The Rajya Sabha today witnessed an unprecedented state of affairs as it was adjourned 11 times, as the opposition and the government clashed over technicalities of the passage of an anti-graft amendment bill with the latter insisting that it should be adopted without debate. While the House was first adjourned till 2 PM within 20 minutes after it met at 11 AM due to opposition protests, it saw ten adjournments in a row within three hours, after it re-convened in the afternoon. When the House met at 2 PM, members of Congress, AIADMK, BSP, CPI-M, AAP, TDP and YSR were in the Well holding placards and shouting slogans – Narendra Modi – Dalit Virodhi (Narendra Modi is anti-Dalit) and Dalit virodhi yeh sarkar, nahi chalegi (this anti-Dalit government will not be tolerated). Amid the din, the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2013 was taken up for consideration and passage by Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, who asked Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh to move the bill for consideration, saying he would proceed with it as no member has given their name for the debate on it. The bill aims to make giving a bribe…
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PM Modi speaks out on Kathua, Unnao: No culprit will be spared, daughters will definitely get justice
SPEAKING OUT for the first time on the Kathua and Unnao cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Friday that the country Our daughters will definitely get justice, The Prime Minister was referring to the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old in Kathua and the alleged rape of a 17-year-old by a BJP MLA in Unnao. Modi The apex court sought explanations by April 19 from the Bar Council of India, Jammu and Kashmir Bar Council, Jammu High Court Bar Association and Kathua district bar association. Meanwhile, BJP ministers Lal Singh, Chander Prakash, who took part in a rally in support of Kathua gangrape accused, submitted their resignation to the state party chief. In the Supreme Court, a Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, which took cognisance of the developments that were brought to its notice by a group of lawyers, said such impeding of the process of law The apex court said lawyers The court said, If a lawyer who is engaged, is obstructed from appearing in the court or if his client is deprived of being represented in the court when he is entitled to do so in a lawful…
Rahul Gandhi targets Piyush Goyal for ‘Shirdi ka Chamatkar’; uses hashtag ‘PiyushGhotala’ in his tweet
Keeping up his offensive against the BJP, Congress president Rahul Gandhi today targeted Union minister Piyush Goyal for his alleged links to the promoter of a company in default of Rs 650 crore. Gandhi used the hashtag He attached a media report alleging that the promoter of a company, which had Shirdi in its name and was in default of Rs 650 crore, has ties with Goyal, the union minister for railways and coal. The Congress chief has earlier attacked Jay Shah over the sudden increase in the turnover of his company and Shaurya Doval for conflict of interest for allegedly getting funds for the India Foundation, which is run by him and has several union ministers and top BJP leaders on its board. Gandhi and the Congress have dubbed Nirav Modi, an accused in the multi-crore fraud involving PNB, Chhota Modi. The Congress chief has launched an offensive against the BJP and its leaders over allegations of graft while seeking to puncture the claim that there is no corruption in Narendra Modi-led government.
Bihar council polls: Nitish Kumar, Sushil Modi file nomination papers
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Health Minister Mangal Pandey and four others filed their nominations today for the biennial election to the state Legislative Council. Today is the last date for nomination filing for the polls, scheduled to be held on April 26 for 11 seats to the states Upper House. Senior Bihar Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra was the first among the seven candidates of various political parties who filed their papers at the Assembly secretariat today. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Rameshwar Mahto and Khalid Anwar filed their papers as JD(U) nominees for the council polls. I accepted the documents, Bihar Assembly Secretary Ram Shresth Rai, who is also the returning officer for the polls, told PTI. Deputy CM and senior BJP leader Modi, health minister Pandey and Sanjay Paswan filed their nominations as BJP candidates, Rai said, adding that the Congress Mishra also submitted his papers for the council polls. Four RJD candidates – former chief minister Rabri Devi, state party president Ramchandra Purbe, senior leaders Khurshid Mohsin and Santosh Manjhi (son of former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi) – have already filed their papers on April 13. A total of 11 candidates…
Inspiring! Dantewada shines in JEE results 2018, 18 students clear mains
Dantewada in Chhattisgarh is a place usually in the news for all the wrong reasons. Known as a hotbed of Naxal activities in India, the place is in the news again, this time because of 18 young minds. This Naxal-affected district has earned the distinction to give 18 students to have cleared the prestigious JEE examination. With the Union Home Ministry removing 44 districts from the Naxal-affected map of the country, students clearing competitive examinations is a positive outcome and the importance of education appears to be increasing in these areas. 18 children cleared the examination of JEE Mains. Its a moment of great happiness for us. Efforts are that children sit for JEE Advance with full preparations, news agency ANI quoted District Collector Saurabh Kumar as saying. For the students, it is a step towards realising their dreams and they are naturally elated. Its our dream to get into IITs or NITs. We feel very happy. We are preparing for Advanced and are determined to perform well, a student said. JEE, Main and Advance are conducted every year by the Central Board of Secondary Education for selecting students to various IITs and NITs of the country. This year, out…
Kathua case: Investigators say Sanji Ram planned minor’s murder to save son Vishal
Police investigating the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua say that Sanji Ram, one of the main accused, has told them during interrogation that he learnt about the rape four days after her abduction, and decided to have her killed because his son was also involved in the sexual assault. The investigators say the girl, who was kidnapped on January 10, was first raped the same day by Rams nephew, a juvenile, and was killed on January 14. Her body was found on January 17 in a forest. Along with the juvenile, Ram and his son Vishal, five others have been charged in the case, which has shaken the nation and led to the government promulgating an ordinance mandating death sentence for the rape of a child aged 12 and below. The investigators told PTI that the girl, from the Muslim Bakarwal community, was kept in a The aim of the kidnapping was to scare and drive away the nomadic Gujjar and Bakarwal communities from the Hindu dominated area, they said. Rams lawyer Ankur Sharma refused to comment on the investigators version of the incidents, saying it would not be appropriate for him to discuss defence strategy….
CJI impeachment: From ‘politics of revenge’ to ‘surgical attention’ for judiciary, BJP, Congress wage rhetoric fight
CJI impeachment: The issue of the attempted impeachment of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra has rocked the countrys politics. The war of words between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress continues unabated even as Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu rejected the impeachment motion against the CJI moved by opposition parties led by Congress. While BJP MP Bhupender Yadav claims that Opposition-led by Congress has been trying to intimidate the Supreme Court, former Union Minister Kapil Sibal rejects the charge as laughable. Asserting that the judiciary Lashing out at the Congress over the impeachment move against the CJI, he said that this attempt can dent the faith of the masses in the institution. The aim of the Opposition is only to settle political scores. These parties have gained nothing from this attempt, but in the process, they have hurt one of the most respected institutions of Indian democracy It is an institution that is responsible for protecting and upholding constitutional values, the BJP MP said in a column carried by The Indian Express. Sibal, on the other hand, defended the Congress impeachment move. The senior Congress leader said that the charges against the CJI have…
Tamil Nadu forest fire: Nine trekkers dead in Theni
Nine trekkers have died in a forest fire on the Kurangani Hills in Tamil Nadu, the District Collector said on Monday. A rescue operation with the help of the Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters has been underway since Sunday. A total of 27 trekkers were rescued from the fire in picturesque Theni district, some 520 km from here. The trekking group of eight men, 25 women and three children had camped at a place up in the hills on Saturday night. They were supposed to return on Sunday. Earlier, in a tweet, Union Minister of State for Finance and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan expressed grief and shock at the loss of life of those who were caught up in the blaze. The Minister said he was praying for the fast recovery of those who were injured. He also thanked Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for deploying the IAF team in the rescue effort. According to a Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services official, the operation was expected to be over by Monday afternoon. Speaking to IANS, District Collector Pallavi Baldev said the operations were continuing and the trekkers were being brought down by the rescue team members. A temporary helipad has been…
Mann Ki Baat: PM Narendra Modi to address the nation in his 43rd edition of radio show
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday share his thoughts with the people in India and abroad, through his Mann Ki Baat programme. This will be the 43rd edition of the Mann Ki Baat programme, which will broadcast on All India Radio (AIR), Doordarshan and also on the Narendra Modi mobile application. Union Minister Vijay Goel will join the Prime Ministers programme, along with the people of Village Bharthal, at the residence of former Nigam Parishad, Ramniwas, in Sector 26, Dwarka, Delhi. It will be streamed on the YouTube channels of the Prime Ministers Office, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and DD News. In his 42nd edition, Modi emphasised on preventive health care awareness, stating that extensive work is going on to set up Health Wellness Centres across the country. A 3D animation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi depicting Trikonasana (the triangle posture) yoga was released in the same edition. Mann ki Baat is now available as an Alexa skill.
Forget Congress, BJP are sworn enemies! Here they have joined hands to rule important body. Yes, it’s true
In a rare development, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have joined hands to govern an important body in Mizoram. According to PTI, both parties have come together to rule the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) of the state. The BJP and Congress decided to join hands after the recently held elections to the CADC threw a fractured mandate. In the 20-member CADC, the Congress has emerged as the second largest party with six seats, while the BJP came third with five seats. The largest party with eight seats in the CADC is Mizo National Front (MNF). Election to the one seas was stayed by the Mizoram High Court. Earlier there were reports that the MNF and the BJP may join hands to rule the body. On Tuesday, MNF president Zoramthanga had told reporters that his party would form an alliance with the BJP to form a new CADC. He had even claimed that the MNF-BJP alliance was already agreed upon by elected representatives of both parties. Congress leader and Mizoram sports minister Zodintluanga said the post-poll alliance between his party and the BJP took place after an understanding was met between local leaders. He further said that the…
Unnao rape case: Allahabad High Court takes suo motu cognisance, hearing tomorrow; top developments
The Allahabad High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the case of alleged gangrape of a Dalit girl in Unnao and the subsequent death of her father in police custody. The issue has snowballed into a major political storm in Uttar Pradesh and opposition parties have slammed the BJP government for not arresting the accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar so far. The incident has also led to severe criticism for the BJP government over deteriorating law and order situation in the state under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Facing embarrassment, the Chief Minister, on the other hand, ordered the formation of an SIT to probe the case. The incident comes at a time when Adityanath has been claiming that girls are safe under the BJP rule. Top developments: 1. Today, the Allahabad High Court took suo motu cognizance of the matter and sought a detailed report of the case from the government. A bench of the Chief Justice has posted the matter for hearing tomorrow. Unnao rape case: Allahabad High Court takes suo-moto cognizance of the matter, to be heard on 12 April. Court also appointed an amicus curiae in the case. MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengars wife today met…
Pakistan rejects allegations of inciting Indian Sikh pilgrims on Khalistan issue
Pakistan today rejected Indian allegations of attempts to incite Indian pilgrims on the issue of Khalistan. India yesterday summoned Pakistans Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over attempts to raise the Khalistan issue during the visit of Sikh pilgrims to that country, while asking Islamabad to immediately cease all such activities aimed at undermining Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity. Reacting to New Delhis action, Pakistans Foreign Office (FO) said, By spreading such falsehoods, India has chosen to deliberately stoke further controversy around the visit of Sikh pilgrims, currently attending the Baisakhi and Khalsa Janamdin ceremonies in Pakistan. It said Pakistan welcomes Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from all over the world, including India. Pakistan has made arrangements to extend maximum facilitation to the visiting Sikh pilgrims during their visits to sacred places in Pakistan, the FO said. It said the Sikh community has been protesting against the Government of India for screening a controversial movie in India, which hurts their religious sentiments. These protests had started in India and other parts of the world before the Sikh Yatrees arrived in Pakistan, the FO said. In view of the charged situation and the explicit refusal of the…
A first in 400 years! Odisha temple allows men inside temple premises, touch deities
In a break from age-old tradition, men were finally allowed to touch five idols of Panchubarahi temple in Odisha for the first time in close to 400 years. Before this only woman were permitted to touch the idols and men were not even allowed to enter the temple premises. On April 20, the women priests of the temple allowed as many as five men to enter the premises and touch idols in order to relocate them to a different place inside the temple over fears that rising sea levels may affect the Satabhaya village. The temple also has a tradition of permitting five Dalit women priests to take care of it. Daily pujas and other preparations at the temple are taken care of by married Dalit women from the village. Since last 400 years, there has been no deviation from this tradition. The major reason behind moving out f the tradition is the rise sea levels of the Bay of Bengal. As shifting could not be done by the women priests, the help from men was taken. These idols are said to weigh 1.5 tonnes each and are made of black stones. From previous locations, these idols have been shifted…
Who is the undisputed king of Facebook popularity? None other than PM Narendra Modi – Data proof is here
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is far ahead of other world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, when it comes to popularity on Facebook, according to a study which said 43.2 million people follow the Indian premier on the social media platform. Trump, who rules the other social media platform Twitter, is in second place with 23.1 million followers, according to the study World Leaders on Facebook released today by Burson Cohn Wolfe. The study analyses the activity of 650 Facebook pages of heads of state and government and foreign ministers from January 1, 2017 using aggregate data from Facebooks Crowdtangle tool, it said in a statement. Over the past 14 months, the Facebook page of Trump had by far the most interactions of any world leader on Facebook, with a total of 204.9 million interactions (defined as the total number of comments, likes and shares), almost twice as many as Modi with 113.6 million interactions, the study said. Modi, 67, has always encouraged use of social media platforms to stay in touch with the public. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has 46 million interactions and Cambodias Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen and Argentinas President Mauricio Macri follow with 36 and 33.4…
Watch: Mother bear puts up fiery combat to save cub from tiger in Tadoba Reserve; video goes viral
A breathtaking video which has emerged from Tadoba National Park in Maharashtra captured a fiery combat between an adult tiger and a sloth bear. The video was taken on Wednesday during an afternoon safari shows the fierce encounter between the animals. The video which has emerged shows the tiger chasing way the bear but then the tables turn. The sloth bear who did not seem to be taking the chasing lightly charges back at the tiger. The tiger tries to pin the bear down, but it gives a tough fight to the carnivore. The bear tries desperately to escape the clutches of the tiger and the next few minutes is tense site to behold. Trying to assert each others dominance, both the tiger and the bear charge at each other viciously. According to the chief naturalist at Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge, Akshay Kumar, the tiger is a 7-year-old Matkasur, a dominant male from the park. The tiger has marked the water body called Jamun Bodi, the part which is seen in the video, NDTV reported. The sloth bear was headed to the water body with its cub in search of water when the tiger was leisuring there. Seeing them come…
BJP government in Goa completes a year, no celebrations due to Manohar Parrikar’s absence
The BJP-led Goa government completed one year in office today sans any celebration due to the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is undergoing treatment for a pancreatic ailment in the US. The BJP, which had failed to cross the half-way mark in last years Assembly polls with its tally dipping to 13 from 21, had pulled off a coup by enlisting the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two Independents, to reach the magic figure of 21 in the 40-member House. Although the Congress had won 17 seats, only four short of the magic figure to form the government, the saffron party had outmaneuvered the Congress in its bid to power. The GFP, MGP and Independents had agreed to support the BJP to form the government with a rider that the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar returns to the coastal state and be at the helm of affairs. Parrikar took oath as the chief minister of Goa on March 14 along with nine other ministers, forcing the Congress into the opposition benches. Parrikar was admitted to Mumbais Lilavati Hospital last month for the treatment of pancreatitis. He went to the US last…
India condemns missile attacks on Saudi Arabia
India today strongly condemned renewed missile attacks targeting civilian areas in Riyadh and other cities of Saudi Arabia, and reiterated its resolve to fight terrorism and violence in all its forms. According to Saudi authorities, one person was killed after seven missiles were fired from Yemen by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on Sunday. We strongly condemn the renewed missile attacks targeting civilian areas in the direction of Riyadh and other cities of Saudi Arabia. We are deeply concerned about the escalating situation threatening the lives of innocent civilians. We reiterate our resolve to fight terrorism and violence in all its forms, the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said. The missiles were fired at four targets, including the capital city of Riyadh, and all were intercepted and destroyed, said spokesman of the Saudi coalition forces for supporting the legitimacy in Yemen Colonel Turki Al-Malki in a statement yesterday. Fragments from the intercepted missiles killed an Egyptian resident, the statement added.
Anantnag encounter: Three terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir
Three militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir today, the army said. An anti-militancy operation was launched in Hakura area of Anantnag district late last night following information about the presence of militants in the area, an army official said. He said three militants were killed in the pre-dawn encounter with security forces. A police spokesman said two of the slain militants were identified as Eesa Fazli of Srinagar and Syed Owais of Kokernag in Anantnag. The identity of the third militant was being ascertained. In the process, arms and ammunition which include AK 47 rifles, pistols, hand-grenades, etc. were recovered from the encounter site. There was no collateral damage during the operation, the spokesman said. He said one of the slain militants was involved in a recent attack on a police guard post at Soura in the city, in which one police constable had been killed. Meanwhile, authorities ordered closure of schools and other educational institutions as a precautionary measure. Kashmir University has suspended classes for the day and postponed examinations as well. A spokesperson of the university said the revised date for examinations scheduled for today will be announced…
Cauvery case: Karnataka gets ultimatum from Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Karnataka to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu to meet its urgent need in April-May, and warned the state of The court also asked the Centre to apprise it on May 8 about steps taken for setting up of the Cauvery Management Board for implementation of its judgment on distribution of the river water among Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry. A bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra assured Tamil Nadu of getting water. you have to release water or face the consequences. Later, it asked the Karnataka counsel to apprise the bench The SC also pulled up the Centre for its inability to frame the Cauvery draft water-sharing scheme within the May 3 deadline as set by the apex court. The CJI directed attorney general KK Venugopal to respond by Tuesday about steps the Centre has taken so far to frame the scheme. we are only asking for 10 days more, they are all travelling. Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, appearing for Tamil Nadu, accused the Centre of a they are taking us for a ride, this is the end of corporate federalism. What do we tell the people of Tamil Nadu. If…
PM Modi to scientists: Extend research from labs to land for greater benefit of people
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today exhorted scientists to extend their research from labs to the land for the greater benefit of the people and said time was ripe to redefine Addressing the inaugural session of the 105th Indian Science Congress here, he said India has a rich tradition and a long history of both discovery and use of science and technology. It is time to reclaim our rightful place among the front-line nations in this field, he said, calling upon the scientific community to extend its research from the labs to the land. Modi said the country has to be future ready in implementing technologies vital for the growth and prosperity of the nation. Technology will allow far greater penetration of services such as education, health care and banking to our citizens, he said. Modi said the theme of the meet, Reaching the unreached through science and technology, was most appropriate as science should help to solve the socio-economic problems of common people. There is need, the prime minister added, to communicate our scientific achievements to society. This, he said, will help inculcate scientific temper among the youth. We have to throw open our institutions and laboratories to our children….
US aluminium tariff hike unlikely to impact India directly
The US move to impose tariffs on aluminium imports may not have considerable direct impact on Indian metal industry, aluminium manufacturers said. The US decision to impose 10 per cent tariff on imported aluminium may not have significant direct impact on Indian aluminium industry, but it may have resultant impact due to increased availability of export volume for ex-America global market, Aluminium Association of India Chairman T K Chand told PTI. Chand is also the Chairman and Managing Director of Aluminium major Nalco. Vedanta Ltd, which is also a leading aluminium producer, said the company exports around 5 per cent, which is around 1,00,000 tonnes of its aluminium volumes, to the US market, hence the duties are not a game changer for it. Moreover, the market prices will adjust accordingly with higher premiums to reflect the higher cost of supply due to the 10 per cent duties, Vedanta Ltd Chief Sales Marketing Officer (Global Aluminium Business) Jean-Baptiste Lucas told PTI. But, we obviously regret such unilateral decision in breach of WTO rules on a fast growing market, which will continue to be a large net importer of aluminium – these additional costs will put an extra burden on our US…
India, Pakistan should try to resolve their differences like Koreas, says Pak media
India and Pakistan should try to resolve their differences and make the quest for normalisation and peace the noblest of goals in the region, taking a cue from the recent thaw in the relations between North and South Korea, a media report here said. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the South Korean President Moon Jae-in, during an inter-Korean summit on Friday, agreed to pursue a permanent peace treaty and denuclearise the Korean peninsula. Inevitably, a comparison between the renewed engagement between the two Koreas and the freeze in ties in the South Asian subcontinent will be made. The tensions and disputes between Pakistan and India are fundamentally different to the issues between the Koreas, Dawn News said in an editorial. Pakistan and India have forged very different and irreversible histories, whereas the Koreas seek unification. Yet, a shared history and the common dreams and aspirations of a people with enduring cultural and other similarities across India and Pakistan make the quest for normalisation and peace in this region the noblest of goals, it said. The striking imagery of the Korean summit recalls the unprecedented hope and expectations created by the historic trip to Lahore of the then prime…
Shatrughan Sinha rubbishes reports of quitting BJP, says ‘not going anywhere’
Disgruntled BJP leader Shatrughan Singh, on Saturday, dismissed reports suggesting that he may quit the party and contest the next general election on a different party ticket. Addressing a gathering in Patna, Shatrughan Sinha clarified that reports are incorrect and he is not going anywhere. Shatrughan Sinhas remark comes hours after senior BJP leader and former Union minister Yashwant Sinha announced that he is ending all ties with the BJP. But, I am clarifying it today that I am here to stay and I am not going anywhere, There were reports doing the rounds that Shatrughan Sinha may quit the saffron party and contest the next Lok Sabha election on a different party ticket. He had told a news channel that leaders like him were unfairly treated from the day the Modi government was formed. My party knows it hurt me. Not just now but from day one when this government came to power, Shatrughan Sinha currently represents Patna Sahib constituency in the Lok Sabha. The MP had in recent past expressed unhappiness over governments several decisions. He had also accused the BJP bigwigs of sidelining him by not inviting him at party events in Bihar. When the Grand Alliance…
Shiv Sena wins BMC bypoll, tally in civic general assembly now 94
The Shiv Sena today won the bypoll to Ward 173 of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with its candidate, Ramdas Kamble, defeating the Congress Sunil Shetye by a margin of 845 votes. The election was held yesterday and was necessitated due to the death of Sena corporator Prahlad Thombare. In other bypoll results announced by the State Election Commission today, the NCPs Pooja Kodre won in Pune defeating Senas Monica Tupe by a margin of 3,528 votes. In Ulhasnagar, Congress Suman Sachdev polled 2,690 votes and defeated the BJPs Sakshi Pannani who got 2,478 votes. Congress Taufiq Hatture won from Solapur beating his nearest AIMIM candidate Sheikh Pir Ahmed Karim. Vishal Kotkar of the Congress beat Senas Vijay Pathare in Ahmednagar. The MNS Vaishali Bhosale won from Nashik. The bypoll was held there after the partys sitting corporator Surekha Bhosale died. Poll officials said that voting percentage in these wards was 45 percent while it was 40.9 percent in Mumbai. In Jalgaon, the BJPs Gehi Mayadevi won unopposed while the Congress won three seats each in Armori, Biloli and Chandrapur panchayat samitis, officials said. NCP bagged a seat each in Sadak-Arjuni, Tuljapur, Vaijapur and Hinganghat panchayat samitis. The BJP and…
India, China hold talks on trans-border rivers
A team of officials of Indias Ministry of Water Resources held talks with their Chinese counterparts on the cooperation of trans-border rivers, the first after Beijing last year stopped providing the data on the flow of Brahmaputra waters. The two-day talks on the 11th meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) on Trans-Border Rivers concluded yesterday in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, a press release from the Indian Embassy today here. The Indian side was led by Teerath Singh Mehra, Commissioner (BB), Ministry of Water Resources and the Chinese side by Yu Xingjun, Consul, Department of International Cooperation Science and Technology, Ministry of Water Resources. The meeting reviewed the progress made since the earlier meetings of the ELM and their continued cooperation on provision of hydrological information and emergency management in respect of trans-border rivers, the press release. The officials also reviewed the data utilisation report upon provision of hydrological information provided by China to India in flood season on Brahmaputra and Sutlej Rivers. The institutional mechanism of the ELM was established in 2006 to discuss various issues related to trans-border rivers. Under existing bilateral Memorandums of Understanding, China provides to India hydrological information of Brahmaputra River (Yarlong Zangbo)…
PM Narendra Modi to visit Sweden, UK from April 16-20
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a five-day visit to Sweden and the UK beginning April 16 with the aim of boosting bilateral cooperation in several key areas, including trade and investment. In the UK, the prime minister will also attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), besides exploring ways to further deepen ties between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. In Sweden, Modi will attend the India-Nordic Summit. The summit is being co-hosted by India and Sweden. Prime Ministers of all the Nordic countries – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden will also attend the summit. Modi will first travel to Sweden on a two-day visit from April 16-17. The prime minister will arrive in Stockholm on the evening of April 16 and will have a number of meetings on April 17, including an audience with King Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden. He will also hold talks with Prime Minister Lofven. Modi will also address a gathering of select Swedish business leaders and will also meet the Indian community in Sweden, the MEA said. Sweden is Indias valued partner in trade, technology and investment. Over 170 Swedish companies have invested USD 1.4 billion…
Union Cabinet approves ordinance on POCSO act, award death penalty to those convicted of raping children up to 12 years of age
In a major development against the increasing incidents of child rapes in the country, the Union cabinet. on Saturday, cleared the ordinance on POCSO act. The ordinance will give the death penalty to those convicted of raping a child up to 12 years of age. As per reports, the Centre has cleared the criminal law amendment ordinance and POCSO Act is a part of this amendment. The demand for the death penalty to child rapists took centre stage after the two separate cases of gangrape and murder emerged from Jammus Kathua and Uttar Pradeshs Unnao. Official sources said here that the criminal law amendment ordinance seeks to amend the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Evidence Act, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to introduce a new provision to sentence convicts of such crimes punishment of death. Union Cabinet has also In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, minimum punishment is increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment; minimum 20 years The Supreme Court, on Friday, was informed that the government was actively considering amending the penal law to introduce death penalty to those…
Gudi Padwa school enrollment in Maharashtra to attract more children
The primary education department of the Gondia Zilla Parishad in Maharashtra has planned a school enrollment drive for children on the occasion of Gudi Padwa tomorrow. The drive, initiated by the then Gondia district collector Dr Vijay Suryawanshi in 2015, has been a success, helping attract students to Zilla Parishad schools, Gondia ZP education officer Ulhas Narad said. The enrollment in the first standard in 2014-15 was 3,700 but it jumped almost three-fold to 10,120 during the academic year 2015-16 when the drive was launched, the official informed. In 2016-17, a total of 11,952 students were admitted in the Gudi Padwa enrollment drive and around 13,000 during the academic year 2017-18, Narad said. The education department has planned to make the awareness-cum-enrollment drive a success, he said. Explaining the rationale behind launching the drive on Gudi Padwa, Suryawanshi, now district collector of Raigad near Mumbai, said Gudi Padwa marks the beginning of the Marathi New Year and is a good day to start such an initiative. Suryawanshi launched this initiative in 2014 when he was the Chief Executive Officer of Kolhapur Zilla Parishad. All block development officers (BDOs) were instructed about the initiative and it was promoted under the slogan…
Sealing in Delhi: Major markets shut as traders down shutters
Most major markets in the city were closed today as traders downed shutters to voice their protest against the sealing drive. A large number of traders, their family members and employees gathered at the Ramlila grounds to participate in a mega rally to mark their protest at the attack on their livelihoods, trade association leaders said. Thousands of traders are participating in the strike and shops are closed in all the markets of the city, said Praveen Khandelwal, general secretary of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). Todays strike has been called by CAIT and the All Delhi Traders and Workers Association. Sadar Bazar, Lajpat Nagar, Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh and Chawri Bazar were amongst the markets that were closed. The sealing drive has affected the lives of 40 lakh people, including traders, their employees and family members, Khandelwal said. This is the third strike called by traders, who have been agitating against the sealing drive for the last three months. A large number of commercial establishments have been sealed in the drive by municipal corporations, acting under the instructions of the Supreme Court appointed monitoring committee, for violating the Master Plan of Delhi. Major political parties, including the citys…
Karnataka Assembly election 2018: Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM announces support to JD(S), won’t contest polls
Karnataka Assembly election 2018: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi today announced that his party will not contest the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls but will support the Janata Dal (Secular) of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda. Speaking to ANI, Owaisi said that his party workers will ensure that the JD(S) gets maximum number of seats and Kumaraswamy becomes the Chief Minister of the southern state. Owaisi was reported to have said in January that he was considering to field a few candidates in Karnataka polls, especially in areas that have thick Muslim population. The party had also identified few constituencies in the northern part of the state from where it was considering to enter election fray, reports said. Lambasting both the BJP and Congress, he said that the two national parties have failed completely in fulfiling the aspirations and expectations of the people of Karnataka. He expressed hope that the people of Karnataka will show faith in the leadership of JD(S) and vote the party to power to bring a qualitative change. Owaisi also said that it is in the interest of Karnataka as well as the nation that a non-Congress and a non-BJP government comes to the power in Karnataka…