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3:24 PM

PM Narendra Modi hit outs at ‘American uncle’ Sam Pitroda over skin colour remark

"Shehzade (Rahul Gandhi), you will have to answer. My country will not tolerate the disrespect of my countrymen on the basis of their skin colour. Modi will never tolerate this," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today at a rally in Andhra Pradesh. PM Modi referred to Sam Pitroda as American uncle.

 

"I got to know that there is an uncle in America who is the philosophical guide of 'Shehzada' and just like the third umpire in cricket, this 'Shehzada' takes advice from the third umpire. This philosophical uncle said that those who have black skin are from Africa. This means that you are abusing several people of the country on the basis of their skin colour," PM Modi added.  

3:20 PM

Enforcement Directorate raids Jharkhand's rural development dept premises

The probe agency today raided the premises of the Jharkhand rural development department in Ranchi as part of a money laundering investigation in which it recently seized huge cash, the official sources said.

The raids are being undertaken on the inputs gathered from the questioning of Jharkhand minister Alamgir Alam's personal secretary Sanjeev Lal and the latter's domestic help Jehangir Alam.

2:57 PM

Congress seeks dismissal of BJP govt, fresh polls in Haryana

The Congress today asked for  the imposition of President's Rule followed by fresh polls in Haryana after three Independent MLAs withdrew support to the BJP dispensation, reducing the Nayab Singh Saini government to a minority in the state assembly. The party said it would write to Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya to demand that the BJP government be dismissed.

 

2:38 PM

'Will not tolerate insult of fellow Indians': PM Modi on Pitroda's remark

The Congress on Wednesday sought the imposition of President's Rule followed by fresh polls in Haryana after three Independent MLAs withdrew support to the BJP dispensation, reducing the Nayab Singh Saini government to a minority in the state assembly. The party said it would write to Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya to demand that the BJP government be dismissed.

 

2:33 PM

Delhi High Court dismisses plea seeking facilities for CM Kejriwal to run government from jail

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed with Rs 1 lakh costs a public interest litigation by a lawyer seeking appropriate arrangements for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to run the government from jail.

The petitioner also sought to restrain Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva from exerting any "undue pressure" for resignation of Kejriwal.

2:16 PM

'People in East look Chinese, South like Africans'; we are all brothers and sisters: Sam Pitroda

Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) chairperson Sam Pitroda has once again ignited controversy with his comments on diversity of the people of India amidst the Lok Sabha elections. In a video circulating online, Pitroda can be heard saying, "We could hold together a country as diverse as India – where people in the East look like Chinese, people in the West look like Arabs, people in the North look maybe White, and people in the South look like Africans. It doesn't matter. We are all brothers and sisters." Read here for more details.

2:11 PM

Decision will be taken according to the situation, says Speaker Gian Chand Gupta

I have not received any official information so far. We have not received it yet. Once the Governor's communication comes to us, decision will be taken as per the situation,  Speaker Gian Chand Gupta said today.

1:39 PM

2 revenue officers, another person booked for bribery in Maharashtra's Gondia

A case has been recorded against two revenue officers and another person in Maharashtra's Gondia district for allegedly seeking a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from two building material suppliers, the Anti-Corruption Bureau said. On May 4, revenue personnel caught two sand-laden tippers of the suppliers and took the vehicles to the Goregaon tehsil office. Both the suppliers were then asked to deposit a fine of Rs 1,23,883 each.

1:37 PM

News update: Talking to crew to understand reasons, says Air India management on flights delay crisis

1:34 PM

Normal services resume on Delhi Metro's Violet Line after temporary delay

Commuters todya faced inconvenience due to a temporary delay in services on Delhi Metro's Violet Line. Services on the other lines  remained unaffected, officials said. "Delay in services between Sarita Vihar and Mohan Estate. Normal service on all other lines," the DMRC posted on X.

 

1:03 PM

Russia launches wide attack on Ukrainian energy facilities

Targeting seven regions with more than 50 missiles as well as drones, Russia launched aerial attacks on energy facilities throughout Ukraine early Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The attacks also damaged the railway station and tracks in the city of Kherson, and injured two people in Brovary,  officials said.

12:48 PM

Liquor policy case: Delhi High Court grants more time to ED, CBI to respond to Sisodia's bail pleas

The Delhi High Court today granted more time to the ED and the CBI to file their replies to former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia's pleas seeking bail in the corruption and money-laundering cases lodged by the agencies in relation to the alleged excise policy scam.

12:33 PM

AAP workers detained for pro-Kejriwal slogans at IPL match

Delhi Police detained approximately 12 workers from the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP’s) student wing for raising slogans and wearing t-shirts with the tagline 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se' during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match  on Tuesday. Read here for more details.

12:16 PM

Haryana crisis: Congress' wishes will not come true, says Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini

"Others may have problems, but there are no problems in the state government. The government is working hard. People of state won't make their (Congress') wishes come true," Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said today.

11:51 AM

India received $111 bn in remittances in 2022, highest by any country: UN

India received over $111 billion in remittances in 2022, the largest in the world, becoming the first country to reach and even surpass the $100 billion mark, the United Nations migration agency has said. India was well above the rest, receiving more than $111 billion, the first country to reach and even surpass the $100 billion mark. Mexico was the second-largest remittance recipient in 2022, a position it also held in 2021 after overtaking China.