Category: India

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, already a part of Nyay Yatra, will also be there in Aligarh and Agra.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra will pass from the Aligarh division to the Agra division on Sunday. The yatra reflects a major political development in the run up to the Lok Sabha election 2024. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav will be joining the Nyay Yatra for the first time on Sunday.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, already a part of Nyay Yatra will also be there in Aligarh and Agra.

The coming together of Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav will be a repeat of a similar scene seven years ago in Agra itself when both Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav covered a 12 km road show in Agra on February 3, 2017.

“The Yatra will resume on February 25 from Jamalpur in Aligarh with a public address at Shamshabad Market Chowk in Aligarh and will reach Gandhi Tiraha in Hathras at noon, with lunch scheduled at Sadabad. It will then resume from Tedi Bagiya in Agra in the afternoon on February 25 and after an address at Tehra in Agra, it will reach Dholpur to enter Rajasthan later in the day,” said Dr Anil Chaudhary, West UP president, Kisan Congress, the farmers’ wing of the Congress.

Interestingly, all four parliamentary seats through which the Yatra will pass on Sunday, namely Aligarh, Hathras (reserved), Agra (reserved) and Fatehpur Sikri, were won by BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. According to the seat-sharing formula, the Congress is to contest Mathura and Fatehpur Sikri parliamentary seats, while the SP will contest Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri in Agra Division and Aligarh, Hathras and Etah in the Aligarh division.

Incidentally, the belt from the Aligarh division to the Agra division is the same belt where the Khandoli Aaloo (potato), a trusted name is mainly grown.

“The Nyay Yatra on Sunday will certainly provide leaders leading it to have a closer look at the plight of potato farmers in this belt. Uttar Pradesh is a state growing the maximum potatoes in India which as a nation stands as the third largest producer of potato after China and Russia,” said Chaudhary.

“These farmers await proper food processing units in the region despite the fact that the Khandoli Aaloo is a signature brand. Khandoli is village panchayat of Agra district and is known for farmer duo – Chetram and Narain Singh, who, in 1950, brought potato seeds from Patna to be sown here, as the soil here was not good for other crops,” said Dr Chaudhary, the convenor of the Nyay Yatra in Sadabad.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/akhilesh-to-join-rahul-s-nyay-yatra-in-agra-today-101708783790032.html?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ht_site

A Tamil film producer has been identified as the mastermind of an international drug trafficking network. He is currently absconding.

In Short

• Delhi Police Special Cell, NCB bust international drug trafficking racket
• Network spread across India, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia
• Mastermind is a Tamil film producer who is on the run

At least three people were arrested and a large amount of chemical used to make narcotics was seized in Delhi as part of a joint operation conducted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Delhi Police’s Special Cell to bust an international drug trafficking network spread across India, New Zealand, Australia and Malaysia. A Tamil film producer has been identified as the mastermind of the nexus, who is currently on the run.

The three accused persons were arrested in Delhi and 50 kg of pseudoephedrine was seized from their possession.

Pseudoephedrine, a precursor chemical, is used to make methamphetamine, a dangerous and highly addictive synthetic drug. Even though it has some legal uses, it is classified as a controlled substance in India, bringing strict regulation on its production, possession, trade, export and use. Illegal possession and trade is punishable by upto 10 years of imprisonment under the NDPS Act, 1985.

Trafficking of drugs was carried out via air and sea cargo hidden in food products like health mix powder and dessicated coconut.

The NCB is cooperating with authorities in New Zealand and Australia after information was received from the New Zealand Customs and Australian police that large quantities of pseudoephedrine were being sent to the two countries.

Pseudoephedrine sells for approximately Rs 1.5 crore per kilogram in Australia and New Zealand.

Further inputs from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) indicated that the source of the consignments was Delhi.

In order to bust the network, a joint team of the Delhi Police Special Cell and NCB was constituted.

After four months of intensive technical and field surveillance by the team, it was learnt that the operatives in Delhi were trying to send another consignment to Australia.

Twenty-four hour physical surveillance was carried out by the Special Cell which eventually led to a godown in Basai Darapur, West Delhi.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/drug-trafficking-racket-busted-tamil-film-producer-identified-as-mastermind-2506737-2024-02-25

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act.

The three new criminal laws, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, which will replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and the Indian Evidence Act respectively, will come into force from July 1 this year.

The Union Home Ministry issued a gazette notification to this effect on Friday.

Sub Section (2) of Section 106 of the BNS, which concerns ‘causing death of a person by rash and negligent driving of a vehicle’, has been put on hold for now.

The said proviso had invited protests in many parts of the country.

This was because it increases the maximum prison sentence to ten years for those involved in such offences who end up fleeing the scene of the crime, instead of reporting to the police or Magistrate.

The three bills to overhaul India’s criminal justice system had received the assent of the President of India in December 2023.The development had been notified on the website of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The three bills were first introduced in Lok Sabha on August 11, 2023 as Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill before being referred to a parliamentary committee headed by Brij Lal for further examination.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/indias-three-new-criminal-laws-replacing-ipc-crpc-evidence-act-come-into-force-july-1

The 2.32 km bridge, including 900 metres of central double span cable-stayed portion and a 2.45 km long approach road, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 979 crore, as per an official release.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated ‘Sudarshan Setu’, the country’s longest cable-stayed bridge of 2.32 km, on the Arabian sea connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat’s Devbhumi Dwarka district.

Modi began his day by offering prayers at Lord Sri Krishna temple at Beyt Dwarka.

He later inaugurated the four-lane cable-stayed bridge called the ‘Sudarshan Setu’, which boasts a unique design, featuring a footpath adorned with verses from Srimad Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on both sides.

The 2.32 km bridge, including 900 metres of central double span cable-stayed portion and a 2.45 km long approach road, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 979 crore, as per an official release.

The four-lane 27.20 metre wide bridge has 2.50 metre wide footpaths on each side, it said. The bridge, which was known as ‘Signature Bridge’, has been renamed as ‘Sudarshan Setu’ or Sudarshan Bridge. Beyt Dwarka is an island near Okha port, which is nearly 30 km from Dwarka town, where the famous Dwarkadhish temple of Lord Krishna is situated.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/gujarat/pm-modi-inaugurates-sudarshan-setu-indias-longest-cable-stayed-bridge-in-gujarat-2909207

The outlet had recently faced FDA scrutiny for allegedly using a “cheese-like” product in its dishes without indicating that it was actually a cheese substitute, thereby misleading customers.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revoked the suspension of licence of a McDonald’s outlet in Ahmednagar district after taking action against it over cheese. The outlet had recently faced FDA scrutiny for allegedly using a “cheese-like” product in its dishes without indicating that it was actually a cheese substitute, thereby misleading customers.

Following an inspection and subsequent objections, the outlet’s licence was suspended, but the suspension was revoked recently after the chain filed a compliance report. “In October 2023, we visited the outlet in Kedgaon and discovered that the names of food items displayed at the outlet included American Cheese Burger, American Cheese Nuggets, Cheese Burger, Italian Cheesy Lava Burger, and Blueberry Cheese Cake. All these names are their brand names for their products,” said Rajendra Bade, a food safety official from FDA-Ahmednagar.

Cheese-Like Product Was Found In McDonald’s Products:

The FDA found that instead of pure cheese, the outlet was using a cheese-like product. “Technically, this is called a cheese analogue or cheese substitute. While pure cheese contains milk fat, the cheese analogue contains both milk fat and vegetable fat,” he said. The FDA then sought the fast food giant’s clarification over the presence of milk fat and vegetable fat in products advertised as containing cheese.

“Since their clarification was unsatisfactory, we suspended their licence in November last year. They appealed against the suspension before the FDA commissioner in Mumbai. The commissioner heard arguments from both sides and instructed the fast food restaurant chain that they cannot use the word ‘cheese’ in their product names if they are not using real cheese,” he said.

McDonald’s Directed To Change Label:

In the order, FDA Commissioner Abhimanyu Kale directed McDonald’s to revise its labelling and prominently tag the products as “cheese analogue nuggets” or “non-dairy cheese nuggets” in a font size and colour that is easily visible and distinguishable from regular cheese products.

The order also required the outlet to list the ingredients on the packaging, ensuring that the terms cheese analogue or non-dairy cheese are prominently displayed. McDonald’s was further told to keep customers informed about the use of cheese analogues in certain products through signage, handouts, and explanations regarding the reasons for using cheese analogues.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/mcdonalds-amends-labels-after-fake-cheese-row-fda-revokes-suspension-of-licence

A TV anchor was kidnapped by a woman in Hyderabad who thought the TV anchor named Pranav was the same person who cheated her on the pretext of marrying her.

In a recent incident, a person named Pranav, who works as an anchor on an entertainment channel, was kidnapped by a woman in Hyderabad under the pretext of assuming that the anchor was the same person who cheated on her under the pretext of marrying her.

The incident unfolded when someone created a fake profile of the anchor on a matrimonial site and, using his fake ID, was talking to a lady named Trishna. The fake profile guy ghosted her when she pestered him to marry her. She was infatuated and wanted to marry him.

Later, when Trishna started to discover Pranav, she found that he was an anchor and started tracking him, thinking he was the same guy who cheated her.

Pranav was kidnapped by Trishna after she tracked his movements. Four others helped her in the kidnapping and held him hostage. However, Pranav managed to escape and promptly reported the harrowing ordeal to the Uppal police in Hyderabad.

As per a police official, ”There was no financial transaction with Pranav. The woman used an air tag to stalk Pranav.”

Subsequent investigations by law enforcement authorities led to Trishna’s arrest and subsequent remand.

Malkajigiri ACP Purushottam Reddy shed light on the situation, revealing that Trishna, who runs a digital marketing business, came in contact with a man who created a fake ID in Bharat Matrimony.

Furthermore, efforts are underway to apprehend the four other individuals allegedly involved in the kidnapping.

As per ACP Purushottam Reddy, the anchor named Pranav has nothing to do with the person who created the fake ID in Bharat Matrimony.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/hyderabad/messaging-stalking-and-kidnapping-hyderabad-womans-desperate-attempt-to-marry-tv-anchor-goes-wrong-article-107956446

The BJP has been accusing the Congress government of being “anti-Hindu” over the Bill.

Bengaluru: The Congress government’s Bill to take a portion of revenue from rich Hindu temples for a common pool of funds was defeated by the Opposition BJP and JD(S) in the Legislative Council on Friday.

The Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Assembly on Wednesday.

The BJP has been accusing the Congress government of being “anti-Hindu” over the Bill.

The Bill was defeated in a voice vote. There were 18 Opposition members who said ‘nay’ against only seven ruling Congress MLCs.

According to the Bill, 10 per cent of the gross income of temples whose gross annual income exceeds Rs 1 crore will be put in the common pool. Also, 5 per cent of the gross income in respect of institutions whose gross annual income exceeds Rs 10 lakh, but is less than Rs 1 crore, will be used for the pool.

At present, 10 per cent net income of temples with a gross annual income of more than Rs 10 lakh and 5 per cent from temples earning Rs 5-10 lakh are used for the pool.

The common pool, administered by the Rajya Dharmika Parishat, will be used for a number of purposes.

The Bill also sought the creation of state-level and district-level committees to “scrutinize, review and submit” proposals on infrastructure development for pilgrims.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bill-to-tax-rich-hindu-temples-defeated-in-karnataka-legislative-council-2908051

Thousands of farmers remain camped at Khanauri and Shambhu borders with their tractor-trolleys and trucks agitating for their demands.

Farmers agitating to press their demand for higher prices for their crops will stay put at the two interstate border points till February 29 when the next course of action will be decided, their leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Friday. The decision to camp at the two protest sites – Shambhu and Khanauri – was taken by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), which are spearheading the ongoing agitation. Thousands of farmers began a ‘Delhi Chalo’ march last week but were stopped by security forces about 200 km north of the capital. The death of a farmer in clashes with security forces galvanised the protest, with Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), which had till then stayed away, joining the stir.

Here are the latest developments from farmers protest:

1. 1. Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Pandher said a candle march will be held on February 24, seminars will be organised on issues related to farmers on February 25, effigies of the World Trade Organization and the Centre will be burnt on February 26, and several meetings of SKM (Non-Political) and KMM will be held over the next two days.
   2. Farmers burned effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers in his government on Friday as they sought to expand their protest. Black flags were hoisted on tractors and trolleys lined up at the protest site on Friday. Several protesters, most of whom are Sikhs from Punjab, also tied black cloth over their turbans in solidarity.
   3. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a compensation of ₹1 crore and a government job for the sister of farmer Shubhkaran Singh, who lost his life at the Khanauri border point during clashes between protesting farmers and police. Mann expressed condolences for Singh’s death and assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible. Farmer leaders had demanded financial assistance and a job for Singh’s family, along with “martyr” status for him.
   4. The cremation of Shubhkaran Singh is on hold until the Punjab government registers a case against those deemed responsible, according to farmer leaders participating in the ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation. Despite Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s announcement of compensation and a job for Shubhkaran’s sister, farmer leaders insist on legal action against the culprits before proceeding with cremation. They accused Punjab government officials of pressuring Shubhkaran’s family into agreeing to the cremation without fulfilling their demands.
   5. A plea was submitted to the Supreme Court urging the Indian government to address the reasonable demands of farmers engaged in peaceful protests. Agnostos Theos, Managing Director of the Sikh Chamber of Commerce, filed the plea seeking Supreme Court direction to halt violence against protestors, remove barricades, and honour the farmers’ call for implementing the Swaminathan committee’s recommendations. The plea also called for unblocking social media accounts, preserving free speech, and registering FIRs against government actions hindering peaceful protests.
   6. The Haryana Police said it is withdrawing its earlier decision to invoke provisions of the National Security Act (NSA) against some farmer leaders who are a part of the ongoing farmers’ agitation.
   7. A 62-year-old farmer, Darshan Singh from Amargarh village in Bathinda district, passed away from a heart attack while participating in the ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border, as confirmed by farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher. This adds to the series of deaths during the ongoing protests, including a 72-year-old and a 63-year-old who also succumbed to heart attacks, along with a 21-year-old who died in clashes between Haryana Police and Punjab farmers.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/farmers-to-hold-candle-march-today-plea-in-sc-to-consider-reasonable-demands-top-10-101708733695286.html

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded humorously to a proposal regarding changing the basis for candidacy for permanent membership in the UN Security Council (UNSC) during a panel discussion on Friday.

During one of the sessions at The Raisina Dialogue here, one of the Australian panelists jokingly suggested using ICC Test rankings for the UNSC seat. “In these difficult diplomatic negotiations, you just need an out-of-the-box idea,” Australian foreign policy expert Michael Fullilove said, proposing ICC Test rankings for the UNSC bid. “Leave it to BCCI,” Jaishankar replied, while appreciating the notion, suggested deferring to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) instead.

UNSC REFORM

It is no secret that India has long sought a permanent seat in the UNSC to represent developing world interests. India, a country with the largest population in the world, is part of the G4 nations advocating UNSC reform. On several occasions on the global stage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a case for India’s claim, stressing the need for global representation.

India’s quest for UNSC reform continues, with Modi underscoring its necessity for global inclusivity. The G4 nations, including India, persist in advocating for UNSC restructuring, seeking equitable representation. On Thursday, Jaishankar asserted that the world can’t continue in an international system rooted in the post-Second World War period.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/leave-it-to-bcci-jaishankar-quips-over-unsc-seat-question-at-raisina-dialogue-watch-8790645.html

The incident at the Dutt Mandir in the Airoli area took place on the intervening night of February 21 and February 22, he said.

Thane: The Navi Mumbai police have registered a case after thieves broke into a temple and stole Rs 20,000 from a donation box on the premises, an official said on Friday.

The incident at the Dutt Mandir in the Airoli area took place on the intervening night of February 21 and February 22, he said.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/temple-robbery-in-navi-mumbai-thieves-take-away-rs-20k-from-donation-box-2906898

Akul Dhawan, the 18-year-old Indian-American student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the US who died last month after going missing for several hours, died of hypothermia following “acute alcohol intoxication and prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures, which significantly contributed to his death”, according to a statement released by the Champaign County Coroner’s Office in Illinois.

“An autopsy was performed on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, that confirmed the death of Mr. Dhawan was due to hypothermia. Acute alcohol intoxication and prolonged exposure to extremely cold temperatures, significantly contributed to his death,” the press release stated.

Akul was found dead last month (January 20) and his body was found on the back porch of a building near the university campus in west Urbana in US’ Illinois. The campus police that time said they would wait for the probe to end to determine the exact cause of death but highlighted that there were signs of hypothermia.

Akul was out with friends for a few drinks on the night he died. They decided to visit the Canopy Club, on January 20, 2024, around 11:30pm. They had visited the club earlier as well. The club was also close to the campus.

However, the staff denied him entry to the club despite him trying to enter the club “multiple times”. Local media outlets also pointed out that Akul turned down two rideshare vehicles called for him.

Illinois and the US Midwest witnessed biting, brutal cold and freezing temperatures in the latter half of January, with temperatures dipping between 0°C and -2°C.

The search for Akul was triggered when several calls made to him went unanswered and a friend contacter the campus police to look for him. The police said an officer looked for Dhawan by driving “at a walking pace” near the “likely path” he would have taken back to the university campus.

Source: https://www.news18.com/world/indian-origin-student-akul-dhawan-died-freezing-near-club-which-denied-him-entry-8789531.html

Police said continuous efforts were being made by the farmers to break the barricades put up at the Punjab-Haryana border and impair law and order.

Haryana Police has initiated proceedings to seize the assets of farmers who have damaged public property during their ‘Dilli Chalo’ protest march.

In a statement, police said continuous efforts were being made by the farmers to break the barricades put up at the Punjab-Haryana border and impair law and order by pelting stones at the police.

Before the farmers had kicked off their protest on February 13, the Haryana Police had sent notices to the unions threatening to seize their assets if they damaged public property during their agitation. The notice said that if public property was damaged during the protests, bank accounts would be frozen and assets seized to compensate for the losses.

On Thursday, Haryana Police said two police officials died and over 30 have been injured in Ambala district during the farmers’ protest.

The police had initially said it would take action against the protesting farmer leaders under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980. The order was later revoked.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/farmers-protest-delhi-haryana-police-action-ambala-national-security-act-2505951-2024-02-23

Bengaluru: A 20-year-old passenger sent Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel into a tizzy as he self-offloaded from a Bengaluru-Lucknow flight on February 17 by falsely claiming to be a terrorist.

The Bengaluru International Airport police arrested Adarsh Kumar Singh from Uttar Pradesh following a complaint lodged by an airline security officer. He was later released on bail.

A passenger on Air India flight I51731 on February 17, Singh self-offloaded around 10.40 pm. When CISF staff asked why he did so, Singh allegedly told them that he belonged to a “terror” organisation and that he was a “terrorist”. He further said the flight he offloaded will not reach Lucknow.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/claiming-to-be-terrorist-lucknow-bound-passenger-gets-off-flight-2904637

In bodycam footage, Officer Daniel Auderer laughed about the deadly crash and dismissed any implication Dave might be at fault or that a criminal investigation was necessary.

The Seattle police officer who struck and killed Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula while responding to an overdose call, will not face any criminal charges due to lack of “sufficient” evidence, authorities said.
On Wednesday, the King County Prosecutor’s Office said they will not move forward with criminal charges against Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave, FOX13 Seattle reported.

In a statement released Wednesday, the King County Prosecuting Attorney said, “Kandula’s death is heartbreaking and impacted communities in King County and across the world.” Kandula, 23, was struck by a police vehicle driven by Officer Dave when she was crossing a street in Seattle on January 23. He was driving 74 mph (more than 119 kmh) on the way to a report of a drug overdose call. Kandula was thrown 100 feet when she was struck by the speeding police patrol vehicle.

In bodycam footage released by the Seattle Police Department, Officer Daniel Auderer laughed about the deadly crash and dismissed any implication Dave might be at fault or that a criminal investigation was necessary.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said that she believes they lack the evidence to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt, the report added.

“It is the responsibility of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to review all available evidence relating to the case involving Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave and the January 2023 collision death of Jaahnavi Kandula. After staffing this case with senior deputy prosecuting attorneys and office leadership, I have determined that we lack sufficient evidence under Washington State law to prove a criminal case beyond a reasonable doubt.” The statement also said that the prosecutor’s office also finds the comments made by Seattle Police Officer Daniel Auderer, recorded on his body-worn video, “appalling and deeply troubling.” Auderer, who was not involved in the January collision, was captured in the video saying, “But she is dead” and laughing while on the phone.

She was 26 anyway,” Auderer said in the video. “She had limited value.” “Officer Auderer’s comments were also unprofessional and undermined the public’s trust in the Seattle Police Department and law enforcement in general,” said Manion.

“As egregious as Officer Auderer’s comments are, they do not change the PAO’s legal analysis into the conduct of Officer Dave. It is the Office of Police Accountability that bears the responsibility of disciplinary investigation and proceedings relating to Officer Auderer’s comment, not the PAO.” Auderer was pulled from patrol in September 2023 and reassigned to a “non-operational position.” Auderer could still be fired after the fallout of his insensitive comments captured on bodycam.

Auderer’s chain of command and the Office of Police Accountability (OPA) found he acted unprofessionally. For that, he faces the highest disciplinary range of nearly two weeks suspension up to termination, according to a disciplinary action report.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/jaahnavi-kandulas-death-us-cop-who-ran-over-indian-student-to-not-face-criminal-charges-5103644

The Karnataka Assembly recently passed the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, which mandates having 60 per cent of signage in Kannada

In a bid to ensure that multinational companies in Karnataka employ a sufficient number of people from the state, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government is planning to ask the firms to display the number of Kannadigas they employ on their notice boards.

In this regard, Kannada & Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi has formed a committee comprising secretaries of various departments to provide their suggestions on framing the rules. The committee is headed by Tangadagi himself.

“There has been a discussion to ensure that industries put up display boards on the number of Kannadigas they have employed. We will frame rules for that. A committee has been formed and I’m its chairman. We have secretaries of many departments and they have given suggestions. We will discuss and form the rules for industries and multi-national companies,” the Minister said.

Kannada activists have welcomed the government’s move, calling it a good step towards providing more employment opportunities for Kannadigas.

“It’s a welcome move. The companies get some subsidies and it’s from the taxpayers’ money. It’s a good move to ensure private companies employ more Kannadigas and I think there’s a clause as well for the companies to employ Kannadigas,” Kannada activist Chetan Jeeral said.

Jeeral added, “Some companies would employ few individuals from other states for some specific roles but I don’t think there’s a dearth of talent in the Karnataka state.”

The latest move by the Karnataka government follows the Siddaramaiah cabinet’s decision to form a law that directs the signboards to include 60 per cent Kannada language on the signboards of commercial establishments.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/karnataka-mncs-to-be-asked-to-display-kannadiga-employees-data-rules-to-be-out-soon-8787510.html

The government said the premium of Rs 3.32 per quintal will be provided for every 0.1 percentage point increase above 10.25% in the recovery. It will benefit more than 5 crore sugarcane farmers and their families

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved an 8% hike in Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane from Rs 315 per quintal to Rs 340 per quintal. It also approved FDI in the space sector.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said the price hike would ensure the fair and reasonable price of sugarcane to the farmers by the sugar mills.

“For 2024-25, sugarcane FRP will be Rs 340 per quintal… Before 2014, farmers had to come out on the streets for fertilizers. They were not getting their dues… The Modi government is committed to double farmers’ income,” Thakur said during a Cabinet briefing.

The government said the premium of Rs 3.32 per quintal will be provided for every 0.1 percentage point increase above 10.25% in the recovery. It will benefit more than 5 crore sugarcane farmers and their families.

On farmers’ protest for the MSP, Thakur said, “India is paying the highest price for sugarcane. The Modi government increased the price to Rs 340 per quintal. This is our commitment to farmers. We did not let the price of fertilizers increase.”

100% FDI ALLOWED IN SPACE SECTOR

The Union Cabinet approved the amendment in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy on space sector. Now, the satellites sub-sector has been divided into three different activities with defined limits for foreign investment in each such sector.

Under the amended FDI policy, 100% FDI is allowed in space sector. The liberalized entry routes under the amended policy are aimed to attract potential investors to invest in Indian companies in space.

INCLUSION OF ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES IN NATIONAL LIVESTOCK MISSION

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved further modification of the National Livestock Mission by including the additional activities.

The Establishment of entrepreneurship for horse donkey, mule, camel with 50% capital subsidy up to 50 lakhs will be provided to the Individuals, FPO, SHG, JLG, FCO and Section 8 companies. The state government will also be assisted for breed conservation of horse, donkey and camel. The Central Government will provide Rs 10 crore for establishment of semen station and nucleus breeding farm for horse, donkey and camel.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/cabinet-approves-8-hike-in-sugarcane-frp-fdi-in-space-sector-8788004.html

Heavy earthmoving equipment, including excavators, and modified tractors were also seen at the protest sites, with police cautioning that these might be used to break barricades and cause harm to security personnel

A farmer from Punjab was killed and several others injured on Wednesday as protesters resumed their ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation, with Haryana Police firing tear gas shells and water cannons at them to thwart their attempts to breach barricades at Shambhu and Khanauri borders. Amid several incidents of violence, the farmers have decided to suspend the ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march for two days, however, the sit-in will continue during this time.

“We will have discussions over the incident that took place in Khanauri. There will be a two-day stay on our march towards Delhi. We will clarify the entire situation later as to what our further movement will be,” farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, head of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, told media.

FARMERS PROTEST 2.0 LATEST UPDATES

• Farm leaders had rejected a proposal made by the government in the fourth round of talks between the two sides to break the deadlock and announced that thousands of Punjab farmers camping at these two border points would resume their agitation on Wednesday morning.
• Heavy earthmoving equipment, including excavators, and modified tractors were also seen at the protest sites, with police cautioning that these might be used to break barricades and cause harm to security personnel.
• Police fired tear gas shells to disperse some farmers who started moving towards the multiple layers of barricades at Shambhu and Khanauri border points. There have been at least three rounds of tear gas shelling at Shambhu near Ambala in Haryana. A drone was also used by security personnel there to drop tear gas shells.
• Many protesting farmers were seen wearing masks and glasses to protect themselves from the gas. Drones were used by police to keep an eye on the activities of the farmers on the other side of the barricades.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/delhi-chalo-stir-farmer-dead-at-punjab-haryana-border-march-to-remain-suspended-for-2-days-top-points-8787880.html

Mittal was arrested on Tuesday in Delhi’s Paschim Vihar in a Maruti Esteem car that he had stolen from Shalimar Bagh

Dhani Ram Mittal, also known as ‘Super Natwarlal’ and ‘Indian Charles Sobhraj’ in police records, has earned a notorious reputation as one of India’s most learned and intelligent criminals. Believed to be a law graduate, a handwriting specialist, and a graphologist, Mittal despite his numerous qualifications, chose a life of theft as his means of livelihood.

Over the course of nearly six decades, Mittal amassed a shocking criminal history with a record-breaking number of arrests and the theft of over 1000 cars. His modus operandi involved stealing cars in broad daylight, primarily in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and surrounding areas.

However, one of Mittal’s most astonishing crimes involved orchestrating a temporary holiday of an additional session Judge.

For this mastermind plan, Mittal used some false documents and sent the additional session Judge of the Jhajjar court on a two-month holiday. After that Mittal, himself sat on the chair and freed over 2000 criminals. The criminals he freed, however, were again hunted and put behind bars.

It is also believed that he heard his own case and delivered a judgement on the same. Before the authorities understood what was happening, Mittal had already fled.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/meet-indias-super-thief-dhani-ram-mittal-a-law-graduate-who-stole-over-1000-cars-became-judge-freed-2000-criminals-8786443.html

The Himachal Pradesh government and the Oberoi Group were locked in legal battle for ownership of Shimla’s historic Wildflower Hall for over two decades.

In Short

• Supreme Court orders East India Hotels to vacate Shimla’s Wildflower Hall
• Oberoi Group to surrender possession to Himachal government within a year
• Legal dispute over hotel ownership continued for over two decades

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the East India Hotels Limited (the flagship company of the Oberoi group) and others to vacate Shimla’s Wildflower Hall luxury hotel. The takeover of the luxury hotel by the state government was mandated by a High Court order, a verdict upheld by the Supreme Court.

Accordingly, the Oberoi Group has been asked to surrender possession of the over 120-year-old structure to Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) within a year.

ABOUT THE OWNERSHIP BATTLE

Originally owned by Lord Kitchener, Wildflower Hall operated as a hotel under the management of HP Tourism Development Corporation until a devastating fire in 1993.

The resort acquired two owners in 1995 when the then Congress government entered into a joint venture with East India Hotels Limited as a first step towards disinvestment in the tourism sector.

The project operated smoothly till 1998, when the BJP government came to power in the state.

In March 2002, the Prem Kumar Dhumal-led state government annulled the joint venture on the grounds that the EIH had failed to make the hotel fully operational in the stipulated six years, the deadline having lapsed in October 2001. The charge was refuted by the EIH, which termed the state government’s action “illegal and invalid”.

The Himachal Pradesh government proposed allowing EIH to continue operating the hotel with all its rights and liabilities on a leasehold basis and terminated the joint venture. However, EIH was not okay with the fresh terms and took the matter to court, and the legal dispute continued for over two decades.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/law/story/shimlas-historic-wildflower-hall-to-be-taken-over-by-himachal-government-2504840-2024-02-20

Special CBI judge SP Naik-Nimbalkar passed the order today after the CBI approached the Court against the series ‘The Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth’.

A Mumbai court on Tuesday rejected an application filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking a stay on the release of a documentary series on Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/mumbai-court-rejects-cbi-plea-seeking-stay-release-netflix-series-indrani-mukerjea-case

In a communication to the Punjab government, the Union Home Ministry also said that the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state has been a matter of concern.

New Delhi: The Centre has estimated that nearly 14,000 people have gathered along the Punjab-Haryana border with 1,200 tractor-trolleys, 300 cars, 10 mini-buses as well as small vehicles and conveyed its strong objections to the Punjab government for it, sources said on Tuesday.

In a communication to the Punjab government, the Union Home Ministry also said that the deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state has been a matter of concern over the last few days and asked it to take stringent action against lawbreakers.

The home ministry said many miscreants in the guise of farmers were indulging in stone-pelting, mobilising heavy machinery along the Shambhu on Punjab’s border with Haryana.

Protesting farmers have been staying put at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab’s border with Haryana after their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to press the Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, was stopped by security forces which led to clashes last week.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/punjab/14000-people-1200-tractors-at-shambhu-border-mha-tells-punjab-govt-asks-it-to-take-action-2902966

France described Tharoor as a remarkable personality for the range of talents he has demonstrated throughout his outstanding academic and professional career.

Author and diplomat-turned-politician Shashi Tharoor was conferred with France’s highest civilian honour ‘Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur’, or Knight of the Legion of Honour, at a ceremony in New Delhi on Tuesday. The Congress MP was conferred the prestigious award at the French Embassy by French Senate President Gerard Larcher.

“The highest French civilian award came in recognition of Dr Tharoor’s tireless efforts to deepen Indo-French ties, commitment to international peace and cooperation, and as a long-standing friend of France,” the French Embassy said in a statement.

The French government had announced the honour for Tharoor in August 2022 but was conferred on him on Tuesday.

Chairman of the French Senate Larcher said, “Through his outstanding career as a diplomat, author and politician, Shashi Tharoor has embraced the world with a thirst for knowledge and an intelligence that has led him to live several lifetimes in one, and all of them in service to India and a better world.”

“Dr Tharoor is also a true friend of France, a Francophone with a keen understanding of France and its culture. Through this award, which I have the privilege to confer, the French Republic recognises your accomplishments, your friendship, your love of France, your commitment to a fairer world,” Larcher said.

‘An Era of Darkness’, ‘Pax Indica’ and ‘The Great Indian Novel’ are some of the most popular names among the plethora of books written by Tharoor.

Receiving the award, Tharoor said he was immensely honoured to accept the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur.

“As someone who admires France, its people, their refinement, their language, and their culture, especially their literature and cinema, I am deeply humbled to be conferred your country’s highest civilian honour.”

“To my mind, the conferral of this award to an Indian is an acknowledgment of the deepening of Franco-Indian relations, and the continuity of the warmth that has been a feature of this relationship for a very long time.”

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/shashi-tharoor-conferred-frances-highest-civilian-honour-101708475686205.html

Protesting farmers and the government met in Chandigarh Sunday evening for a fourth round of talks, from which the five-year, A2+FL+ 50 per cent contract offer emerged.

Farmers demanding legal backing for MSP, or minimum support price, and calling for it to include all 23 listed cash crops, resume their march on Delhi today, after rejecting the offer of a five-year contract to buy only pulses, maize, and cotton.

Here are the Top 10 points in this big story:

1. On Monday evening farmer leaders snubbed the government’s offer to buy maize, cotton, and three types of pulses – toor, urad, and masoor – at the old MSP. They said it did not make sense as it applied to only a few crops, and ignored those growing the other 18.
2. The farmers said the price – based on the A2+FL+50 per cent formula (MSP at 1.5 times direct costs, such as seeds and fertilisers, and unpaid family labour), and not the Swaminathan Commission’s C2+50 per cent formula (which includes rent for farm land, or the rental value of owned land) – would be “subsistence” payments and not “income”.
3. They were also unhappy with a clause that said MSP would only be for those opting for crop diversification, meaning they must plant crops cleared by the government to be eligible for the support price. “We have, thus, decided to reject the proposal…”
4. The offer followed four rounds of talks in Chandigarh between farmer leaders and the government, which was represented by three union ministers, including Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda, who has said “unruly elements are trying to hijack talks”.
5. The farmers – who number around a lakh – are at Shambhu on the Punjab-Haryana border and have held station there since last week, while all sides try to negotiate a deal and avoid a repeat of the violent protests in 2020/21. That now seems unlikely.
6. Between them and Delhi lie around 200 km of fortified highways, including concrete barriers, barbed wire fences, and even nail strips to stop tractors from pushing past. Drone footage presents a startling picture – akin to prepping for an ‘invasion’ of the city.
7. Security around Delhi has been heightened, with key border crossings, including Ghazipur, Tikri, Noida, and Singhu blocked with rows of metal and cement barriers. Delhi Police have also imposed a month-long ban on public gatherings under Section 144.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/farmers-protest-farmers-to-march-on-delhi-again-after-snubbing-centres-offer-10-points-5094676

The Court was hearing a petition by AAP Councillor Kuldeep Kumar who alleged fraud in the decision by RO Anil Masih to declare BJP Manoj Sonkar (now resigned) as the Chandigarh Mayor on January 30.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed the decision by Returning Officer (RO) Anil Masih (the Presiding Officer) to declare a BJP candidate as Chandigarh Mayor on January 30 and declared Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Kuldeep Kumar to be the winner of the mayoral polls instead [Kuldeep Kumar vs UT Chandigarh and ors].

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra passed the order after the Court rejected RO Masih’s explanation on why he had declared the eight votes for AAP candidate to be invalid.

“The eight votes which were treated as invalid by making those markings … counting the 8 votes for the petitioner (AAP candidate Kumar) will make him have 20 votes. We direct that the election result by the presiding officer is quashed. The AAP candidate is declared to be the winner of the Chandigarh mayoral polls,” the Court ordered.

The Court also strongly deprecated the conduct of Returning Officer Anil Masih.

The Court said that Masih had “unlawfully altered the course of the mayoral election” and that he had made statement before the Court that was a “patent falsehood.”

The Court, therefore, issued a show cause notice to Masih.

“Masih could not have been unmindful of making a statement which was false. Registrar Judicial is directed to show-cause Anil Masih as to why steps should not be initiated against him under Section 340, CrPC (related to Section 195 which deals with ‘Prosecution for contempt of lawful authority of public servants’). Anil Masih shall have an opportunity to file a reply to the show cause notice,” the Court ordered.

The Court was hearing a petition filed by AAP Councillor Kuldeep Kumar who alleged fraud in RO Masih’s decision to declare Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Manoj Sonkar (since resigned) as the Chandigarh Mayor on January 30.

BJP’s Manoj Sonkar was declared to have won the Mayor elections on January 30 on the strength of 16 votes against the 12 votes received by the Congress-AAP candidate, Kuldeep Kumar.

This was despite the fact that the AAP-Congress alliance had a majority in the house with 20 members. A total of 36 votes were cast of which 8 votes were rejected as invalid during the counting process.

AAP councillor Kuldeep Kumar challenged the Mayor poll results initially before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

When the High Court declined to stay the election results, he moved a plea before the Supreme Court.

Notably, while the matter was pending before the top court, the BJP candidate (Sonkar) resigned from the post of Mayor on Monday and three AAP Councillors defected to the BJP.

This development was taken note of by the top court on Monday which said that it was “distressed” by such “horse-trading.”

During the hearing of the matter on Monday, Masih had said that he had only marked (by putting ticks and “x” marks) the eight ballot papers submitted by the AAP-Congress alliance to set them apart as they were “defaced.”

The Court had then ordered that the ballot papers and the video of the counting process be produced before it.

When the matter was taken up for hearing today, the Court was handed the ballot papers.

After examining the ballot papers, the bench noted that these ballot papers which had been crossed as invalid by Masih were clearly votes cast in favour of the AAP candidate.

“See, Kuldeep Kumar and Manoj Kumar.. What has been done is … eight ballots invalidated.. all eight have received the stamp for Kuldeep Kumar.. The RO signs at the bottom and puts a single line there … everywhere, he puts a single line.. I have a question to Mr. Masih – you said that you put the line because it was defaced … Where has it been defaced?” CJI Chandrachud asked.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/chandigarh-mayor-polls-supreme-court-quashes-election-result-declares-aap-candidate-winner

The body of Rachit Sondhia, a 16-year-old student preparing for the JEE exam in Kota, Rajasthan, was discovered in a nearby forest eight days after he went missing.

The body of a 16-year-old entrance coaching student, who had gone missing from Rajasthan’s Kota nine days ago, was found in a nearby forest region, the police said on Monday.

The student, Rachit Sondhia, who was preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), had been missing since February 11, after he left his hostel for the coaching centre.

He was last captured on CCTV entering the forest area near the Gardiya Mahadev Mandir.

The CCTV footage showed him taking a cab to the temple area, from where he was last seen entering the forest area, police said earlier.

Police had recovered a note from Sondhia’s room which mentioned his plans to go to the temple.

Sondhia’s bag, mobile phone, room keys, and other belongings were found near the temple earlier by the police.

An intensive search operation was launched by police and SDRF teams to find the student, who was originally from Madhya Pradesh.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/kota-entrance-coaching-student-missing-body-found-rachit-sondhia-forest-2504335-2024-02-19

The previous five summons for the Delhi chief minister were issued on February 2, January 18, January 3, December 22, 2023, and November 2, 2023.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on February 19, once again skipped the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. This is the sixth time the AAP founder skipped the summons.

Following this, the ED reportedly lodged a complaint under section 174 of the Indian Penal Code against Kejriwal for intentionally disregarding the initial three summons served to him, it has been learnt from ANI. The court has acknowledged this complaint, signalling a preliminary acceptance that Kejriwal has committed an offense warranting prosecution.

The court is now tasked with addressing the issue of Kejriwal’s deliberate disobedience of the three summonses, rather than questioning their validity, according to sources from the ED, as reported by ANI.

In a statement, the AAP reiterated its stance that the summons sent to Kejriwal were “illegal” and stated that the matter was currently under judicial review.

The probe agency had issued its sixth summons to Kejriwal on February 14, instructing him to appear before it on February 19. The Delhi CM has consistently skipped all ED summons, contending that they were “illegal” and driven by political motives. The previous five summons were issued on February 2, January 18, January 3, December 22, 2023, and November 2, 2023.

On February 17, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court granted Kejriwal permission to physically appear before it on March 16 concerning the ED’s complaint about his non-compliance with the previous summonses in the excise policy case. During a video conference with the court, Kejriwal cited his involvement in the debate on a trust motion in the Delhi Assembly and the ongoing Budget session, scheduled to conclude on March 1, as reasons for his inability to appear physically before the court before that date.

Kejriwal assured the court that he would be available for appearance after March 1. Subsequently, the court scheduled 10 am on March 16 as the next date for Kejriwal to physically appear.

On February 7, the ED had filed a complaint against Kejriwal for not complying with the summons in the liquor policy case, leading the court to assert that the AAP leader was “legally bound” to comply. The complaint was filed under Section 174 of the IPC for non-attendance in obedience to an order from a public servant and Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Source : https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/delhi-excise-policy-case-arvind-kejriwal-skips-eds-sixth-summons-12301781.html

The two were arrested on December 23, 2022 in connection with alleged irregularities in loans provided by the bank to the Venugopal Dhoot-led Videocon Group.

Calling it an “abuse of power”, the Bombay High Court said that the arrest of former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar and her husband Deepak by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in December 2022 was done “without application of mind”. The court made the observation in its order confirming the interim bail granted to the couple.

The two were arrested on December 23, 2022 in connection with alleged irregularities in loans provided by the bank to the Venugopal Dhoot-led Videocon Group. They had challenged the arrests claiming that it was in violation of the law and were granted interim bail by the Bombay High Court on January 9, 2023, which was confirmed on February 6, 2024.

In the detailed order made available on Monday, the high court has said that their arrest was not on the basis of any additional material discovered during the course of investigation, but the same material within the knowledge of the investigating officer when they were issued notices under section 41A of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in 2022.

“Such routine arrest without application of mind and due regard to the law amounts to an abuse of power and does not satisfy the requirement of section 41A (3) CrPC,” the division bench of Justice Anuja Prabhudessai and N R Borkar said. The bench added that the CBI has not been able to demonstrate the existence of circumstances or supportive material on the basis of which the decision to arrest was taken.

“In the absence of this, the provision is reduced to a dead letter and the arrest is rendered illegal,” the court added.

Under provisions of Section 41A of CrPC, an investigating officer can issue a notice for appearance to a suspect in a case. Various judgments of the Supreme Court have ruled that if the person has appeared before the court and complied with the notice, the person shall not be arrested unless there are reasons recorded as to why the arrest is necessary. The provision is to avoid routine arrests when a person can be investigated without taking them into custody.

The CBI had claimed that a decision was taken to arrest the couple as they had not cooperated with the probe and the investigators needed to unearth the conspiracy and ascertain names of any other co-conspirators of ICICI Bank.

The Kochhars, through senior counsel Amit Desai, had challenged their arrest and argued they had complied with notices issued to them by the CBI and had appeared for questioning twice. They also said that their right against self-incrimination cannot be called non-cooperation with the probe agency. The court agreed with this contention and said that exercise of the right to remain silent cannot be equated with non-cooperation.

Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/chanda-kochhar-deepak-kochhar-arrest-abuse-of-power-cbi-bombay-hc-9169080

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud also asked the deputy commissioner to appoint a new returning officer who is not associated to any political party.

The Supreme Court has ordered the production of the ballot papers and video of the counting of votes in Chandigarh mayoral polls by 2 pm on Tuesday. The court also rapped the Returning Officer who presided over the polls, saying that he must be prosecuted for “defacing ballot papers”.

Hearing a petition alleging foul play in the mayoral election, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud also asked the deputy commissioner to appoint a new returning officer who was not associated with any political party.

“We are pained by the horse-trading which has happened in Chandigarh assembly,” the bench said.

“This business of horse-trading should be stopped and that is why we want to see the ballot papers tomorrow itself,” it added.

The BJP swept the January 30 Chandigarh mayoral polls, retaining all three posts, and defeating the Congress-AAP alliance. The AAP then moved the Supreme Court demanding fresh polls, accusing Returning Officer Anil Masih of “fraud and forgery” in the election process.

A video also went viral showing Anil Masih ticking the ballot papers while glancing at the CCTV, raising concerns about the fairness of the elections.

The Supreme Court had summoned Anil Masih to physically appear before the bench during the hearing. On Monday, the bench asked him about the video and why he was looking into the CCTV.

To this, the Masih replied that all the ballot papers were defaced and he was just marking them. “There were so many cameras that I was just looking at them,” he said.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/law/story/chandigarh-mayoral-polls-supreme-court-anil-masih-presiding-officer-2504160-2024-02-19

Farmers rejected the central government’s new plan for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops and said they will resume their march to Delhi on February 21.

Farmers on Monday rejected the central government’s new plan for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, saying it was not in their interest. After rejecting the government’s proposal, the protesting farmers said they will resume their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on the morning of February 21.

Farmer leaders said the proposal did not have clarity and they want MSP on all 23 crops and not just pulses, maize, and cotton crops.

The central government and the farmers held a fourth round of talks on Sunday where the Centre put forth a five-year plan involving the purchase of pulses, maize, and cotton crops by government agencies at minimum support prices (MSP).

After the talks, farmer leaders had announced that the march to Delhi will be on hold for two days as they study the proposal.

On Monday, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said the central government imports palm oil at the cost of Rs 1.75 lakh crore. If this amount is earmarked for oilseeds cultivated by the farmers, it would benefit them, he added.

He said the government’s proposal will only benefit farmers who rotate from rice grains to pulses between the crop cycles.

The farmer leader added that there are no meetings with the government planned at the moment but they are always ready for talks.

Dallewal made an appeal to the government to either meet the demands raised by the farmers or allow them to protest peacefully in Delhi. He also urged all protesting farmers not to indulge in violence.

The leaders also said 400 farmers were injured in police action against them as they tried to cross the Punjab-Haryana border. Dallewal added that the Haryana DGP’s claim that pellet guns were not used is false.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/farmers-protest-msp-government-new-proposal-crop-prices-2504305-2024-02-19

The strength of the Indian Passport has dropped! As per the Henley Passport Index 2024 for Q2, the rankings of the Indian Passport have slipped from 80 to 85. The number of visa-free destinations for Indians has remained the same at 62 destinations.

Earlier this year, in January, the Indian passport maintained the same rank as the 2023 rankings and stayed strong at 80. However, in the new rankings, this ranking has slipped.

In 2022, the Indian passport ranked at the 87th position with no visa needed for around 60 destinations. In 2023, India ranked 80 with visa-free travel to 52 destinations.

Henley Passport Index 2024 – Indian Passport Rankings Over The Years

Based on the new rankings, five destinations have been removed from the list of visa-free travel for Indians. For the Q2 rankings for the Henley Passport Index, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Spain remain tied for the world’s strongest passport with visa-free travel to 194 countries. In 2023, Singapore topped the list while Japan slipped to the second position.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/india/henley-passport-index-2024-indian-passport-rank-slips-to-85-no-visa-needed-for-62-destinations-article-107818987

The picture of the car was posted on social media X by business executive Lloyd Mathias, who, like all of us, was in awe of the number plate.

A picture of the number plate of the car used by Chief Justice Of India, DY Chandrachud, went viral on Sunday for all the right reasons. The picture of the car was posted on social media X by business executive Lloyd Mathias, who, like all of us, was in awe of the number plate. Reason? The number on the plate read ‘DL1 CJI 0001’.

“Saw Chief Justice of India, Dhananjay Chandrachud at a private function in Delhi yesterday. On my way out, I couldn’t help notice his car’s licence plate number: DL1 CJI 0001. Very cool. Wonder if the Chief Election Commissioner’s car number plate is DL1 CEC 0001?” Mathias wrote on X, along with the picture of the car.

Upon investigating the ownership of the Mercedes E 350 D model, the FPJ discovered that it was registered under the name of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of India. This makes clear that the car is provided to the CJI by the government.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/cool-number-plate-of-cji-chandrachuds-mercedes-car-goes-viral-heres-why

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had rapped the returning officer who conducted the mayoral polls, observing that it was obvious that he defaced the ballot papers.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/punjab/chandigarh-mayor-manoj-sonkar-resigns-ahead-of-sc-hearing-on-controversial-polls-2900038

The third spot is held by Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who garnered a 48.6 percent rating, while the fourth position is occupied by Gujarat’s Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with a 42.6 percent rating.

Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha occupied the prestigious fifth position in India in terms of popularity rating among the Chief Ministers, according to a recent survey aimed at gauging the acceptability of the leaders.

The survey aimed to gauge the popularity and acceptability of the country’s chief ministers, unveiling some intriguing results.

According to the survey, Odisha’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik topped the list with a remarkable popularity rating of 52.7 percent. Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath secured the second position with a 51.3 percent popularity rating.

The third spot is held by Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who garnered a 48.6 percent rating, while the fourth position is occupied by Gujarat’s Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with a 42.6 percent rating.

Dr Manik Saha, with a commendable 41.4 per cent popularity rating, highlighting his significant acceptance and approval among the citizens of Tripura and beyond.

Following the survey, the people of Tripura praised Chief Minister Saha for his simplicity, dedication, honesty, and the developmental strides made under his leadership. Residents commended him for being a compassionate leader who shares in their joys and sorrows.

Meanwhile, a local of Tripura who runs a shop and a businessman praised Chief Minister Saha and said, “Chief Minister Saha is very honest, and always works at the grassroots level. He is always there to solve any type of problem”.

Another shopkeeper Debabrata Chakraborty said that he is very fortunate to be a native of Tripura while emphasizing the positive impact on the state’s gradual development.

“We are in very good condition under the leadership of Chief Minister Manik Saha. Under his guidance, each and every person in Tripura is gradually developing,” Deepak Debnath a shop owner in Kashipur said.

A businessman from Agartala Basudeb Chakraborty said that Chief Minister Saha is working for the development of the people of Tripura.

“I had heard that our Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha had been ranked in the 5th position in popularity. It’s very true, as he is very honest, he always interacts with everyone and is committed to the well- being and progress of the people. According to me, he must be in the 1st position,” he added.

“Our Chief Minister Manik Saha is greatly working on his work. He is always delightful and devoted to God. He takes care of every person in the state. He is honest,” Vakti Kamal Saint Maharaj, Jagannath Jew Mandir, Agartala said.

Prof. Jagadish Gan Choudhary said that he is feeling proud of this survey, adding that it is a matter of respect for Tripura.

“I feel that the present Chief Minister Saha is the most popular and best. He is a very simple person, active and dedicated towards his work. He serves the people of Tripura very sincerely and honestly. Among so many Chief Ministers he is the best,” Asutosh Ranjan Ghosh, a Retired Government employee said.

A social activist, Bipin Debbarma said that Chief Minister Saha has been working for all classes of people, especially for the tribal people.

“For the last 25 years, we hadn’t seen such common people taking so much facilities from the Chief Minister. He always thinks about the development of the Janajati people of Tripura, and how to develop them from the grassroot level he is working on continuously,” he added.

Moreover, Durjay Kumar Chowdhury, a shop owner said that Chief Minister Saha has boosted the infrastructure development in the state.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ups-yogi-adityanath-second-most-popular-chief-minister-first-is-naveen-patnaik-odisha-5078371

Renowned Bollywood director Rajkumar Santoshi faces a two-year jail term and a hefty fine for a cheque bounce case, prompting legal action from a local businessman.

Bollywood filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi, known for directing iconic films like Damini, Gayal, Ghatak, and most recently Merry Christmas, has been sentenced to two years in jail and a fine by the local court in Jamnagar in response to a cheque bounce case. The director has been penalized for an amount double of which the cheque was bounced.

Rajkumar Santoshi sentenced to prison

According to a report in Desh Gujarat, a local businessman filed a complaint against Santoshi and later moved to court with it. Reportedly Rajkumar was looking for capital and a financier for his projects, which is why his friend and Jamnagar-based businessman Ashok Lal lent him a loan of Rs 1 crore. In return for the loan, Santoshi had agreed to pay the friend back with 10 cheques of his own for Rs 10 lakh each. However, all of Rajkumar’s cheques bounced due to a lack of balance in his account.

The reports also suggest that Lal had previously tried to connect with Santoshi after sending him a legal notice, but they remained unanswered. Later in 2017, he filed the case under the Negotiable Instrument Act of 1881. Following this, Rajkumar Santoshi was summoned to the court with respect to the case. In his verdict, Judge VG Gadhvi sentenced Rajkumar Santoshi to two years of imprisonment and a fine worth double the amount of the cheques bounced.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/bollywood/rajkumar-santoshi-sentenced-to-fine-and-2-years-jail-in-cheque-bounce-case-reports-article-107782069

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts pronounced the order.

A Delhi court on Saturday denied statutory bail to Sharjeel Imam in a sedition and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) case filed against him for allegedly making inflammatory speeches in Delhi’s Jamia area and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma court pronounced the order.

The case relates to the speeches made by Imam at AMU and Jamia area while protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizenship (NRC).

He was arrested in the case on January 28, 2020.

In July 2022, the trial court had rejected his first bail application in this case.

It was Imam’s case that he had already spent four years in jail out of the maximum sentence of seven years and is, therefore, eligible for statutory bail.

He said that the offence of sedition has been kept in abeyance by the Supreme Court of India and the UAPA provisions invoked against him do not carry more than seven years sentence.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police contended that the punishment for the offences invoked against him should considered cumulatively not concurrently.

The Court after hearing the parties pronounced the order today.

The Trial court’s decision came after the Delhi High Court ordered it to decide his bail plea expeditiously.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/delhi-court-rejects-bail-plea-sharjeel-imam-sedition-uapa-case-anti-caa-speeches

The CJI said that despite advancements in legal education, contemporary legal education system favours only “certain English-speaking urban students”.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud on Friday inaugurated Dr. Rajendra Prasad National Law University in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj and also urged the university to employ Hindi as the medium of instruction in the college.

The CJI said that the premium attached to fluency in English acts as a barrier for students coming from diverse backgrounds.

“I appeal to Dr. Rajendra Prasad National Law University to ensure that the medium of instruction takes place in Hindi so that the best students from Uttar Pradesh become the best lawyers who will practice before the High Court. Many of them will join the district judiciary and some of them will join colleges,” he said.

In line with his appeal, he gave his address in Hindi and English.

The event was also attended by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra.

The CJI said that despite advancements in legal education, contemporary legal education system favours only “certain English-speaking urban students”.

“The data from diversity surveys of five National Law Universities which came into existence much before reveals that the composition of law schools in terms of region, gender, and the premium attached to the fluency in English and a stigma due to lack of knowledge of English amongst students acts as a hindrance to the full participation and assimilation of students coming from diverse backgrounds,” CJI Chandrachud said.

He also opined that internships and moot courts traditionally cater to students from privileged and English-speaking backgrounds.

College campus should foster a dynamic environment where diverse beliefs and opinions can interact, he underscored.

The CJI further said that education at the new NLU should reach students beyond Prayagraj to smaller towns in Uttar Pradesh and other States. In this context, he commented that technology enables us to extend education beyond physical boundaries.

While referring to the Ram Manohar Lohia NLU at Lucknow, CJI Chandrachud said both the NLUs in Uttar Pradesh should strive to improve the standards of legal education to meet the current demands in the field.

“Today, when we are gathered for the inauguration of a new NLU, we have to think as to where we are taking our legal education. Now, UP has two NLUs. Several NLU Lucknow students worked with me, and many of them [are] working with the district Judiciary… A student of law also needs to be knowledgeable about political theory, economics, philosophy, and the history and culture of the nation to be able to institute cultural changes,” he underscored.

Source : https://www.barandbench.com/news/cji-dy-chandrachud-inaugurates-nlu-prayagraj-urges-university-hindi-medium-instruction

Traders are urging the civic body to defer the February 28 deadline until after the government frames the rules

Bengaluru: Though the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s mandate of “60 per cent Kannada display” on nameboards on shops is weeks away, it has struck fear among traders —  activists on Wednesday removed nameboards in shops in Jayanagar and vowed to return.

The vandalism, a repeat of nameboard removal that happened in December, followed the civic body’s rules issued on December 26, asking shops to provide 60 per cent space for Kannada signages in their nameboards. Shops along the city’s 1,400 kilometre-long arterial and sub-arterial roads were given two months, until February 28, to comply.

To provide legal backing to the order, the state government tried to bring an ordinance, but Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot instructed the Siddaramaiah-led government to pursue its passage through the assembly. Subsequently, the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill was tabled in the assembly on Wednesday.

The bill authorises the government to cancel trade licences of businesses that fail to display signages with 60 per cent Kannada letters. “In every district, the wing — comprising police personnel — will enforce the law,” Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said.

Traders concerned

Traders are urging the civic body to defer the February 28 deadline until after the government frames the rules, warning that the ambiguity in the rule will encourage pro-Kannada activists to stage violent protests targeting businesses, as it had happened in December.

Such was the extent of the confusion that the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) invited BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath to address their concerns.

Questions posed at the meeting include ‘should the logo, description of the shops follow the 60% Kannada rule’, ‘can Kannada boards be placed on top or next to the already existing English board?’

Vijay Shekhar Ravi, a trader in Jayanagar, said activists damaged the newly installed nameboard above his shop with prominent display in Kannada. “I followed the 60% rule,” he said. “But activists thought the English display was slightly bigger, which was not true.”

Discussing the bill in the assembly, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Arvind Bellad raised similar concerns. “How will this work when six letters of English become three in Kannada? How is 60% calculated then? This must be clarified or else there’ll be problems in implementation,” he said.

Rahul Goyal, who owns a hardware store on SP Road, felt the BBMP should have factored in multiple aspects before fixing the deadline. “People supplying nameboards in Bengaluru are fewer and they charge a premium since the deadline to comply with the rule is shorter,” he said, adding that not all shop owners could afford to replace the signboards.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/bengaluru-traders-fear-violent-enforcement-of-60-nameboard-display-rule-2899457

Local TMC leader Shibaprasad Hazra, who has been named in police complaints along with party colleagues and other two prime accused Shajahan Sheikh and Uttam Sardar, was nabbed from a hideout in Sandeshkhali.

Kolkata: One of the prime accused in the case of alleged land grab and sexual harassment of women in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district was arrested on Saturday, police said.

Local TMC leader Shibaprasad Hazra, who has been named in police complaints along with party colleagues and other two prime accused Shajahan Sheikh and Uttam Sardar, was nabbed from a hideout in Sandeshkhali.

He will be produced before a local court on Sunday.

“We have arrested Shibaprasad Hazra from Sandeshkhali this evening. He will be produced before the court tomorrow,” an officer of Nazat Police Station told PTI.

Earlier, police have also arrested Uttam Sardar but Shajahan Sheikh remains absconding.

With the fresh arrest, two of the three prime accused have been nabbed. A total of 18 people have been arrested in the case so far.

Meanwhile, the police added IPC sections 376D (gangrape) and 307 (attempt to murder) in the case after a survivor recorded her statement under Section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure before a magistrate, a source said.

Talking to reporters, Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Kumar said that the woman had not made any similar complaint when police went to the area to learn about women’s allegations.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal/west-bengal-tmc-leader-shibaprasad-hazra-accused-in-sandeshkhali-land-grab-sexual-abuse-case-arrested-2899292

Food Safety officials tested samples of the cotton candy after a recent finding in nearby Puducherry that it was being adulterated with Rhodamine-B.

Tamil Nadu on Saturday banned the sale of the colourful pinkish cotton candy after it came to light that it was being adulterated with Rhodamine-B, a cancer causing industrial dye, illegally used as food colourant. The cotton candy is widely sold across the state at popular hangouts including beaches and exhibitions. Food Safety officials tested samples of the cotton candy after a recent finding in nearby Puducherry that it was being adulterated with Rhodamine-B.

Health Minister Ma Subramanian pointed out that using Rhodamine-B as a food additive in manufacturing, packaging, import and sale and serving food containing it at weddings/functions/public events was a punishable offence under the Food Safety and Standards Act. The Commissioner of Food Safety has directed the enforcement officers of the department to take strict action against violators, he added.

About Rhodamine-B:

According to the Food Safety Department’s Designated Officer, Chennai, Satheesh Kumar, Rhodamine-B, is an industrial grade dye, which is used in leather colouring and paper printing.

If used in foods, it can can cause fullness of the stomach, itching and breathing problems. “When consumed for a long duration, the dye can stay in the body for up to 60 days,” he said and explained that it would get deposited in internal organs such as kidney, intestine and liver and cause “irreversible damage”. Over a period, it turns cancerous.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/cotton-candy-sale-banned-in-tamil-nadu-due-to-presence-of-cancer-causing-industrial-dye

Suhani Bhatnagar’s family today revealed that she was suffering from Dermatomyositis, a rare inflammatory disease that causes skin rash and muscle weakness.

Actor Suhani Bhatnagar, who played young Babita Phogat in Aamir Khan-starrer wrestling drama ‘Dangal’, died in Delhi yesterday. Her family today revealed that she was suffering from Dermatomyositis, a rare inflammatory disease that causes skin rash and muscle weakness.
The 19-year-old was admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences on February 7 and died on February 16 after medical complications.

The family said that the symptoms showed two months ago while she was diagnosed with the disease only ten days back.

“She developed a red spot on her hands about two months ago. We consulted with doctors in different hospitals but it couldn’t be diagnosed, said Suhani’s mother Puja Bhatnagar.

She was admitted to AIIMS after her health started deteriorating.

Suhani’s father Sumit Bhatnagar said there was no improvement in her health and eventually her “lungs got damaged due to an infection and accumulation of excess fluid”.

“She was put on the ventilator but there was no improvement,” he said.

Her father claimed that there are only five to six people all over the world who have been diagnosed with the disease.

Dermatomyositis is a rare inflammatory disease marked by muscle weakness and a distinctive skin rash. It can also affect other organ systems such as the pulmonary, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems.

The cremation of Suhani Bhatnagar, who was a resident of Faridabad, took place at the Ajronda cremation ground.

She had appeared in the 2016 biographical drama about a wrestler who mentors his two daughters to success. Zaira Wasim played young Geeta while Bhatnagar portrayed the role of Babita. The grown-up versions of the characters were played by Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra. Aamir Khan played the role of their father, Mahavir Phogat.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/dangal-actor-suhani-bhatnagar-19-died-of-rare-inflammatory-disease-dermatomyositis-family-5077309

Farmers’ leaders ramped up pressure on the central government ahead of crucial talks on Sunday, demanding an ordinance guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

Union Ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal, and Nityanand Rai are scheduled to meet with farmer leaders on Sunday in Chandigarh for the fourth round of discussions aimed at resolving the ongoing farmers’ protest. Previous meetings held on February 8, 12, and 15 failed to yield conclusive results.

Ahead of the upcoming talks, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has called on the Centre to issue an ordinance providing a legal guarantee for the minimum support price (MSP), saying, “Ball is in the government’s court.”

Here are the latest developments in the ongoing farmers’ protest:

1. The farmers’ protests have garnered support from various farmer unions across the country, including the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) and BKU leader Rakesh Tikait, who have announced plans for further demonstrations and a potential tractor march to Delhi if their demands are not met. To press for their demands, farmers will stage dharnas in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttarakhand on February 21, said Tikait.
2. Gurnam Singh Charuni, leader of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni), said a ‘Mahapanchayat’ is planned for Sunday at Kurukshetra, where farm organisations, labour, and sarpanch unions will deliberate on their next steps in supporting the protesting farmers.
3. The farmers’ agitation is gaining momentum across the country. On Saturday, protesting farmers organised a tractor march in Haryana and sat on dharnas outside the residences of senior BJP leaders. Additionally, around 100 farmers were arrested during a ‘rail roko’ (stop the trains) protest in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur.
4. In response to the protests, the Haryana government has extended the ban on mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts until February 19, aiming to maintain public order.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/farmers-protest-talks-with-government-today-arjun-munda-delhi-chalo-shambhu-punjab-haryana-border-police-clashes-tractor-rally-2503624-2024-02-18

More than 25 people were on Saturday trapped and suffered injury after a temporary structure (pandal/tent) installed near Gate Number 2 of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium collapsed in Delhi, news Agency ANI quoted police as saying.

“Around 11.15 am, a call was received about the collapse of a pandal/tent and the possibility of few labourers trapped under it. After arriving on the spot, it was found that 25-30 labourers were trapped under the fallen structure. The pandal was erected for a wedding function. 25-30 people rescued and shifted to AIIMS Trauma Centre and Safdarjung Hospital. NDRF team on the spot now to conduct the rescue operation,” DCP South Ankit Chauhan told ANI.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/delhi/over-8-injured-as-tent-installed-at-delhis-jawaharlal-nehru-stadium-collapses-rescue-ops-under-way-2898960

Authorities haven’t ruled out the possibility of casualties among people on the tracks. Railway and fire officials are actively engaged in the ongoing rescue operation, as confirmed by the police.

A goods train derailed in Delhi on Saturday. According to ANI report citing the local police, at least 8 wagons of the train were derailed in the mishap. The incident occurred close to the Zakhira flyover in north Delhi around 11:50 am.

Authorities haven’t ruled out the possibility of casualties among people on the tracks. Railway and fire officials are actively engaged in the ongoing rescue operation, as confirmed by the police. The goods train was laden with iron sheet rolls from Mumbai to Chandigarh.

A video of the incident has surfaced on the internet showing dramatic scenes of the goods train derailment.

Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/delhi-at-least-8-wagons-of-goods-train-derail-on-tracks-near-zakhira-flyover-rescue-ops-underway-dramatic-visuals-surface

Farmers’ unions have called for demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday outside the residences of prominent political leaders in Punjab, following four days of protests after another round of negotiations failed.

Tension mounted at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border as security personnel fired teargas shells to disperse farmers protesting at the site on Friday.

This happened after the third round of negotiations between the farmer unions, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, and Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Arjun Munda, and Nityanand Rai concluded in the early hours of Friday.

Addressing the media late Thursday, Munda had said the farmers had brought up several important issues, making the meeting “very positive”, adding that the next round of talks would be held on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Haryana government has extended its suspension of internet services till Saturday to “prevent any disturbance of peace and public order”.

Extending support to the protesting farmer unions at Shambhu and Khanauri borders in Haryana, the Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) has announced two days of demonstrations, on Saturday and Sunday, outside the houses of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Punjab state president Sunil Jakhar in Abohar, and BJP leaders Captain Amarinder Singh in Patiala and Kewal Dhillon in Barnala.

The union also said staff at toll plazas in Punjab will not be allowed to collect payments from commuters.

The protests had taken a violent turn earlier in the week, as the Haryana Police, in a bid to block farmers from marching towards Delhi, fired teargas shells and rubber bullets, injuring at least 40 farmers. At least three farmers reportedly lost their vision due to pellet injuries.

In Friday’s Grameen Bharat Bandh, and blockade was organized at 240 places in Punjab, as per information received from the farmer union Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM).

Thousands of members of 16 farmer unions from Punjab, mainly the SKM (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) headed for the national capital in tractors and utility vehicles for their ‘Dilli Chalo’ agitation.

Several prominent unions had called for a nationwide industrial or sectoral strike and Grameen Bandh on Friday to press the Union government to accept demands such as a legal guarantee on the minimum support price, or MSP, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, and farm debt waiver.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/farmers-protest-continues-as-tension-mounts-at-punjab-haryana-border-11708095446192.html

Priyanka sent her best wishes to Rahul Gandhi for the Nyay Yatra, but BJP claims there is tussle over ownership of the party

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s absence from brother Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh was a result of their “irreconcilable rift” over the ownership of the party, claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday.

Priyanka had earlier expressed her inability to join her brother at the party’s yatra, which entered Uttar Pradesh today, citing health issues. Priyanka said she was admitted to the hospital due to an illness and would join the yatra as soon as she gets better.

“I was really looking forward to receiving the BJNY in UP today but unfortunately, have ended up admitted to hospital. I will be there as soon as I am better!” she said in a post on X.

“Meanwhile wishing all the yatris, my colleagues in UP who have worked hard towards making arrangements for the yatra and my sweet brother, all success as they reach Chandauli today,” Priyanka added.

BJP claims ‘rift’
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya alluded rift between the siblings.

“Everyone should take care of their health. Even when Yatra 2.0 started, Priyanka Vadra was missing from there, and today when Rahul’s Yatra has reached Uttar Pradesh, even then Priyanka will not be there,” Malviya said in Hindi.

“This irreconcilable rift between brothers and sisters for ownership of the party is now well known,” he claimed.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is leading the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur to Mumbai. The Yatra is currently passing through Bihar. Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a mega rally in Bihar’s Aurangabad on Thursday.

On Friday evening, the Yatra will be in Uttar Pradesh, the key Hindi heartland state that sends the maximum number of MPs to the Lok Sabha. It will traverse through the state from February 16 to 21 and then again from February 24 to 25. According to the Congress, February 22 and 23 are rest days for the Yatra.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bjp-claims-rift-as-hospitalised-priyanka-gandhi-skips-brother-rahuls-up-yatra-101708087575436.html

Sharad Pawar claimed that the decision was against the law, adding that he had approached the Supreme Court against the ECI order.

Claiming that the decision was against the law, the NCP founder said that he had approached the Supreme Court against the ECI order.

“It has never happened before that those who formed a political party were removed from the party. Not only this, the party symbol was also taken away. This decision was not in accordance with the law. We have approached the Supreme Court in this matter. We will need to increase our public outreach,” news agency ANI quoted Sharad Pawar as saying.

On Friday, Sharad Pawar took a dig at junior Pawar saying that he was not worried about losing the NCP name and symbol but asserted people did not approve of those who chose to go on a different path.

Addressing a public meeting in Satara, Sharad Pawar said power comes and goes but ideology, policies and the thought to take the country forward are permanent.

“But some of our colleagues deviated from this path. Some took away the party, some took away the symbol. I never worry about all this. Some people chose to go on a different path by forsaking ideology but people did not appreciate this move,” he asserted.

He has also sought an urgent hearing before the Supreme Court of the plea against the ECI order of officially recognising the Ajit Pawar faction as the ‘real’ NCP. The top court also considered for early listing of the plea.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ncp-founder-sharad-pawar-reacts-to-losing-party-name-symbol-to-nephew-ajit-pawar-101708150332094.html

Within two months, India’s Grand Old Party has gone from a serious challenger to Modi to a struggling force, just before national elections.

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of what is the country’s oldest political movement, the party of Mahatma Gandhi, had attracted large crowds on a nationwide march, rekindling hopes in the Congress that had been struggling for relevance after a series of political setbacks.

In May, the party won legislative elections in the southern state of Karnataka that is home to startup capital Bengaluru, unseating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. And it was projected, in opinion polls, to win four out of five states – Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Chattisgarh and Mizoram – that voted for their state assemblies in November.

Those predicted wins, party veterans said, would have provided the ballast for the Congress to take Modi on in the general elections that are now weeks away.

Just the opposite happened. The opinion polls were wrong. The Congress won only Telangana.

“All opinion polls showed Congress was ahead by 2 percent votes in Madhya Pradesh elections, but we lost by 8 percent of votes. How did the final results go contrary to these opinion polls?” asks senior party leader, Digvijay Singh, former chief minister of the central Indian state.

Answering that question and similar ones tied to the gulf between the party’s hopes and recent results, quickly could be central to the chances of the 138-year-old party as it prepares to lock horns with Modi in the coming national vote, say analysts and Congress leaders.

A strong showing in those state elections would have validated Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra (Uniting India March), which had seen him walk more than 4,000km (2,485 miles) over 150 days, from the country’s southern tip, Kanyakumari, to Indian-administered Kashmir in the north. In most of the states that voted in November, the Congress was in a direct one-on-one contest with the BJP and was in the opposition, hoping to reap the benefits of anti-incumbency voter sentiment against the ruling government.

Source : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/17/after-gains-against-modi-indias-congress-party-slips-what-went-wrong

Arvind Kejriwal also appeared before a Delhi court via video conferencing today over skipping five earlier summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the liquor policy case.

The Delhi Assembly will today take up the motion of confidence moved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a show of strength amid allegations by his party that the BJP was trying to “poach” AAP MLAs.

Ahead of the trust vote, Arvind Kejriwal also appeared before a Delhi court via video conferencing this morning over skipping five earlier summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the liquor policy case. The court will next hear the matter on March 16.

The court had last week summoned Mr Kejriwal, also the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief, to appear before it today, noting that he was “legally bound” to comply.

In its complaint, the ED has alleged that the Delhi chief minister intentionally did not want to obey the summons and kept on giving “lame excuses”. If a high-ranking public functionary like him disobeyed the law, it would “set a wrong example for the common man i.e. the Aam Aadmi,” the agency said.

Mr Kejriwal’s trust vote move also comes ahead of the ED’s sixth summons to appear before it on February 19.

The AAP chief has skipped five summons so far and he and his party have repeatedly claimed that the summonses were illegal and the agency’s only aim is to arrest him.

Moving the vote of confidence motion in the Assembly yesterday, Mr Kejriwal said two AAP MLAs told him that they were approached by members of the BJP who claimed that the Delhi chief minister would be arrested soon.

“The MLAs were told that 21 AAP legislators have agreed to leave the party and more are in touch with the BJP. They offered the MLAs ₹ 25 crore to join the BJP. The MLAs told me they did not accept. When we spoke to other MLAs, we found that they had not contacted 21, but seven. They were trying to carry out another Operation Lotus,” Mr Kejriwal said.

“I want to show that none of our MLAs defected, and all remain steadfastly aligned with us,” he said.

This is the second time when the Arvind Kejriwal government has sought a trust vote. The Aam Aadmi Party has 62 MLAs in the 70-member Assembly and the BJP has eight.

Ever since the first summons was issued by the Enforcement Directorate, there has been intense speculation that the Delhi chief minister would be arrested by the agency after his questioning.

With three of its leaders — Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Satyendra Jain — behind the bars, AAP has long been anticipating the eventuality and has discussed the possible courses of action. They even want Mr Kejriwal to remain the Chief Minister and do his job from jail.

The CBI contends that liquor companies were involved in framing the excise policy, which would have brought them a 12 per cent profit. A liquor lobby it dubbed the “South Group” had paid kickbacks, part of which was routed to public servants. The Enforcement Directorate alleged laundering of the kickbacks.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/arvind-kejriwal-may-appear-in-court-today-after-calling-for-trust-vote-5073285#pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

At least two people were killed and about 25 others were injured after security forces opened fire to disperse a mob of approximately 300-400 people who attempted to storm the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Manipur’s Kuki-Zo tribes-dominated Churachandpur district on Thursday night. The mob has gathered to protest against the suspension of a head constable after his selfie with “armed miscreants” went viral.

With tension prevailing in the district, the Manipur government clamped Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the area and temporarily suspended mobile internet in Churachandpur for 5 days.

According to the Manipur Police, in an attempt to breach the SP’s office, the mob gheraoed the premises, threw stones, and set a bus and other structures outside the district police chief’s office on fire. They demanded police reinstate the head constable, Siamlalpaul, who took the selfie in a bunker of “armed miscreants” and “village defence volunteers” atop a hill.

In response, the security forces, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), used tear gas shells to control the situation. They later opened fire as the angry mob turned violent.

“Mob numbering approx. 300-400 attempted to storm the office of SP CCP today, pelting stones, etc. The SF [security forces] including the RAF [Rapid Action Force], is responding appropriately by firing tear gas shells to control the situation. Things are under watch,” the Manipur Police posted on X.

“They climbed the gates and scaled the walls of the complex. Several vehicles were burnt, and later at night, the official residence of the deputy commissioner was torched,” a senior police official said by phone.

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), an apex tribal body, warned district police chief Shivanand Surve, who had issued the suspension order, to leave Churachandpur within the next 24 hours.

SUSPENSION OF HEAD CONSTABLE
Head constable Siamlalpaul was kept “under suspension with immediate effect until further orders” by Churachandpur SP Shivanand Surve after a video of him with “armed men” and “sitting together with village volunteers” went viral on social media.

“This tantamount to very grave misconduct being a member of the disciplined police force,” a police order said.

“A departmental inquiry is being contemplated against Siamlalpaul of Churachandpur district police, as a clip has gone viral on social media showing him making a video with armed men on February 14,” the order said.

Siamlalpaul has been asked not to “leave the station without prior permission” and “his pay and allowances have been restricted to subsistence allowance admissible as per the rules”, it said.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/manipur-death-toll-injured-mob-storms-churachandpur-sp-office-kuki-cop-suspension-section-144-internet-ban-8780902.html

The chain responded to the incident within hours of the video being published online – and said that all dough involved has been disposed of. The employee will also be disciplined.

Domino’s Pizza has apologised after a video of an employee appearing to pick his nose and wipe his hand on dough went viral.

The video was filmed in the chain’s Amagasaki branch in the Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, and posted on forum website Bakusai.

It shows an employee, wearing Domino’s branded uniform and blue gloves, kneading dough and speaking to the person behind the camera.

They then reach up to their face and appear to put their finger in their nose – before wiping it on the dough in front of them.

The video soon went viral and within hours of it being published Domino’s Pizza Japan issued an apology for its employee’s “inappropriate conduct” on X.

“We deeply apologise for making our valued customers uncomfortable,” it added.

The video was filmed after the branch had closed and showed dough being prepared for a 24-hour fermentation process, Domino’s said. This meant it hadn’t been used in any pizzas and it has now been disposed of.

Operations at the branch were also suspended and the employee will be punished in line with company guidelines, The Japan Times reported.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/dominos-pizza-apologises-after-employee-nose-picking-video-goes-viral-13072129

Delhi fire: The identity of those killed in the fire in Delhi’s Alipur area is yet to be ascertained.

Delhi fire: As many as 11 people were killed and four injured in a massive fire that broke out at a paint and chemical godowns in outer Delhi’s Alipur on Thursday evening, news ANI reported, citing the fire department.

“The fire was in two paint and chemical godowns, resulting in the death of 11 persons and 4 injured. The deceased have been moved to Babu Jagjeevan Ram Hospital and the four injured persons have been moved to Raja Harish Chandra Hospital,” the fire department.

The identity of those killed is yet to be ascertained.

According to the Delhi Police, the fire was preceded by a blast, probably caused by chemicals kept in the factory.

Due to the blast, some nearby houses and shops also caught fire. Some of the injured persons were residing in those places, news agency PTI reported.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/delhi-fire-11-killed-4-injured-in-massive-blaze-at-alipur-paint-factory-101708050276443.html

The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle is scheduled to lift off with a weather satellite from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 5.35 pm on Saturday

When India launches its latest weather satellite on Saturday, it will be using a rocket that has been dubbed the “naughty boy” of the Indian space agency.
The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), which is scheduled to lift off with the INSAT-3DS satellite from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 5.35 pm on Saturday, was called “naughty boy” by a former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) since the rocket has not performed adequately in six of its 15 flights – a failure rate of 40 per cent. The last launch of the GSLV, on May 29, 2023, was successful but the one before that – on August 12, 2021 – was a failure.

In comparison, the GSLV’s heavier cousin, the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 or the ‘Bahubali rocket’, has completed seven flights and has a cent-percent success record. The workhorse rocket of ISRO, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), also has an enviable 95 per cent success rate, with just three failures in 60 launches.

The GSLV is a three-stage rocket that is 51.7 metres long – about a quarter of the length of the Statue of Unity, which stands 182 metres tall – and has a liftoff mass of 420 tonnes. The rocket uses an India-made cryogenic engine and ISRO plans to retire it after a few more launches.

The satellite being launched on Saturday is very special and is much needed as it will help boost India’s weather and climate monitoring services. Called INSAT-3DS, it is a third-generation upgraded, dedicated meteorological satellite. The satellite weighs 2,274 kg and has been built at a cost of about ₹ 480 crore. It is fully funded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said ISRO.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Department of Space can now only fly missions that are fully endorsed and supported by user agencies.

Better Forecasts, Saving Lives

ISRO officials said the new weather monitoring satellite is designed for enhanced meteorological observations and monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning. India has been using these eyes in the sky to help its weather office give increasingly accurate forecasts, which often help save lives.

“Indian weather satellites have been a game changer. Satellites are truly the eyes in the sky that have helped India forecast cyclones with great precision,” said Dr M Ravichandran, an accomplished atmosphere and ocean science specialist, who is the secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

“Cyclones that originated in the Bay of Bengal during the 1970s led to fatalities of the order of 300,000 people. But this was before the Indian weather satellites came into existence. Now, with India using its own dedicated constellation of satellites, the cyclone forecast is so accurate that the death toll has dropped to double digits or, sometimes, to none at all.’

India currently has three operational weather satellites: INSAT-3D, INSAT-3DR, and OceanSat.

Dr Ashim Kumar Mitra, project director of the Satellite Meteorology Division, India Meteorological Department (IMD), said, “INSAT-3D is nearing its end-of-life period after having served since 2013, hence a replacement satellite was the need of the hour.”

Explaining how weather satellites give data for forecasts, Dr Mitra said, “Satellites basically measure the radiance coming from the Earth’s surface and cloud tops. By making such measurements at appropriate wavelengths and applying physical and statistical techniques, it is possible to compute a wide range of products for weather monitoring and forecasting. Further, the satellite meteorological data on a global scale are vital inputs in Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models as initial conditions.”

“For a tropical country like India where high-impact convective events are very common, it is necessary to have good quality, high-density observations both on the spatial and temporal scale,” he explained.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/insat-3ds-launch-isros-naughty-boy-to-launch-indias-latest-weather-satellite-tomorrow-5062882

The prime minister said India-Qatar ties are growing “stronger and stronger”, highlighting the collaborative efforts in futuristic sectors.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his visit to Doha has added new vigour to India-Qatar friendship. The prime minister conveyed his “deep appreciation” to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for the release of eight former Indian Navy personnel who were sentenced to death.

He further stated India-Qatar ties are growing “stronger and stronger”, highlighting the collaborative efforts in futuristic sectors.

Modi described his meeting with the Emir as “wonderful” and said ways to deepen cooperation across various sectors were discussed.

“Had a wonderful meeting with HH Sheikh @TamimBinHamad. We reviewed the full range of India-Qatar relations and discussed ways to deepen cooperation across various sectors. Our nations also look forward to collaborating in futuristic sectors which will benefit our planet,” Modi said on X.

“India and Qatar ties are growing stronger and stronger!,” Modi said in another post along with photographs of a ceremonial welcome accorded to him in Doha.

Source: https://news.abplive.com/news/india/my-visit-to-doha-added-new-vigour-to-india-qatar-friendship-says-pm-modi-after-talks-with-emir-1664777

The sessions court at Dindoshi upheld a 2015 order of a magistrate rejecting the wife’s complaint that the husband suppressed the mental illness of her mother-in-law.

A man spending time with his mother or giving her money will not amount to domestic violence towards his wife, a Mumbai court recently held while acquitting a person accused of offences under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (DV Act).

Additional sessions judge Ashish Ayachit at Dindoshi in Mumbai upheld the judgment of a magistrate rejecting the complaint of the wife alleging offences against her husband under the DV Act.

The complaint before the Magistrate said that when the couple started residing away from the husband’s mother, the husband would frequently visit his mother and she would demand money from him.

“It revealed from the entire evidence that her grievance is that the husband is giving time and money to his mother, which cannot be considered as domestic violence” the sessions court noted.

The couple got married in May 1992 and divorced in January 2014. The wife filed the complaint alleging mental and physical cruelty by the husband and in-laws.

The woman also claimed that when her husband was working abroad between 1996 to 2004, he would send money to his mother.

The woman filed a plea before the magistrate court seeking protection, residence and monetary relief, which the magistrate rejected and that was challenged before the sessions court.

The sessions court observed that the proceedings were initiated only after her husband issued a notice demanding divorce.

“The wife had withdrawn money from the Non-Resident External (NRE) account and purchased a flat in her name. She made very vague allegations which does not inspire confidence or truthfulness. Thus, the allegations that he was not providing any financial help to the wife, cannot be accepted as she herself admitted that she withdrew amount,” the Court said.

The sessions court found no reason to interfere with the trial court order for the reason that the wife miserably failed to prove that she was subjected to domestic violence.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/husband-spending-time-mother-giving-her-money-not-domestic-violence-wife-mumbai-court

The CBSE has reiterated its commitment to addressing the issue of fraudulent social media handles by assuring the public that appropriate measures are being taken against them. The board has listed out as many as 30 fake accounts on ‘X’.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has taken proactive steps to tackle the issue of fake social media accounts falsely representing the board on X. The CBSE initiated measures to counter the spread of misinformation by identifying and publicising as many as 30 Twitter handles that impersonated the Board. It also emphasised that its only official Twitter account on X is ‘@cbseindia29’.

“It has come to the notice of the Central Board of Secondary Education that the following handles have been found using the name and/or logo of CBSE, with a view to mislead the general public on X,” stated CBSE in its latest notification.

Here are some of fake CBSE ‘X’ handles among several imposters: 

• @Cbse_official
• @CBSEWorld
• @cbse_news
• @CbseExam
• @CBSENewsAlert
• @cbse_nic_in
• @cbse_result
• @CBSEINDIA
• @cbsezone
• @cbse_updates

Check out the full list here: 

Source: https://www.indiatvnews.com/education/news/cbse-releases-list-of-30-fake-x-handles-ahead-of-board-exams-asks-not-to-follow-shares-its-genuine-account-2024-02-12-916492

An Indian-origin family was found dead at their residence in the US with the police saying that they are investigating the case as a murder-suicide.

An Indian-origin family was found dead at their residence in the US with the police saying that they are investigating the case as a murder-suicide. Anand Sujith Henry, his wife, and twin children were found dead in California’s San Mateo.

What We Know So Far About Indian-Origin Family Found Dead In US

The temple is constructed on the land gifted by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of UAE.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, marking the end of his packed visit to the UAE. The inauguration of the BAPS temple, built for ₹ 700 crore, is being seen as a key moment for the Hindu community in UAE.

Here are top facts about the temple

Farmers’ Delhi Chalo protest: 3 Union ministers will meet farmers’ leaders in Chandigarh for the third round of talks amid stand-off at Haryana, Punjab borders.

Several major farmers’ unions have extended their support to the protesting farmer unions at Shambhu border and Khanauri border in Punjab, with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) and BKU Dakaunda (Dhaner faction) announcing a ‘rail roko’ (stop trains) in the state on Thursday between 12 noon and 4 pm on Thursday, February 15. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of 37 farm unions, have also supported the ongoing protests. The protesters are demanding a minimum support price or MSP for their crops.

These unions had played key roles in the protests on Delhi’s fringes in 2021 and have joined the current protests citing the “condemnable use of violence” against farmers. BKU (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan has slammed the police action.

“We stand with them in solidarity. To prove it, our supporters will hold rail roko (stop trains) at as many places as we can,” he announced. The organisation will block train tracks in Punjab between 12pm and 4pm on Thursday, he said, a day before the larger nationwide strike planned for February 16.

Farmers’ ‘Delhi chalo’ protest: Key points

• The Indian Express reported that nearly 10 protest sites have been finalised for the rail roko protest in which the BKU Ugrahan and BKU Dakaunda (Dhaner faction) will participate jointly, and more locations are likely to be added by evening.
• Rajpura, Sunam (near Shambu and Khanauri borders, respectively), Jethuke village in Bathinda, Moga, Mansa, Malaut, Valla railway crossing in Amritsar, Barnala, Sangrur, Budhlada have been selected as the rail roko protest locations, the report added. This will affect the Amritsar-Jalandhar-Delhi line, the Mansa-Bathinda-Delhi line, Ludhiana-Ferozepur line, and many other locations, Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, the general secretary of BKU Ugrahan, said.
• On Thursday, three Union ministers will meet farmers’ leaders in Chandigarh for the third round of talks as the stand-off between the protesters and police at the Punjab-Haryana border entered its third day, marked by more clashes between the two sides. The two earlier meetings, held before the march began, remained “inconclusive”.
• Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the meeting will be held with union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai at 5pm.
• Meanwhile, defence minister Rajnath Singh and agriculture minister Arjun Munda held discussions in New Delhi on addressing the farmers’ issues, reports claimed.
• On Wednesday, at the Shambhu border point near Ambala, there was intermittent shelling by security personnel at the ‘Delhi Chalo’ protesters. Security forces used tear smoke whenever any group of farmers moved towards the barricades. Reports claimed that security personnel faced stone-pelting from the protesters.
• A similar stand-off was witnessed continued at the Data Singhwala-Khanauri border in Haryana’s Jind district. But the situation remained less volatile compared to Tuesday, when farmers tried to shift cement barriers at Shambhu with their tractors, attempting to push towards the national capital.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/farmers-rail-roko-protest-in-punjab-haryana-today-amid-talks-with-centre-february-15-101707956010012.html

Electoral bonds serve as a financial instrument allowing individuals and businesses to contribute funds to political parties discreetly, without revealing their identities.

The Supreme Court will today pronounce its verdict on a set of petitions challenging the validity of the electoral bonds scheme. A five-judge Constitution bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, reserved its verdict on November 2 last year. The electoral bonds scheme, introduced by the government on January 2, 2018, was seen as a solution to replace cash donations and enhance transparency in political funding.

Electoral bonds serve as a financial instrument allowing individuals and businesses to contribute funds to political parties discreetly, without revealing their identities. Under the provisions of the scheme, any citizen of India or entity incorporated or established in the country can purchase electoral bonds. These bonds are available in various denominations, ranging from ₹ 1,000 to ₹ 1 crore, and can be obtained at all branches of the State Bank of India (SBI). These donations are also interest-free.

The petitioners argue that electoral bonds scheme defeats the citizen’s right to be informed about the sources of funding of political parties which is a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. Appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan had said last year that the “opaque” and “anonymous instrument” promotes corruption.

Ahead of the Supreme Court’s November hearing, Attorney General R Venkataramani argued that Article 19(1)(a) does not guarantee citizens an absolute right to information regarding the source of funds used for political party funding through electoral bonds. He said that the electoral bond scheme promotes transparency and clean money in elections. However, Mr Venkataramani maintained that there are limitations to the right to information, and it cannot be an unrestricted right to know “anything and everything.”

“The scheme in question extends the benefit of confidentiality to the contributor. It ensures and promotes clean money being contributed. It ensures abiding by tax obligations. Thus, it does not fall foul of any existing right,” he had said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in the United Arab Emirates on a two-day trip on Tuesday, inaugurated the BAPS Mandir today, a stunning architectural marvel which is Abu Dhabi’s first Hindu temple.

Last month, the Supreme Court had refused to issue any directions or interfere with the investigation of SEBI into the Adani-Hindenburg Research controversy.

A review petition has been filed against the Supreme Court’s recent judgment refusing to interfere with the probe by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) into the plummeting of Adani Group stock prices following the Hindenburg Research report. (Anamika Jaiswal v. Union of India and ors)

The application by Anamika Jaiswal, one of the petitioners in the case, states that there are multiple apparent errors in the verdict under challenge.

“There are mistakes and errors apparent on the face of the impugned judgment/order dated 03.01.2024, and in light of certain new material that have been received by the counsel of the petitioner, the Petitioner respectfully submits that there are sufficient reasons which require review of the impugned order,” it is stated.

As per the applicant, new material shows that the Adani Group has been violating Rule 19A of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Rules (SCRR) of of 1957.

The provision states that private listed companies must maintain a minimum public shareholding of 25 per cent, within specified periods. In this light, the plea states,

“This Hon’ble Court in its judgment dated 03.01.2024 failed to appreciate that while the issue of over-invoicing may have not been proved, the aspect of Adani promoters investing into Adani group stocks in Indian stock market, has never been investigated and calls for a thorough probe…Unless the findings of the SEBI investigations are publicly reported it cannot be concluded that there has been no regulatory failure.”

Last month, the Supreme Court had refused to issue any directions or interfere with the investigation of SEBI into the issue. It thus dismissed a batch of petitions seeking a probe by some alternative agency into allegations of fraud against the Adani Group of companies made in the Hindenburg Research report.

The Court had stated that its power to enter into the regulatory domain of SEBI in framing delegated legislation was limited. It held that in the present case, there was no regulatory failure by SEBI and the market regulator cannot be expected to carry on its functions based on press reports.

The Hindenburg Research report alleged that the Adani conglomerate had committed fraud by inflating its share prices. The report had led to a fall in the share value of various Adani companies, reportedly to the tune of $100 billion.

The petitions before the apex court included one that alleged that changes to the SEBI Act had provided a ‘shield and an excuse’ for the Adani Group’s regulatory contraventions and market manipulations to remain undetected.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/review-supreme-court-sebi-adani-group-hindenburg-research-report

Women have spoken out against the sexual exploitation by Trinamool leaders in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali. The Calcutta High Court and women’s commissions too have taken note. How did this systemic sexual and socio-economic exploitation start, and why didn’t people speak out earlier?

“Women here cannot live in safety. We women fear going out. We want safety,” Sandeshkhali resident Kanika Das told Aaj Tak Bangla.

Kanika Das is among the women who have broken years of silence and narrated the horrifying incidents of systemic gang rape and sexual exploitation in West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali.

They are narrating stories of horrific sexual exploitation by Trinamool leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his henchmen, and are seeking justice. They allege that women were chosen and taken to the Trinamool party office, confined there night after night, and released only after the Trinamool members were “satisfied”. The videos of their allegations have gone viral now.

What enabled the women to break the cycle of silence was the fleeing of Sheikh Shahjahan after the Enforcement Directorate’s raid.

This is an area of the Sunderbans where poverty is a dominating factor and one of the key reasons behind the years of silence. Then there is unchecked power wielded by anti-social elements who gained political centrestage due to the Trinamool regime.

WOMEN DARED NOT COMPLAIN AGAINST SHEIKH SHAHJAHAN
Most women couldn’t muster the courage to speak out. Complaints to the police, allegedly, fell on deaf ears.

The few who dared to protest recently faced the consequences.

The women who spoke up against Sheikh Shahjahan were attacked by Sheikh Shahjahan and his men, Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar.

“The miscreants, accompanied by the police, about 20-30 of them, came to my home at 3 am. They kicked hard on my door, broke my window, pulled me by my hand and hair and even snatched away my baby daughter and threw her away,” added Kanika Das, recollecting an incident on February 10.

“Sheikh Shahjahan and his gang established a ‘reign of terror’ where the dignity and modesty of women from the SC and ST communities have been repeatedly violated,” Suvendu Adhikari, BJP’s leader of opposition in West Bengal and Nandigram MLA wrote on X, on February 11, reacting to the chain of events in Sandeshkhali.

Reports and videos of the systemic sexual exploitation of young married Hindu women of Sandeshkhali have come out now. The opposition BJP in West Bengal is carrying out protests and calling for action against Trinamool leaders.

“Bengal has turned into a state run by a government of rapists, by rapists, for rapists,” BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said on Wednesday.

Responding to the BJP leader’s allegations, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh accused the BJP of trying to “vitiate the atmosphere”.

“The allegations (of gangrape) are baseless. The BJP is trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the area. They want to disturb the law and order situation,” Ghosh said on February 14.

CRUCIAL QUESTIONS ON SANDESHKHALI
The Calcutta High Court, too, took suo moto cognisance of the Sandeshkhali incident on Tuesday (February 13). It asked the Mamta Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government to submit a report by February 20 on allegations of sexual assault on women “at gunpoint” and transfer of tribal land at Sandeshkhali.

“Mamata Banerjee is known for the genocide of Hindus. She will now allow her men to pick young married Hindu women to be raped in the TMC office. The question Mamata Banerjee has to answer is – where is Sheikh Shahjahan?,” Union minister Smriti Irani said on the reports of sexual violence in Sandeshkhali, on Monday (February 12).

Trinamool Congress didn’t deny the allegations of sexual exploitation of women, but they attacked Smriti Irani for “trying to foment trouble in Bengal”.

Bengal ministers Chandrima Bhattacharya and Birbaha Hansda said “rape has no religion”, but didn’t refute the allegations of sexual assault levelled against Sheikh Shahjahan, a Trinamool Zila Parishad member, and his henchmen.

Other than sexual harassment and exploitation, there are allegations of systemic land-grabbing and socio-economic exploitation against Trinamool’s Sheikh Shahjahan and his henchmen.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sandeshkhali-horror-rape-west-bengal-sheikh-shahjahan-trinamool-congress-tmc-bjp-mamta-banerjee-2501381-2024-02-14

Amid the farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has reportedly cancelled the second leg of ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Jharkhand and decided to join farmers’ protest in the National Capital.

Amid the farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has reportedly cancelled the second leg of ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Jharkhand and decided to join farmers’ protest in the National Capital.

As per the PTI, the cancellation occurred because the senior Congress leader had to rush to Delhi to participate in the ongoing farmers’ protest in the national capital.

Farmers’ Protest Day 2

As the farmers’ protest enter day two, it resumed on Wednesday morning at 9 AM after the ‘kisan andolan’ march was reportedly halted for a night on Tuesday.

As per the latest visuals from Shambhu Border, tear gas shells have been fired to disperse the farmers who were approaching the Police barricade. Early Wednesday morning visuals show the security arrangements at the Gazipur Border as the farmers resumed the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march towards the National Capital.

During the farmers’ protest, 24 police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police, were injured, officials told PTI. Meanwhile, the farmers’ unions have said around 100 farmers were injured during the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on Tuesday as they faced tear gas and water cannons at the Punjab-Haryana border.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/breaking-news-rahul-gandhi-to-join-farmers-protest-bharat-jodo-nyay-yatras-second-leg-cancelled-in-jharkhand-article-107681544

There are seven shrines in the temple. All of them are devoted to different Indian Gods and Goddesses from the north, east, south and west.

Ahead of the inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 14, the consecration of the Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi built by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha or the BAPS society was held. The first Hindu stone temple in Abu Dhabi represents a unique blend of the culture and history of both the nations. Public access begins March 1.

“The construction of BAPS temple here would not have been possible without your support,” PM Modi told the UAE President during a bilateral meeting on February 13.

Let us explore 10 key things about the temple.

-Situated in the Abu Mureikhah area, the temple is built at an estimated cost of Rs 700 crore. The pink Rajasthan sandstone and white Italian marble stone were carved in India and later assembled in the UAE.

– The temple has been built on the 13.5 acres donated by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He donated the land during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country in 2015.

-The BAPS or Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha is a Hindu sect. Known for its reverence for Swaminarayan as an avatar of Lord Krishna, the sect spearheaded the construction.

– The design is inspired by Vedic architecture and sculptures. Each of the seven spires of the temple symbolises an Emirate of the UAE.

– The foundation stone was laid by PM Modi in 2017. The UAE Government allocated another 13.5 acres in January 2019.

– There are prayer halls, a visitor centre, and thematic gardens among other spaces inside the temple.

– It has around 100 sensors installed in its foundation. Also, there are more sensors in various other areas to check seismic activity and more.

– Like the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, iron and steel have not been used to build this temple.

– A registration portal has been set up to smoothen the inauguration event. Transport is being arranged from all emirates. The event is being organised by 150 Indian community organisations in the UAE.

Source: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/hindu-temple-in-abu-dhabi-10-key-facts-you-must-know-12253061.html

Stringent security measures are in place at Delhi’s borders and across the national capital region in anticipation of the farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest, which began today after talks with the government over key demands remained “inconclusive”.

Police fired tear gas shells at protesting farmers as they approached Shambhu on the Punjab-Haryana border after beginning their ‘Delhi Chalo’ protest march on Tuesday. Over 200 farmer unions decided to press ahead with the march after a crucial meeting between farmer leaders and Union ministers ended without a resolution late Monday night.

Despite hours of dialogue, the two sides failed to reach an agreement on key demands. The government, however, said a consensus was reached on most issues and a formula was proposed for resolving some others through the formation of a committee.

In anticipation of the farmers’ agitation, the Delhi Police have ramped up security measures, imposing restrictions on gatherings and fortifying borders to maintain order.

Border crossings linking Delhi to its surrounding satellite towns are heavily congested due to numerous diversions ahead of the large-scale farmers’ march towards the national capital. Long lines of vehicles were observed at the Ghazipur and Chilla borders, linking Delhi with Ghaziabad and Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

The Punjab Police allowed protesting farmers to cross the Rajpura bypass as they headed towards Haryana’s Ambala en route to Delhi to press for their demands. However, tensions escalated at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu border as protesting farmers attempted to break cement barricades with their tractors.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/farmers-protest-today-delhi-chalo-security-measures-borders-police-barricades-tractors-traffic-restrictions-haryana-punjab-2501146-2024-02-13

They did not want to show their faces. They wouldn’t reveal their names. Yet the women of Sandeshkhali village in West Bengal’s 24 Parganas district stood by the main road, placards in hand. “We have lost confidence in the local police. Save us. We need CRPF,” some of them read.

The women covered their faces with their sarees, and many while crying and seeking justice fell at the feet of governor CV Ananda Bose who was visiting the area on Monday.

The women here have alleged harassment and torture by “missing” Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh and his associates. Sheikh has not been seen in public since a mob attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials when they went to search his premises in Sandeshkhali over an alleged ration distribution scam.

One has to cross the Bidyadhari river to reach Sandeshkhali from the other side. Bose arrived at the ferry ghat directly from the airport. “I was in Kerala, trying to organise an exhibition for Bengal. I was shocked to hear the news of Sandeshkhali. I cut short my visit and am going to Sandeshkhali to find out what sandesh (message) the people have,” he said.

News18 followed the governor on his journey. From nearby Minakhan village to Shajahan’s turf, everywhere Bose came across various placards. “Give back 100 days’ money,” was written on some of them by protesters who had gathered around.

The governor was escorted by a police launch as he crossed the river. Reaching Sandeshkhali, he did not wait for a rickshaw or other means of transportation and started walking.

As the governor tried to speak to a woman, she fell at his feet, crying. Others followed.

“Give justice to us. Our men cannot stay at home now. They have fled. We have no confidence in the local police,” said many of them.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/give-us-justice-faces-covered-nameless-women-of-sandeshkhali-plead-bengal-governor-on-his-visit-8776594.html

Narayana Murthy’s outing with daughter and Britain’s first Lady Akshata Murty in Bengaluru has taken social media by storm.

A recent picture capturing Britain’s first Lady Akshata Murty and her father, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, enjoying a casual outing together at a renowned ice-cream parlour in Bengaluru has taken social media by storm.

The image of the daughter-father duo savouring family time went viral after being shared on various social media platforms, including X (formerly known as Twitter).

In the picture, Akshata, who is married to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is seen sitting next to her father at Bengaluru’s Corner House ice creams in Jayanagar. Both were casually dressed and posed for the camera holding their ice cream cups.

Social media reactions
A user on X said, “Place was packed…. they came quietly and bought their ice cream . Rich but live a common life . This the greatness that Mr Narayana Murthy carries along.”

Another user said in a post, “Britain’s First Lady Akshata Murty with her Father Shri Narayana Murthy at Corner House in Jayanagar Bangaluru…🙂Beauty in simplicity is the idea that beauty can be found in things that are simple, unadorned, and uncomplicated”

Last week, Akshata, accompanied by her parents, Narayana Murthy and Sudha Murthy, attended the launch event of author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s latest book titled “An Uncommon Love: The Early Life of Sudha and Narayana Murthy.”

The event took place at St Joseph’s College of Commerce in Bengaluru and featured the Infosys founder sharing nostalgic anecdotes about his first encounter with Sudha during the early 1970s. Sudha, an avid reader, was captivated by the extensive book collection of Murthy’s roommate, which served as the catalyst for their initial connection.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/narayana-murthy-icecream-daughter-akshata-bengaluru-viral-photo-101707785253644.html

The High Court also noted that the Supreme Court had earlier rejected the same PIL by the same petitioner and the top court had not granted liberty to the petitioner to approach High Court.

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition against mobile application Truecaller which provides a mobile phone user with the identity of a caller from an unknown number [Ajay Shukla v Union of India & Ors].

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora remarked that the services like names and emails of the phone numbers being provided are a facility and even earlier, telephone directories with names and phone number of people used to be published.

“Previously phone directories used to be published. This is a facility,” the Court remarked.

The Court was dealing with a plea filed by one Ajay Shukla alleging violation of privacy by Truecaller as it provides information related to third parties without their consent.

The counsel appearing for the petitioner told the Court that Truecaller is reading the phonebook of a user and then disclosing the addresses as well as emails and other details of people who have not even consented to the terms and conditions of Truecaller.

It was submitted that the facility provided by the application is also causing reputational damage since contact numbers can also be marked as ‘spam’.

However, Central Government Standing Counsel (CGSC) Shashank Garg appeared for the Union government and told the Court that the PIL is a ‘publicity interest litigation’ and the petitioner had earlier approached the Supreme Court with the same plea but it was dismissed.

The High Court examined the order and noted that the apex court has dismissed the plea without granting the petitioner the liberty to approach the High Court.

“This petition amounts to re-litigation. This will amount to abuse of process. Nothing about the Supreme Court proceedings has been disclosed in this writ petition. That is the beauty of it,” the Court remarked.

Therefore, it proceeded to dismiss the PIL.

Source: https://www.barandbench.com/news/earlier-phone-directories-published-delhi-high-court-rejects-pil-truecaller

We take an extremely unscientific look at the couple’s ineffable cultural dominance over the last five months

The NFL couldn’t have scripted it any better if they’d tried — not that we’re suggesting they did. But after several tumultuous years marked by press cycles centered around racism, police brutality, protests, sexual assault, domestic violence, shaky ratings, culture war shenanigans, and the little fact that the very game itself is destroying the brains of all those who play it, the National Football League enjoyed a 2023-2024 season where the main storyline seemed to be its mere proximity to Taylor Swift, vis-a-vis her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce.

Even before the couple went public last fall, Swift was in the midst of an all-consuming media glut not seen since the days of 1989, Kim and Kanye, and Reputation. Add the superstar tight end from the reigning Super Bowl champs to a cultural stew that already included Midnights, “Anti-Hero,” the Eras Tour, the end of a six-year relationship, and a summer of amateur pap shots at Casa Cipriani with an alt-rocker infamous for not knowing when to shut up, and you get the kind of cosmic gumbo that could bring tears of joy to the most hardened army of haggard public relations experts and marketing professionals.

Swift was present at most of the Chiefs’ games this season and their playoff run, a regularly recurring gift for the NFL and its camera crews that may have led to some consternation and complaints — but, hey, all press is good press (though actually, as the NFL knows full well, that’s not always true). That it all culminated with the Chiefs’ second straight Super Bowl victory, a chugged beer on a Jumbotron, and an on-field kiss between Kelce and Swift — truly, you cannot make this stuff up.

So, to mark the end of Season One of TS X TK X NFL, we’ve done our best to collect and crunch the numbers in an effort to capture this collision of some of America’s mightiest cultural institutions. This isn’t necessarily an attempt to quantify the “Taylor Swift effect” on the NFL because hard answers are honestly kind of boring. The real “answer,” such as it is, lies within the question itself, in the ineffable nature of celebrity (or something like that). So toss on MGMT’s “Electric Feel,” and let’s take a look back at the last five months of insanity, in which we, as a culture, devoured anything and everything Swift-Kelce-NFL related like a “squirle” smashing a “peice of bread.”

NFL TV ratings increase thanks to Taylor Swift: Actually, it turns out this one’s kind of hard to measure. After Swift first started showing up at games in late September, there were reports of overall rating boosts, especially among women in the 12-17 and 18-49 demographics. NBC said it raked in 27 million viewers — including an additional 2 million female viewers — when the Chiefs played the New York Jets on Oct. 1, 2023, with Swift in attendance, making it the second most popular Sunday NFL broadcast since the previous Super Bowl.

Recently, though, the data nerds (not pejorative) at The New York Times did their due diligence to determine if Swift had made NFL games, or even just Chiefs games, more popular. The results were mixed, with the writers ultimately ruling: “Certainly some Swift fans have tuned in, but it’s not obvious they’ve made a dent in the already huge popularity of the NFL.”

Travis Kelce jersey sales: After Swift attended her first Chiefs game on Sept. 24, the NFL’s official e-commerce partner, Fanatics, revealed that Kelce jerseys saw a 400% spike in sales. A few months later, Kelce and his brother, now-retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, noted on their podcast that they’d become number one and number two highest-selling NFL jerseys in the U.K. More up-to-date jersey data isn’t readily available, though a PR firm that has sent me a very large number of emails about search data (more on that later) claims Google searches for “Travis Kelce jersey” shot up 2,252% after last night’s Super Bowl win.

Source: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/how-taylor-swift-travis-kelce-conquered-nfl-1234966843/

The ED arrested Balaji last June 14 under the PMLA in a case dating back to 2014 when he was transport minister under the AIADMK government.

Eight months after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), V Senthil Balaji resigned as a minister (without a portfolio) from the Tamil Nadu cabinet on Monday. “His resignation will be forwarded to the Governor,” an official in the government said on condition of anonymity.

The development comes two days before the Madras High Court is set to hear Balaji’s bail plea on February 14. His bail has been rejected by a trial court in the city previously and it is currently being heard by justice Anand Venkatesh of the high court who recently criticised his continuing in the DMK cabinet.

The ED had arrested Balaji last June 14 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) in a case dating back to 2014 when he was transport minister under the AIADMK government. Since his arrest he has been hospitalised for chest pains and subsequently underwent a heart surgery at a private hospital. He was discharged on July 17 and has since been jailed in the Puzhal central prison. Chief minister M K Stalin reallocated his portfolios (electricity, excise and prohibition) citing his ill health and not his arrest.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/money-laundering-case-eight-months-after-arrest-senthil-balaji-quits-as-tamil-nadu-minister-101707765875957.html

Jitendra Vaidya, the President of the Indian People Forum and leader of the ‘Ahlan Modi’ initiative, expressed his excitement about the unique nature of the event.

Abu Dhabi: In a testament to the enthusiasm for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ‘Ahlan Modi’ event in Abu Dhabi has witnessed an unprecedented response, with over 65,000 registrations received.
Jitendra Vaidya, the President of the Indian People Forum and leader of the ‘Ahlan Modi’ initiative, expressed his excitement about the unique nature of the event.

“It is a very unique type of event because there is no single organisation conducting this event; it is an entire community arranging it. As you may know, when PM Modi’s name comes, people gather in large numbers. This is the love for PM Modi,” Jitendra Vaidya told ANI.

The event, organised by the Indian community in Abu Dhabi, has garnered significant attention, showcasing the widespread admiration and support for Prime Minister Modi. Jitendra Vaidya highlighted the community-driven nature of ‘Ahlan Modi,’ emphasising that it is not orchestrated by a single organisation but is a collective effort.

“The registration for the event crossed 65,000 and it was closed on Feb 2,” Jitendra Vaidya said, underlining the overwhelming response from the Indian community in Abu Dhabi.

The Indian expatriate community of approximately 3.5 million is the largest ethnic community in UAE constituting roughly about 35 per cent of the country’s population.

The key highlights of the event include an exhibition by over 700 cultural artists, bringing to life the vast diversity of Indian arts, and ensuring an inclusive cultural soiree.

Active participation from more than 150 Indian community groups in the event showcases India’s regional diversity and the integration of thousands of blue-collar workers from across the emirates, weaving a rich tapestry of diversity and unity into the fabric of the event.

In a remarkable display of solidarity and anticipation, the ‘Nari Shakti’ of the Indian community have shown overwhelming support and enthusiasm. They have registered in significant numbers and are actively promoting the event, embodying the spirit of women empowerment, communal harmony and participation, according to the organising committee.

Earlier, in an interview with ANI, Indian ambassador to the UAE, Sunjay Sudhir, said that people are keen to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision and his vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ in the ‘Ahlan Modi’ event set to be held on February 13.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/over-65-000-register-for-pms-ahlan-modi-event-in-abu-dhabi-5045620

The resurgence of the protest, dubbed “Delhi Chalo 2.0,” comes after a stalemate in talks between farmer leaders and the central government over the critical issue of MSP assurance.

Amidst escalating tensions and unresolved discussions on Minimum Support Price (MSP) assurance, farmers are set to resume their protests, marching towards Delhi once again. This time, the movement sees a surge in the number of active farmer organizations from 32 in 2020 to 50 now, highlighting the growing divisions within the farmer community. The initiative to march to Delhi is led by the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, comprising 250 farmers’ unions, and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which represents an additional 150 unions.

Initially united under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the farmer movement has now fragmented into distinct entities, including SKM (Punjab), SKM (Non-political), and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), TOI reported. Additionally, the formation of Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM) aimed at contesting Punjab assembly elections further complicated the landscape.

Source: https://www.timesnownews.com/india/delhi-chalo-2-0-farmers-march-to-national-capital-as-talks-stall-who-is-leading-the-protest-what-do-they-want-article-107642543 

A crucial floor test will be held in the Bihar assembly on Monday, days after chief minister Nitish Kumar formed a new government with the NDA alliance.

A heavy security cordon surrounded the residence of the former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav’s residence in Patna on Sunday night – where Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLAs are staying – a day before the crucial floor test of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state. The police deployment comes hours after the family members of one of the RJD MLAs, Chetan Yadav, claimed that he had been “kidnapped” by the Lalu Prasad Yadav’s party.

In a video posted by news agency ANI, several police personnel can be seen walking towards Tejashwi Yadav’s residence and condoning the area.

Reacting to the development, the RJD in an official statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) hit out at Nitish Kumar, saying the Bihar chief minister sent the police force as he “fears the fall of the government”. Alleging that the security force wants to enter Tejashwi Yadav’s residence and do “untoward incidents” with the MLAs, the party said, “People of Bihar are watching the misdeeds of Nitish Kumar and the police.”

“Remember, we are not among those who fear and bow down. This is a struggle of ideology and we will fight it and win because the justice-loving people of Bihar will oppose this police repression. Jai Bihar! Jai Hind,” the RJD wrote.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/bihar-trust-vote-today-heavy-police-force-outside-tejashwi-yadavs-residence-rjd-attacks-nitish-kumar-101707697387056.html

Qatar has released eight former Indian Navy personnel who were jailed in the Middle East country over spying charges.

In a major diplomatic win for India, Qatar has released eight ex-Indian Navy personnel who were jailed over spying charges, the government has said. Seven of them have already returned to India after serving a sentence of 18 months.

“The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The ex-Navy personnel were on death row and the sentence was reduced after PM Modi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the margins of the COP28 meeting in Dubai.

They were sentenced to death on October 26, 2023 after their arrest in August 2022. The former Navy officials were working with a private firm there named Al Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, headquartered in Doha.

The released his being hailed as a major dilomatic triumph for India as the decision was taken after constant government intervention and after PM Modi raised the issue and urged Doha to halt the death penalty.

The charges against the ex-Navy men filed in March last year where not made public by the the Qatari authorities or New Delhi. They were being tried under the Qatari law.

Source: https://news.abplive.com/news/india/qatar-releases-8-navy-veterans-jailed-over-spying-charges-7-back-in-india-in-major-diplomatic-win-1663750

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory related to restrictions on movement of vehicles at the borders of the national capital ahead of the farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on February 13.

Check the advisory here.

In view of the farmers’ ‘Chalo Delhi’ march scheduled for February 13, the Delhi Police on Sunday issued a traffic advisory, alerting commuters about restrictions on the movement of vehicles at three borders of the national capital.

Several farmer associations, mostly from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, have called for the march on February 13 to demand a law guaranteeing MSP for their produce, one of the conditions they had set when they agreed to withdraw their agitation in 2021.

Traffic restrictions and diversions will be imposed for commercial vehicles from Monday and for all types of vehicles from Tuesday, as per the advisory.

Interstate buses that typically travel via NH-44 towards northern cities like Sonipat, Panipat, and Karnal will be re-routed through alternative paths involving ISBT, Majnu Ka Tilla, Signature Bridge, Khajuri Chowk, Loni Border, and the KMP Expressway via Khekra.

Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) destined for the same northern cities via NH-44 are advised to take exit no. 2 on NH-44 to reach the Auchandi Border and proceed to the KMP Expressway via Saidpur Chowki. Those heading towards Bahadurgarh and Rohtak are directed to use the Outer Ring Road from Mukarba Chowk to Madhuban Chowk, then proceed to Jaunti Border/Nizampur Border, entering Haryana village Bamnoli, and continue via Nahra-Nahari road to Bahadurgarh road.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/delhi-traffic-police-advisory-farmers-protest-march-borders-vehicle-movement-restrictions-2500510-2024-02-12

Police said normalcy is slowing returning to Haldwani where violence occurred over the demolition of an “illegally built” madrasa and mosque and schools in other areas will remain open on Monday.

Police arrested 25 people on Sunday in connection with the violence that erupted in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani over the demolition of an “illegally built” madrasa and an adjoining mosque in Banbhoolpura. This takes the total arrests in the case to 30 with five already held by the police.

Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government has sought more central forces for deployment in Haldwani, officials told PTI news agency. Four companies — containing about 100 personnel each — of the Central Paramilitary Forces have been sought to be deployed in Banbhoolpura.

Here are the top developments:

• SSP Nainital Prahlad Narayan Meena said 3 FIRs have been registered over the entire matter and 25 people were arrested on Sunday.

“From these 25 people, we have recovered 7 country-made pistols and 54 live rounds. When they attacked the Banbhoolpura Police Station, they looted government ammunition of different calibres as well, out of which 99 have been recovered,” he added.

Along with today’s, police have arrested 30 people in connection with the violence in Haldwani.

The senior cop also said they are on the lookout for the main culprit and normalcy is being restored in the area where the violence broke out.

• The Uttarakhand government has sought more central forces for deployment in Haldwani, officials told PTI news agency. They said Chief Secretary Radha Raturi sent a requisition to the Home Ministry seeking four companies — containing about 100 personnel each — of the Central Paramilitary Forces for deployment in Banbhoolpura.

Nearly 1,100 security personnel are already deployed in the town.

Six rioters were killed while 60 people were injured in Thursday’s violence, officials said.

• From Monday, the curfew will be lifted from everywhere except the areas under the Banbhoolpura Police Station. Schools and Anganwadi centers in all remaining areas will remain open from Monday.

On Sunday, shops in Banbhoolpura were still shut and the roads deserted. Internet services also continue to be suspended in the area to prevent rumour-mongering through social media platforms.

A magisterial probe has been ordered into the violence on Thursday with instructions to conclude it within a fortnight, reported PTI.

The order issued by Chief Secretary Radha Raturi said the magisterial probe will be conducted by Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat, who will submit his report to the government in 15 days.

• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami said action is being taken to arrest the miscreants and control the unruly elements involved in the violence.

He also added that the government will keep taking action against illegal encroachments across the state.
Chief Minister Dhami also met a delegation of the Uttarakhand Congress led by Leader of Opposition in state assembly Yashpal Arya. The Congress leaders demanded the state government take immediate action to maintain law and order in the riot-hit area.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/30-arrested-over-violence-in-haldwani-state-government-seeks-more-central-forces-2500476-2024-02-11

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has a comfortable majority ahead of the crucial floor test in the state assembly today. The NDA alliance needs a majority of 122 to win, and sources informed that Nitish Kumar has the backing of as many as 127 MLAs.

Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) and the BJP alliance in Bihar will face a trust vote in the state assembly today. The combination requires a majority of 122 to emerge as winners, and according to sources, Nitish Kumar has the support of 127 MLAs in the 243-member assembly.

The proceedings in the state assembly, which will feature the presentation of the Bihar Budget as well, have commenced. The result of the floor test is likely to be on the NDA’s side with its 128-member strength.

Ahead of the floor test, an important meeting was called on Sunday at the house of JD(U) leader and Bihar Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary. At the meeting, JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he is confident of winning the trust vote. He also advised all his party MLAs to be present in the House during the floor test and keep from indulging in any incidents that could disrupt the proceedings in the assembly.

The JD(U) has 45 MLAs, excluding Nitish Kumar who is a member of the legislative council. The BJP, ally of the JD(U) in the NDA has 78 MLAs. Besides, the NDA alliance has four Hindustani Awam Morcha MLAs by ex-Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. Additionally, there is Independent MLA Sumit Kumar Singh, who is also a minister and had turned up at the JD(U) legislative party meeting ahead of the floor test.

Officials said the source of the victim’s exposure to the virus was “unclear” – although he had reported caring for a stray cat at his home which had scratched him, possibly causing the transmission.

An elderly man from Alaska has become the first person to die after contracting Alaskapox – a recently discovered viral disease.

The man from Kenai Peninsula, to the south of the state, was undergoing treatment in hospital when he died in late January, officials confirmed.

He had a history of a drug-induced weakened immune system which likely contributed to the severity of his illness, the Alaskan health department reported.

The victim was one of only seven reported Alaskapox infections, with the first identified in 2015 in an adult who suffered from a localised rash and swollen lymph nodes.

All previous patients, also from the Fairbanks region, who had been diagnosed with the virus did not require treatment and suffered mild infections.

Alaskapox, or AKPV, is a double-stranded DNA virus with officials saying it appears to be zoonotic, primarily circulating across Alaska’s state mammals with occasional transmission to humans.

Symptoms have included one or more skin lesions, swollen lymph nodes and muscle pain.

Officials said the source of the man’s exposure to the virus was “unclear” – although he had reported caring for a stray cat at his home which had scratched him, possibly causing the transmission.

The man spotted a red bump in his armpit in September and was given antibiotics, however his symptoms worsened as he experienced fatigue and increased pain in the area and shoulder.

After his right arm’s range of motion was impacted, the man was transferred to a hospital in Anchorage where he reported further symptoms including pox-like lesions, the case report said.

An “extensive battery” of tests were performed and showed a positive result for cowpox.

While his condition improved one week into the therapy, he would soon suffer from delayed wound healing, respiratory and kidney failure, resulting in his death.

The man began to improve about a week after treatment with intravenous medications but died in late January after experiencing kidney failure and other systemic declines, according to the bulletin.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/alaska-first-person-dies-from-alaskapox-virus-officials-confirm-13069537

The Congress chief asked the Rajya Sabha chairman not to indulge in politics, drawing a sharp retort.

The buzz around the Jayant Chaudhary-led RLD joining hands with the NDA and the consternation this has caused in the troubled INDIA alliance spilled over into Parliament on Saturday, sparking a sharp exchange between Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.

When Mr Dhankhar appeared to accuse the Congress of “insulting” a Bharat Ratna recipient, Mr Kharge lost his cool and asked the Vice President to not indulge in politics. The Vice-President then retorted, “Because I come from the farmer community, does not mean I am a weak Chairman. I have tolerated a lot.”

The exchange began after Jayant Chaudhary, whose party is a member of the INDIA alliance, rose in the Rajya Sabha and started thanking the BJP-led NDA government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing that the Bharat Ratna would be conferred posthumously on his grandfather Chaudhary Charan Singh. Congress leaders objected to the speech and Mr Dhankhar then asked Mr Kharge to either “control your people or rise and address the House”.

Prefacing his remarks with the assertion that he and the Congress were happy that former Prime Ministers Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, and the father of the Green Revolution, Dr MS Swaminathan, were being awarded the Bharat Ratna – and that he “saluted” all three personalities – Mr Kharge wondered how Mr Chaudhary was allowed to speak on the issue.

‘Use Discretion Judiciously’

“Whenever we want to discuss something, you always ask us what rule we should be allowed to do so under. I want to pose the same question to you: under which rule was he (Mr Chaudhary) permitted to speak? If this is the way it is, you should always give us permission as well. On the one hand, you talk about rules, and on the other, you allow whoever you want (to speak),” Mr Kharge said in Hindi.

The Congress chief, who is also the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, added, “You have discretion, but you should use that discretion very judiciously, not as and when you want.”

The Rajya Sabha Chairman then interrupted Mr Kharge and said, “The way your people… When the discussion was going on over giving Chaudhary Charan Singh the Bharat Ratna… I don’t want to use words.”

Incensed, Mr Kharge thundered, “Don’t make politics (sic). I said we salute all the people who have worked for this country. Irrespective of political parties. Irrespective of caste and creed. We salute them. But the way the discussion is going on, neither are you following the rules nor have you brought that agenda for discussion. We all could have participated.”

“But that was not done. That is not fair. That is not good. If you want to follow, you should follow the rule,” he said.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/jagdeep-dhankhar-and-m-kharges-big-face-off-in-parliament-over-rules-5032986

The last Parliament session of the 17th Lok Sabha before the general polls concluded on Saturday, February 10. Here’s a look at all that happened in the Budget Session 2024 and key takeaways from 17th Lok Sabha’s tenure.

Parliament’s Budget Session 2024 — the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha before the general polls — concluded on Saturday, February 10. The budget session, which began on January 31, was to conclude on February 9. However, it was extended by a day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke in the Lok Sabha, saying that the past five years of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government were about “reform, perform and transform” in the country.

From abolishing triple talaq to abrogating Article 370 to introducing 33 percent women’s reservation to building Ayodhya Ram temple — while emphasising some of his government’s achievements, PM Modi said the 17th Lok Sabha saw a productivity of 97 percent.

Besides this Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar delivered their valedictory remarks. Birla said that the House had passed several significant legislations including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bill, triple talaq bill and women’s reservation bill. Meanwhile, Dhankhar highlighted that the country is making phenomenal progress in all walks of life.

Source : https://www.livemint.com/news/india/a-look-at-last-session-of-17th-lok-sabha-from-key-moments-to-bills-passed-11707584743776.html

It will give constitutional powers to future generations to take pride in its heritage: Modi

THE PARLIAMENT – both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha – Saturday adopted a resolution on the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya which praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for playing an “unparalleled role” in uniting the entire nation on the “auspicious occasion”.

The resolution read out in the last sitting of the 17th Lok Sabha by Speaker Om Birla said, “January 22, 2024, has filled every corner of the country with amazing joy and enthusiasm… It has become a national festival, about which our generations will continue to be enthralled for ages… Our Honourable Prime Minister has played an unparalleled role in uniting the entire nation on this auspicious occasion associated with Lord Ram.” The same resolution was read out in Rajya Sabha by its presiding officer Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Addressing the Lok Sabha later in the day, Prime Minister Modi said, “It will give constitutional powers to the future generations of the country to take pride in its heritage.” He said the resolution comprises samvedna(sensitivity), sankalp (resolve) and sahanubhuti (sympathy) along with the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’.

Referring to upcoming elections, the Prime Minister said, “Chunav bahut door nahin hain. Kuchh logon ko ghabrahat hoti hogi. (Elections are not far away. Some people might be nervous).” He said elections are a natural and essential dimension of democracy. “I am confident that the elections will be in accordance with the glory of our democracy,” he said.

“The next 25 years are very important for our country. Political activities have their place but the aspirations, expectations, dreams and resolve of the country is that these 25 years are something in which the country will achieve the desired results,” Modi said.

Nothing that the 17th Lok Sabha recorded a productivity of 97 per cent, Modi said, “I am confident that as we conclude the 17th Lok Sabha, we will transition into the 18th Lok Sabha with a resolution to achieve more than 100 per cent productivity.”

Discussing the key business agenda transacted by the current Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister mentioned abrogation of Article 370 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita. “This same House removed Article 370… For 75 years after independence, our justice system was dictated by the rules made by the Britishers. But now, our future generations will proudly say that they live in a society that follows Nyaya Sahinta and not ‘Dand-Sanhita’,” he said.

Referring to the Covid period, Modi said that in these five years, mankind faced the biggest crisis of this century. “Remembering the challenging times of Covid, I want to express my gratitude to the members of Parliament who decided to relinquish their privileges in times of need without a second thought,” Modi said.

Discussing the construction of the New Parliament building, Modi said, “Everyone used to discuss that there should be a new building of the Parliament. But no decision used to be taken. It was your (Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla) leadership that decided this, held meetings with the government and as a result, the country received this new Parliament building.”

Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/modi-unparalleled-role-in-uniting-nation-house-resolution-9155081

Siddiqui was welcomed by deputy chief minister Pawar and top NCP leaders.

Former Congress leader Baba Siddiqui on Saturday joined the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party here.

Siddiqui was welcomed by deputy chief minister Pawar and top NCP leaders, including working president Praful Patel and state president Sunil Tarkare.

Siddiqui had quit the Congress earlier this week.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/baba-siddique-joins-ajit-pawars-ncp-days-after-quitting-congress-2889483

The suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS was also ordered by the state government in seven districts – Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa

Ahead of the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march proposed by farmers on February 13 in order to accept their various demands, elaborate arrangements are being made to seal the Punjab-Haryana borders in Ambala, Jind and Fatehabad districts.

The Haryana Police on Saturday issued a traffic advisory urging commuters to limit travel on the main roads of the state to urgent situations on February 13, anticipating potential traffic disruptions on major routes from Haryana to Punjab.

The suspension of mobile internet services and bulk SMS was also ordered by the state government in seven districts – Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa. Meanwhile, Haryana Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur along with Inspector General of Police (Ambala Range) Siwas Kaviraj and Ambala Superintendent of Police Jashandeep Singh Saturday visited the Shambhu border near Ambala to take stock of the arrangements in the wake of farmers’ proposed march next week.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha had announced ’Delhi Chalo’ march by more than 200 farmers’ unions on February 13 to press the Centre to accept several demands, including enactment of a law to guarantee a minimum support price (MSP) for crops. In the traffic advisory, police asked commuters going from Chandigarh to Delhi to take alternative routes via Derabassi, Barwala/Ramgarh, Saha, Shahbad, Kurukshetra, or through Panchkula, NH-344 Yamunanagar Indri/Pipli, Karnal.

Similarly, passengers travelling from Delhi to Chandigarh have been asked to reach their destination via Karnal, Indri/Pipli, Yamunanagar, Panchkula, or Kurukshetra, Shahbad, Saha, Barwala, Ramgarh, according to police. The road on the Ghaggar flyover at the Shambhu border was shut for traffic movement with police placing cemented barricades on the road.

The Ghaggar river bed was also dug up to prevent farmers from reaching the highway through tractors, said officials. Commuters travelling towards Ambala through Shambhu border faced inconvenience because of massive traffic snarls, the advisory said.

The general public is appealed to travel to Punjab only in urgent circumstances, it said. According to the advisory, guidelines have been issued to all senior police officers to minimise inconvenience to the general public and ensure the smooth functioning of law and order.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/farmers-delhi-march-elaborate-arrangements-at-punjab-haryana-borders-traffic-advisory-issued-8774451.html

Earlier in the day, it was reported that Mithun Chakraborty was rushed to the hospital.

Mithun Chakraborty has been hospitalised. The actor-turned-politician was rushed to the Apollo Hospital’s emergency unit in Kolkata on Saturday, February 10. Reportedly, the actor was not feeling well following which he was taken to the hospital. Now in the latest update, the hospital where the legendary star is admitted has issued a medical bulletin, updating everyone on his condition.

The statement that was issued by Apollo Hospital on Saturday read, “Shri Mithun Chakraborty (73), National Award-winning actor, was brought to the Emergency Department of Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, Kolkata, around 9.40 am with complaints of weakness in the right upper and lower limbs. Necessary laboratory and radiology investigations were carried out including an MRI of the brain. He has been diagnosed with an Ischemic Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke) of the brain. Presently, he is fully conscious, well-oriented and has consumed soft diet. Shri Chakraborty is being further evaluated by a team of doctors including a neuro-physician, cardiologist and a gastroenterologist.”

Only a few hours back, Mithun’s family shared an update on his health. Mithun’s elder son Mimoh told indianexpress.com, “He is 100% fine and it’s a routine check-up.”

Mithun Chakraborty has had an illustrious journey in the film industry since 1976 and has been the recipient of several prestigious honours including the National Award among others. He is known for films like Disco Dancer, Jung, Prem Pratigyaa, Pyar Jhukta Nahin and Mard among others.

Recently, Mithun was also named as one of the recipients of the Padma Bhushan Awardees 2024. The actor also reacted to his win via his son Namashi’s social media. “Bohot khushi, bohot anand, sab kuch mila ke ek aisi feeling hai jo main bayaan nahi kar sakta. Bohot takleefo ke baad jab itna bada sammaan milta hai toh uski feeling hi kuch aur hoti hai,” Mithun said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/movies/mithun-chakraborty-diagnosed-with-ischemic-cerebrovascular-stroke-hospital-confirms-actor-is-fully-conscious-8774231.html

Speaking to News18, locals in Sandeshkhali region in West Bengal said two close aides of TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan exploited them and their land, while the police did not pay heed to their complaints. Some said they had no option but to resort to protests

Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, in the news for protests demanding the arrest of TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan, is essentially an island, one of the many in the Sunderbans region. To reach it, one has to cross a river.

And Sheikh Shajahan is known as the ‘betaj badshah’ (or brazen king) of Sandeshkhali. Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers who went to the area on January 5 to search his premises in connection an alleged ration distribution scam in the state were attacked and their belongings were snatched.

A section of the locals has been demanding the arrest of Shajahan and his aides, while another set fire to his associate Shiboprasad Hazra’s poultry farm and went on to vandalise the farmhouse of Uttam Sardar, another aide. The protests escalated with local women, armed with lathis, camping around the police station. Several locals allege Hazra and Sardar “tortured” them, snatched their land, made them work without pay.

To understand the situation on the ground, News18 travelled to Sandeshkhali. Before reaching the main island, one has to cross an area called Sorberia, where an entire market is named after Shajahan. News18 then reached Dhamakhali from where a ferry service can be taken to reach Sandeshkhali. That the area was not at peace was evident very soon as huge police presence could be seen at the ghat.

News18 then reached the village where Hazra’s poultry farm was set on fire. Here, Shiboprasad Hazra’s name is written on the walls next to the TMC election symbol, remnants of the recent Panchayat elections. His poultry farm was spread over a vast area. Nothing remains of it now, but police personnel have been posted here to prevent any more violence.

Source : https://www.news18.com/india/they-tortured-us-treated-us-like-slaves-anger-grows-against-tmcs-sheikh-shajahan-in-sandeshkhali-ground-report-8774244.html

Journalist Nikhil Wagle’s car was reportedly attacked on Friday by BJP workers in Pune while he was en route to attend an event, according to officials. The workers were allegedly protesting his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and LK Advani following Advani’s receipt of the Bharat Ratna award.

An official from Deccan police station stated that BJP workers hurled ink at the car carrying Wagle, along with two others, Aseem Sarode and Vishwambhar Choudhary, who were traveling under police protection to the ‘Nirbhay Bano’ event organised by Rashtra Seva Dal in the Singhad Road area.

Television footage showed BJP workers surrounding the car at Khandoji Baba Chowk, vandalizing it, and causing damage to the windscreen and side panes.

Despite the incident, Wagle managed to reach the event venue under police protection, the official added. Speaking at the ‘Nirbhay Bano’ event, Wagle stated, “I forgive all those who attacked me. This was the seventh attack on me; I have been attacked six times earlier.”

He later took to microblogging site X (formerly Twitter) to share details of the attack. He said the attackers chased and used eggs, rods, hockey sticks and ink.

Journalist Nikhil Wagle’s car was reportedly attacked on Friday by BJP workers in Pune while he was en route to attend an event, according to officials. The workers were allegedly protesting his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and LK Advani following Advani’s receipt of the Bharat Ratna award.

An official from Deccan police station stated that BJP workers hurled ink at the car carrying Wagle, along with two others, Aseem Sarode and Vishwambhar Choudhary, who were traveling under police protection to the ‘Nirbhay Bano’ event organised by Rashtra Seva Dal in the Singhad Road area.

Television footage showed BJP workers surrounding the car at Khandoji Baba Chowk, vandalizing it, and causing damage to the windscreen and side panes.

Despite the incident, Wagle managed to reach the event venue under police protection, the official added. Speaking at the ‘Nirbhay Bano’ event, Wagle stated, “I forgive all those who attacked me. This was the seventh attack on me; I have been attacked six times earlier.”

He later took to microblogging site X (formerly Twitter) to share details of the attack. He said the attackers chased and used eggs, rods, hockey sticks and ink.

“Yesterday’s attack was the worst. Stones, sticks, hockey sticks, rods, eggs and ink were all used. We were chased four times in just half-an-hour and surrounded. The attack took place with the connivance of the police. It is my belief that we all survived yesterday only with the blessings of Phule-Ambedkar,” he shared.

Earlier in the day, there was a standoff between workers from the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi outside the Rashtra Seva Dal premises, with protesters attempting to prevent Wagle from speaking at the event.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/journalist-nikhil-wagles-car-attacked-in-pune-over-critical-remarks-against-pm-modi-advani-8773427.html

Underlining the hill state’s revered status as ‘Dev Bhoomi’ (Land of the Gods), CM Pushkar Dhami expressed dismay over the unprecedented nature of the violence in Haldwani.

New Delhi: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami strongly condemned the recent outbreak of violence in Haldwani and stressed that the anti-encroachment drive was conducted in accordance with the directives of the administration, news agency ANI reported.

“Yesterday, during the enforcement of the anti-encroachment measures to demolish illegal structures, a condemnable incident of violence was reported. Our police personnel, including female officers, were subjected to unwarranted attacks and pelting of stones. Such actions are utterly deplorable,” ANI quoted CM Dhami as saying.

Underlining the hill state’s revered status as ‘Dev Bhoomi’ (Land of the Gods), CM Dhami expressed dismay over the unprecedented nature of the violence, asserting that such incidents never happened in the region.

“Certain elements have attempted to disrupt the tranquility of ‘Dev Bhoomi’ and have taken the law into their own hands. Journalists were targeted, their equipment vandalized, and public property was set ablaze,” ANI quoted CM Dhami as saying.

Assuring swift action, the chief minister also affirmed that authorities would thoroughly scrutinise the video evidence to identify and apprehend those responsible for the violence. He reiterated his commitment to upholding the rule of law, asserting, “The perpetrators will face consequences as per the law. Justice will prevail.”

CM Dhami also noted the importance of allowing legal processes to take their course, reaffirming the government’s determination to maintain peace and order in Uttarakhand.

He further stated that the demolition drive, in line with the court’s directives, has been underway in the state and prior notifications were also issued to the parties affected as a standard protocol.

NSA To Be Invoked Against Those Who Attacked Police: DGP
Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) Abhinav Kumar, asserted that stringent measures under the National Security Act (NSA) would be enforced against those responsible for assaulting police officers and perpetrating acts of arson and vandalism in Haldwani.

Accompanied by the Additional Director General of Law and Order, AP Anshuman, the DGP conducted an on-site evaluation of the situation in the violence-hit town along with other senior officials.

Source: https://news.abplive.com/states/up-uk/uttarakhand-cm-pushkar-singh-dhami-condemns-haldwani-violence-vows-strict-action-dev-bhoomi-dgp-nsa-1663202

The crime branch of Mumbai police recorded the statements of Noronha’s family members, including his wife, and learnt that he nursed a grudge against Abhishek Ghosalkar, son of former MLA Vinod Ghosalkar and a loyalist of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT).

Mumbai Crime Branch on Friday arrested social activist Mauris Noronha’s bodyguard Amarendra Mishra after it initiated a probe following the murder of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar during a Facebook Live session a day earlier, reported news agency PTI.

According to police, Noronha suspected that Ghosalkar had implicated him in a rape case. Police said that Noronha (48) used his bodyguard Amarendra Mishra’s licensed pistol to shoot Ghosalkar on Thursday evening and later killing himself.

Mishra was arrested on Friday under section 29 (B) of the Arms Act – which deals with the offense of handing over a weapon to someone without ascertaining if the person is legally permitted to possess it.

The crime branch of Mumbai police recorded the statements of Noronha’s family members, including his wife, and learned that he nursed a grudge against Abhishek Ghosalkar, son of former MLA Vinod Ghosalkar and a loyalist of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT).

Noronha, who faced criminal cases, was earlier arrested in a rape case and spent nearly five months behind bars. He suspected that the Sena leader implicated him in the rape case, and after coming out of jail he would frequently say that he would not ‘spare’ Ghosalkar, the official said, adding that he first decided to win Ghosalkar’s trust by offering an olive branch to him.

Here’s what we know so far:
1) Social activist Mauris Noronha allegedly shot Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar during a Facebook Live session on Thursday.

2) He was arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch on Friday.

3) Mauris Noronha suspected that Ghosalkar had implicated him in a rape case, police said.

4) Noronha (48) used his bodyguard Amarendra Mishra’s licensed pistol to shoot Ghosalkar on Thursday evening and later killed himself.

5) After questioning Mishra’s wife, police came to know that Naroha nursed a grudge against Abhishek, the son of former MLA Vinod Ghosalkar, a loyalist of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

6) He was arrested in a rape case and spent nearly five months behind bars and suspected that the Sena leader implicated him in the rape case, and after coming out of jail he would frequently say that he would not ‘spare’ Ghosalkar.

Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/abhishek-ghosalkar-murder-mauris-noronha-suspected-uddhav-sena-leader-framed-him-in-rape-case-say-cops-11707498953893.html

The MPs engaged with PM Narendra Modi, who shared personal anecdotes and offered suggestions.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoyed a casual lunch with a group of Parliamentarians from different parties at the newly inaugurated Parliament House on Friday. The gathering, orchestrated by a call from the Prime Minister’s Office to eight MPs, initially sparked a curiosity among the attendees as to the purpose of the meeting.

Upon arrival at the Prime Minister’s Office, the Parliament Members were in for a surprise after being greeted with a remark from PM Modi himself, who said, “Chaliye, aapko ek punishment dena hai (Let me give you a punishment today.)” To their surprise, instead of a stern reprimand, the Prime Minister invited them to join him for lunch at the Parliament canteen.

The guests who shared this impromptu meal with PM Modi included L Murugan, Ritesh Pandey, Heena Gavit, Koniyak, N Premachandran, Sasmit Patra, Ram Mohan Naidu, and Jamyang Tsering Namgyal.

Despite the initial air of mystery surrounding the gathering, the discussions over lunch were characterised by a congenial atmosphere. The MPs engaged with PM Modi, who took the opportunity to share personal anecdotes and offer suggestions.

According to reports, the discourse avoided political matters entirely, focusing instead on personal experiences and insights.

Source: https://news.abplive.com/news/india/parliament-mps-were-in-for-surprise-over-casual-lunch-with-pm-narendra-modi-at-canteen-1663181

Abhishek Ghosalkar, the son of a Shiv Sena UBT leader, was shot by a man with while doing a Facebook live with him. The attacker then turned the gun on himself. The shooting was caught on camera during the Facebook live. Mr Ghosalkar and his attacker are both dead. The shooting took place within the limits of MHB Colony police station in Dahisar area, said an official.
Mr Ghosalkar was the son of Vinod Ghosalkar, a former councillor of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena.

The attack apparently took place at the office of Mauris Noronha, popularly known as Mauris Bhai, where Mr Ghosalkar had gone.

The two had patched up recently after some disagreement and Mr Ghosalkar was invited to his office for an event which was being webcast. The motive of the shooting is not clear yet.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/on-facebook-live-team-thackeray-leaders-son-shot-dead-in-mumbai-5020478