Top news of the day: April 28, 2024

Election Commission asks AAP to modify its Lok Sabha election campaign song

The Election Commission of India on April 28 asked the Aam Aadmi Party to modify the content of its Lok Sabha campaign song as per the Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994 and ECI guidelines and resubmit after modification, for the certification. “The phrase “jail ke jawaab me hum vote denge” showing an aggressive mob holding the photo of Arvind Kejriwal showing him behind bars, casts aspersions on the Judiciary. Further, the said phrase appears several times in the advertisement which contravenes the provisions of ECI Guidelines and Rule 6(1(g) of Program and Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994,” said the ECI.

Have only resigned as Delhi Congress chief, not joining any political party: Arvinder Singh Lovely

Arvinder Singh Lovely on April 28 said he has only resigned as chief of the Congress’ Delhi unit and is not joining any other political party. His clarification came after Congress ex-MLA Asif Mohammad Khan claimed that the BJP would field Lovely from the East Delhi constituency, replacing Harsh Malhotra. “I have only resigned as Delhi Congress chief and I am not joining any political party,” he said at a press conference at his residence. Mr. Lovely said his resignation reflected the pain of Congress workers saddened by the fact that the “ideals they had been fighting for during the last seven to eight years” were being compromised.

One killed, three injured in gunfight between village volunteers in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district

One person was killed and three others injured in a gunfight between village volunteers of two warring communities in ethnic strife-torn Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on April 28, police said. Dozens of gunmen had attacked Koutruk in Imphal West district on April 28 morning from elevated hilltops of neighboring Kangpokpi district prompting village volunteers deployed in the fringe village to retaliate, the police said. Exchange of fire gradually spread to adjacent villages of Kadangband and Senjam Chirang, they said.

Just 8% women candidates contested first two phases of Lok Sabha polls

Women constituted only 8% of the total 2,823 candidates in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections, with political activists saying it reflects a deeper issue of gender bias and that talk of women’s empowerment rings hollow. There were 135 women candidates in the first phase of the elections and 100 in the second phase, bringing the combined total for the first two phases to 235. In the first phase of the elections on April 19, there were total number of candidates in the fray was 1,625. In the second phase held on April 26, 1,198 candidates contested the elections.

Prajwal Revanna ‘sex scandal’ | Karnataka government announces SIT probe

The State government on April 27 announced a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe an alleged sex scandal involving incumbent Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. He is the NDA candidate from Hassan in the Lok Sabha elections too. A pen drive with thousands of sex videos featuring multiple women, allegedly recorded by the politician himself, had been doing the rounds ahead of elections in the constituency.

Village defense guard member killed in shootout with militants in Jammu’s Udhampur: police

A member of the Village Defense Guards (VDG) — armed civilians manning villages in border areas in Jammu and Kashmir to ward off militants attacks — was killed in an exchange of fire with militants in Jammu’s Udhampur on April 28. A police spokesperson said that a face-off had ensued between a police party and a group of hiding terrorists at Chochru Gala heights in Udhampur around 7:45 am “One VDG member of the J&K Police was injured in the initial exchange of fire,” the spokesperson said. The injured VDG member later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. He has been identified as Mohammad Shareef, 48, a resident of Lower Ponar, Basantgarh, Udhampur.

Talks with China going on smoothly, India will never bow down: Rajnath Singh

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said talks between India and China are going smoothly and in a good environment, and India will never bow down. Mr. Singh, who is in Ahmedabad to campaign for BJP candidates contesting the Lok Sabha elections, said India has become a powerful country from a military standpoint and wants to maintain good relations with its neighbors. “India is no longer a weak India. India has also become a powerful country from a military point of view. “We want to maintain good relations with our neighboring countries,” the Defense Minister said when asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s accusation against the Narendra Modi government over Chinese aggression.

Mahadev betting app case | Mumbai SIT detains actor Sahil Khan from Chhattisgarh

The special investigation team of Mumbai cyber cell has arrested actor Sahil Khan from Chhattisgarh in connection with the Mahadev betting app case, an official said on April 28. The actor was apprehended from Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh on Saturday after the Bombay High Court rejected his pre arrest bail plea, he said. Khan was recently questioned by the SIT in connection with the case.

Congress should be rejected for its perverted sense of vote bank politics, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a campaign rally in Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district on April 28, where he sought votes for party nominees Vishveshwara Hegde from Uttara Kannada and Prahlad Joshi from Dharwad. He asked the people to reject the Congress that had a “perverted sense of vote bank politics.”

PM Modi, CM Patnaik’s ‘partnership’ aims at benefiting a select few, allies Rahul Gandhi

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on April 28 hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik saying they were in partnership aimed at benefiting a select few. “The way PM Modi runs government, which seems to revolve around a core of 20-25 billionaires, Odisha CM’s governance style also appears to prioritize a select group. The lion’s share of benefits flow to a chosen few, leaving the remainder bewildered and overlooked,” Mr. Gandhi said, addressing a massive public meeting at Salipur in Cuttack district.

Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar stage dharna against ‘meagre’ drought relief released by Center to Karnataka

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar along with their cabinet colleagues and Congress leaders staged a dharna in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Vidhana Soudha premises on Sunday, April 28, in protest against the “meagre” amount released by the Center as drought relief. At the protest, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slammed the Center and said the sum is testimony to continued injustice brought out to the State by the Centre.

SAD to contest Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat on party symbol for first time since 1996

After snapping ties with the BJP, the Akali Dal is all set to contest the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat on party symbol ‘takdi’ or scales for the first time since 1996 as it braces for a showdown with its former ally which has used star power to clinch the seat on numerous occasions. The Shiromani Akali Dal had joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1996. As part of the seat-sharing arrangement for the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of Punjab, the BJP used to contest from Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur.

Palestinian flag unfurled by protesters at venue of Biden’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner event

Amid an increasing number of protests against Israel’s war in Palestine in the US, especially across Ivy League campuses, a huge Palestinian flag was spotted at the venue of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, The New York Post reported. Calling for ending civilian casualties in Gaza, a group of protesters draped a huge Palestinian flag over the side of the venue of the event. They sloganeered as the dinner guests and US President Joe Biden arrived at the venue, The New York Post reported. Some of the demonstrators were seen carrying a large sign that read “Biden’s legacy is genocide,” while others yelled “Stop the genocide in Gaza” as Mr. Biden’s motorcade passed by on the way to the hotel, The New York Post reported, citing the videos circulating online.

Iraq criminalizes same-sex relations with 10-15 years’ jail term

Iraq’s parliament passed a bill on April 27 criminalizing same-sex relations, which will receive a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, in a movement rights groups condemned as an “attack on human rights.” Transgender people will be sentenced to three years’ jail under the amendments to a 1988 anti-prostitution law, which were adopted during a session attended by 170 out of 329 legislators. A previous draft had proposed capital punishment for same-sex relations, in what campaigners had called a “dangerous” escalation.

Aerial photos show wide devastation left by tornado in China’s Guangzhou

Aerial photos posted by Chinese state media on April 28 showed the wide devastation of a part of the southern city of Guangzhou after a tornado swept through the day before, killing five people, injuring dozens of others and damaging over a hundred buildings. As businesses and residents began cleaning debris, the images showed block upon block of devastation in the hardest hit areas with a few clusters of buildings standing amid the destruction, a truck overturned on its side and cars crushed by rubble. Some buildings had their sheet metal roofs torn off. The tornado, which knocked out power in the area, also injured 33 people on April 27, officials said.

China’s share in India’s industrial goods imports jump to 30% from 21% in last 15 years: GTRI

With increasing India’s dependence on Chinese industrial goods like telecom, machinery and electronics, Beijing’s share in New Delhi’s imports of such goods rose to 30% from 21% in the last 15 years, a report said. According to the report by the economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative, the growing trade deficit with China is a cause of concern, and the strategic implications of this dependency are profound, affecting not only economic but also national security dimensions.

Jacks, Kohli power RCB to easy win over GT

Will Jacks struck a stunning hundred, Virat Kohli slammed a half-century as they powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a dominating nine-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in their IPL match in Ahmedabad on April 28. Opener Kohli (70 not out) and one- down Jacks (100 not out) shared 166 runs for the unbroken second wicket to overhaul the target of 201 with 24 balls to spare. RCB reached 206 for 1 in 16 overs, successfully chasing Gujarat Titans’ 200.

Young Indian women’s team seals Uber Cup quarterfinal spot

Isharani Baruah and Anmol Kharb shone brilliantly as the Indian women’s team entered the quarterfinals of the Uber Cup badminton tournament with a lopsided 4-1 win over Singapore in the second tie of group A, in Chengdu on April 28. Asian champions India, who had defeated Canada 4-1 in the opening tie, produced another fine show as they recovered from the opening match loss of Ashmita Chaliha and went on to win the rest of the contests with ease to come up trumps.