Highlights: NDA slams 19 Opposition parties' boycott Parliament launch call

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Wednesday condemned the decision of the nineteen Opposition parties led by the Congress to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building on May 28. “This act is not merely disrespectful; it is a blatant affront to the democratic ethos and constitutional values of our great nation,” the statement released by NDA.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reiterated India’s concerns about attacks on temples and activities of separatists to his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, who assured him of action on these matters.

Four people including two soldiers and a policemen were killed in a suicide bombing in northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, reported Reuters.

Fawad Chaudhry, Pakistan's ousted prime minister Imran Khan's close aide, has resigned from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reiterated India’s concerns about attacks on temples and activities of separatists to his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, who assured him of action on these matters.

The Uttar Pradesh government has expedited infrastructure works in Ayodhya, including expansion of its airport and railway station, as the city prepares for the opening of the Ram temple in January next year, according to a statement.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal will attend the inauguration of the new Parliament building in Delhi on May 28, party leader Daljit Singh Cheema said on Wednesday, amid 19 Opposition parties announcing a boycott of the event.

Karnataka Deputy CM and Congress leader DK Shivakumar arrives in Delhi to meet party leadership. "We will meet the party leaders here, to discuss the various issues in the interest of the state. We also have to complete our Cabinet soon. We have to fulfil the promises we have made to the people of Karnataka. There are no internal issues in Karnataka Congress," he said.

The third G20 tourism working group meeting concluded in Srinagar on Wednesday with delegates getting a scent of Kashmir’s rainy weather amid visits to majestic Mughal Gardens and Royal Spring golf course spread out on Boulevard Road on the banks of Dal Lake.

As 19 opposition parties decided to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said it was mere ‘drama’ as they had never supported the project.

He also maintained that another reason for the boycott might be that the inauguration will be held on a day “associated with Veer Savarkar”.

The state intelligence unit of Kishtwar police on Wednesday raided houses of four terrorists in Kishtwar district, said officials.

“Today Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of Kishtwar Police again carried out raids at multiple locations in Kishtwar district in the house of four terrorists who are operating from Pakistan and Pak occupied Kashmir,” said SSP Khalil Poswal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the inaugural run of the Vande Bharat Express from Dehradun to Delhi on Thursday via video conferencing, his office said.

This will be the first Vande Bharat to be introduced in Uttarakhand, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on Wednesday.

AIMIM will skip the ceremony for the opening of the new Parliament building on May 28 if it is launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad and party chief Asaduddin Owaisi said.

Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday withdrew his interim bail pleas pending before the Delhi high court in connection to the Excise policy scam being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Sisodia had filed the interim bail pleas in both CBI and ED case, seeking release from jail for six weeks to look after his ailing wife.

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan has been acquitted by an Uttar Pradesh court in connection with the hate speech case registered against him.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K Sangma met in Guwahati on Wednesday and resumed talks to resolve remaining border disputes in six boundary areas between both states.

In March last year, the two northeastern states had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in New Delhi to resolve 6 of the 12 points of dispute along their border with a give and take formula with some of the disputed areas going to Meghalaya and others remaining with Assam.

Inflation in the U.K. has fallen to its lowest level since the immediate aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, though elevated food prices meant it didn't fall as much as anticipated.

The Office for National Statistics said Wednesday that the inflation rate, as measured by the consumer prices index, dropped to 8.7% in the year to April from 10.1% in March, largely because last year's energy spike in the wake of the invasion dropped out of the annual comparison. The fall took inflation to its lowest level since March 2022, a month after the war began.

A CRPF sub-inspector and his wife died while five other people were injured when a motorcycle was hit by a speeding van here, police said on Wednesday.

The accident took place in the Kuraoli police station area in front of the local tehsil office on Tuesday, they said.

CRPF Sub-inspector Jabar Singh (55), who was posted in Sonipat, his wife Mamta Devi (52) and their son Surjeet were on the motorcycle, police said.

Nineteen opposition parties, including the Congress, Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party and Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, said Wednesday morning they intend to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building in Delhi this weekend and criticised an 'authoritarian prime minister and his government. Read more

A court here on Wednesday posted the hearing on a plea for a fresh passport by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, an accused in the National Herald case, on May 26.

Gandhi had moved the court Tuesday seeking a 'no objection certificate' to secure a fresh "ordinary passport" after having surrendered his diplomatic travel document upon his disqualification as an MP.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vaibhav Mehta posted the matter on Friday for the filling of written submissions and the arguments of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy.

"The applicant ceased to be a Member of Parliament in March 2023 and as such he surrendered his diplomatic passport and is applying for a fresh ordinary passport … By way of the present application, the applicant is seeking permission and no objection from this Court for issuance of fresh ordinary passport to him," the application said.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jamshed Cheema and his wife Musarrat Cheema have been put under house arrest for 15 days under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) section 3, according to reports in Pakistan's ARY News.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma are scheduled to meet here on Wednesday to hold further discussions on resolving border disputes between the two states in six remaining areas.

The chief ministers of both the states are also likely to visit the disputed areas later as a goodwill gesture, officials said.

Meghalaya was carved out of Assam as a separate state in 1972 and it had challenged the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, leading to disputes in 12 areas of the 884.9 km long border between the two states. (ANI)

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh alleges ED raids are being conducted at the premises of his colleagues Ajit Tyagi and Sarvesh Mishra.