Here are the top 5 news updates of March 18, 2022:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said media can play a positive role in changing the lives of people and hailed the contribution of the fourth estate in promoting government's ambitious initiatives like Swachch Bharat Mission, popularising Yoga, fitness and 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' scheme, saying these are the subjects beyond the domain of politics. "I have seen the positive impact the media can play. The example of the Swachh Bharat Mission is well known. Every media house took up this mission with great sincerity", the Prime Minister said. Observing that the media has also played a very encouraging role in popularising Yoga, fitness and 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao,' the Prime Minister said these are subjects beyond the domain of politics and political parties.
Film director Vivek Agnihotri, who has kicked up a political storm with his movie 'The Kashmir Files' based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley due to terrorism, has been given 'Y' category security with CRPF commando cover. Official sources told news agency PTI that the 'Y' category security has been given to Agnihotri because of his increased threat perception after the release of the film 'The Kashmir Files'. Seven to eight commandos of the CRPF will guard Agnihotri round the clock across India. The decision to provide Agnihotri with the fourth-highest category security in the country has been taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the sources said.
After the party's debacle in the just-concluded assembly polls, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday said that the Gandhis could not be held responsible for the party's recent election defeats. "The Gandhis offered to step down, but it was not accepted by the CWC. So, what is our option now? We need to speed up the process to elect a new Congress president. But the earliest that that can happen is August. But what do we do between now and August? Till then we, including me, believe that Mrs Gandhi is leading the charge," Chidambaram told NDTV. Amid differences in the party on the issue of leadership, P Chidambaram urged the G-23 leaders not to split the party. "I hope there will not be a split. My appeal to them is not to split the party. My appeal to them would be to go back to their constituencies and build the party. Everyone should go back and rebuild party units," Chidambaram told the news channel.
After receiving several complaints, the MahaMetro Rail Corporation Ltd, which is implementing the Pune Metro project, has decided to change the names of at least two stations and will seek the state government’s permission for the same. As per the Indian Express report, the Bhosari station and the Budhwar Peth station, located in Corridor One, are among the stations to be renamed. Hemant Sonawane, spokesperson for MahaMetro said that the authorities have begun the process to change the stations' names.
A mob of over 200 people attacked devotees and vandalized the ISKCON Radhakanta Temple in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka on Thursday. "Last evening when devotees were preparing for Gaura Purnima celebration, a mob of 200 people entered the premises of Shri Radhakanta Temple in Dhaka and started vandalizing it," Radharamn Das, Vice-President ISKCON Kolkata told news agency ANI. "Three of our devotees were injured in the scuffle. Fortunately, they called Police and were able to drive away miscreants from the temple premises," he said. Das said that the attack is a matter of grave concern and appealed to the Bangladesh government to take stringent action and provide security to Hindu minorities in the country.
