As many as 18 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers have been transferred in poll-bound Karnataka on the order of the Election Commission (EC), an official statement said. The transfer order was issued on Friday night on the recommendation of the EC ahead of the state assembly election due in late April or early May. This order is issued in concurrence of an EC letter dated March 8, the government notification said. Among the officers transferred was M.N. Anucheth, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) west division, posted as the new Superintendent of Police, Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Anucheth, who has also been an Investigation Officer of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Kannada journalist Gauri Lankeshs murder case, will continue to hold the additional charge, the order said. According to the notification, of the 18 IPS officers transferred to new posts, three were women – G. Radhika, Renuka K. Sukumar and Kala Krishnamurthy. Others transferred were B. Dayananda, Amrit Paul, Umesh Kumar, Soumendu Mukherjee, S. Ravi, Vipul Kumar, N. Shivaprasad, Amit Singh, Ravi D. Channannavar, Kuldeep Kumar R. Jain, Nikham Prakash Amrit, Bheemashankar S. Guled, Anoop A. Shetty and S. Girish. Earlier this week, the state had issued transfer…
Month: March 2018
India, France sign pact to deepen cooperation in environment field
India and France today signed a pact to deepen their cooperation in the field of environment while affirming their commitment to lead the fight against climate change. A day ahead of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) summit here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron also welcomed the coming into force of the Framework Agreement of the ISA. India and France also committed to fully implement the historic Paris climate change Agreement at the forthcoming Conference of Parties (COP24). The pact on cooperation in the field of environment was signed by Indian Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma and French Minister of State, attached to the Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, Brune Poirson. The pact aims to establish a basis for exchange of information between both the governments and their technical experts in the field of environment and climate change. India and France also signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and the National Solar Energy Institute (INES) in France. Under the agreement, both countries will work on projects in International Solar Alliance (ISA) member countries in the areas of solar…
Iran invites Pakistan, China to participate in Chabahar Port with India; says project not aimed at ‘strangulating’ anybody
Iran has invited Pakistan and China to participate in the strategic Chabahar Port and said the initiative is not aimed at strangulating or encircling anybody, a media report today quoted visiting Iranian Foreign Minister as saying. India, Iran and Afghanistan had signed a trilateral agreement in 2016 to jointly develop the Chabahar port, opening a new strategic transit route between the three nations and other Central Asian nations, bypassing Pakistan. In November last year, India delivered the first consignment of wheat to Afghanistan through the Chabahar Port. Irans Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who is on a three-day visit to Islamabad, said the Chabahar port project was not meant to encircle Pakistan . strangulate anybody. Iran would not allow anybody to hurt Pakistan from its territory, much like Pakistan would not allow its soil to be used against Iran, he said, while delivering a lecture at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) yesterday, according to Dawn newspaper. We are taking measures to do that and there is an open invitation to Pakistan to participate in that, he said. Zarif likened Irans relations with India to Pakistans ties with Saudi Arabia. Our relations with India, just like Pakistans relations with Saudi…
National Herald case: Young India moves Delhi HC against income tax proceedings
Young Indian Pvt Ltd, whose major stakeholders are Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi, today moved the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the Rs 249.15 crore income tax proceedings against it. Sonia, Rahul, Young Indian (YI) and others were earlier summoned as accused by a trial court in the National Herald misappropriation of assets case. YI, which was incorporated in November 2010 with a capital of Rs 50 lakh, had acquired almost all the shareholding of the Associated Journal Ltd (AJL), which is the owner of the National Herald newspaper. The YIs petition, which came up for hearing before a bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and A K Chawla, said the company will have to deposit some portion of the Rs 249.15 crore tax demanded before its appeal is heard by the IT authorities. The bench asked the firm to inform it on March 19 how much of the demanded amount it was willing to deposit. YI has approached the high court seeking a direction to stay the recovery of the demand of tax and interest of Rs 249.15 crore raised in pursuance to a notice of December 27, 2017 issued under section 156…
Enhancing surveillance along borders with China, Pakistan, says Government
The government today said it is enhancing military infrastructure including surveillance facilities along the borders with China and Pakistan in view of threat perception. Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said a holistic review of the military modernisation programme has been undertaken along the borders. A holistic review of our infrastructural development and military modernisation programme has been undertaken along the borders, keeping the threat perception in view, she said. The defence minister said new surveillance assets are being installed besides deploying unmanned aerial vehicles and Advanced Integrated Obstacle Systems. Indian government is fully seized of the military (and) security needs of the country in the border areas, and steps as required have been undertaken for strengthening the forces, she said. Meanwhile, to a separate question Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said a policy for permanent commissioning of women officers in law and education and naval constructors branch has been finalised. In Navy, the policy for setting up of Permanent Commission for women officers in Law and Education and Naval Constructors branch has been finalised, he said. In sync with existing policy, he said women officers have not been inducted in direct combat…
Bizarre! 500 quintals of mango wood burnt in ‘Meerut Mahayagya’ to curb air pollution
At a time when common people and environmentalists believe that burning of any kind of wood increases pollution, a bizarre event in Meerut is turning heads. The strange event is being organised by the members of the Shri Ayutchandi Mahayagya Samiti in which around 350 Brahmins from Varanasi gathered on Sunday morning to begin a nine-day long Mahayagya in Meeruts Bhaisali ground. According to organizers, the flames from the 108 hawan-kunds at the ground will reduce air pollution. The Mahayagya will continue daily till March 26 from 8 am to 7 pm. The most striking part of the Mahayagya is that it would burn 500 quintals of mango tree wood during this Navratri period to curb pollution. As per The Indian Express, during this event by Shri Ayutchandi Mahayagya Samiti, one crore offerings to fire will be made by priests who have come from Varanasi and Vrindavan. Along with mango wood, sesame, rice, jaggery, and tins of desi ghee will be also used in the Yagya. Girish Bansal, vice-president of the Samiti, was quoted as saying that the scriptures dictate that hawan is dome for the purification of air, and this would result in reducing the air pollution considerably. He…
BJP, Congress trade charges over hiring of Cambridge Analytica’s services
The BJP and the Congress today sparred over hiring the services of controversial data mining firm Cambridge Analytica, with the ruling party accusing its rival of data theft to woo voters ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls, a claim the opposition party rejected. The Congress also hit back alleging that the BJPs factory of fake news has produced one more fake product, and accused it of hiring the firms services in several elections, including in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The trading of charges between the two parties came following the Facebooks admission last week that Cambridge Analytica used data that had been collected from 50 million users without their consent, an act of breach of privacy. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, also the Union law and information technology minister, cited several media reports which said the company would work for Congress chief Rahul Gandhi ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls, and asked how many times Gandhi had met Cambridges now sacked CEO Alexander Nix. Claiming that the illegal use of peoples data from social media could turn out to be the Congress biggest scam, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the government would launch a probe into the matter. Stealing…
Asansol violence: Booked for misbehaving with IPS officer, BJP MP Babul Supriyo files counter complaint against police
BJP MP from Asansol Babul Supriyo has filed a counter complaint against police alleging officials misbehaved with him during his visit to the home constituency last afternoon. On Thursday, Babul Supriyo was in Asansol where communal violence broke out four days ago during Ram Navami rallies. When his convoy reached the Railpar area, patrolling officials stopped his car and denied entry, citing imposition of Section 144. Footage aired by news channels showed a minor scuffle between him and police. Later in the evening, police filed two separate FIRs against the Supriyo for misbehaving with an IPS officer, stopping government staff from discharging duties and violating prohibitory orders. Subsequently, Supriyo lodged a counter complaint against police officials for misbehaving with him. In a series of tweets today, Supriyo expressed disappointment over the current state of affairs in his constituency, accusing the ruling TMC leaders and police of suppressing people voice. He said that it is very unfortunate students are not able to appear for board exams from his area. In a place where a dozen of IPS officers are busy misbehaving with me shamelessly.it is needless to say that police will be uncontrollably atrocities towards common people, he tweeted in the…
Cauvery row: Contempt proceedings against Centre for not adhering to CMB deadline? Supreme Court to hear Tamil Nadu plea today
The Supreme Court will today hear two petitions of the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government over setting up of the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) to divide the water of the river among four southern states currently locked into a bitter fight. While the Centre has filed a plea before the SC seeking more clarification over its direction to formulate a scheme, Tamil Nadus AIADMK government has filed a plea seeking contempt proceedings be initiated against the government for not adhering to its February 16 order. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud had last week posted the hearing on Centres plea for February 9. The Centre has asked the apex court to clear the air over its order to formulate a scheme. The government had said that it has studied the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and Narmada Control Authority. It said that while in the case of the BBMB, operation, regulation and maintenance remains with the management board, the NCA only looks after the implementation of the Tribunal award. The government said that all parties (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry) have different views and thus they can move contesting the…
Mamata Banerjee’s 2019 dream faces litmus test in West Bengal Panchayat election; here’s why
The stakes seem to be high for the ruling Trinamool Congress in the upcoming West Bengal panchayat polls, as the party leadership feels that gaining a foothold in national politics after the 2019 Lok Sabha election is incumbent on winning the rural heartland. According to senior TMC leaders, the partys objective to play a major role at the national level can only be successful if it manages to bag the maximum share out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. If we want to win maximum number of seats in Lok Sabha polls, then we have to ensure that we put up a good show in the upcoming rural polls, so that we are ahead of our rivals, said a senior TMC leader. With nearly 40 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state being located in villages and semi-urban areas administered by panchayats, an absolute control of the rural bodies is a must for political parties to have an upper hand on rivals in next years Lok Sabha polls, feel senior TMC leaders. Steering the state from 2011, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government has established its credentials on the twin foundation of development and diversity. People…
Jharkhand municipal election 2018 results LIVE updates: BJP’s Asha Lakra wins mayor post in Ranchi Municipal Corporation
Jharkhand municipal elections 2018 (Jharkhand Nagar Nikay Chunav 2018) results LIVE updates: Counting for the civic polls results in Jharkhand is underway. BJP, Congress and JMM are fighting for Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts. The counting of votes for 34 local bodies of the state commenced at 8 am and results are set be out by the afternoon, according to the State Election Commission (SEC). Polling was done on April 16 for five Municipal Corporations (Nagar Nigam), 16 Municipal Councils (Nagar Parishad) and 13 Nagar Panchayats. As per SEC, voting percentage for the Ranchi Municipal Corporation was 49.3. This was higher than the 34.13 per cent voting recorded last time. For the first time, the civic body polls have been held on party lines the state. BJP, Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and others have fielded candidates for posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Check Jharkhand municipal elections 2018 (Jharkhand Nagar Nikay Chunav 2018) results LIVE updates: 3: 00 pm: 2: 48 PM: Watch video- #twitter.com\/MaGuvizVlX The elections were held for five Municipal Corporations (Nagar Nigam), 16 Municipal Councils (Nagar Parishad) and 13 Nagar Panchayats in the state. Bypolls were also held at four local bodies 2:00 PM: Results of…
BJP demands apology from Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi for defaming Hindus, cites Wikileaks
The BJP today said Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi should apologise for defaming Hindus globally and cited a telegram sourced from Wikileaks to back its demand. The BJPs renewed attack on the Congress comes a day after a special anti-terror court acquitted rightwing activist Swami Aseemanand and four others in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case in Hyderabad. If Congress considers India to be its own, then Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi must apologise to the whole country for defaming the great Hindu religion by trying to prove that there was something called He showed a telegram sourced from Wikileaks quoting a conversation during the former Congress-led UPA government between then US ambassador and Rahul Gandhi. According to the transcript of the conversation, Rahul Gandhi said saffron terror was a bigger threat than the Lashkar-e-Taiba. This shows the mindset of Rahul Gandhi towards Hindus. His party has always take Hindus for granted, Patra said. Yesterday, Patra said people would teach the Congress a lesson in the Karnataka Assembly polls as they had in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when it was reduced to 44 seats. For its appeasement politics, the Congress targeted and defamed Hindus and the country…
Airtel disclaimer in IPL T20 ad campaign not in bold, says Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court today sought the response of telecom major Bharti Airtel on a contempt plea moved by rival Reliance Jio alleging that Bhartis campaign for IPL was in violation of the previous order. The high court said that Bharti Airtels advertisements, offering live and free access to the IPL coverage, did not carry a disclaimer in bold as it had assured the court. Justice Yogesh Khanna made the observation after perusing the video and print version of the advertisements placed before the court by Reliance Jio, which claimed that Airtels campaign was in violation of the April 13 consent order of the high court. The last order had said have it in bold, the judge said and directed Bharti Airtel please put it in bold. The court also issued notice to Airtel and sought its stand on Jios application seeking immediate rectification of the advertisements and punishment for contempt of the April 13 order. On April 13, Airtel had assured the court that its advertisements will carry a disclaimer in bold stating that under its live and free access offer, only subscription to video streaming platform Hotstar would be free and data charges according to the subscribers plan…
Petrol bomb hurled at BJP office in Coimbatore; watch video
In a shocking development, a petrol bomb was hurled at BJP office in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore early today. Meanwhile, a video released by news agency ANI shows that a few men were throwing the bomb at the BJP office. After carrying out the attack, they managed to flee the spot. This has come even as widespread violence has been reported in Tripura where state assembly election results were announced last week. Meanwhile, a statue of Dravidian icon Periyar was allegedly vandalised in Vellore last night, according to reports. Police said that two drunk had done this. This came after a BJP leader had hinted that statues of E V Ramasamy Periyar could be the next to be pulled down. Meanwhile, a statute of Communist icon Lenin was allegedly bulledozed by suspected BJP workers in Tripura. Police have arrested two persons. The accused have been identified as Muthuraman and Francis. While Muthuraman was reportedly a BJP worker, Francis is suspected to be a CPI activist. WATCH: BJP office attacked in Coimbatore #WATCH Coimbatore: A petrol bomb was hurled at BJP office earlier today #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com\/hl3WRO0aB7
Delhi government orders food and civil supplies department stop cancelling ration cards
In view of complaints about alleged violations of norms by officials, the Delhi government today directed the food and civil supplies department to stop the cancellation of existing ration cards and also the making of new ones immediately. The directions were issued through an order by Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain. The departments commissioner has been directed to stop the process of cancelling existing ration cards and the making of new cards immediately till further orders. There are 2,254 fair-price shops in the national capital from where food grains are distributed to card holders at subsidised rates. In his order, the minister said that it has been brought to his notice by various MLAs, NGOs and general public that several names have been deleted from ration cards while over several thousand names have been added in the existing ration cards. The order stated that according to complaints, thousands of ration cards have also been made in the last 2-3 months without following the due process of law such as issuance of notice, house verification, survey and due opportunity of being heard. It is being alleged that food and civil supplies department is not following proper procedure in the…
NCLT: Objections to Electrosteel bids must be placed before CoC
The Kolkata bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Tuesday directed the resolution professional (RP) for the insolvent Electrosteel Steels to place all the objections of Renaissance Steel against its two rival bidders, Vedanta and Tata Steel, before the committee of creditors (CoC) for an Earlier, Abhishek Dalmia-led Renaissance Steel moved the tribunal, asking it to prevent Dhaivat Anjaria, the RP, from proceeding on further negotiations with Vedanta, the highest bidder, till the issue of eligibility of the Anil Agarwal-led company and Tata Steel was determined. Renaissance Steel alleged that resolution applicants Vedanta and Tata Steel are not eligible to bid for the Kolkata-based insolvent steel maker as per Section 29A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Passing an order on the applications filed by Renaissance, Justice Jinan KR said, In his order on Tuesday, Justice Jinan said, Renaissance Steel had contended that Tata Steel is ineligible under Section 29A of the IBC, because the company The Dalmia-led company also contended that Vedanta is ineligible to bid for Electrosteel Steels as Konkola Copper Mines, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc, was a convict under provisions of environment and pollution laws in Zambia. According to Renaissance Steel, at…
Odisha braces for scorchy summer! State sizzles above 39 degree Celsius
With Odisha recording mercury above 39 degree Celsius at some places, the state government has asked all departments concerned to prepare a heat wave action plan to deal with any emergency. The India Meteorological Departments (IMD) Sharat Chandra Sahu told ANI, The highest temperature of 40.5 degrees was recorded in Titlagarh. The IMD has predicted intense heat wave this year. Bhubaneswar recorded mercury at 39 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, which was the highest in the state. The possibilities of sunstroke increases when the atmospheric temperature hovers around 40 degree Celsius. People were suggested to drink lots of water and avoid going out in the sun. Steps have also been taken to combat the intense heat which includes holding morning classes in schools, keeping an adequate amount of drinking water, ORS and first aid at anganwadis and schools and advising labourers against working at noon.
After Sushma Swaraj’s statement, US condoles death of 39 Indians killed in Iraq by IS
The US today offered its deepest condolences on the death of 39 Indian nationals abducted by ISIS in Iraq, saying it stands with the people of India in condemning the murders. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday told Parliament in New Delhi that the 39 Indians abducted in 2014 by the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in Mosul city were dead and their bodies had been recovered. We offer our deepest condolences. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims, a State Department spokesperson told PTI responding to a question on the discovery of a mass grave with the bodies of the Indian construction workers. We stand with the people of India in condemning these murders, the spokesperson said. The northern Iraqi city of Mosul has now been liberated from the ISIS. The bodies of Indian workers were found buried near the village of Badsuh, which is in the northwest of Mosul.
Rains lash many parts of Punjab, Haryana; wheat farmers worried
Rains lashed many places in Punjab and Haryana, including Chandigarh today, increasing the woes of farmers who fear damage to wheat crop. According to the MeT office here, rains lashed Amritsar, Kharar, Muktsar, Kapurthala, Sangrur, Adampur, Pathankot, Talwandi Sabo, Anandpur Sahib, Dhuri, Faridkot and Nangal in Punjab. In Haryana, Dabwali, Kurukshetra, Pehowa, Bhiwani, Kaithal, Jhajjar, Karnal and Panchkula were among other places to be lashed by rains. Chandigarh too received a heavy downpour in the morning today. The rains have increased worries of wheat farmers as heavy showers are harmful for ripening wheat crop. We are praying to God that it should not rain during these days. If rains are accompanied by strong winds, then they can inflict heavy damage to the ripening crop, Dilawar Singh, a Patiala based farmer said. The rains, which are unusual during this time of the year for Punjab and Haryana, were caused by the western disturbances, a MeT official said here. He said that a fresh western disturbance as an upper air cyclonic circulation now lies over north Pakistan and neighbourhood. Another upper air cyclonic circulation also lies over Haryana adjoining western Uttar Pradesh, which is likely to bring more showers in the region…
PM Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping begin second day of informal summit in Wuhan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping began their last round of one-on-one talks here today on the second day of a two-day informal summit aimed at forging consensus to improve the bilateral relations and address the contentious issues bedevilling their ties. The two leaders walked together along the picturesque East Lake. They were accompanied by two translators. They also had tea after the walk. Taking India-China relations on a forward-looking path, charting the future direction of the relationship! PM @narendramodi and Chinese President Xi take a walk together along the East Lake in Wuhan today morning, Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar tweeted. Modi and Xi then took a boat ride in the East Lake. The two leaders were seen talking to each other in relax mood inside the house boat. They would conclude their talks with one-on-one lunch hosted by Xi in the honour of Modi. The Prime Minister is due to leave for home after that. The two leaders yesterday held extensive talks amid the warmth and bonhomie. They started the summit talks at the Hubei Provincial Museum where Xi took Modi around introducing the historic artefacts. The museum walk scheduled for 20 minutes…
Speak sense! PM Modi issues gag order to motormouth BJP leaders: ‘Don’t give masala to media’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today issued a gag order to BJP MLAs and MPs across the country outlining how their half-baked remarks on wide range of issues are hurting the partys image. Speaking to lawmakers via video conference through Narendra Modi app, the PM asked the leaders to remain cautious while talking to media on different topics. He advised them to refrain from making statements on topics that are not of their interest. He said that speaking on different issues without having proper content and then start blaming the media is not right. He asked them not to give masala to media and instead introspect what mistakes have you done. Sometimes our workers criticise the media. But have you ever thought that somewhere we commit mistakes and give media masala. We start behaving as if we are great social scientists and experts. do analysis on issues and start speaking the moment see a camera. So this half-baked stuff is picked-up, PM said the leaders should not blame the media and when everybody starts speaking, the issue is diverted. We should exercise restraint. On every topic, whoever is responsible should speak. If everybody starts making comments, the core issue will be…
Tripura CM Biplab Deb swearing-in ceremony LIVE: BJP govt of those who voted for us, and those who didn’t, says PM Narendra Modi
Tripura Swearing-in ceremony Live updates: Biplab Kumar Deb, on Friday, took oath as the maiden BJP Chief Minister in Tripura. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by big politicos including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and three chief ministers of BJP-ruled states in the northeastern region. Apart from them, all chief ministers of the BJP-ruled states and the members of the BJP parliamentary board are also present at the event. BJP received a historic mandate in the polls held last month, winning 35 out of 59 seats and its ally, Indigenous People Left, which ruled the northeastern state for 25 years, won in 17 assembly constituencies. As significant as the victory is for the saffron party, incidents of post-poll violence across the state and pulling down of two Lenin statues hitting headlines have sparked major political debates in the country. Track LIVE Updates for In the history of India, there are some elections that will always be discussed. The 2018 Tripura elections will be one such example. People will continue to discuss these polls: PM Narendra Modi in Agartala. PM Sh @NarendraModi at the venue of swearing in ceremony of the new @BJP4India led government headed by Chief…
On first anniversary, Yogi Adityanath promises more crackdown on criminals
As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government completed one year in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath promised more crackdown on the corrupt and criminals in the coming days. The safety and security of the people was a top priority for his government, he said, adding that there would be no let up in the crackdown against criminals, land mafia, copying in board exams, anti-social elements and eve-teasers. Speaking at the celebrations, the Chief Minister went on to say that his government worked relentlessly in the past one year to achieve these goals which are in sync with the dreams of Prime Minister Narendra Modis New India. In his hour-long speech, the 45-year-old said his government had inherited empty coffers, a chaotic government system and lawlessness. It took him almost a year to make a turnaround, he said. There was a time when investors and businessmen would dread to come to Uttar Pradesh with their money. This perception has been changed by us and we have now become the most attractive destination for investment, he said. We have done the unthinkable. Investment of more than Rs 4.68 lakh crore has been promised and we have already started work…
UP minister Srikant Sharma terms Pakistan a ‘nasur’, says firing by Islamabad should be retaliated by ‘rain of firing’
Terming Pakistan a nasur (ulcer), Uttar Pradesh minister Srikant Sharma said if troops of the neighbouring country fire on Indian soldiers, it should be retaliated with a rain of firing. The minister said this on Wednesday during a conclave here organised by an all-India traders body. Pakistan is a nasur (ulcer). Soldiers have been instructed to maintain restrain. However, if firing starts from the other side, there should be a rain of firing till the enemy is forced to take shelter in bunkers, he said. The Uttar Pradesh Power minister also discussed the expansion of the All India Udyog Vyapaar Mandals (AIUVM) traders identification programme. Shopkeepers, vendors and traders under the programme, launched in 2006, are given identity cards, which Sharma said instills a sense of safety among members of the business community. The government will cooperate with the traders body and help it take the programme to every district in the state. The Stariya Vyapari Dukandar Parichay Patra Yojana (trader identification scheme) instills a sense of safety in the trader community, he said. State vice president, AIUVM, Murari Agrawal, said the programme, currently is limited to only four districts in Uttar Pradesh, now efforts are being made to take…
What is making Narendra Modi’s ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ promise hollow, stoking Dalit anger
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) owes much of its woes to the reluctance of its core constituency of urban, upper caste, conservative, anti-minority, middle class supporters to accept Prime Minister Narendra Modis sabka saath, sabka vikas mantra of development for all. They may have no objections to vikas, but the idea of including everyone in its fold is anathema to them. So, if they see a Dalit having fared well enough in life to own a horse and ride it, he has to be killed as in Gujarats Bhavnagar district. Or, if a Dalit groom wants to take out a baraat (marriage procession) through his village in Uttar Pradesh, the upper caste residents will not allow it. Killing is the usual option for the saffron rank and file to eliminate those whose conduct violates the Hindutva fads and fetishes. Hence, anyone suspected of eating beef or who believes in inter-faith romance is either beaten up or done away with. Moreover, the Hindutva storm-troopers are so sure of the righteousness of their cause that they are not deterred by the presence of video cameras when they engage in their lawless acts. In the 93 years since the formation of the Rashtriya…
Ram Nath Kovind in Swaziland: Two MoUs signed, India announces help to construct new Parliament; key takeaways
President Ram Nath Kovind is on a state visit to three African countries – Equatorial Guinea, Swaziland and Zambia. On Wednesday, he was in Swaziland where he met King Mswati III. This was the first ever visit to Swaziland by an Indian President. Accompanied by his wife Savita, Union Minister Mansukh Mandavia, MP Ponnusamy Venugopal and senior government officials, the President arrived here on Monday. He was received by the King himself. The President held delegation-level talks with the King at Mandvulo Royal Palace after inspecting the Guard of Honour. The King and Ram Nath Kovind also held brief one-on-one discussion. The two sides two MoUs on cooperation in health sector and exemption of visas for diplomat\/service passport holders. Ram Nath Kovind also announced opening of an Indian Embassy in Swaziland. Besides, he said that New Delhi will offer one million USD to the Swaziland National Disaster Management Agency to battle the El Nino phenomenon. The country has experienced drought for two successive years due to El Nino phenomenon. On April 10, Kovind addressed the Swaziland Parliament where he said that India is keen to share expertise and experience with all of the African continent. He commended the MPs on…
Manesar land deal case: CBI court grants bail to former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda
A special CBI court in Panchkula today granted bail to former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in the multi-crore Manesar land deal case. The court granted bail to him on two sureties of Rs 5 lakh each. Hooda along with his son and Rohtak MP Deepinder Hooda had appeared in the court. Besides, several Congress MLAs and leaders were present outside the court. Former Haryana Speaker Kuldeep Sharma was also among those who were present in the court to support Hooda. On April 18, the court had exempted Hooda from personally appearing before the court on health ground. The CBI court had on April 16 summoned him. The CBI had in February filed a chargesheet against 34 accused including Hooda. Besides Hooda, the others who were named as accused by the CBI are senior bureaucrats Chhattar Singh, SS Dhillon and ML Tayal. All three were Principal Secretaries to Hooda during his tenure as the CM of Haryana. The chargesheet had also named the promoter of Gurugram-based real estate firm ABW Builders, Atul Bansal. The CBI had charged them under Sections 120-B, 420 of IPC and various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act. The case was filed in September 2015…
CJI impeachment motion Updates: Seven parties want Dipak Misra out, FM Arun Jaitley slams move
CJI impeachment row Updates Seven political parties have moved motion to impeach Chief Justie of India, Dipak Misra, Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad said today. The motion was signed by 71 Member of Parliaments as against the required number of 50 members. Here are all the UPDATES on CJI Dipak Misras impeachment: 4.40 pm: Arun Jaitley, in Facebook post, said: The impeachment of a Judge of the Supreme Court is to be done only in the case of either his 4.30 pm: Arun Jaitley, in Facebook post, said that Congress Party and its friends have started using impeachment as a political tool. 4.20 pm: Arun Jaitley, in Facebook post, said both Houses of Parliament as political houses have been conferred the judicial power of impeachment. 4.10 pm: Arun Jaitley explains his view of when and how a lawmaker should excercise his power of impeachment: Both Houses of Parliament as political houses have been conferred the judicial power of impeachment. Thus a judicial power is exercised by a political house. Each Member has to act as a Judge. He has to independently review the facts and the evidence. 3.10 pm: Arun Jaitleys reply to impeachment motion: The Congress Party and its…
Supreme Court tells HCs to set up panels for trial in POCSO cases
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked high courts across the country to set up committees of judges to monitor and regulate the trial of cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud also directed the Directors General or Commissioners of Police in the states to set up Special Task Forces so that the investigation in carried out expeditiously and witnesses are produced in the court on the date of their appearance. The court order came as it was told that 112,628 cases under POCSO Act were pending before trial courts across the country, with Uttar Pradesh leading the list at 30,883. Maharashtra including Goa, Union Territory (UT) of Diu and Daman, Dadar and Nagar Haveli has 16,099 pending cases, followed by Madhya Pradesh (10,117), West Bengal (9,894), Odisha (6,849), Delhi (6,100), Kerala including UT Of Lakshadweep (5,409), Gujarat (5,177), Bihar (4,910) and Karnataka (4,045). Additional Solicitor General Pinki Anand informed the court that the government had amended the law providing for death penalty for the rape children younger than 12.
Kotkhai case: CBI cracks rape-murder case of 16-year-old; accused sent to judicial custody till May 7
In a major breakthrough in the Kotkhai rape and murder case, the CBI has arrested a 25-year old Himachal Pradesh resident whose DNA sample matched with the material found at the crime scene. The CBI has taken into custody Anil Kumar whose DNA sample showed 100 percent match with the genetic material recovered from the body of the victim and the crime scene in Kotkhai area. The accused, who was arrested by CBI, has been sent to judicial custody till May 7.Until now, he was in police custody. The brutal brutal gang-rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Shimlas Kotkhai created a huge uproar in Himachal Pradesh in July 2017. The suspect is a Himachal Pradesh resident but was from a different area and was in hiding after the crime. As per The Indian Express, Anil Kumar was escorted to the spot under a heavy police cover. He was taken to two spots In the Kotkhai case, a 16-year-old girl had gone missing while returning from school on July 4, 2017 from Haliala forest in Kotkhai area of Shimla district. Her naked body was found in the forest on July 6 and the postmortem report confirmed rape. On July 13,…