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Karnataka Congress to protest against move to bring ordinance on Anti-Conversion Bill

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A day after the ruling BJP government in Karnataka announced that it would bring Anti-Conversion Law into force by promulgating an ordinance, the state Congress announced that it would launch ‘Jan Andolan (people’s agitation) against it.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the ruling BJP government, which stands exposed in terms of corruption and misadministration, is all set to implement the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 to divert the attention of the people.

Siddaramaiah had appealed to the Governor to reject the Anti-conversion Bill, saying that the law “was brought by the ruling BJP only with an intention to threaten minorities and harass them.”

“The present law is sufficient to prevent the forceful religious conversions and also to deal with religious conversions through allurements. Our law is capable of stopping conversion that is forced through incentives and threats.

“Then what is the need for the new law? The only reason is to threaten and harass the minorities,” he said.

“This is the political agenda of RSS. True Hindus practice harmony and universal brotherhood, and will reject communal politics of BJP. We see constant attacks on minorities whenever BJP comes to power. People of Karnataka are ashamed of this government,” Siddaramaiah charged.

“The constitution allows individuals to freely convert to the religion they want. There is also a law to prevent conversions. There are police and courts to enforce this. So does this mean that BJP has no confidence in the institutions?” Siddaramaiah questioned.

“The Congress will never allow the misuse of The Karnataka Protection of Rights to Freedom of Religion. Our party will firmly stand with each brother belonging to the minority community, those who are threatened by the government. The party will launch aJan Andolan’ against the proposed bill,” he said.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has stated on Thursday that since the Anti-Conversion Bill is prolonged in the state legislature, it has been decided to bring an ordinance towards its implementation. “The matter will be discussed in the cabinet and a suitable decision would be taken,” he said.

The Karnataka government had tabled the proposed controversial Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021 popularly known as Anti-Conversion Bill in the legislative Assembly in Suvarna Vidhana Soudha at Belagavi on December 21, 2021. However, it is yet to come before the Legislative Council.

All legal entities, educational institutions, orphanages, old age homes, hospitals, religious missionaries, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) are to be brought under the purview of institutions.

According to the Bill, any converted person, his parents, brother, sister or any other person who is related to him by blood, marriage or adoption or in any form associated or colleague may lodge a complaint of such conversion which contravenes the provisions. The offence is made to be non-bailable and cognizable.

Maharashtra

Clash at Bhiwandi Dindigad Hill Leaves Six Injured; Tension Reportedly Erupts Again at Hospital

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Bhiwandi, Maharashtra: A dispute between two groups of youths at Dindigad Hill near Bhiwandi escalated into a physical confrontation on Sunday afternoon, leaving six people injured, according to preliminary information.

The incident reportedly began after a disagreement at the hill area. The dispute is understood to have been linked to objections over non-vegetarian food being brought to the location. What started as a verbal argument soon turned violent, with members of the two groups allegedly assaulting each other.

The injured were taken to Bhiwandi Sub-District Hospital for medical treatment. However, tension reportedly flared again when members of the two groups came face-to-face at the hospital. Police personnel were deployed at the hospital to prevent the situation from escalating further.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and are examining the claims made by those involved. Further legal action is expected after statements are recorded and the facts of the incident are established.

The incident has raised concerns over the need for restraint and peaceful resolution of disputes, particularly in public places where clashes can quickly create tension in the surrounding area.

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National News

MP: BJP’s first State Working Committee meeting set for Orchha on Aug 30

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Bhopal, Aug 24: The Madhya Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold its first State Working Committee meeting under State President Hemant Khandelwal in Orchha on August 30 and 31.

The two‑day conclave will focus on preparations for the 2028 Assembly elections, plans to strengthen the organisation, and strategies to connect with youth, particularly Gen‑Z and Gen‑Alpha. Approximately 350 to 400 leaders are expected to attend, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, both Deputy Chief Ministers, Union Ministers from the state, state government ministers, MPs, MLAs and state party office‑bearers.

The meeting will take place at two hotels, with senior leaders scheduled to arrive from August 29 to finalise arrangements. A core group or “toli baithak” will be held on August 25 to finalise preparations and the agenda. Senior office‑bearers, including State Vice‑President Shailendra Barua and others, recently reviewed arrangements in Orchha.

The programme is set to begin with flag‑hoisting, followed by a visit to a major exhibition showcasing welfare schemes and key achievements of the Central and state governments. Cultural programmes will also be organised for delegates in the evenings. Around 400 rooms have been booked across hotels to accommodate participants, with dedicated transport arrangements from Orchha railway station.

The Working Committee will specifically deliberate on expanding the party’s outreach among youth, including Gen‑Z and Gen‑Alpha members. Officials indicated that programmes may be outlined to broaden the party’s base among younger generations and explore innovative ways of communicating with them.

Discussions will also cover cooperatives, municipal elections and other political issues. The government’s performance and the organisation’s activities will be reviewed.

This will be the first formal meeting of the newly constituted State Working Committee, which comprises 106 regular members and 41 special invitees, supplemented by ex‑officio members such as MPs and MLAs. The gathering is seen as a key organisational exercise to set the agenda for the coming years and gear up for Mission 2028. Party sources described the Orchha meet as an important platform to align organisational efforts with electoral goals under Khandelwal’s stewardship.

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Maharashtra

MIDC Police Station operation: Heroin worth Rs 35 million seized, suspect arrested

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MIDC Police Station Anti-Narcotics Squad PI Kholam and his team were patrolling the night of August 22 to take action against people using, buying and selling drugs within their limits.

On the 23rd, at around 12:10 am, the police saw a person moving around suspiciously in front of the gate of Hemant Karkare Garden, near Sahakari Bhandar, Poonam Nagar, Jogeshwari (East), Mumbai. PI Kholam found the person’s movements suspicious and the police team tried to stop him. On seeing the police, the said person tried to run away from there, however, with the help of the police team, he was arrested on the spot. During interrogation, the person initially gave evasive answers. Later, after taking him into confidence and conducting further detailed interrogation, a dark colored powder, which was said to be Heroin, was recovered from his possession.

The police searched the said person in compliance with all the legal requirements of the NDPS Act, 1985. Heroin weighing 302 grams, worth approximately ₹3,50,00,000 (Rupees 3 crore 50 lakhs), was recovered from his possession.

In this case, a case has been registered under Section 8(c) read with Section 21(c) of the NDPS Act under Case No. 943/2026 on the basis of a complaint received at MIDC Police Station, Mumbai. During the investigation, it was also revealed that the said drugs were being supplied in the area of ​​MIDC Police Station. Further investigation of the case is underway.

Thus, PI Kholam, Officer of the Anti-Narcotics Team of MIDC Police Station and his team carried out a remarkable operation of timely arresting the accused drug dealer Tauseef Liaquat Qazi (29) and seizing 302 grams of heroin, worth ₹3.50 crores, from his possession. The successful operation was carried out under the guidance of senior police officers, including Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma, Additional Police Commissioner Dr. Abhinav Deshmukh, Deputy Police Commissioner Datta Nalawade and Assistant Police Commissioner Yogesh Shinde. The operation was directly supervised by Senior Police Inspector Ghanshyam Nair and Police Inspector (Crime) Sunil Karande.

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