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Run for Unity: Joshi targets Congress over Sardar Patel’s legacy

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New Delhi: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi launches the portal for Kashi Tamil Sangamam 5.0, scheduled to be held in Varanasi from November 28 to December 12, 2026, under the theme ‘Thirukkural Payilvom – Let Us Learn the Thirukkural’, to strengthen cultural ties between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, on Thursday, October 22, 2026. (Photo: IANS/X/@JoshiPralhad)

Jaipur, Oct 31 (IANS): The ‘Run for Unity’ event held in Jaipur on Saturday to mark the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel witnessed political exchanges alongside messages of national unity and integrity. Targeting the Congress party, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi alleged that successive Congress governments had failed to accord Sardar Patel the recognition and respect he deserved despite his historic contribution to the unification of India. He claimed that the Congress had attempted to erase Patel’s legacy from public memory while naming government schemes and institutions after members of the Gandhi family.

Joshi questioned the practice of naming government schemes after late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, stating that Sardar Patel’s contributions had not received comparable recognition. The Union Minister said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s contribution to the formation of Rajasthan must always be remembered. He played a pivotal role in the creation of ‘Vrihad Rajasthan (Greater Rajasthan)’ on March 30, 1949, Joshi noted. He added that Patel had laid the foundation for an undivided India through his vision and leadership. Joshi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government was taking Patel’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat’ towards the goal of ‘Shreshtha Bharat’. He described the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat, the world’s tallest statue, as a symbol of the nation’s respect for Sardar Patel and its commitment to national unity. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma described Sardar Patel as a symbol of national unity and integrity, urging young people to contribute actively to nation-building. He said the ‘Run for Unity’ was not merely a race but a pledge of patriotism, national unity and collective commitment.

The Chief Minister highlighted the initiatives undertaken under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership to familiarise the younger generation with Sardar Patel’s ideals. He said platforms such as MY Bharat were engaging youth in nation-building, while initiatives like Startup India and the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana were transforming young people from job seekers into job creators. He also highlighted the role of the Khelo India and Fit India movements in identifying and promoting sporting talent from remote villages and rural areas. Highlighting the state government’s employment initiatives, Sharma said 410 examinations had been conducted transparently, resulting in government appointments for 1.93 lakh young people. The recruitment process for 1.18 lakh posts is currently underway, while the process to fill more than 70,000 additional vacancies will begin soon.

He further stated that five lakh young people had secured employment in the private sector, while 3.70 lakh had received skill training. Under the Yuva Sambal Yojana, Rs 1,643 crore had been distributed among four lakh beneficiaries. The Chief Minister also announced the launch of ‘Mission Olympic 2028’, aimed at providing world-class facilities and training opportunities to Rajasthan’s athletes. As part of the initiative, a Centre for Excellence is being established at a cost of Rs 20 crore. Additionally, 50 Khelo India centres have been established across the state to promote sports and nurture emerging talent.

Earlier, at a ceremony held at Amar Jawan Jyoti in Jaipur, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma jointly flagged off the ‘Run for Unity’. A large number of young people and medal-winning athletes participated in the event. The Chief Minister also administered an oath of national unity to the participants, calling upon them to uphold the values of unity, integrity and patriotism. –IANS arc/rad

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India can strengthen regional stability in Middle East through maritime cooperation, diplomacy: Report Washington, Oct 31 (IANS) With key maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait facing growing threats, India has an opportunity to strengthen its role in maritime security and diplomacy in the Middle East, a report has stated. It noted that this could involve examining competing proposals for Gaza, opposing efforts to diplomatically isolate Israel, and revisiting the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) in line with available funding and concrete political commitments. “Threats around Hormuz endanger the Gulf energy supplies that Indian refineries rely on. Houthi attacks around Bab el-Mandeb make Indian exports to Europe more expensive when shipping companies divert vessels around Africa. Insurance premiums and delivery delays reach manufacturers negotiating contracts with European buyers. Saudi Arabia can move oil west through its East-West Pipeline to Yanbu, but insecurity in the Red Sea also threatens shipping from that port. India cannot count on one threatened passage as a dependable alternative to the other,” according to a report in ‘Real Clear Defence’(RCD). “Indian warships have already helped merchant vessels in the western Indian Ocean. New Delhi could expand maritime intelligence exchanges with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, coordinate escorts when threats warrant them, and use its P-8I surveillance aircraft to help identify suspicious shipping movements. It could press Tehran over attacks affecting Indian crews and cargo while working with Gulf partners on protecting port facilities and oil shipments. Continued attacks would also force a discussion of stronger collective measures to defend commercial navigation,” it detailed. The report noted that India’s sustained ties with Tehran give New Delhi a channel to discuss attacks on shipping while protecting its interests at Chabahar. It added that Saudi Arabia and the UAE could share intelligence on suspected weapons shipments with Indian agencies. Aden’s historic trade links with India also provide scope for cooperation with legitimate Yemeni authorities on port security. Separately, possible links between Houthi and Al-Shabaab across the Gulf of Aden deserve closer attention because trafficking routes and technical exchanges could pose a threat to Indian commercial shipping, the RCD report mentioned. “The original IMEC proposal was unrealistic before the Gaza war. Riyadh showed little willingness to shoulder the enormous infrastructure bill, and Saudi-Israeli normalization was never assured. Saudi Arabia and the UAE were already competing to attract logistics investment and control regional trade routes. Egypt objected to a corridor that could draw traffic away from the Suez Canal, while Bahrain resented being excluded despite its connections with Saudi Arabia and its normalization agreement with Israel,” it noted. –IANS scor/as
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‘40 people responsible for Punjab’s destruction’: BJP lambasts AAP’s poll candidate list Chandigarh, Oct 31 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Punjab President Kewal Singh Dhillon on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) following the announcement of its first list of 40 candidates. He said the list is not a list of 40 candidates, but of 40 people responsible for Punjab’s destruction. He added that instead of featuring individuals known for their integrity and commitment to public service, the list included leaders embroiled in serious allegations and controversies. He said the AAP government was misleading people by putting up hoardings across Punjab proclaiming an ‘Honest Chief Minister’. Given the prevailing situation in the state, he remarked that these hoardings should instead read ‘Dishonest Chief Minister’. Several candidates on the list, he alleged, were facing accusations of corruption, fraud, money laundering and other serious offences. Dhillon said that whether AAP announces its candidates now or later, the people of Punjab would not accept them again. Punjab has already fallen victim to the party’s false promises once and will not be misled a second time. The BJP state President said that AAP’s promise of change had come at a high cost to Punjab, with the government failing on every front. He alleged that the party’s leaders and MLAs, who came to Punjab after facing defeat in Delhi, had exploited the state for the past five years and were now preparing to do so again. He asserted that the people of Punjab would never tolerate another attempt to plunder the state. Dhillon said that AAP had devastated Punjab over the past five years. The leaders whom the party has fielded again have been in power for nearly five years and are equally responsible for the state’s decline. Taking the government to task over law and order, he said the situation in Punjab had deteriorated to such an extent that there was virtually no fear of the law. Murders, extortion and incidents of gunfire had become commonplace. He further alleged that the government had failed miserably to curb the drug menace, with young people continuing to fall victim to drug abuse every day. –IANS vg/dan
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India hosts maiden BIMSTEC maritime security exercise in Andaman and Nicobar Islands New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) India is hosting the maiden BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise in Sri Vijaya Puram, the capital of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to strengthen maritime cooperation, enhance operational coordination and interoperability among member countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Saturday. The exercise, which commenced on Friday and will continue until November 3, is among the key initiatives announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand last year. It features three days of Tabletop Exercises followed by a two-day Harbour Phase, with ships from BIMSTEC member countries participating. In a post on X, the MEA said, “The exercise translates the shared vision of BIMSTEC leaders into action, reinforcing maritime cooperation, enhancing operational coordination and interoperability, and contributing towards a safe, secure and stable maritime environment in the Bay of Bengal.” According to Andaman and Nicobar Command, the maiden BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise was inaugurated at Sri Vijaya Puram on Friday by Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty, Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command. The ceremony was attended by Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, National Maritime Security Coordinator, along with senior delegations from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. “Anchored in the Delhi Declaration, the exercise marks a significant step towards translating shared maritime security commitments into coordinated action at sea. It aims to enhance interoperability, strengthen information sharing and promote collective responses to maritime threats and transnational challenges, including terrorism,” Andaman & Nicobar Command posted on X on Saturday. The exercise aims to enhance maritime domain awareness (MDA), build operational coordination across the Bay of Bengal, strengthen regional security cooperation, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), and responses to cross-border maritime crimes as well as marine pollution due to oil and hazardous material spills. BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) is a regional organisation comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Over the years, BIMSTEC has emerged as a vibrant and dynamic regional organisation. Member states share the vision of a free, peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indian Ocean Region (IOR). –IANS scor/sd/
October 31, 2026

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‘40 people responsible for Punjab’s destruction’: BJP lambasts AAP’s poll candidate list Chandigarh, Oct 31 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Punjab President Kewal Singh Dhillon on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) following the announcement of its first list of 40 candidates. He said the list is not a list of 40 candidates, but of 40 people responsible for Punjab’s destruction. He added that instead of featuring individuals known for their integrity and commitment to public service, the list included leaders embroiled in serious allegations and controversies. He said the AAP government was misleading people by putting up hoardings across Punjab proclaiming an ‘Honest Chief Minister’. Given the prevailing situation in the state, he remarked that these hoardings should instead read ‘Dishonest Chief Minister’. Several candidates on the list, he alleged, were facing accusations of corruption, fraud, money laundering and other serious offences. Dhillon said that whether AAP announces its candidates now or later, the people of Punjab would not accept them again. Punjab has already fallen victim to the party’s false promises once and will not be misled a second time. The BJP state President said that AAP’s promise of change had come at a high cost to Punjab, with the government failing on every front. He alleged that the party’s leaders and MLAs, who came to Punjab after facing defeat in Delhi, had exploited the state for the past five years and were now preparing to do so again. He asserted that the people of Punjab would never tolerate another attempt to plunder the state. Dhillon said that AAP had devastated Punjab over the past five years. The leaders whom the party has fielded again have been in power for nearly five years and are equally responsible for the state’s decline. Taking the government to task over law and order, he said the situation in Punjab had deteriorated to such an extent that there was virtually no fear of the law. Murders, extortion and incidents of gunfire had become commonplace. He further alleged that the government had failed miserably to curb the drug menace, with young people continuing to fall victim to drug abuse every day. –IANS vg/dan
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India hosts maiden BIMSTEC maritime security exercise in Andaman and Nicobar Islands New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) India is hosting the maiden BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise in Sri Vijaya Puram, the capital of the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to strengthen maritime cooperation, enhance operational coordination and interoperability among member countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Saturday. The exercise, which commenced on Friday and will continue until November 3, is among the key initiatives announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand last year. It features three days of Tabletop Exercises followed by a two-day Harbour Phase, with ships from BIMSTEC member countries participating. In a post on X, the MEA said, “The exercise translates the shared vision of BIMSTEC leaders into action, reinforcing maritime cooperation, enhancing operational coordination and interoperability, and contributing towards a safe, secure and stable maritime environment in the Bay of Bengal.” According to Andaman and Nicobar Command, the maiden BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise was inaugurated at Sri Vijaya Puram on Friday by Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty, Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command. The ceremony was attended by Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta, National Maritime Security Coordinator, along with senior delegations from Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. “Anchored in the Delhi Declaration, the exercise marks a significant step towards translating shared maritime security commitments into coordinated action at sea. It aims to enhance interoperability, strengthen information sharing and promote collective responses to maritime threats and transnational challenges, including terrorism,” Andaman & Nicobar Command posted on X on Saturday. The exercise aims to enhance maritime domain awareness (MDA), build operational coordination across the Bay of Bengal, strengthen regional security cooperation, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), and responses to cross-border maritime crimes as well as marine pollution due to oil and hazardous material spills. BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) is a regional organisation comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Over the years, BIMSTEC has emerged as a vibrant and dynamic regional organisation. Member states share the vision of a free, peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indian Ocean Region (IOR). –IANS scor/sd/