Yogi Adityanath

The Congress Monday expressed concern over sewage dumping in the Ganga and asked whether Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will assure devotees that the river's water will be fit for bathing and drinking by the time of the Kumbh Mela early next year. Congress leader Abhay Dubey said Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself should make efforts in this. The Maha Kumbh Mela will begin on January 13 and conclude on February 26. "It is believed that wherever the Kumbh is held, there is immortality. But the BJP government has tampered with our culture. The principal bench of the NGT (National Green Tribunal) passed an order on November 6, 2014, which mentioned the Uttar Pradesh government had submitted a report on October 30, 2014. "In that report, it was found that sewerage treatment plants of 340 MLD capacity have been installed to treat the drain water in the area of ??Prayagraj's Nagar Palika Nigam," he said. He claimed about 12.8 crore litres of sewage water is being poured .

Preparations are underway at an unprecedented scale in the Mahakumbh fair area to accommodate devotees

BJP spokesperson says ban is part of preparations for major events like the Kumbh Mela and other significant programmes to ensure that essential services remain uninterrupted for residents

The state government will also provide financial assistance of Rs 50,000 each to those who sustained serious injuries

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Mahakumbhnagar and Prayagraj on December 13 to review the preparations for the 2025 Mahakumbh and inaugurate various projects here, officials said on Thursday. The area on the banks of Sangam in Prayagraj, where the upcoming Maha Kumbh will be held in January and February has been named Mahakumbhnagar and notified as a new district by the state government. Ahead of PM Modi's visit, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will conduct a comprehensive inspection of the arrangements on December 7 to ensure all preparations are on track for the grand spiritual event. "In anticipation of PM Modi's visit, Mahakumbhnagar and Prayagraj will be decorated in festive grandeur... Departments have been directed to beautify their offices and buildings with plans for illuminating government structures with facade lighting. Key intersections, roads, and parks will also be adorned elaborately," a statement said. Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant has instructe

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday accused the Opposition parties of trying to divide society, saying what Mughal ruler Babur's army did in Ayodhya and Sambhal is what is happening in Bangladesh. The chief minister, who was in the temple town for the inauguration of the 43rd Ramayan Mela, said Lord Ram united the whole society. "Had we given importance to unity and not let the strategy of nation's enemies succeed in creating social animosity, this country would have never become a slave. Our pilgrimages would not have become impure. A handful of invaders would not have dared to invade us and and would be crushed by India's brave soldiers," Adityanath said. "But those creating obstacles within the society were able to succeed. Their genes remain the same even today. Those who indulge in caste-based politics to shatter the social fabric are still active," the CM said. "... 500 years ago, a general of Babur committed certain deeds in Ayodhya, similar acts in ...

Samajwadi Party MLA Iqbal Mehmood has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to send a political delegation to meet the families of victims of the November 24 violence in Sambhal district. Talking to reporters on Wednesday evening, the Sambhal MLA alleged the BJP wants to divide people and as a result, the country is lagging behind. On Wednesday, a delegation of Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi on its way to Sambhal was stopped by Uttar Pradesh Police at Ghazipur border here amid a ban on the entry of outsiders in the district. Last week, several Samajwadi Party (SP) MPs were stopped from entering the district. "The government should send its political delegation here to meet families of victims and send out a message that everyone should live together with unity," Mehmood said. He said the BJP should follow RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's advice that there is no need to look for shivling in every mosque. "It should be followed to avoid spread of hatred in society and increase brotherh

Commuters suffered a massive traffic jam at the Ghazipur border on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway on Wednesday morning as Congress workers gathered there, defying heavy barricading meant to stop Rahul Gandhi from visiting Sambhal. A delegation of Congress leaders led by the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was stopped by the Uttar Pradesh Police at the Ghazipur border on his way to Sambhal. The opposition party leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, returned to Delhi after staying at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border for about two hours. The Uttar Pradesh Police put up barricades and checked vehicles to prevent any untoward incident. With the carriageway from Delhi to Uttar Pradesh heavily congested, commuters faced a harrowing time in reaching their destinations. The other carriageway was open, but the vehicles moved at a snail's speed. Members of the Congress' youth wing raised slogans and waved the party flag as the police stopped Gandhi, citing prohibitory orders

The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act appeared to be "draconian". The observation by a bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan came while it was hearing a plea filed by a man who has challenged a May 2023 Allahabad High Court order dismissing his application seeking to set aside proceedings against him pending before a district court in Kasganj in a case registered under the Act. "This Act appears to be draconian," the apex court observed. "We will consider it," the bench said while admitting the appeal. While hearing the matter in November last year, the SC had sought responses from the Uttar Pradesh government and others on the plea and said, "By way of ad-interim order, no coercive steps be taken against the petitioner qua Gangster Act." On Wednesday the petitioner's counsel said he has been booked in the case under the provisions of the 1986 Act on allegations of illegal mining in the Ganga

A Congress delegation led by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit the violence-hit Sambhal on Wednesday, with police and administration geared up to stop them before reaching the district. Prohibitory orders, including a ban on the entry of outsiders, are in place in Sambhal. Last week, several Samajwadi Party (SP) MPs were stopped from entering the district. Curbs under Section 163 (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which were set to expire on Sunday, have now been extended till December 31 in Sambhal. Sambhal District Magistrate Rajendra Pensia on Tuesday wrote a letter to the police commissioners of Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad and the superintendents of police of Amroha and Bulandshahr districts, urging them to stop Gandhi at the borders of their districts keeping in mind the "communal sensitivity" of Sambhal. Gandhi will be accompanied by five other Congress MPs

The Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a committee to address grievances related to the ongoing farmers' protest and sought a report within one month. The directive was issued by Abhishek Prakash, Secretary of the Industrial Development Department. Over a hundred protesters including leaders of farmers' groups were taken into custody by the police in Gautam Buddh Nagar on Tuesday, according to Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh. Singh said that the women and elderly who were taken into custody during the protest were later released. The protesters were agitating over demands of compensation in lieu of their land acquired by the government in the past. According to the directive, issued on December 1, the committee has been tasked with examining complaints raised by farmers regarding land acquisition and compensation disputes. It will also review and investigate matters highlighted in earlier government orders dated February 21, 2024, and August 27, 2024. The panel is expected

The Centre on Tuesday released the first instalment of Rs 1,050 crore of its Rs 2,100 crore grant for the upcoming Maha Kumbh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said and extended gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Adityanath said that under the successful guidance of Prime Minister Modi, the "double-engine" government is determined to make the world's largest cultural and spiritual gathering 'Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025' divine and grand. "In this series, a special grant assistance of Rs 2,100 crore was approved by the Central government, out of which the first instalment of Rs 1,050 crore has been released today. This support from the Central government will help in realizing a clean, safe and well-organized Mahakumbh for the devotees," he said in a post on X. "Heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for this gift which is helpful in realizing the concept of divine-grand-digital Mahakumbh," he added. Organised after a gap of every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh will be

Police have erected barricades outside the Uttar Pradesh Congress committee office and the residences of several party leaders who were to accompany the unit's chief Ajay Rai on a fact-finding visit to violence-hit Sambhal, a party spokesperson said on Monday. Vikas Srivastava, the spokesperson, said the barricades were erected on Sunday night itself. The Congress had plans to visit Sambhal on Monday. Speaking to PTI, Rai said, "We had decided to visit Sambhal on December 2 as the government ban on the entry of public representatives was to be lifted by November 30. Now, they have suddenly extended the ban till December 10. The government clearly wants to hide its flaws." Rai spent the night at the Congress committee office along with several party workers. "If prevented, we would agitate peacefully in a Gandhian way as we are followers of Mahatma Gandhi," he said. Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, killing four peopl

In a landmark decision, the Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has declared the Maha Kumbh area in Prayagraj as a new district.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday urged officials to adopt a sensitive approach in addressing public grievances, stressing that no injustice would be tolerated. Addressing people at a 'Janta Darshan' held at the Gorakhnath Temple, Adityanath reiterated the government's commitment to fairness and transparency in handling public issues, a statement issued here said. "No injustice will be tolerated. Every individual will get justice," he said while directing officials to ensure prompt and satisfactory resolutions to complaints. Adityanath said that the government stands firm in its resolve to address every grievance, the statement read. He directed officials to adopt a sensitive approach while resolving issues, according to the statement. The chief minister advised mediation for family disputes, suggesting legal action if reconciliation efforts fail, it said. He also ordered strict action against illegal land encroachments by influential individuals. Several p

Two members of a three-member judicial commission formed by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the November 24 violence in Sambhal reached Moradabad on Saturday, and are likely to visit the violence-hit town on Sunday, officials said. Moradabad Divisional Commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said, "Two members of the commission reached here on Saturday. The third member will join them on Sunday as they head to Sambhal." However, Singh did not identify the members who reached Moradabad on Saturday. Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid there, killing four persons and injuring many others. The survey was linked to a petition claiming that a Harihar temple once stood at the site of the mosque. The commission formed via a notification on November 28 has been directed to complete its probe within two months. Any extension of this timeline will require government approval. The commission headed by retired Allahabad High Court

Earlier, SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav also launched an attack against the administration in the stone pelting incident in Sambhal and alleged that the administration had deliberately created unrest

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana on Friday administered the oath to the newly elected BJP and RLD MLAs. Voting for the by-elections in nine seats of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly was held on November 20 and the results were declared on November 23. In the by-elections, six MLAs of the BJP and one of its alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) were elected. The Samajwadi Party stood victorious in two seats Karhal and Sisamau. On Friday, newly elected MLAs Ramveer Singh from Kundarki, Deepak Patel from Phulpur, Surendra Singh from Khair, Sanjeev Sharma from Ghaziabad, Dharmaraj Nishad from Katehari, Suchismita Maurya from Majhawan (all BJP) and Mithlesh Pal of the RLD from Meerapur took oath in the Assembly. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was present on the occasion, congratulated the winning candidates and called it a victory of the state's development and people's faith. Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, Uttar Pradesh BJP

The Supreme Court on Friday said it will hear on December 9 a plea of the mosque committee against the Allahabad High Court rejecting its petition challenging the maintainability of 18 cases of the Hindu side related to the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute in Mathura. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said it will accord a detailed hearing on the plea at 2 pm on December 9. "This we will hear at length. We will take it up on December 9, at 2 pm... We have to decide what is the legal position," the CJI said. Speaking for the bench, the CJI said he prima facie felt that an intra-court appeal would lie against the single judge bench order of August 1 of the high court. "We will certainly give you an opportunity to argue," the bench said. On August 1, the high court rejected the plea of the Committee of Management, Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah challenging the maintainability of 18 cases related to the temple-mosque dispute in Mathura, and ruled

There is a rumour in entire Moradabad that namaz would not be offered in the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, rumours should be controlled, he added