PM Modi becomes first sitting Prime Minister to visit RSS headquarters
Nagpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi made history by becoming the first sitting PM to visit the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur. He paid tribute to RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and second chief MS Golwalkar at Dr Hedgewar Smruti Mandir. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was also present during PM Modi’s visit to the Smruti Mandir in Nagpur's Reshimbagh, the administrative headquarters of the organisation, which is planning to celebrate 100 years since its founding.
The visit coincided with the Sangh's Pratipada programme marking Gudi Padwa, the Hindu New Year.
PM Modi also visited Deekshabhoomi to pay respects to BR Ambedkar. Later, he laid the foundation stone for Madhav Netralaya Premium Centre and inaugurated the Loitering Munition Testing Range in Nagpur.
Visiting Smruti Mandir in Nagpur is a very special experience.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 30, 2025
Making today’s visit even more special is the fact that it has happened on Varsha Pratipada, which is also the Jayanti of Param Pujya Doctor Sahab.
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41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
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He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
