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Day after Hardik’s resignation, Gujarat Congress leaders call on Naresh Patel

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A Congress delegation led by the party’s Gujarat in-charge Raghu Sharma met Khodaldham managing trustee and influential Leuva Patel leader Naresh Patel on Thursday.

While the party leaders claimed after the meeting that it was a courtesy call, local sources claimed that Naresh Patel did not respond to Congress’ invitation to join the party.

The meeting came a day after Patidar leader and Congress state Working President, Hardik Patel, quit the party.

There have been talks that Naresh Patel might make his political debut ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled later this year.

The Congress delegation, which included Sharma, state Congress chief Jagdish Thakor, Leader of Opposition Sukhram Rathva, former President Amit Chavda, former Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani and Tankara MLA Lalit Kagathra, met Naresh Patel at the latter’s farm house on Thursday morning. The meeting lasted for about 15 to 20 minutes.

After the meeting, Thakor and Dhanani termed it as a courtesy call, and nothing else. But local sources said that during the meeting, Sharma invited Naresh Patel to join the party. The sources also said that Sharma conveyed to him that the party will contest the Assembly elections under his guidance, leadership, and the campaign will be planned as per his design and wish.

The sources said that Naresh Patel offered the delegation tea and snacks, but did not respond to the invitation.

Later, speaking to the media, Thakor and Dhanani said the party’s zonal meeting was planned in Rajkot to prepare for senior party leader Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming proposed tour, so they used the opportunity to call on Naresh Patel.

Meanwhile, even before the Congress spoke about the meeting with Naresh Patel, Hardik Patel told media persons that the meeting between Congress leaders and Naresh Patel lasted only 15 minutes, and wondered what must have conspired in those 15 minutes.

Party sources said that there are two theories doing the rounds in the party. There is one group which believes that if Naresh Patel joins the Congress, it will help the party make deeper inroads in the Patidar vote bank. He can even be projected as the Chief Ministerial face of the party.

The other theory is that if Naresh Patel is projected as the CM face, OBC and other committed vote banks will distance themselves from the Congress, and since this is the core bank of the party, the party can’t afford to lose it.

Maharashtra

Indian soldier Murali martyred in Pakistani firing in Mumbai

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Mumbai: After the terrorist attack in Kashmir Pahalgam, the Indian Army retaliated and launched a massive attack on Pakistan under “Operation Sindoor”. While the enemy was defeated in this operation, 27-year-old Murali Naik, a resident of Kamaraj Nagar, Mumbai, was martyred in firing on the border.

As soon as the news of the martyrdom of Martyr Murali Naik reached the area, a wave of mourning spread throughout Kamaraj Nagar. Every eye was moist and every heart was filled with pride. Former corporator of the area, Parmeshwar Kadam, said that Murali was honest and sociable since childhood and was also a capable soldier. He dreamed of serving the country at a young age. Even after facing setbacks, Murali joined the army. Some relatives even forbade him from joining the army, but Murali’s passion was unwavering. With hard work and dedication, he fulfilled his dream by joining the army.

Murali Naik joined the Indian Army in 2022. After training in Nashik, he was posted in Assam, then Punjab. Just a month ago, he was sent to the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, where he was martyred in firing by Pakistan on Friday morning. The mortal remains of martyr Murli Naik will be taken to his native village in Andhra Pradesh tomorrow, where his last rites will be performed with full state honours. Murali, who belongs to the Dhangar community, was sociable and lively since childhood. Today, not only Mumbai but the entire country is proud of Murali Naik. He made his great sacrifice while protecting Mother India.

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Maharashtra

Removing the Pakistani flag at Vile Parle station was costly, a case was registered against five people including a woman, police took action after the video went viral on social media

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Mumbai: The Juhu police has registered an FIR against six unidentified individuals, including a burqa-clad woman, for allegedly gathering unlawfully, verbally abusing, and physically assaulting people who opposed the removal of Pakistani flags near the west side of Vile Parle railway station.

According to the FIR, the incident took place on May 4, when the accused were seen removing Pakistani flags that had been pasted on the stair steps of the Vile Parle railway station as part of a protest against the April 22 massacre of Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

The police have registered the case under Sections 189(2) (unlawful assembly), 190 (every member of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in pursuit of a common object), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The complainant, Santosh Salukhe, 49, a policeman, stated that he saw a video on Facebook, showing a veiled woman and four to five unidentified youths removing the Pakistani flags from the stair steps at Vile Parle railway station (West).

Salukhe immediately rushed to the location and learned that around 4 p.m. the same day, some unidentified individuals had pasted the Pakistani flags in front of the ticket counter at the station and on the steps as a symbolic protest against the recent terrorist attacks on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The flags carried the message “Step on it.” Those who pasted the flags left soon after.

Later, the veiled woman and her group arrived at the Vile Parle railway station and began removing the flags, which created a disturbance for commuters. When some people tried to stop them, the woman and her associates allegedly physically assaulted and verbally abused them, resulting in a brief period of tension at the station. Gurpreet Anand of Ankush Foundation had distributed free stickers of the Pakistani flag with the message “Step on it” printed at the bottom.

On Wednesday, he went to Juhu police station along with Parag Alavani MLA and others with a view to register an FIR. “However, the police did not register our FIR,” he told Media. But on Friday, a constable filed an FIR. Subsequently, the police registered a case. Juhu police officials said no arrests have been made yet, and no notices have been issued as they are in the process of identifying the accused.

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National News

Jai Hind Yatra: India is strong and we will face the enemy, says K’taka Cong

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Bengaluru, May 9: A ‘Jai Hind Yatra’ was held by the Karnataka unit of the Congress party on Friday in Bengaluru in support of the Indian security forces which are carrying out ‘Operation Sindoor’ in retaliation to the Pahalgam massacre in which 26 people were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. Congress leaders said that “irrespective of Pakistan’s misadventures, India is strong and we will face the enemy.”

The ‘Jai Hind Yatra’ by the Congress took place from K.R. Circle to Minsk Square in Bengaluru, under the leadership of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

Ministers H.K. Patil, G. Parameshwara, K.H. Muniyappa, H.C. Mahadevappa, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Priyank Kharge, Dr. M.C. Sudhakar, Bose Raju, and Chief Whip of the Legislative Council Saleem Ahmed, along with MLA Rizwan Arshad and others participated in the march.

Government and private sector officials, employees, representatives of various organisations, and thousands of students also took part in the rally.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ‘Jai Hind Yatra’, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President, D.K. Shivakumar, stated that the Tiranga yatra programme was organised by the state government to condemn the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and also to support Indian armed forces which are carrying out ‘Operation Sindoor’.

“We want to send a big message to the whole nation through this Tiranga yatra. At this juncture, whole world is looking at India. We are highlighting that everyone should stand united at this stage and also we are giving moral courage to Indian soldiers,” Dy CM Shivakumar stated.

“Jai Hind Tiranga Yatra has been organised in Karnataka. We have invited all sections of society including students, the government employees, organisations, institutions irrespective of their background. We want to salute our armed forces. The integrity of the country is important. We have decided to do this by taking out this march today,” he stated.

“I am very happy that all sections of the society including retired armed forces soldiers, students and other political parties are participating. Let’s toe together for the country’s pride. Irrespective of Pakistan’s misadventures, India is strong and we will face the enemy,” he stated.

“We should extend support to Indian soldiers who are fighting for our country,” he underlined.

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