PM Modi cuts short Saudi visit after terror attack in J-K: Govt sources
Jeddah, Apr 22 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi abruptly ended his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and decided to return to New Delhi on Tuesday night following a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, government sources said.
Modi, who held bilateral talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, skipped an official dinner hosted on Tuesday to address the crisis, they added.
He was originally scheduled to return to India on Wednesday night.
Modi, who arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday afternoon, delayed a scheduled meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince by at least two hours on Tuesday evening to assess the situation in Kashmir.
Terrorists opened fire at a famed meadow near Pahalgam town in Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 people, mostly tourists, in what is the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.
The attack, claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group, prompted an urgent internal meeting at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Jeddah, attended by Modi, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and other senior officials.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Doval visited the Royal Palace earlier to brief the Saudi leadership on the sudden change in plans, sources said.
Modi's planned itinerary, which included a visit to a date factory in Jeddah on Wednesday to meet Indian workers, was cancelled.
Modi was set to depart Jeddah after spending less than 12 hours in the Saudi port city.
Sources said he is expected to chair a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security in Delhi on Wednesday to address the escalating situation in Kashmir.
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Deputy CM Shivakumar announces property ownership drive in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced a major property ownership drive here aimed at correcting and regularising property records, saying the government had already rectified 23 lakh Khatas and enabled citizens to download their documents online.
Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, said the state government had begun converting B-Khatas into A-Khatas and would organise special Khata camps every Saturday across corporation limits from May 16 to help citizens secure their property documents.
A Khata is a legal document in Bengaluru certifying that a property complies with all local by-laws, regulations and has paid property taxes to the civic body.
“We have already corrected 23 lakh khatas and provided an opportunity for people to download them,” he said.
Shivakumar explained that the major campaign has been undertaken in Bengaluru to streamline property documentation.
The Deputy Chief Minister said between five and 10 centres would be set up in every corporation area as part of the “Khata Andolana” programme and urged citizens to participate in large numbers.
“I appeal to people to safeguard their property documents. We have created an opportunity for all citizens,” he said.
Calling it a "people-centric" initiative, Shivakumar said the government was working to ensure citizens received proper ownership documentation for their properties.
Shivakumar further claimed that the initiative had drawn national attention and said the Union government had recognised Karnataka with an award for the programme.
“Your Khata is your right. Obtain your Khata and protect yourself from fraud,” he said, while urging people to take advantage of the scheme.
