NEW DELHI: Amul has increased the prices of its milk products by Rs 2 per litre, effective from Wednesday. The hike will apply to several variants including Amul Standard Milk, Amul Gold, Amul Taaza, Amul Slim n Trim, Amul Cow Milk, Amul Buffalo Milk, and Amul Chai Mazza. The price adjustment comes as part of a routine market review, the company said, and will be reflected across all retail outlets starting May 1, 2025. On Tuesday, Mother Dairy had also announced that it had raised its milk prices by Rs 2 per litre, citing the reasons of the ongoing extensive heatwave in the Delhi NCR region.
Congress’s Rahul Gandhi said today that the Centre’s decision to club caste census with next year’s population census is a welcome step though taken under pressure. He offered to help the Centre “design” a roadmap for the census, declaring that the caste survey done by Telangana was better than the one by Bihar, though it was the first. He also laid down a broad roadmap to achieve social justice – outlining the next three steps which the Congress, he said, will push for.
Calling the caste census a “new paradigm of development”, he said, “It was our vision, we are glad they have adopted it”.
His party, he said, now wishes to “go beyond” and see what is the “participation of 90 per cent people”.
“The 50 per cent cap on reservations is becoming an impediment to the progress of our country and to the progress of Backward Castes, Dalits and Adivasis and we want this barrier to be eliminated,” he told reporters this evening.
“We have put enough pressure on the government to get the caste census done and we want a date by when it is done and we want to put pressure on the government to see that the 50 per cent cap is destroyed,” he said.
“After that there is a third thing — Article 15.5 which is reservation in private educational institutions, which is already a law. We want that law to be implemented as soon as possible,” he added.
The BJP, though, has called out the Congress claims – especially the one that caste census was their long-standing demand.
While making the announcement this morning after a cabinet meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the party always opposed a caste census and the category was never included in censuses since Independence.
“Congress governments have always opposed a caste census. In 2010, the late Dr Manmohan Singh said the matter of caste census should be considered… a group was formed (and) most political parties recommended it. But the Congress decided to conduct a survey…” he said.
Malaika Arora failed to appear as a witness in a brawl case.
A Mumbai court warned Arora of issuing a non-bailable warrant.
She was previously served a bailable warrant but skipped her hearing.
Mumbai:
Noting that actor Malaika Arora was “intentionally” avoiding the legal proceedings by failing to appear as a witness in a 2012 hotel brawl case involving co-star Saif Ali Khan, a court in Mumbai has granted her last chance and warned of issuing a non-bailable warrant.
The court was irked after Ms Arora failed to appear on April 29, days after a bailable warrant was issued against her.
Ms Arora, despite having knowledge of the summons issued to her, was “intentionally” avoiding the court proceedings, the court said.
Ms Arora was part of a group of diners that accompanied Mr Khan at a five-star hotel on February 22, 2012, when the alleged incident occurred.
The court had already issued a bailable warrant against the actor and had directed her to appear before it on April 29.
However, when Ms Arora skipped the appearance, Chief Judicial Magistrate K S Zanwar on Tuesday noted that an advocate representing Ms Arora was present in court.
“Despite the knowledge, she (Arora) is trying to avoid the court proceeding intentionally,” the court said.
While granting the actor a last chance, the court posted the matter for further hearing on July 9 and said if Ms Arora failed to remain present on that day, a non-bailable warrant would be issued.
The court had first issued a bailable warrant against Ms Arora on February 15. It was re-issued on April 8 as she didn’t turn up.
Saif Ali Khan and two other accused were arrested following a complaint filed by NRI businessman Iqbal Mir Sharma.
The actor was accompanied by his wife Kareena Kapoor, her sister Karisma Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Amrita Arora, and some male friends at the hotel when the brawl broke out.
According to police, when Mr Sharma protested the raucous chatter of the actor and his friends, Mr Khan allegedly threatened them and subsequently punched Mr Sharma in the nose, causing a fracture.
The NRI businessman also accused Mr Khan and his friends of hitting his father-in-law Raman Patel.
Mr Khan, on the other hand, has claimed that Sharma made provocative statements and used abusive language against the women accompanying him, which led to the ruckus.
Mr Khan and his two friends- Shakeel Ladak and Bilal Amrohi – have been charge-sheeted under section 325 (assault) of the Indian Penal Code.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NEW DELHI: Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday welcomed the union cabinet’s decision to conduct a caste census but demanded a clear timeline for its completion, calling it just the “first step” toward deeper social reform. “We welcome the decision, but we need to know how much time it will take to conclude the census,” Gandhi told reporters shortly after the announcement. He added, “We have shown we can pressure the government.” He also credited public and political pressure for pushing the government to act and said, “We have shown we can pressure the government.” Referring to the Congress party’s longstanding demand, Gandhi said, “We had said in the Parliament that we will make caste census happen. We had also said that we would scrap the 50% cap, the artificial wall that is in place. Narendra Modi used to say that there are just four cases. Don’t know what happened but suddenly after 11 years, caste census has been announced.” Calling Telangana a model for such an exercise, Gandhi said it could serve as a blueprint for the Centre. “We completely support it, but we want a timeline. This is the first step… There are two examples—Bihar’s and Telangana’s—and there is a vast difference between the two.” Outlining the broader vision, Gandhi added, “Caste census is the first step. Our vision is of bringing a new development paradigm through caste census. Not just reservations, but we are also asking central questions—be it OBCs, Dalits, Adivasis, what is their participation in this country?” He also urged the BJP-led NDA government to begin implementing Article 15(5), which allows for reservations in private education institutions. “This is already a law. We want the government to begin implementing it,” he said.
LIVE: Congress party briefing by Shri Rahul Gandhi at Congress Office, 24 Akbar Road, New Delhi.
Mumbai Indians’ pace spearhead Trent Boult is looking forward to the much-anticipated clash with Rajasthan Royals’ teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, calling it an “exciting challenge” rather than a concern. Suryavanshi, just 14 years old, stunned the cricketing world with a blistering 38-ball 101 against Gujarat Titans — the fastest century ever by a teenager and the second-fastest in IPL history. As MI prepare to face RR at the high-scoring Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Boult acknowledged the hype but maintained perspective. Also See: CSK vs PBKS Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! “I’ve bowled to some brilliant batsmen around the world — Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers — all the quality that comes in these tournaments,” Boult told the media on the eve of the clash. “I’ll be careful not to say I’m worried about a 14-year-old. But it’s going to be an exciting challenge to come up against a guy who’s obviously fearless and running in hot form at the moment.” Who’s that IPL player? The Kiwi pacer praised Suryavanshi’s fearless approach and performance. “The whole world saw that knock. It was quality from such a young kid. That’s the beauty of this tournament — young players grabbing their chance and making the most of it.”
Poll
Who do you think will perform better in the upcoming match: Trent Boult or Vaibhav Suryavanshi?
With MI on a five-match winning streak after a rough start, Boult credited the team’s resilience and ability to learn from early setbacks. “T20 cricket is like that — a couple of boundaries here or there can change everything. We’ve tried to improve a bit every game, and there’s still room to be five or ten percent better.” MI face RR in a critical encounter that could shape the playoff picture — and all eyes will be on whether the seasoned Boult can outfox the fearless 14-year-old.
Mary Kom has broken her silence on her divorce rumours that went viral on social media a few weeks back. The Olympic medallist has now confirmed that she and her husband Onkholer (Onler) Kom “are no longer married and they have finalized their divorce by mutual consent.” Mary Kom, a six-time world champion in boxing, also addressed the rumours about dating “Mr. Hitesh Choudhary or being in a relationship with another boxer’s husband.”
In a two-page post on X, under the letter-head of Rajat Mathur, Advocate Supreme Court, Mary Kom clarified her stance on the subject.
The text content of the ‘legal notice’ is as follows. “Specifically, the following matters are addressed: 1. Speculations regarding her divorce and separation from her husband, Mr. Onkholer (Onler) Kom, along with related news about him and his current state of affairs. 2. Claims suggesting that she is currently dating Mr. Hitesh Choudhary, who is identified as a business partner and chairman of the Ms. Mary Kom Boxing Foundation,” the letter read.
“In the light of these speculative and incorrect media reports, I wish to issue the following clarifications, as instructed by my client, Ms. M C Mary Kom:
“Ms. M.C. Mary Kom and Mr. Onkholer (Onler) Kom are no longer married and they have finalized their divorce by mutual consent under KOM CUSTOMARY LAW on December 20 2023, in the presence of both family members and leaders of the clan as the adjudicating authorities,” the letter further stated.
“As for the details of their past marriage, my client states that aforesaid speculations, assertions are denied being wrong and incorrect. Any further than this, my client does not wish to state or comment, as this is a matter of the past. She has since moved on with her life positively, in accordance with the mutual agreement signed thereof.”
In the letter, it has also been clarified that reports of Mary Kom’s “relationship involvement with Mr. Hitesh Choudhary or being in a relationship with another boxer’s husband” are not true.
“The rumours regarding my client’s relationship involvement with Mr. Hitesh Choudhary or being in a relationship with another boxer’s husband, are categorically denied and should not be propagated by any media platform. It is further stated that Mr. Hitesh Choudhary is working with my client, Mary Kom strictly under business collaboration relationship and any & all speculations beyond it, are specifically denied.”
Pakistan has also violated the ceasefire on the International Border in Jammu.
Indian forces have “responded appropriately”.
PM Modi has expressed “complete faith and confidence” in the Indian armed forces
New Delhi:
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan after last week’s terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pehalgam, in which 26 people were killed, key military officials of both countries have spoken over the hotline and New Delhi has warned Islamabad against “unprovoked violations” along the Line of Control, sources have told news agency ANI.
“Director Generals of Military Operations of India and Pakistan talked over the hotline yesterday to discuss the unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan. India warned Pakistan against the unprovoked violations by the Pakistan army along the Line of Control,” the sources were quoted as saying on Wednesday.
The details of the conversation came on a day when Pakistan violated the ceasefire on the International Border in Jammu after resorting to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control for six straight days.
“Further to the previous update about 29-30 April (night), unprovoked small arms firing by Pakistan Army was also reported from their posts across the Line of Control in Baramulla and Kupwara districts, as well as across the International Border in the Pargwal Sector,” a defence spokesman said, adding that Indian Army troops responded “appropriately”.
Firing across the International Border is rare and is being seen as an escalation from Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack.
India’s Measures, Pak’s Response
After nationwide outrage over the killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in the targeted attack, India has taken a series of diplomatic measures against Pakistan, including revoking visas and suspending the key Indus Waters Treaty, which lays out how water from the six rivers of the Indus system will be shared between the countries.
Pakistan has responded by closing its airspace to Indian airlines and threatening to suspend all bilateral agreements – including the important Simla pact, which recognises the ceasefire line of December 17, 1971 as the Line of Control. The ceasefire violations after this announcement are also seen as important in this context.
PM’s Message To Forces
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held several important meetings on Wednesday, including one of the Cabinet Committee on Security – which is India’s highest decision-making body on national security matters. In an earlier high-level meeting on Tuesday, which also included the chiefs of the armed forces, Prime Minister Modi gave the forces “complete operational freedom” to decide on the “mode, targets, and timing” of India’s military response to the Pahalgam attack, sources have said.
He also “reaffirmed that it is our national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism” and expressed “complete faith and confidence” in the Indian armed forces.
Tata Motors’ reputation for building tough cars was once again put to the test; albeit in an unexpected situation at a multi-level parking facility. A Tata Nexon bore the weight of a falling lift and another car yet came away with only minor damage. The owner of the SUV took to social media to share the incident. According to her, the SUV was parked in a multi-level parking lot when she received a call from the security team informing her that the lift above her car had failed. The lift, which also had a sedan parked in it, had collapsed, landing right on top of her Nexon. Surprisingly, the vehicle had held its ground with minimal visible damage. In the photos she posted, the sedan and the lift structure can be seen resting on the roof of the Nexon. As seen in the images, the overall structural integrity of the SUV remained largely intact. Though it suffered a few bruises, the damage was far less than what one might expect in such a scenario.
Tata Sierra design explained: Glass panels but no safety compromises! | TOI Auto
Tata Nexon: All you need to know
The incident involved the pre-facelift version of the Tata Nexon. It had received a five-star safety rating in the Global NCAP crash tests. It was also the first made-in-India vehicle from an Indian manufacturer to achieve that distinction. The SUV continues to be one of the top-sellers in the sub-compact segment and is offered with multiple powertrains, including petrol, diesel, CNG, and electric options. Prices for the Nexon currently start at Rs 8 lakh, ex-showroom. Following the incident, Tata Motors’ service team reached out to the owner to arrange a full inspection of the vehicle to rule out any hidden structural or mechanical issues – a gesture she appreciated in the post.
Kuldeep Yadav’s friendly slap to Rinku Singh (Screengrab)
NEW DELHI: Cricket fans were caught off guard after a playful moment between Kuldeep Yadav and Rinku Singh went viral following the intense IPL clash between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday. In a clip, Kuldeep was seen giving Rinku a friendly slap during the post-match greetings. While it may have sparked curiosity online, the gesture was clearly in jest. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The video that followed put any doubts to rest, showing the duo sharing laughs, making the ‘L’ sign — symbolising ‘Love’ — and enjoying warm off-field camaraderie. Watch: Both Kuldeep and Rinku hail from Uttar Pradesh and share a strong bond off the field, often engaging in friendly banter. The video not only captured their humorous moment on the ground but also featured glimpses of their fun interactions behind the scenes. As for the match itself, KKR secured a thrilling 14-run win over DC, keeping their playoff hopes alive. Batting first, KKR posted a solid 204/9, with crucial contributions from Angkrish Raghuvanshi (44), Rinku Singh (36), and Andre Russell’s late fireworks. Rinku had earlier taken on Kuldeep Yadav in style, hammering two fours and a six in a single over.
Everything is special about Vaibhav Suryavanshi: Vikram Rathour
In reply, DC managed 190/9, despite fighting knocks from Faf du Plessis (62), Axar Patel (43), and Vipraj Nigam (38). Sunil Narine was the pick of the bowlers for KKR with 3/29, while Mitchell Starc delivered a dramatic final over, claiming two wickets and sealing the win. With this victory, KKR moved to 9 points, still in the playoff race, while DC held onto a top-four spot with 12 points.
