India News

PM Modi in Himachal: Congress a laughing club, get rid of 5 monsters

Published

9 years ago

November 2, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In poll-bound Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says BJP on way to victory, says Congress symbolizes corruption, caste-ism and dynasty

With less than a week to go before the Himachal Pradesh elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, raised the BJP’s pitch against the Congress in the hill state, urging the electorate to vote out the grand-old party which he said symbolized corruption, caste-ism and dynasty. This was Modi’s first election tour of poll-bound Himachal Pradesh where the BJP and Congress will witness a direct fight on November 9.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Modi made pointed attacks against Rahul Gandhi and Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh, raising issues ranging from the Congress vice president’s purported meeting with a Chinese diplomat to discuss the Doklam standoff and the corruption cases against the state’s incumbent chief minister.

While the Congress has, in its manifesto for the state elections, claimed that it would adopt a zero-tolerance on corruption, Modi tried to turn this claim on its head by asserting that chief minister Virbhadra Singh is himself out on bail in a corruption case and that the Congress had become a “laughing club” by talking about checking graft.

Addressing a public rally in Kangra district’s Rehan town, Modi said that there was an urgent need to “save Himachal from the Congress” and claimed that he had told his party’s election managers that he needn’t campaign in the state because he knew that “the people of Himachal have already decided to vote the BJP to power and throw out the Congress”. Modi made similar claims at public meetings he held in other parts of the state.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRVRoZXJlJTIwYXJlJTIwZmV3JTIwZWxlY3Rpb25zJTIwd2hlcmUlMjBwcGwlMjBwcmUtZGVjaWRlJTIwd2hvbSUyMHRvJTIwZWxlY3QlMkMlMjB0aGlzJTIwaXMlMjBzdWNoJTIwYW4lMjBlbGVjdGlvbiUyQ0NvbmclMjBrbm93cyUyMHRoZXklMjYlMjMzOSUzQmxsJTIwYmUlMjB3aXBlZCUyMG9mZiUzQSUyMFBNJTIwaW4lMjBIUCUyNiUyMzM5JTNCcyUyMERoYXVsYSUyMEt1YW4lMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdC5jbyUyRlZ3TzRvYTd2cEElMjIlM0VwaWMudHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZWd080b2E3dnBBJTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRnAlM0UlMjZtZGFzaCUzQiUyMEFOSSUyMCUyOCU0MEFOSSUyOSUyMCUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRkFOSSUyRnN0YXR1cyUyRjkyNjAwODU5NjU4Nzk1NDE3NyUzRnJlZl9zcmMlM0R0d3NyYyUyNTVFdGZ3JTIyJTNFTm92ZW1iZXIlMjAyJTJDJTIwMjAxNyUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0MlMkZibG9ja3F1b3RlJTNFJTBBJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwYXN5bmMlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnBsYXRmb3JtLnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGd2lkZ2V0cy5qcyUyMiUyMGNoYXJzZXQlM0QlMjJ1dGYtOCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRSUwQSUyMCUwQSUzQ2Jsb2NrcXVvdGUlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMnR3aXR0ZXItdHdlZXQlMjIlMjBkYXRhLWNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbiUzRCUyMm5vbmUlMjIlMjBkYXRhLWxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUzRSUzQ3AlMjBsYW5nJTNEJTIyaGklMjIlMjBkaXIlM0QlMjJsdHIlMjIlM0VWaXJiaGFkcmElMjBraSUyMHNhcmthciUyMGtpJTIwa3lhJTIwcGVoY2hhbiUyMGhhaSUzRiUyMFllJTIwc2Fya2FyJTJDJTIwcGFydHklMjBhdXIlMjBuZXRhJTIwa2Fpc2UlMjBoYWluJTNGJTIwSGFyJTIwc2F3YWwlMjBrYSUyMGVrJTIwamF3YWItJTIwYmhyYXNodGFjaGFhciUzQSUyMFBNJTIwaW4lMjBIUCUyNiUyMzM5JTNCcyUyMERoYXVsYSUyMEt1YW4lMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdC5jbyUyRlVHUHdyYzB0TE0lMjIlM0VwaWMudHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZVR1B3cmMwdExNJTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRnAlM0UlMjZtZGFzaCUzQiUyMEFOSSUyMCUyOCU0MEFOSSUyOSUyMCUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRkFOSSUyRnN0YXR1cyUyRjkyNjAwOTIxNTU3OTE2ODc2OCUzRnJlZl9zcmMlM0R0d3NyYyUyNTVFdGZ3JTIyJTNFTm92ZW1iZXIlMjAyJTJDJTIwMjAxNyUzQyUyRmElM0UlM0MlMkZibG9ja3F1b3RlJTNFJTBBJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwYXN5bmMlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnBsYXRmb3JtLnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGd2lkZ2V0cy5qcyUyMiUyMGNoYXJzZXQlM0QlMjJ1dGYtOCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRQ==[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Given that the elections in Himachal and Gujarat (which will go to polls in two phases – on December 9 and 14) come at a time when Rahul Gandhi is leading his party’s charge against the BJP and is tipped to be elevated as the Congress president, taking over from his mother Sonia Gandhi, Modi made it a point to launch a broadside against the Nehru-Gandhi scion.

The Congress, Modi said, is a party that is neck-deep in “corruption, dynastic politics and caste-ism” and claimed: “The Congress party of today has nothing in common with the one that Mahatma Gandhi was a part of… Today, Congress is only about one family and its interests.”

He then raked up the controversy that had erupted when during the Doklam standoff between India and China Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had held a meeting with Chinese ambassador Luo Zhaohui, ostensibly to discuss the issue.

“The entire nation is witness to how the Doklam issue was dealt with (by the Centre), but the Congress even questioned that… Someone born in a family which has ruled for decades doesn’t believe his own Army and agencies? Instead, he meets China’s envoy and asks about Doklam,” Modi said in a clear reference to Rahul Gandhi.

The Prime Minister alleged that under Congress rule, “Five monsters – Mining Mafia, Forest Mafia, Drug Mafia, Tender Mafia and Transfer Mafia – have flourished in Himachal” and exhorted the people to “get rid of them” by voting out the Congress party.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]Elections for the 68-member Himachal Pradesh assembly will be held on November 9 and the results will be declared on December 18 along with those for the Gujarat polls. The BJP declared party veteran Prem Kumar Dhumal as its chief ministerial candidate for Himachal earlier this week. Dhumal, a former chief minister of the state, is an arch rival of incumbent chief minister Virbhadra Singh and enjoys huge popularity in lower Himachal and parts of the state’s Kangra region, which is seen as the key to winning the state.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Supreme Court judge calls police assault on CJP protesters very distressing

Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan criticised alleged police assaults on CJP protesters and raised concerns over excessive force.

Published

3 hours ago

September 5, 2026

APNLive Desk

Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has criticised the assault of protesters by police personnel during the recent CJP demonstrations in Delhi, describing the conduct as “very, very distressing” and a matter of serious concern.

Speaking at the launch of retired IPS officer Yashovardhan Azad’s book Policing the Republic, Justice Bhuyan said the detachment expected from police officers appeared to be diminishing.

He expressed concern over young Indian Police Service officers personally participating in the assault of protesters and demonstrators.

Justice Bhuyan stresses need for responsible policing

Justice Bhuyan said effective policing does not require excessive use of force or infringement of human rights. He emphasised that the police play an important role in maintaining public confidence because citizens generally approach the police when they feel they have been wronged.

He said maintaining the credibility of the police force was therefore of “utmost importance”.

The judge’s remarks come amid continuing scrutiny of the police and paramilitary response to the CJP protests in Delhi.

Supreme Court panel to examine police action

The Supreme Court has constituted a high-level panel to investigate allegations concerning the use of force by Delhi Police during the July 20 student protests at Jantar Mantar and the subsequent Parliament march.

The panel, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy, will examine complaints relating to lathi charges, tear gas, pellet guns and electronic batons. It will also look into allegations of targeted harassment or molestation of female protesters and review available CCTV and video footage.

The police response during the protests has faced criticism, while Delhi Police has maintained that its personnel were also attacked during the clashes.

Judge raises concern over custodial deaths and torture

Justice Bhuyan also spoke about custodial torture and deaths, describing custodial death as one of the gravest crimes in a society governed by the rule of law.

He stressed that torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment cannot be accepted, regardless of whether such conduct takes place during investigation, interrogation or other circumstances.

The judge further warned that when government functionaries themselves become lawbreakers, it can undermine respect for the law and encourage lawlessness.

He questioned whether citizens lose their fundamental rights simply because they have been arrested by police.

‘Fake encounters’ cannot be part of policing

Justice Bhuyan also addressed allegations of extra-judicial killings, commonly referred to as “fake encounters”. Referring to a 2011 Supreme Court judgment, he said such encounters undermine the rule of law.

He stressed that an “encounter philosophy” cannot become part of legitimate policing and said proven fake encounters involving serving police officers must be treated with the utmost seriousness.

The Supreme Court’s panel will now examine the allegations surrounding the police action during the July 20 protests as scrutiny of the events continues.

India News

8 Tamil Nadu engineering students killed in Kerala car-lorry crash

Eight engineering students from Tamil Nadu were killed after their car collided with a parked lorry on NH-66 in Kerala’s Thrissur district.

Published

3 hours ago

September 5, 2026

APNLive Desk

Eight engineering students from Tamil Nadu were killed after the car they were travelling in crashed into a parked lorry on NH-66 in Kerala’s Thrissur district late Friday night, police said.

The accident took place at around 11.40 pm at Panambikkunnu in Kaipamangalam. The students were travelling from Guruvayur towards Kodungallur when their car collided with the rear of the lorry.

What happened in the Thrissur accident

According to the FIR, the lorry was parked illegally on the right side of the highway near a barricaded section where traffic had been diverted because of ongoing construction work.

Police said the car was travelling at high speed and its driver apparently failed to notice the diversion barricade before the vehicle crashed into the rear of the lorry.

The lorry was registered in Maharashtra.

Six students died at the accident spot, while two others were declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital, police said.

Six victims identified

The victims were students of an engineering college in Dindigul and were travelling towards Kodungallur along NH-66.

Police have identified six of the eight victims. Four of them — Surya, Yuvasanjith, Vishva and Johua — were from Dindigul. The other two identified victims were Santhosh and Prasanna from Madurai.

The identities of the remaining two students are yet to be confirmed.

Residents, fire and rescue personnel and police took part in the rescue operation and pulled the students from the badly damaged car. The bodies were subsequently taken to the mortuary of Thrissur Medical College.

Case registered against lorry driver

Kaipamangalam police have registered a case against the lorry driver under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide.

Police said the driver went into hiding shortly after the accident.

The families of the victims were contacted using student identity cards recovered from the bodies. Police said some families were unaware that their children had travelled to Kerala.

Postmortem examinations will begin after the families reach Thrissur Medical College, police said.

India News

Air India sacks Phuket-Delhi flight pilot after failing drug test

Air India has terminated the Phuket-Delhi flight pilot after a confirmatory test found a psychoactive substance following the August 4 incident.

Published

18 hours ago

September 4, 2026

APNLive Desk

Air India has terminated the employment of the pilot-in-command of a Phuket-Delhi flight after he tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

The pilot was in command of flight AI2379, which was travelling from Phuket to Delhi on August 4 when the aircraft suddenly lost altitude over Odisha. The incident left 24 passengers injured.

Air India said the termination was in line with its zero-tolerance policy regarding safety violations and regulatory requirements.

Air India terminates pilot with immediate effect

In a statement, the Tata-owned airline said the pilot-in-command had tested positive for a psychoactive substance.

The airline said that, considering its zero-tolerance approach to violations related to safety, fitness and regulatory requirements, the pilot’s employment had been terminated with immediate effect.

Air India also said it continues to cooperate fully with the investigation into the incident and has provided access to relevant operational, maintenance and technical records.

What happened on the Phuket-Delhi flight?

According to the preliminary findings of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the Airbus A320 was carrying 145 people when it experienced the near-simultaneous loss of all three hydraulic systems while cruising at around 36,000 feet.

The technical failure resulted in the autopilot disconnecting and triggered a brief stall warning. The aircraft subsequently lost altitude, resulting in injuries to 24 passengers.

The preliminary report also noted that the pilot tested non-negative for a psychoactive substance in a confirmatory test.

However, the report did not establish that the pilot’s drug-test result caused or contributed to the hydraulic system failure or the subsequent loss of altitude.

AAIB recommends action over psychoactive substance finding

The AAIB described the confirmation of psychoactive substance use as a serious concern and recommended that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) take appropriate action against the pilot on priority.

The investigation into the technical and other aspects of the incident is still underway.

The preliminary report also noted that the co-pilot was flying the aircraft when the incident occurred and attempted to bring the situation under control.

Air India said safety remains its highest priority and that its pilots undergo training, proficiency checks, medical examinations and other regulatory assessments in accordance with applicable requirements.