Bengaluru, Aug 12 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP on Tuesday raised the issue of the Dharmasthala murders in the Assembly and urged Home Minister G. Parameshwara to make a statement on the case to put an end to rumours circulating on social media and in society.BJP MLA and state General Secretary V. Sunil Kumar, raising the matter during Zero Hour in the Legislative Assembly, said that for the last 12 to 13 days, developments have been taking place targeting the religious centre. “We welcome the Specia…

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) Public sector banks have pumped in massive funds to support higher education in India over the past three years, with State Bank of India (SBI) emerging as the undisputed leader in disbursals and Maharashtra topping the state-wise charts. According to data presented in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, SBI disbursed a whopping Rs 32,311 crore in education loans between FY 2022-23 and 2024-25, nearly three times higher than its nearest com…

Guwahati, Aug 12 (IANS) Assam will have 10 new co-districts, increasing the total number of such administrative units in the state to 49, officials said on Tuesday. The new co-districts include Boko-Chhaygaon and Palashbari in Kamrup district, Borsola and Rangapara in Sonitpur, Mariani and Teok in Jorhat, Makum and Digboi in Tinsukia, Dholai in Cachar, and Dudhnoi in Goalpara. According to a senior official, eight of these are being inaugurated on Tuesday, while the remaining two will be launche…

Palamu (Jharkhand), Aug 12 (IANS) A 16-year-old minor girl was allegedly gang-raped while on her way to board a train in Jharkhand’s Palamu district on Monday night, police said on Tuesday.The victim, a resident of the Patan police station area of Palamu, was travelling with her younger sister to Punjab. While waiting at Daltonganj railway station, the sisters were approached by two men who falsely claimed that they are police officers.They demanded the girls’ personal details, their names a…

Aligarh, Aug 12 (IANS) Aligarh, a city renowned for its locks and educational institutions, is gaining recognition for a new craft—idol-making. As the festival of Krishna Janmashtami approaches, local artisans have been busy preparing idols of various Hindu deities. What stands out this year, much like earlier, is the remarkable participation of Muslim artisans, who are skillfully crafting brass idols of Laddu Gopal, symbolising unity and communal harmony. Idol trader Kapil Gupta shared insigh…

Bengaluru, Aug 12 (IANS) Commenting on the sacking of Minister K.N. Rajanna, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya on Tuesday commented on Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to Karnataka stating, “We should thank Rahul Gandhi for coming to Bengaluru because what he has ultimately done is destabilise his own government.”In his Press statement, released on Tuesday, Siroya stated, “LoP Rahul Gandhi by coming to Bengaluru a few days back, and making wild allegat…

Ahmedabad, Aug 12 (IANS) Gujarat’s state-level Independence Day celebrations this year will be held in Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. On August 15, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will preside over the flag-hoisting ceremony, marking the 78th anniversary of India’s freedom.As per the General Administration Department, Gujarat Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary will lead the celebrations in Mehsana, while cabinet ministers and district collectors will oversee events across other …

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) India’s inflation rate based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) eased further to 1.55 per cent in July this year, compared to the same month of the previous year, as prices of food declined during the month. This is the lowest level of year-on-year retail inflation since June 2017, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Statistics on Tuesday.The retail inflation in July was also lower by 55 basis points than the 2.1 per cent for the previous month of June th…

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh on Tuesday launched an ambitious AIDS awareness campaign from Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini, setting the tone for a citywide public health drive. After the flag-off, healthcare workers will be going door-to-door to educate residents about HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, and treatment.Pankaj Singh emphasised that the initiative is not a one-time programme but a mass movement aimed at tackling the stigma and misinformation surrounding the dis…

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) A delegation of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), led by party president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, met Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, in the national capital to press for the urgent discussion of long-pending political issues central to Assam’s identity and history. Speaking after the meeting, Gogoi said the delegation urged Rahul Gandhi to raise in Parliament the implementation of the Assam Accord, the execution of Clause 6, and the repe…