National
Sharad Pawar rides 'palki' to Raigad Fort, blows NCP's poll 'Trumpet'
Raigad (Maharashtra), Feb 24 (IANS) Marking an auspicious and emotional moment, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar went atop the historic Raigad Fort and ceremonially unveiled the party’s new symbol, ‘Trumpeter’, amidst a resounding applause and cheers from a large gathering, here on Saturday afternoon.
Pawar (83) got off his vehicle at the base of the 4,400-feet high Raigad Fort, and was helped onto an open ‘palki’ (palanquin), that was hoisted by half a dozen muscled men for the short distance till the ropeway entrance.
Coming to the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj after over four decades, Pawar then hopped onto the Raigad Fort Ropeway and the hanging car took him atop in barely five minutes, where he was accorded a rousing welcome by his supporters thronging the venue since dawn.
He was escorted to the imposing statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, sported a special ‘turban’ (pheta), offered flowers and the brief ceremonies started with over a dozen ‘tutaris’ (Trumpet) held proudly by the trumpeters waiting for the signal to blow them in the chilly winds swishing on the majestic fort.
In a brief address, Pawar dedicated the ‘Tutari’ to the NCP (SP), terming it as “bugle of joy that will help restore peoples’ democracy”.
“The ‘Tutari’ heralds an era of struggle… For the masses, it will bring back democracy to the people… We will take inspiration from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the NCP (SP) will march ahead with the trumpet,” said Pawar.
He said that many kings and emperors came and went down in history, but only Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was called the ‘janata raja’ (peoples’ king), who served the ordinary folks.
Pawar committed that the party would strive to live up to the Chhatrapati’s ideals for an ideal, people-oriented regime after fighting the ideological war.
“If we want to change the current scenario in the state, we must make efforts to restore the peoples’ rule once again. Success will definitely follow struggle and sacrifice with the inspiration from the Chhatrapati and the Trumpet,” he exhorted.
Later, he dedicated a symbolic ‘Tutari’ to the NCP (SP) as senior leaders like Jayant Patil, Jitendra Awhad and others applauded and cheered him, the trumpeters lustily played it for some time.
It may be recalled that in July 2023, the NCP founded by Pawar 25 years ago split vertically, with the breakaway faction led by his nephew Ajit A. Pawar walking out.
This month (February 2024), the Election Commission of India (ECI) allotted the original NCP name to the Ajit Pawar group and also assigned its symbol of ‘Clock’.
Days later, the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar also ruled in favour of Ajit Pawar, leaving Sharad Pawar high-and-dry, without a proper name or polls symbol.
A couple of days ago, (February 22), the ECI allotted the ‘Trumpeter’ symbol to NCP (SP), which was warmly accepted by the party.
The ‘Tutari’ is associated with important and auspicious events, cultural, historical, political, religious or VIP events, has an easy recognition among the masses, plus enjoys a royal aura around it and boasts of instant recall value.
NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar, Working President Supriya Sule, State President Jayant Patil, National GS Jitendra Awhad, MP Amol Kolhe, MLA Rohit R. Pawar, National Spokesperson Clyde Crasto, Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase and other party leaders have endorsed the ECI’s award of ‘Tutari’.
(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
–IANS
qn/uk
National
Defence Ministry: Year 2025 will be year of reforms
On Wednesday, the Defence Ministry announced that 2025 will be designated as the “Year of Reforms,” with a primary focus on establishing integrated theatre commands to enhance collaboration among the three branches of the military.
These reforms are aimed at transforming the armed forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of executing multi-domain integrated operations, the ministry stated.
The initiative will emphasize emerging domains such as cyber and space, alongside cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, hypersonics, and robotics.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the “Year of Reforms” as a pivotal milestone in the modernization of the armed forces.
“It will set the stage for significant advancements in the nation’s defense capabilities, ensuring the security and sovereignty of India in the face of 21st-century challenges,” he said.
National
A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning
A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning, according to the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR).
The district administration reported no casualties or property damage following the quake.
The tremor occurred at 10:24 am, with its epicenter located 23 kilometers north-northeast (NNE) of Bhachau, as per the Gandhinagar-based ISR.
Last month, the region experienced four seismic events exceeding a magnitude of 3, including a 3.2 magnitude tremor just three days ago, with its epicenter also near Bhachau.
Earlier tremors in the area included a 3.7 magnitude earthquake on December 23 and a 3.2 magnitude event on December 7, according to ISR reports.
Kutch was also jolted by a 4.0 magnitude earthquake on November 18, 2024. On November 15, a 4.2 magnitude quake hit Patan in north Gujarat, based on ISR data.
Gujarat is considered a high-risk earthquake zone, having experienced nine major earthquakes over the past 200 years, according to the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA). The 2001 earthquake in Kutch, which occurred on January 26, was the third-largest and second-most destructive in India in the last two centuries, according to the GSDMA.
National
Diljit Dosanjh faces legal action over concert songs
Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s much-anticipated New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana faced legal hurdles after a complaint was filed by Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor from Chandigarh.
Following the complaint, the Deputy Director of the Women and Child Department, Government of Punjab, issued a formal notice to Ludhiana’s District Commissioner, urging them to prohibit Dosanjh from performing specific songs during his live show on December 31, 2024.
The notice specifically targets songs accused of promoting alcohol, including Patiala Peg, 5 Tara Theke, and Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya), even if the lyrics are slightly modified. The complaint points to previous warnings issued to Dosanjh by various commissions advising against performing these controversial tracks.
Despite these warnings, the singer allegedly continues to perform the songs with minor alterations. Dharenavar raised serious concerns about the influence of such music on young audiences, especially when minors are present at live events.
Adding to the controversy, Dharenavar referenced a 2019 Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling, which directed law enforcement to ensure that songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence are not played at public events, including concerts. This ruling underscores the legal basis for the complaint and has further intensified the scrutiny surrounding the event.
National
UP Minister’s convoy overturns, 5 person injured
Five people sustained injuries when a vehicle in the convoy of Uttar Pradesh Minister and Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad overturned into a ditch near Januan village in the Khejuri Police Station area of Ballia district late last night.
Sanjay Nishad shared details of the incident, stating that the accident injured five party workers, including four women.
“I was traveling with the convoy to participate in the Constitutional Rights Yatra organized by the party on Tuesday night. Near Januan village in the Khejuri area, one of the vehicles following the convoy lost control while trying to avoid an animal and overturned into a ditch,” Nishad explained.
The injured individuals have been identified as Rakesh Nishad, Ramrati, Usha, Geeta, and Iravati Nishad.
Senior police and administrative officials quickly arrived at the scene following the incident to oversee the situation.
National
Suchir Balaji’s mother alleges Murder
The mother of Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher found dead after accusing the company of copyright violations, has alleged that her son was “murdered” and called for a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe.
Poornima Rao, Suchir’s mother, claimed her son’s death was a “cold-blooded murder” that authorities wrongly ruled as suicide. She further disclosed that a private autopsy report conflicted with the findings of the initial police investigation.
Rao alleged that her son’s apartment had been “ransacked” and cited evidence of a struggle in the bathroom, including bloodstains that suggested he had been assaulted.
“We hired a private investigator and conducted a second autopsy to uncover the truth. The private autopsy does not confirm the cause of death stated by the police. Suchir’s apartment was ransacked, there were signs of a struggle in the bathroom, and it appears he was hit based on blood spots. This is a cold-blooded murder being misclassified as a suicide. Lobbying in San Francisco won’t deter us from seeking justice. We demand an FBI investigation,” Rao wrote on X.
Elon Musk reacted to Rao’s post, commenting, “This doesn’t seem like a suicide.”
Balaji was discovered dead in his San Francisco apartment months after accusing OpenAI of violating copyright laws during the development of ChatGPT, as reported by Fox News. Despite these claims, the San Francisco Police Department found no evidence of foul play and ruled the death a suicide.
On October 24, shortly before his death, Balaji voiced doubts about the “fair use” defense in generative artificial intelligence. “I recently participated in a NYT story about fair use and generative AI, and why I’m skeptical ‘fair use’ would be a plausible defense for a lot of generative AI products,” he wrote on X.
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