India

Kolkata, Jan 22 (PTI) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday asserted that in the absence of any development agenda, what the Bharatiya Janata Party wants is to create a "Hindu rashtra".

Speaking at the Kolkata Literary Meet here, Tharoor also claimed the real "tukde tukde gang" is the ruling party which is dividing the country into "bits and pieces".

"With no development on its agenda, the ruling party is making a complete exposition of its agenda to create a Hindu rashtra," Tharoor, also an acclaimed author, claimed.

New Delhi, Jan 22 (PTI) Several members of the Delhi Congress on Wednesday joined the Aam Aadmi Party in the presence of party leaders Sanjay Singh and Pankaj Gupta, the AAP said in a statement.

According to the statement, the new entrants are of the opinion that the work done in the education, healthcare transport, power and other sectors has transformed the system and the lives of people during the tenure of the AAP government in the city.

Mumbai, Jan 22 (PTI) Noted actor Shabana Azmi, who was injured in an accident last week, is "recovering well", her husband and veteran screenwriter Javed Akhtar said on Wednesday.

Azmi suffered head injuries when her car met with an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on January 18. Akhtar was also there in the vehicle but escaped unhurt.

Ahmedabad, Jan 22 (PTI) The Gujarat High Court has rejected a plea filed by former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt seeking a review of its direction to the CID to probe a 1996 case of alleged drug planting in which he was arrested.

Justice J B Pardiwala rejected the jailed former officer's petition last week.

Pune, Jan 22 (PTI) Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan claimed on Wednesday that pre-Budget meetings are being held at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) but Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is not being invited.

If Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not happy with Sitharaman's performance, he should ask her to resign, the former Maharashtra chief minister said here.

Mumbai, Jan 22 (PTI) A 35-year-old priest has been arrested in Navi Mumbai for duping people on the pretext of performing puja of their gold jewellery to ward off evil spirits, police said on Wednesday.

The accused, Ajay Jangam, was arrested last week by the Navi Mumbai police's Crime Branch, they said.

Nagpur, Jan 22 (PTI) Three persons including a boy were arrested at Kamptee town in the district on Wednesday for allegedly raping a teenage girl and beating up her male friend, the police said.

The incident had taken place on Monday night.

The accused were identified as Monu alias Mohnish Milind Borkar, Sheikh Anwar Sheikh Amin (32) and a minor.

Jaipur, Jan 23 (PTI) Lauding the efforts of students and common people who have been protesting against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), actor Nandita Das said on Thursday that more places like Shaheen Bagh are coming up across the country.

Das also exhorted people to speak up against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Kolkata, Jan 23 (PTI) The World Archery on Thursday conditionally lifted the suspension on India, less than a week after the embattled national federation held its elections.

"The federation needs to comply with good governance and activity portions of World Archery constitution and rules. Must report every three months," said a statement from the World Archery.

New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) The sessions judge who recently issued death warrants against the four death row convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case has been transferred.

Additional Sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora has been transferred to the Supreme Court as Additional Registrar on deputation basis for one year, a letter sent by Registrar General, Delhi High Court, to the District Judge, Patiala House Courts, said.