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Dozens still missing after sight-seeing boat capsized in Godavari killing 12

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7 years ago

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Dozens still missing after sight-seeing boat capsized in Godavari killing 12

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]At least 12 people have drowned and dozens of others are missing after a sightseeing boat capsized in Godavari River near Devipatnam in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district on Sunday, September 15, rescue officials said.

The Royal Vasishta vessel was carrying 61 people – 50 passengers and 11 crew members, all of them Indian nationals – when it capsized on the Godavari River on Sunday (September 15), Andhra Pradesh state’s Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita said.

A search operation was underway, with rescue teams including divers and a helicopter scouring the river to find the missing people, a senior police official said.

Twenty-four people have been rescued so far, while 25 others are missing, Sucharita said.

Sucharita said tour boats had been barred from operating on the route following the recent flooding of the river and it was not clear how the boat that capsized had managed to take out the tourists.

“Stern action will be taken against the culprits,” she told the Associated Press news agency.

Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said he is reviewing the situation. He announced ₹10 lakh as ex gratia for the victims’ relatives and also ordered cancellation of licences of all boats operating in the river.

According to an official release from the chief minister’s office, the bodies of the deceased passengers were shifted to Rajahmundry hospital for post-mortem.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, in a tweet said he was “extremely pained” by the incident. 

“Extremely pained by the capsizing of a boat in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Rescue operations are currently underway at the site of the tragedy,” he tweeted.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Home minister Amit Shah also expressed grief over the “unfortunate” incident. “The loss of lives due to capsizing of a boat in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh is very unfortunate. I am deeply pained. My thoughts are with families of those who have lost their loved ones. May God give the bereaved families strength to withstand this tragic loss,” Shah said in a tweet.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that he hoped that those missing were safe. “I’m sorry to hear about the boat accident in the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh. My deepest condolences to the families of those who have perished in this tragedy. I pray that all those reported missing will soon be accounted for and that they are safe,” he said on Twitter.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh to each of kin of victims from the state. At least 36 passengers on the boat were from Telangana, according to initial reports.

Telugu Desam Party president and former AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan also expressed shock over the tragedy.

Also Read: “Can’t harass people”: Telangana CM on new Traffic rule violation fines

Apart from tourists, residents in the area depend on boats and ferries to travel between villages on the banks of the Godavari.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Amit Shah counters delimitation concerns, says southern states to gain Lok Sabha seats

Amit Shah assures Parliament that southern states will gain Lok Sabha seats after delimitation, countering opposition criticism during the women’s reservation debate.

Published

56 mins ago

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April 16, 2026

By

Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday addressed concerns over the proposed delimitation exercise, asserting in the Lok Sabha that southern states will not lose representation but instead see an increase in their number of seats.

His remarks came during a heated debate linked to the implementation of women’s reservation, where opposition parties have raised fears that population-based delimitation could reduce the political weight of southern states.

Shah rejected these claims, calling them misleading, and said the proposed framework ensures fairness while expanding the overall strength of the Lok Sabha.

Seat count to rise with expansion of Lok Sabha

The government has indicated that the total number of Lok Sabha seats could increase significantly as part of the delimitation process. In this expanded House, the combined representation of southern states is expected to rise from 129 seats at present to around 195 seats.

Shah emphasised that no state will lose seats in absolute terms, and the exercise is designed to reflect population changes while maintaining balance across regions.

State-wise projections shared in Parliament

During his address, Shah also provided indicative figures for individual southern states, suggesting notable increases in representation. According to the projections:

  • Tamil Nadu could see its seats rise substantially
  • Kerala, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh are also expected to gain additional seats
  • Karnataka’s representation may increase as well

These figures were presented to counter the argument that delimitation would disproportionately favour northern states.

Political debate intensifies over linkage with women’s quota

The delimitation exercise has been closely linked to the rollout of women’s reservation, which proposes one-third seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies.

Opposition leaders have questioned this linkage, arguing that tying reservation to delimitation could delay its implementation and raise federal concerns. Some leaders have also warned that the move could impact national unity if apprehensions among states are not addressed.

The government, however, maintains that the reforms are necessary to ensure equitable representation and to align the electoral system with demographic realities.

Centre dismisses ‘false narrative’ on southern states

Shah reiterated that concerns about southern states losing influence are unfounded. He said the delimitation process will increase representation across regions and described the criticism as a “false narrative” aimed at creating confusion.

The issue is expected to remain a key flashpoint as Parliament continues discussions on the women’s reservation framework and related legislative changes.

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PM Modi assures no discrimination in women’s quota, delimitation debate intensifies in Parliament

PM Narendra Modi has assured that women’s reservation will be implemented without discrimination, amid a heated debate over delimitation in Parliament.

Published

8 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

By

PM modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured that there will be no discrimination in the implementation of women’s reservation, as Parliament witnessed a sharp debate over the proposed linkage between the quota and delimitation exercise.

During the ongoing special session, the government reiterated its commitment to ensuring fair representation while addressing concerns raised by opposition parties regarding the timing and structure of the legislation.

The proposed framework aims to reserve 33 percent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. However, its implementation is tied to a fresh delimitation exercise, which is expected after the next census.

Opposition questions timing and intent

Opposition leaders have raised concerns that linking the women’s quota to delimitation could delay its implementation. They argue that the process of redrawing constituencies may push the actual rollout further into the future.

The issue has triggered a broader political confrontation, with multiple parties questioning whether the move could alter representation across states.

Some critics have also alleged that the delimitation exercise could disproportionately benefit certain regions based on population, a charge the government has rejected.

Government reiterates commitment to fair implementation

Responding to these concerns, the Centre has maintained that the reforms are necessary to ensure accurate and updated representation based on population data.

Leaders from the ruling side have repeatedly emphasized that the process will be carried out transparently and without bias. The assurance that there will be “no discrimination” is aimed at addressing fears among states and opposition parties.

The debate marks a key moment in Parliament, with both sides engaging in intense exchanges over one of the most significant electoral reforms in recent years.

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Give all tickets to Muslim women, Amit Shah says, attacking Akhilesh Yadav on sub-quota demand

A sharp exchange between Amit Shah and Akhilesh Yadav in Parliament over sub-quota for Muslim women highlights key divisions on women’s reservation implementation.

Published

10 hours ago

on

April 16, 2026

By

A heated exchange broke out in Parliament during discussions on the women’s reservation framework, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav locking horns over the demand for a sub-quota for Muslim women.

The debate unfolded as the government pushed forward key legislative measures to implement 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Akhilesh Yadav argued that the proposed reservation must ensure representation for women from marginalised communities, including Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Muslim women. He said that without such provisions, large sections could remain excluded from political participation.

He also questioned the timing of the bill, alleging that the Centre was avoiding a caste census. According to him, a census would lead to renewed demands for caste-based reservations, which the government is reluctant to address.

Government rejects religion-based quota

Responding to the demand, Amit Shah made it clear that reservation based on religion is not permitted under the Constitution.

He stated that any proposal to provide quota to Muslims on religious grounds would be unconstitutional, firmly rejecting the idea of a separate sub-quota for Muslim women within the broader reservation framework.

The government has maintained that the existing framework already includes provisions for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) women within the overall reservation structure.

Wider political divide over implementation

The issue of sub-categorisation within the women’s quota has emerged as a major flashpoint, even as most opposition parties broadly support the idea of women’s reservation.

Samajwadi Party leaders reiterated that their support for the bill depends on inclusion of OBC and minority women, while the government continues to defend its constitutional position.

The debate is part of a broader discussion during the special Parliament session, where multiple bills linked to delimitation and implementation of the women’s quota are being taken up.

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