MCD polls: In AAP push, nukkad sabhas, magic shows, some dance
With a few weeks left for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, the AAP has chalked out 1,000 nukkad sabhas, magic and guitar shows and other activities under the ‘Kejriwal ki sarkar, Kejriwal ka parshad’ campaign. The nukkad sabhas will be held by the party’s star campaigners from November 23 to December 2.
Through the campaign, announced by Deputy Chief Minister and senior party leader Manish Sisodia Monday, the party aims to raise awareness regarding “rampant corruption and maladministration” of the BJP during its reign in MCD for 15 years, said AAP in a statement. During the sabhas, all the star campaigners, MLAs, ward candidates and local party leaders will have one-on-one interactions with locals to understand their issues. The party will also organise ‘Dance for Democracy’, nukkad nataks, guitar and magic shows to woo voters across the districts and wards.
“Once the Kejriwal government comes to power in the MCD, we will work with the same passion in the MCD being carried out in the state by the Delhi government. From tomorrow, AAP is going to further intensify its election campaign in the second phase under the theme ‘Kejriwal ki sarkar, Kejriwal ka parshad’. The public support we have received in our jansamvad, padyatras and door-to-door campaigns clearly indicates that Kejriwal will win in MCD,” said AAP minister and state convenor Gopal Rai.
A massive fire broke out in the shops of Bhagirath Palace market in North Delhi's Chandni Chowk Thursday night. officials said the fire broke out at 9.19 pm and 30 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot.
" The fire broke out in a shop and later spread to the adjacent shops. Fire officials are trying to control the blazes. No casualties have been reported yet" said a senior Delhi Fire Services officer.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accused the BJP on Thursday of hatching a conspiracy to kill Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, fearing poll defeats in Gujarat and the MCD, and alleged Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari's involvement in it. Sisodia, however, asserted that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is not scared of such petty politics.
"Due to the fear of defeats in the Gujarat and MCD polls, the BJP is hatching a conspiracy to kill @ArvindKejriwal. Their MP Manoj Tiwari is openly asking his hooligans to attack Kejriwal and he has done complete planning. The AAP is not scared of their petty politics and people will give a reply to their hooliganism," the deputy chief minister said in a tweet in Hindi. (PTI)
Jailed AAP leader Satyendar Jain’s lawyers Thursday told a Delhi court that the State has no right to tell anybody how to practice their religion, while doubling down on allegations that Tihar jail staff withdrew his special diet while he was on a religious fast.
Special Judge Vikas Dhull will pronounce his order on Jain’s application on Friday. The court is hearing Jain’s application which alleges that he lost 28 kg because his special diet was withdrawn by jail authorities. Read more
Rambabu (55) from Kotla, who was suffering from an inflamed and swollen appendix, couldn’t see his doctor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, on Thursday, a day after a ransomware attack had affected the hospital’s server.
This was the second consecutive day when e-hospital services, which runs the patient data system, and day-to-day activities, including OPD registrations and blood sample reports, were hit. The outpatient and inpatient digital hospital services including smart lab, billing, report generation, appointment system etc also remained affected. As a result, Rambabu’s information was inaccessible in the e-server. “I have been told to come again on Monday for the next date,” he added. Read more
A 23-year-old college student sustained injuries after a German Shepherd allegedly attacked her near her home in Gurgaon, said police Thursday. Police have registered an FIR against the owner of the dog. According to police, the incident took place on November 21 when the victim, Priti Bhati, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree through distance learning, was distributing wedding cards of a relative, near her home in Narsinghpur village in Gurgaon.
In the police complaint, she said, “As my friends and I reached the gate, the dog which was off its leash suddenly came running and pounced on me. I fell and the dog then bit me on my right arm in 2-3 places. My mother heard me yelling and rescued me.” Read more
A Delhi court on Thursday adjourned for December 12 arguments in a Rs 200-crore money laundering case against actor Jacqueline Fernandez, alleged conman Sukesh Chandrashekar and others. Special Judge Shailendra Malik adjourned the matter after the prosecution sought time to prepare arguments on the point of charge. The actor, who was granted bail on November 15, also appeared before the court during the brief proceedings.
The court on August 31 had taken cognisance of a supplementary charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and asked Fernandez to appear before it. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ended the distance that used to be there between North East India and “mainstream India”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said at an Assam government event in Delhi on Thursday. Shah was speaking at a session on the second day of the Assam government’s three-day celebration of the 400th birth anniversary of Ahom general Lachit Barphukan in Delhi. November 24 was observed as Lachit Diwas in his memory.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, former Chief Justice of India and Rajya Sabha MP Ranjan Gogoi were among those who were present at the session along with Shah. Read more
The Delhi Police on Thursday recovered multiple weapons including knives and saw used by Aaftab Poonawaala, who allegedly murdered his 27-year-old live-in partner Shraddha Walkar. The weapons were recovered from the accused’s house and Mehrauli forest area after he allegedly chopped her body and threw the pieces. The police said that they were yet to find the mini-saw which was allegedly used to chop Walkar’s body into pieces.
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The Delhi Police on Thursday recovered 10-12 items including knives, a saw, and a hammer used by Aaftab Poonawalla to murder his 27-year-old live-in partner Shraddha Walkar.
After the Jama masjid on Thursday barred the entry of women “who come alone” and use it as a place to “meet boys”, Imam Shahi Ahmed Bukhari told The Indian Express that the board outside the mosque would be removed. According to officials at the L-G office, L-G VK Saxena spoke to Shahi Imam Bukhari and requested him to rescind the order. “Imam Bukhari has agreed to revoke the order, with the request that visitors respect and maintain the sanctity of the Mosque,” officials said.
The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has awarded the contract for construction of the Executive Enclave as a part of the Central Vista redevelopment to Larsen and Toubro Ltd.(L&T) at Rs 1,189 crore, the department tweeted Thursday.
“The CPWD awarded the contract for construction of Executive Enclave, New Delhi, to Larsen and Toubro Ltd. at 10.44% below the estimated cost put to tender, amounting to Rs 1,189 crore on November 15, 2022. The construction firm is required to complete the work within 24 months,” the CPWD said. Read more
As the FIFA World Cup got underway in Qatar this week, here’s a look at some resto-bars in Delhi-NCR that you can hit for a pint or a plate alongside live screenings of all the matches. A bonus is the many enthusiasts and fans roaring next to you. Read more
The Delhi High Court Thursday sought responses from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) communications manager Vijay Nair and Hyderabad-based businessman Abhishek Boinpally in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) plea challenging the bail granted to them by a trial court in connection with alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped excise policy.
A single-judge bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna deferred the hearing of the applications for a stay of the trial court order after noting that both Nair and Boinpally were already in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a probe into alleged money laundering. The matter is next listed on December 5. Read more
A suitcase, with suspected human bones inside it has been found in the forest of the Surajkund area in Faridabad at around 2.35 pm on Thursday. The police said that the presence of a suitcase was reported by a passerby. A team of forensics and crime branch are currently on the spot.
Delhi Commission for Women's Chairperson, Swati Maliwal on Thursday issued a notice to the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid taking cognizance of the Masjid's recent order barring the entry of women “who come alone” and use it as a place to “meet boys”.
“There is no restriction on the entry of women,” Jama Masjid PRO Sabiullah Khan said. “The restriction is for women who come here alone, give time to men, do wrong things, make videos.” He clarified that women would be permitted to come with their husbands or families.
“The research is clear,” says Mridula Koshy, writer and trustee of The Community Library Project (TCLP). “Literature helps build empathy, be kind to our neighbours, and if we lock up books and knowledge, we as a society are shooting ourselves in the foot.”
A fierce advocate of public libraries and engaged with TCLP since 2015 (an effort that has since set up three community libraries i.e. free-to-borrow libraries in Khirki, South Extension Kotla, and Sikanderpur, Gurgaon, with an evolving catalogue of 35,000 titles), she believes that libraries are essential to any functional society. “And that’s why our society has arguably become a bit dysfunctional now,” she adds. Read more
Jailed AAP minister Satyendar Jain withdrew his plea from a court in Delhi seeking to restrain the media from airing/broadcasting any CCTV footage related to him, ANI reported. Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, who is appearing for Jain in Rouse Avenue Court withdrew the application and said that they will instead move to Delhi High Court. The court allowed the withdrawal of the application.
Jailed AAP leader Satyendar Jain on Wednesday told a court in Delhi that he was not provided food yesterday as well by jail authorities. The authorities, however, denied the allegation and submitted a CCTV footage to the court showing Jain having his food.
The Jama masjid on Thursday barred the entry of women “who come alone” and use it as a place to “meet boys”. “There is no restriction on the entry of women,” Jama Masjid PRO Sabiullah Khan said. “The restriction is for women who come here alone, give time to men, do wrong things, make videos.” He clarified that women would be permitted to come with their husbands or families.
The India Gate lawns that reopened to the public in September, after 20 months of redevelopment, are being temporarily closed in sections to give the grass a breather from the heavy footfall, Central Public Works Department (CPWD) officials said.
In order to keep the grass that was planted alive, the CPWD has taken to cordoning off sections with rope and putting up “under maintenance” signs to keep visitors off the lawns for 15 days at a time, an official said.
This intervention is only required on the two sections nearest to the India Gate due to the footfall — at the C-Hexagon and the section till Man Singh Road — the official said. With preparations for the Republic Day Parade set to begin soon, the official said it would be a challenge to retain the grass after the one-month period when it is covered by bleachers for the parade.