Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday rode a scooter during a roadshow of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal’s Panchpota, just a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to the road on an electric scooter.

Dressed in a black saree and doning a black helmet, the Union minister participated in the a bike rally in Baruipur-Sonarpur area in the South 24 Parganas district attended by scores of BJP workers amid chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and ‘Khela Hobe’ (the game will be played). Irani along with Union Minister Rajnath Singh are campaigning for the BJP in the poll-bound state currently being ruled by the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

BJP workers carrying party flags also showered flower petals on her as she drove past a large crowd. The Minister was also seen stopping for a while to wave at the crowd.

On Thursday, Mamata Banerjee rode an e-scooter to travel to and fro from her residence in Kalighat to state secretariat ‘Nabanna’ in Howrah as a mark of protest against the fuel price hike. While she rode pillion to the secretariat sitting behind state minister Firhad Hakim in the morning, she took to the driver’s seat during her return commute to Kalighat in the evening.

In the run up to the Assembly elections which will be held in eight phases starting 27 March, the TMC and the BJP have begun campaigning.

The Election Commission on Friday announced that West Bengal will witness eight-phased Assembly polls beginning 27 March. The counting of votes will take place on 2 May.

GULMARG: Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju on Friday said Srinagar will be made a hub for water sports. He also informed that the Sports Ministry has decided to give a Khelo India academy accreditation to the Mata Vaishnodevi sports complex. Sports Minister Rijiju also informed that two Khelo India State Centre of Excellence focusing on the disciplines of Judo, Fencing, and Rowing have been opened. “We had announced that we will create a state-of-the-art winter sports academy here. Now, we are happy to inform you that all the procedures are in place to get the world standard institute opened here soon,” said Rijiju. “We have also opened two Khelo India State Center of Excellence here focusing on the disciplines of Judo, Fencing and Rowing. Srinagar will be made a hub for water sports. Also, we have decided to give a Khelo India academy accreditation to the Mata Vaishnodevi sports complex,” the Sports Minister added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually inaugurated the second Khelo India Winter Games in the ski resort of Gulmarg in North Kashmir and said that it is the beginning to make the Valley the hub of winter games.

A participant holds the Tricolour during 2nd edition of Khelo India Winter Games 2021, in Gulmarg on Friday. (ANI Photo)Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers the inaugural address at the 2nd Khelo India Winter Games, through video conferencing, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI Photo)

In this second Khelo India Winter Games tournament, players from 27 states and Union Territories are participating and this tournament will conclude on 2 March 2021.

“This is a step towards making India’s presence felt in the international winter games arena and also make Jammu and Kashmir a hub of winter sports,” PM Modi in a virtual address said on Friday while inaugurating these games.

The Prime Minister said that it is a big push for Jammu and Kashmir to reach new heights of peace and development and said that that it will also give strength for ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat’.

The Prime Minister said that sports is no longer just a hobby or “time pass” in the country. “In sports, we learn team spirit, look for new ways in defeats and learn to repeat victories. Sports shape the lives and lifestyle of players. It boosts self-confidence,” he stated.

The Prime Minister pointed out that under the new National Education Policy, sports have been given a lot of importance, and the government is opening sports universities in India. “We have to think about how we can take sports science and management to the school level. It will give our youth more opportunities and increase India’s participation in the sports economy,” PM Modi stated.

Addressing the young sportsperson participating in the games, the Prime Minister said, “When you show your talent at Khelo India National Winter Games, remember that you are not just a part of a sport, but you are also a brand ambassador of self-reliant India. The world evaluates India with the ground you work on.”

These winter games have been organised by the sports ministry and the Winter Games Association of Jammu and Kashmir and according to the officials 1,200 players are participating in various competitions in these games.

Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju was present at Gulmarg for the inauguration, and while speaking on the occasion he said that very soon India would be a sporting powerhouse.

Words of wisdom and acts of kindness hold great relevance, especially in troubled times. As the nation slowly gets back to its feet, still reeling under the impact of a pandemic, power couple and corporates Shalini and Sanjay Passi came forward to donate Rs 10 crore to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam on Friday. The donation will support the philanthropic goals of Sri Venkateswara Bhakt Channel and Shri Venkateswara Sarva Sreyas Trust.

The trust known for its many progressive social welfare programs is not just spiritually close to the couple but the two also respect the many ‘ acts of kindness’ undertaken by the trust ranging from education, hygiene, hunger management, health care etc. “My husband and I respect and admire the charity programs undertaken by the trust. Be it the Annaprasadam program under which the trust feeds over 15,000 devotees each day or the various educational programs founded and run by the temple. The trust truly strengthens our belief that religion is all about caring for those in need. Especially in these troubled times,” shares Shalini. 

Sanjay adds, “At Pasco Group, CSR walks hand in hand with commerce. We believe that a corporate organisation needs to nurture and look at the world that exists beyond the balance sheet.” Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam’s philanthropy ranges from on-ground support of the visiting devotees, going beyond to fund super-speciality health care facilities, technical institutes, vocational training programs and more.

NEW DELHI: A broad-based sell-off in equities and weak global cues amid rising bond yields played a Black Friday for Indian stock markets as the Sensex posted its worst single-day performance since 30 March 2020.

The BSE S&P Sensex closed 1,939 points or 3.8 per cent lower at 49,100 while the Nifty 50 tumbled by 568 points or 3.76 per cent to 14,529. The global selloff was triggered by an overnight sharp rise in US 10-year treasury yields. When bond yields rise, equity markets generally underperform.

Rising oil prices and the US airstrikes on Syria led to the negative sentiments of investors who feared foreign outflows and reversal of interest rate cycle.

A grand road-show was organised by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after an impressive victory in 27 seats in the Surat Municipal Corporation. Following that, he addressed a public meeting at the Takshashila complex where 22 students had lost their lives due to a fire in 2019.

At the public meeting, Kejriwal thanked the people of Surat and paid tribute to the children who died in the Takshashila fire. He spoke about bringing clean politics in Surat and Gujarat in the coming days, and providing all facilities to the people of Surat just like he has in Delhi. “Give me five years and forget the last 25 years of the BJP,” Kejriwal appealed.

“Today, the boys of Gujarat are struggling for college admission after passing 10th and 12th standard. They are struggling for jobs if they get admission in college. Why has the BJP not given jobs to youth in 25 years? What these people couldn›t do in 25 years, we did in five years,” he added.

The Delhi CM also declared that his party, the Aam Aadmi Party, would be surprisingly successful in the next Assembly election. The youth leadership will get a place in the Assembly and the government will not ask the youth for employment, they will fight for their rights by creating employment themselves, he said.

He also appealed that people vote in the upcoming elections for District Panchayat and Taluka Panchayat as well as the Nagarpalika elections.

He further assured that AAP would solve the problems of not receiving proper electricity and prices for produce that farmers in Gujarat are facing, if it is voted to power.

Kejriwal also used the platform to publicly call on some good Congress leaders to join the Aam Aadmi Party along with those within the BJP who are true patriots and want to contribute honestly to the development of the country.