A water tank collapse in Mathura’s Krishna Vihar Colony resulted in two fatalities and six injuries. Rescue efforts are ongoing to locate individuals potentially trapped under the debris. The incident occurred at approximately 6:00 pm in a colony developed by the Uttar Pradesh Awas Vikas Parishad.
Eight Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh went to polls in the first phase, with another eight set to vote in the second phase on April 26. The 2019 elections were largely bipolar, with the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) contesting together. However, this year’s election is expected to be a three-cornered contest after Mayawati decided to go alone. A total of 91 candidates are in the fray for the second phase, covering Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, and Bulandshahr seats. Key seats to watch out for in the second phase include Amroha, Meerut, Mathura, and Ghaziabad. In Amroha, BSP’s winning candidate from 2019, Danish Ali, is now contesting on a Congress ticket against BJP’s Kanwar Singh Tanwar and BSP’s Mujahid Hussain. In Meerut, the BJP has replaced three-time MP Rajendra Agarwal with actor Arun Govil, who played Lord Ram in the popular TV serial ‘Ramayan’. The BJP had a narrow victory in 2019, winning by a margin of 5,000 votes against the SP-BSP-RLD alliance. This time, both Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati have fielded Hindu candidates in a seat where Muslims constitute 36% of the population. In Mathura, the BJP has fielded two-time sitting MP Hema Malini. The actor-turned-politician faces challenge from OBC leader Mukesh Dhangar of the Congress and Chaudhary Suresh Singh of the BSP. In Ghaziabad, Mayawati has fielded Nandkishore Pundhir to capitalize on the resentment among the Rajput community against the BJP. The Congress has fielded Dolly Sharma from the seat.
Vrindavan, a sacred city nestled within Mathura, embodies the essence of devotion to Radha-Krishna. Home to numerous temples, including the iconic ISKON and Premnagar temples, Vrindavan attracts devotees from far and wide. However, the city faces several challenges that affect its spiritual and administrative functioning.
In the ongoing legal battle over the Krishna Janmbhoomi-Shahi Eidgah dispute in Mathura, the Hindu side has challenged the Muslim side’s claim that the disputed property is a Waqf property. The Hindu side argues that the property was originally a temple and cannot be converted into a Waqf property simply by offering prayers on it. The Muslim side, however, maintains that the Shahi Eidgah Masjid is a Waqf property and that the civil court has no jurisdiction to hear the matter. The High Court has set April 30 as the next date of hearing.
As elections draw near, an assessment of the government’s flagship Jal Jeevan Mission reveals a contrasting picture on the ground. Despite claims of progress, rural communities in Mathura face ongoing water scarcity and unfulfilled promises. The article explores the impact of the project on voter choices and highlights the discrepancy between official claims and the reality experienced by locals.
