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Funny things have been happening in Morbi Gujarat where a 143-year-old suspension bridge collapsed under the weight of its own expectations, killing 135 including 50 children. If the bridge was brought down by criminal negligence, nobody seems bothered, least of all the state government.

With a new round of assembly elections, including that of Gujarat, round the corner, the freebies issue has occupied the centre-stage of political discourse. The matter is now before the Supreme Court, which has favoured an early hearing of a PIL in this connection by a larger 3-member bench. The court’s approach shows the extent to which it gives importance to underlying considerations.

New Delhi: Leader Harsha Bharathakoti settled for a draw with second seed S L Narayanan while top-seed Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa won a marathon 137 move game against Karthikeyan Murali to move into joint lead with three others on five and half points as the Asian Continental Chess Championship headed for a close finish with just two rounds remaining.

New Delhi: Grandmaster Harsha Bharathakoti held top seed Praggnanandhaa R in the sixth round and with five points maintained his pole position while in the women section Nandhidhaa P V grabbed the sole lead after beating compatriot Priyanka Nutakki in the Asian Continental Chess Championship here.

The political developments are not shaping up in consonance to the desires of Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar. While he wants that Bihar should strive for bringing the opposition parties on a common platform, allies of his Mahagathbandhan are not putting so much of interest and efforts to achieve the mission. With Amit Shah on a nonstop offensive against Mahagathbandhan government, especially launching a systematic insinuating campaign against Nitish, he was expecting that the counter offensive from his allies would be more pungent and result oriented.

Congress leader Dr. Ajoy Kumar tweeted “Morbi bridge collapse is an ‘Act of Fraud’. God’s message to Modi ji”. New Twitter owner Elon Musk wouldn't object, he is a free speech absolutist. But even he wouldn’t approve of “likes” garnered for being glib about 134 killed, 50 of them children. Also, God shouldn’t be drawn into political slugfests.

Narendra Modi government has been misusing the sedition laws under section 124 A of the Indian Penal Code for quite some time. No amount of criticism from civil society could stop the BJP led governments at the centre and states from launching prosecutions against those who happened to oppose their arrogance with overt and covert intentions of manipulating the policies of the country until the Supreme Court itself had to pass an interim order on May 11, 2022 on use of the provision of sedition on hold. However, the love for sedition law remained in the psyche of the Modi Government that continued playing tricks around it, even in the Supreme Court of India, by telling the bench on October 31, 2022 that it is re-examining the colonial provision.

New Delhi: The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Monday , announced a cash reward of INR 5 lakh each for both Sankar Muthusamy and the men’s doubles pair of Satwik Reddy and Chirag Shetty for their commendable performances at the BWF World Junior Championships and French Open 750 World Tour event respectively.

New Delhi: Twelfth seed Harsha Bharathakoti beat International Master (IM) Koustav Chatterjee to emerge sole leader with four and half point after the end of fifth round of the Asian Continental Chess Championship at the Leela Ambience Convention Hotel here.

Poised to emerge as ruling dispensation of West Bengal an year ago before state Assembly polls, state BJP hopes fell flat thereafter. And now the party finds itself to be a house divided with intra party squabbles, so far under the wraps is now in the open like a can of worms.