The BJP sought to corner former finance minister P Chidambaram, alleging that he granted seven private firms, including scam-accused Gitanjali Gems, gold import benefits on the day of counting of 2014 Lok Sabha poll votes and asked the Congress how much cut was given to whom for the decision. Senior party leader and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad targeted the Congress and Chidambaram, whose son Karti Chidambaram has been arrested by the CBI in a corruption case, at a press conference which was described by the BJP as an expose on the politics of lies and deceit of the opposition party. Prasad alleged that the then Congress-led UPA government destroyed the economy by not letting the real stressed assets get reflected in banks books and said total advances given by banks in the last six years of its rule rose to Rs 52.15 lakh crore from Rs 18.06 lakh crore in 2008. Only 36 per cent of these advances were identified as stressed assets but they rose to 82 per cent, he said, alleging that under the then so-called economist prime minister Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram, the banking system was sought to be derailed by interventions, patronage and pressure. However,…
Month: March 2015
Patient’s leg used as pillow case: NHRC notices to UP government, Health ministry
The NHRC has sent notices to the Uttar Pradesh government and the Union Health Ministry over an incident in which a mans leg severed in a bus accident was allegedly used as a headrest to prop him up in a state-run hospital in Jhansi. It is hard to understand . how a reasonable person could do such an unfair act, the National Human Rights Commission said today. The NHRC stressed the need for a fair investigation and action against the guilty. The incident demands not only fair investigation and action against the guilty public servants but also issuance of necessary directions and guidelines to all hospitals regarding strict compliance of standard norms for the disposal of bio-medical waste and amputated organs so that such incidents do not recur in future, it said. The incident occurred at the Maharani Laxmibai Medical College, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to suspend four staff and order a departmental probe into it. The Commission has issued the notices to the chief secretary, seeking a detailed report. Also, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been asked to submit a report, as to whether any instructions or guidelines on the subject have been issued to…
Haseeb Drabu’s sacking a setback to alliance in J&K, says BJP
The BJP today termed Chief Minister Mehbooba Muftis decision to sack Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu from her Cabinet a setback to PDP-BJP alliance and said it would widen the gap between the two allies. A top BJP leader praised Drabus role in coordination between the two parties and said he was often the bridge between the Jammu and Kashmir government and the Centre over a host of issues. It is a setback to the alliance, the BJP leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said. He also recalled that Drabu played an important role in the formulation of the GST. Drabu was a key PDP pointsman in setting the contours of its alliance with the BJP in 2015. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today dropped Drabu from her council of ministers following his remarks that Kashmir was not a political issue, according to the party sources. The chief minister wrote a letter to Governor N N Vohra, advising him to drop Drabu from the council of ministers. The development comes after Drabu, speaking at an event in New Delhi on Friday, had said, It (JK) is not a political issue as far as I can see. They have been barking…
How a 25-year-old Class X dropout duped Amazon of Rs 1.3 crore in 5 months
Police have arrested a 25-year-old Class X dropout from Chikkamagaluru city for duping Amazon of Rs 1.3 crore in a span of five months. According to a report by TOI, Darshan alias Dhruva, 25, alleged rigged the card payments made through a tab given by the e-commerce giant and scripted this fraud. He also helped his friends to get hold of expensive smartphones without paying any money. Darshan who was employed with a courier agency reportedly asked his friends to order expensive products and used to deliver them without any transfer of money. Apart from Darshan, the police have also arrested four youngsters with products worth Rs 25 lakh seized from them. The police have seized four bikes along with 21 smartphones, a laptop, an iPod and an Apple watch. The fraud was reportedly carried out between September 2017 and February 2018, a period in which a total of 4,604 orders were received from Chikkamagaluru city. Interestingly, all these products were delivered by Darshan only. Amazon had reportedly signed an agreement with Ekdanta for delivery of its products in the city and collection of payment, the company for which Darshan used to work. The police have revealed that Darshan tampered…
Delhi HC seeks reply of MHA, AAP government, LG on plea of Chief Secretary against privilege panel’s notice
The Delhi High Court today sought response of the Centre, AAP government, Lieutenant Governor (LG) and others on a plea filed by Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash challenging the notice by the Assemblys privilege committee directing him to appear before it for skipping a meeting called by the panel. A single-judge bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher issued notices to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Privilege Committee, the Question and Reference Committee, apart from the city government and the LG, while seeking their reply in two weeks. It posted the matter to April 11 after Delhi Assemblys privilege committee agreed to defer the meeting till further orders. The matter came up before Justice Shakdher after a division bench comprising justices G S Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, which heard the matter briefly, said that the plea should be dealt by a single judge bench. At the outset, the high court expressed reservation on hearing the plea saying it will have to see whether it has the jurisdiction to deal with the matter or not. We need to address the issue of jurisdiction. We have to be very cautious while dealing with the issue. Today, it is the case of Delhi Assembly….
‘Cold comfort’ for India as neighbours give ‘pause for thought’ on Chinese aid
Chinas growing imprint through building of infrastructure projects in South Asian countries is proving to be not so useful for them and New Delhi is finding cold comfort in the fact that Chinas aid was being relooked at by many of Indias neighbours, the government has told a parliamentary panel. According to a report by the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, the panel was informed by the government that experiences with Chinese infrastructure projects in neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka were leading these countries to give at least some pause for thought. In oral evidence to the panel on February 16, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said that China had been a net exporter of capital infrastructure technology in last five years. China has said for many years that it did not intend to do this because it was very typically a Cold-War construct which the Americans had done, Gokhale pointed out. The logistics base at Djibouti is the first one where Chinese President Xi Jinping, wearing combat fatigues, addressed the soldiers in October, thereby removing even the veil of some ambiguity whether or not this is a military base, Gokhale said….
Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government to celebrate first year in office tomorrow
To mark the completion of its first year in office tomorrow, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh would release a film and a booklet highlighting its achievements. A programme will be held at the Lok Bhawan here to mark the occasion and Chief Minister Adityanath will be attending it, a Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson said. The film Ek Saal-Naee Misaal will be screened and a booklet with the same title will be released at the programme. The state government in one year has worked tremendously and has brought Uttar Pradesh back on the track of development, the spokesperson said. The Uttar Pradesh Energy department in a statement said, One of the hallmark of UPs power sector in the recent year is the remarkable increase in household electrification. This was envisaged under the Power for All initiative, the department said.
Not in favour of farm loan waiver: Government informs Parliament
The government is not in favour of farm loan waiver as it negatively impacts credit and recovery climate, Parliament was informed today. However, several measures have been initiated to reduce the debt burden on farmers and increase availability of institutional credit, Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. The government is not in favour of loan waiver as it negatively impacts credit and recovery climate and has systematic consequences, he said. Highlighting steps taken to reduce debt burden on farmers, he said since 2006-07, farm loans up to Rs 3 lakh are provided at a lower interest rate of 7 per cent per annum. Additional interest subvention of 3 per cent is given to those farmers who repay their loan promptly. This scheme is operational in 2017-18, he added. Asked about impact of GST on marketing of agri-produce by farmers, Shekhawat in a separate reply said: There are no reported cases of farmers facing problems regarding marketing of their produce due to GST.. There are also no reported cases whereby benefits of GST have gone directly to manufacturers and dealers, he added. On transfer of administrative control of Rubber Board…
Anti-BJP front before 2019: Mamata Banerjee to attend Sharad Pawar’s dinner, suspense over meeting with Sonia Gandhi
In an effort to shape up an anti-BJP front before 2019 Lok Sabha elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will on Tuesday attend a dinner hosted by NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Delhi. Speaking to reporters at the airport, Banerjee said that it was a routine visit and she is scheduled to attend a meeting of the opposition parties. The Central Hall is a famous hall, where I will meet the leaders of my party and if the leaders of other parties want to meet me, I welcome them. We are all friends, she was quoted as saying. Banjerjee, a critic of the BJP-led central government and its policies, had recently called for unity among all the anti-BJP parties to defeat the saffron party in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. As per reports, Banerjee may also meet United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi. However, she didnt confirm her meet with Gandhi at the airport. She is hospitalised. Let her recover. I do not want to disturb her, Banerjee said. It remains to be seen if the visit serves as an ice-breaker between the TMC and Congress. Earlier this month, Banerjee had skipped a dinner hosted by the UPA chief…
After harping on austerity measures, Haryana govt to buy Rs 41-cr VIP aircraft
After harping on austerity measures for over four years, the BJP government in Haryana has finally decided on a luxury item – a 10-seater aircraft worth nearly Rs 41 crore for use by the states VIPs. A 10-seater King Air B-250 aircraft will be purchased at an estimated cost of $62,50,000 (approximately Rs 41 crore), which is presently used by governments in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh, Haryana Civil Aviation Minister Rao Narbir Singh said in a statement here on Tuesday. The Minister said that the state presently has a twin-engine helicopter for use by the Governor, Chief Minister and other dignitaries. The government had purchased an aircraft in 2005, which crashed at the Chandigarh Airport in March 2014. All formalities (for the purchase of the new aircraft) have been completed, Rao Narbir Singh said. The Khattar government has also decided to purchase three small Cessna-172 training aircraft to impart training to the youths in Haryana. The three aircraft will cost over Rs 3.16 crore. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who assumed office in October 2014, had categorically said then that his government will not purchase a new aircraft for VIP use in view of high price and…
Bharat Bandh: 9 killed in Dalits protest over SC, ST act; train, internet services hit; top highlights
Bharat Bandh on Monday turned violent as 9 people were killed and over hundreds were injured in an unprecedented protests across India. A host of Dalit groups were holding strike to protests against the alleged dilution of the SC\/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Rail-tracks were blocked, vehicular traffic movement was hit, police station was set on fire and public and private properties were damaged across 10 states. Internet services continued to remain suspended in certain areas. Here are top highlights of Bharat Bandh called by Dalit groups 1. Out of nine, six persons were killed in Madhya Pradesh. Two persons died in Uttar Pradesh and one in Rajasthan. Thousands, including a BSP MLA, were detained and arrested after incidents of vandalism and arson came to the fore. 2. BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh was the worst hit among the states. Inspector General (law and order) Makrand Deoskar rejected that the casualties took place due to police firing. He said that people were killed during fights between the pro and anti bandh supporters. 3. It has been learnt that a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and a police official were also injured in the protest in Gwalior-Chambal division. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan…
Delhi fire: 4 members of family killed after house gutted at Kohat Enclave in Pitam Pura
Delhi Fire: In a horrific incident, four members of a family, including two children, have been killed and three others injured after their house caught fire in New Delhis Kohat Enclave near Pitampura, according to reports. It has been learnt that fire broke out allegedly due to short circuit. A probe into the matter is underway. According to a Delhi Fire Service official, a call was received at 2.48 am about a fire in the parking area and 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire was doused by around 4 am. The official said that members were sleeping on the first floor and after they saw smoke emanating from downstairs they tried to escape but were suffocated to death. This comes days after five people, including two minors, died in separate fire incidents in the national capitali on April 9. The Delhi Fire Services had received a call around 6.30 am about the first blaze in Rajapuri area of Sultanpuri. Over two-dozen workers were sleeping in the first and second floors of the three-storey building when the blaze started. All, but four, escaped, an officer said. At least 10 fire tenders rushed to the spot, but the…
Watch: PM Narendra Modi presents slippers to tribal woman under Charan-Paduka scheme in Chhatisgarh’s Bilaspur
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Chhattisgarhs Bijapur district on Saturday, presented a pair of slippers to a tribal woman under Charan-Paduka (footwear) Scheme. This scheme aims to provide footwear to Tendu leaves (tendupatta) collectors in order to help them have smooth movement in the forest. The video shows, the prime minister presenting pair of slippers to an old tribal lady. The woman then wore the slippers thanked the prime minister and left. Among those who were present along with the prime minister at the stage was state Chief Minister Raman Singh. Narendra Modi, who is the first prime minister to visit the district also inaugurated a health centre under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme. While inaugurating the centre, the prime minister hoped that the people of the state would now have proper healthcare facility. The first stage of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme has started. Through this efforts will be done to ensure that proper health care facilities are provided. In almost all health and wellness centres across all the country, this facility will be provided, he was quoted as saying by ANI. Expressing confidence that the district would no more be counted among backward districts, he added, If…
Ex-Bihar Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary quits JD-U over ‘anti-Dalit’ policies
Senior ruling JD-U leader Uday Narain Choudhary, a former Speaker of the Bihar Assembly, on Wednesday said he was quitting the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) to denounce the state governments anti-Dalit policies. I have resigned from the JD-U over the party leaderships silence on increasing crime and atrocities against Dalits in Bihar and across the country. The government led by the party is also pursuing anti-Dalit policies, the Dalit leader told the media. Choudhary has expressed his displeasure with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the JD-U President, since he teamed up with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Choudhary, once considered close to Nitish Kumar, said: I was neglected, ignored and sidelined in the party and no attention was paid when I raised issues related to Dalits. In recent times, Choudhary has joined hands with the RJD and former BJP leader Yaswant Sinha. On Tuesday, he led a march here in support of the Dalit cause.
BJP alleges connection between terror outfit ISIS and ‘hoax’ hartal call over Kathua rape, seeks NIA probe
BJP in Kerala today alleged there was a connection between terror outfit ISIS and the recent hoax hartal call in the state over the Kathua rape and sought an NIA probe. The party would lodge a complaint with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seeking a probe in this regard, BJP state general secretary M T Ramesh told reporters here. He claimed posters demanding justice for the Kathua rape victim, allegedly prepared by a pro-ISIS social media group based in Sri Lanka, had been widely circulated on social media in the state along with the hartal call. The April 16 hoax call by some unidentified groups on the social media had triggered widespread tension across the state with agitators blocking public transport, forcibly downing shutters and hurling stones at vehicles in the name of the hartal. A large number of people were arrested across the state in connection with the hartal while Police later said they found some whatsapp groups had purposefully spread the call. Ramesh accused the state government of trying to end the investigation with some whatsapp groups. The recent hartal, called via social media, by some groups and the following violence had connection with ISIS. The Kerala government…
‘Vibrant North East 2018’ from May 3
The Vibrant North East 2018, an event in which people would be made aware of central governments schemes and programmes, will be held here from Thursday, organisers said. Players from the agriculture, food processing, consumer affairs, civil supply, drinking water and sanitation sectors will participate in the three-day event. Organised by Delhi-based NGO, Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), the Vibrant North East 2018 is supported by the North Eastern Council, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and All India Farmers Alliance. The main purpose of the event is to disseminate information about the schemes, grants and projects of the Central government to ensure that they are implemented as There is a lack of awareness about such schemes and projects among the farmers and other stakeholders of the North East, he said. We also seek to provide a platform to the industry to set up agri-business centres at the block level, he added. This will be the fourth edition of the Vibrant North East expo in Guwahati.
Narendra Modi UK visit: PM arrives in London from Sweden, to attend CHOGM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the UK today for a four-day visit of bilateral engagements as well as multilateral discussions as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson received Modi at the Heathrow airport here. Johnson said he was excited about the growing India-UK bilateral trade and that the visit will help build on huge economic advantages. ..thanks to our shared history, we have a living bridge between us Modi is set for a packed day of official engagements today, starting with his bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street. The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including separatism, cross-border terrorism, visas and immigration. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the return of illegal immigrants, which had expired in 2014, will be officially renewed to take into account biometric and other developments in the field, along with a range of nearly a dozen MoUs across different sectors. Modi will then head to the Science Museum in London to visit the 5000 Years of Science and Innovation exhibition where he will interact with Indian-origin and other scientists and innovators based…
Haryana govt preparing list of consumers who did not pay electricity bills, confirms CM Khattar
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said the state government is preparing a list of electricity consumers who have not paid their bills. Addressing a gram sabha in this district last night under the Ek Raat Gramino Ke Saath programme organised as part of the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, he said after preparing the list of defaulters, the reason being it would be ascertained, electricity metres would be examined and corrective measures taken. At the event, the chief minister promised an assistance of Rs 18 lakh for setting up a community centre in Salaru the village and Rs 20 lakh for setting up a water tank to meet water shortage. Khattar directed the officials to get the panchayati land levelled and make adequate arrangements for supply of water, electricity and other facilities in the 100-square-yard plots in the village, he said, adding as many as 401 gyms would be inaugurated in the state on May 5. Interacting with the villagers about eight different schemes launched under the Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, the chief minister exhorted them to take maximum benefit of these schemes. These schemes include Saubhagya Yojana, Ujala Yojana, Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Sadak Durghatna Bima Yojana, Mission Indradhanush, Jan Dhan…
French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in India for 4-day visit; PM Narendra Modi receives him at Delhi airport
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived here tonight on a four-day India visit and was received at the airport by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a special gesture. Macron was accompanied by his wife Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron, besides senior ministers from his Cabinet. During the visit, the two countries would look to boost ties, especially in the areas of maritime security and counter-terrorism. An agreement on the Jaitapur nuclear power plant, which is being built with French assistance, is expected to be signed during the visit, sources here said. Stepping up cooperation in the Indian Ocean region will be one of the top issues that will be discussed by Macron and Prime Minister Modi during delegation-level talks tomorrow. France has particularly supported Indias perspective on terror in South Asia. We are seeing convergence in new areas, particularly maritime security, counter-terrorism and renewable energy, K Nagraj Naidu, joint secretary (Europe-west), told reporters. Besides defence, cooperation in the areas of nuclear energy and space are the other pillars of the strategic partnership between India and France. Watch video: #WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Emmanuel Macron, President of France in Delhi. The France President is on a four-day visit to India. pic.twitter.com\/GX4tZmE3En The…
Meghalaya government swearing-in highlights: Conrad Sangma takes oath as 12th Chief Minister
Meghalaya swearing-in ceremony Live Updates: Conrad Sangma of the National People Yesterday, Meghalaya Governor Ganga Prasad had invited Sangma to form the government as he has the support of 34 MLAs in the 60 member Assembly. BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah are likely to attend the event. Conrad Sangma (40) is the youngest son of former Lok Sabha speaker P A Sangma. Meghalaya assembly election results threw up a fractured mandate. Congress emerged as the single largest party after winning 21 constituencies out the 59 but fell short of majority mark by 10 seats. Meanwhile, NPP bagged 19, and got support from United Democratic Party (UDP), Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP) and the BJP and an Independent. UDP, PDF, HSPDP and BJP have six, four, two and two seats respectively. Notably, Congress was in power in the state for the last 10 years. Polling in 59 assembly seats was held on February 27. WATCH LIVE STREAMING : Highlights of Meghalaya government swearing-in ceremony- Real challenge and work starts today. We will work to take our state forward. NDTV reported him as saying that now it…
Modi-Macron mega moment: India, France will have rendezvous starting from March 9
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of the worlds fastest-growing economy, and Emmanuel Macron, President of the worlds most aggressive climate change saviour, have a rendezvous starting from March 9 in New Delhi. They truly represent the strongest redeemers of the worlds most formidable challenges of today – climate change, terrorism and inequality. And no one knows more than these two leaders that combating these three enemies would require tremendous political will and resources. That is because confronting them is not an exercise of three separate encounters on three fronts. They are interlinked and complex clusters. Climate change is aggravating inequality that drives terrorism – creating a vicious spiral of storms. The good news is that the two leaders are compatible and likeminded. Macron is a great listener and keen to learn from elders like Modi. And Modi is a staunch believer that young leaders like Macron would be tomorrows stewards to steer the world in the right direction in the milieu of a political quagmire. Modi is innovative and Macron is inventive. That combination of attributes of these two leaders is giving shape to one of the path-breaking projects that has emerged from Modis brave innovative initiative – the International Solar…
Nitin Gadkari promises potable water from sea at Rs 5 paise per litre in India
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari who is also the union minister of water resources in India has promised that the nation would soon have access to potable water from sea at 5 paise per litre. The minister, while addressing a gathering at the 5th Nitin Gadkari during his speech noted that water wars in several states in India overshadow India Gadkari pressed on the fact that the Indian media and MLAs equally were obsessed with the water wars between states while they won He called for preservation of land, forest and water as they were gifts endowed by nature. He also stressed on the need to conserve water from being wasted and shared government Last year, Nitin Gadkari had spoken of creating a water grid that would divert water to areas with scarce quantity, which would be at par with the power grid in India. Gadkari said he was serious on the issue and would start work on five projects of river connectivity as per PM Modi He also said that besides water grid would begin work on three of the five river inter-linking projects worth Rs 50,000 crore in the next three months. Gadkari pledged…
Tamil Nadu forest fire: 25 students trapped in forest fire, Niramala Sitharaman speaks to CM K Palaniswami
A forest fire in Theni district of Tamil Nadu trapped at least 25 students in Kurangani hills in with 12 being rescued till now. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who had spoken to state chief minister K Palaniswami regarding the matter said that about 10-15 students returning to the foothills after being rescued. The defence minister in a series of tweets also said that two helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers from its Sulur base near Coimbatore have been to assist the rescue operations in the area. Responding to the request from the Hon @CMOTamilNadu on the forest -fire related issue -20 students are caught in Kurangani, Theni district. Instructed @IAF_MCC to help in rescue and evacuation. The Southern Command is in touch with the Collector of Theni, she said in a tweet. While the medical team has already been sent to the spot, employees of a private tea estate nearby have also been helping in operations, she said . The hill is located near Bodinayakanur in southern part of the state. Officials have said that about twelve students had been rescued by the locals and rescue operation teams. Efforts are on to rescue others. As per police, students…
Mumbai farmers’ protest: Poonam Mahajan claims urban maoists misguiding Maharashtra peasants
BJP MP Poonam Mahajan today said farmers and tribals protesting in Maharashtra were being misguided by urban Maoists. The remarks drew flak from the CPI(M), NCP and AAP, whose leaders targeted the BJP MP for the insensitive remarks. The MP from Mumbai North Central said it was the responsibility of the BJP-led Maharashtra government to sit with the protesters, who were being captured by Maoists, to solve their problems. Sadly, tribals have been captured by the Maoists and their centre is in Pune. The government can do a lot for them, but the (Maoists) ideology is stopping them. We have seen urban Maoists in many cities of India. They go to districts which are called Maoists affected areas, Mahajan told reporters outside Parliament. Maoists are misguiding them (the farmers). It is the responsibility of the Maharashtra government to sit with the farmers and sort out the problem, she said as Mumbais Azad Maidan turned into a sea of red this morning with thousands of farmers carrying red flags converging after walking around 180 km from neighbouring Nashik district for six days. The farmers, who banded together under the Left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), reached Mumbai last afternoon and called…
Delhi assembly budget session begins; BJP MLAs marshalled out
The Delhi Assemblys budget session began today amid protests by opposition MLAs over the presence of Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot in the House despite the latters disqualification in connection with office-of-profit case. All four opposition MLAs were marshalled out as they entered the well of the House in protest against Gahlots participation in the House proceedings. As the assembly proceedings began with the arrival of Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta and three other BJP MLAs – O P Sharma, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Jagdish Pradhan- stated that only elected members should be allowed in the House. Speaker Ram Niwas Goel later ordered the MLAs to be marshalled out. Gupta said bonafide members were marshalled out while a disqualified MLA who is a minister attends the budget session. Why is Gahlot being allowed to sit in the House even after his disqualification? We were just demanding that disqualified members should not be allowed inside the House, but we were marshalled out, he said. 20 AAP MLAs, including the transport minister, were disqualified by President Ram Nath Kovind following the Election Commissions recommendations in connection with the office-of-profit case.
Green warrior: This lady has helped conserve around 50 hectares of forest land
Jharkhand has always found itself on the crossroads of development and conservation. The dense sal forest surrounding Maturkham village in Purbi Singhbhum district is an example of this strife. It was mercilessly plundered for almost two decades by the forest mafia for its precious timber and rare fauna. Then, in the 1980s, Naxalites set up base in the forests. What ensued was a long-drawn battle between the two, resulting in a lot of bloodshed. But amid all this, nobody paid any attention to loss of the precious flora and fauna. Enter Jamuna Tudu. From Odisha originally, Tudu came to Jharkhand in 1998 after her marriage. A lover of nature, she noticed the harm being inflicted on the forest and decided to do something about it. After a lot of coaxing and discussion, she got the support of the village women. But the men of the village weren This didn Today, the group, which consists of 50 active foot soldiers, has successfully saved and conserved around 50 hectares of forest land. But in a region infested with Naxalites, how difficult is it to pursue their cause? In fact, they fear us, Around 150 committees formed by Tudu, comprising more than 6,000…
Without naming BJP, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar says, will not side with divisive politics
Without naming its ally BJP, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said he will not compromise with politics that divides society. The JD-U President told the media that his party will not compromise with the people who are trying to divide the society. On being questioned about the repeated incidents of communal tension in the state, he said that he and his party have their own stand on social harmony and unity in the society. We will not side with divisive politics, he said. He claimed that there is communal harmony and an atmosphere of peace in Bihar. (More details are awaited.)
Goa CM Manohar Parrikar responding to treatment, likely return by May, says BJP leader
Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is responding well to treatment in the US for advanced pancreatic cancer and will return from abroad by next month, BJP General Secretary Sadanand Shet Tanavade said on Tuesday. He is responding well to treatment and is likely to be in Goa by May, Tanavade said on the sidelines of a media interaction at the state BJP headquarters here. Parrikar is admitted in a New York hospital. He was hospitalised earlier at Mumbais Lilavati Hospital – and then at Goa Medical College here – after he complained of stomach pain on February 15. The Chief Minister was subsequently diagnosed for advanced pancreatic cancer. The Chief Ministers Office has maintained that Parrikar is suffering from mild pancreatitis.
Karnataka BJP files complaint with Election Commission against CM Siddaramaiah for violating code of conduct
The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for violating the model code of conduct. According to the Centre ruling party, the Chief Minister bribed two women, who welcomed him at Chamundeshwari temple in Mysuru, with Rs 2,000 each. The party further alleged that Siddaramaiah paid Rs 2,000 to a priest of the temple in an attempt to polarise him ahead of the Karnataka Assembly Election. Earlier in the day, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee filed a complaint with the EC against BJP president Amit Shah, citing the violation of model code of conduct. According to the complaint, Shah handed a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the family of murdered RSS worker Raju with an intention to polarise voters in Mysuru. The election for 224-seat Karnataka Assembly will be held on May 12 and the counting of the votes will take place on May 15.
Punjab government seeks 3-year imprisonment against its minister Navjot Singh Sidhu; here’s why
Punjab government has sought the conviction of its minister Navjot Singh Sidhu in a 30-year-old road rage case. The lawyer, appearing for the Punjab government, told Supreme Court that the statement given by Sidhu denying his involvement in the case was false. The road rage case dates back to 1988. In its argument, Punjab government said the trial court was wrong in its finding that Singh had died of cardiac arrest and not brain hemorrhage. There is not a single evidence that suggest that the cause of death was cardiac arrest and not brain hemorrhage. The trial court verdict was rightly set aside by the High Court. Accused A1 (Navjot Singh Sidhu) had given fiesty blow to deceased Gurnam Singh leading to his death through brain hemorrhage, the state government counsel was quoted as saying. Earlier, the victims family had appealed to the Supreme Court that imprisonment sentence of three years to him given by Punjab Haryana HC should be enhanced. Now, Punjab government has appealed to the SC to uphold the three-year imprisonment. Earlier, the cricketer-turned-politician Sidhu had moved the Supreme court challenging Punjab and Haryana High Courts order that sentenced him and co-accused Rupinder Singh Sandhu to three…