Highlights of the day: Cong dismisses Kamal Nath's BJP switch speculation

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10:40 PM

If voted to power, Cong will map wealth resources to know who owns what: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday asserted that his party would conduct a caste census if voted to power and this will prove to be an "X-ray of the country".

 

Addressing people during the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' here, he also said his party will map wealth resources to know who owns what in order to make India strong.

 

"The BJP and the RSS are spreading hatred... In Narendra Modi's Hindustan, there is no place for the backwards, Dalits, tribals and poor people from the general category," Gandhi said.

 

"In every Rs 100 of the country's budget, the share of the two-thirds section of the population is merely Rs 6. The gross injustice being done to this section is making the country hollow from inside," he added.

 

"To make the country strong, the Congress is going to take two revolutionary steps. The first 

10:31 PM

Himachal Pradesh: Fresh snowfall halts vehicular movement on 2 national highways

Traffic on the Manali-Leh Highway and Aut-Luhri National Highway has come to a standstill following a fresh spell of heavy snowfall in the region.

 

According to Torul S Raveesh, Deputy Commissioner Kullu, "Traffic halted at two National Highways due to heavy snowfall in Kullu district. There has been 3 feet of fresh snowfall around Atal Tunnel Rohtang due to which traffic from Manali-Leh National Highway Manali to Atal Tunnel Rohtang is closed."

 

"Vehicular movement is also closed at the Aut-Luhri National Highway 305 (NH-305) in Himachal Pradesh due to a fresh bout of snowfall in the area," said the official.

 

The official also mentioned that the administration has stopped the movement of tourists in the higher parts of the state and has issued an advisory to the tourists.

10:10 PM

An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 occurred today at 21:35 pm in Kargil, Ladakh: National Centre for Seismology

9:56 PM

Youth arrested for threatening to 'blow up' Delhi airport in hoax call

A youth allegedly made a hoax threat call claiming to "blow up" the Indira Gandhi International Airport here. The 20-year-old accused was arrested on Monday, police said.
 

According to police, a PCR call was received at IGI Airport police station on Sunday where the caller allegedly threatened to blow up the airport.
 

"A team was formed and the caller was tracked. We later arrested the caller, Kushagra Aggarwal, from Janakpuri of Delhi on Monday. During interrogation, Kushagra confessed to intentionally making the hoax call to seek publicity," Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) Usha Rangnani said.

9:52 PM

Don't fret over defeats, every setback is an opportunity to learn: PM Modi on young athletes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday advised young athletes of the country not to "fret" over defeats but take them as "opportunities to learn", in a message during the inauguration of Khelo India University Games here.
 

Conveying his best wishes to the athletes, PM Modi complimented them for creating a grand image of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' in Guwahati.
 

"Play wholeheartedly, play fearlessly, win for yourself and your team, and even if you lose, do not fret. Every setback is an opportunity to learn," the PM said in his video message.

8:33 PM

Palestinian death toll passed 29,000, says Gaza's Health Ministry

Gaza's Health Ministry says the Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has passed 29,000. Catch up on the developing stories from around the globe making headlines. RAFAH, Gaza Strip -- Gaza's Health Ministry says the Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war has passed 29,000.

7:29 PM

Cong dismisses Kamal Nath's BJP switch speculation

The Congress on Monday dismissed as "misinformation" the speculation over party leader Kamal Nath's possible switch to the BJP and asserted that the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister will participate in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state. The assertion by Congress general secretary in charge of Madhya Pradesh Jitendra Singh came amid speculation that Kamal Nath and his son Nakul Nath, a Lok Sabha MP, may cross over to the ruling BJP. "Kamal Nath ji is a senior leader of our party. All these speculations have been made by the BJP and the media. I spoke to him yesterday and the day before yesterday also and we discussed the preparations of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra," Singh told reporters at the Congress headquarters here. "I am going to Bhopal tomorrow and meetings are taking place with MLAs, various committees and MPs. Kamal Nath ji will also join those meetings and his suggestions for the yatra's passage will be taken note of. Kamal Nath will prominently participate in the Yatra in Madhya Pradesh," the Congress general secretary said. Pressed further about the speculation that Nath and his son may cross over to the BJP, Singh reiterated that "all this is speculation" and alleged that the BJP always attempts to "spread wrong news and misinformation".

 

7:25 PM

Cong dismisses Kamal Nath's BJP switch speculation, says he will participate in Nyay Yatra

The Congress on Monday dismissed as "misinformation" the speculation over party leader Kamal Nath's possible switch to the BJP and asserted that the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister will participate in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state.

 

The assertion by Congress general secretary in charge of Madhya Pradesh Jitendra Singh came amid speculation that Kamal Nath and his son Nakul Nath, a Lok Sabha MP, may cross over to the ruling BJP.

 

"Kamal Nath ji is a senior leader of our party. All these speculations have been made by the BJP and the media. I spoke to him yesterday and the day before yesterday also and we discussed the preparations of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra," Singh told reporters at the Congress headquarters here.

 

"I am going to Bhopal tomorrow and meetings are taking place with MLAs, various committees and MPs. Kamal Nath ji will also join those meetings and his suggestions for the yatra's passage will be taken note of. Kamal Nath will prominently participate in the Yatra in Madhya Pradesh," the Congress general secretary said.

 

Pressed further about the speculation that Nath and his son may cross over to the BJP, Singh reiterated that "all this is speculation" and alleged that the BJP always attempts to "spread wrong news and misinformation".

6:57 PM

Whirlpool set to sell 24% India stake for up to $451 mn

Appliance maker Whirlpool (WHRL4.SA), opens new tab is selling a 24 per cent stake in its Indian unit this week for up to $451 million via stock market deals, according to a term sheet seen by Reuters, amid record stock markets in the country. Whirlpool plans to sell the stake at a price of 1230 rupees, a 7 per cent discount to its closing price on Monday and plans to complete the deal by Wednesday. Goldman Sachs is advising Whirlpool on the deal, the term sheet showed. Goldman and Whirlpool did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

5:59 PM

Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Narendra Modi over 'deactivation' of Aadhaar cards in West Bengal

"I vehemently condemn the reckless deactivation of Aadhaar cards, particularly targeting SC, ST and OBC communities in West Bengal... We are all citizens of India. Every resident can avail West Bengal Government's welfare benefits, irrespective of whether they have Aadhaar cards or not," tweets CM Mamata Banerjee

5:57 PM

Cases of Monkey fever in Karnataka

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao says there are 103 active cases of Monkey fever in the state as of now.

5:24 PM

Coal India will bid for 3 mines in critical minerals auctions in February: Chairman, MD PM Prasad

Coal India will bid for three blocks in critical minerals auctions conducted by the mines ministry in February, Chairman and Managing Director P M Prasad told analysts in a post-earnings conference call today. Coal India has also visited lithium mines in Australia and is in preliminary dicussions about operating them, Prasad said. Separately, a senior Coal India official stated the company will be bidding for lithium and nickel mines in the auctions that will be held on February 26.

4:42 PM

Chandigarh mayor elections: Returning officer has to be prosecuted, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court says that Anil Masih, returning officer in Chandigarh Mayor election, has to be prosecuted as he was interfering with the election process.

 

4:35 PM

Russian officials extend probe into Navalny's death

The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was today denied access to a morgue where his body was believed to be kept after his death in an Arctic penal colony, and Navalny's allies accused authorities of trying to hide evidence. Navalny's spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said that the Investigative Committee, Russia's top criminal investigation agency, told Lyudmila Navalnaya that the cause of her son's death remained unknown and that the official probe had been extended. 

4:30 PM

SC rejects Centre's request to defer hearing on pleas challenging Chandigarh Mayor polls

“We know what’s happening, the horse-trading is very disturbing," observes the Supreme Court.