According to pollster Pradeep Gupta, years of TMC "misrule" that created a "climate of fear", Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma and the organisational abilities of Amit Shah and the RSS brought the BJP to power in West Bengal.
Ten women died and 30 others were injured after a pick-up van carrying them to a temple fell into a gorge in Pune district. The accident occurred due to the vehicle's failure to climb an incline, possibly due to overloading. PM Modi and CM Fadnavis announced compensation for the victims' families.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha that the situation in Manipur is largely under control, with no deaths reported in the last four months. However, he acknowledged that the situation cannot be considered satisfactory as displaced people are still living in relief camps. Shah attributed the violence to a high court decision regarding a reservation-related dispute, emphasizing that it was not terrorism-related but ethnic violence between two communities. He highlighted government efforts to establish peace, including discussions with both the Meitei and Kuki communities and a rehabilitation package for the displaced. While the opposition supported the resolution confirming the imposition of President's rule, they urged for a swift return to peace and normalcy in the state.
The agreement was reached between the warring sides at a meeting held at a CRPF facility in adjoining Assam's Cachar on Thursday. The meeting was moderated by Jiribam district administration, Assam Rifles and CRPF personnel, officials said.
Suddenly, a mob gathered near the locality, pelting stones and shouting slogans asking residents to leave. Manipur had been tense throughout the day with demonstrations and protests in Churachandpur and Imphal, some of which had turned violent.
An abandoned house in Lalpani village was torched by armed men on Friday night, they said.
One person was shot dead in his sleep while four others were killed in subsequent exchange of fire between armed men of two warring communities, a police officer said.
'The visit of the honourable PM with the workable strategy towards conflict resolution will help greatly.' 'But visiting the state without concrete proposals may not bring the desired outcome at this stage.'
Just a day after an agreement was signed between Hmar and Meitei representatives to restore peace in ethnic violence-hit Jiribam district of Manipur, the apex body of the Hmar community said that the pact stood 'null and void'.
The assistant director of the vigilance department had filed a written request before a special court, seeking two months' time to study the 'lacunae and discrepancies' in the CBI's closure report in the case to file an appropriate protest petition before it.
'Meiteis started feeling insecure stating that the illegal immigrant population is growing in the valley, and that the majority community would become a minority.'
Lekini Suiting's late goal gave the home side a 2-1 victory in the opening match of the under-19 JRD Tata Cup.
Churchill Brothers booked a semi-final berth with a 2-0 win over Shillong Lajong FC, while Mohun Bagan began the season in style, thrashing George Telegraph 4-0 in the 114th IFA Shield in Kolkata on Friday.
Churchill Brothers' surge to their inaugural I-League title was put on hold as they were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation threatened Air India in a bitterly contested 21st round match at the Cooperage in Mumbai on Saturday.
Nine young men killed in police firing last August have become symbols of oppression of the tribals of Manipur.
As many as 68 artworks went under the hammer on Tuesday evening and included works by the greats like Raja Ravi Varma, V S Gaitonde, F N Souza, Jogen Chowdhury, and Akbar Padamsee among others.
Modi's NDA is good enough to give a psychological boost to the once 'untouchable' BJP and Modi but if the NDA doesn't get a majority on its own, then walking the last mile will be the greatest challenge of this election for Modi, says Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com
