India

New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) Opposition leaders like Congress' Ahmed Patel, CPI's D Raja, CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury, DMK's Kanimozhi and RJD's Manoj Jha will meet the president on Thursday to highlight their concerns over the probe into the Delhi riots, a senior leader told PTI.

The leaders will meet President Ram Nath Kovind at 12:30 pm, Raja confirmed.

"We will submit a memorandum regarding the Delhi police's investigation and inquiry into the Delhi riots and how they are handling the inquiry.

Chandigarh, Sep 16 (PTI) Farmers' groups on Wednesday held protests at several places in Punjab against "anti-farmer" bills introduced by the Union government in Parliament.

They said the government should have consulted the farming community on the bills, which were promulgated as ordinances earlier, as they could adversely impact them.

Kolkata, Sep 16 (PTI) A host of leaders, including health activist Rezaul Karim, joined the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday from other political parties.

Karim, a former Congress Doctors' Cell chief and CPI (M)'s Birbhum candidate in last year's Lok Sabha election, was welcomed to the party by its secretary-general Partha Chatterjee.

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) A delegation of top NSCN-IM leaders and officials of the Intelligence Bureau continued the ongoing peace talks to find a lasting solution to the vexed Naga insurgency problem in the Northeast, officials said on Wednesday.

The negotiations are being held almost on a daily basis for the last few days between the NSCN-IM leadership and two senior officers of the IB here.

Chandigarh, Sep 16 (PTI) The Shiromani Akali Dal on Wednesday issued a whip to its members in the Rajya Sabha, asking them to oppose the Centre's farm-related legislations in the House.

It was issued by the party's chief whip Naresh Gujral.

They were directed to opposed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020; Farmers' Produce, Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; and Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.

Mumbai/New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and requested people who came in his contact recently to follow protocol.

His office said the minister is in Nagpur and has slight fever.

"Yesterday, I was feeling weak and consulted my Doctor. During the course of my check up, I have been tested COVID-19 positive," Gadkari tweeted.

"I am at present doing well with the blessings and good wishes of all. I have isolated myself," he added.

Kochi, Sep 17 (PTI) Kerala Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel on Thursday appeared before the NIA teamprobing the sensational Kerala gold smuggling case.

Visuals aired by TV news channels showed the Minister, who is facing the Enforcement Directorate probe into allegedFCRA violation in accepting consignments of Holy Quran brought from UAE through diplomatic channel, arriving at the NIA office here at 6 am in a private car.

There was no official word either from the NIA or from the Minister's office about the development.

Bhopal, Sep 17 (PTI) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat and top leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad have arrived here for a two-day meeting, a VHP leader said on Thursday.

The leader refused to share the agenda of the meeting, which is being held in the backdrop of the ongoing construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

"Bhagwatji and top VHP leaders are in Bhopal for a two-day meeting which will continue till Friday evening," he said.

Bhopal, Sep 17 (PTI) Union minister Prahlad Singh Patel on Thursday said he has tested COVID-19 positive.

The BJP MP from Damoh Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh said his test report was received on Wednesday night.

"I have tested positive. Those who met me on Tuesday should take adequate precautions," the minister tweeted.

Patel's ministerial colleagues Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Shripad Naik, Dharmendra Pradhan, Kailash Choudhary, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Shekhawat and Suresh Angadi were also diagnosed with COVID-19 recently.

New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah greeted the people of Telangana, Marathwada and the Hyderabad-Karnataka region on the occasion of the Hyderabad Liberation Day on Thursday.

On September 17, 1948, Hyderabad was liberated from the rule of the Nizam and merged with the Indian Union.

"Greetings on Hyderabad Liberation Day to the people of Telangana, Marathwada & Hyderabad-Karnataka region.