Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday directed officials to ensure foolproof arrangements for the fourth season of ‘Khedan Vatan Punjab Diyan-2026’, which will begin on September 5 from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Stadium in Bathinda. The Chief Minister said around 10 lakh players are expected to participate in this year’s games. Athletes from nine age groups, ranging from 14 years to above 70 years, will take part in the sporting event. A total of 38 sports disciplines will be contested this season. Four para-sports — athletics, powerlifting, badminton and wheelchair basketball — h

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who arrived in Punjab on the occasion of Rakhar Punnya, said the Indian government would not enter into any agreement with any country at the expense of farmers’ interests. Chouhan said all agreements signed by the Indian government have been made keeping public interests in mind and have benefited the people. Clarifying India’s position on talks with the United States, he said that no agreement has been reached with the U.S. so far and that discussions are still underway. On the possibility of an alliance between the BJP and Shiromani Akal

The Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government is preparing to take strict action against government employees who participated in the mass strike across the state. The government has sought a list of employees who remained absent from duty without prior permission during the strike. Secretary-level officials have been directed to submit the list by tomorrow. The government has argued that the strike disrupted public services and caused considerable inconvenience to ordinary people. Officials have indicated that action will be taken against employees found absent from duty without authorization. Ea

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday paid obeisance at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, Bathinda district, nearly two weeks after surviving a life-threatening attack in Nanded, Maharashtra. He was accompanied by his wife, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and senior party leaders. A large number of Akali workers gathered at the religious shrine to welcome him. Speaking to reporters after paying obeisance, Sukhbir Badal alleged that certain forces were working to weaken Punjab and Sikh leadership and disturb peace and communal harmony in the state. He said the Shiroma

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has strongly objected to the government granting another furlough to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Dhami said the decision reflects a “double and discriminatory approach” by the government. He questioned why Ram Rahim is repeatedly granted furloughs and paroles while Sikh prisoners, who have been incarcerated for long periods, are allegedly denied parole even to meet seriously ill family members. He said such treatment raises questions about the credibility of equal application of law

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin may attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. During his meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Moscow on Monday, Putin expressed hope of meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon. The two leaders discussed India-Russia relations and ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation. Jaishankar, who arrived in Moscow on Sunday for a two-day visit, also met Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. They discussed ways to further expand India-Russia trade and economic cooperation. Putin also noted that trade between Russia and India

Ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Punjab in the last week of August or the first week of September. Punjab Congress in-charge Bhupesh Baghel shared the information after meeting Rahul Gandhi. During the meeting, Rahul Gandhi’s proposed visit to Punjab and preparations for a special bus yatra across the state were discussed. According to Baghel, a roadmap for the bus yatra has been discussed and preparations for Rahul Gandhi’s visit are underway. During the proposed bus yatra, Rahul Gandhi is expected to travel

Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia has made a significant statement regarding the possibility of a renewed alliance between the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that people in Punjab want the two parties to come together again. Majithia said the situation on the alliance would become completely clear in the coming days and that the top leadership of both parties would sit together and take a final decision. He said the two parties had gone their separate ways following the controversy over the farm laws, but the situation in Punjab has

Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday clarified that he had been absent from Wednesday’s Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting with the permission of the party high command. Channi said he had an examination at Panjab University, which prevented him from attending the meeting. He said the party high command had granted him permission to remain absent. The meeting, chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, was attended by senior leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with several other top leaders and special invitees. A