Srinagar : While winter has already taken over Kashmir, shades of autumn persist in the form of yellow leaves of the mighty Chinar. And the burning Chinar leaves have become a striking symbol of the season’s unique beauty. This annual spectacle, cherished by locals and visitors alike, showcases the valley’s magical transformation before the onset of winter.
The vibrant hues of Chinar trees dominate the landscape, particularly in the famous Mughal Gardens. Tourists flock to spots like Nishat Bagh to experience the golden glow of the leaves. For many, walking on the dry, fallen Chinar leaves is a highlight.
“The crackling sound beneath our feet is soothing and unforgettable,” a tourist Rohit Kumar from Delhi said
Burning piles of these leaves, a traditional practice in the valley, adds to the visual and olfactory charm of the season. The sight of flames flickering among the leaves against the cool autumn backdrop draws photographers, Bollywood crews, and pre-wedding shoot enthusiasts.
Kashmir’s autumn, with its mild days and crisp evenings, continues to captivate hearts, making it an unmissable experience for those seeking a slice of paradise. And in the early winter, yellow shades of Chinar tree creates a unique blend of the two seasons that delights tourists.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday refuted the reports of possible alliance with Congress for the forthcoming assembly polls in Delhi.
Taking to micro blogging site X, the former chief minister of Delhi said, “Aam aadmi party will be fighting this election on its own strength in Delhi. There is no possibility of any alliance with congress.”
The assembly polls scheduled for early 2025 have sparked a war of words between INDIA bloc partners, with both AAP and Congress denying the possibility of an alliance in the national capital.
Earlier, Tehelka.com had reported that alliance is not on the page with Congress and AAP.
Meanwhile, AAP has released a second list of candidates who will be contesting in the elections. The party released the list of 20 candidates including those who have recently joined the party.
According to the list, two sitting MLA including Manish Sisodia and Rakhi Birla have been shifted out of their constituencies Patparganj and Mangolpuri respectively.
Avadh Ojha, who has recently joined the party is contesting the polls from Patparganj, Dinesh Bharadwaj from Narela, Surender Pal Singh Bittu from Timarpur, Jinder Singh Shunty from Shahdara, Mukesh Goel from Adarsh Nagar, Jasbir Kalra from Mundka, Rakesh Jatav from Mangolpuri, Pradeep Mittal from Rohini, Purandeep Singh Sawhney from Chandni Chowk, Parvesh Ratan from Patel Nagar, Pravin Kumar from Janakpuri, Surender Bharadwaj from Bijwasan, Joginder Solanki from Palam, Prem Kumar Chauhan from Deoli, Anjana Parcha from Trilokpuri, Vikas Bagga from Krishna Nagar, Naveen Chaudhary from Gandhi Nagar, and Adil Ahmad Khan from Mustafabad constituency.
This time the party has dropped a total of 16 sitting MLAs from the list of candidates so far since the first list was released on November 21.
Days before the elections, two key members of the party have opted out of the 2025 elections. Shahdara MLA Ram Niwas Goel and Timarpur MLA Dilip Pandey, both informed that they will not be contesting the elections next year.
The Delhi Assembly polls are due to be held in February 2025. Besides the ruling AAP, the BJP and the Congress will be in the fray.
In the last Delhi Assembly elections which were held in 2020, AAP won a landslide victory and secured 63 of the 70 seats.
Amid the ongoing tension between India and Bangladesh over the atrocities that are being committed on the Hindus and other minorities in the neighbouring country, many groups came together and staged a protest at Delhi’s Teen Murti Road.
The protesters included Civil Society of Delhi and ISKCON have expressed their concerns over the situation of minorities in Bangladesh and highlighted the killing of people and destruction of Hindu-centric cultural buildings.
Photo: Naveen Bansal
These protesters, while raising slogans against Bangladesh have appealed to the central government and United Nations to intervene and restore peace in the country as well as ensure safety of minorities.
Speaking to Tehelka.com Swami Kanchan Giri of Parmartham Hanuman Mandir Trust said, “I condemn the atrocities on the hindu minorities in Bangladesh and request the Indian government to ensure the safety of our brothers and sisters whether through diplomatic way or the other.”
“There are people in our Parliament who talk about humanity when it comes to Gaza and Palestine but they are mum on this issue. The UN, Indian Government or Bangladesh, all of them should work towards humanity, the religion comes later,” Swami Giri added.
One of the protesters appealed for quick action to ensure safety of people suffering in Bangladesh and said that we will fight against the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh.
“We are here to register our protest against the inhuman behaviour and atrocities on our hindu brothers and sisters in Bangladesh. We request the central government to take action against this as soon as possible. We are with Hindus in that country and we will fight for them,” said Kuljeet Kaur, a protester.
Meanwhile the protesters showed their resentment by raising slogans such as “Bangladesh Hosh mein aao, hosh mein aao.” They also held placards saying “can’t see what’s happening in Bangladesh” and “Amnesty International has no respect for hindu human rights.”
Veena Sikri, former high commissioner of India to Bangladesh who was present at the protest to register the support said that this was the first time after 1971 that a very sustained and cruel attack had happened.
“The situation is very serious for the Hindus, Buddhist and Christians and this is the first time after 1971 there has been a sustained and cruel attack on the minority community. The Islamic organizations who are in-charge are not listening and pretending like this is not happening. They are insulting their own citizens. They must recognize the rights of their own citizens then only things can go ahead but Islamic regime is just not able to do that,” Sikri told Tehelka.com.
Notably, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Bangladesh and met his counterpart Touhid Hussain to take stock of the situation.
The current tension between New Delhi and Dhaka has emerged in the backdrop of several reports of attacks on minority communities. These incidents have been happening under the watch of the provisional government led by Muhammad Yunus.
Bhopal : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Parliament House on Tuesday and briefed him on the various welfare schemes being implemented in the state and sought his guidance.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister extended the invitation to PM Modi to inaugurate the Global Investors Summit to be held in February next year.
The Chief Minister also urged PM Modi to lay the foundation stone for the Ken-Betwa River interlinking project. This river interlinking project proposed to transport excess water from the Ken River in MP to the Betwa River in UP in order to irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
He also apprised PM Modi that a two-week-long campaign – ‘Mukhyamantri Jan Kalyan Abhiyan’ will be launched on the occasion of the completion of one year of MP government on Wednesday.
“The main objective of this campaign is to achieve 100 per cent saturation through selective schemes for the welfare of youth, women, farmers, and the poor, ” an official said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also sought PM Modi’s blessings upon the completion of the one-year tenure of his government in Madhya Pradesh.
Notably, following the resounding victory in the state assembly election held on November 17, 2023, BJP’s central leadership replaced former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with Mohan Yadav.
Four-time former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was elected as Lok Sabha MP from Vidisha, is now the Union Agriculture Minister in PM Modi’s Cabinet.
Three-time BJP MLA from temple town Ujjain, Mohan Yadav took oath as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on December 13, 2023. Two senior party leaders – Rajendra Shukla (Rewa) and Jagdish Devda were made as Deputy Chief Ministers.
The BJP secured victory in Madhya Pradesh by claiming 163 seats out of the total 230-member assembly. While the Congress was reduced to 66 against 114 it had won in the 2018 Assembly elections.
Bengaluru : S. M. Krishna, former Karnataka chief minister and External Affairs Minister, passed away on Tuesday in Bengaluru after a prolonged illness. He was 93.
The Karnataka government has declared a holiday on Wednesday as a mark of respect to the leader.
The mortal remains of Krishna will be kept at his residence in Sadashivanagar on Tuesday for the public and will be taken to Somanahalli in Maddur, Mandya district, his birthplace at 8 a.m. on Wednesday for last rites.
Krishna was suffering from age-related ailments. He was admitted to the Vydehi Hospital and later shifted to the Manipal Hospital following a lung infection. He was treated at the ICU recently. He breathed his last at his residence in Sadashivanagar.
He was survived by his wife Prema and two daughters.
Expressing condolences, President Droupadi Murmu said: “Sad to learn about the demise of S. M. Krishna who served people in various capacities – from a member of the state Assembly and of Parliament to a union minister and governor. As chief minister of Karnataka, he earned people’s affection for his commitment to the development of the state. My heartfelt condolences to his family and admirers.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was deeply saddened by Krishna’s demise.
PM Modi said he had many opportunities to interact with the leader over the years, and will always cherish those interactions.
PM Modi further wrote on X handle, “SM Krishna was a remarkable leader, admired by people from all walks of life. He always worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others. He is fondly remembered for his tenure as Karnataka’s Chief Minister, particularly for his focus on infrastructural development. SM Krishna was also a prolific reader and thinker.” Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda stated, “I am saddened by the passing away of SM Krishna, my friend and longtime Karnataka colleague. We started in politics around the same time and cultivated very different approaches to development and governance. Om Shanti.”
A viral video from Kashmir’s Gulmarg area captures a car skidding out of control on a snow-covered road, highlighting the challenges posed by the ongoing heavy snowfall in the region.
The video shows several people struggling to walk on the icy stretch, sliding and losing balance. Moments later, a car spins uncontrollably before crashing into a pole, narrowly avoiding a fatal accident. The incident occurred near the popular ski resort of Gulmarg.
The clip was shared on Instagram by @kashmir_with_adil,
“Iss bar ke liye bacha le, ab mai kabhi yagan nahi aawunga (Protect me this time. Now, I won’t come here again),” one of the guys not seen in the video can be heard saying.
Commenters expressed concern, with one advising to avoid traveling during peak snowfall months and another questioning the decision to venture out in such conditions.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Centre in Srinagar reported that Gulmarg recorded a minimum temperature of -9°C, marking the coldest temperature of the season in Kashmir’s weather stations.
No serious injuries were reported from the incident.
Chandigarh : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday asked the officers to ensure foolproof arrangements for the Shaheedi Sabha to be held at Sri Fatehgarh Sahib from December 25, 26 and 27.
Chairing a meeting to review arrangements for the Shaheedi Sabha here at his official residence, the Chief Minister said that the state government has already allotted funds for repair of the roads and the work should be completed in a time bound manner. He asked the officers to set up help line centres at every road leading to the Gurdwara sahib so that pilgrims do not face any problem during the sabha. Bhagwant Singh Mann also asked the officers to ensure that every nook and corner of Sri Fatehgarh Sahib is covered under CCTV cameras so that any sort of untoward incident can be checked.
The Chief Minister further said that elaborate arrangements should be made to facilitate thousands of pilgrims coming annually to pay respect during Shaheedi Sabha adding that special focus should also be made on cleanliness of town during Sabha. He said that this sacred land is a source of inspiration for not only Sikhs but the entire humanity as all of them converge here every year to pay respect to Chotta Sahibzadas and Mata Gujri on their martyrdom day. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government will leave no stone unturned to ensure that pilgrims do not face any sort of inconvenience during the Shaheedi Sabha.
The Chief Minister said that he will personally monitor this work to ensure that it is completed in a time bound manner. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that martyrdom of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh along with Mata Gujri ji at this pious land had since ages inspired Punjabis to fight against injustice, tyranny and oppression. He said that the supreme sacrifice made by the younger Sahibzadas at a tender age hardly finds any parallel in world history.
The Chief Minister said that as every year lakhs of pilgrims visit this place during the Shaheedi Sabha so the state government is giving a complete facelift to this town. He said that the state government is duty bound to facilitate the pilgrims coming to this sacred place. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that a viable mechanism should be put in place to ensure that no pilgrim faces any sort of problem during their visit.
A major tragedy was averted on Monday when security forces detected and defused an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the Palhallan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
The IED was discovered during routine surveillance on the Baramulla-Srinagar highway by a joint team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army, CRPF, and SSB Battalion. Upon detection, authorities immediately stopped traffic and restricted public movement in the area to ensure safety.
A Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was deployed, successfully neutralizing the device without causing harm to residents or security personnel.
“The timely detection and defusal of the IED prevented a potentially devastating incident,” said an official.
Following the operation, traffic on the highway resumed as normal. A case has been registered at the Pattan Police Station, and an investigation is underway to identify those behind the incident.
New Delhi : AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi hit out at the BJP for levelling false charges on her party over sheltering Rohingyas and getting their names included in the voters’ list, claiming that it was the ruling party which brought these refugees to the Capital.
In a social media message, CM Atishi tagged a 2022 tweet by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and said, “In their rush to blame Arvind Kejriwal, the BJP leaders even forgot who brought and settled them in Delhi and where.”
She attached Puri’s old tweet which said, “India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country. In a landmark decision all #Rohingya #Refugees will be shifted to EWS flats in Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs & round-the-clock @DelhiPolice protection.”
The Delhi Chief Minister said the truth has come before Delhiites. “Truth cannot be suppressed, it comes to light one day. Today, Hardeep Puriji’s tweet has brought the truth before Delhi residents.”
A BJP leader countered CM Atishi’s social media post saying it was Kejriwal who, in a letter dated June 23, 2021, had written to civic agencies to provide 240 EWS flats and a community centre to Rohingyas in Bakkarwala area.
The Delhi CM’s social media post in Hindi comes at a time when the BJP has alleged that the AAP government got names of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis added to voters’ lists.
Delhi BJP chief Virender Sachdeva attacked the AAP over “bogus voters” in Assembly election rolls and reminded illegal voters that they may get jailed for one year if they impersonate or indulge in illegal voting.
While AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP, along with the Election Commission, of getting the names of its voters removed from rolls, the Delhi BJP vowed not to allow even a single Rohingya or Bangladeshi or any bogus voter to cast a vote in the upcoming Assembly elections.
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended his best wishes to priest George Jacob Koovakad on his elevation to the rank of Cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Francis.
The 51-year-old priest from Kerala was promoted to the rank of Cardinal by the Pope in a grand ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Saturday. The event was attended by clergy and dignitaries from across the globe and marked the induction of 21 new Cardinals.
Taking to X, PM Modi posted, “A matter of great joy and pride for India! Delighted at His Eminence George Jacob Koovakad being created a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Catholic Church by His Holiness Pope Francis.”
“His Eminence George Cardinal Koovakad has devoted his life in service of humanity as an ardent follower of Lord Jesus Christ. My best wishes for his future endeavours, ” the Prime Minister added.
Koovakad has become the first priest from India to be directly promoted to the rank of Cardinal. Previously, all other cardinals from India had held the positions of bishops or archbishops before receiving this honour.
Koovakad is attached to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Changanacherry and after being elevated as a cardinal, he became the sixth person from India to occupy the post.
The other five Cardinals were bishops before being elevated to this exalted post in the Catholic Church.
On Saturday, while speaking to the media just before he took his immediate family to have the customary meeting with the Pope, the smiling Koovakad said, “My parents and my close relatives have come for the function and we are going for the function when the Pope will receive all the guests. This is God’s will, which I never expected. This elevation is a selection done by God. I owe this to all who made it possible. When I was sent here (in 2006), I was told by my respected seniors that if it’s to learn the Bible, that can be done in Kerala itself, but since you are being sent to the Vatican, it’s being done to learn things deeply.”
In the global Catholic Church, there are 232 active Cardinals at present, and the numbers will go up to 253 after Koovakad and 20 others will be elevated.
It’s this group of Cardinals who will be sitting together to elect the next Pope whenever that time comes.
Koovakad, currently based in the Vatican, has the responsibility of organising the international travel schedule of Pope Francis. He joined the Vatican Diplomatic Service in 2006 after completing his formation at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.
Born on August 11, 1973, in Thiruvananthapuram, Koovakad became a priest on July 24, 2004, and later pursued training for diplomatic service at the prestigious Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.
In 2006, he began his diplomatic career at the Apostolic Nunciature in Algeria.
He has served in Apostolic Nunciatures in Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica, and Venezuela.
