President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday expressed displeasure over the venue chosen for the 9th International Santhal Conference, saying West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee might have been upset and that she did not attend the programme despite it being scheduled much earlier.. After President Murmu’s remarks, the TMC posted on X while listing some of the projects undertaken by the Mamata Banerjee government for the Scheduled Tribes (ANI/HT Photo). “Generally, it is seen that when the President comes, the chief minister and other ministers remain present. But the chief minister madam didn’t come. Even I am the daughter of Bengal. I am not allowed to visit Bengal. Mamata didi is like my younger sister. Maybe she is miffed with me and that’s why the program was held so far. But never mind,” President Murmu said.. Officials, requesting anonymity, said that even though the President’s programme was initially supposed to be held at Phansidewa, it was later shifted near Uttoran Township at Bidhannagar Majhi Than, a few kilometres away, citing security protocols.. Also read: Voter deletions are an attempt to divide Bengal: Mamata Banerjee on day 2 of dharna. Addressing a gathering at Phansidewa near Siliguri in north Bengal, the President said, “It would have been better had the programme been held at this place. It is such a huge field. I don’t know what the administration thought. They had stated that this area was congested, but I came here easily. But I feel that 5,00,000 people could gather here.”. “I don’t know what came to their mind that they shifted the venue where Santhal people couldn’t go. I didn’t like the ambience there, so I came here. I was disheartened. But I was happy when I came here. The venue (where the programme was arranged) was far and people couldn’t reach,” the President added.. “They must have thought that the President would leave soon after coming, as there won’t be any audience. Even if they had thought this way, then thank you. The Governor couldn’t come because there has been a change. The date for the programme was fixed much earlier and hence I came,” she said.. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Banerjee’s dharna outside Kolkata’s Esplanade metro station to protest the alleged arbitrary deletion of several million people during the SIR of electoral rolls entered its second day on Saturday.. Senior police officials of Darjeeling district refused to comment on the President’s remarks.. The President also questioned whether the area, which has a dominant tribal population, was witnessing any development. “I don’t think the Santhals and Adivasis in this area are witnessing any development,” Murmu said.. The TMC posted on X while listing some of the projects undertaken by the Mamata Banerjee government for the Scheduled Tribes: “It is extremely unfortunate that the Hon’ble President appears to be under the misinformed impression that there has been no developm 

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the new airport in Rajasthan’s Kota is an example of a committed government and will work as a catalyst for the state’s economic and industrial growth.. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the new airport in Rajasthan’s Kota is an example of a committed government (@NarendraModi). Virtually laying the foundation stone of the Kota Greenfield Airport through a video message, the PM said, “This airport shows how a committed government can work. Rajasthan is progressing at an unprecedented pace, with the new airport set to become a catalyst for economic and industrial growth. It will create several new opportunities for the people of the Hadoti region.”. “Today is a day of new hope for Kota, Bundi, Baran, and Jhalawar as the modern airport, that is being built at a cost of approximately ₹1,500 crore. This modern airport is going to give new momentum to the development of the entire region in the coming times as it will connect Kota with the entire world along with its excellent road and railway networks,” he said.. Recalling his visit in November 2023, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that the promise made to the people regarding the airport is now being fulfilled. “When this airport starts, travel will be easy and trade will grow rapidly in the entire area including Kota. People from the Hadoti region will not have to visit Jaipur or Jodhpur to take flights, which take up a lot of their time,” he added.. Modi also described Kota as a unique center of both education and energy, producing electricity from nuclear, coal, gas, and water sources. He praised the global identity of Kota Doria sarees, Kota stone, and local agricultural produce like Bundi’s Basmati rice.. Discussing the region’s potential for tourism, the PM mentioned the spiritual significance of Shri Mathuradhish Ji and Garadia Mahadev alongside wildlife hubs like Mukundara Hills. “The enhanced air connectivity would now bring more global tourists to the region, and its direct benefit will be available to the youth, traders, and the local economy here,” he emphasised.. The Prime Minister also touched upon the broader connectivity revolution in Kota, including the modernization of railway stations under the Amrit Bharat scheme and the impact of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.. During the event, civil aviation minister KR Naidu, Lok Sabha speaker and Kota-Bundi MP Om Birla, and chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma were also present on the stage.. “It’s our PM who turned the civil aviation sector into civilian aviation in the last few years. When he came to power in 2014, there were only 74 airports in the country, which has now risen to 160. Is there any other PM in the world who was able to achieve this goal?” said Naidu.. He also assured that the ministry had discussions with the Rajasthan government and identified many other places in the state with the potential to build airports to make 

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the new airport in Rajasthan’s Kota is an example of a committed government and will work as a catalyst for the state’s economic and industrial growth.. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the new airport in Rajasthan’s Kota is an example of a committed government (@NarendraModi). Virtually laying the foundation stone of the Kota Greenfield Airport through a video message, the PM said, “This airport shows how a committed government can work. Rajasthan is progressing at an unprecedented pace, with the new airport set to become a catalyst for economic and industrial growth. It will create several new opportunities for the people of the Hadoti region.”. “Today is a day of new hope for Kota, Bundi, Baran, and Jhalawar as the modern airport, that is being built at a cost of approximately ₹1,500 crore. This modern airport is going to give new momentum to the development of the entire region in the coming times as it will connect Kota with the entire world along with its excellent road and railway networks,” he said.. Recalling his visit in November 2023, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that the promise made to the people regarding the airport is now being fulfilled. “When this airport starts, travel will be easy and trade will grow rapidly in the entire area including Kota. People from the Hadoti region will not have to visit Jaipur or Jodhpur to take flights, which take up a lot of their time,” he added.. Modi also described Kota as a unique center of both education and energy, producing electricity from nuclear, coal, gas, and water sources. He praised the global identity of Kota Doria sarees, Kota stone, and local agricultural produce like Bundi’s Basmati rice.. Discussing the region’s potential for tourism, the PM mentioned the spiritual significance of Shri Mathuradhish Ji and Garadia Mahadev alongside wildlife hubs like Mukundara Hills. “The enhanced air connectivity would now bring more global tourists to the region, and its direct benefit will be available to the youth, traders, and the local economy here,” he emphasised.. The Prime Minister also touched upon the broader connectivity revolution in Kota, including the modernization of railway stations under the Amrit Bharat scheme and the impact of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway.. During the event, civil aviation minister KR Naidu, Lok Sabha speaker and Kota-Bundi MP Om Birla, and chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma were also present on the stage.. “It’s our PM who turned the civil aviation sector into civilian aviation in the last few years. When he came to power in 2014, there were only 74 airports in the country, which has now risen to 160. Is there any other PM in the world who was able to achieve this goal?” said Naidu.. He also assured that the ministry had discussions with the Rajasthan government and identified many other places in the state with the potential to build airports to make 

 India’s major public-sector company Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has assured customers of fuel availability amid social media panic over shortages, while the US-Iran conflict engulfs West Asia.. BPCL’s clarification comes when the union government is trying to contain panic amid the public as the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which began a week ago, have plunged the West Asian region into a war. (Bloomberg/ Representative). In a message sent to many customers as SMS alerts in both English and Hindi, BPCL said the social media claims of a fuel shortage were “misleading and baseless”.. “Dear Valued Customer, claims of shortage in fuel supply circulating on social media are misleading and baseless. There is adequate availability of fuel in the country. Citizens are assured that there is no need for any concern. Using fuel wisely always helps,” the state-run oil giant said in the message.. BPCL’s clarification comes when the union government is trying to contain panic amid the public as the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which began a week ago, have plunged the West Asian region into a war. Iran has retaliated by targeting US bases in the region, along with missile and drone strikes aimed at Israel.. Iranian strikes have also hit oil and natural gas infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Iraq and other countries.. The Strait of Hormuz, the route for one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, is effectively closed, which is causing further distress.. Amid rising uncertainty about energy availability, union minister for petroleum and natural gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Friday sought to allay public concerns. He stated that there is “no shortage of energy in India” and that there is no reason for consumers to worry amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia.. “In my regular interaction with members of the fourth estate today, we discussed various aspects of India’s uninterrupted energy imports despite geopolitical challenges. Our priority is to ensure the availability of affordable and sustainable fuel for our citizens, and we are doing it comfortably. There is no shortage of energy in India and there is no cause of worry for our energy consumers,” he said in a post on X.. Government sources cited by ANI described India’s oil, petroleum products, and LPG supplies as in a “very comfortable position”.. Officials highlighted that India has significantly diversified its crude import basket over the past few years.. Since 2022, imports from Russia have risen sharply. In February, around 20 per cent of India’s total crude imports — roughly 1.04 million barrels per day — came from Moscow.. State-run Indian Oil Corporation dismissed social media posts alleging fuel shortages as “baseless”, asserting that stocks are sufficient and distribution networks are functioning normally. The company urged citizens not to panic or crowd fuel stations and to rely on official sources for accurate information.. The source 

 Union home minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will once again form its government in Uttarakhand for the third consecutive time in 2027.. Union home minister Amit Shah receives a warm welcome from Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday. (@pushkardhami X). Addressing a gathering in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar to mark four years of the BJP government in the state, he said, “In 2024, Narendra Modi became Prime Minister for the third consecutive time, a feat that had not occurred in six decades. In 2024, a BJP Chief Minister was elected in Odisha. A hat-trick in Haryana, a hat-trick in Maharashtra. In 2025, the AAP party was wiped out in Delhi. A government was formed in Bihar with a two-thirds majority. The BJP flag is flying high in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. In 2026, BJP and NDA governments will be formed in Bengal and Tamil Nadu. But the people of Devbhoomi will have to inaugurate 2027. A BJP government will be formed in Uttarakhand once again,” he said.. Criticising the opposition, he said, “Congress is the party associated with corruption and disorder. It is the same party that once opposed the creation of Uttarakhand. On the other hand, the BJP has deep faith in the Char Dham and has worked to increase the number of Char Dham pilgrims threefold. The BJP has connected every town in Uttarakhand with roads, provided jobs to youth without ‘kharchi’ or ‘parchi’, implemented the Uniform Civil Code, and is taking action to identify and remove infiltrators. Uttarakhand has to choose between these two parties.”. “Under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, Congress has completely fragmented. The party cannot ensure the development of Devbhoomi. The state will go to polls again in 2027. Over the past nine years, our two chief ministers have served Uttarakhand with full dedication. Give the BJP a third opportunity, and we will work to make Uttarakhand the number one among smaller states,” he added.. He said that the Modi government allocated multiple times more funds to Uttarakhand between 2014 and 2024 than what the Congress government provided during its tenure from 2004 to 2014. “The ₹12,000-crore, 900-km Char Dham project was taken up, along with the ₹8,000-crore Delhi–Dehradun economic corridor. Development is reflected in a state’s budget: between 2009 and 2014, Uttarakhand’s average budget was about ₹18,700 crore, and it has now increased several times over, showing how far the state has progressed. Railway projects worth ₹26,000 crore have been approved, several helipads have been built, and the Dehradun airport has been modernised. Significant work has also been done in agriculture and fisheries. In 2014, Uttarakhand’s per capita income was ₹1.25 lakh, and it has risen to ₹2.60 lakh in nine years.”. People from the state had fought for statehood, and Congress and Samajwadi parties carried out such repression against the youth of Uttarakhand that it was