Cong, oppn busy digging my grave: PM Modi

Former

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy resigned from the Congress on Sunday, reports TOI. Sources said the veteran politician is likely to join the BJP but only after getting an assurance that he will be given a suitable position in national politics.

Four TN fishermen arrested by SL Navy

CHENNAI, MAR 12

(IANS): Four fishermen from Pudukottai district of Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for trespassing into their waters. The arrest was made at 4.30 a.m. on Sunday. The arrested were taken to the Sri Lankan Naval base at Paruthithurai in the island nation for further questioning.

The arrested fishermen are L. Arokiaraj (54), A. Ashok (28), A. Karuppu (22) and S. Sakthi (21).

All the arrested are from Kottaipattanam coastal village in Pudukottai district. The fishermen from Pudukottai had sailed from Kottaipattanam fishing harbour on Saturday morning. The Coastal Security Group sources told IANS that the arrested were fishing about 30 nautical miles near ‘Alai Theevu’. They were intercepted by the Sri Lankan Navy. They were charged for trespassing into Sri Lankan waters and an investigation is on.

3 held at airport with gold worth Rs 1.40 cr

NEW DELHI, MAR

12 (IANS): Three foreign nationals were held at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, by Customs officials for allegedly attempting to smuggle three kg gold worth Rs 1.40 crore by hiding it in their undergarments, officials said on Sunday. A senior Customs official said that arrests were made on March 10. “The three foreign nationals arrived at Mumbai Airport from Addis Ababa. They were intercepted on the basis of intelligence inputs. Gold was found to be concealed in their undergarments and in sole of their footwear,” said the official.

Elderly man bludgeoned to death

LATUR, MAR 12 (PTI):

A 60-year-old man was bludgeoned to death by an unidentified person in Maharashtra’s Latur city on Sunday, police said. The police have detained a 22-year-old suspect in connection with the killing that took place in Gandhi market area in the early hours of the day, an official said. The victim, who slept in the market complex, was bludgeoned to death with a stone and his body was found by locals in the morning, he said. The identity of the deceased is yet to be ascertained and the police are in the process of registering a case, the official said. Bihar man arrested for spreading false info about migrant workers.

2-year-old raped in Gurugram

GURUGRAM, MAR 12 (PTI): A two-year-old girl was allegedly raped by an unidentified person inside a residential society here, police said on Sunday.

The victim sustained serious injuries in her private parts and was rushed to the civil hospital here from where she was referred to Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital, they said. An FIR has been registered under the POCSO Act at the Kherki Daula police station, police said.Police suspect a truck driver to be the accused in the incident, officials said.

MADDUR (KTK), MAR 12 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress and other opposition parties of being busy digging his grave, while he was striving for the development of the country and the welfare of the poor, as he also declared that blessings of the people was his biggest protection shield. On his sixth visit this year to Karnataka, where Assembly elections are due by May, he also asserted that the “double engine” government is a necessity for the fast-paced development of the state.

“Amid the efforts of the double engine government for the development of the country and the progress of its people, what is Congress and its associates doing? ...Congress is dreaming about digging the kabr (grave) of Modi,” said the PM, who inaugurated the 118 Km long BengaluruMysuru Expressway project here in Mandya district, Addressing a public gathering here, he said, “Congress is busy digging the grave of Modi, while Modi is busy building Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway. Congress is busy digging Modi’s grave, while Modi is busy in improving the lives of poor.”

“Congress people who are dreaming about digging the grave of Modi, don’t know that the blessings of crores of mothers, sisters, daughters, and people is the biggest protection shield for Modi,” he added.

The Rs 8,480 crore Expressway, which involved six laning of the BengaluruNidaghatta-Mysuru section of NH-275, will reduce the travel time between the two cities from around three hours to about 75 minutes, according to officials.

Prion to 2014, Modi said the Congress government at the Centre was “a coalition government running with the support of various types of people. It did not leave any stone unturned to destroy poor men and poor families.

The money that was there for the development of the poor, thousands of crores of rupees of it was looted by the Congress government.”

The Congress never bothered about the pain and sufferings of the poor, he alleged, adding that “In 2014 when you (people) gave me the opportunity to serve you, it paved the way for the formation of a government for the poor in the country, the government which understood the pain and suffering of the poor.”

The BJP government has made all efforts to serve the poor and to alleviate their sufferings.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Pralhad Joshi, actor-turned-politician and Mandya Lok Sabha MP Sumalatha Ambareesh, who recently announced support to BJP, were among those present at the event.

Earlier in the day, Modi threw flower petals back at the cheering crowd at several places as he was given a rousing welcome during a massive road show in the district headquarters city of Mandya.

He enthusiastically waved at the big crowd, who had lined up on both sides of the route, as the ruling BJP appeared focused on winning a good number of seats in the Old Mysuru region, the party’s key weak link. The Prime Minister picked up the shower petals which got piled up on the bonnet of his car and was seen hurling them back at the crowd. He also got down from his car and greeted folk artistes who staged a performance to welcome him.

Mandya in Old Mysuru region is a Vokkaliga community dominated district, largely seen as a bastion of JD(S), where the Congress too is strong, and the BJP is trying to make inroads.

According to senior party functionaries, BJP though has managed to emerge as the single largest