Afternoon briefing: Cong reacts to Assam CM's comment on ‘Yatra’, Digvijaya Singh's take on Ram Lalla idol; latest news

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Published on: Jan 19, 2024, 12:56:00 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Congress party on Friday sharpened its attack on Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after the BJP leader threatened to arrest two “bad elements” participating in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, said that the chief minister is rattled by the “tremendous response” the party's outreach programme has received over the past two days in the northeastern state. “The Assam CM can abuse and defame, he can threaten and intimidate but we are not afraid. He is obviously disturbed by the huge impact of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which will continue in Assam for another six days in spite of his continuing efforts to derail it,” Ramesh said in a social media post on X. Sarma was asked if the yatra would would pass through Guwahati, to which he said the participants had been told not to travel through the city as it has medical colleges and hospitals. Dig Deeper

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday courted another controversy by saying that the newly sculpted Ram Lalla idol being seated in Ayodhya's Ram Janmanbhoomi Temple does not look like a child. Questioning the need for a second idol, Singh said that the idol should be in the form of a child and in the lap of Mother Kaushalya, but the one being seated is not in the child form. “I have been saying this from the beginning, where is the idol of Ram Lalla whose idol was controversial and destroyed? What was the need for the second statue? Our Guru Late Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Ji Maharaj of Dwarka and Joshimath had also suggested that the idol of Lord Ram in the Ram Janmabhoomi temple should be in the form of a child and should be in the lap of Mother Kaushalya. But the idol that is being consecrated does not look like a child,” the Congress leader said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Dig Deeper

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Lifestyle and Health

A relationship is a two-way street. Be it understanding each other, putting effort, clarifying things, making a healthy space for communication or having fun – all of it should be divided between two people involved in the relationship. A healthy and happy relationship consists of two people putting in equal amount of time, effort and energy in the relationship. However, sometimes that may not be the case. Often, a relationship can feel like a burden on one set of shoulders when the other partner tries to escape the responsibilities. This pattern, when continued for a significant period of time, can make us have doubts on the relationship. Dig Deeper

Sports Goings

Earlier this week, a young man from Karnataka grabbed the consciousness of the average Indian cricket fan, upstaging even Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Not yet 19, Prakhar Chaturvedi ripped the record books to shreds, scoring a monumental unbeaten 404 in the final of the all-India Under-19 tournament for the Cooch Behar Trophy. That his exploits came in the title clash, and against Mumbai who received a dose of their own medicine, brought it into starker focus. Chaturvedi might be the current Under-19 flavour, but don’t be surprised if more names grab the limelight in the next three weeks. Names like Uday Saharan. Arshin Kulkarni. Aravelly Avinash. Musheer Khan. Raj Limbani. Saumy Pandey. Dig Deeper

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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