The government and the Reserve Bank of India should make sure that the Rs 13,000-crore PNB scam does not lead to a fear psychosis in the financial system which chills economic activity in the country, a prominent industry lobby has said. Emergence of the scam should not lead to a paralysis and fear psychosis, Rashesh Shah, the president of Ficci, told PTI here. Shah, who also chairs the diversified financial services company Edelweiss, said he has written to both the RBI and the government with a request to ensure that the country does not slip into that zone. On whether the emergence of the Punjab National Bank scam, allegedly involving diamond trader Nirav Modi, is a throwback to the latter part of the UPA-II regime, where the fear of the 3Cs Investigation should not result in fear psychosis. He, however, answered in the negative when asked if scams involving Nirav Modi or the over Rs 3,500-crore fraud involving Rotomac Pens promoter are akin to the emergence of corruption allegations faced by the Manmohan Singh government in its final years. Speaking to PTI, a top official from one of the few lenders not having any exposure to the companies promoted by…
Month: July 2021
Big boost for Congress! Lingayat Mutt backs CM Siddaramaiah’s minority move, leaves BJP in a fix
In what can be seen as a big boost to Congress ahead of the assembly elections in the state, Karnatakas Lingayat Mutt has backed Chief Minister K Siddaramaiahs move granting minority status to the electorally dominant community in the state. The development comes as an embarrassment for the BJP as the statement from the influential Murugha Mutt came in a written reply to party president Amit Shah. The Matha (or mutt) communicated to Shah that it was against the BJP Matha The saffron party had stood firmly against Congress move to grant minority status to Lingayats. Shah had termed the move as Congress bid to divide Hindu unity. However, Murgha Mathas letter categorically said that move will not divide but unite the members of the community. On March 23, the Siddaramaiah-led state government had notified the minority religion status to the followers of 12th-century social reformer Basava. The saffron party, whose chief ministerial face BS Yeddyurappa is a Lingayat, termed Congress move as an attempt to divide the Hindu votes. Shah was on a two-day visit to Karnataka since Monday. The BJP president met several seers and interacted with coconut and areca nut growers and traders in the district during…
Goa CM Manohar Parrikar’s health fine, don’t believe rumours: Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni
Slamming those spreading lies about Manohar Parrikars medical condition, Additional Solicitor General Atmaram Nadkarni on Thursday said he was doing fine and urged people not to believe fake stories about the Goa Chief Ministers health. The Chief Ministers health is fine. He is undergoing treatment abroad and doing extremely well. In fact, it is most unfortunate that some people have started sending out wrong messages. Some are virtually fabricated and said these are sent by Parrikar. These are all nasty messages. It is very unfortunate, Nadkarni, a key Parrikar aide, told reporters here. My only request is that when it is somebodys health, one should leave the person and the family (alone) to handle the situation. though he is a public figure and lakhs of people are praying for him and his health, he said. Asked if action should be taken against those circulating fake messages on the social media, Nadkarni said: Circulating false news by itself is an offence. he is a public figure, so nobody is going to file cases in such matters and waste time. The best thing is that such things have to be ignored. Parrikar is undergoing treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer in a New…
Haryana government to drop cases against Dalits filed during Bharat Bandh agitation: Report
The Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana has hinted that it may withdraw cases filed against Dalits registered during Bharat Bandh violence on April 2. According to a report by India Today, Khattar said that the government has decided to set up a three-member committee to ascertain the facts about involvement of people in incidents of violence. The CM, who was addressing people in Kurukshetra, claimed that Dalits were protesting peacefully and that the law and order situation collapsed when some anti-social elements took advantage of the situation to create disorder. It said that the panel will comprise an IAS officer, an IPS office and a public representative. The committee will be tasked to review all the cases registered by police on April 2. Khattar said that cases against innocent people will be dropped but if any evidence is found, action will be taken against the accused. He added that cases will be investigated in a fair and transparent manner. Khattar also announced that the state government has decided to ensure vacant posts in the government meant for SCs are cleared at the earliest. For this, he said that the government will soon set up Haryana Scheduled Castes Commission that…
Syria missile strike: India calls for restraint after US, Britain and France launch attack on West Asian nation
India on Saturday, while describing an alleged chemical attack in Syria as deplorable, called for restraint after the US, Britain and France launched coordinated missile attacks on the West Asian nation. India is closely following the situation. The alleged use of chemical weapons, if true, is deplorable, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in response to queries. He said that India wants an impartial and objective investigationa by the Organisation for Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to establish the facts. In the meantime, we urge all parties to show restraint and to avoid any further escalation in the situation, the spokesperson said. The matter should be resolved through dialogue and negotiations, and on the basis of the principles of the UN Charter and in accordance with international law. We hope that the long drawn suffering of the people of Syria would come to an end soon. The US, Britain and France launched coordinated strikes against Syrias research, storage and military targets to punish the Bashar al-Assad regime for an apparent chemical attack in Douma that killed over 70 people. The military action was denounced by Damascus and its ally Moscow as a failure and an act of aggression. Western…
Society needs harmony, not strife: President Ram Nath Kovind
President Ram Nath Kovind today cautioned people against divisive forces, saying the nation needed harmony and not conflict. His statements assume significance as they come in the backdrop of the April 2 nationwide Dalit bandh, which saw large-scale violence in several states, including Madhya Pradesh where more than half a dozen people lost their lives. The society needs samrasta (harmony) today and not samar (conflict or war).It needs non-violence and peace, Kovind said. I appeal to the countrymen, especially the youth, to follow the path of peace, harmony and brotherhood shown by Ambedkar, and unitedly work to built the country according to Ambedkars dreams, he said. Earlier, he paid tributes to Ambedkar at his memorial here. In doing so, Kovind became the first president to pay homage to the legendary social reformer at his birthplace on his birth anniversary. The country saw 13 presidents before me. I came to know I am the first president to visit Ambedkars birthplace on the occasion of his birth anniversary, Kovind said. The president was addressing a function organised to celebrate the 127th birth anniversary of Independent Indias first Law Minister. As president, I have got the responsibility to protect the Constitution, whose main…
Delhi BJP says city facing ‘water crisis’, to launch protest from tomorrow
The Delhi BJP today claimed the national capital was facing a water crisis due to criminal negligence of the AAP government and said it would launch a protests against the issue tomorrow. BJP workers will take to streets on the issue from tomorrow, partys Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari said. Drinking water is fundamental right of every citizen. People are facing crisis of drinking water due to criminal negligence of the Kejriwal government, Tiwari said in a press statement. The people in rural areas, slum clusters and rehabilitation colonies are dependent on the supply of water by Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tankers. At present they are craving for a few drops of safe drinking water, he said. Tiwari, who attended party-ruled municipal corporations programme MCD Aapke Dwar, claimed that in many areas he visited, people were getting black- coloured, polluted water supply from the DJB. This poses danger to the health of the Delhi people but the AAP government is insensitive to it although Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is chairman of the DJB, he charged. Delhi BJP workers will take to the streets against the water crisis and meet the Lt Governor Anil Baijal seeking his intervention in the matter,…
For second day, Pakistan raises Kashmir at UN; India hits back at ‘failed state’
Responding to Islamabads bid to raise the Kashmir issue for a second day on Friday at the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, India denounced Pakistan as a failed state where terrorists thrive and Osama Bin Laden received protection, and demanded that it bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai, Pathankot and Uri attacks to justice. Even as terrorists thrive in Pakistan and roam its streets with impunity, we have heard it lecture about the protection of human rights in India, Mini Devi Kumam, a Second Secretary at the Indias UN Mission in Geneva, said. We await credible action by the Government of Pakistan to bring all those involved in the 2008 Mumbai attack and the 2016 Pathankot and Uri attacks to justice, she said. The world does not need lessons on democracy and human rights from a country whose own situation is charitably described as a failed state, she added. Kumam was responding to Tahir Andrabi, Pakistans UN Deputy Permanent Representative in Geneva, who earlier on Friday invoked Jawaharlal Nehru to make his case for a plebiscite in Kashmir. Andrabi said that at the heart of the Kashmir problem is the right to self-determination which was conceded by the…
Jackfruit to be Kerala’s state fruit; Declaration on March 21
After the state animal, bird, flower and fish, Kerala is all set to get its official fruit now. State Agriculture Minister V S Sunil Kumar said the core objective of the government was to give a fillip to the production and sale of jack fruit and its value-added products. We are planning to declare the jack fruit as the state fruit on March 21. I will make an announcement in this regard at the state Assembly also, Sunil Kumar told PTI. Crores of jack fruits, that also of different varieties, are produced in Kerala every year, he said. Detailing the qualities the Kerala jack fruit,he said it is more organic and tasty as it is produced in a very natural way without using any chemical fertilisers or pesticides. They are grown in a very natural way in villages without any special care.So our jack fruits are more organic, natural and tasty than those from other states, he said. With the awarding of the state fruit status, the demand for jack fruits and allied products are expected to go up and more people would foray into the cultivation of jack fruit trees, known as plavu in local parlance, the minister said….
Big push for digital courts in India; here is what Modi government is doing
With an aim to fast-track the disposal of pending cases, the government has been going for major transformation of court rooms into digital, paperless entity, according to The Indian Express report. So far, 342 jails and 488 district courts have got the facilities. A staggering 14,249 courts will these facilities under the central governments E-courts Mission Mode Project. These courts will get local area networks, computer hardware and tandard application software, according to reports. Over 2.68 crore cases are still pending in several courts. However, judges, officials and legal researchers asserted that the change is visible. Karkardooma court in Delhi was one the courts which got this facilities long time back. These courts have been connected to the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG). In the World Bank It has been learnt that the grid has made it possible to generate case management reports on local courts, thereby making it easier to enforce contracts. The NJDG has made things more transparent. Apart from this, the real-time tracking and transcription of evidence have become easier. Former Chief Justice of India J S Khehar had hoped that his dream of paperless courts would soon becomes a reality and hailed the support of the…
Deaf-and-mute girl who returned from Pakistan gets 20 marriage proposals
Twenty men, including a priest and a `writer, have responded to a Facebook advert seeking a match for Geeta, a deaf-and-mute girl who returned from Pakistan after accidentally landing in that country when she was a child. A social activist here, who is involved in the search for Geetas long-lost parents, put up a post on Facebook nine days ago, seeking marriage proposals for her. Gyanendra Purohit, the activist, today said 20 men have shown interest in marrying her and sent bia-data. Of them, 12 persons are disabled, while the rest do not have any disability, he said. One of them is a temple priest while another claims to be a writer, he said. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj – who was instrumental in bringing Geeta back to India – had asked him to look for a match for the girl, Purohit had claimed earlier. He put up a post on the Facebook page `Reunite Geeta, a deaf girl, with her family, which was originally created to search for Geetas parents, on April 10. The advert said they were looking for a good and smart deaf boy, age above 25 years, for Indias daughter Geeta. It also made it clear…
Mumbai terror attack case shocker! Pakistan removes chief prosecutor for ‘not taking government line’
Pakistans Interior Ministry has abruptly removed the chief prosecutor from the Mumbai terror attack case for not taking the government line, an official said today, in a major setback to Indias efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice. Ten Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists had sailed into Mumbai from Karachi and carried out coordinated attacks, killing 166 people and injuring over 300 in November 2008. The Interior Ministry has removed Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Special Prosecutor Chaudhry Azhar, who had been representing as chief of prosecution in the Mumbai attack case since 2009, from the high-profile case, an official of the FIA privy to the development told PTI. Azhar has been told that his services in the Mumbai attack case are no more required, he said. Azhar has only been separated from the Mumbai attack case. However, he will continue to representing the state in other cases like Benazir assassination, he said. Azhar developed differences with the government over the manner the case was being pursued, the official said. The government has its own special consideration in this case and Azhar perhaps is not taking the government line. He was keen to follow the high profile case by book, the official tried…
Andhra peon with assets over Rs 80 crore arrested: Details of his possessions will shock you
Huge assets of several crores disproportionate to known income sources of an attender in the Regional Transport Authority office have been unearthed in raids on his properties in Nellore district in the last two days, the Anti-Corruption Bureau said today. Though officially no value has been given, ACB officials estimate that the market value of the assets could be well over Rs 80 crore. Searches were still continuing to find if the attender K Narasimha Reddy has stashed more illegal wealth, a senior ACB official said. A simultaneous probe was also being conducted to establish if he possibly acted as a benami of some higher officials of the transport department, the official said. The ACBs Central Investigation Unit conducted the raids during the last two days on Reddys properties in Nellore and arrested him after huge illegal assets were discovered in his and his kins name. Reddy joined the regional transport office as an attender in 1984 and continued in the post at the same place all through by rejecting periodic promotions. Over 50 acres of agricultural land, 18 house sites, a residential building, Rs 1.01 crore in LIC deposits, Rs 20 lakh in bank deposits, two kg gold and…
Spit anywhere! Believe it or not, this product developed by a Nagpur trio keeps environment clean
While the launch of the Narendra Modi governments flagship Swachch Bharat Abhiyan has sought to instil a sense of responsibility among masses on keeping public places and their surroundings clean, one cant deny that a lot still needs to be done from the citizens perspective. Several initiatives in line with this understanding – without any government support – have sought to provide a solution. From building toilets out of plastic bottles to generating awareness about the benefits of hygiene, innovation has taken centre stage. Still, there is a lot of ground that needs to be covered, especially if you factor in that people are inherently opposed to change. Old habits die hard, after all. But does that mean all is lost? A trio from Nagpur definitely believes otherwise. In a unique solution that should qualify as perhaps the most unique initiative, but yet to qualify under the Swachch Bharat Abhiyan. There must have been a number of instances where you must have turned your head around from a public place because of the reeks of stains from spitting. With the rise of the sale of chewing tobacco products, many public areas are becoming unhygienic and not to forget, an absolute…
PNB probe: Supreme Court asks for report in sealed cover, Centre opposes
The suggestion put forth by the Supreme Court on Friday to file the investigation report of the PNB scam in a sealed cover faced strong protest from the Centre. The Centre has opposed the apex courts suggestion and said that it would amount to a parallel enquiry. Attorney General KK Venugopal asked a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud: What is the justification for any court, let alone this court, to ask to file the report Venugopal was reacting to CJIs suggestion of Centre filing the PNB scam report in a sealed cover. CJI had given the suggestion while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL)- which sought directions to file the cases against top Punjab National Bank officials, deportation of Nirav Modi and directions to bank regarding grant of loans. In the beginning, the AG informed the Supreme Court that the investigation was on and 19 persons had been arrested so far. Out of the 19 arrested eight were public servants while the other rest are private persons. Venugopal said: It was then that the CJI suggested that the Centre file the report in a sealed cover and assured him However, the AG…
Mahamitra app: Maharashtra Government withdraws it, claims purpose fulfilled
The Maharashtra government today withdrew its Mahamitra app from Google Play Store, with the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations (DGIPR) claiming that it was not necessary to continue the app as its purpose was fulfilled. On March 27, former Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had alleged that the app was transferring data to a private trust called Anulom. He had said that Anulom was started by one Atul Waze with the blessings of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Questioning its withdrawal, Chavan today said, The controversial Mahamitra application (Version: 1.1.6) of the DGIPR has now been withdrawn from Google Play Store. After a completely vacuous and misleading statement made by Minister of State for Home Affairs in the Legislative Assembly on March 27, which tried to reply to charges levelled, the DGIPR has taken down the Mahamitra mobile application from its website in a hurry. Interestingly, if one now searches for the Mahamitra app on Google Play Store, the search shows up Anulom This clearly shows similarity between Mahamitra and Anulom apps, as I had pointed out in the Assembly, Chavan added. He said that the sudden withdrawal of the app raised several questions. Why was the application withdrawn suddenly?…
Trivendra Singh Rawat exclusive: ‘Our work against corruption is evident,’ says Uttarakhand CM on 1 year of BJP government
Uttrakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat recently marked the first anniversary of his government on a grand scale. In large advertisements in newspapers and lengthy television commercials, the Rawat government claimed that a lot has already been achieved in the past one year. The government has also presented its first complete budget of Rs 45,000 crore (approx). Amid all the pomp and show, it still needs to be checked how much the 56 MLA-strong Rawat government has actually delivered on ground. The assembly elections held in 2017 saw the Bharatiya Janata party return to power with a thumping majority, decimating the Congress which was limited to 11 out of 70 seats. The Congress tally reduced by 21 seats while the BJP gained 26. The stakes were obviously high for the BJP and for Trivendra Singh Rawat who took charge at the helm of affairs in Uttarakhand, a state that has traditionally voted for an alternate party to power in each election. As Rawat government completes one year in office, the Chief Minister has his hands full. And the first-time Chief Minister says he isnt shying away from any of it. In an exclusive conversation with Financialexpress.com, the Uttarakhand CM said…
West Bengal violence: Fresh clashes reported from Asansol during Ram Navami procession, Governor appeals for peace
There seems to be no reprieve from the violence that began with clashes in some parts of West Bengal on the occasion of Ram Navami yet. After reports of clashes from Raniganj and Murshidabad, among other parts of the state, fresh reports of violence are now coming in from Asansol. As per an ANI report, the government has imposed section 144 and Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Police force have been deployed to control the situation. The development comes even as West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi made an appeal for peace and said that religious practices should be performed peacefully. When asked if he has any piece of advice for the state government, Tripathi told PTI, Earlier, the Centre had sought reports from the West Bengal Government days after reports of violence during Ram Navami processions in the state. It has also offered to assist on the situation. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in a communication, has asked the West Bengal government to send a report on the incident and steps taken to restore normalcy. In its communique, the Centre has also offered assistance of paramilitary forces on reports of continuing violence and tension in some districts, an…
Delhi sealing: Supreme Court asks Centre, state government not to make it a ‘political issue’
The Supreme Court today asked the Centre, Delhi government and other authorities concerned not to make unauthorised construction and sealing of illegal structures in the national capital political issues. A bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said this after Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, appearing for the Centre, informed the court that they had held meetings with all the agencies concerned and they had proposed to constitute a special task force for monitoring all the issues arising out of unauthorised constructions. There are a few points and you please take these into account. This is not a political issue, the bench said. The apex court also asked the authorities to look into the aspects of fire safety, especially in schools, and the massive depletion of groundwater while proceeding in the matter. The bench also made it clear to the authorities that the health of the citizens of Delhi was much more important than profit and they would have to deal with the issue in a holistic manner. The bench has now posted the matter for further hearing on April 18. The apex court had on April 4 lashed out at the Centre, Delhi government and…
Congress President Rahul Gandhi targets Railway Minister Piyush Goyal over business dealings
Congress President Rahul Gandhi continued his attack on Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal over his sale of shares in a privately-held company at nearly 1,000 times the face value. Piyush Goyals, 48 CR. #FlashNet Scam is about deceit, conflict of interest and greed. The evidence is on the table, Gandhi tweeted on Tuesday. The Congress President also targeted the media for being biased over reporting on Goyal. Yet, the media will not touch the story. It is a tragedy for our country when journalists entrusted to stand for the truth, will not speak #GoyalMustResign, he added. Last week, the Congress said Goyal and his wife sold the entire stocks of Flashnet Info Solutions (India) to Piramal Estates for an astronomical price of Rs 9,586 per share totalling Rs 48 crore, or 1,000 times the book value.
PM Narendra Modi to launch Rashtriya Gramin Swaraj Abhiyan from Madhya Pradesh today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Rashtriya Gramin Swaraj Abhiyan in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh on the National Panchayati Raj Day today and also take part in the Aadi Mahotsav event, showcasing heritage of tribals in the region. The Prime Minister will visit Ramnagar, the capital of erstwhile Gond kingdom in the district today. He will arrive here around 12 noon, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Manoj Thakur told PTI. The prime minister will arrive at Ramnagar in the district via Jabalpur and address a convention, an official release stated, adding he would take part in the Aadi Mahotsav event, beginning tomorrow. Around 2,000 experts on Panchayati Raj system will participate in the convention, he said. Another release said Modi will launch the Rashtriya Gramin Swaraj Abhiyan at a public meeting and address Panchayati Raj representatives across the country, from Mandla. On this occasion, the prime minister will unveil a road map for overall development of tribals during the next five years and will unveil a plaque to mark the laying of foundation stone of an LPG bottling plant of Indian Oil Corporation at Maneri in Mandla district. He would also launch a local government directory, it said. The…
Former Karnataka top cop ‘objectifies’ Nirbhaya’s mother, says ‘women should surrender to rapists’
Karnatakas former Director General of Police HT Sangliana has kicked up a storm over his shocking and vile statements against the mother of December 12 Delhi gangrape victim Nirbhaya. In comments that were made in the presence of Asha Devi, the mother of 2012 victim, whose death sparked protests on a national level, Sangliana said she has a The Ex-DGP stormed up a massive controversy while speaking at an event organised to honour women last week, including Asha Devi and women like her. His controversial statement reportedly did not end there. Sangliana further said that if rape victims are overpowered, they should surrender, and follow up the case later. He asserted that by doing so, the victims can remain safe and prevent themselves from being killed. Met Nirbhayas mother today. She spoke how the society stigmatises rape victims rather than stigmatising the culprits. Its for citizens to play active role in checking crimes against women. Ex MP, retd IPS Sangliana was present I received Nirbhaya Award on the occasion. pic.twitter.com\/ifjeaBpnf1 I said it in order to emphasise the importance of protection and security to women, they should be given protection at all times. Sangliana Guests attending the event were appalled…
Horrific! Delhi youth attacked by 12 men was stabbed more than fifty times; here’s what happened
A group of bikers assaulted a man with iron rods and stabbed him more than fifty times on Thursday, reported the Indian Express. The horrific incident was reported from south Delhi Ashish, who is reported to be in his late 20s is currently recuperating at a local hospital in Delhi where the doctors have declared his condition to be serious. Following the complaint registered by the family members of the victim at a local police station, the police, meanwhile, have initiated the investigations into the case. The victim was on his way back home after he was running some errands during the day and later visited the local gym. As per the report, he was chased down a street close to his house by 12 men on their bikes. The assault took place around 4 pm on Thursday and it was all captured on the camera. The police said that the footage that was captured showed Ashish, in a black shirt, being stopped by two men. After that within minutes, ten more bikes zipped in and surrounded Ashish. For the next ten minutes, Ashish was reportedly assaulted with rods and then stabbed multiple times. Meanwhile, the passers-by did not intervene…
Interesting! BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, Chhattishgarh fighting for this Chicken breed; reason is absolutely delicious
A protein-rich breed of chicken, popularly known as Kadaknath, has virtually become a bone of contention between Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh states, with both staking claim over its nativity. The two neighbouring states have filed applications with the Geographical Indication registry office in Chennai to obtain the GI tag for this black-winged chicken variety. Kadaknath is known for its high iron content and much lower cholesterol than other breeds, and sells at a much higher price than other varieties, say experts. Madhya Pradesh is likely to get the GI nativity tag for the tan-blooded bird, which has its origin in the states Jhabua district, MP animal husbandry departments additional deputy director Dr Bhagwan Manghnani told PTI. The Gramin Vikas Trust of Jhabua applied for the GI tag in 2012 on behalf of the tribal families involved in breeding it, he said. Chhattisgarh too staked its claim for the GI tag of Kadaknath recently. Global Business Incubator Private Limited (GBIPL), Chhattisgarh, chairman Srinivas Gogineni said the bird is reared in the states Dantewada district in a unique way, and in a homely atmosphere. GBIPL, a private company, has been roped-in by the Dantewada district administration for helping the tribals in livelihood…
Nagaland’s Rio government sails through trust vote in Assembly
The Neiphiu Rio-led government in Nagaland won the floor test in the Assembly today. Barring the speaker, all 59 legislators signed a register to cast their vote for the motion today. Of the 33 MLAs that voted in favour of the Rio government, 17 were NDPP members, 12 were of the BJP, two of the NPP, one was a JD(U) MLA and another was an Independent legislator. Yhoshu had served as an MLA for three terms in the past. He represents the southern Angami-I constituency. Polling to 59 seats was held in Nagaland on February 27. Rio, who had won unopposed from the Northern Angami-II Assembly constituency on February 12, staked claim to form government with the support of 34 legislators on March 4, a day after the results were announced. The chief minister, along with 10 other ministers, were administered the oath of office by Governor P B Acharya on March 8. Acharya had asked the newly-elected chief minister to prove his majority on the floor of the House by March 16.
Kerala shocker: Former Radio Jockey Rasikan Rajesh hacked to death at his studio in Thiruvananthapuram
A former radio jockey from Kerala was allegedly hacked to death at his studio in Thiruvananthapurams Madavoor on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. Thirty-six-year-old former RJ Rajesh alias Rasikan Rajesh was a mimicry artist as well as a folk singer. One other person was injured in the incident. The police have started its investigation but are yet to identify the assailants. According to the details provided by the police, the incident reportedly took place around 2 am at the sound recording studio – Metro Studio – owned by Rajesh at Madavoor under Pallickal police station limits. They are still not clear about the motive behind this attack. The police have registered a case of murder and suspect that a gang is involved in the crime. Rajesh had reportedly returned from a stage programme along with his friend Khuttan and the duo was loading their equipment back into the studio when they were attacked by the assailants who came in a red Maruti Swift car and had sharp weapons. Locals alerted the police after the heard the noises. Both the victims were rushed to the hospital. Rajesh died of his injuries at the hospital at Parippally while Kuttan is…
LIVE Congress, BJP war over ‘data leak’: Rahul Gandhi blaming Narendra Modi app because of his technological illiteracy, says Sambit Patra
Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress leaders are locked in a bitter battle over allegations and counter allegations of data theft by the mobile applications run by both parties and their leaders. The row, kicked off by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Sunday, has snowballed into a big controversy. As a consequence, the Congress has reportedly pulled down its official membership app and membership page of the website. The development came hours after BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya hit back at Congress saying that the party has shared its subscribers data with third-party organisations. Earlier, Gandhi had attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the alleged data breach, claiming that the NaMo App was transferring users data to a US firm. Here are LIVE Updates on Congress, BJP war over data leak: 6:30 pm: The war of words between the Congress and the BJP on data sharing spiralled today with Rahul Gandhi dubbing Prime Minister Narendra Modi the Big Boss who likes to spy on Indians while Union minister Smriti Irani saying even Chhota Bheem knows it is not snooping. 6:15 pm: 6:01 pm: 5:40 pm: A host of BJP leaders reacted with sarcasm and strong criticism following the Congress presidents…
Names of 39 Indians confirmed dead in Iraq – FULL LIST
Of the 39 Indians whose killings in Iraq were confirmed by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj here on Tuesday, 27 were from Punjab, four from Himachal Pradesh, six from Bihar and two from West Bengal. According to the External Affairs Ministry, those from Punjab were Dharminder Kumar, Harish Kumar, Harsimranjeet Singh, Kanwaljit Singh, Malkit Singh, Ranjit Singh, Sonu, Sandeep Kumar, Manjinder Singh, Gurcharan Singh, Balwant Rai, Roop Lal, Devinder Singh, Kulwinder Singh, Jatinder Singh, Nishan Singh, Gurdeep Singh, Kamaljit Singh, Gobinder Singh, Pritpal Sharma, Sukhwinder Singh, Jasvir Singh, Parvinder Kumar, Balvir Chand, Surjeet Mainka, Nand Lal and Rakesh Kumar. Those from Himachal Pradesh were Aman Kumar, Sandeep Singh Rana, Inderjeet and Hem Raj. While Samar Tikadar and Khokhan Sikder hailed from West Bengal, Santosh Kumar Singh, Bidya Bhushan Tiwari, Adalat Singh, Sunil Kumar Kushwaha, Dharamendra Kumar and Raju Kumar Yadav were from Bihar. Except for Raju Kumar Yadav, the bodies of all others have been identified through DNA samples. Sushma Swaraj told the media here that Yadavs body was only 70 per cent identified and that could be because the DNA sample sent was from some other member of his family as his parents were not alive. All these Indian…
Boost for PM Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: Study finds 93 percent village households with access to toilets using them
In a major boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modis ambitious Swachh Bharat Abhiyan scheme, 77 per cent of houses in village areas have toilets. Of those 77 percent households, over 93 percent have shunned the habit of open defecation and started using toilets. This was revealed in the annual rural sanitation survey NARSS under the World Bank. The survey has also confirmed that 96 per cent of villages which were given Open Defecation Free (ODF) tag by respective districts and states authorities concerned, according to Times of India report. An independent agency had conducted the survey between mid-November 2017 and mid-March 2018. The survey shows 70 percent of villages have a minimal litter. Since October 2, 2014, over 6.6 crore household toilets were built. The date obtained from Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin website shows 3,40,370 villages have been given ODF status. There are 341 open defecation free districts. The government has also said that 30 crore people have stopped defecating in open since October 2014. The agency had submitted survey results to Expert Working Group which has NITI Aayog, World Bank, UNICEF, Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, India Sanitation Coalition and Sulabh International etc. Earlier, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said…
Congress President Rahul Gandhi is technologically illiterate: BJP’s Sambit Patra
The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Monday refuted the charges made by Congress President Rahul Gandhi regarding the NaMo app and described the latter as technologically illiterate. Congress President Rahul Gandhi is technologically illiterate, BJP spokesman Sambit Patra said. Patra went on to add, He (Rahul Gandhi) does not know that data analysis is not equivalent to spying or snooping. This new age is the age of information technology, which Rahul ji will not understand. Through the NaMo app, Prime Minister Narendra Modi communicates with the ground level party workers. It is a smart app and like all smart apps, it will be called smart only if it facilitates two way communication with ease, he added. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for misusing his app NaMo to build a personal database with data on millions of Indians. Modi misusing PM position to build personal database with data on millions of Indians via the NaMo App promoted by Govt. If as PM he wants to use tech to communicate with India, no problem. But use the official PMO APP for it. This data belongs to India, not Modi Earlier on Sunday, he tweeted, Hi! My…