The government is working on an Emigration Management Bill to curb frauds by travel agents, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said today. In a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Swaraj said her ministry is working towards evolving a comprehensive emigration management framework. A committee has been constituted in the ministry comprising all concerned stake-holders to finalise the draft of Emigration Management Bill. One year extension has been taken from the Committee on Government Assurances in this regard, she said. The new bill is expected to strengthen the regulatory framework already in place under the Emigration Act, 1983, towards checking malpractice and unscrupulous activities by recruiting agents. Responding to another question on whether the government proposes to bring in a legislation enabling it to cancel the passports of NRIs who abandon their wives, V K Singh, a minister of state in the ministry, said an expert committee on NRI martial disputes has presented its report in August 2017. He said some of the panels recommendations, including constitution of an Integrated Nodal Agency (INA), have been accepted and implemented, while some are under examination. Cancellation of passport can take place only based on legal orders from court and…
Month: September 2019
International Women’s Day 2018: This Kerala based startup aims to make a mark in the world of career coaching for women through ‘She Coaches’
On International Womens Day, Lifology.com, an edu tech start up from Kerala, has come forward with a unique initiative to train, groom and certify The year-round initiative aims to make career coaching a part of grooming and nurturing female professionals. Given the importance of International Womens Day, let us look at how this project aims to make a mark in the world of career coaching and why: Empowering women to be self-employed 2020 women who are introduced to a new profession would be able to start a career consulting firm as their own or practice as independent coaches. This creates more self-employed people as well as entrepreneurs. Nurturing professional women coaches Well trained women coaches and lifologist would be able to guide girls towards the best career options. Women coaches may be able to support girl children better than male coaches. Let us not forget that training 2020 women career coaches can make a large difference in the currently male dominated profession of career coaching. Pioneering an era of She Coaches Teachers who transform to career coaches and lifologist would be able to present topics in a more applied manner. This will be the beginning of a deep social change….
Delhi weather update: Thunderstorm, light rain bring down temperature in city; Watch video
Thunderstorm, accompanied by light rain, occurred in Delhi this morning, bringing down the temperature. However, it caused inconvenience to office-goers as traffic was heavy on many roads in the city. The thunderstorm was preceded by a dust storm that dimmed visibility. The wind speed was 12 knots. Safdarjung weather station recorded 2.2 mm of rainfall, said a MeT department officer. According to MeT department forecast, the day will be overcast with light rain expected later on. The minimum temperature was 23 degrees Celsius, while the maximum is expected to hover around 33 degrees Celsius, the officer said. Relative humidity was 66 percent at 8.30 AM. Due to rain, waterlogging was reported by Delhi Traffic Police on some roads. Traffic was heavy near RTR T-Point, Munirka, and Gurugram Road-Pared Road (GGR-PDR) due to waterlogging, Delhi Traffic Police tweeted. The minimum temperature yesterday settled at 23 degrees Celsius, while the maximum touched 36.3 degrees Celsius. On Sunday, Delhiites woke up to a sunny morning, with the minimum temperature settling at 23 degrees Celsius, three notches above the seasons average. According to the MeT department, humidity level recorded at 8.30 was 62 per cent. t was a partly cloudy Sunday morning in the…
Supreme Court to hear on Apr 23 pleas on dilution of anti-dowry law
The Supreme Court today said it would hear on Monday the petitions seeking revisiting a judgement that had reduced the severity of the anti-dowry penal law on the offence of subjecting a married woman to cruelty by her spouse and in-laws. The decision came after a bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said the orders on the matter cannot be found as the apex court website got hacked yesterday. Somebody tried to hack the website. All the people worked whole night to fix the problem, the bench said and assured senior advocate Indira Jaising, counsel for NGO Social Action Forum, that her plea on the issue would be listed for hearing on April 23 along with other petitions. A two judge bench of the apex court in July last year had voiced concern over abuse of section 498 A (subjecting a married woman to cruelty) of the IPC and passed a slew of directions including that no arrest should normally be effected without verifying allegations as violation of human rights of innocents cannot be brushed aside. Later a three-judge bench led by the CJI expressed disagreement with the verdict and appointed…
More trouble for Nirav Modi! CBI moves plea to attach diamantaire’s UK bank account; court issues Letter Rogatory
A special CBI court here today issued a judicial request to be sent to the UK after the central probe agency moved a petition, seeking to attach a bank account of beleaguered diamond trader Nirav Modi, a key accused in the Rs 12,700-crore fraud in the Punjab National Bank (PNB). CBI counsel Om Prakash told the court that Modis Barclays bank account in the UK had about 12,79,517 pounds (about Rs 12 crore) and USD 1,244 (over Rs 80,000). The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said its probe had revealed that the bank wanted to terminate its relationship with the Nirav Modi Ltd and was set to pay the money back to the billionaire diamantaire. Om Prakash said the agency believed the money in the account was proceeds of crime. After hearing the agencys plea to attach the account, special CBI court judge S R Tamboli allowed it and issued a Letter Rogatory (LR) to the UK. A judicial request, also known as a Letter Rogatory, is issued by courts on the request of an investigating agency when it wants information from another country. Once a court issues such a request, it is delivered, through diplomatic channels, to the competent…
No bilateral meeting with Pakistan on sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in China
There will be no bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and their Pakistani counterparts on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in China. Swaraj, who departed for a two-nation visit to China and Mongolia on Saturday, will participate in a ministerial-level meeting of the SCO on April 24, where India became a full member in 2017. Meanwhile, on the same day, Sitharaman will take part in the SCO defence ministers meeting. Both events will be attended by the respective ministers from Pakistan. On a related note, no meeting between India and Pakistan on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which concluded recently, was held. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was also present to lead the Pakistani delegation.
Mann Ki Baat Highlights: PM Narendra Modi addresses nation, talks about ‘Fit India’
Mann Ki Baat LIVE Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing the nation today with the 43rd edition of his radio show, Mann Ki Baat. The Prime Minister will share his thoughts on the programme that will broadcast on All India Radio (AIR), Doordarshan and also on the Narendra Modi mobile application. The show will also stream on the YouTube channels of the Prime Ministers Office, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Doordarshan News. Mann ki Baat is now also available as an Alexa skill. Union Minister Vijay Goel, along with the people of Village Bharthal, will be joining the PMs Mann Ki Baat radio programme at the residence of former Nigam Parishad, Ramniwas, in Dwarka, Delhi. PM Modi, in the last edition of his eminent radio show, emphasised the importance of healthcare and preventive health care awareness. He spoke about the extensive work being undertaken by his officials to set up Health Wellness Centres across the country. In the same edition, a 3D animation depicting the Prime Minister performing Trikonasana (the triangle posture) yoga was also released. Here are PM Narendra Modi Mann Ki Baat Highlights updates: 11:30 AM: Modi evoked feeling of celebration as the holy month…
Gurugram shame! Woman labourer waiting for bus gangraped by five, case filed
A woman labourer in Gurugram was allegedly gangraped by a group of five persons on Tuesday night. The incident was reported on Wednesday when the lady filed a police complaint. Police today confirmed that the case was registered on Wednesday but no arrests have been made so far. Police said that among the accused, one is an auto-rickshaw driver. The incident took place near Sohna bus stand where the lady was waiting to board a bus for Aligarh. Police said that it was here the driver stopped his vehicle and approached her. In her complaint, the victim said that the driver told her that she was waiting at the wrong bus stand. He said that the bus will leave from Gurugram. He managed to earn her confidence and offered her a ride in his vehicle, promising to drop her at the exact location from where the bus will begin journey. Gurgaon Police PRO Ravinder Kumar said after the lady boarded his auto-rickshaw. But the man drove her to an isolated place where he was joined by four more persons. Kumar said that the road where the driver was joined by his accomplices leads to Raisina. The five men then allegedly…
Parliament proceedings disrupted by protests, economic offenders bill introduced amid din
The proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were stalled for the sixth day today with no let up in protests by opposition parties and NDA ally TDP over various issues including the banking scam, special status to Andhra Pradesh and the Cauvery water dispute. The Aam Aadmi Party too joined the protests in Rajya Sabha, demanding an end to the sealing drive in Delhi. Amid the din in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla introduced The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018, that seeks to confiscate all assets of absconding fraudsters and loan defaulters for recovering dues from them. The Bill was introduced in the backdrop protests over the nearly Rs 12,700 crore fraud at Punjab National Bank in which businessman Nirav Modi is allegedly involved. The proposed law will apply to defaulters who have an outstanding of Rs 100 crore or more and have escaped from the country. The Minister also introduced the The Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill 2018. Not much business has been carried out since the second leg of the Budget Session of Parliament began on March 5, with the noisy protests stalling proceedings every day, barring for one hour on March 8 when…
Modi govt neither fulfilled promises on Hindutva nor on development, says VHP leader Pravin Togadia
VHP leader Pravin Togadia today claimed that the Modi government had neither fulfilled its promises on Hindutva nor on development. In a letter to Narendra Modi, Togadia sought an appointment with the Prime Minister to discuss the fulfilment of the promises, especially the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the adoption of a uniform civil code. Winning elections is a game of percentages, voter lists and EVMs. But fulfilling the promises makes the leader a Praja Lakshi (people focused) leader, Togadia wrote in the letter. Bhai, please dont get swayed in the flow of power and more power. It is a state of inertia. Not nation building, the VHPs International Working President wrote. Talking to reporters after sharing his letter, Togadia said that he and Modi may have not met and talked to each other for the last 12 years, but he would like to meet and talk with his Mota Bhai (elder brother) for the fulfilment of promises to the Hindus, including building of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya. No other structure or a mosque can be constructed anywhere near (the disputed site). This can be achieved only by a law in Parliament, Togadia said, adding…
Arvind Kejriwal apology: Punjab AAP MLAs called for meeting with Delhi CM tomorrow
The AAPs central leadership has called the partys Punjab leaders, including MLAs, for a meeting with its national convener Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi tomorrow, after a majority of its MLAs in the state yesterday discussed the option of splitting and forming a separate unit. Kejriwals apology to SAD leader and former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia for accusing him of being involved in drugs trade pushed AAPs state unit into a crisis as its Punjab unit president Bhagwant Mann and co-president Aman Arora resigned from their posts yesterday. The state leadership had said the meek surrender was painful and very unfortunate. In a further jolt, the Lok Insaf Party (LIP), AAPs ally in the state, announced to break its alliance with the party in the wake of Kejriwals apology. Senior leader and AAP MLA Kanwar Sandhu today said, We have got a message and call from Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia for a meeting tomorrow in Delhi. We were told that Arvind ji will also be in the meeting. Sandhu, however, said that he would not attend the meeting. It was yesterday decided by a majority of MLAs here that future meetings with the central leadership should only be held…
OMG! Delhi shopkeeper gets Rs 9 crore in bank account, fails to make any transaction
A Delhi shopkeeper got the shock of life when his bank account suddenly got credited with over Rs 9 crore. Shopkeeper Vinod, a resident of Jahangirpuri area in West Delhi, had received an SMS on Sunday showing Rs 9 crore 99 lakh and 999 were deposited in his account. Surprised and shocked at the same time, Vinod also checked the mini statement of his bank account at an ATM. The statement also confirmed that Rs 9,99,99,999 were deposited in his account. Vinod said he went to the ATM and not the bank because it was a Sunday. He had, however, failed to make any transaction his account. Vinod runs a small mobile shop in Jahangirpuri and has an account with the State Bank of India Jahangirpuri branch. Worried that he may land in trouble, Vinod first contacted media instead of visiting the bank. Vinods account has been seized by the bank and it is to be probed whether the money was deposited in his account because of any clerical error or some other problem of the bank, or whether Vinod really received the amount in his account. Vinod told media that he is a poor man and it should be…
Why Arvind Kejriwal is on an apology spree: Not just Majithia and Gadkari, here are major defamation suits Delhi CM is tangled in
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has tough times ahead for him. The AAP convener has a slew of defamation charges against him as he has leveled serious allegations against people without any hard evidence. What started last week with the apology to Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia got another high after Kejriwal tendered apologies to Nitin Gadkari today. On Friday, Kejriwal had tendered an apology to former Punjab minister and SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia in connection with the allegations he had levelled related to the drugs issue. The Delhi CM apologized to Majithia for alleging that the former CM of Punjab was embroiled in a drug trade, but after the former apologized, Majithia decided to withdraw the lawsuit. Today, Arvind Kejriwal wrote a letter to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and apologised for leveling unverified allegations against him. Gadkari had filed a criminal defamation case against the Delhi CM for an alleged defamatory statement. Kejriwal and Gadkari have filed a joint application seeking withdrawal of the defamation case in Delhi In 2014, Arvind Kejriwal had read out a list of corrupt people and mentioned Nitin Gadkaris name in a press conference before the parliamentary polls. Notably, the Aam…
Uttar Pradesh cabinet nod for integrated sugar complex in Pilibhit, Tiger Conserve Foundation in Dudhwa
The Uttar Pradesh cabinet today gave its nod for developing an integrated sugar complex in Pilibhit and setting up a Tiger Conservation Foundation in Dudhwa. The states cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath decided to develop the sugar mill of Kisan Sahkari sugar mill limited lying closed in Pilibhit since 2011 as an integrated complex, spokesman of the government and senior cabinet minister Siddhartnath Singh said. After due deliberations to revive the mill on PPP mode, it was decided to develop it as an integrated complex which will have a cogeneration unit for power, distillery for molasses besides the sugar mill . all the three will function simultaneously, the minister said. The 40.308 hectare land of the sugar mill will be given on 30 years lease while the ownership of the land will remain with the sugar mill limited, he said. The minister said this year, a payment of Rs 18,615.93 crore has been made to farmers while last year it was Rs 18,066.75 crores. In another important decision, the cabinet gave its assent for setting up Dudhwa Tiger Conservation Foundation, as asked by the central government in 2007 which will also develop the concerned forest area. For…
Major counter-terror offensive in Jammu and Kashmir: 13 militants killed; 3 jawans, 4 civilians dead
In a major offensive, security forces today gunned down 13 militants, including those responsible for the brutal killing of Lieutenant Umar Fayaz, in three counter-insurgency operations that also claimed the lives of three Army jawans and four civilians in Anantnag and Shopian districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The operations, which have rendered a severe blow to terror groups in Kashmir Valley, were launched in the two districts last night and continued till late this afternoon. One militant was killed and another arrested in Dialgam of South Kashmirs Anantnag district, while seven terrorists were gunned down in Draggad. Five in Kachdooru area of Shopian district. Out of 13 terrorists, 11 have been identified so far and all of them are locals, officials said. According to the police, locals in Kachdooru had taken away the body of Sameer Ahmed Lone, a recent recruit of the Hizbul Mujahideen terror group. He was also in the house at Kachdooru. The family later informed the police that Lone had been buried. Three Army personnel and as many civilians lost their lives in Kachdooru area, whereas another civilian, who was the house owner at Draggad where militants were hiding, was killed along with the terrorists. Keeping…
This is so shocking! Kerala professor says women who wear jeans, shirts give birth to transgenders
A professor of Botany in Kerala has come up with a bizarre remark on women. Rajith Kumar, the professor has said that women who wear clothes like men end up Ranjith said, Women who wear jeans and shirts and dress like men, give birth to children called transgender. There are over six lakh transgenders in Kerala. Ranjith further went on to say that couples give birth to What comes as shocking is that this is not the first time when Ranjith has made comments like this. Various media reports suggest that the professor Ranjith is said to made remarks against girl students while he was addressing at a women This was followed by students booing him out and boycotted his speech by walking out in protest. Meanwhile, Ranjith is not the first professor from Kerala to come up with such comments. Earlier, Jouhar Munavvir, a professor from the state was shamed for making comments about female students. Munavvir was speaking on the dressing style in college during a counselling session. Munavvir had been booked under Section 354, 509(a) of the Indian Penal Code.
PM Modi award for Manipur’s Karang – India’s first cashless island of the country
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today honoured bureaucrats for making Manipurs Karang the first cashless island of the country, and implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and other priority initiatives of the Centre. Modi awarded civil servants for smooth implementation of four priority programmes – Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban and Rural), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, and for promoting digital payments. Also, Awards were given away for innovation in public service. Karang island, a remote and backward region, was cut-off from the (Bishnupur) district due to insurgency for a long time. Incentives were provided for training towards digital payments and five POS machines were installed on the island, the award citation read. Self-help groups and youth clubs were roped in for community mobilisation and parallel activities were conducted on the island for Aadhaar enrolment and opening of bank accounts, it read. An online channel was launched to make people aware about digital payments. In addition, social media interventions were made for the purpose, according to the citation. As a result, 92 per cent of the bank accounts were seeded with mobile and 70 per cent of them were seeded with Aadhaar. The percentage…
Indu Malhotra takes oath as Supreme Court judge; CJI Dipak Misra administers swearing in ceremony
Senior advocate Indu Malhotra was today administered the oath of office as a Supreme Court judge by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, making her the first woman lawyer to enter the top judiciary directly. With Malhotra joining the bench, the strength of the Supreme Court is now 25, against the sanctioned strength of 31, including the CJI. Malhotra, 61, was administered the oath of office and secrecy in a ceremony held at court number 1 in the apex court. This would be the third occasion in the 67-year history of the Supreme Court when it has two sitting women judges together – the first being Justices Gyan Sudha Misra and Ranjana Prakash Desai, then Justices Desai and R Banumathi and now Justices Banumathi and Malhotra. Malhotras name was recommended by the collegium for elevation along with that of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph, but the Centre has sought reconsideration of the proposal for the latter. Malhotra would be the seventh woman judge in the top court since Independence. Other women judges were elevated to the apex court from high courts. Malhotra joined the legal profession in 1983 and was enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi….
Naga peace accord: From AFSPA to separate flag for state, all you need to know
Naga peace accord: In a welcome move to put a full stop to the countrys oldest insurgency, the central government and Naga armed groups have finalised much of the peace accord. It has been learnt that the accord might be signed ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament. The accord will address issues like Autonomous Naga territorial councils for Arunachal and Manipur, Common cultural body for Nagas across states, Integration and rehab of non-state Naga militia, removal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Acts (AFSPA) and bicameral House in Nagaland, according to The Indian Express report. Once the accord is ready, the Naga armed groups will stand disbanded and the non-state armed militia who are eligible will be absorbed in central or state forces. Those who are not eligible will be rehabilitated by the government. In a big move, the accord also has provision for the removal of AFSPA from Nagaland. However, the final draft of the peace accord still needs to address a few areas. It needs to reach an agreement over the Naga demand for a separate flag for the state. Centre is also apprehensive about the nature of reaction in Manipur. Ravi had the framework agreement with National…
Supreme Court bars foreign law firms from practising in India: 5 things you need to know
Supreme Court bars foreign law firms from practising in India: The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the Madras High Court and Bombay High Court judgments regarding the question of foreign law firms practicing in India. As per the latest apex court ruling, the foreign law firms and foreign lawyers cannot practise in India. A bench of Justices Adarsh K Goel and Uday U Lalit ruled out foreign law firms and foreign lawyers practising in India for both litigatious (likely to engage in lawsuits) and non-litigatious activities. However, upholding the Madras High Court judgment, the court allowed foreign lawyers to The court also allowed foreign lawyers to appear in International Commercial Arbitration. The International Commercial Arbitration is a method of resolving disputes arising out of commercial transactions between private parties across national borders. The Bench has also directed the Bar Council of India and the Government of India to frame rules in this regard. Supreme Court bars foreign law firms from practising in India: Here are the five important things to know about the case What is the case? The case of foreign law firms entering India reached the Supreme Court in July 2012 when the Bar Council of India filed…
Jharkhand lynching: 11 cow vigilantes get life imprisonment for killing Alimuddin Ansari; know about tragic case
A fast-track court on Wednesday awarded life imprisonment to 11 people who were convicted for lynching a meat trader in June last year. The trader was killed over suspicion that he was carrying beef in his car. Judge Om Prakash had on Friday found the 11 people guilty under various sections of the IPC. The 11 people were booked under charges including 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons) and 149 (unlawful assembly). Alimuddin Ansari, 40, was lynched to death in Bazaar Tand locality of Ramgarh town on June 29, 2017. The group of people first stopped the car and then thrashed Ansari on the suspicion that he was carrying beef in his car. However, forensic tests confirmed that the meat he was carrying was beef. The sale of beef is banned in the state. Speaking to media, Additional Public Prosecutor SK Sukla said there were 12 accused in total, and one of them is a minor. Sukla said that an appeal to treat the minor as an adult has been moved in Juvenile Justice Board. The chargesheet against the accused was filed in the case on September 17. During the investigation, police found that one of the accused followed…
Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal seeks dismissal of Navjot Singh Sidhu from Punjab Assembly
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday sought the dismissal of Punjab Cabinet Ministers Manpreet Singh Badal and Navjot Singh Sidhu from the state Assembly. The Former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister averred that presenting a part of the Budget is the biggest violation of oath. Navjot Singh Sidhu presented a part of the budget, before the budget. This is the biggest violation of oath by Manpreet Singh Badal and Navjot Singh Sidhu. Both of them should be dismissed as well as there should be a criminal case against them, Sukhbir Singh Badal told ANI. On Saturday, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal presented the state Budget for the financial year 2018-19 at the Assembly. This Budget promises free wi-fi in all 48 government schools by July along with the promotion of Punjabi language. While Rs 84 crore has been allocated for the setting up of a state cancer institute at Amritsar and tertiary cancer care centre at Fazilka, Rs 8,950 crore has been sanctioned for power subsidy to farmers, SC, BC and BPL families. When the Budget was presented, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Akali Dal legislators walked out of the Assembly demanding complete debt…
‘Can we do politics over death?’ Sushma Swaraj slams Congress for creating ruckus in Lok Sabha
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday slammed Congress for doing politics over the death of 39 Indians, who were killed by Islamic State terrorists in Iraq. Can we do politics over death, Swaraj told a press conference. Today Congress indulged in very low level of politics, probably Congress president thought how did no uproar happened in Rajya Sabha and decided to ask Scindia ji to lead protests in Lok Sabha, Swaraj said. Swaraj said that Congress gave responsibility of creating a ruckus in Lok Sabha to Jyotiraditya Scindia. In Rajya Sabha, everyone listened to me speaking very patiently and in peace. Everyone paid tributes, I thought same would happen in Lok Sabha. But unlike the past few days of ruckus, today Congress led the protests under Jyotiraditya Scindia ji. Very unfortunate, Swaraj said. Swaraj also explained as to why the government didnt inform family members about deaths. Some kin of the victims have questioned why they were not told about the deaths before the Parliament. It is the parliamentary procedure to first inform the House, so it was my duty, Swaraj said. Highlighting the efforts made by the government to rescue the people, Swaraj said that she personally talked…
Asansol violence: Toll mounts to 5 with two more killings, Babul Supriyo booked for violating prohibitory orders
Two FIRs have been filed by the West Bengal Police against Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union minister Babul Supriyo for violating prohibitory orders in violence-hit Asansol. On Thursday, two fresh deaths were reported from the town, taking the toll to five, as administration officials continued to struggle to restore peace in the trouble zones. Communal violence broke out in Ranigang area of Asansol during Ram Navami celebrations four days ago. The two persons killed yesterday have been identified as Sibtullah, 17, and Pratima Devi, 45. While three deaths were reported from West Burdwan, one each from Purulia and North 24-Parganas. The Asansol town on Thursday wore a deserted look immediately after the news of two deaths were reported. Special commandos conducted a route march in the trouble areas. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was in Delhi, cut short her visit and rushed back to the state. She headed to the Secretariat directly from the airport and held an emergency meeting of the senior officials. The CM also holds the Home portfolio. LN Meena, Commissioner of Asansol-Durgapur Police, said that citing security reasons, police had stopped the car of Union Minister Babul Supriyo when he tried to enter the Railpar…
Kasganj violence: SIT to submit first chargesheet in the case today
The Special Investigation team which was formed to investigate the Kasganj communal violence will submit its first charge sheet in the case today. The violence took place in Uttar Pradeshs Kasganj city on January 27, a day after the Republic Day where a youth was killed during a Tiranga Yatra. The call for yatra was given by Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Speaking to The Indian Express, Ajab Singh, the investigating officer in the case, said, I would be filing a chargesheet in the case against 18 arrested accused on Monday because the 90-day stipulated period for filing it would end on April 25 (Wednesday). Singh also added that all the accused in the case are local Hindus. However, he added that one of the accused is still absconding. The police are looking for one Satish Gupta, who is on the run. Gupta was among the (first) 13 persons named in FIR, The probe relating to the blaze of the Muslim owned shops in the citys Kotwali area is still pending. According to IE, the accused have been charged under India Penal Code On January 26, sparring groups of Hindus and Muslims, who started with hurling stones at each other, later fired…
Rape Ordinance: PM Narendra Modi says sons have to be made more responsible for a safe environment for daughters
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said sons have to be made more responsible for a safe environment for daughters and asserted that the promulgation of an ordinance on rape showed the Centre acted on peoples outrage on sexual crimes against minors. Days after the government approved the ordinance allowing courts to award the death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years, Modi also called for a social movement to ensure the safety of girls. Shivraj ji (Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan) just referred to the capital punishment provided in the ordinance for rape against minors and I could see that it (the remark) received cheers from everyone present here, Modi said while addressing a rally here. There is a government in Delhi which listens to your voice and takes decisions. So, the Centre has made a provision for capital punishment to the monstrous intent, he said. The Union Cabinet had on April 21 okayed the ordinance amid a nation-wide uproar over the rape and murder of minors in Kathua and Surat and the rape of a teenager in Unnao. Those who commit such ghastly crimes will hang, the prime minister said. Modi,…
Now, Raj Thackeray’s MNS targets Gujaratis, workers attack restaurants, businesses sporting Gujarati signboards
A day after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackerays stringent criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modis Gujarat-oriented policies, MNS activists targeted Gujarati establishments in Mumbai and Palghar on Monday. A group of MNS workers took to the roads and went around attacking restaurants and other business establishments sporting Gujarati signboards in Mumbai and near Vasai on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway. The workers, many carrying MNS flags, raised anti-Gujarati slogans and damaged or defaced signboards in Gujarati language. Vasai is in Maharashtra and not Gujarat. We will not tolerate name boards in Gujarati any more here, warned MNS Thane district chief Avinash Jadhav. Vasai is around 110 km from the Maharashtra-Gujarat border and has a sizeable Gujarati speaking population, besides many engaged in business and industries. Similarly, in Kandivali suburb, a farsan sellers shop was targeted and attempts made to yank off the signboard in Gujarati language. At least a dozen persons have been detained in connection with the two incidents and police have increased patrolling in some Gujarati-dominated pockets. In his hard-hitting Gudi Padwa rally in Mumbai late on Sunday, Raj Thackeray criticized Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and BJP President Amit Shah on various counts. He attacked the…
Indian professionals hold rally to end green card backlog across US
Hundreds of Indian professionals held peaceful rallies across the US, demanding an end to the long and massive green card backlog by eliminating arbitrary per-country limit regulations. Indian-Americans, most of whom are highly skilled and come to the US mainly on H-1B work visas are the worst sufferers of the current immigration system which imposes a seven per cent per-country quota on allotment of green cards or permanent legal residency. As a result, the current wait period for Indian skilled immigrants for green card can be as long as 70 years. The rallies, to urge lawmakers to support to end the per-country limit on legal permanent residency was held over the weekend in Arkansas, Kentucky and Oregon. As awareness builds on this topic among the American public and lawmakers, they are joining the chorus asking for reform to address the discriminatory green card backlogs impacting employment based green card applicants from India, said Seattle-based GCReforms, a recently created organisation by Indian-Americans for this purpose. The attendees spoke in one voice and the message was clear These limits were put in place when Lyndon Johnson was president of America and before even the first handheld calculator was invented GCreforms expects to…
Mumbai boy stabs friend 54 times, walks to police station to confess crime; the reason will shock you to bits
In a shocking incident, a 21-year-old stabbed his 18-year-old friend to death in Mumbai on Thursday. His crime? He was allegedly speaking to him in English. According to a Hindustan Times report, the 21-year-old slit his friends throat and stabbed him mercilessly at least 54 times. The accused was allegedly enraged with Mohammed Afroz Alam Shaikh speaking in English, something he saw as an attempt to belittle him for his poor education. The accused, identified as Mohammed Amir Abdul Wahid Rahin, walked to the nearby Shahu Nagar police station after committing the crime to confess the murder. Police said that the accused reached the station around 1 am and confessed to the crime. He then guided them to an isolated spot near Raheja bridge in Mahim where the body was kept. Rahin told police that he was infuriated with Shaikhs constant antics of demeaning him and he had been planning to murder him for a week. Rahin further told DB Thorat, senior police inspector, that he was waiting for the right time and the right location, police said. On the pretext of treating Shaikh to a drink, Rahin on Wednesday night took him to Bandra and both bought a bottle…
Delhi sealing drive: Traders to hold mega rally on March 28
Around seven lakh business establishments and over 3,000 commercial markets of Delhi including Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place and Lajpat Nagar will remain closed on March 28 as traders will hold a mega rally to demand protection from the sealing drive. Besides traders and their employees, families of businessmen will also participate in the rally to be held at the Ramlila grounds, Praveen Khandelwal, general secretary of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said today. Traders across Delhi will not send their children to school and colleges on that day as a mark of protest, he said. The CAIT and All Delhi Traders, Vyapari and Workers Association have jointly organised the rally and have given a call for Delhi Trade Bandh demanding that the Centre bring a bill or an Ordinance to stop the sealing. Khandelwal said the Delhi Government should also pass a bill in the current assembly session for a moratorium on sealing and forward the same to the Centre for its approval. Trade and commerce in Delhi will remain completely closed on March 28 and both wholesale and retail markets will observe trade bandh. More than 3000 commercial markets of Delhi including Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Karol…