Evening briefing: Cong reacts to Akhilesh's comment on ‘yatra’, Row over IUML leader's take on Ram Temple; latest news

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Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav stated on Sunday that he has not received an invitation to join Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.' The statement from a key INDIA bloc partner comes as the Opposition grapples with internal challenges over seat-sharing for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.When asked about participating when the yatra enters Uttar Pradesh, the former chief minister said, "Many big events are organized, but we are not invited." The sequel to the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began in Manipur and is set to conclude in Mumbai, is currently in Jharkhand. It has already covered five states, mostly by bus. In response to Akhilesh Yadav's statement, Congress was quick to defend itself. The party's senior leader Jairam Ramesh said that the final programme is not yet finalized, and the party is open to inviting alliance partners. Dig Deeper

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. (HT File)

The Kerala unit chief of the state-based Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a Congress ally, has landed in controversy over his statement that the recently inaugurated Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and the proposed mosque in the city, ‘would strengthen secularism in the country.’ Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal made the remark on January 24, two days after the temple event; the video of the speech, however, went viral on Sunday. "The temple which is worshipped and revered by the majority of the people in the country and is now a reality. We cannot go back from that. There is no need for us to protest against it. The temple came up based on a court order and the Babri Masjid is about to be constructed. These two are now part of India. The Ram temple and the proposed Babri Masjid are the two best examples that strengthen the secularism of our country," he was seen saying in the video. Dig Deeper

The Latest News

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India News

Mass wedding fraud in Uttar Pradesh: Brides garland themselves, 15 arrested. Dig Deeper

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Don’t include streaming platforms in Broadcasting Bill: TV industry to MIB. Dig Deeper

Global Matters

At least six injured in a shooting in Denver: Police. Dig Deeper

At least 28 killed by Ukraine's shelling of bakery in Russian-controlled city: Moscow. Dig Deeper

Imran Khan's jailed aide Shah Mahmood Qureshi can't contest Pakistan polls for 5 years. Dig Deeper

Entertainment Focus

Veteran actor Simi Garewal took a trip down memory lane and posted a brief clip from her chat show Rendezvous with Simi Garewal. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Simi shared the video, which featured actor Aishwarya Rai and an 'uninvited guest'. The video started with Simi asking Aishwarya, "If this beauty thing is so overpowering, does the woman inside get eclipsed?" Aishwarya started replying, "But for...I think people who do not know me when they'd first meet me, I guess they'd come with the bag--..." Simi then repeatedly gestured to Aishwarya that a cockroach was approaching her and said in a hushed tone, "Look. Eww." Dig Deeper

Lifestyle and Health

The outbreak of a rare fungal infection Candida auris has sparked concerns in United States. Most recently, four people in Washington have been tested positive for the deadly infection, however no deaths have been reported so far since detection of the first case in July. Candida auris is known to cause outbreaks in healthcare facilities and patients who spend a long time in hospitals are at risk. The fact that C. auris infections are resistant to three primary categories of antifungal medications and may not show symptoms even after spreading throughout the body adds to the trouble in treating them. While the infection isn't very common, it can cause severe disease with high mortality rate, is resistant to drugs and has spreads very fast. Dig Deeper