Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that veteran BJP leader LK Advani will be conferred the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India.

“The conferring of the Bharat Ratna on him is a very emotional moment for me,” PM Modi wrote on his official X account and tagged two pictures with Mr Advani.

The Prime Minister said that he has spoken to Mr Advani, a former deputy prime minister and congratulated him on being conferred this honour. 

“One of the most respected statesmen of our times, his contribution to the development of India is monumental. His is a life that started from working at the grassroots to serving the nation as our Deputy Prime Minister,” PM Modi wrote.

“He distinguished himself as our Home Minister and I&B Minister as well. His Parliamentary interventions have always been exemplary, full of rich insights,” he added.

Advani Ji’s decades-long service in public life has been marked by an unwavering commitment to transparency and integrity, setting an exemplary standard in political ethics. He has made unparalleled efforts towards furthering national unity and cultural resurgence. The conferring…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 3, 2024

“Advani Ji’s decades-long service in public life has been marked by an unwavering commitment to transparency and integrity, setting an exemplary standard in political ethics,” PM Modi said.

Praising the 96-year-old leader, the Prime Minister said that Mr Advani’s “decades-long service in public life has been marked by an unwavering commitment to transparency and integrity, setting an exemplary standard in political ethics.” 

He has made unparalleled efforts towards furthering national unity and cultural resurgence, PM Modi said. 

“I will always consider it my privilege that I got countless opportunities to interact with him and learn from him,” he said.

LK Advani Is BJP’s Longest-Serving President

LK Advani has served as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its inception in 1980. 

He is also credited with crafting BJP’s rise through the 90s when it came to power for the first time as the head of coalition governments under Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He served as the deputy prime minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led cabinet from 2002 to 2004.

Poonam Pandey, model and reality TV star, today announced that she hasn’t died of cervical cancer. Her announcement on Instagram came a day after the model’s manager announced that she had died of cervical cancer.

“I am alive. I didn’t die of cervical cancer. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the hundreds and thousands of women who have lost their lives due to cervical cancer.”

“I am sorry caused this tear and I am sorry to those I have hurt. My intention: to shock everyone into the conversation that we are not talking enough about – cervical cancer,” she said in another post. 

The announcement about her death had shocked everyone in the entertainment industry. The reactions ranged from disbelief to scepticism as many had seen the model at an event in Goa three days ago.

The 32-year-old shot to fame during the 2011 Cricket World Cup when she posted a video message saying she would strip if team India won. She did not, but did post a nude photo when her favourite team Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL the next year. Over the years, she has gathered a legion of social media followers with her controversial statements and was often seen in explicit videos.

In 2022, she drew wide attention with a stint in the Kangana Ranaut-led reality show ‘Lock Upp’. She also acted in some films.

Maharashtra BJP legislator Ganpat Gaikwad has alleged that he fired at an ally Shiv Sena leader in self-defence and he has “no regrets” since they were beating his son inside the police station. He has been arrested.

Mahesh Gaikwad, who belongs to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction, and another supporter were injured in the firing after an argument over a land dispute. The incident occurred last night in Ulhasnagar, which comes under Kalyan parliamentary segment.

“Yes, I shot (him) myself. I have no regrets. If my son is being beaten in front of the police inside the police station, what will I do,” he told a news channel.

Ganpat Gaikwad, whose party is in alliance with Mr Shinde’s Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, also came down heavily on the Chief Minister and said he is “trying to create a kingdom of criminals in Maharashtra”.

“Shinde saheb betrayed Uddhav (Thackeray) saheb, he will also betray BJP. He owes me crores of rupees. Shinde should resign if Maharashtra is to be well-managed. This is my humble request to Devendra Fadnavis (Deputy Chief Minister) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” reports quoted him as saying.

The Kalyan East MLA was referring to the revolt by Mr Shinde that brought down the Thackeray government in 2022.

He also accused the Chief Minister’s son and MP Shrikant Shinde of putting up boards to grab credit for his works. “If Eknath Shinde is the Chief Minister, only criminals will be born in Maharashtra. He has made a good person like me a criminal today,” he said.

The MLA said his son had gone to lodge a complaint at the police station, but the Sena leader’s men started manhandling him, which prompted him to shoot at them. He claimed he fired five rounds in the police station.

The land dispute at the centre of the incident pertains to a plot that the MLA had bought 10 years ago. He claimed there were some legal issues but he won the case in the court, after which Mahesh Gaikward occupied it by force.

The police said Ganpat Gaikwad and two others have been arrested under attempt to murder charges. The injured Sena leader remains critical and on ventilator.

The incident has provided the Uddhav Thackeray faction with fresh ammunition to target the Maharashtra government over law and order.

“A BJP MLA opened fire inside the police station and the person who was shot is close to the Chief Minister and a former corporator. Both their parties are in power, so should we understand that these people have no fear of the law? Both engines of the state government have failed,” said Uddhav faction spokesperson Anand Dubey.