Video Editor: Vishal Kumar
1. First Phase of Chhattisgarh Elections
In the first phase of the elections in Chhattisgarh, 56.58 percent voter turnout was recorded till 4.30 pm on Monday, 12 November. These 18 constituencies are in the eight Naxal-dominated districts in south Chhattisgarh.
Earlier in the day, security forces defused an IED detected on the road leading to Dwarapara polling booth, under PS Bairamgarh in Bijapur, ANI reported. There were also reports of IEDs detected near a polling booth in Banda in Sukma and on the road leading to Dwarapara polling booth.
The polling booths witnessed a large voter turnout, despite the call from the Naxals to boycott the elections.
The "real voting" taking place in the state on Monday is in many ways like the "reel voting" which they showed in Rajkumar Rao-starrer 'Newton', that bagged an Oscar nomination earlier this year.
(Catch all the updates here)
2. Union Minister Ananth Kumar Passes Away
A staunch RSS ideologue, a hard-boiled organisation man, Bengaluru's "most loved" MP and the first person to speak in Kannada in the United Nations are some of the connotations associated with Union Minister Ananth Kumar.
Kumar passed away in the wee hours of Monday, 12 November, in Bengaluru’s Shankara’s Cancer Hospital. He held the Chemicals and Fertilisers and Parliamentary Affairs portfolio in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet.
Known for his political skill, Kumar, a six-time member of Parliament, had managed to be in the inner circle of the central leadership of the BJP, be it during the heydays of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and now Narendra Modi.
On the news of his death, tributes started pouring in from the Prime Minister, President, Vice President and BJP leaders – all expressing grief at his passing and recounting his better days.
(Watch the full video here)
3. CBI Row: SC Adjourns Hearing Against Verma to Friday
The Supreme Court, on Monday, 12 November, adjourns hearing after the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) delayed its inquiry report on Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma. The report has now been submitted by SG Tushar Mehta in a sealed cover.
During the hearing, interim CBI Director M Nageswar Rao also filed report on decisions taken by him since 23 October to 26 October.
On 26 October, the SC had asked the CVC to complete inquiry in respect of the allegation made against CBI Director Alok Verma within a period of 2 weeks.
(Catch all the updates here)
4. Amit Shah’s Name is of Persian Origin, Needs Renaming: Historian
Commenting on the BJP’s clamour over renaming states, eminent historian Irfan Habib has suggested that the party should consider changing the name of its chief – Amit Shah – as his name stems from Persian origin.
Speaking to The Times of India, the 87-year-old professor said that even the name ‘Gujarat’, comes from the Persian word ‘Guajaratra’, which too poses a problem for the party, which seems to be on a mission to change the name of any place which has an Islamic origin.
“The BJP government’s renaming spree is very much in line with the RSS’ Hindutva policy. Just like the neighbouring country Pakistan, where everything that is not Islamic has been removed, BJP and right-wing supporters want to change things which are non-Hindu, particularly of Islamic origin,” he told the newspaper.
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5. MP Cong Prez Kamal Nath Denies Party ‘Fractures’
In an exclusive interview with The Quint, Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee President Kamal Nath, dismissed all rumours about a fracture within the party regarding the selection of party members given tickets to contest the upcoming polls.
Earlier, rumours were abound that while some of the older party members were given tickets to stand for the polls, the newer members, who had been promised the same, were left out of the list altogether.
“Those who have been given party tickets (to contest the polls), are the ones who we believed were the most deserving of them,” he said.
(Watch the full video here)
6. Ranveer and Deepika’s Wedding Prep In Italy Underway
D-Day is almost here for Ranveer and Deepika. The couple, who will tie the knot on 14 and 15 November reportedly at Lake Como in Italy, was spotted at the Mumbai airport twinning in white outfits on 10 November.
Ranveer and Deepika’s teams are posting photos of wedding preparations being undertaken in Italy.
At the airport, Ranveer looked dapper in a white bandhgala while Deepika wore a simple turtleneck sweater and pencil skirt with nude heels.
Ranveer seemed to be in high spirits as he arrived in his signature filmy style, greeted fans and posed for the paps. Both he and his bride-to-be couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear. The couple were accompanied by Ranveer’s father Jagjit Singh Bhavnani.
(Read the full story here)
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