Air India's jumbo B747 plane, evacuating 324 Indian nationals from the novel coronavirus-hit Wuhan in China, landed here on Saturday morning, officials said. The plane reached Delhi around 7.30 am, they said. There were five doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and one paramedical staff on board, said an Air India spokesperson.
Speaking ahead of the Budget session, PM Modi said that he wanted a vast and qualitative discussion on financial issues in both the houses. "This session should be focussed mainly on economic issues. I want there to be good debates on these issues in both houses.
"In China, the Coronavirus has killed hundreds of people. My thoughts are with the families of the victims and the millions who have been forced into quarantine to prevent the spread of the virus. May they find the courage and strength to persevere through this terrible ordeal," he said on Twitter.
A group of 3-4 terrorists, travelling in a truck, opened fire at a police team at a toll plaza on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway here on Friday, injuring a policeman, officials said.
PM Modi has said that the govt is ready to listen to the opposition and is open to discussion on all issues, Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said after an all-party meeting on Thursday. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the opposition has demanded that Farooq Abdullah be released immediately so that he can attend the Parliament session.
The top court also rejected convict Akshay Kumar Singh's plea seeking stay of his execution. "The application for oral hearing is rejected. The application for stay of execution of death sentence is also rejected," said the 5-judge bench which heard the plea in-chamber. The Supreme Court Thursday dismissed the curative petition of one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case. A bench comprising Justices N V Ramana, Arun Mishra, R F Nariman, R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan also rejected convict Akshay Kumar Singh's plea seeking stay of his execution.
Throughout his six years in power, Modi has frequently linked himself to Gandhi's legacy, saying he was "made of the same soil" as the champion of Indian independence. His vice president has called it "divine coincidence" that both men were born in the state of Gujarat.
"Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by communal, majoritarian forces because he wanted to build a united and secular India, in which everyone - irrespective of her faith - will live in peace & security, with equality and human dignity. "The best tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on Martyrs Day is to pledge once again to defeat the majoritarian forces in India that are still trying to kill his ideas," Yechury tweeted.
Kovind, Modi, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and former prime minister Manmohan Singh offered floral tributes at Gandhi's memorial Rajghat where an interfaith prayer was held. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal were among those who paid homage to the Mahatma at Rajghat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary, saying the Father of the Nation will continue to inspire people to build a strong, capable and prosperous country. "A tribute to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary. The ideals of Bapu will continue to inspire us to build a strong, capable and prosperous New India," Modi tweeted.
The Indian embassy in Beijing on Wednesday started sharing “evacuation consent” forms online with Indians stuck in the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan. The form read that those evacuated will undergo “a mandatory 14 days quarantine” on arrival in India. It added that the “individuals would be directly informed about the date and logistics of the evacuation”.
Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal will be joining Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shortly. Last year, a number of sportspersons including cricketer Gautam Gambhir and Commonwealth Games medal-winning wrestler Babita Phogat had joined BJP. On the professional front, Saina was last seen playing in the Thailand Masters tournament where she was knocked out in the first round.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea by Mukesh Kumar Singh, one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, challenging the rejection of his mercy petition by the President.