India

Lucknow, Jul 13 (PTI) Senior BJP leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh on Monday blamed the then Congress government at the Centre for levelling "false and baseless allegations" against him in the Babri mosque demolition case and said he was "innocent".

"The then Congress government at the Centre levelled false and baseless allegations against me and filed a case out of political animosity," he told reporters after appearing before a CBI special court here in connection with the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case.

New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) The Railways has set a target of going completely green by becoming a 'net zero' carbon emitter by 2030 through various initiatives, including electrification of broad gauge, improving energy efficiency and switching to renewable sources, the national transporter said on Monday.

It has also set a target of electrification of all routes on broad gauge by December 2023.

New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday said she would be vacating her government accommodation in Lodhi Estate here by August 1, terming as "fake news" reports that she had sought more time to do so.

The government had on July 1 issued an eviction notice to the Congress leader, asking her to vacate the 35, Lodhi Estate bungalow before August 1.

Taking to Twitter, she termed as "Fake news", reports that she has requested the government to grant her extension and that she has been granted one.

Mumbai, Jul 14 (PTI) Poet and activist Varavara Rao, arrested in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, has been taken to the state-run J J Hospital here after he complained of dizziness, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Rao, 80, has been behind bars for almost two years and lodged at the Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.

The activist and his family members have claimed he is unwell since sometime, and sought the jail authorities to provide him immediate medical care.

New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Google chief executive Sundar Pichai on Monday announced plans to invest Rs 75,000 crore in India over the next five to seven years to help accelerate the adoption of digital technologies in the country.

India-born Pichai, who held a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday morning, made the announcement at annual 'Google for India' event via video conference.

Bulandshahr, Jul 13 (PTI) Police have announced a reward of Rs 50,000 each for information leading to the arrest of three shooters who allegedly killed a former village head in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr district last month, officials said on Monday.

Sanjay, a former 'pradhan' of Jadaul village in Khanpur area, was killed on June 15, when some assailants in an SUV intercepted his car and fired multiple rounds at him, the officials said.

New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Retail inflation increased to 6.09 per cent in June, mainly on account of higher prices of food items, the government data showed on Monday.

Food inflation in June increased by 7.87 per cent, according to Consumer Price Index (CPI) data.

The inflation figures are based on data collected from limited markets in view of the restrictions imposed on account of coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) said in a release.

Jammu, Jul 13 (PTI) A rape accused escaped from custody here on Monday, prompting a massive police search, an official said.

Chaibasa (Jharkhand), Jul 13 (PTI) A road was blown up on Monday by Maoists in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, police said.

They carried out an improvised explosive device (IED) blast, aimed to target security personnel, and damaged the road, Superintendent of Police Indrajeet Mahata said.

The incident happened near Berkela village in Khuntpani block in the early hours.

On Sunday, the Maoists blew up 12 buildings of the forest department, located around 2 km from the area.

Jaipur, Jul 14 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday sacked Sachin Pilot from the posts of Rajasthan's deputy chief minister and the party's state unit chief.

Cracking the whip on the rebel party leader, the party also removed his loyalists Vishvendra Singh and Ramesh Meena from the state cabinet.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met Governor Kalraj Mishra immediately after the Congress Legislature Party meeting where the decision to remove the three ministers was taken.