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur and addressed a rally ahead of the second phase of elections in the BJP-led state. Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the first multi modal terminal constructed on River Ganga pic.twitter.com/qH3eSE9fL6 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 12, 2018 × As many as 18 assembly constituencies, out of a total of 90, have gone to polls today in the first phase of the electoral fight marred by Naxal attacks. The voter turnout in the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly election on Monday was recorded at 56.58 per cent till 4.30pm. By 2pm the same was recorded at nearly 38 per cent, the figure rose to nearly 50 per cent by 3pm. (With inputs from agencies)

In parliamentary constituency Varanasi, PM Modi inaugurates National Waterway-1 on river Ganga

PM Modi inaugurates new terminal over Ganga river in Varanasi

<p>An alert by Varanasi airport Air Traffic Controller or ATC prevented two aircraft from coming on a collision course at the runway on Tuesday, following which one of the airlines grounded two of its pilots.</p>

<p>Two SpiceJet pilots operating a Varanasi to Hyderabad flight this morning were grounded, confirmed a spokesperson of the airline.</p>

<p>The incident occurred when an IndiGo aircraft with 178 passengers onboard was about to take off for Mumbai. The ATC had asked the SpiceJet flight to remain at the holding point till the IndiGo plane took off, airport sources said.</p>

<p>However, according to the SpiceJet spokesperson, the aircraft while taxing to the runway "inadvertently" crossed the runway holding point.</p>

<p>Noticing the incursion, the ATC immediately alerted the IndiGo plane, which aborted take off, the sources said.</p>

<p>The matter has been referred to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), IndiGo said.</p>

<p>"IndiGo aircraft VT-IHS operating 3175 (Varanasi -Mumbai) in spite of having ATC clearance had to abort the takeoff at a low speed because the aircraft of another carrier came on the runway. IndiGo cockpit crew followed standard operating procedures in compliance with the ATC instructions. IndiGo has voluntarily reported the matter to the DGCA," the airline said in a statement.</p>

<p>SpiceJet, in a statement, said, "On 12th June 2018, SpiceJet Boeing 737 800 aircraft &nbsp;VT-SGH was scheduled to operate SG-705 , sector Varanasi-Hyderabad. At Varanasi while taxing to the runway the aircraft inadvertently crossed the runway holding point."</p>

<p>"The ATC asked the pilot to hold position and later cleared it for take off," SpiceJet said.&nbsp;</p>


Two SpiceJet pilots operating a Varanasi to Hyderabad flight this morning were grounded, confirmed a spokesperson of the airline.

An alert by Varanasi airport Air Traffic Controller or ATC prevented two aircraft from coming on a collision course at the runway on Tuesday, following which one of the airlines grounded two of its pilots. Two SpiceJet pilots operating a Varanasi to Hyderabad flight this morning were grounded, confirmed a spokesperson of the airline. The incident occurred when an IndiGo aircraft with 178 passengers onboard was about to take off for Mumbai. The ATC had asked the SpiceJet flight to remain at the holding point till the IndiGo plane took off, airport sources said. However, according to the SpiceJet spokesperson, the aircraft while taxing to the runway "inadvertently" crossed the runway holding point. Noticing the incursion, the ATC immediately alerted the IndiGo plane, which aborted take off, the sources said. The matter has been referred to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), IndiGo said. "IndiGo aircraft VT-IHS operating 3175 (Varanasi -Mumbai) in spite of having ATC clearance had to abort the takeoff at a low speed because the aircraft of another carrier came on the runway. IndiGo cockpit crew followed standard operating procedures in compliance with the ATC instructions. IndiGo has voluntarily reported the matter to the DGCA," the airline said in a statement. SpiceJet, in a statement, said, "On 12th June 2018, SpiceJet Boeing 737 800 aircraft VT-SGH was scheduled to operate SG-705 , sector Varanasi-Hyderabad. At Varanasi while taxing to the runway the aircraft inadvertently crossed the runway holding point." "The ATC asked the pilot to hold position and later cleared it for take off," SpiceJet said.

SpiceJet flight "inadvertently" crosses runway , almost collides with aircraft in Varanasi

<p>Justice (retd) C S Karnan, who was jailed for six months for contempt of court, has announced the launch of his political party on Wednesday.</p>

<p>Karnan said he would seek registration of his party ‘Anti-Corruption Dynamic Party’ soon. The party plans to field women in all 543 Lok Sabha constituencies in 2019.</p>

<p>According to Karnan, he is the founder president of the party and only women will contest.</p>

<p>Karnan hopes to sweep elections across the country.</p>

<p>Karnan was requested to be the only male candidate of the party and contest from Varanasi. However, he feels that even Varanasi should be contested by a woman. The decision to field women was taken as woman are discriminated against severely, he said and added that he has no plan to associate with the judiciary any longer. &nbsp</p>

<p>If his party comes to power, Karnan plans to have a new PM every year. “We will have a Muslim woman as PM in 2019-20. The next year, it will be a woman from upper castes. In 1921-22, the position will be occupied by a woman from the backward classes and the next year, somebody from a denotified community,” he was quoted as saying in a media report.&nbsp</p>

<p>Karnan, formerly of Calcutta High Court, was sentenced to six months’ jail for contempt by Supreme Court after accusing senior judges of corruption. This was his first public statement after his release.<br />
&nbsp</p>


Karnan hopes to sweep elections across the country.

Justice (retd) C S Karnan, who was jailed for six months for contempt of court, has announced the launch of his political party on Wednesday. Karnan said he would seek registration of his party ‘Anti-Corruption Dynamic Party’ soon. The party plans to field women in all 543 Lok Sabha constituencies in 2019. According to Karnan, he is the founder president of the party and only women will contest. Karnan hopes to sweep elections across the country. Karnan was requested to be the only male candidate of the party and contest from Varanasi. However, he feels that even Varanasi should be contested by a woman. The decision to field women was taken as woman are discriminated against severely, he said and added that he has no plan to associate with the judiciary any longer. If his party comes to power, Karnan plans to have a new PM every year. “We will have a Muslim woman as PM in 2019-20. The next year, it will be a woman from upper castes. In 1921-22, the position will be occupied by a woman from the backward classes and the next year, somebody from a denotified community,” he was quoted as saying in a media report. Karnan, formerly of Calcutta High Court, was sentenced to six months’ jail for contempt by Supreme Court after accusing senior judges of corruption. This was his first public statement after his release.

Justice (retd) C S Karnan launches political party; to contest from 543 Lok Sabha seats

<p>15 people have been feared dead and 11 injured after an under-construction bridge in Varanasi collapsed on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The doctors have informed that the injured are now&nbsp;out of danger&nbsp;and have been referred to BHU.</p>

<p>After being held responsible for the&nbsp;incident, chief project manager HC Tiwari, project manager KR Sudan, assistant engineer Rajesh Singh and engineer Lal Chand have been suspended with immediate effect.</p>

<p>Two concert&nbsp;beams fell off 40-foot-high pillars on Tuesday evening taking the crawling traffic with it between Cantonment railway station and Lahartara rail over-bridge.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At present 7 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) continue rescue and relief operations and 3 members of the high-level committee have set up to investigate the incident.</p>

<p>The state government has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh for the deceased and injured respectively.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The relief commissioner said bodies of at least 16 people were recovered from the site while three people were safely rescued. The injured have been sent for treatment at Kabir Chaura Hospital.</p>

<p>CM Yogi Adityanath has announced that a committee has also been constituted which will hand out a&nbsp;report in 48 hours. He also announced that&nbsp;Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya has taken preliminary action against responsible authorities.</p>

<p>Raj Pratap Singh, member of the committee constituted by UP government&nbsp;who is to probing the case said on Wednesday: "I can't say anything at this moment. Until we complete the investigation, talk to everyone & check all the records, it won't be right to say anything."</p>

<p>Pictures from the site showed gruesome images of crushed cars with their occupants still in them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nine vehicles, including a bus, two SUVs, two cars, auto and two-wheelers lay in a twisted, mangled heap, triggering panic and chaos in the peak evening hours.</p>

<p>Adityanath met the victims of Varanasi under-construction flyover collapse incident on Tuesday. While PM Modi offered his condolences.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to the collapse of an under-construction flyover in Varanasi. I pray that the injured recover soon. Spoke to officials and asked them to ensure all possible support to those affected.</p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/996385203546341376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Visuals from Kabir Chaura Hospital, where three people were admitted after getting injured in an under-construction flyover collapse incident in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Varanasi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Varanasi</a>, yesterday. Doctor says, 'They all are out of danger now. All the critically injured have been referred to BHU'. <a href="https://t.co/VgGg44mTHq">pic.twitter.com/VgGg44mTHq</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/996587800211288064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Varanasi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Varanasi</a> under-construction flyover collapse incident: Damaged vehicles being removed from the spot. Raj Pratap Singh, member of the committee constituted by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UttarPradesh?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UttarPradesh</a> government to probe the incident, visits the site <a href="https://t.co/fARdNAu8J7">pic.twitter.com/fARdNAu8J7</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/996558032648552448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Two concert beams fell off 40-foot-high pillars on Tuesday evening taking the crawling traffic with it between Cantonment railway station and Lahartara rail over-bridge

15 people have been feared dead and 11 injured after an under-construction bridge in Varanasi collapsed on Tuesday. The doctors have informed that the injured are now out of danger and have been referred to BHU. After being held responsible for the incident, chief project manager HC Tiwari, project manager KR Sudan, assistant engineer Rajesh Singh and engineer Lal Chand have been suspended with immediate effect. Two concert beams fell off 40-foot-high pillars on Tuesday evening taking the crawling traffic with it between Cantonment railway station and Lahartara rail over-bridge. At present 7 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) continue rescue and relief operations and 3 members of the high-level committee have set up to investigate the incident. The state government has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh for the deceased and injured respectively. The relief commissioner said bodies of at least 16 people were recovered from the site while three people were safely rescued. The injured have been sent for treatment at Kabir Chaura Hospital. CM Yogi Adityanath has announced that a committee has also been constituted which will hand out a report in 48 hours. He also announced that Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya has taken preliminary action against responsible authorities. Raj Pratap Singh, member of the committee constituted by UP government who is to probing the case said on Wednesday: "I can't say anything at this moment. Until we complete the investigation, talk to everyone & check all the records, it won't be right to say anything." Pictures from the site showed gruesome images of crushed cars with their occupants still in them. Nine vehicles, including a bus, two SUVs, two cars, auto and two-wheelers lay in a twisted, mangled heap, triggering panic and chaos in the peak evening hours. Adityanath met the victims of Varanasi under-construction flyover collapse incident on Tuesday. While PM Modi offered his condolences. Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to the collapse of an under-construction flyover in Varanasi. I pray that the injured recover soon. Spoke to officials and asked them to ensure all possible support to those affected. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 15, 2018 × Visuals from Kabir Chaura Hospital, where three people were admitted after getting injured in an under-construction flyover collapse incident in #Varanasi, yesterday. Doctor says, 'They all are out of danger now. All the critically injured have been referred to BHU'. pic.twitter.com/VgGg44mTHq — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 16, 2018 × #Varanasi under-construction flyover collapse incident: Damaged vehicles being removed from the spot. Raj Pratap Singh, member of the committee constituted by #UttarPradesh government to probe the incident, visits the site pic.twitter.com/fARdNAu8J7 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 16, 2018 ×

Varanasi flyover collapse: 15 dead, 11 injured; committee to file probe report in 48 hours

<p>'<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/natak-in-karnataka-continues-jds-congress-combine-and-bjp-to-meet-governor-again-today-137223">Natak'&nbsp;in Karnataka continues: JD(S)-Congress combine, and BJP to meet Governor again today</a></p>

<p>The drama in Karnataka will continue on Wednesday with both the JD(S)-Congress combine and the BJP meeting Governor Vajubhai Vala today to stake their claims to forming a government.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/varanasi-flyover-collapse-15-dead-11-critically-injured-probe-committee-to-file-report-in-48-hours-137212">Varanasi flyover collapse: 15 dead, 11 critically injured committee to file probe report in 48 hours</a></p>

<p>15 people have been feared dead and 11 injured after an under-construction bridge in Varanasi collapsed on Tuesday. After being held responsible for the incident, chief project manager HC Tiwari, project manager KR Sudan, assistant engineer Rajesh Singh and engineer Lal Chand have been suspended with immediate effect.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-suspends-talks-with-south-over-military-exercises-warns-on-trump-kim-summit-137211">North Korea calls off talks with South, says may do same with Trump-Kim summit</a></p>

<p>A cloud has gathered over the upcoming North Korea-United States summit in the wake of recent military drills between South Korea and the US. After calling off Wednesday a scheduled Korean summit, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, according to media reports, has also hinted at calling off the United States summit which is scheduled to take place on June 12 in Singapore.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-department-of-justice-fbi-begin-investigating-cambridge-analytica-following-shutdown-137214">US Department of Justice, FBI begin investigating Cambridge Analytica following </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-department-of-justice-fbi-begin-investigating-cambridge-analytica-following-shutdown-137214">shutdown</a></p>

<p>The Department of Justice and the FBI have started investigating the data mining firm Cambridge Analytica which had announced its shut down last month due to the Facebook scandal.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/features/meghan-markles-father-pulls-out-of-royal-wedding-due-to-hearth-procedure-137216">Meghan Markle's father says he is having </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/features/meghan-markles-father-pulls-out-of-royal-wedding-due-to-hearth-procedure-137216">heart</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/features/meghan-markles-father-pulls-out-of-royal-wedding-due-to-hearth-procedure-137216"> procedure, so not coming to wedding</a></p>

<p>After news of Actress Meghan Markle's father decided to pull out of the Royal wedding which is set to take place on Saturday, reports on Tuesday said that the reason behind his absence is because he needed a heart procedure.&nbsp;</p>


Read the top five stories of the day here

'Natak' in Karnataka continues: JD(S)-Congress combine, and BJP to meet Governor again today The drama in Karnataka will continue on Wednesday with both the JD(S)-Congress combine and the BJP meeting Governor Vajubhai Vala today to stake their claims to forming a government. Varanasi flyover collapse: 15 dead, 11 critically injured committee to file probe report in 48 hours 15 people have been feared dead and 11 injured after an under-construction bridge in Varanasi collapsed on Tuesday. After being held responsible for the incident, chief project manager HC Tiwari, project manager KR Sudan, assistant engineer Rajesh Singh and engineer Lal Chand have been suspended with immediate effect. North Korea calls off talks with South, says may do same with Trump-Kim summit A cloud has gathered over the upcoming North Korea-United States summit in the wake of recent military drills between South Korea and the US. After calling off Wednesday a scheduled Korean summit, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, according to media reports, has also hinted at calling off the United States summit which is scheduled to take place on June 12 in Singapore. US Department of Justice, FBI begin investigating Cambridge Analytica following shutdown The Department of Justice and the FBI have started investigating the data mining firm Cambridge Analytica which had announced its shut down last month due to the Facebook scandal. Meghan Markle's father says he is having heart procedure, so not coming to wedding After news of Actress Meghan Markle's father decided to pull out of the Royal wedding which is set to take place on Saturday, reports on Tuesday said that the reason behind his absence is because he needed a heart procedure.

News brief: Five big stories of the day

<p>At least 18 people died after a portion of an&nbsp;under-construction flyover&nbsp;collapsed Tuesday in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.</p>

<p>Authorities fear the death toll could go up since a number of construction workers working on the site are said to be trapped in the rubble.</p>

<p>The relief commissioner said&nbsp;bodies of at least 16 people were recovered from the site while three people were safely rescued.</p>

<p>Pictures from the site showed gruesome images of crushed cars with their occupants still in them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>UP Chief Minister has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for family members of those who died in the accident while Rs 2 lakh for those who got serious injuries.</p>

<p>The flyover collapsed near Varanasi's Cantt railway station.&nbsp;</p>

<p>News reports said the flyover was a kilometre long.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An eyewitness to the incident said that 4 four wheelers, an autorickshaw and a minibus were crushed in the collapse.</p>

<p>UP minister Sidharth Nath Singh said CM Yogi Adityanath "expressed grief" over the deaths and directed Deputy Chief Minister KP Maurya and minister Neelkanth Tiwari to visit the accident site. Singh added that Adityanath had also asked the administration to speed up rescue operations.</p>

<p>Yogi Adityanath also said&nbsp;that five teams of NDRF (250 jawans) with full equipment were rushed to the spot of accident.</p>

<p>PM Modi also tweeted,"Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to the collapse of an under-construction flyover in Varanasi. I pray that the injured recover soon. Spoke to officials and asked them to ensure all possible support to those affected.&nbsp;I spoke to UP CM Yogi Adityanath Ji regarding the situation due to the collapse of an under-construction flyover in Varanasi. The UP Government is monitoring the situation very closely and is working on the ground to assist the affected."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">SpotVisuals from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Varanasi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Varanasi</a>: Portion of an under construction flyover collapses near Varanasi Cantt railway station, several feared trapped <a href="https://t.co/126cWZhEbj">pic.twitter.com/126cWZhEbj</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/996372883961143296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpotVisuals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpotVisuals</a> More than 12 people dead, several feared trapped after portion of an under construction flyover collapses in Varanasi's Cantt. area <a href="https://t.co/09byRFwSPx">pic.twitter.com/09byRFwSPx</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/996379915564990464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I was at a distance of 50 m from the flyover when it collapsed, trapping people under it. 4 four-wheelers, an auto-rickshaw & a minibus were crushed by it. The help came after an hour: Eye-witnesses at Varanasi's Cantt area where portion of under-construction flyover collapsed. <a href="https://t.co/Q70kiNUSHK">pic.twitter.com/Q70kiNUSHK</a></p>
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/996385257493487616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Authorities fear the death toll could go up since a number of construction workers working on the site are said to be trapped in the rubble

At least 18 people died after a portion of an under-construction flyover collapsed Tuesday in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Authorities fear the death toll could go up since a number of construction workers working on the site are said to be trapped in the rubble. The relief commissioner said bodies of at least 16 people were recovered from the site while three people were safely rescued. Pictures from the site showed gruesome images of crushed cars with their occupants still in them. UP Chief Minister has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for family members of those who died in the accident while Rs 2 lakh for those who got serious injuries. The flyover collapsed near Varanasi's Cantt railway station. News reports said the flyover was a kilometre long. An eyewitness to the incident said that 4 four wheelers, an autorickshaw and a minibus were crushed in the collapse. UP minister Sidharth Nath Singh said CM Yogi Adityanath "expressed grief" over the deaths and directed Deputy Chief Minister KP Maurya and minister Neelkanth Tiwari to visit the accident site. Singh added that Adityanath had also asked the administration to speed up rescue operations. Yogi Adityanath also said that five teams of NDRF (250 jawans) with full equipment were rushed to the spot of accident. PM Modi also tweeted,"Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to the collapse of an under-construction flyover in Varanasi. I pray that the injured recover soon. Spoke to officials and asked them to ensure all possible support to those affected. I spoke to UP CM Yogi Adityanath Ji regarding the situation due to the collapse of an under-construction flyover in Varanasi. The UP Government is monitoring the situation very closely and is working on the ground to assist the affected." SpotVisuals from #Varanasi: Portion of an under construction flyover collapses near Varanasi Cantt railway station, several feared trapped pic.twitter.com/126cWZhEbj — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 15, 2018 × #SpotVisuals More than 12 people dead, several feared trapped after portion of an under construction flyover collapses in Varanasi's Cantt. area pic.twitter.com/09byRFwSPx — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 15, 2018 × I was at a distance of 50 m from the flyover when it collapsed, trapping people under it. 4 four-wheelers, an auto-rickshaw & a minibus were crushed by it. The help came after an hour: Eye-witnesses at Varanasi's Cantt area where portion of under-construction flyover collapsed. pic.twitter.com/Q70kiNUSHK — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 15, 2018 ×

Over 18 dead in Varanasi after under-construction flyover collapses, several feared trapped

<p><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-results-jdss-kumaraswamy-meets-governor-stakes-claim-to-form-government-137103">JD(S)'s Kumaraswamy meets Karnataka Governor, stakes claim to form </a><a href="http://cmsuat.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-results-jdss-kumaraswamy-meets-governor-stakes-claim-to-form-government-137103">government</a></p>

<p>The JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy met Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala Tuesday evening, and staked his claim to forming a government in the state.&nbsp</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/12-dead-in-varanasi-after-flyover-collapses-137125">12 dead in Varanasi after under-construction flyover collapses, several feared trapped</a></p>

<p>Over 12 people died in Varanasi on Tuesday after a portion of an under-construction flyover collapsed in the city.</p>

<p>The authorities fear more deaths as several labourers working in the construction site are said to be trapped under the rubble.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pnb-posts-biggest-ever-quarterly-loss-of-rs-13417-cr-in-q4-137050">PNB posts biggest ever quarterly loss of Rs 13,417 cr in Q4</a></p>

<p>Scam-hit Punjab National Bank (PNB) today posted the largest-ever quarterly loss of Rs 13,416.91 crore for January-March period, mainly on account of high provisioning for bad loans.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-floods-heavy-rains-kill-34-people-damage-900-houses--137088">Afghanistan: Floods, heavy rains kill 34 people, damage 900 houses</a></p>

<p>Heavy rains and flooding have claimed lives of 34 people in Afghanistan, reports said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>The flash floods which are caused by heavy rains continuing from a week also caused serious damage to property as well.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gazans-bury-dead-after-bloodiest-day-of-israel-border-protests-137083">Gazans bury dead after </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gazans-bury-dead-after-bloodiest-day-of-israel-border-protests-137083">bloodiest</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/gazans-bury-dead-after-bloodiest-day-of-israel-border-protests-137083"> day of Israel border protests</a></p>

<p>Palestinians rallied in Gaza on Tuesday for the funerals of scores of people killed by Israeli troops a day earlier, while on the Gaza-Israel border, Israeli forces took up positions to deal with the expected final day of a Palestinian protest campaign.<br />
&nbsp</p>


JD(S)'s Kumaraswamy meets Karnataka Governor, stakes claim to form government The JD(S)'s HD Kumaraswamy met Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala Tuesday evening, and staked his claim to forming a government in the state. 12 dead in Varanasi after under-construction flyover collapses, several feared trapped Over 12 people died in Varanasi on Tuesday after a portion of an under-construction flyover collapsed in the city. The authorities fear more deaths as several labourers working in the construction site are said to be trapped under the rubble. PNB posts biggest ever quarterly loss of Rs 13,417 cr in Q4 Scam-hit Punjab National Bank (PNB) today posted the largest-ever quarterly loss of Rs 13,416.91 crore for January-March period, mainly on account of high provisioning for bad loans. Afghanistan: Floods, heavy rains kill 34 people, damage 900 houses Heavy rains and flooding have claimed lives of 34 people in Afghanistan, reports said on Tuesday. The flash floods which are caused by heavy rains continuing from a week also caused serious damage to property as well. Gazans bury dead after bloodiest day of Israel border protests Palestinians rallied in Gaza on Tuesday for the funerals of scores of people killed by Israeli troops a day earlier, while on the Gaza-Israel border, Israeli forces took up positions to deal with the expected final day of a Palestinian protest campaign.

News brief: Big stories of the day

<p>The Pakistan government has announced to send sacred Buddhist&nbsp;relics to Sri Lanka on the occasion of Vesak, the Sri Lankan prime minister's office announced on Friday.</p>

<p>The relics will be used for a public veneration during the festival and will be kept at the 'temple trees' at Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's residence from April 29 to May 3.</p>

<p>Indian High Commission had also announced on Thursday to send these sacred relics to Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>These relics are being brought from Sarnath in Varanasi and it is going to be a first time that these relics will be kept for public exposition.</p>

<p>Vesak or popularly known as Buddha Purnima will be celebrated on April 29 this year in Sri Lanka and it is celebrated by Buddhist communities around the world to mark the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautam Buddha.</p>

<p>Sarnath has its own significance in Buddhism as it is the place where Buddha preached his first sermon.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


The relics will be used for a public veneration during the festival and will be kept at the 'temple trees' at Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's residence from April 29 to May 3

The Pakistan government has announced to send sacred Buddhist relics to Sri Lanka on the occasion of Vesak, the Sri Lankan prime minister's office announced on Friday. The relics will be used for a public veneration during the festival and will be kept at the 'temple trees' at Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's residence from April 29 to May 3. Indian High Commission had also announced on Thursday to send these sacred relics to Sri Lanka. These relics are being brought from Sarnath in Varanasi and it is going to be a first time that these relics will be kept for public exposition. Vesak or popularly known as Buddha Purnima will be celebrated on April 29 this year in Sri Lanka and it is celebrated by Buddhist communities around the world to mark the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautam Buddha. Sarnath has its own significance in Buddhism as it is the place where Buddha preached his first sermon.

India, Pakistan to send Buddhist relics to Sri Lanka for Vesak festival

<p>French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday hailed the &#39;historic relationship&#39; between India and France.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

<p>Macron, who is currently on four-day India tour from March 9 to March 12, was given a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Saturday morning as he met president Ram Nath Kovind.</p>

<p>&#39;&#39;I think we have very good chemistry, our two great democracies have a historic relationship&#39;&#39; said Macron after the reception.</p>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will hold delegation-level talks in the Delhi on Sunday.</p>

<p>Besides reviewing progress in bilateral relations, both the leaders will hold a discussion on topics related to enhancement and cooperation in defence, maritime, security and energy-related sectors.</p>

<p>Several agreements are also expected to be signed on areas related to terrorism, climate change, sustainable growth and development, infrastructure, smart urbanization, science and technology cooperation.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I think we have very good chemistry, our two great democracies have a historic relationship: French President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EmmanuelMacron?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EmmanuelMacron</a> <a href="https://t.co/YWQNid1clm">pic.twitter.com/YWQNid1clm</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/972318959923007489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Macron also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi in Rajghat along with his wife Brigitte Macron.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: French President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EmmanuelMacron?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EmmanuelMacron</a> and wife Brigitte Macron pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat <a href="https://t.co/GQhc1CEG6z">pic.twitter.com/GQhc1CEG6z</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/972324767545155584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The India-France CEO&#39;s Forum will also take place during the visit.</p>

<p>Macron and Modi will also co-chair the International Solar Alliance (ISA) summit on Sunday.</p>

<p>He is also expected to visit Taj Mahal before heading for Varanasi accompanied by Modi on Monday.</p>

<p>Macron last visited India in 2016 when he was invited to be the chief guest of Republic Day celebrations.</p>

<p>He also met Indian External Affairs Minister&nbsp;Sushma Swaraj earlier today.&nbsp;</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will hold delegation level talks in the Delhi on Sunday

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday hailed the 'historic relationship' between India and France. Macron, who is currently on four-day India tour from March 9 to March 12, was given a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Saturday morning as he met president Ram Nath Kovind. ''I think we have very good chemistry, our two great democracies have a historic relationship'' said Macron after the reception. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will hold delegation-level talks in the Delhi on Sunday. Besides reviewing progress in bilateral relations, both the leaders will hold a discussion on topics related to enhancement and cooperation in defence, maritime, security and energy-related sectors. Several agreements are also expected to be signed on areas related to terrorism, climate change, sustainable growth and development, infrastructure, smart urbanization, science and technology cooperation. I think we have very good chemistry, our two great democracies have a historic relationship: French President #EmmanuelMacron pic.twitter.com/YWQNid1clm — ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2018 × Macron also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi in Rajghat along with his wife Brigitte Macron. Delhi: French President #EmmanuelMacron and wife Brigitte Macron pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat pic.twitter.com/GQhc1CEG6z — ANI (@ANI) March 10, 2018 × The India-France CEO's Forum will also take place during the visit. Macron and Modi will also co-chair the International Solar Alliance (ISA) summit on Sunday. He is also expected to visit Taj Mahal before heading for Varanasi accompanied by Modi on Monday. Macron last visited India in 2016 when he was invited to be the chief guest of Republic Day celebrations. He also met Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj earlier today.

Emmanuel Macron hails 'historic relationship' between India and France

<p>French President France Emmanuel Macron to&nbsp;arrive in New Delhi on Friday on a four-day state visit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/macron-heads-to-india-seeking-to-avoid-trudeau-errors-35033">Macron heads to India, seeking to avoid Trudeau errors</a></p>

<p>Travelling with his wife Brigitte and delegation of businessmen and ministry officials, Macron will tour India from March 9 to March 12</p>

<p>Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that &quot;the visit of President Macron is aimed at strengthening the bilateral economic, political and strategic dimension of our engagement&quot;.</p>

<p>Macron will also hold bilateral talks with Narendra Modi on Saturday in order to enhance and cooperate defence. maritime, security and energy-related sectors.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable growth and development, infrastructure, smart urbanization, science and technology cooperation will take centre stage during the discussions.</p>

<p>Macron will also chair the International Solar Alliance (ISA) summit on Sunday.</p>

<p>Macron is also expected to make a visit to Taj Mahal and on Monday he will be heading to Varanasi with Narendra Modi.</p>

<p>Macron last visited India in 2016 when he was invited to be the chief guest of Republic Day celebrations.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Travelling with his wife Brigitte and delegation of businessmen and ministry officials, Macron will stay in India from March 9 to March 12

French President France Emmanuel Macron to arrive in New Delhi on Friday on a four-day state visit. Also read: Macron heads to India, seeking to avoid Trudeau errors Travelling with his wife Brigitte and delegation of businessmen and ministry officials, Macron will tour India from March 9 to March 12 Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that "the visit of President Macron is aimed at strengthening the bilateral economic, political and strategic dimension of our engagement". Macron will also hold bilateral talks with Narendra Modi on Saturday in order to enhance and cooperate defence. maritime, security and energy-related sectors. The issues like terrorism, climate change, sustainable growth and development, infrastructure, smart urbanization, science and technology cooperation will take centre stage during the discussions. Macron will also chair the International Solar Alliance (ISA) summit on Sunday. Macron is also expected to make a visit to Taj Mahal and on Monday he will be heading to Varanasi with Narendra Modi. Macron last visited India in 2016 when he was invited to be the chief guest of Republic Day celebrations.

French President Emmanuel Macron to arrive in Delhi today on four-day visit

<p>A Japanese tourist was robbed of his belongings including passport and visa at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.</p>

<p>The accused, identified as Rashid Khan, allegedly drugged the victim and robbed his belongings, said the police.</p>

<p>&quot;I met this man in Varanasi, I thought he is a genuine and honest person. So, when he asked me for dinner, I went with him. After that, I fell asleep. When I woke up, he was not there neither was my stuff. I don&#39;t know what happened to me; I was so dizzy,&quot; said the tourist to news agency ANI.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UttarPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UttarPradesh</a>: Japanese tourist allegedly drugged and robbed in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Varanasi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Varanasi</a>, says &#39;the culprit decamped with my belongings, including cash, camera, mobile, passport, visa and other documents&#39;. Case registered. <a href="https://t.co/zFOzu1sVwC">pic.twitter.com/zFOzu1sVwC</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/941511125237096449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The victim was supposed to leave for Kolkata, which was his final destination in India, but could not do so as his passport and visa were also stolen.</p>

<p>An FIR has been lodged at the Sigra Police Station in this regard and an investigation is underway.</p>


The accused, identified as Rashid Khan, allegedly made the victim unconscious and robbed his belongings, said the police.

A Japanese tourist was robbed of his belongings including passport and visa at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The accused, identified as Rashid Khan, allegedly drugged the victim and robbed his belongings, said the police. "I met this man in Varanasi, I thought he is a genuine and honest person. So, when he asked me for dinner, I went with him. After that, I fell asleep. When I woke up, he was not there neither was my stuff. I don't know what happened to me; I was so dizzy," said the tourist to news agency ANI. #UttarPradesh: Japanese tourist allegedly drugged and robbed in #Varanasi, says 'the culprit decamped with my belongings, including cash, camera, mobile, passport, visa and other documents'. Case registered. pic.twitter.com/zFOzu1sVwC — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 15, 2017 × The victim was supposed to leave for Kolkata, which was his final destination in India, but could not do so as his passport and visa were also stolen. An FIR has been lodged at the Sigra Police Station in this regard and an investigation is underway.

Japanese tourist robbed in Varanasi

<p>The ongoing three-day-long Global Entrepreneurship Summit is not the only place where the spirit of women empowerment soars high.</p>

<p>There were many things that happened for the very first time at the spectacular event that is to conclude later in the day today.</p>

<p>Ivanka Trump, adviser to the President of the United States noted the presence of staggering 1500 women delegates at GES 2017.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But, as mentioned above, GES 2017 is not the only place strumming chords of women empowerment. The holy city of Varanasi recently saw a historic feat where women participated in the annual wrestling competition for the very first time.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">For the first time in Varanasi, women participated in the annual wrestling competition, held on Assi Ghat. Sankat Mochan Foundation, which organizes the wrestling competition every year included a women category this time <a href="https://t.co/yhSu3OOf9k">pic.twitter.com/yhSu3OOf9k</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/936060425392742401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The event took place at Assi Ghat, Varanasi and was organised by the Sankat Mochan Foundation. The wrestling event is organised every year by the foundation and this time around the organisers decided to introduce a category for women.&nbsp;</p>


The event took place at Assi Ghat, Varanasi and was organised by the Sankat Mochan Foundation.

The ongoing three-day-long Global Entrepreneurship Summit is not the only place where the spirit of women empowerment soars high. There were many things that happened for the very first time at the spectacular event that is to conclude later in the day today. Ivanka Trump, adviser to the President of the United States noted the presence of staggering 1500 women delegates at GES 2017. But, as mentioned above, GES 2017 is not the only place strumming chords of women empowerment. The holy city of Varanasi recently saw a historic feat where women participated in the annual wrestling competition for the very first time. For the first time in Varanasi, women participated in the annual wrestling competition, held on Assi Ghat. Sankat Mochan Foundation, which organizes the wrestling competition every year included a women category this time pic.twitter.com/yhSu3OOf9k — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 30, 2017 × The event took place at Assi Ghat, Varanasi and was organised by the Sankat Mochan Foundation. The wrestling event is organised every year by the foundation and this time around the organisers decided to introduce a category for women.

At annual Varanasi wrestling competition, women participate for first time

<p>The birth memorial of Rani of Jhansi, Laxmi Bai, was lying neglected, in Uttar Pradesh&#39;s Varanasi on her birth anniversary on Sunday.</p>

<p>The memorial was also lying in the dark as the electricity connection had been cut for a week now.</p>

<p>The electricity department claimed that the connection was illegal and hence it was cut.</p>

<p>Some activists said that they had appealed to the Commissioner, the District Magistrate and the municipal body but got no response.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, caretaker of the memorial said, &quot;Since this memorial comes under Municipal Corporation, we reached out to the concerned authorities but no one responded.&quot;</p>

<p>The memorial was commissioned by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department before being handed over to the municipal body.</p>

<p>Laxmi Bai, one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, was born on November 19, 1828.&nbsp;</p>


The memorial was also lying in the dark as the electricity connection had been cut for a week now

The birth memorial of Rani of Jhansi, Laxmi Bai, was lying neglected, in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on her birth anniversary on Sunday. The memorial was also lying in the dark as the electricity connection had been cut for a week now. The electricity department claimed that the connection was illegal and hence it was cut. Some activists said that they had appealed to the Commissioner, the District Magistrate and the municipal body but got no response. Meanwhile, caretaker of the memorial said, "Since this memorial comes under Municipal Corporation, we reached out to the concerned authorities but no one responded." The memorial was commissioned by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department before being handed over to the municipal body. Laxmi Bai, one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, was born on November 19, 1828.

Birth memorial of Rani Laxmi Bai lies neglected on her birth anniversary

<p>A Varanasi court on Saturday adjourned the case filed against actor Kamal Haasan over his remark on Hindu terror till November 22.</p>

<p>The case was filed under section 500, 511, 298, 295(a) and 505(c) of IPC over the actor`s remark on Hindu terror in his column in Ananda Vikatan, a Tamil weekly.</p>

<p>Hassan, in his column, wrote, &quot;In the past, Hindu right-wing groups would not indulge in violence, but they would hold a dialogue with the opposite parties on their arguments. But this old tactic was defeated and what they stated to do is use muscle power. They started indulging in violence.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The right-wing cannot challenge talk of Hindu terrorists because terror has spread into their camp as well,&quot; wrote the Tamil film icon. Haasan`s remark drew flak from various quarters, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)</p>


A Varanasi court on Saturday adjourned the case filed against actor Kamal Haasan over his remark on Hindu terror till November 22.

A Varanasi court on Saturday adjourned the case filed against actor Kamal Haasan over his remark on Hindu terror till November 22. The case was filed under section 500, 511, 298, 295(a) and 505(c) of IPC over the actor`s remark on Hindu terror in his column in Ananda Vikatan, a Tamil weekly. Hassan, in his column, wrote, "In the past, Hindu right-wing groups would not indulge in violence, but they would hold a dialogue with the opposite parties on their arguments. But this old tactic was defeated and what they stated to do is use muscle power. They started indulging in violence." The right-wing cannot challenge talk of Hindu terrorists because terror has spread into their camp as well," wrote the Tamil film icon. Haasan`s remark drew flak from various quarters, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)

Court adjourns case against Kamal Haasan till Nov 22

<p>Benaras Hindu University (BHU) has been in the news for some weeks now largely on account of student agitation. Reacting to a regime of discrimination and blatant authoritarianism, students took the offensive when a case of sexual molestation was passed off as eve-teasing and the authorities came up with absurd counter arguments that revealed their deep prejudices about caste and gender.</p>

<p>The police roughed up students and staged a lathi charge while the authorities did not even attempt to address the situation with either common sense or basic empathy. What was unusual though was the simmering anger among students that manifested in a sustained agitation taking to the streets for public action.</p>

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<h5>BHU has historically crafted its identity as a centre of Hindu learning.</h5>
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<p>This one act undid the stagnation that has characterised BHU for decades, rendering the angry students into political subjects. This is undeniably an important moment and requires some analysis.</p>

<p>Does it, in fact, embody a growing reaction to the way BHU has historically crafted its identity since its inception, as a centre of Hindu learning amidst its embrace of modernity, science and technology, and which involved as scholar Leah Reynolds says, a redefinition in terms of clothing, architecture, time and lifestyle? Or, is this something more immediate, simply episodic in its nature?</p>

<p>There are no easy answers and one can only attempt a cautious explanation of the problem by placing it within the larger context of the crisis in higher education, one that cannot be placed at the doorstep of any one party. Needless to say with the present dispensation that chooses to define its nationalist commitment by invoking Hindutva, the problem assumes greater gravity especially as dissent is quite ruthlessly silenced.</p>

<p>From the very time of the establishment of the university, the issues of safety of women students were confused with those of chastity and generated typical authoritarian responses. However, the current situation is even worse and stands out as a cynical expression of extreme politicisation of institutions.</p>

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<p>At every step, the University authorities seem to have mismanaged its affairs, flouted conventions in making appointments, subverted existing bodies entrusted with gender sensitisation issues and crushed any possibility of responsible student politics.</p>

<p>Critical thinking has been positively discouraged in the name of docility and obedience, the University failing to recognise that rigorous scholarship is predicated on the ability to question existing frameworks. This appears even more anachronistic as governments and government-supported institutions remain formally committed to progressive social action that includes protective discrimination and affirmative action for caste and gender.</p>

<p>Why is this so? Is this unique to Benaras Hindu University? The answer is a partial yes and no. Higher education in India, especially over the last three decades has faced a crisis following politicisation by the government (apparent in rampant unfairness in appointments), bad management of funds that either arrive too late or are too spare to sustain any activity and growing disinterest within the academic community to redesign and overhaul either curriculum or pedagogy.</p>

<p>The results have been disastrous even as numbers of student enrollment have grown and alongside with it, the aspirations of large numbers of students for whom access to higher education is a real game changer.</p>

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<h5>It is therefore especially heartening and poignant to notice that girl students have taken the initiative to agitate, protest and take to the streets.</h5>
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<p>In Benaras, the situation is even more dismal as the university sees to have become an extension of the rabid Hindu ideological apparatus that covers up the failure of the administration to provide a decent education and a conducive academic environment by invoking the most regressive ideas about morality and obedience.</p>

<p>It is, therefore, especially heartening and poignant to notice that girl students have taken the initiative to agitate, protest and take to the streets for in this assertion lies the possibility of producing a real shift in the way public institutions like the University need to function.</p>

<p>Universities, howsoever, they may wish to enunciate their mission, are not patriarchal families with the Acharyya wielding the rod to punish errant children. It is and will remain a space where learning is pursued with passion and the freedom to think is fostered and nourished, where teacher and student ideally participate in a mutually shared space.</p>

<p>It is hoped that the recent events produce a slow chipping away of the stagnant values that have overtaken the institution, making it a mockery of even the ambivalent ideals that Malaviya started with.&nbsp;</p>


The current situation in Banaras Hindu University stands out as a cynical expression of extreme politicisation of academic institutions in India.

Benaras Hindu University (BHU) has been in the news for some weeks now largely on account of student agitation. Reacting to a regime of discrimination and blatant authoritarianism, students took the offensive when a case of sexual molestation was passed off as eve-teasing and the authorities came up with absurd counter arguments that revealed their deep prejudices about caste and gender. The police roughed up students and staged a lathi charge while the authorities did not even attempt to address the situation with either common sense or basic empathy. What was unusual though was the simmering anger among students that manifested in a sustained agitation taking to the streets for public action. BHU has historically crafted its identity as a centre of Hindu learning. × This one act undid the stagnation that has characterised BHU for decades, rendering the angry students into political subjects. This is undeniably an important moment and requires some analysis. Does it, in fact, embody a growing reaction to the way BHU has historically crafted its identity since its inception, as a centre of Hindu learning amidst its embrace of modernity, science and technology, and which involved as scholar Leah Reynolds says, a redefinition in terms of clothing, architecture, time and lifestyle? Or, is this something more immediate, simply episodic in its nature? There are no easy answers and one can only attempt a cautious explanation of the problem by placing it within the larger context of the crisis in higher education, one that cannot be placed at the doorstep of any one party. Needless to say with the present dispensation that chooses to define its nationalist commitment by invoking Hindutva, the problem assumes greater gravity especially as dissent is quite ruthlessly silenced. From the very time of the establishment of the university, the issues of safety of women students were confused with those of chastity and generated typical authoritarian responses. However, the current situation is even worse and stands out as a cynical expression of extreme politicisation of institutions. The issues of safety of women students were confused with those of chastity and generated typical authoritarian responses. × At every step, the University authorities seem to have mismanaged its affairs, flouted conventions in making appointments, subverted existing bodies entrusted with gender sensitisation issues and crushed any possibility of responsible student politics. Critical thinking has been positively discouraged in the name of docility and obedience, the University failing to recognise that rigorous scholarship is predicated on the ability to question existing frameworks. This appears even more anachronistic as governments and government-supported institutions remain formally committed to progressive social action that includes protective discrimination and affirmative action for caste and gender. Why is this so? Is this unique to Benaras Hindu University? The answer is a partial yes and no. Higher education in India, especially over the last three decades has faced a crisis following politicisation by the government (apparent in rampant unfairness in appointments), bad management of funds that either arrive too late or are too spare to sustain any activity and growing disinterest within the academic community to redesign and overhaul either curriculum or pedagogy. The results have been disastrous even as numbers of student enrollment have grown and alongside with it, the aspirations of large numbers of students for whom access to higher education is a real game changer. It is therefore especially heartening and poignant to notice that girl students have taken the initiative to agitate, protest and take to the streets. × In Benaras, the situation is even more dismal as the university sees to have become an extension of the rabid Hindu ideological apparatus that covers up the failure of the administration to provide a decent education and a conducive academic environment by invoking the most regressive ideas about morality and obedience. It is, therefore, especially heartening and poignant to notice that girl students have taken the initiative to agitate, protest and take to the streets for in this assertion lies the possibility of producing a real shift in the way public institutions like the University need to function. Universities, howsoever, they may wish to enunciate their mission, are not patriarchal families with the Acharyya wielding the rod to punish errant children. It is and will remain a space where learning is pursued with passion and the freedom to think is fostered and nourished, where teacher and student ideally participate in a mutually shared space. It is hoped that the recent events produce a slow chipping away of the stagnant values that have overtaken the institution, making it a mockery of even the ambivalent ideals that Malaviya started with.

Morality and obedience in Indian universities

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a tough task at hand - to get power to a school in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi. The school, in Sarnath area of Varanasi, is without power for the last 13 years. And the situation will remain the same till 2019, says a board inside the school.</p>

<p>The students in Sarnath Primary School have to brave cold wave and blistering heat to study. And they sit on the floor as there are no benches. The school has fans, but no electricity.</p>

<p>&quot;There are no doors, no table and benches, even water is missing,&quot; said Deepti Patel, one of the students. &quot;It&rsquo;s too hot here,&quot; said Neha, another student.</p>

<p>Others too echoed similar sentiments. &quot;We are studying without water and electricity. The school doesn&rsquo;t even have a toilet, which makes things worse,&quot; said Lakshmi Maurya.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The school board which shows the agonising 13-year-long wait for power (WION)</p>
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<p>The principal said the situation is a result of officials&rsquo; apathy. &quot;It&rsquo;s been a year since I came here and the situation is the same since then. Windows are broken, there are no doors. Forget students, even teachers do not have desks and chairs. I have made several efforts, approached my seniors but we are still without power,&quot; said Pratibha Pandey, the principal of the school.</p>

<p>Ironically, the school is among the&nbsp;29 institutions which are part of state government&rsquo;s model school initiative.</p>

<p>&quot;The students face a lot of problems during extreme weather. The school is in pretty bad shape. Children have to sit through classes with a leaking roof. I hope this model school initiative changes our fortunes,&quot; the principal said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Officials, meanwhile, say the situation will improve soon. &quot;We have started this scheme of announcing model schools. The building will get new tiles. The funds that we are receiving, will be put to good use,&quot; said chief development officer Sunil Kumar Verma.</p>

<p>The officer also said that the government plans to install solar-powered lights and fans in the school. The school will also have solar-powered cooler and the RO plant, he added.</p>


The students in Sarnath Primary School have to brave cold wave and blistering heat to study

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a tough task at hand - to get power to a school in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi. The school, in Sarnath area of Varanasi, is without power for the last 13 years. And the situation will remain the same till 2019, says a board inside the school. The students in Sarnath Primary School have to brave cold wave and blistering heat to study. And they sit on the floor as there are no benches. The school has fans, but no electricity. "There are no doors, no table and benches, even water is missing," said Deepti Patel, one of the students. "It’s too hot here," said Neha, another student. Others too echoed similar sentiments. "We are studying without water and electricity. The school doesn’t even have a toilet, which makes things worse," said Lakshmi Maurya. The school board which shows the agonising 13-year-long wait for power (WION) × The principal said the situation is a result of officials’ apathy. "It’s been a year since I came here and the situation is the same since then. Windows are broken, there are no doors. Forget students, even teachers do not have desks and chairs. I have made several efforts, approached my seniors but we are still without power," said Pratibha Pandey, the principal of the school. Ironically, the school is among the 29 institutions which are part of state government’s model school initiative. "The students face a lot of problems during extreme weather. The school is in pretty bad shape. Children have to sit through classes with a leaking roof. I hope this model school initiative changes our fortunes," the principal said. Officials, meanwhile, say the situation will improve soon. "We have started this scheme of announcing model schools. The building will get new tiles. The funds that we are receiving, will be put to good use," said chief development officer Sunil Kumar Verma. The officer also said that the government plans to install solar-powered lights and fans in the school. The school will also have solar-powered cooler and the RO plant, he added.

13 years on, a school in Varanasi waits for electricity

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Varanasi on Friday, gifted schemes worth Rs 1,000 crore to his Lok Sabha constituency.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While addressing a public meeting, the Indian PM also lashed out at previous governments and said they seemed to hate development and &quot;looted&quot; public money to win elections.</p>

<p>&quot;Development is the solution to all our problems. Previous governments seemed to hate development and looted public money to win elections,&quot; he said addressing a public meeting here.</p>

<p>After inaugurating several development initiatives, PM Modi said, &quot;We not only launch but also complete projects.&quot;</p>

<p>He said his government&#39;s effort was to empower the poor. &quot;Our aim is to see that the dream of development is fulfilled and lives of poor changes and they get opportunities.&quot;</p>

<p>Modi said even the poor people do not want their future generations to eke out a living like themselves. &quot;No poor person wants to give their children their poverty in inheritance,&quot; Modi said.</p>

<p>He said his government shares their dream and is working to realise it. &quot;Our government has a dream to wipe out poverty,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The Indian PM, who is on a two-day visit to Varanasi,&nbsp;inaugurated a direct train service via a video link which will connect his home constituency to Vadodara and Surat in Gujarat. He also dedicated&nbsp;a&nbsp;weaving centre, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, to the nation.</p>

<p>Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was present in Vadodara. Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha was present in Surat during the flagging-off ceremony.<br />
<br />
The Mahamana Express will reach Vadodara via Madhya Pradesh. It currently runs on the Varanasi-New Delhi and the Bhopal-Khajuraho routes.</p>

<p>The train, which will be run as a special train, will reach Vadodara on Saturday.&nbsp;The 1,531-km journey between the two cities will take 27 hours and 30 minutes, officials said.</p>

<p>During his visit, PM Modi will also unveil plaques which will act as a foundation stone for various development&nbsp;projects in the city. He will also inaugurate the banking services of the Utkarsh Bank which specialises in micro-finance.</p>

<p>The trade facilitation centre, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, will enable weavers to showcase and sell their wares. It was the first project which was unveiled by the prime minister in the city&#39;s Bada Lalpur area upon his arrival.</p>

<p>PM Modi said his government wanted the works of weavers -- who constitute a major chunk of the city&#39;s population -- to be showcased globally so as to enhance their economic prospects.</p>

<p>&quot;Our weavers need a global market which will enhance their economic prospects significantly,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
In the evening, the PM Modi will offer prayers at the historic&nbsp;Tulsi Manas Temple. The PM had tweeted yesterday that he looked forward to praying at the temple. He will also visit the Durga Mata Temple.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I look forward to praying at the historic Tulsi Manas Temple &amp; Durga Mata Temple. A postage stamp on the Ramayana will also be released.</p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/910881052628881409">September 21, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Prime Minister will also launch a &#39;Jal Ambulance&#39; service and a &#39;Jal Shav Vahan Sewa&#39; in Varanasi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>PM Modi, who arrived in Varanasi by a special Indian Air Force aircraft, was welcomed by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath as soon as he touched down at the airport.</p>


The direct train service will connect PM Modi's home constituency to Vadodara and Surat in Gujarat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Varanasi on Friday, gifted schemes worth Rs 1,000 crore to his Lok Sabha constituency. While addressing a public meeting, the Indian PM also lashed out at previous governments and said they seemed to hate development and "looted" public money to win elections. "Development is the solution to all our problems. Previous governments seemed to hate development and looted public money to win elections," he said addressing a public meeting here. After inaugurating several development initiatives, PM Modi said, "We not only launch but also complete projects." He said his government's effort was to empower the poor. "Our aim is to see that the dream of development is fulfilled and lives of poor changes and they get opportunities." Modi said even the poor people do not want their future generations to eke out a living like themselves. "No poor person wants to give their children their poverty in inheritance," Modi said. He said his government shares their dream and is working to realise it. "Our government has a dream to wipe out poverty," he said. The Indian PM, who is on a two-day visit to Varanasi, inaugurated a direct train service via a video link which will connect his home constituency to Vadodara and Surat in Gujarat. He also dedicated a weaving centre, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, to the nation. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal was present in Vadodara. Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha was present in Surat during the flagging-off ceremony. The Mahamana Express will reach Vadodara via Madhya Pradesh. It currently runs on the Varanasi-New Delhi and the Bhopal-Khajuraho routes. The train, which will be run as a special train, will reach Vadodara on Saturday. The 1,531-km journey between the two cities will take 27 hours and 30 minutes, officials said. During his visit, PM Modi will also unveil plaques which will act as a foundation stone for various development projects in the city. He will also inaugurate the banking services of the Utkarsh Bank which specialises in micro-finance. The trade facilitation centre, the Deendayal Hastkala Sankul, will enable weavers to showcase and sell their wares. It was the first project which was unveiled by the prime minister in the city's Bada Lalpur area upon his arrival. PM Modi said his government wanted the works of weavers -- who constitute a major chunk of the city's population -- to be showcased globally so as to enhance their economic prospects. "Our weavers need a global market which will enhance their economic prospects significantly," he said. In the evening, the PM Modi will offer prayers at the historic Tulsi Manas Temple. The PM had tweeted yesterday that he looked forward to praying at the temple. He will also visit the Durga Mata Temple. I look forward to praying at the historic Tulsi Manas Temple & Durga Mata Temple. A postage stamp on the Ramayana will also be released. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 21, 2017 × The Prime Minister will also launch a 'Jal Ambulance' service and a 'Jal Shav Vahan Sewa' in Varanasi. PM Modi, who arrived in Varanasi by a special Indian Air Force aircraft, was welcomed by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath as soon as he touched down at the airport.

Previous governments seemed to hate development: PM Modi in Varanasi

<p>Continuing with his whirlwind tour of his parliamentary constituency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited Garhwa Ghat Ashram in Varanasi. The ashram has a huge following among the backward castes especially the Yadav community. He also paid homage to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who belonged to the Congress, at his ancestral house in Varanasi&#39;s Ramnagar area.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">PM Modi at Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial in Varanasi <a href="https://t.co/aanuIoYQO7">pic.twitter.com/aanuIoYQO7</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/838646818258837504">March 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Varanasi: PM Narendra Modi waves to supporters in Ram nagar, he is on his way to Lal Bahadur Shastri memorial <a href="https://t.co/anIxlHoAf8">pic.twitter.com/anIxlHoAf8</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/838643322277154817">March 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The visit to the ashram is seen as an attempt to woo the Yadav community as the head priest of the ashram traditionally comes from the Yadav caste.&nbsp;The visit came on the last day of campaigning in Uttar Pradesh before the seventh and final phase of polling for 40 seats which take place on Wednesday. The results will be declared&nbsp;on March 11.</p>

<p>He addressed a rally in Rohaniya, one of the assembly constituencies in Varanasi, where he took on the Akhilesh Yadav-led government targeting it for its&nbsp;anti-farmer policies.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">UP government is anti-farmer. Why they don&#39;t help farmers in distress: PM Modi at a rally in Rohaniya, Uttar Pradesh. <a href="https://t.co/1eDa0qOnkj">pic.twitter.com/1eDa0qOnkj</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/838673518443266048">March 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The prime minister has been vigorously campaigning in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi for the last three days. Modi has held a roadshow and attended several public events here.</p>

<p>BJP sources believe that Modi&#39;s visit and his public felicitation by the ashram will send out a &quot;good signal&quot; to voters, especially the OBCs and the Dalits, PTI reported.</p>

<p>Varanasi has five assembly constituencies of which three are presently held by the BJP.</p>

<p>Addressing a gathering of intelligentsia last night, Modi quoted a verse by the medieval era poet Kabir saying: &quot;Those who are selfish tend to praise each other but the one who is selfless is never liked by them.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;This appears to be my fate,&quot; said the Prime Minister, according to PTI. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, addressing a massive rally, Modi launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP) government blaming it&nbsp;for stalling development in Uttar Pradesh. He targeted the ruling party in UP on a range of issues including the bad condition of roads in Varanasi and erratic power supply in the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He lashed out at the Akhilesh Yadav-led government for not providing the list of those who need homes in UP to Centre. He said that his government is committed to&nbsp;providing homes to the homeless by 2022.</p>

<p>The prime minister said that the opposition believes in the maxim &quot;k<em>uch ka </em><em>saath</em><em>, </em><em>kuch</em><em> ka </em><em>vikas</em>&quot;( support of few, development for few), which means development only for few. He said that the BJP government believes in &quot;<em>sabka</em><em> </em><em>saath</em><em>, </em><em>sabka</em><em> </em><em>vikaas</em>&quot;, which means development for everyone. Highlighting the skewed development of the state of Uttar Pradesh where the eastern part has lagged behind, he said that his government is committed towards the development of Purvanchal.</p>

<p>Hailing the Indian Army for the surgical strikes conducted on terror launch pads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir last year, the prime minister went all guns blazing against those who asked for proof of those strikes. He said those who are asking for proof do not respect the bravery of our soldiers.</p>

<p>He fiercely&nbsp;attacked&nbsp;the Congress saying that during the UPA government&nbsp;people used to hear stories about national wealth getting lost in various scams but in the present government of BJP&nbsp;people ask how much money is coming back in the system.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said that opposition joined hands against the BJP after his surprise move to demonetise higher denomination currency last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, while campaigning in Jaunpur, took a dig at the Prime Minister for spending too much time in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. He said that that if the BJP is so confident of a victory then what is the need for the prime minister to devote so much time to Varanasi. His wife Dimple Yadav said that people of UP have so much faith in Akhilesh Yadav that the prime minister has to hold back-to-back roadshows in Varanasi.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Aisa bharosa logon ko aapke Akhilesh bhaiyya pe hai ki Pradhanmantriji ko 3-3 baar roadshow karni pad rahi hai Banaras mein: Dimple Yadav <a href="https://t.co/3U2rbv4CVb">pic.twitter.com/3U2rbv4CVb</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/838695179821338625">March 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The stakes are high for the BJP, Congress-SP alliance, and the BSP in the final leg of the Uttar Pradesh battle. The 40 seats that are going to polls in the final phase saw the Samajwadi party sweeping the region in 2012 elections with 23 seats. But, the tables turned in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as the BJP won all the parliamentary constituencies in the region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


Stakes are high for the BJP, Congress-SP alliance, BSP in the final leg of the Uttar Pradesh battle

Continuing with his whirlwind tour of his parliamentary constituency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited Garhwa Ghat Ashram in Varanasi. The ashram has a huge following among the backward castes especially the Yadav community. He also paid homage to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who belonged to the Congress, at his ancestral house in Varanasi's Ramnagar area. PM Modi at Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial in Varanasi pic.twitter.com/aanuIoYQO7 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017 × Varanasi: PM Narendra Modi waves to supporters in Ram nagar, he is on his way to Lal Bahadur Shastri memorial pic.twitter.com/anIxlHoAf8 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017 × The visit to the ashram is seen as an attempt to woo the Yadav community as the head priest of the ashram traditionally comes from the Yadav caste. The visit came on the last day of campaigning in Uttar Pradesh before the seventh and final phase of polling for 40 seats which take place on Wednesday. The results will be declared on March 11. He addressed a rally in Rohaniya, one of the assembly constituencies in Varanasi, where he took on the Akhilesh Yadav-led government targeting it for its anti-farmer policies. UP government is anti-farmer. Why they don't help farmers in distress: PM Modi at a rally in Rohaniya, Uttar Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/1eDa0qOnkj — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017 × The prime minister has been vigorously campaigning in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi for the last three days. Modi has held a roadshow and attended several public events here. BJP sources believe that Modi's visit and his public felicitation by the ashram will send out a "good signal" to voters, especially the OBCs and the Dalits, PTI reported. Varanasi has five assembly constituencies of which three are presently held by the BJP. Addressing a gathering of intelligentsia last night, Modi quoted a verse by the medieval era poet Kabir saying: "Those who are selfish tend to praise each other but the one who is selfless is never liked by them." "This appears to be my fate," said the Prime Minister, according to PTI. Earlier, addressing a massive rally, Modi launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP) government blaming it for stalling development in Uttar Pradesh. He targeted the ruling party in UP on a range of issues including the bad condition of roads in Varanasi and erratic power supply in the state. He lashed out at the Akhilesh Yadav-led government for not providing the list of those who need homes in UP to Centre. He said that his government is committed to providing homes to the homeless by 2022. The prime minister said that the opposition believes in the maxim "kuch ka saath, kuch ka vikas"( support of few, development for few), which means development only for few. He said that the BJP government believes in "sabka saath, sabka vikaas", which means development for everyone. Highlighting the skewed development of the state of Uttar Pradesh where the eastern part has lagged behind, he said that his government is committed towards the development of Purvanchal. Hailing the Indian Army for the surgical strikes conducted on terror launch pads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir last year, the prime minister went all guns blazing against those who asked for proof of those strikes. He said those who are asking for proof do not respect the bravery of our soldiers. He fiercely attacked the Congress saying that during the UPA government people used to hear stories about national wealth getting lost in various scams but in the present government of BJP people ask how much money is coming back in the system. He said that opposition joined hands against the BJP after his surprise move to demonetise higher denomination currency last year. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, while campaigning in Jaunpur, took a dig at the Prime Minister for spending too much time in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. He said that that if the BJP is so confident of a victory then what is the need for the prime minister to devote so much time to Varanasi. His wife Dimple Yadav said that people of UP have so much faith in Akhilesh Yadav that the prime minister has to hold back-to-back roadshows in Varanasi. Aisa bharosa logon ko aapke Akhilesh bhaiyya pe hai ki Pradhanmantriji ko 3-3 baar roadshow karni pad rahi hai Banaras mein: Dimple Yadav pic.twitter.com/3U2rbv4CVb — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017 × The stakes are high for the BJP, Congress-SP alliance, and the BSP in the final leg of the Uttar Pradesh battle. The 40 seats that are going to polls in the final phase saw the Samajwadi party sweeping the region in 2012 elections with 23 seats. But, the tables turned in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as the BJP won all the parliamentary constituencies in the region. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Modi's final UP pitch: 'Opposition believes in development for few', Akhilesh slams PM's Varanasi roadshow

<p>A stampede in the Indian temple town of Varanasi killed at least 24 people on Saturday, who had gathered at a religious gathering, Indian news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to international news agency AFP, the stampede broke out when hundreds of devotees of Indian guru Jai Gurudev gathered in Varanasi, a holy town in northern Uttar Pradesh state.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Varanasi stampede: Uttar Pradesh DGP Javeed Ahmad visits the stampede site, in which 24 people died. <a href="https://t.co/aBlCRLftcn">pic.twitter.com/aBlCRLftcn</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/787320123707187200">October 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">There was a lot of chaos, even we were pushed. Many people have died including my mother: Eyewitness <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VaranasiStampede?src=hash">#VaranasiStampede</a> <a href="https://t.co/3TJrORc1C1">pic.twitter.com/3TJrORc1C1</a></p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/787238426735026176">October 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister said he was &#39;deeply saddened over the loss of lives&#39; in his parliamentary constituency. He assured help to all those affected. &nbsp;He also announced a solatium of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the stampede in Varanasi. Condolences to the bereaved families. Prayers with those injured: PM Modi</p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/787237274874327040">October 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have spoken to officials &amp; asked them to ensure all possible help to those affected due to the stampede in Varanasi: PM Narendra Modi</p>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/787237330427875328">October 15, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav also extended an ex gratia of Rs five lakh each to next of kin of those killed and free treatment to the injured, who have been admitted to different hospitals in Varanasi and Chandauli. Yadav also announced free treatment to the injured, who have been admitted to different hospitals in Varanasi and Chandauli district.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered by the chief minister into the incident.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The stampede broke out as hundreds of devotees of Indian guru Jai Gurudev gathered in Varanasi, Prime Minister's parliamentary constituency

A stampede in the Indian temple town of Varanasi killed at least 24 people on Saturday, who had gathered at a religious gathering, Indian news agency ANI reported. According to international news agency AFP, the stampede broke out when hundreds of devotees of Indian guru Jai Gurudev gathered in Varanasi, a holy town in northern Uttar Pradesh state. Varanasi stampede: Uttar Pradesh DGP Javeed Ahmad visits the stampede site, in which 24 people died. pic.twitter.com/aBlCRLftcn — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 15, 2016 × There was a lot of chaos, even we were pushed. Many people have died including my mother: Eyewitness #VaranasiStampede pic.twitter.com/3TJrORc1C1 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 15, 2016 × Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister said he was 'deeply saddened over the loss of lives' in his parliamentary constituency. He assured help to all those affected. He also announced a solatium of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured. Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the stampede in Varanasi. Condolences to the bereaved families. Prayers with those injured: PM Modi — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 15, 2016 × I have spoken to officials & asked them to ensure all possible help to those affected due to the stampede in Varanasi: PM Narendra Modi — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 15, 2016 × Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav also extended an ex gratia of Rs five lakh each to next of kin of those killed and free treatment to the injured, who have been admitted to different hospitals in Varanasi and Chandauli. Yadav also announced free treatment to the injured, who have been admitted to different hospitals in Varanasi and Chandauli district. A magisterial inquiry has also been ordered by the chief minister into the incident. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India: Stampede kills at least 24 at religious gathering in Varanasi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today cut short her visit to the Indian temple town Varanasi after she was advised by the doctors to return to the national capital Delhi.<br />
<br />
This development comes after it was reported that Sonia had high fever. Before leaving for the national capital, the Congress president, standing in an SUV, waved to the thousands of people who gathered to see her off.<br />
<br />
&quot;Heard about Sonia ji&#39;s ill health during her Varanasi visit today. I pray for her quick recovery and good health,&quot; Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.<br />
<br />
Gandhi, earlier in the day, launched her party&#39;s campaign for the 2017 assembly elections in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s parliamentary constituency Varanasi.<br />
<br />
The roadshow began with Gandhi putting a garland at the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, hailed as an architect of the Indian constitution, at the Circuit House.<br />
<br />
Thousands of party supporters and workers took part in the roadshow, which started from the Circuit House to Englishiya Line, a distance of about eight kilometres.It was ensured that Congress president&#39;s posters, banners, welcome arches and gates are seen everywhere in the city.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Gandhi, who was initially travelling in a car and later moved to a vehicle with open sunroof, waved at the crowd which cheered and raised slogans against the Modi government.&nbsp;She came out of her vehicle several times to accept the greetings of the cheering supporters, including groups of Muslim women. As the road show passed through several localities, rose petals were showered on Gandhi and her cavalcade from adjoining buildings.<br />
<br />
Dozens of mini trucks prominently displayed posters with &#39;27 Saal, UP Behaal&#39; (27 years of UP&#39;s distress) written on them. Placards carried by hundreds of workers also had the same slogan written on them.<br />
<br />
Besides the party&#39;s chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit, All Indian Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, state party chief Raj Babbar and senior leaders Pramod Tiwari and Sanjay Singh accompanied Gandhi.<br />
<br />
This was Gandhi&#39;s first visit to Varanasi after Modi became Prime Minister.<br />
<br />
(ANI, PTI)&nbsp;

This was Gandhi's first visit to Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency since he became Prime Minister

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today cut short her visit to the Indian temple town Varanasi after she was advised by the doctors to return to the national capital Delhi. This development comes after it was reported that Sonia had high fever. Before leaving for the national capital, the Congress president, standing in an SUV, waved to the thousands of people who gathered to see her off. "Heard about Sonia ji's ill health during her Varanasi visit today. I pray for her quick recovery and good health," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted. Gandhi, earlier in the day, launched her party's campaign for the 2017 assembly elections in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi. The roadshow began with Gandhi putting a garland at the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, hailed as an architect of the Indian constitution, at the Circuit House. Thousands of party supporters and workers took part in the roadshow, which started from the Circuit House to Englishiya Line, a distance of about eight kilometres.It was ensured that Congress president's posters, banners, welcome arches and gates are seen everywhere in the city. Gandhi, who was initially travelling in a car and later moved to a vehicle with open sunroof, waved at the crowd which cheered and raised slogans against the Modi government. She came out of her vehicle several times to accept the greetings of the cheering supporters, including groups of Muslim women. As the road show passed through several localities, rose petals were showered on Gandhi and her cavalcade from adjoining buildings. Dozens of mini trucks prominently displayed posters with '27 Saal, UP Behaal' (27 years of UP's distress) written on them. Placards carried by hundreds of workers also had the same slogan written on them. Besides the party's chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit, All Indian Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, state party chief Raj Babbar and senior leaders Pramod Tiwari and Sanjay Singh accompanied Gandhi. This was Gandhi's first visit to Varanasi after Modi became Prime Minister. (ANI, PTI)

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi cuts short Varanasi visit after falling ill

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