Have to be Hindu to live in Araria, says Bihar BJP MLA Pradeep Kumar Singh
Patna: A video featuring Pradeep Kumar Singh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Araria in northeast Bihar, has gone viral on social media after he remarked that those seeking to live in Araria must become Hindus.
During an event for Union Minister for Textile and Begusarai MP Giriraj Singh’s ongoing five-day Hindu Swabhiman Yatra, Pradeep Kumar made the controversial remarks, stating, “What shame is there in calling yourself a Hindu? If one has to live in Araria, he has to become Hindu.” His comments were met with applause and cheers from the audience.
Notably, Pradeep Singh represents a constituency where approximately 40 percent of the population is Muslim. He further urged attendees to prioritise Hindu unity over caste affiliations, stating, “Look out for your caste when you have to marry your sons and daughters, but when there is a need for Hindu unity, you must be a Hindu first and put your caste behind.”
In response, RJD leader and former Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav slammed Pradeep Singh's statements and the yatra, claiming they aim to sow discord between communities. “The way Giriraj Singh is organising this yatra and the provocative statement made by BJP's Araria MP... there's an attempt to create rift and riots between two communities," Yadav said in a video message. He emphasised that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) stands for social justice and secularism and will continue to fight against communal and feudal forces.
This is Pradeep Singh, the Member of Parliament from Araria. You must be familiar with him, but sadly, the very Constitution on which he swore an oath, he is now violating. He understands that the tide is turning, every community and every section of society is becoming educated,… pic.twitter.com/21AAp5fQDd
— Akhyarul Hoda (@AkhyarTweets18) October 22, 2024
VIDEO | "The way Giriraj Singh is organising a yatra
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 23, 2024
(Hindu Swabhiman Yatra)... and the absurd statement given by BJP's Araria MP... there's an attempt to create rift and riots between two communities. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has always been a party of social justice and… pic.twitter.com/MZsPGF50Lu
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Noida airport to begin ops next month with IndiGo flights to Lucknow, Bengaluru
Noida (PTI): IndiGo on Thursday announced that it will start commercial flight operations from the Noida International Airport in Jewar from June 15, becoming the launch carrier for the greenfield airport in western Uttar Pradesh.
The first day flights will be to and fro Lucknow and Bengaluru, the airline said in a statement.
Noida International Airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 28.
IndiGo said it will be the first carrier to start commercial services from the airport, the third in the National Capital Region (NCR).
According to the airline, inaugural flights on June 15 will operate on the Lucknow-Noida-Bengaluru-Noida-Lucknow sector.
As per the announced schedule, flight 6E 2278 will depart from Lucknow at 7.05 am and arrive in Noida at 8.05 am before departing for Bengaluru at 8.35 am and landing there at 11.05 am.
The return flight, 6E 2279, will leave Bengaluru at 3.45 pm and reach Noida at 6.20 pm before departing for Lucknow at 6.55 pm and arriving there at 8 pm.
IndiGo said it will gradually introduce direct flights connecting Noida International Airport to more than 16 destinations across the country, including metro cities such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad, besides tier-2 and tier-3 cities like Amritsar, Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Jaipur, Lucknow, Navi Mumbai, Pantnagar and Srinagar.
The airline said bookings for the flights are being opened in phases through its website, mobile application and authorised travel partners.
Aloke Singh, Chief Strategy Officer of IndiGo, said the airline was pleased to announce the launch of operations from Noida International Airport.
"Strategically positioned on the Yamuna Expressway, Noida International Airport will be the new gateway for western Uttar Pradesh alongside the NCR. As we continue to expand our operations, we remain committed to delivering affordable, on-time and hassle-free travel experiences," Singh said.
IndiGo said the airport is expected to emerge as a major domestic aviation hub and will strengthen connectivity between Delhi-NCR and western Uttar Pradesh through integrated road and rail infrastructure.
