J&K Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, on Wednesday announced government jobs to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in Pakistan shelling.

The Lieutenant Governor made the announcement while addressing families affected by the Poonch shelling.

The L-G expressed grief over the loss of lives due to Pakistan shelling and also expressed sympathy with the bereaved families.

"The loss of lives cannot be compensated. We stand with the families in this hour of grief. The next of kin of those who lost their lives will be given government jobs. This is in addition to the Centre's support for the affected families. Both the Centre and state governments have been making efforts to provide compensation to the families. The damage assessment is being done, and once the report is completed, the measures will be taken accordingly," he said.

Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Wednesday called upon the world powers to join hands against acts of terror and urged all nations to make a united global front against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

Raghav, who joined the prestigious Asian Leadership Conference in South Korea as a keynote speaker, made a strong case for punitive action against Pakistan for protecting and shielding terrorists, stating, “Terrorism anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere.”

The series of controversial statements by Congress leaders, in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, is neither a coincidence nor a slip of tongue but rather it is part of a planned and well-coordinated strategy for fanning anti-India sentiments, said BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi on Wednesday.

The BJP national spokesperson, speaking to the media, scoffed at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge over his depiction of Operation Sindoor as ‘chutput’ (small) war and said that this shows the depraved mentality of the INDIA bloc.

He further said that such statements by Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and other members of the INDIA bloc are giving oxygen to Pakistan and also leveraging it to build on its anti-India rhetoric.

Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Tuesday, described Operation Sindoor as a “small act of war.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi was supposed to visit Kashmir on the 17th. The intelligence agencies informed him not to visit the Valley, and he got the programme cancelled. If he knew this, why didn't he inform the tourists through the police when he cancelled the programme scheduled for the 17th?” said the Congress President while addressing Samarpane Sankalpa rally in Hospet town, held to mark the completion of two years of the Congress-led government in the state.

He said that if the Prime Minister had issued a warning, 26 lives could have been saved.

“Had you informed the public about it, these small incidents of war or the ongoing conflict with Pakistan, this could have been prevented,” said Kharge about Operation Sindoor.

After 10 years of arriving on the national political scene, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday launched its students’ wing -- Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP) -- aiming to attract young voters as part of its national ambitions.

In his rare public appearance after the Delhi Assembly elections in February, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal told students from Delhi University, Indraprastha University and those from Punjab and Gujarat in the audience, “We will force people to rethink about the superiority of our brand of alternative politics over the mainstream politics of other parties.”

Sharing his blueprint for the ASAP, he said several student groups will be formed to conduct discussions, cultural and social activities for offering them a platform to connect with society.

“Today’s politics is responsible for the big national challenges which are peculiar and basic -- lack of food, health care, and education. Even after 75 years of Independence, the country is struggling to provide these facilities to citizens,” he said, highlighting AAP’s brand of alternative politics that treats the poor and the rich alike.

In a simple ceremony, Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan on Tuesday administered the oath of office and secrecy to veteran NCP leader and Samata Parishad founder Chhagan Bhujbal as a minister in CM Devendra Fadnavis's cabinet.

The swearing-in took place in the presence of Chief Minister Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, ministers, government officers and party leaders, including NCP working president Praful Patel and state chief Sunil Tatkare.

After the ceremony, Bhujbal said, “I thank Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, both the Deputy Chief Ministers, as well as Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel. I also thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Along with this, I also thank all the people, activists and office-bearers of my constituency of Yeola-Lasalgaon, all the office-bearers and activists of Samata Parishad. I also thank all those who have shown love and affection to me till now.”

Bhujbal is expected to get the food and civil supply department, which he held in the previous governments headed by Uddhav Thackeray and then Eknath Shinde (2019-24).

Karnataka BJP has slammed the Congress-led government in the state over the flood and waterlogging situation in Bengaluru, saying that the city's reputation has suffered at the global level.

The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka, in a statement on Monday, demanded that the government immediately release Rs 1,000 crore for relief operations following the rain-induced disaster in Bengaluru.

On Sunday night, rainfall ranging from 103 to 130 mm caused havoc across the city, said Ashoka and urged the government to swiftly undertake relief operations and assist affected residents.

Ashoka said that a single pre-monsoon rain has exposed the true colours of the Congress government’s “Brand Bengaluru”.

In such a situation, instead of rushing to aid victims, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and ministers are busy attending the Sadhana Samaavesha organised to celebrate two years in office of the Congress-led government, he said while expressing outrage.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday issued summons to a Trinamool Congress leader in West Bengal for questioning in connection with the multi-crore cash-for-school job case.

Sources aware of the development said the person summoned is Ambarish Sarkar, the Youth Trinamool Congress President of South Dinajpur district.

He was issued the summons for interrogation on Monday and asked to come to the ED's office at the Central Government Office (CGO) complex at Salt Lake at the earliest.

Sources said that Sarkar was summoned after the investigating officials received specific information about his involvement in irregular appointments of some non-teaching staff, both in Group-C and Group-D categories.

Veteran Congress leader and former Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, P.J. Kurien, on Monday criticised Shashi Tharoor, the four-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, for his recent actions that appear to defy the party line.

“What Tharoor should not forget is that he was invited by the Modi government to lead the country’s delegation because he is an MP. He has not criticised the government’s policies, and he should also remember that it was the Congress that fielded him,” said a visibly upset Kurien.

“If people suspect Tharoor is leaning towards the BJP, no one can blame them for thinking so,” he added.

Kurien further stated that Tharoor should have shown basic courtesy by informing the party leadership before accepting the government’s invitation.

“That’s the least a Congress leader should do. But that wasn’t done,” he said.