National News
Rain relief work yet to gain pace after Gujarat BJP chief’s appeal

After a heavy downpour in many parts of the state, several villages and towns have been submerged in flood water with people being badly affected. But BJP workers and leaders, who had been asked by Gujarat BJP Chief C. R. Patil to take up relief work, are yet to rise to the occasion.
Patil had on Monday appealed to party leaders, MLAs, MPs and workers to join relief work and start helping the people.
Twenty four hours after the appeal, the BJP’s entire cadre is yet to take up relief work. However, a few district leaders were prompt to react and have started relief work.
Valsad district is one of the first to start relief work. BJP district committee president Hemantbhai Kansara speaking to IANS said that, “Valsad Taluka including Valsad town has suffered a lot due to heavy rain in north part of the district, since Monday evening. Party workers, RSS, NGOs have started mass kitchen where food packets are prepared and later distributed in water submerged areas.”
“300 food packets were distributed in Hanuman Bhagda on the outskirt of area that was cut off since Sunday, some 300 families were trapped in water. On Tuesday morning 3,000 biscuit packets, 1000 pouches of milk were distributed in various parts of Valsad town and villages surrounding the town,” said Kansara.
Party workers, NGOs are preparing 1,000 grocery kits which will have edible oil pouches, flour, pulses, salt and chilli powder, these packets will meet the needs of at least a family of four members for two times, he said.
Since Monday night, there has been very heavy rains in Dediapada, Nandod Taluka of Narmada district, two villages- Vandriand, Kanaji are cut off from the rest of the world, said Ramesh Vasava, BJP general secretary from Narmada district. He added once the rain stops and water recedes, he along with party workers would start relief work.
Bodali Taluka of the Chhotaudepur has received 25 inches rain in 24 hours, but BJP district president Rashmikant Vasava and his team is yet to take up relief work.
Urmilaben, a resident of Bodali town, said household things have been damaged. She complained that even after water has receded, the revenue department team has neither visited the area nor started damage survey.
In a media briefing on Tuesday afternoon, Revenue Minister Rajendra Trivedi said power has been disrupted in 124 villages due to heavy rains in the state. He hoped that power supply will be restored in 104 villages by evening while in rest of villages it will be restored in two days.
National News
Maharashtra Govt Doubles Prize Money & Allowances For State Drama Competition

Mumbai: In the State Drama Competition conducted by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, the institutions participating are reimbursed for the theatre production expenses after staging their plays. Likewise, when a theatre troupe stages its play at a centre other than its original location, the artists are given a daily allowance. Cultural Affairs Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar has taken a landmark decision to double all these amounts, and the government resolution in this regard was issued today.
Every year, the Directorate of Cultural Affairs organizes the Maharashtra State Drama Competition. Under this competition, categories such as Amateur Marathi, Hindi, Musical, Sanskrit, Children’s Drama, Drama for Differently-Abled Children and Professional theatre are held.
Institutions and artists participating in the State Drama Competition are awarded cash prizes. Additionally, the institutions are reimbursed for production costs after staging the play. Furthermore, if a troupe stages its play at a centre other than its original place, the artists are paid a daily allowance.
For many years, the participating institutions and artists had been demanding an increase in prize money, production expenses and daily allowance. Responding positively to this long-pending demand, Cultural Affairs Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar has taken the decision to double these benefits, and a government resolution has been issued accordingly.
The increased amounts for prize money, production expenses and daily allowance outlined in the government resolution will be applicable starting from the 64th Maharashtra State Drama Competition, commencing on November 3, 2025.
Crime
Delhi BJP MPs meet CM Gupta a day after attack to enquire about her health

New Delhi, Aug 21: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday met all seven Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from the national Capital at her official residence in Civil Lines, a day after she was attacked by a man during a ‘Jan Sunwai’ programme.
On Wednesday, 41-year-old Rajesh Bhai Khimji Bhai Sakariya allegedly slapped and pulled CM Gupta’s hair at her Civil Lines residence. He has since been arrested and remanded to five days of police custody.
Additionally, CM Gupta has been provided Z+ security and the CRPF has been deployed outside her residence.
Sharing a photograph of the meeting, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said, “Today, along with all my fellow MPs from Delhi, I met our Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta and enquired about her well-being. The Chief Minister is completely healthy and, as always, is actively dedicated to the service of Delhi’s citizens.”
After meeting the Chief Minister, the MPs strongly condemned the attack.
BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri told Media, “It’s important to note that this minister never worried about her own safety. She was always concerned about the people… She has done a lot for my Lok Sabha constituency also. We used to advise her to increase her security, but she said she didn’t need to as she works for the people.”
Speaking to Media, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said, “We visited Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at her residence to ask about her health. I want to assure the people of Delhi that Rekha Gupta is a very brave leader. Her morale remains completely intact. This cowardly and critical attack has not affected her work style in the slightest.”
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari also said that the CM’s public hearings will continue as usual as she “remains committed to the public.”
“She will meet people in the next sitting and resume work from tomorrow. Even today, after meeting people, she has been working. We will wait for the police investigation. Apart from that, our Chief Minister is now fine. Yes, she was injured, but she is in good health,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s Section 109 (attempt to murder), Section 132 (obstructing a public servant), and Section 221 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions).
The police said a team from central agencies and the Special Cell is interrogating the accused to determine his motive.
Investigations revealed that Rajesh travelled from Rajkot to Delhi by train on Tuesday morning and stayed at Gujarati Bhavan in Civil Lines. He later went to CM Gupta’s private residence in Shalimar Bagh and mentioned this in a phone call to a friend.
Rajesh also has a criminal background, with at least five cases registered against him at Bhaktinagar Police Station in Rajkot. He was acquitted in four of them, while one case is pending in court, with the next hearing due on September 9.
Gujarat Police have been contacted for further details.
National News
Faith in Constitution and hope in people, says Justice Sudershan Reddy after filing nomination for V-P polls

New Delhi, Aug 21: Former Supreme Court judge Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, the Opposition INDIA bloc’s nominee for the post of Vice President, filed his nomination papers here on Thursday, saying his candidature is a commitment to the values of the Constitution and the strength of India’s democracy.
“Today, I had the honour of filing my nomination papers for the office of the Vice President of India as a joint candidate of the Opposition parties. I did so with a deep sense of humility, responsibility, and unwavering commitment to the values enshrined in our Constitution,” Justice Reddy (retd) said in a statement after filing his papers.
Reflecting on his career, he said: “My life in public service as a judge of the Supreme Court of India, as a student of law, and as a citizen rooted in the democratic traditions of this Republic has taught me that the true strength of India lies in the dignity of every individual, the protection of constitutional morality, and the unity in our diversity.”
He said that the contest is about more than individuals. “This election is not merely about one person. It is about reaffirming the idea of India as envisaged by our founders — an India where Parliament functions with integrity, where dissent is respected, and where institutions serve the people with independence and fairness,” he said.
Calling the Vice President’s role as Rajya Sabha Chairperson a custodian of parliamentary traditions, Reddy pledged: “If elected, I will discharge that role with impartiality, dignity, and a steadfast commitment to dialogue and decorum.”
Expressing gratitude to opposition parties and citizens alike, he added: “I am deeply grateful to the leaders of the Opposition parties for reposing their trust in me, and to the countless citizens who continue to inspire this collective struggle for justice, equality, and harmony. With faith in our Constitution and hope in our people, I embark on this journey. May our democratic spirit continue to guide us all.”
Justice Reddy’s (retd) nomination was filed in the presence of senior Opposition leaders, including Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar, and DMK leaders, among others.
As many as 80 MPs from different parties have signed his nomination papers.
Justice Reddy (retd) will face off against NDA’s C.P. Radhakrishnan, the incumbent Governor of Maharashtra and a veteran BJP leader from Tamil Nadu. The election is scheduled for September 9.
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