NEW DELHI: Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday alleged that the words “secular” and “socialist” were missing from the Preamble in the copies of the Constitution given to lawmakers on the first day of the new Parliament building.
However, law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the copies that were distributed contained the original version of the Preamble which did not contain these words. The words “secular” and “socialist” were added later after constitutional amendments.
‘Cleverly removed’
Earlier today, Chowdhury trained his guns at the Centre, saying that the words have been “cleverly removed” by the government.
The opposition parties, including Congress, have often accused the BJP-led government of being against secularism.
Adhir said the “deletion” of the words raised doubts over the intentions of the BJP government.
“…This is a serious matter and we will raise this issue,” he told reporters.
Used original version: Centre
Rejecting Adhir’s charges, Union minister Meghwal said that the copies contained the original Preamble while amendments to it were made later.
“When the Constitution was drafted, it was like this. An amendment was made later. This is the original copy. Our spokesperson has replied to the same,” he said.
Chowdhury said he knows that the words were added later in 1976 to the Constitution but added that it was still a “serious issue”.
“For me this is a serious issue. I doubt their intentions as their heart does not seem to be clear on this,” he said.
The Congress Leader of the House in Lok Sabha also said that if someone gives a copy of the Constitution today, it should carry the version of it as of today.
Other opposition members also targeted the Centre over the issue.
Binoy Viswam of the CPI termed the omission of the words as a “crime”,
The NCP said that it showed the “biased mindset” of the ruling BJP.
(With inputs from agencies)

NEW DELHI: The India tour of Punjabi-Canadian signer Shubhneet Singh, popularly known as Shubh, has been cancelled amid a major backlash over his alleged support for Khalistan and separatists.
Shubh, who was going to perform in several cities across India, had also shared a distorted map of India without Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, along with the caption “Pray for Punjab”.
BookMyShow, which was organising the “Still Rollin Tour”, said that the concerts have been cancelled and those who have purchased the tickets will get a refund.
“Singer Shubhneet Singh’s Still Rollin Tour for India stands cancelled. To that end, BookMyShow has initiated a complete refund of the ticket amount for all consumers who had purchased tickets for the show. The refund will be reflected within 7-10 working days in the customer’s source account of the original transaction,” it said.

BookMyShow had been facing flak on X for selling tickets for the tour. with #UninstallBookMyShow trending on the microblogging platform.
Earlier today, consumer electronics company boAt said it has decided to withdraw sponsorship of the now-cancelled tour over certain remarks made by Shubh.
Cricketer Virat Kohli had recently unfollowed Shubh on social media app Instagram amid the backlash.
The backlash comes amid the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada, triggered by allegations made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that New Delhi was involved in the murder of a Khalistani terrorist on his country’s soil.
Both the countries expelled each other’s senior diplomats, with India dubbing Trudeau’s allegations as “absurd”.
Who is Shubh?
Shubh is a Canada-based Punjabi rapper who rose to fame due to the large number of streams on Instagram reels of his song ‘Still Rollin’.
He released his first breakout single ‘We Rollin’ in 2021 and as of 2023, it has reached more than 201 million views on YouTube.
He recently released his debut album ‘Still Rollin’ and announced his first-ever India tour starring in 10 different cities and a cruise this year.
BookMyShow was a sponsor of the Indian tour.
(With inputs from agencies)

NEW DELHI: With the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 just around the corner, cricket aficionados and music enthusiasts worldwide are in for a treat as the event’s official anthem, ‘Dil Jashn Bole,’ takes centre stage.
This harmonious masterpiece is the result of a dynamic collaboration between acclaimed actor Ranveer Singh and the highly respected Bollywood composer Pritam. Together, they have crafted a musical journey that promises to enrapture fans, guiding them through the splendour of the largest Cricket World Cup ever held.
‘Dil Jashn Bole’ seamlessly blends traditional Indian instruments with an international flair, aiming to encapsulate the emotions and fervour of the global cricket community. Accompanying this sensational anthem is a music video that aspires to bridge nations and unite fans from diverse cultures, all brought together in a celebration of the sport they love.

During the anthem’s grand unveiling, Ranveer Singh expressed his deep gratitude for the privilege of delivering this musical gift to the cricketing world, stating, “Being part of this anthem launch for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is truly an honour. It’s a celebration of the sport we all love.”
Pritam, the creative genius behind the anthem, shared similar sentiments, underlining the eagerness to share a piece of India and its profound cricketing passion with fans across the globe through the universal language of music.
“Cricket is India’s greatest passion, and composing ‘Dil Jashn Bole’ for the biggest World Cup ever has been a tremendous honour for me. This song is not just for 1.4 billion Indian fans but for the whole world to come to India and be a part of the biggest celebration ever,” Pritam said.
Fans, too, are offered an exhilarating opportunity to express their ardour for both the anthem and the tournament through the collective Fan Anthem initiative. By teaming up with a friend, capturing their unique hook-step performance, and sharing it on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #CWC23, supporters can join the global chorus of enthusiasm for ‘Dil Jashn Bole.’

NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi over an ongoing diplomatic row with Canada over the killing of a Khalistani extremist on Canadian soil, TV reports said on Wednesday.
The meeting between PM Modi and external affairs minister took place in the new Parliament House, the sources added.
The Canadian government has accused Indian government agents of being involved in murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Nijjar, a strong supporter of an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, was gunned down on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural centre in Surrey, British Columbia. Canada said that it was “actively pursuing credible allegations” linking Indian government agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader, dealing a further blow to diplomatic ties between the countries.
Canada has also expelled a top Indian diplomat as it investigated what Trudeau called credible allegations that India’s government may have had links to the assassination in Canada of a Sikh activist.
He said in an emergency statement to the House of Commons that any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen was “an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.
(With inputs from agencies)

Indian stock markets took a beating on Wednesday with BSE Sensex falling over 600 points and Nifty dipping below the 20,000 mark. Nifty recorded one of its weakest sessions in nearly a month and Sensex is on track for its least favorable day since early August.
HDFC Bank faced the most significant setback within the Nifty 50, plunging by as much as 3.3%. This decline resulted from the bank’s acknowledgment that its recently completed merger with HDFC Ltd would put pressure on critical financial indicators like net interest margin and non-performing assets.
Apurva Seth, head of market perspective and research at Samco Securities told Reuters that HDFC management has tried to give some clarity. “There was a lot of uncertainty with respect to how the numbers of merged entity would be. With the recently concluded analyst meet, the management has tried to give some clarity,” he said. HDFC Bank in turn dragged down the overall banking index as well. According to a Reuters report the banking index is on track for its biggest intraday drop since August with a 0.7% decline.
While the equity benchmark indices, Nifty in particular, were hit by the decline in HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries, broader global cues were unfavorable as well. With the US Federal Reserve’s decision looming, the global markets are watching out for the commentary from the US central bank. While a rate hike is unlikely in today’s meeting, the commentary may indicate a possible rate hike in November, analysts told TOI, which would be a negative for markets.
Oil prices surging to their highest levels in 10 months have also stoked inflation fears. Global benchmark Brent hit over $95 per barrel, a first since November last year.
Where are Indian equity markets headed?
Siddhartha Khemka, Head of Retail Research, Broking and Distribution, MOFSL told TOI that Nifty is under pressure today because of HDFC Bank and Reliance. “While HDFC Bank has spoken of its key financial ratios being affected by the merger, Reliance has been hit by crude prices. Additionally, global cues are not favorable, with all eyes on the US Federal Reserve’s decision and commentary,” Khemka said.
“Overall, while in the coming days we expect some profit booking and caution, Nifty and the Indian markets in general are fundamentally strong, so a gradual uptick is likely,” he added.

According to Ajay Vora, Head- Equities, Nuvama Asset Management, Nifty has seen an almost 20% rally since the end of March, driven by strong corporate results and FII/DII inflows. “However crude prices moving closer to $100 will resurface inflation concerns. This has led to higher probability of FED raising rates again in their next meeting which is what UST are also indicating. This can definitely cap a near term upside in the market,” Vora told TOI.
PTI quoted VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services as saying that multiple challenges are lined up for the markets in the coming days. “There are too many challenges for the market in the near-term. Brent crude at USD 94, the dollar index above 105, the US bond yield at 5.09 per cent and the INR at record lows against the dollar are strong headwinds,” he was quoted as saying.
What should investors do?
Amidst the stock market volatility, what should investors do? Is there a case to book profits, or should they avoid panic selling and focus on fundamentals?
Sujan Hajra, Chief Economist & Executive Director at Anand Rathi Shares and Stock Brokers points out that most of the major equity indices are giving returns higher than their historical averages. He believes that the rally in Indian equities will continue and investors should remain invested. However, Hajra tells TOI that since equities are inherently volatile in the near run, investors should look at a time horizon of over 12 months, ideally 3 years, when looking at equities assets.
Siddhartha Khemka of Motilal Oswal recommends that investors should focus on fundamentally strong companies which will do well over the long term. “ The Indian economy is showing strong growth along with steady corporate earnings. These factors should help keep the markets buoyant over the next few months,” he believes.

Ajay Vora from Nuvama says that the current market situation doesn’t call for panic among investors. “Instead, they should exercise caution by avoiding speculations and gradually keep investing in quality companies with at least 2-3 year horizon,” he tells TOI.

KOCHI: A successful hip fracture surgery was performed on a 110-year-old woman in a hospital in Kerala’s Ernakulam. The oldest woman in the world on whom hip fracture surgery was done successfully is 112-year-old.
Fathima from Chavakkad in Thrissur district fell while going to the bathroom at night which resulted in a hip fracture. She was admitted to Apollo Adlux Hospital with severe pain. She was unable to perform her daily routines. The injury caused her excruciating pain during basic activities like urination and movement. She was admitted under the special senior citizen scheme.
To relieve her of her pain and create an optimal window for surgery, the medical team employed an innovative approach, administering a highly effective Fascia iliaca block that could help reduce pain so that they could operate on her. This cutting-edge technique provided complete pain relief for 12 hours, paving the way for immediate surgical intervention.
A team headed by Dr Prince Shanavas Khan, senior consultant, Orthopaedics successfully conducted the hip replacement surgery. This was followed by 2 hours of observation and one day in the ICU.
“When she was brought to the hospital, all her health parameters were normal. She was fully conscious and had a good memory but was almost bedridden. We decided to operate on her as we wanted to ensure that she lives a life she had before the fall,” added Dr Khan.