India

Raipur, Jun 22 (PTI) The BJP Saturday staged a protest at all the district headquarters in Chhattisgarh, accusing the Congress government of failing to deliver on promises made during the Assembly polls last year.

Former chief minister Raman Singh, former ministers Brijmohan Agrawal and Rajesh Munat and a large number of party workers took part in a demonstration at Budhapara here.

Singh said the Congress government's performance in the last six months was "shameful".

Bijapur, Jun 23 (PTI) A policeman was killed by Naxals at a weekly market in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Sunday, a police official said.

The incident took place around 2 pm when assistant constable Chaitu Kadti went to the market in Mirtur village along with his family members, he said.

A 'small action team' of Naxals (typically comprising four to five cadres) suddenly stabbed Kadti with knives, killing him on the spot, and fled, the official said.

The rebels did not harm the family members of Kadti, who was posted at Mirtur police station, he said.

Lucknow, Jun 23 (PTI) BSP chief Mayawati Sunday appointed her brother Anand Kumar as the party's national vice president and her nephew Akash Anand as its national coordinator, a senior leader said.

She also appointed BSP leader Ramji Gautam as the party's national coordinator. The decision was taken at a meeting here which was attended by top functionaries of the party.

Amroha MP Danish Ali has been made the leader of the party in Lok Sabha and its Nagina MP Girish Chandra has been appointed the chief whip, he said.

New Delhi, Jun 23 (PTI) India Sunday rejected a US religious freedom report, saying it sees no locus standi for a foreign government to pronounce on the state of its citizens' constitutionally protected rights.

In its annual 2018 International Religious Freedom Report, the State Department alleged Friday that mob attacks by violent extremist Hindu groups against minority communities, particularly Muslims, continued in India in 2018, amid rumours that victims had traded or killed cows for beef.

New Delhi, Jun 20; GANASHAKTI: The Left parties accused the Centre on Thursday of succumbing to the pressure exerted by the US government to further open India's economy, stating that they were opposed to the "US agenda".

In a joint statement, the Left parties said the stated purpose of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to India was to push the country to further open its economy, drop the trade barriers and sell US defence equipment to India.

New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) The price of 1032 essential medicines have been capped by the government to help provide poor medicines at cheaper rates, the Rajya Sabha was informed Friday.

Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukhlal Mandavia said the government is attempting to provide 700 medicines in Jan Aushadi Stores and a total of 20 truck loads of medicines are being supplied to such stores per day for providing medicines at cheaper rates to the poor.

New Delhi, June 21 (PTI) As many as 30 private members' bills, including the one to ban non-vegetarian food at official meetings and functions, were introduced in the Lok Sabha Friday.

The bill to prohibit non-vegetarian food at official functions was introduced by Parvesh Sahib Singh (BJP).

N K Premachandran (RSP) moved a bill for maintaining status quo on religious practices of Sabrimala temple that existed before September 1, 2018.

Dehradun, Jun 21 (PTI) A three-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her 11-year-old neighbour in Dalanwala area of the city, police said Friday.

The incident took place on Wednesday when the girl's parents had gone out leaving her at home with her two elder siblings, an official said.

According to the complaint registered by the girl's parents on Thursday, the accused took the victim to his house and raped her, Superintendent of Police (city) Shweta Choubey said.

The boy was booked under the POCSO act and has been sent to a juvenile home, she said.

Patna/Muzaffarpur, Jun 21 (PTI) Three more children with symptoms of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) died at a hospital in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district Friday taking the toll to 139.

According to the Muzaffarpur district administration, all the three deaths were reported from the government-run SKMCH hospital, which alone has accounted for 104 casualties since June 1.

The Bihar health department had on Thursday released state-wide figures putting the total toll following the outbreak, which has spread across 16 districts, at 136.

ISLAMABAD, Jun 22 (APP): Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Saturday people of Pakistan have rejected those who converted Sindh province into Moenjodaro-like ancient remains.

Responding to the speech of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in a tweet the SAPM said Bilawal should not blame Imran Khan for trial as the cases against his arrested father were initiated during Nawaz Sharif government.