The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders strongly condemned the offensive remarks made by Khalistani supporter Gurpatwant Pannun against the architect of the Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, stating that such statements are an attempt by Pannun to disrupt Punjab's harmony.

On Friday, AAP leaders Harnoor Singh Maan, Lalit Saklani, Jarnail Nangal, and Santosh Kumar Gogi addressed a press conference in Phagwara, where they fiercely criticized Gurpatwant Pannun’s statements.

Addressing the media, Harnoor Singh Maan called Pannun's remarks highly objectionable. He said that Pannun is neither a Sikh, a Punjabi, nor an Indian. "He is an agent of central agencies and works at the behest of anti-Punjab forces," Maan said.

A US official's claim over possible hacking of electronic voting systems in that country was on Friday met with a reassuring calm by the Election Commission of India (ECI) with sources highlighting the Indian EVMs' superior technology and no use of Internet or Bluetooth during voting as foolproof shields against manipulation.

The US official, in a viral video circulating on social media, made the claim about election integrity while referring to on-going probe in that country into ‘flaws’ in electronic voting systems and urged a switch to paper ballots.

Senior separatist and religious leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Friday, alleged that authorities had placed him under house arrest in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar, thereby preventing him from delivering his weekly sermon and offering prayers at the Jamia Masjid.

Mirwaiz Umar said on X, “Yet again, this Friday put under house arrest and barred from offering prayers at Jama Masjid. It’s is both heartbreaking and outrageous that authorities continue to trample on my basic religious rights - at their will. The resolution formulated by MMU -the meeting of which was also not allowed, against the Waqf Amendment Act will be read out today in mosques, shrines, and Imambaras across J&K”.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a two-day visit to Maharashtra from Friday evening to pay tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Raigad Fort and attend various functions.

HM Shah will land at Pune at 8 p.m. and on Saturday will visit the memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s mother Jijamata and pay tribute in Raigad district at 10.30 a.m. and later go to Raigad fort, which carries the echoes of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s reign.

Once the capital of his flourishing Maratha Empire, this hilltop stronghold carries with it the stories of bravery, innovation, and heroism. Raigad Fort echoes the remarkable courage and visionary tactics of Shivaji Maharaj, whose leadership transformed this fort into a symbol of strength. He will attend various functions being organised at the fort.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, NCP Working President Praful Patel, state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare and Minister of Women and Child Welfare Aditi Tatkare are expected to accompany the Union Minister.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders condemned the derogatory remarks made by Khalistani supporter Gurpatwant Pannun about the architect of the Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and said his motive is to create division among the people of Punjab.

On Thursday, AAP Cabinet Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh and Member of Parliament Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal addressed a press conference on this issue in Hoshiarpur. AAP MLAs Jasvir Singh Raja Gill and Brahm Shankar Jimpa were also present.

Dr. Ravjot Singh stated that Gurpatwant Pannun wants to divide the people of Punjab, but he will not succeed.
He said, “The people of Punjab are wise and can see through such tricks. Punjabis will never tolerate such incidents.”

Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) V.K. Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday conducted a joint inspection of the Pollution Control Center in the Wazirabad area as part of the government's intensified efforts to clean the Yamuna River.

The visit also focused on future plans to transform the area into a scenic riverfront and potential tourist spot.

The inspection began at the Wazirabad Pollution Control Center, a crucial junction where the Wazirabad and Najafgarh drains converge before merging with the Yamuna.

Authorities are working on a comprehensive plan to treat wastewater at this point and further enhance the site with a walking track and recreational facilities.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab's Senior Spokesperson Neel Garg has urged Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa to stop politicizing the drug issue and instead support Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s ongoing war against drugs. Garg criticized Bajwa’s recent remarks targeting Punjab Police and called on him to contribute constructively to the fight to save Punjab’s youth.

Neel Garg questioned Bajwa’s silence on the latest incident where the Punjab Police arrested a senior officer of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Amritsar with heroin in his possession. He asked, “Should the ED now also be dismantled because of this arrest? Good and bad elements exist everywhere. This isn’t about politics — it’s about our youth’s future.

AAP leaders strongly condemned the Khalistani supporter Gurpatwant Pannun for his derogatory comments about the Constitution’s architect, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. They stated that Pannun deliberately makes inflammatory statements because spreading hatred is his profession.

On Wednesday, AAP MLAs Fauja Singh Sarari, Ranbir Singh Bhullar, Rajnish Kumar Dahiya, and Naresh Kataria collectively addressed a press conference in Ferozepur regarding the remarks of Gurpatwant Pannun.

Addressing the media, MLA Fauja Singh Sarari said that miscreants like Pannun are attempting to disrupt Punjab's peace and harmony. However, the AAP government will not let their vile plans succeed. “We firmly stand against such individuals,” he asserted.

AAP leaders emphasized that Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar does not belong to any one caste or religion; he belongs to the entire nation, and his birth anniversary is celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country. They added that Pannun’s statements are merely an attempt to provoke the people of Punjab.

The maiden budget session of the current Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly concluded in an uproar as Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the House sine die on Wednesday.

The 21-day session had commenced on March 3 with the Lt. Governor’s address.

The Speaker informed the House that during the session, a total of 1,355 questions were received; 154 main questions were taken up while their 353 supplementaries were answered.

He also said that 1,738 Cut Motions were also received, and 1,731 were taken up for the discussions.

In a landmark move, the Madhya Pradesh government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, has resolved to lift the eight-year-long embargo on promotions for over four lakh government employees.

This much-awaited resolution is set to unwrap a proposal soon to be presented before the cabinet, charting a course for enhanced career growth and opportunities within the state’s administrative framework. The government is soon going to announce plans to lift the eight-year freeze on promotions for over four lakh government employees.