INDIA

In a concerning revelation, a recent report by the European Food Safety Authority has identified cancer-related chemicals in 527 food products originating from India, reports appearing in the media said. Spanning from September 2020 to April 2024, this finding raises questions about the safety of Indian food items. Among the affected products, 332 are domestically manufactured, amplifying concerns over local food safety standards. The chemical in question, ethylene oxide, previously found in spices from Everest and MDH brands, was predominantly detected in dry fruits and seeds, totaling 313 items. Additionally, it was found in 60 items of herbs and spices, 48 diet-related items, and 34 other food products. Moreover, the report highlighted that 87 consignments were rejected a...

Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his wife has been cleared of all the charges in the 25,000 crore Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam case. In its second closure report on the alleged fraud at the Maharashtra State Co-operative (MSC) Bank, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai police said it examined the information received and statements recorded. One of the key points of contention was the sale of the Jarandeshwar Sugar Factory to Guru Commodity Pvt Ltd by MSC Bank at a price allegedly below market value, said EOW. This transaction raised eyebrows, particularly as it was swiftly followed by the factory's rental to Jarandeshwar Sugar Mill Limited and subsequent financial transactions involving significant sums of money. Connections to indi...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Congress tried to extend reservation on the basis of religion and give it to Muslims, and once again accused the party of hatching a “deep conspiracy” to snatch people’s wealth and distribute it among “select” people. Launching a blistering attack on the Congress, Modi also charged that it is difficult to follow one’s faith under the Congress and that even listening to Hanuman Chalisa becomes crime under that party’s rule. His remarks come on a day when the country is celebrating Hanuman Jayanti. Addressing an election rally in Tonk, the prime minister said as soon as the Congress formed the government at the Centre in 2004, one of its first tasks was to reduce the SC/ST reservation in Andhra Pradesh and give it to Muslims. “Modi...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked another controversy by making objectionable references to the Muslims of India, who form over 14 per cent of the total population of the country. In his speech delivered to crowds at Banswara, Rajasthan on April 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called Muslims as "people producing more children", "infiltrators". https://twitter.com/rohan_rohit/status/1782303923245920500 He also criticized the Congress party's manifesto and past policies alleging that during Congress' tenure, Muslims had the 'first right' to the nation's wealth. Challenging the manifesto of Indian National Congress, India's main opposition, PM Modi arguably tried to woo the Hindu voters during the ongoing general elec...

A day after polling for the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress on Saturday, 20 April, claimed that the INDIA bloc is far ahead of the BJP and an undercurrent in favour of the coalition is gaining strength. Polling in the first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories took place on Friday. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "BJP's Graph: South Mein Saaf, North Mein Half! Here's what we know after the first phase of voting: In the first phase, voting was held on 102 seats in 21 states. Ground reports clearly show the INDIA coalition far ahead of BJP." "We have swept Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, and performed strongly in Bihar, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh," he claimed. Ramesh fu...

Hong Kong's Centre for Food Safety, the regulatory authority overseeing food standards, has detected carcinogenic substances in four spice products originating from Indian brands MDH and Everest Masala. The investigation by Hong Kong's food regulator revealed that three MDH products — Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala Mixed Masala Powder, and Curry Powder Mixed Masala Powder — along with Everest Masala's Fish Curry Masala contained ethylene oxide, a Group-1 carcinogen. This Group-1 carcinogen category is used when there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans. In other words, there is convincing evidence that the agent causes cancer. In a statement released on April 5th, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department urged the publi...

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that under Prime Minister Modi's government, no one has the guts to throw a stone in Jammu Kashmir. Amit Shah, as per KNS, made the remarks during a roadshow in Rajasthan on Friday in response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's earlier statements that the removal of Article 370 will lead to turmoil in Kashmir. He said that in Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti Rahul Gandhi used to say there would be bloodbath in Jammu Kashmir once Article 370 is removed. "Rahul Baba, five years have passed since the abrogation of Article 370. This is the government of PM Modi. Leave alone the talk of the bloodbath, no one has the guts to throw a stone there," he said. (KNS)

Ahead of the general elections, the Indian government has announced a rebranding of the state-owned public news television channel DD News, which is the flagship channel of the national broadcaster Doordarshan. The new logo features a saffron color, replacing the previous red one, and came into effect on April 16. For far right wing Hindutva parties, Saffron represents fire or flames. In a social media post, DD News emphasized that its values remain unchanged despite the visual makeover. The channel pledged to prioritize accuracy over speed, facts over claims, and truth over sensationalism in its news coverage. Doordarshan, in the past, has faced allegations of bias towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Instances include accusations of censorship during the 2014 Lok Sab...

The Election Commission has imposed restrictions on the conduct of exit polls and the publication and dissemination of their results from 7 am on April 19 to 6.30 pm on June 1, an ECI notification read. This move comes in light of the Lok Sabha election and assembly polls taking place in four states. A public notice issued by the Special Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, Rajesh Kumar, emphasized the Election Commission's notification dated March 28, which prohibits the release of exit polls and any opinion poll results in print, electronic media, or any other dissemination method during this period. The schedule for the General Elections, State Legislative Assemblies (SLA) of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim, along with bye-elections in the SLAs of Bihar, Guja...

Voting is underway amid rain in the Kathua-Udhampur Parliamentary Constituency spread across five districts in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. Taking off at a slow pace, the voting is expected to increase as the day progresses, said an official. He said that most of the parts in Kathua-Udhampur parliamentary constituency are hilly belts, and due to rains, voters in the beginning are coming less in number to the booths, but the percentage will swell later in the day till 6 pm. The official, however, made it clear that voting will continue after 6 pm only in case there are voters waiting for their turn at the polling station premises. The weatherman has predicted generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rain (light snow over higher reaches) at most places, with thund...