Woman techie tortured, burnt alive on birthday eve by classmate who underwent sex change to marry her

Hyderabad: Former Indian cricket captain and senior Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin was sworn in as a minister in the Telangana cabinet on Friday. Governor Jishnu Dev Verma administered the oath of office at Raj Bhavan this morning.

Azharuddin’s induction fills a long-pending vacancy and marks the first Muslim representation in the current Congress-led cabinet.

The move has, however, drawn political reactions. The Opposition has termed it an electoral strategy ahead of the November 11 bypoll in the Jubilee Hills constituency, which has nearly 30% Muslim voters.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) objected to the timing, claiming that the appointment violates the Model Code of Conduct. BJP leaders wrote to the Chief Electoral Officer, alleging that inducting a minister who had recently sought a ticket from the same constituency amounts to an attempt to influence voters.

Defending the decision, Telangana Congress chief Mahesh Goud said the government was merely fulfilling its commitment to social justice and minority inclusion.

“The Congress had promised cabinet representation for minorities. Even in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, governments always included a minority face. We are simply correcting a long-overdue imbalance,” he said.

Azharuddin, who is not yet a member of either the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council, has been nominated to the Council under the Governor’s quota. However, the nomination is still awaiting the Governor’s approval. He must secure membership in the legislature within six months to continue as a minister.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Goud pointed out that the party had once appointed a Rajasthan election candidate as minister who later lost to the Congress in the polls.

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has again made provocative remarks suggesting that Muslims in the state becoming more prosperous could signal the “surrender of the Assamese people” — a statement widely criticised as divisive and communal.

Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting, Sarma claimed that alongside demographic changes, Assam was witnessing an “economic shift,” with Muslims allegedly becoming wealthier. He further implied that this shift represented the beginning of “the Assamese people’s surrender.”

Citing data from 2001 to 2011, Sarma said the Hindu population growth rate was falling while the Muslim population continued to rise. “In every block of Assam, the growth of the Hindu population is coming down and the Muslim population is increasing,” he said.

The chief minister went on to link the issue to property ownership, asserting that land sales from Hindus to Muslims were disproportionately high. “We are seeing that the sale of land from Hindus to Muslims is very high, while the vice versa is less,” Sarma said, adding that such transactions are now scrutinised under a directive issued last year requiring government permission.

While claiming that his government has “no problem” with Assamese or indigenous Muslims, Sarma continued to frame economic mobility among Muslims as a threat to Assamese identity. “So far, we were thinking that only the numbers have risen, but now we see that even the wealth pattern has changed,” he said.

Critics say Sarma’s repeated references to religion in matters of demography and economy reflect a deliberate attempt to polarise communities and deepen mistrust. His comments equating Muslim prosperity with “surrender” of the Assamese people, they argue, expose the communal undercurrent in the state’s political discourse.

The chief minister said he would hold another press conference soon to “elaborate” on the matter.

Karwar, Nov 1: A powerful video capturing an act of extraordinary kindness has gone viral, showcasing two young men from Gokarna who rescued a distressed dolphin that had washed ashore. Their brave efforts, defying rough waves and adverse weather, ensured the marine animal was safely returned to the Arabian Sea.

The heartwarming incident unfolded near the Surya Resort area of the beach in Uttara Kannada district. A dolphin, estimated to be about five to six feet long, was found struggling in a weak and distressed condition, unable to breathe or move due to the strong surf.

Rushing to the Rescue

Witnessing the marine creature's plight, Yashwant Mahabaleshwar Gowda, the owner of the nearby resort, and local resident Madhu Gowda immediately rushed into the water. With the help of onlookers, the duo carefully maneuvered the large dolphin, pushing it through the difficult waves and into deeper waters. The dolphin, once freed, swam away, much to the relief of the crowd.

Tourists captured the entire rescue operation on their mobile phones. The viral footage shows the two men, undeterred by the surging tide, carefully pulling the dolphin by its tail and guiding it toward safety. Their compassion has since earned them widespread praise from both locals and visitors, underscoring the deep connection between the coastal community and its marine life.

Dolphins, often regarded as symbols of harmony, are frequently sighted along the coasts of Murudeshwar, Gokarna, and Karwar, where they are known for their friendly and playful nature.