Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the ongoing Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is about choosing the future of the Union Territory, adding that urged people to cast their votes wisely and said they should ensure the political sunset of the Congress, NC and PDP, which have inflicted wounds in the region for years together.

“These elections are important to end the political legacy of the 3 families of Congress, NC and PDP which kept the state in ruins. To make this happen, the Lotus must bloom in Kashmir,” PM Modi said.

Addressing an election rally in Katra, PM Modi accused the Congress leadership of insulting Hindu gods and goddesses under a “well-thought-out conspiracy” and due to a “Naxal mindset”, and asked people “should they not be punished for this”?

Hitting out over Pakistan backing Congress’s stand on abrogation of Article 370 in the Union Territory, PM Modi said the people of Jammu and Kashmir might not be enthused by the manifesto of Congress and NC, but Pakistan seems to be celebrating it.

This was the second election rally addressed by the prime minister in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday and third in a week. He addressed another rally in Srinagar earlier in the day. On September 14, PM Modi had addressed a rally in Doda district.

“This election is for choosing the future of Jammu and Kashmir. This election is meant to take the ‘new Jammu and Kashmir’ to new heights,” the prime minister said while urging the voters to ensure the BJP’s victory in the polls.

Last year, over two crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir and over 90 lakh pilgrims came “here to seek blessings of Maa Vaishno Devi,” said Prime Minister. This influx of people has immensely benefitted the locals, he added.

In the upcoming years, the tourism sector is going to further expand in the valley, which will create a ripple effect for the overall economy of the state, he said.

Modi’s rallies in Srinagar and Katra came a day after the first phase of polling in the Assembly election, covering 24 constituencies in seven south Kashmir districts and the Chenab valley region, and registering more than 61 per cent voting.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi after over twenty-one houses of Dalit were set on fire by miscreants in Bihar’s Nawada district over a land dispute.

While Opposition leaders pegged the number of houses set ablaze at over 80, police said about 21 houses were set on fire in Nawada district.

Nawada Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDO) Akhilesh Kumar said, “The land dispute matter is going on the court and everyone will accept the decision of the court. We received information about the incident at 7:15 pm. Around 21 houses have been burnt.”

The Rae Bareli MP said burning down an entire colony of Mahadalits in Nawada and destroying the houses of more than 80 families is highlighting the horrifying picture of injustice against the Bahujans in Bihar.

“The cries of the Dalit families who had lost their homes and property and the terror created in the deprived society by the echo of the fierce firing were also not successful in waking up the sleeping government of Bihar,” the Congress leader said in his post on X.

Hitting out at NDA government in Bihar, Gandhi said, “Such anarchist elements find shelter under the leadership of BJP and its NDA allies – they intimidate and suppress the Bahujans of India so that they cannot even demand their social and Constitutional rights.”

Questioning Prime Minister Modi’s silence, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said it is a seal of approval for “this big conspiracy.”

Gandhi demanded immediate and strict action against all the culprits of “this shameful crime” and to provide complete justice to the families of victims by rehabilitating them.

In a post on X in Hindi, the RJD leader lashed out at Modi and said: “In Bihar, the houses of Dalits have been burnt down under your double engine powered government. This is an incident of India. Please say a few words on this ‘Mangalraj’ that all this is happening as per the will of God and not on this the big-mouthed powerful leaders of NDA. I have no control. Also, tell me that the Chief Minister of the third largest party in Bihar has stopped speaking for months. He neither talks to the media nor to the public. Whatever he says, he speaks as written by the officials because when he speaks about himself, he starts speaking something different from somewhere else, perhaps that is why this restriction has been imposed.”

NDA is not concerned about Bihar but about the criminals, Yadav said.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and BJP ally Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan condemned the torching of houses of Dalits and said the state government is investigating the matter and culprits will not be spared.

“This is a sad incident. It is condemnable and also shameful. I am in touch with the State Government. First of all, it is necessary to ensure that those who have been affected should be rehabilitated and injured can be treated,” Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan told reporters on the sidelines of World Food India 2024 event being held, in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday urged people to bid for the mementoes he has received and which are now being auctioned, noting that their proceeds will be used for the ‘Namami Gange’ initiative.

In a post on X, he said: “Every year, I auction the various mementoes I receive during the public programmes. The proceeds of the auction go to the Namami Gange initiative. I’m delighted to share that this year’s auction has opened. Do bid for the mementoes you find interesting!”

Namami Gange is a government’s initiative for conservation and rejuvenation of the Ganga river. 

The auction features an impressive collection, including exquisite sculptures, traditional art, regional artefacts, indigenous crafts and sports memorabilia from the 2024 Paralympic Games, which were presented to PM Modi.

Interested individuals can register and participate via the official website, PM Mementos: https://pmmementos.gov.in/.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that the e-auction allows individuals to preserve history and contribute to the greater good.

“It is well known that the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicates even the souvenirs he receives for public welfare. For this purpose, the auction has started from 17th September and will continue till 2nd October. You can not only preserve history but also get the sacred satisfaction of contributing to public interest,” Shekhawat said in a post on X.

PM Mementos is an open auction portal of the Government of India that enables buyers to participate in the online auction after registration.

To view the mementoes, people can visit the National Gallery of Modern Art, Jaipur House, New Delhi, from 11 AM to 6 PM.

The proceeds from the auction will contribute to the Namami Gange Project. Notably, the Central Government launched this integrated Ganga conservation mission to address the pollution of the Ganga River and revive the river.

Here are some notable items up for auction includes, “Encased Sports Shoes: Worn by Paralympic bronze medalists Ajeet Singh and Simran Sharma, and silver medalist Nishad Kumar, each priced around ₹2.86 lakh.” Other items like, Signed Cap: From silver medalist Sharad Kumar, also priced around ₹2.86 lakh.

Badminton Racket: Used by Paralympic bronze medalist Nithya Sre Sivan and shuttler Sukant Kadam, priced at Rs 5.50 lakh; Discus: Used by silver medalist Yogesh Khatuniya, priced at Rs 5.50 lakh; Model of Ram Temple: Valued at Rs 5.50 lakh; Peacock Statue: Priced at Rs 3.30 lakh; Statue of Ram Darbar: Valued at Rs 2.76 lakh; Silver Veena: Priced at Rs 1.65 lakh.