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Fuel prices continue to be steady as global oil prices soften

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Fuel prices have remained unchanged in the country post revision of duties by state governments and the Centre providing further relief to consumers from consistent increase in rates earlier.

Accordingly, petrol and diesel prices remained unchanged for the eighth consecutive day on Friday under the daily price revision mechanism followed by oil marketing companies.

So, the pump price of petrol in Delhi, which fell to Rs 103.97 a litre at 6 a.m. last week on Thursday from the previous days level of Rs 110.04 a litre, remained at the same level on Friday. The diesel prices also remained unchanged in the capital at Rs 86.67 a litre.

In the financial capital Mumbai, petrol continued to be priced at Rs 109.98 a litre and diesel Rs 94.14 a litre.

Prices also remained static on Wednesday in Kolkata where the price of petrol reduced by Rs 5.82 to Rs 104.67 per litre and that of diesel by Rs 11.77 to Rs 89.79 per litre last week.

Petrol price in Chennai also remained at Rs 101.40 per litre and diesel Rs 91.43 per litre.

Across the country as well, the price of the fuel largely remained unchanged on Friday but the retail rates varied depending on the level of local taxes.

After softening, the global crude prices have again touched three-year high level of over $85 a barrel now. Rise in the US inventory has pushed down crude prices a bit but OPEC+ decision on only gradual increase in production in December could push up crude prices further. This could put pressure on oil companies to revise fuel prices upwards again.

Before price cuts and pause, diesel prices have increased 30 out of the last 49 days taking up its retail price by Rs 9.90 per litre in Delhi.

Petrol prices have also risen on 28 of the previous 45 days taking up its pump price by Rs 8.85 per litre.

Since January 1, 2021 petrol and diesel prices have risen by more than Rs 26 a litre before the duty cuts.

The excise duty cut by the Centre last week was the first such exercise since the onset of Covid pandemic. In fact, the government had revised excise duty on petrol and diesel sharply in March and again in May last year to mobilise additional resources for Covid relief measures.

The excise duty was raised by Rs 13 and Rs 16 per litre on petrol and diesel between March 2020 and May 2020 and was standing high at Rs 31.8 on diesel and Rs 32.9 per litre on petrol before finally the centre decided on duty cut.

National

NDA to contest Bihar polls under Nitish Kumar’s leadership: Jitan Ram Manjhi

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Mumbai, July 4: Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday confirmed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar.

“All the leaders of the NDA have agreed that with five parties in the alliance, including ours, the Bihar elections scheduled for November 2025 will be fought under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. Traditionally, the leader under whom the elections are contested becomes the Chief Minister. So naturally, Nitish Kumar will be our face for the CM post. There is no doubt – we are confident of winning under his leadership,” Manjhi said.

Asked whether he harbours any desire to become Chief Minister again, the 79-year-old leader ruled out the possibility due to his age and current responsibilities.

“As far as age is concerned, I had earlier decided not to be active in electoral politics beyond 75. Still, due to certain circumstances, I contested in 2015 and again in 2020. But now, I am not in a position to contest elections,” he added.

Manjhi said that he “doesn’t consider myself eligible for the Chief Ministerial post”.

“PM (Narendra) Modi has entrusted me with ministerial responsibilities, and I am fully committed to fulfilling them. Even at this age, I am not sitting idle—I’m working hard to strengthen my department. As for the Chief Minister’s post, I do not consider myself eligible anymore. I won’t be able to dedicate the time and energy required, so I have no such ambition,” he said.

He further reaffirmed his party’s unwavering commitment to the NDA, highlighting its contribution and influence within the alliance.

“Hindustani Awam Morcha has four MLAs, one MLC, a minister, and a Lok Sabha member. We have always stood firmly with the NDA and continue to do so. In Bihar, the focus is on development, and under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, the state has seen notable progress in electricity supply, law and order, and education. At the national level, PM Modi has emerged as a towering figure who has transformed India’s image both at home and abroad,” he said.

Manjhi emphasised the power of the “double-engine government” and its appeal to voters across Bihar.

“People here believe that a government led by both Nitish Kumar and PM Modi is best for the state’s future. Every child in Bihar is now thinking that it’s time to support the NDA again. We are united and ready to move forward,” he said.

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Crime

Kolkata law college rape: Monojit Mishra made 16 calls in 3 hours, police probe details

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Kolkata, July 4: Monojit Mishra, one of the three accused and reportedly the main architect in the law college student gang-rape case, made as many as 16 calls in three hours after the crime incident took place on the evening of June 25.

Those call details are currently being examined by the investigating sleuths, and at the same time, the process of interrogation of those with whom Mishra conversed during that period has started.

The tower locations of the mobile phones of the three accused, namely Mishra, Jaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, during that period are being tracked by the investigating officials to have an idea of the places they went to immediately after the crime.

Sources said that one of the calls that Mishra made from his mobile phone during that period was to a member of the governing body of the same college. Although the governing body member concerned has already been questioned by the investigating officials, the latter are not willing to disclose anything on the interrogation findings for the sake of the investigation.

This week, the investigation into the case was handed over to the Detective Department of the city police, which has started the probe process by adding new sections against the three prime accused persons.

Before Detective Department took over the charge of the investigation, the three accused persons were charged under sections on rape. However, with the Detective Department taking over the investigation sections relating to abduction and causing injuries with weapons were also slapped on the three.

On Friday morning, around 3 a.m., the sleuths of the detective department reached the campus of the law college in Kolkata along with the three accused for reenactment of the incident.

Sources said that the findings of the reenactment process will be cross-checked with the statement given by the victim soon after the event of sexual harassment took place last week. Earlier, a member of the special investigation team, which was initially investigating the matter, had gone to the college campus with the victim for reenactment purposes.

The woman, a student of the South Calcutta Law College, was allegedly raped by two senior students and an alumnus of the institute in the guard’s room on June 25. Apart from the three, the college guard has been arrested in the case so far.

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National

Op Sindoor an example to show when fight to maintain Swaraj is needed, says HM Shah

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Pune, July 4: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the responsibility of creating the India of Shivaji Maharaj’s dreams rested with 140 crore Indians, and sometimes, there is a need to fight to protect our ‘Swaraj’. He cited Operation Sindoor as an example of this.

“When there was a need to fight for Swaraj, we fought. If there is a need to fight to preserve Swaraj, we will fight. Operation Sindoor is an example of this. But alongside Swaraj, the idea of a great India also encompasses the concept of Shivaji Maharaj,” he stated in his speech after unveiling the statue of the great patriot and symbol of Maratha pride, Shriman Bajirao Peshwa, on the premises of the National Defence Academy.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol were among others present on the occasion.

“Our goal should be to create an India where we are number one in the entire world. If there is a personality that inspires effort, dedication and sacrifice for this, it is Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa,” he noted.

“PM Modi has given the formula of development and heritage. There have been many personalities in our thousand-year-old culture who keep inspiring us. Their history needs to be given to today’s youth. Bajirao never fought for himself. He fought for the country and Swarajya. The British distorted history. Despite having so much prowess and power, Bajirao was a lifelong Peshwa. He fought for Swarajya. In his 40 years of life, he wrote an immortal history that no one will be able to write for many centuries,” said the Home Minister.

“The inspiration that will come from installing the statue of Shrimant Bajirao at the National Defence Academy, where the chiefs of all three armed forces train and graduate, will ensure that no one can touch India’s borders,” he asserted.

“Some rules of the art of war never become outdated. The importance of strategy in war, the importance of swiftness, the spirit of dedication, the spirit of patriotism, and the spirit of sacrifice are important. These are what lead armies to victory; only the weapons keep changing. The most exemplary embodiment of all these qualities in 500 years of Indian history is found only in Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa,” said HM Shah.

He further stated, “Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa fought 41 battles in 20 years and did not lose a single one, a record no other commander could match. The most fitting place to install the statue of such a brave warrior, who never let defeat come near him until his death, is the National Defence Academy.”

He said the land of Pune is the birthplace of the values of Swaraj. In the 17th century, it was from here that the concept of Swaraj spread across the nation.

“When the time came to fight for Swaraj again in the face of the British, it was Tilak Maharaj who first roared like a lion — ‘Swaraj is my birthright’. The example of how much a person can do for their country in their lifetime was also set by Veer Savarkar from this sacred land of Maharashtra,” he added.

HM Shah also connected Bajirao’s legacy to the broader historical context, crediting the Maratha warrior and the Peshwas for preserving India’s cultural and structural identity through their resistance against external forces.

He stated, “Had the battle for Independence that was started by Shivaji Maharaj and taken forward by the Peshwas for 100 years not been fought, India’s basic structure would have ceased to exist.”

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