Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday extended his greetings to the people of the state on the occasion of the Gowri-Ganesha festival and wished for happiness, peace and prosperity across Karnataka. He also appealed for maintaining peace and harmony while celebrating the festival.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswmay, BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra and other dignitaries also conveyed their wishes on the occasion.

In his message, Shivakumar prayed that with the blessings of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, the state would receive good rainfall and a bountiful harvest, and that happiness, peace and prosperity would prevail everywhere.

He said the light of contentment that has emerged in crores of households through the guarantee schemes would further enhance the festive spirit and joy of the occasion.

Shivakumar also paid special tribute to all mothers of the state, describing them as embodiments of Goddess Gowri, who is worshipped first.

The Chief Minister appealed to people to install eco-friendly Ganesha idols and celebrate the festival responsibly.

He urged people to maintain peace and harmony during the celebrations and immersion of Ganesha idols and make the festival a meaningful occasion. Shivakumar also released a one-minute video to convey his greetings to the people of the state.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda extended his heartfelt greetings to the people on the occasion of Gauri-Ganesha Chaturthi and prayed for peace, prosperity and well-being in the state.

In a message, Deve Gowda invoked the blessings of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Gauri, and prayed that everyone in the state be blessed with happiness, peace, prosperity and contentment.

“May the blessings of Goddess Gauri, the symbol of virtue and affection, and Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and giver of wisdom, bring new hope into the lives of everyone. I wish that all people are blessed with greater longevity, good health and prosperity,” he said.

Deve Gowda also prayed for relief from the drought-like situation prevailing in the state. He expressed hope that the situation would improve soon and that agriculture and farming activities would not be affected, bringing relief to the lives of people and livestock.

He concluded by extending his best wishes to everyone on the festive occasion.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy extended his greetings to the people of Karnataka on the occasion of Sri Swarna Gowri and Ganesh Chaturthi.

In a message, he wished the people of the state on the auspicious occasion, praying that Goddess Swarna Gowri, the primordial divine feminine, and Lord Ganesha, the remover of all obstacles, would alleviate the difficulties and sufferings faced by everyone.

He also prayed that the blessings of the deities would bring happiness, peace, contentment and prosperity to all and ensure that these values prevail across the state.

BJP state president and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra also extended his greetings. In his message, Vijayendra prayed that the blessings of Goddess Gowri would always remain upon the state and that she would bless everyone with happiness, prosperity and auspiciousness.

He said Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, should bless the homes and hearts of devotees across the state with happiness, peace, good health and prosperity.

Vijayendra also wished that Lord Ganesha would remove all obstacles in the pursuit of good deeds and give people the courage to face challenges, success in every new endeavour, and renewed hope, energy and enthusiasm in their lives.

He expressed hope that the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi would mark the beginning of a new phase of goodwill, harmony and noble deeds across Karnataka. Vijayendra has also released a video message.

New Delhi, Sep 13: The Congress on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, questioning his government’s approach to bilateral ties and also the “mismatch” in walking the talk on matters pertaining to the neighbouring Asian giant.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a detailed press note, accused the Modi government of ‘calibrated capitulation’ before China.

Ramesh, also the Congress in-charge of Communications, questioned PM Modi’s 2020 remarks on India-China border skirmishes and claimed that India had given up traditional patrolling and grazing rights in parts of eastern Ladakh to China.

He asked whether the Prime Minister’s June 19, 2020 remarks that no one had entered Indian territory had weakened India’s negotiating position following the Galwan Valley clashes.

He also raised concerns over China’s purported territorial advances in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

“There have been reports of Chinese encroachment in Arunachal Pradesh, including loss of India’s access to patrolling points and fresh standoffs. China’s posture on Arunachal Pradesh has only hardened: renaming towns, reasserting claims to what it calls “South Tibet”, and pushing ahead with its 60,000-MW Medog mega-dam on the Brahmaputra’s Great Bend, a project that gives it a stranglehold over the water security of our entire northeast,” the Congress leader claimed.

Ramesh’s remarks come a day after PM Modi conveyed to the Chinese President that peace and tranquillity along the frontier remains an ‘essential component’ of building better ties between the two nations.

The Congress leader further questioned the Modi govt over a “softening of position” onChina’s alleged backing of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and asked whether this was part of a strategy to change the atmospherics before hosting the Chinese President.

“On July 4, 2025, Lt. General Rahul Singh, the Deputy Chief of Army Staff, had publicly spoken of the military establishment’s assessment of the deep and pivotal role of China in assisting Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. But all of a sudden, on August 25, 2026, the former Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan took a completely different position in a lecture at the VIF – with which the National Security Adviser has himself been closely associated,” the Congress leader contended.

Ramesh also came down on the government over India’s rising trade deficit with China.

“Why have you allowed the trade deficit with China to reach record levels? India’s trade deficit with China hit a record $112.6 billion in 2025/26, destroying large sections of our industry, especially MSMEs. The dependence on China for critical raw materials, manufacturing components and intermediates has reached dangerous levels,” he stated while also asking the government about its roadmap for bringing about a change in this unacceptable situation.

Hyderabad, Sep 13: A court in Telangana’s Secunderabad has sent former army NCO Upputholla Mallesh to police custody for seven days in connection with the theft of firearms and ammunition from the 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment’s armoury in Bolarum.

Police will take the accused into custody on Monday for further interrogation in the sensational case, sources said on Sunday.

The investigators will grill Mallesh further on the basis of information provided by him during the preliminary questioning after his arrest.

Mallesh, 37, had allegedly committed the theft on the intervening night of August 30 and 31. The police had announced the arrest of Mallesh on September 11. The same day, he was sent to judicial custody for 14 days and lodged at Chanchalguda Central Prison.

Telangana Police will also share details to be gathered during the questioning with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Army authorities for further investigation.

Telangana Director General of Police C. V. Anand had stated at the press conference on Friday that prima facie, Mallesh acted alone in committing the offence. He, however, had said that police were continuing the investigation into the possible role of others.

During police custody, investigators are likely to elicit information from Mallesh if he was helped by anyone in committing the offence and if he handed over weapons to others for hiding.

The DGP had announced that the entire cache of arms and ammunition stolen from Kote & Magazine of 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment was recovered.

Bollarum police, along with Hyderabad Task Force and SOT Malkajgiri Commissionerate, had arrested Mallesh in a joint operation.

The intention behind the theft preliminarily appears to be disgruntlement out of early retirement from service, the DGP had said.

Hailing from Nagarkurnool district, Mallesh joined the Indian Army in 2010 and worked for 16 years before retirement from service on June 30, 2026, on the grounds of indiscipline

and poor health.

After thorough investigation, police had zeroed in on Mallesh, a native of Jangareddypalle village of Nagarkurnool district who was staying with family at Balajinagar in Secunderabad Cantonment. His movements since August 27 and on the day of the offence were suspicious and did not match what he was saying.

Investigations revealed that on August 27, 28 and 29, he had gone to the area on a recce of the arms depository. On the night of August 30, he broke the lock of the arms and ammunition stores and carried the stolen cache on his bike and later transported the same in his car to Nagarkurnool district, where he hid it near his house.

The stolen arms and ammunition included four AK-203 assault rifles along with five magazines, an INSAS rifle with three magazines, six 9 mm pistols along with 12 magazines, one civil 6.35-bore pistol along with a magazine, one passive night-vision binocular, 1,156 rounds of ammunition of 9mm pistol, 720 rounds of AK-203 ammunition, 11 ball, 5 tracer and 20 blank rounds of 5.56 mm INSAS ammunition.