Rupee hits all-time intra-day low of 92.36 against US dollar
Mumbai (PTI): The rupee tumbled 35 paise to hit all-time intra-day low of 92.36 against the US dollar on Thursday as global crude oil prices kept rising overnight and showed no signs of easing amid the raging war in West Asia.
A stronger greenback, and weak sentiments in the domestic equity markets further weighed on the rupee, which was already on a weak footing in early trade due to heavy FII outflows, forex traders said.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the local unit opened at 92.25 but kept falling to hit an all-time intra-day low of 92.36 against the US dollar, losing 35 paise from its previous close.
The rupee had seen its previous record intra-day low of 92.35 against the greenback on March 9.
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On Wednesday, it declined 16 paise to settle at 92.01 against the US dollar.
The dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.18 per cent higher at 99.40.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 6.72 per cent at USD 98.16 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the Sensex plunged 445.26 points, or 0.58 per cent, to 76,418.45 points, while the Nifty was down 121.70 points, or 0.51 per cent, at 23,745.15.
Foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 6,267.31 crore on a net basis on Wednesday, according to exchange data.
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Different communities living in harmony in Assam as BJP is in power: Himanta
Dhemaji/Majuli/Sadiya (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said different communities were living in harmony as the BJP was in power in the state.
Addressing back-to-back election rallies in Dhemaji, Majuli, Naoboicha and Sadiya, he accused the Congress of working only for 'Bangladeshi-Miyas', while ignoring the welfare of the indigenous population.
"We want to work for the people living in Assam -- the Assamese, Bengali and Hindi speaking people, Gorkhas, tribals, all communities. All the communities are in harmony because the BJP is in power," he said.
Sarma alleged that the Congress appeased 'Bangladeshi Miyas' when it was in power, while the BJP is working for the welfare of the indigenous community.
"You can see for yourself now that after the BJP came to power, the Bangladeshi-Miyas have been cut to size. During this term, we broke the hands and legs of the Bangladeshi-Miyas politically; next time we will break their backbone so that they cannot live peacefully in Assam," he said.
'Miya' is originally a pejorative term used for Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam, and they are usually identified as immigrants from what is now Bangladesh. In recent years, activists from the community have started adopting the term as a gesture of defiance.
Sarma claimed that he is the first chief minister to have visited the river-island of Majuli at least 15 times.
"Development of Majuli started in 2016, when the BJP came to power in the state. Congress did not want to come here as they didn't want to solve the problems," he said.
The CM also took a jibe at the Congress's election slogan of 'Natun Bor Asom' (new greater Assam).
"We want our 'Bor Asom' on the ideals of Sankardev and Chaolung Sukapha, not a 'Natun Bor Asom' of Bangladeshi-Miyas," he said.
Elections for the 126-member assembly will be held on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled on May 4.
