B’luru stampede: Security tightened at K’taka CM’s residence; BJP questions action on police

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Bengaluru, June 6 (IANS) The security was tightened at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s official residence, ‘Kaveri’, on Friday fearing flash protest by the opposition BJP and JD(S) workers condemning the failure of the state government in preventing the stampede incident near the Chinnaswamy Stadium that claimed 11 lives and suspension of the senior police officers. The BJP has expressed outrage against the decision to suspend three senior IPS officers and two other officers of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and a Police Inspector.Former BJP MP Pratap Simha said in Bengaluru that the government had surrendered to the RCB management in allowing the victory celebration. The police department had handled the situation well during the organisation of high-voltage matches all these years and ensured that no untoward incident happened. The suspension of police officers has brought down the morale of the police department.Bhaskar Rao, former Bengaluru Police Commissioner and BJP leader, wrote on social media X, “Chief Minister Siddaramiah has gone into panic mode. The suspension of Bengaluru City Police Commissioner is the darkest day in the history of Karnataka police. The prize for telling the Truth and he and his Team slogged the whole night to keep Bengaluru Safe.”“Everyone in Karnataka knows that it is the uncontrollable Deputy Chief Minister (D.K. Shivakumar) who orchestrated the “Death March” is the main culprit. No Chief Minister has become as helpless, cowardly, nervous and panicky. The government has blood on its hands and now has lost its mind too. The government is now in disaster,” Rao stated.BJP state President B.Y. Vijayendra said the CM, deputy CM and the Home Minister should have taken moral responsibility but have taken action against the police officers.He wrote on X, “The death of 11 innocent persons and the suffering of thousands, all due to the selfish exploitation of an event under the guise of an RCB victory celebration, is a tragic outcome. The High Court has taken up a Public Interest Litigation on this matter. At this juncture, instead of taking moral responsibility and resigning, the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Home Minister have shamelessly suspended the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner and other officers.”This action is a cowardly attempt to escape accountability. The people of Karnataka are deeply saddened, their anger has reached its peak, and the cries of parents who have lost their children are heartbreaking for anyone with an ounce of humanity, he stated.“The stampede incident has been recorded as a major tragedy in the history of Karnataka. The celebration, held on the steps of Vidhana Soudha, the temple of democracy, in the heart of the capital, without any proper standards, national or state significance, and driven by the greed to exploit the situation, turned the area into a graveyard,” Vijayendra stated.“The Congress-led government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is being cursed by the people of Karnataka. In such a situation, instead of upholding morality and resigning to preserve their honour, the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Home Minister have sacrificed police officials, truly reminiscent of Tughlaq’s rule,” he stated.Vijayendra said the Congress government is clinging to power with an attitude of who cares. “…whether anyone dies, suffers, we just need to be in power, is tragic. The inevitable situation where the people themselves will overthrow this government is approaching,” he said.“By making police officers scapegoats, acting like ‘a monkey eating and wiping its mouth on a goat’, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and Home Minister G. Parameshwara cannot escape responsibility. I urge all three of them to immediately resign from their positions and preserve their honour,” Vijayendra demanded.–IANSmka/dpb

Last 11 years have opened lakhs of career paths, empowered job-creating youth: Amit Malviya

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New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) Celebrating what he termed as over a decade of youth empowerment under the Modi government, BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya on Friday claimed that the last 11 years have not only unlocked lakhs of career opportunities but have also nurtured a generation of confident, job-creating youth.In a post on X, Malviya hailed the transformative impact of flagship government initiatives such as Skill India, Startup India, Digital India, and the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).These programmes, he said, have collectively reshaped the employment landscape in India by promoting entrepreneurship, upskilling the youth, and aligning education with market demands.“Today, we celebrate 11 years of youth empowerment and nation-building under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi — a journey of enabling New India’s youth through opportunity, innovation, and inclusion,” Malviya wrote.He also shared a video showcasing how the rise of startups in the country has led to an abundance of job opportunities.It highlights how acquiring new skills has enabled many to build stable livelihoods and move ahead in life with financial independence.According to Malviya, India has seen a remarkable increase in the number of medical colleges, a boom in the startup ecosystem, and the provision of industry-relevant training to crores of young people. He also underlined the growing participation of women in education, entrepreneurship, and STEM fields, calling it a sign of a more inclusive and progressive future.“This is not just a story of boosting employment — it’s a movement of purpose, pride, and potential for harnessing Yuva Shakti,” he said, adding, “Let’s highlight these milestones using #11YearsOfYuvaShakti and showcase how India’s youth are powering the vision of Viksit Bharat.”In another post, Malviya hailed the repo rate cut by the RBI, saying, “The repo rate cut of 50 bps and CRR cut of 100 bps will inject much-needed liquidity into the system, lower EMIs, and reduce borrowing costs — providing timely relief to the middle class and MSMEs.”–IANSskp/

Katra residents excited ahead of PM Modi’s visit, say it will boost tourism

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Katra, June 6 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off the Vande Bharat train service from Katra to Srinagar on Friday and also launch projects worth Rs 46,000.Ahead of the mega launch, people in Katra are excited and eagerly looking forward to the launch of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway railway Line (USBRL), which will mark a new developmental dawn for the Union Territory.PM Modi will also flag off Vande Bharat train from Katra. This will provide all-weather connectivity to the valley with rest of the country.There is a wave of happiness among the locals as they are excited to see PM Modi and are also happy because the project holds much potential for reviving tourism in the valley.Many locals spoke to IANS and shared views on how the project will reshape their lives.Local resident Gurmeet Sharma said that there will be a lot of benefits from the launch of Vande Bharat trains.“Tourism will increase. It is a happy moment for all of us because after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, tourists stopped coming to this place,” he said.He further said, “PM Modi will give the gift of Vande Bharat. We are all waiting for him. We have full faith that the operation of Vande Bharat train will greatly benefit our tourism. The tourists coming here will benefit a lot.”Rajinder Singh said, “we are very happy that Vande Bharat train will run from Katra to Srinagar. Work on this scheme was going on for a long time. Work on this scheme has been done rapidly under Modi government.”Anil Sharma said that the residents are excited and elated over the launch of Vande Bharat train from their city.Notably, this is PM Modi’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which left 26 people dead.PM Modi will rewrite history today, by realising the over 70-year long dream of the people in Kashmir for whom the journey from the landlocked Valley to the rest of the country always looked a distant prospect.–IANSmr/

One of biggest projects since Independence: Top Railway Board official ahead of Chenab Bridge inauguration

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New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate a series of monumental infrastructure projects, including Chenab Bridge – the world’s highest railway bridge and flag off the much-awaited Vande Bharat Express train from Katra to Srinagar.Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information & Publicity of the Railway Board hailed the occasion as one of the most historic milestones since India’s independence. “On this historic day, by the grace of Mata Vaishno Devi, PM Modi is dedicating to the nation a project that is being discussed across the world. If we look at the time since independence, this is one of the largest projects in the country,” he stated.At the heart of the day’s significance is the Chenab Bridge, an engineering marvel that now holds the distinction of being the highest arch railway bridge in the world. Spanning the deep Chenab River gorge, the bridge has been lauded globally for its structural and strategic importance. “The project is the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest arch bridge — which is drawing global attention,” Kumar emphasised.“This marks a proud and historic moment for all of us,” Kumar added.The day also marked a new era in rail connectivity for the people of Kashmir, as two sets of Vande Bharat Express trains began service, one each from either end in the morning and again in the afternoon. These ultra-modern trains are expected to complete their journeys in just three hours, stopping at Banihal Station en route.As PM Modi is set to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 46,000 crore, the sentiment across the region is one of optimism and pride. For Kashmiris, this day symbolised the realisation of a dream more than 70 years in the making, bridging the physical and psychological gap between the Valley and the rest of the nation.With the rollout of advanced rail networks and globally acclaimed infrastructure, Jammu and Kashmir stands at the threshold of a new developmental dawn, one that promises connectivity, prosperity, and renewed hope for future generations.–IANSrs/mr

Youth key builders of Viksit Bharat, will always give them opportunities to shine, says PM Modi

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New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the youth of the country are the key builders of Viksit Bharat and the government will always give them opportunities to build and shine. He said this while marking 11 years of governance by the NDA-led Centre.“We will always give our Yuva Shakti all possible opportunities to shine! They are key builders of a Viksit Bharat,” PM Modi wrote on his X handle.The Prime Minister highlighted the global achievements of India’s youth, stating that India’s youth have made a mark globally.Describing them as symbols of dynamism, innovation, and determination, he said the nation’s growth in the last 11 years has been fuelled by the unmatched energy and conviction of the youth. “Our Yuva Shakti is associated with dynamism, innovation and determination. Our youth have driven India’s growth with unmatched energy and conviction,” the PM wrote on X.The Prime Minister said that in the last 11 years, the country has witnessed remarkable instances of youngsters who have done the unthinkable across various sectors, including Startups, science, sports, community service, culture and more.The last 11 years have also seen a decisive shift in policy and programmes aimed at youth empowerment, he said.The PM cited various government initiatives like StartUp India, Skill India, Digital India and the National Education Policy 2020. He said these are rooted in the firm belief that empowering youth is the most powerful thing a nation can do.“I’m confident that our youth will keep strengthening the efforts to build a Viksit Bharat,” he added.PM Modi noted the extraordinary contributions made by young Indians across a wide range of sectors.”Empowering India’s Yuva Shakti since 2014. Today, we celebrate 11 years of unwavering support to India’s Yuva Shakti under the visionary leadership of PM. Over the past decade, the government has empowered youth with skill development, education, innovation, and employment opportunities – unlocking their full potential and shaping India’s future,” read a government communique.–IANSdpb/

ED tracking individuals whose fake Indian passports were arranged by Pak infiltrator

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Kolkata, June 6 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has started tracking individuals whose fake Indian identity documents, including passports, were arranged by Azad Mullick, the Pakistani infiltrator arrested in Kolkata.

According to sources, the ED officials had secured the names of around 200 individuals whose fake passports were arranged by Mullick.He used to run parallel rackets of fake Indian passports and hawala from his rented accommodation on the northern outskirts of Kolkata before he was arrested earlier this year.The ED officials suspect that some of these individuals, who got fake Indian passports arranged by Mullick, have links with fundamentalist and terror outfits operating from Pakistan.The investigating officials have definite clues that some individuals, for whom Azad forged fake documents, entered West Bengal either through Bangladesh or Nepal.Subsequently, the sources added, they established contact with Azad through the latter’s agent network, and finally, fake Indian identity documents, including Indian passports, were arranged for them.In such cases, the same pattern was followed, where the illegal infiltrators were first provided with safe shelters at the different villages adjacent to the borders with Bangladesh in the state, both land and coastal, and subsequently the agents arranged for fake birth certificates and fake ration cards for them, which is the first step for making other identity documents.Through the fake ration cards and birth certificates, other Indian identity documents like the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), Permanent Account Number (PAN), and AADHAAR were prepared for them.The last step was arranging fake passports for them based on these other fake identity documents.The ED officials secured information about such individuals after decoding messages from the individual and group chats in WhatsApp of Azad.Azad’s original name as a Pakistani citizen was Azad Hossain, which he changed to Ahammed Hossain Azad when he managed Bangladeshi citizenship through unfair means.Finally, in the fake Indian passport, which he managed through unfair means, his name was mentioned as Azad Mullick.During his arrest, two fake EPIC cards, multiple fake driving licenses, and four fake birth certificates were also seized by the investigating officials from his possession.–IANSsrc/svn

Congress says Kashmir rail link inauguration is about governance in great continuity

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New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) Congress on Friday greeted the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian Railways, saying that the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) is a “powerful” example of continuity in governance, and also added that the 135 km rail link between Baramulla and Qazigund had become operational by June 26, 2013.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be flagging off the Vande Bharat train service from Katra to Srinagar, and laying the foundation/inaugurating projects worth Rs 46,000, including the Chenab bridge, which is a part of USBRL.Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, took a jibe at the Centre, stating that USBRL’s success involved a great continuity which has not been realised by the current dispensation.Taking to X, Ramesh made cryptic remarks at the Prime Minister. “Governance involves great continuity, a fact consistently denied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his perennial desire for self-glory. This is especially true when it comes to the implementation of extraordinarily challenging developmental projects.”Ramesh shared details about the USBRL history in his post. He wrote that the 272 km long Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) was initially sanctioned in March 1995 when P.V. Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister. In March 2002, it was declared a national project when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister.Giving date-wise details and to prove his point, he wrote: “On April 13, 2005, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the 53 km rail link between Jammu and Udhampur. 2. On October 11, 2008 Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the 66 km rail link between Anantnag and Mazhom outside Srinagar. 3. On February 14, 2009, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the 31 km rail link between Mazhom outside Srinagar and Baramulla. 4. On October 29, 2009, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the 18 km rail link between Anantnag and Qazigund. 5. On June 26, 2013, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the 11 km Qazigund to Banihal rail link.”“This meant that by June 26, 2013 the 135 km rail link between Baramulla and Qazigund had become operational,” he added.The inauguration of the 25 km rail link between Udhampur and Katra had to be put off because of the election code of conduct for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on July 4, 2014.Since 2014, the 111 km Katra-Banihal stretch, for which major contracts had been awarded much earlier, has been completed. For instance, contracts for the iconic Chenab Bridge had been awarded by 2005 itself to the Konkan Railway Corporation, Afcons, VSK India, and Ultra Construction and Engineering Ltd of South Korea, Ramesh said.The Congress leader expressed happiness over the inauguration and said, “The Indian National Congress greets the people of Jammu and Kashmir on this important occasion. It also congratulates the personnel of the Indian Railways, and the public sector and private companies involved in the execution of the USBRL over the past three decades.”He said the project’s success reflects a collective resolve and success in the face of the gravest of odds.–IANSdpb/

J&K eagerly awaits PM Modi heralding a new dawn of progress

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Jammu, June 6 (IANS) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to flag off the Vande Bharat train service from Katra to Srinagar and lay the foundation/inaugurate projects worth Rs 46,000, people are eagerly looking forward to a new developmental dawn on the union territory’s horizon.PM Modi is scheduled to rewrite history by realising the over 70-year-long dream of the people in Kashmir, for whom the journey from the landlocked Valley to the rest of the country looked a distant prospect.As the entire security apparatus drawn from the special protection group (SPG), army, CAPFs and the local police are maintaining the hawkeyed vigil on the security situation to ensure a peaceful and hassle free visit of the PM, the common man in J&K is enthusiastic about the events of the day going to change the future of the UT.The Jammu-Srinagar national highway has always been the heartburn for millions of people living in the Kashmir Valley because of the highway’s undependability.A small trickle of rain would trigger landslides, mudslides, shooting stones and caving in of the road, resulting in a blockade lasting days at a stretch on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.The blockade of the Jammu-Srinagar highway is going to be of little consequence after Saturday, when the commercial operations of the Vande Bharat train service begin.“All our horticulture, agriculture and handicrafts, including shawls, carpets, and walnut wood furniture, etc., suffer because of the huge transportation cost and the time taken for such products to reach the terminal markets.“For Kashmir’s future generations, this story is now going to be a forgotten tale of the past. Goods trains will now transport our produce in the shortest possible time at low freight and without any uncertainty about arrival,” said Abdul Salam Mir, 64, a businessman living in Srinagar city.Students travelling to seek admissions in professional colleges, patients going out for treatment, businessmen travelling to outside markets, and the common man looking for comfort, affordability and certainty of travel, all people living in Kashmir Valley are going to benefit from the train coming to Kashmir.People outside the Valley, including tourists, businessmen and professionals, will equally benefit.“From the point of view of integration and unity of the country, the railway link between Kashmir to Kanyakumari is a powerful political message the PM is going to send from Katra town today”, said Krishen Chand, 52, a resident of Katra town.–IANSsq/dpb