Today in Politics: PM Modi in Kargil to commemorate 25th anniversary of Vijay Diwas; Rahul to appear in UP court in defamation case

The PM will also virtually carry out the first blast of the Shinkun La Tunnel Project, which consists of a 4.1-km-long twin-tube tunnel which will be constructed at an altitude of around 15,800 feet on the Nimu-Padum-Darcha road to provide all-weather connectivity to Leh, it said. Once completed, it will be the highest tunnel in the world.

Defamation case: Gandhi to appear in UP court

Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will appear before the MP-MLA court in Sultanpur on Friday for hearing in a defamation case.

Congress district president Abhishek Singh Rana said on Thursday that Gandhi will land at Lucknow airport at 9 am on Friday and then proceed towards Sultanpur.

Local BJP leader Vijay Mishra had filed a defamation case on August 4, 2018 against Gandhi for making alleged objectionable remarks against the then BJP president and current Home Minister Amit Shah in 2018. The court had granted bail to Gandhi in this case on February 20.

Jharkhand Assembly session to commence

A fiery monsoon session of the Jharkhand Assembly is set to commence on Friday with the Opposition BJP looking to corner the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led government on various issues like corruption, deteriorating law and order and infiltration.

This will be the last session of the fifth Jharkhand Assembly as the state will go to the polls later this year. Governor CP Radhakrishnan has approved the week-long session, which will comprise six working days and end on August 2.

The ruling alliance, meanwhile, is likely to highlight the government’s achievements before the upcoming polls.

Bengal BJP rally against hike in power bills

The West Bengal BJP on Friday will hold a rally to protest against the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation after the Calcutta High Court last week granted permission

The HC permitted the BJP to hold the rally with a maximum of 1,000 supporters and said the demonstration could be held subject to observance of rules in relation to noise pollution and without causing any inconvenience to the public at large.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that the police had not yet given permission to hold the rally over the alleged increase in electricity bills, praying that necessary direction be given to the police authorities to hold the rally and stage a demonstration.

The West Bengal government’s counsel submitted that as there is no hike in the electricity charges by CESC, the question of any demonstration does not arise at all.

— With PTI inputs