LIVE! Bihar polls: Owaisi forms new anti-BJP front

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Sat, 19 September 2020

Bihar polls: Owaisi forms new anti-BJP front

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22:49 Bihar polls: Owaisi forms new anti-BJP front

Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi headed All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen on Saturday tied up with the party of former Union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav for fighting upcoming Bihar Assembly elections and attacked Rashtriya Janata Dal for dubbing him 'spolier' of secular votes.

Addressing a press conference with Yadav in Patna, Owaisi said they have laid foundation of UDSA (United Democratic Secular Alliance) which would assess as on how many seats they should field candidates in the poll fray in the state.

Yadav is heading Samajwadi Janata Dal (D).

Coming down heavily on the RJD for dubbing him 'vote katwa' (spoiler of votes) of the secular forces, Owaisi asked what happened to these so called 'thekedars' (feudal lords) of the anti-BJP votes in the 2019 general elections in Bihar.

In reply to a question that the parties of the opposition grand alliance coalition are blaming him for trying to help the BJP by planning to field candidates in the October-November polls, Owaisi said 'they are playing old cassette'.

AIMIM contested only Kisanganj seat in the 2019 general election in Bihar and our candidate secured 3 lakh votes while that of the Janata Dal-United bagged 3.25 lakh votes and the winning Congress nominee garnered 3.50 lakh.

"Can we be dismissed as an insignificant player after this and winning a seat in the assembly bypoll?" he asked.

"What happened in 2019 Parliamentary election in Bihar...did the RJD claiming itself to be champions of the minorities and secular voters win any seat?" he said.

The National Democratic Alliance had won 39 out of total 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in last general election while Congress managed to win one seat of Kisanganj.

Asked that the Bihar AIMIM president recently met RJD leaders reportedly for an electoral tie-up but the Lalu Prasad headed party did not give it any weight, Owaisi said 'the meetings were not as you are guessing.'

After gaining a toehold in the Bihar politics by winning an assembly seat in the Muslim dominated Kisanganj constituency early this year, the AIMIM is trying to increase its footprint in the state by planning to contest some seats in Seemanchal areas having sizeable minorities population. -- PTI

21:23 Sharad Pawar meets Uddhav Thackeray

Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on Saturday met Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai.

The meeting between two ruling allies lasted for 30 minutes, sources said.

Apart from the coronavirus situation, a major issue before the ruling coalition is how to respond to the Supreme Court's stay to the implementation of the Maratha reservation.

According to sources, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government has three options -- issuing an ordinance, filing a review application before the SC bench which passed the stay order, or approach a larger Constitution bench seeking to vacate the interim stay.

When contacted, Pawar did not divulge what was discussed at the meeting.

On farm sector bills passed by the Lok Sabha, Pawar told PTI that his party staged a walk out, because agriculture is a state subject but the Centre brought in these crucial bills without the states' consent. -- PTI

21:07 Union minister S Jaishankar bereaved

Sulochana Subrahmanyam, mother of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, passed away on Saturday.

Jaishankar informed about the demise of his mother in a tweet, along with a picture of her.

'Deeply grieved to inform of the passing away today of my mother Sulochana Subrahmanyam. We ask her friends and well-wishers to keep her in their thoughts. Our family is especially grateful to all those who supported her during her illness,' he said.

Jaishankar also shared a picture of his mother who was in her late 80s.

She is survived by her sons -- Jaishankar, S Vijay Kumar and Sanjay Subrahmanyam.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, BJP leader Ram Madhav, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant were among those who condoled Subrahmanyam's demise. Her husband K Subrahmanyam, who was a noted strategic affairs expert and was known as the father of India's nuclear doctrine, died in February 2011. -- PTI

The defence ministry has not taken any decision on selling only 'Made in India' products in military canteens run by it across the country, the government said on Saturday.

"No decision has been taken in this regard," Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said in Rajya Sabha.

He was replying to a question on whether the defence ministry will consider using and selling only 'Made in India' products in its stores in light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on self-reliance and 'vocal for local'.

In an address to the nation in May, Modi spoke extensively on the need to focus on a self-reliant India and called for promoting products made in India with a larger aim of making Indian economy stronger.

In his reply, Naik also said that the total turnover of defence canteens in 2017-18 was Rs 17,190 crore and it went up to Rs 18,917 crore in 2018-19. The total turnover was reported at Rs 17,588 in 2019-20.

In the current fiscal, the figure has been recorded at Rs 3,692 crore till August, he said.

In reply to a separate question on whether government signed a contract with a private company to modernise 37 airfields, he replied in the affirmative.

'Modernisation of airfield infrastructure has enhanced the capability in terms of facilitating operation in poor weather conditions including night operations, enhanced enroute navigation infrastructure and enhanced traffic handling capabilities,' he said.

To a separate question, Naik said 86 military airbases are functioning in the country. -- PTI

Press Club of India issues the following statement on the arrest of senior journalist Rajeev Sharma by the Delhi Police. The statement is signed by Press Club of India president Anand K Sahay and secretary-general Anant Bagaitkar:

'We are astounded to hear of the arrest of Mr Rajeev Sharma, a well-known independent journalist of long standing and a member of the Press Club of India.

'This is on account of the dubious track record of the Special Branch. More generally also, the record of Delhi Police is hardly a shining one.

'On the basis of the statement of the police released to the media, we have no hesitation in saying that the police action is high-handed, and may be inspired by obscure or questionable considerations.

'In 2002, Iftikhar Gilani, a senior journalist with Kashmir Times was arrested on the trumped up charge of tracking the Army's movements in Kashmir and keeping his so-called pay masters informed.

'He was thrown into Tihar jail for seven months where he was assaulted by other prisoners on the provocation of the authorities.

'Eventually, it was the Army's intelligence that gave the lie to the bogus police case and Mr Gilani had to be released.

'The poor part played by the magistracy was also brought out in that case.

'Subsequently, a Delhi journalist, who wrote for Iran's official news agency, was also arrested for playing in the hands of the Iranian secret service.

'His family also was made to run from pillar to post- all to no avail. Eventually it became clear that the whole case was bogus and the journalist was freed.

'Acting on a political basis, JNU and Jamia scholars such as Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and others were picked up and Mr Kumar had to undergo a jail term in Tihar.

'Of late, Delhi Police, including its Special Branch, have made preposterous arrests under the lawless law called UAPA in which the word of the government is enough to keep an innocent person behind bars for long periods.

'These have happened in matters relating to anti-CAA protests and the carefully designed communal killings in the so-called February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi.

'Mr Rajeev Sharma's six-day police remand, after his arrest on September 14 under the Official Secrets act, evidently for relaying defence-related information to China, also appears mind-boggling. Mr Sharma wrote on strategic affairs and may well have accessed routinely over-classified information on the Internet that is in the public domain.

'Eventually, the matter will reach the magistracy and probably the higher levels of the judiciary. It is our demand, however, that in all cases of arrests of journalists anywhere in the country, the police must be required to inform the Press Council of India as well as the self-regulatory body of the broadcast media on an immediate basis, and provide pertinent details so that a defence may be possible to construct.'

A special court in Mumbai on Saturday allowed Deepak Kochhar, husband of former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar, to be treated at a private hospital.

Deepak Kochhar is currently admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi after he tested positive for coronavirus five days ago.

The Enforcement Directorate arrested him earlier this month under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the ICICI Bank-Videocon money laundering case.

His legal team, led by Vijay Agarwal, had urged the special PMLA court in Mumbai to shift him to a private hospital in Delhi or Gurugram.

Kochhar has multiple health issues such as chronic high cholesterol, enlarged prostate and a history of kidney stones, his lawyers said.

The ED said in the reply that as the accused was in judicial custody, the court may pass appropriate orders.

Special judge Milind Kurtadikar on Saturday permitted Kochhar to undergo treatment either at Apollo Hospital in Delhi or Medanta Hospital in Gurugram at his own cost.

But he shall not be allowed to meet any visitors, the court said, directing the ED to post security guards round the clock at the hospital at Kochhar's expense.

After discharge from the hospital the accused should be lodged in the appropriate jail, it said. Kochhar's current judicial custody has been extended till October 3. -- PTI

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday said there can be no talks with the Centre until agriculture bills are taken back.

He said SAD is a 'pro-farmers party' and they will 'struggle' for their stand.

"We will go to Punjab now, where party leaders and workers will hold a meeting. Since Shiromani Akali Dal is a party of farmers, we will struggle. There can be no talks with the Centre till the bills are taken back," Badal told reporters in New Delhi.

SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who met Badal, lauded him over the party's stand on agriculture bills.

"We congratulate Sukhbir Singh Badal and Harsimrat Kaur Badal for standing with farmers against the centre over the bills," Sirsa said.

The Lok Sabha has passed three bills related to reforms in agriculture marketing.

The bills seek to give farmers more freedom to sell their produce.

SAD leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal had resigned from the Union cabinet conveying her opposition over the three agriculture-related bills which seek to replace ordinances brought earlier by the government.

SAD is a constituent of ruling National Democratic Alliance at the Centre. -- ANI

18:35 Communist veteran Roza Deshpande dies

Veteran communist leader and former Lok Sabha member Roza Deshpande died at her residence in Mumbai on Saturday afternoon due to old age, sources said.

Deshpande, 91, was the daughter of Shripad Amrit Dange, one of the founders of the Communist Party of India.

She is survived by a son and a daughter.

Deshpande had taken part in the Sanyukta Maharashtra movement (the movement for the creation of the state of Maharashtra) and the Goa liberation struggle as a member of the All India Students Federation.

In 1974, she was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Bombay South Central constituency.

She had also led a campaign to get maternity leave benefits for working women, and served on various central and state government committees on labour problems, particularly those of women workers.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari expressed condolences over her demise. -- PTI

18:32 Parl's monsoon session likely to be curtailed

The ongoing monsoon session of Parliament is likely to be curtailed and may end by the middle of next week in view of the threat of the COVID-19 spread among parliamentarians, official sources said on Saturday.

At a meeting of the business advisory committee of Lok Sabha, which has floor leaders of all parties besides the government representatives and is chaired by the Speaker, most political parties favoured curtailment of the session, which started on September 14 and was scheduled to conclude on October 1.

A final decision will be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.

The Lok Sabha has so far passed three Bills to replace agriculture sector related ordinances. Also, both the Houses have cleared a bill to replace an ordinance for cutting by 30 per cent the salaries of MPs to ramp up funds in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

After some Members of Parliament, including Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Prahlad Patel, tested positive for COVID-19 during the session, some opposition parties had conveyed to the government that conducting the full 18-day session could be a risky affair, sources said.

The government then started thinking in that direction, the sources said.

Several MPs had also tested positive for COVID-19 around the time the session began and they were advised not to attend proceedings.

In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus within the parliament complex, reporters and parliamentary staff entering the premises now have to undergo the rapid antigen test mandatorily on a daily basis, according to a new protocol put in place.

Besides, members of both Houses are undergoing RT-PCR tests on regular intervals on a voluntary basis, said a senior Parliament official.

A member of Parliament can undergo the RT-PCR test as many times he or she likes.

Journalists covering the monsoon session from press galleries of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha also have the option to undergo the RT-PCR test, which is valid for 72 hours.

Since the result of the much reliable RT-PCR test takes time, the antigen test has been made mandatory on a daily basis.

Government officials accompanying their respective ministers during the bill discussions also have to show a negative report of RT-PCR test taken within the last 72 hours of their visit to the complex.

The session began on September 14 and is slated to end on October 1. Both houses are meeting in shifts of four hours each without the customary Saturday-Sunday weekend break.

The Budget Session was short-terminated in March after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. -- PTI

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday ordered attaching of a property of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Irshad Ahmed Reshi, who was arrested by the agency in connection with an attack on a Central Reserve Police Force Group Centre in south Kashmir in 2017.

The property, which is a house, is in the name of Irshad Reshi's father Nazir Ahmad Reshi in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The house along with 17 marlas of land, situated in Ratnipora village of Kakapora area in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, was attached as a property that represents proceeds of terrorism and that which has been used for furtherance of activities of the JeM terrorist organisation, an NIA spokesperson said in a statement.

The attaching of the property has been made in exercise of powers granted under Section 25 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.

The accused, Irshad Reshi, was an active Over Ground Worker (OGW) of the JeM terrorist group.

He was also a close associate of slain militant and JeM commander Noor Mohammad Tantray alias Noor Trali.

The attack on the CRPF Group Centre at Lethpora in south Kashmir was executed under a conspiracy to avenge the death of Noor Trali, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in December 2017.

Irshad Reshi, who was arrested by the NIA in April 2019, was a key conspirator who provided logistic support like shelter and transport to the militants and conducted reconnaissance of the CRPF Group Centre before the attack.

Five CRPF personnel were killed when JeM terrorists carried out the attack on the CRPF Group Centre during the intervening night of December 30 and 31, 2017.

Three terrorists were killed retaliatory fire. -- PTI

17:49 Army deploys additional brigade on LoC

With Pakistan Army trying hard to push terrorists across the Line of Control (LoC), the Indian Army has deployed additional 3,000 troops in Jammu and Kashmir to plug any such infiltration attempts.

"An additional brigade has been deployed on the LoC to plug infiltration and this move has given good results too," top sources told ANI.

The additional troops deployed on the LoC have been successful in foiling almost all the major attempts of infiltration and terrorists have not been allowed to cross over, they said.

Sources said the Pakistan Army has failed to achieve much success in pushing terrorists this year and there would be multiple attempts to do so before higher reaches close down by October-November due to heavy snowfall.

Indian Army is fully active on the LoC and troops recently foiled an infiltration attempt from North Kashmir's Gurez sector.

Sources said at present, a couple of extra battalions of the Pakistan Army are present on the LoC in Pakistan occupied Kashmir but it cannot be said that they are there to build pressure on India in support of the Chinese Army.

Even if the Pakistanis try to do so, the Indian Army is well prepared to deal with such a situation, they said.

Pakistan has also been trying to increase ceasefire violations and the Army chief visited Srinagar to review the ongoing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

During the visit, the Army Chief visited forward locations on the LoC and took a first-hand review of the operational preparedness of troops there.In Srinagar, the Army Chief was briefed on security situation by the senior officials of the Chinar Corps, they said.

Pakistan Army has increased ceasefire violations along the LoC at a time when India and China are engaged in conflict over territorial issues in the Eastern Ladakh sector. -- Ajit K Dubey/ANI

The government is contemplating curtailing the ongoing Monsoon Session in view of the rising COVID-19 cases amongst MPs, but nothing has been finalised so far, sources said on Saturday.

The Lok Sabha floor leaders of different parties are likely to meet later in the day to deliberate on the issue, the sources said.

However, before taking any final decision, the government wants to take all parties on board and also get 11 ordinances passed as laws by Parliament, they said.

The Lok Sabha has so far passed three Bills to replace agriculture sector related ordinances.

Also, both the Houses have cleared an ordinance into law to cut by 30 per cent the salaries of members of Parliament to ramp up funds in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sources said that amid some Members of Parliament testing positive for COVID-19 during the session, Opposition parties conveyed to the government that conducting the full 18-day session could be a risky affair.

The government then started thinking in that direction, the sources said.

Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Prahlad Patel have tested positive for COVID-19.

Both had attended the ongoing session which began on September 14.

Several MPs had tested positive for COVID-19 around the time the session began and they were advised not to attend proceedings.

In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus within the parliament complex, reporters and parliamentary staff entering the premises now have to undergo the rapid antigen test mandatory on a daily basis, according to a new protocol put in place.

Members of both Houses are undergoing RT-PCR test on regular intervals on a voluntary basis, said a senior Parliament official.

A member of Parliament can undergo RT-PCR test as many times he or she likes.

Journalists covering the Monsoon session from the press galleries of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha also have the option to undergo the RT-PCR test which is valid for 72 hours.

Since the report of the much reliable RT-PCR takes time, antigen test has been made mandatory on a daily basis.

Government officials accompanying their respective ministers during bill discussions also have to show a negative report of RT-PCR test taken within the last 72 hours of their visit to the complex.

The session began on September 14 and is slated to end on October 1.

Both the House are meeting in shifts of four hours each without a customary Saturday-Sunday weekend break.

The Budget Session was short-terminated in March after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. -- PTI

Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh is scheduled to appear before the Uttar Pradesh Police on Sunday in connection with a sedition case filed against the Rajya Sabha member, a party spokesman said.

The Uttar Pradesh Police had lodged an FIR against the AAP leader under various sections of the Indian Penal Code on September 2 at the Hazratganj police station here for undertaking a survey, a senior state government official had said.

A sedition charge under 124 (A) was also included in the notice sent to Singh by the Lucknow Police on Thursday, sources said.

"Sanjay Singh will appear before the Hazratganj Police on Sunday morning in connection with the case and give arrest," state spokesman of the AAP Vaibhav Maheshwari said in Lucknow on Saturday.

The notice, sent to Singh on his New Delhi address, besides other charges mentions charges under IPC 124 A, 153 A (promoting enmity between classes), and 153 B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration).

'The charges against you are serious and non-bailable. You are requested to reach on September 20 at 11 am for presenting facts and evidence. If you fail to remain present, action will be taken against you,' the notice, sent by Investigation Officer (IO) at Hazratganj police station AK Singh, read.

Besides Singh, the company which conducted the survey has also been slapped with sedition and other charges, the IO said.

On Friday, Singh had said that a case of sedition was filed against him in Uttar Pradesh after he exposed in Parliament the alleged corruption and scams taking place under the Yogi Adityanath government.

"I know I will be sent to jail soon because I exposed the Yogi government. Why, just because I raised the issue of killings and scams in UP," he had said. -- PTI

The Rajya Sabha on Saturday passed a legislation that provides for up to five years in jail for those attacking doctors and healthcare workers fighting the COVID-19 outbreak or during any situation akin to the current pandemic.

The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was introduced by Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in the Upper House on Saturday to replace an ordinance issued by the government in April.

The Union Cabinet had promulgated The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 to amend the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, to protect healthcare service personnel and property, including their living/working premises against violence during epidemics.

The Bill intends to ensure that during any situation akin to the current pandemic, there is zero-tolerance to any form of violence against healthcare service personnel and damage to property.

The healthcare service personnel include public and clinical healthcare service providers such as doctors, nurses, paramedical workers and community health workers; any other persons empowered under the act to take measures to prevent the outbreak of the disease or spread thereof; and any persons declared as such by the state government, by notification in the official gazette.

The penal provisions can be invoked in instances of damage to property including a clinical establishment, any facility identified for quarantine and isolation of patients, mobile medical units and any other property in which the healthcare service personnel have a direct interest in relation to the epidemic.

Offences will be investigated by an officer of the rank of inspector within a period of 30 days, and trial has to be completed in one year, unless extended by the court for reasons to be recorded in writing, the Bill proposes.

As per the its provisions, the commission or abetment of such acts of violence will be punishable with an imprisonment for a term of three months to five years, and with a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2,00,000. -- PTI

13:59 97 people died on board Shramik trains: Goyal

The government has informed the Rajya Sabha that 97 people died on board the Shramik Specials, admitting for the first time that migrant labourers lost their lives in the trains which were run to ferry them during the COVID-19 lockdown.

In a written answer to a question posed by Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien on Friday, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal provided the statistics to the upper house of parliament.

"Based on the data provided by State Police, 97 persons have been reported dead till 09.09.2020 while travelling on board Shramik Special Trains during current Covid-19 situation/crisis," the minister said.

"The state police registers case under Section 174 of Cr.PC in cases of unnatural deaths and follows further legal process," the minister said.

Out of the 97 cases of death, the state police sent dead bodies for post mortem in 87 cases, the minister said.

A total of 51 post mortem reports have been obtained from respective state police forces so far, in which the reasons for deaths have been shown as cardiac arrest/heart disease/brain hemorrhage/pre-existing chronic disease/chronic lung disease/chronic liver disease etc, the minister said.

The statement of the minister comes after the government came under criticism when the labour ministry earlier this week informed parliament that no data is available on the number of migrant workers who lost their lives during the 68-day lockdown enforced on March 25 to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

Shramik Special trains began operation on May 1 to ferry migrant labourers back to their home states during the lockdown period.

In all, 4,621 Shramik Special trains were operated between May 1 and August 31, carrying 6,319,000 passengers to their home states, the ministry said.

"Policing on Railways being a state subject, prevention of crime, registration of cases, their investigation and maintenance of law and order in Railway premises as well as on running trains are the statutory responsibility of the state governments, which they discharge through Government Railway Police (GRP)/District Police," Goyal said.

"Railway Protection Force (RPF) supplements the efforts of GRP/District Police to provide better protection and security of passenger area & passengers and for related matters," Goyal said. -- PTI

13:22 NEP will help restore India's glory: Prez

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday said that the effective implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 would help India to regain its glory as a great centre of learning.

"Effective implementation of the NEP is likely to restore India's glory as a great centre of learning. Besides imparting knowledge and hard skills, a holistic approach inculcates values and soft skills.

"One of the targets of NEP 2020 is to increase Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education to 50 per cent by 2035.

'Technology can help in achieving this target,' he said further.

'India was a globally respected education hub in ancient times. Universities at Takshashila and Nalanda had iconic status. But today, India's higher education institutions don't get high positions in global rankings,' President Kovind said while addressing the Visitor's Conference on 'Implementation of National Education Policy 2020: Higher Education'.

The President highlighted the importance of 'jigyasa' or curiosity in 'our tradition' further urging teachers to not have one-way lectures with their students.

"In our tradition, Jigyasa or curiosity for learning was encouraged. It was given greater importance than Jigeesha or the wish to win a debate or argument.

"Our teachers need to avoid one-way lectures and need to encourage students into free discussions with them," he said while urging teachers to encourage discussions during lectures.

The President also called for higher education institutes for being centres of innovation and provide 'innovative solutions to national and local problems'.

"Community participation and use of local resources should be encouraged for local problems. Higher education missions must utilise national missions as opportunities to promote solution-oriented learning," he said further.

The NEP 2020 document mentions nearly 20 great scientists, saint-scholars and thinkers from ancient India.

The President requested teachers to develop study material on them and other such great ancient scholars so that their work should be rewritten in modern terminology.

The President said that the National Education Policy (NEP) aims to reorient the educational system towards meeting the needs of the 21st century by setting 'the vision of developing an equitable and vibrant knowledge society and providing quality education to all. It achieves the twin objectives of inclusion and excellence'.

He further said that the NEP would discourage the habit of rote learning among the students and overemphasis on marks or grades that causes stress among students.

"The Centre's role must not be limited to setting norms by the agencies like the University Grants Commission or the proposed Higher Education Commission of India. There should be a clear focus on quality--higher education institutes under the Centre must set quality benchmarks," he said further. -- ANI

12:13 RS passes Insolvency Bankruptcy Code amendment

The Rajya Sabha on Saturday passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020, whereby fresh insolvency proceedings will not be initiated for at least six months starting from March 25 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Replying to a debate on the Bill in the House, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the intention of the IBC is to keep companies a 'going concern' and not liquidate them.

The Bill mandates that a default on repayments from March 25, the day when a nationwide lockdown began to curb the spread of coronavirus, would not be considered for initiating insolvency proceedings for at least six months.

The bill seeks to replace an ordinance promulgated in this regard in June. -- PTI

11:59 15 booked for burning PM's effigy on his bday

Fifteen people, including the national president of a little-known outfit, were booked on the charges of rioting after they burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday while observing 'Unemployment Day' in Shamli district near Muzaffarnagar, police said on Saturday.

The case was registered against 11 unidentified people and four named accused on Friday based on a complaint filed by Shamli district Bharatiya Janata Party president Satendra Tomar, they said.

Prince Kori, national president of the Bharatiya Samaj Rakshak Yuva Morcha, and the 14 others were booked under Indian Penal Code sections 147 (rioting) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), police said.

The accused burnt the effigy on September 17, the birthday of Prime Minister Modi, which they observed as 'Unemployment Day' to protest against joblessness, they said.

A video of the incident, that took place in Dargahpur village under Jhinjhana police station limits, has also gone viral on social media. -- PTI

Rajeev Sharma

11:55 Delhi journalist arrested under Official Secrets Act

The Patiala House court has sent freelance journalist Rajeev Sharma, who was arrested by the special cell of the Delhi police under the Official Secrets Act on September 14, to police custody for six days.

Delhi police special cell said Sharma, a resident of Pitampura in New Delhi, was "found to be in possession of some defence-related classified documents".

He was produced before the court on September 15.

The police said his bail application is listed for September 22.

-- ANI

The Indian Express reports that 'Sharma runs a YouTube channel called 'Rajeev Kishkindha', which has 11,900 subscribers. On the day of his arrest, he uploaded two videos. One of them is an eight-minute video titled 'China may still do mischief #IndiaChinaFaceOff', in which he says, "Despite an agreement' reached between the foreign ministers of India and China, the road to peace is still heavily mined. There is still no guarantee that everything will play out as per the script reached between the two foreign ministers in Moscow'.'

'The other video is of four minutes, in Hindi, on the state of the media, which he tweeted with the caption, "The state of Indian media today is pathetic. It was supposed to be a watchdog. Instead it has become a lapdog of the government'.'

'On September 7, Sharma wrote a piece for Global Times, titled 'A rapprochement road map for Beijing and New Delhi benefits both countries', in which he said, "The steady deterioration of bilateral relations since the night of May 5, when the latest standoff began, has practically evaporated all the diplomatic gains of the past years in one stroke. The current crisis is the biggest threat to normal ties between the two sides since 1962. It's a lose-lose situation for both. Their common objective must be to build a better and peaceful future for their peoples and not a military buildup against one another',' the Indian Express reports, here.

Former Maharashtra BJP MLA Sardar Tara Singh died in Mumbai on Saturday morning due to prolonged illness, a senior BJP leader said. He was 81.

"Sardar Tara Singh breathed his last at a private hospital in Mumbai," former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya told PTI. "He had been in the hospital since the last several days and was undergoing treatment for various illnesses," Somaiya added.

Singh earlier represented Mulund assembly constituency in central Mumbai suburbs.

-- PTI

11:09 Delhi riots: 26 ex-DGPs show support for cops

After ten former IPS officers, including ex-Mumbai Police commissioner Julio Ribeiro, questioned Delhi Polices probe into Delhi riots cases,and accused them of implicating anti-CAA protesters while being lenient to others associated with the ruling party, another group of ex-IPS officers has come out in support of the city police.

In a statement issued on Friday, 26 retired IPS officers said that they were surprised at the conduct of a few fellow ex-police personnel who support such kind of anti-India expression and communal narrative. They referred to some controversial slogans allegedly raised by former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid, arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and other serious charges. Khalids arrest last Sunday in the riots case has been criticised by many social activists, who have accused Delhi Police of targeting anti-government voices.

The 26 former police officers said, The Delhi Police has every right and duty to investigate the role of any such persons, and custodial investigation is a part of due process of law. The accused has his rights under the law to seek anticipatory bail or regular bail, as the cause may be, and the right to a fair trial where he can prove himself innocent."

Former Delhi Police commissioner RS Gupta, former UP DGPs RN Singh and Bhanu Pratap Singh, ex-DGPs of Bihar SK Bhardwaj and Ramesh Chandra Sinha, former Maharashtra DGP Praveen Dixit, ex-DGP of Tripura BL Vohra and former Kerala DGP S Gopinath are among the 26 ex-IPS officers who have signed the statement.

Last week, noted former IPS officer Ribeiro wrote a letter to Delhi Police chief SN Shrivastava, requesting him to look into the North-East Delhi riots probe and make sure it was impartial. Riberio told the Delhi Police chief that police have failed to act against those who made hate speeches that led to the riots.

10:58 Nirmala reacts to 'act of God' remark critics

Taking on critics, Nirmala Sitharaman said a "simple woman finance minister saying Act of God is taken sarcastically" while latin word "force majeure" is well accepted.

Speaking in Lok Sabha, Sitharaman -- who is also the country's first woman finance minister -- said her remark is being criticised also because she "looks like a neighbourhood aunty" and asserted that twisting her comment is irresponsible.

On August 27, she said the economy has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is an "Act of God", and it will see a contraction in the current fiscal. Her comment has been criticised by various political parties.

"Many people spoke on GST compensation issue (and) my statement of Act of God was referred several times. I happy for that. People like using latin expression of force majeure, for expressing extraordinary situation. But simple woman finance minister saying Act of God is taken sarcastically. What is this sir?," she said.

Noting that force majeure in the court for clients is very well but not "Act of God", she said, "because this woman, who is minister, looks like neighbourhood aunty. So, how can she ever say this".

"I like this condescension," she said in an apparent dig at the Opposition.

Defending her remark on GST compensation to the states, Ms Sitharaman said that to twist what she has said to "say the Centre is reneging its responsibility is absolutely irresponsible comment towards a responsible government which is being led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

"I am ready to listen your suggestions but not sarcasm. Tell me one state government, which can tell me, no no we will manage it (current situation due to COVID-19)," she said.

10:40 Dismiss Kangana's Rs 2 cr plea: BMC to HC

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation filed a reply in the Bombay high court on actor Kangana Ranaut's plea seeking Rs 2 crore as damages for demolition at her bungalow.

The BMC, responding to Kangana Ranaut's plea, said that the demand of Rs 2 crore was an abuse of the process of law.

The civic body also urged the court to dismiss Kangana Ranaut's petition and impose a cost on her for filing such a plea.

"The writ petition and the relief sought for therein constitute an abuse of power. The petition not be entertained and should be dismissed with costs," THe BMC said.

On September 9, the BMC demolished a part of Kangana Ranaut's Pali Hill bungalow here, claiming that she had made substantial structural alterations without due permission.

After she moved the HC on the same day, a bench led by Justice SJ Kathawalla stayed the demolition. On September 15, Kangana Ranaut amended her plea, seeking a compensation of Rs 2 crore from the BMC.

In its reply, filed through advocate Joel Carlos, the BMC alleged that Kangana Ranaut falsely stated that the alterations were as per permission previously granted by it.

On September 5, during a routine inspection, its officials noticed illegal repairs and alterations being carried out at the bungalow, so a demolition notice was issued and the demolition was subsequently carried out.

The next hearing in the case is slated for September 22.

India has overtaken the United States to register the highest number of COVID-19 recoveries in the world, informed Union health ministry on Saturday.

The total recoveries in the country crossed 42 lakh. "India overtakes the USA and becomes No.1 in terms of global COVID19 RECOVERIES. TOTAL RECOVERIES cross 42 lakh," it tweeted.

The ministry further stated that timely steps taken by the government to detect the virus have resulted in this global achievement.

"Centre-led focussed, calibrated, responsive and effective measures of early identification through high and aggressive testing, prompt surveillance and tracking coupled with standardised high-quality clinical care have together resulted in this global achievement," it said in another tweet.

-- ANI

09:40 India's COVID caseload surges over 53 lakh

India continued to register a higher number of Covid-19 infection cases.

The Covid-19 tally jumped to 5,308,014 after registering over 93,3300 cases in a day. The death toll reached 85, 619 as 1,247 people succumbed to the disease.

The number of active cases stood at 1,013,964.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the infection increased by 0.7 per cent as compared with the same time Thursday to 6.7 million, Bloomberg reported citing data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

The National Investigation Agency has arrested 9 Al Qaeda terrorists from multiple locations across West Bengal and Kerala after conducting raids in the two states.

NIA has busted Al Qaeda modules in Murshidabad of West Bengal and Ernakulam in Kerala and arrested 9 terrorists from the two states.

Among the 9 Al Qaeda terrorists, 3 have been arrested from Ernakulam and 6 have been arrested from Murshidabad.

India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations TS Tirumurti said the highlight of the "historic" UN General Assembly session this year will be the participation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in two debates in the high-level segments beginning from September 21.

"This time, the UN General Assembly will be historic and in more than one way. As far as India is concerned, the highlight will be the participation of PM Modi in two debates in the high-level segments starting on Monday," Tirumuti said.

He said the first event is a general debate where the PM will represent India at the UN and deliver the national statement while the other is the high-level plenary meeting to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the UN.

"His address will certainly be the highlight of our participation in UNGA," Tirumurti remarked.

The diplomat informed that a biodiversity summit will be organised virtually on September 30 with the theme -- 'Urgent action on biodiversity for sustainable development'. "This will be the first summit on biodiversity in the UN. Our Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar will be participating in this summit," he said.

Tirumurti stressed that India is one of 10 mega biodiverse countries in the world and the country has taken a leading role in the field of biodiversity.

Furthermore, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be participating in some of the ministerial meetings which will be held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, said Tirumurti.

Tirumurti also said the UN General Assembly session will be different this year from all previous seasons as the world is still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We hope that member states take COVID-19 as an opportunity to opt for reforms and change in order to have the future we want."

The diplomat stated that in view of the COVID-19 travel restrictions, most leaders will not travel to New York and the high-level debate will be conducted virtually.

-- ANI

07:53 Trump pledges Covid vaccine for all by April

US President Donald Trump said that his administration expects to have enough doses of coronavirus vaccines for every American citizen by April 2021.

"As soon as the vaccine is approved, the administration will deliver it to the American people immediately... Hundreds of millions of doses will be available every month and we expect to have enough vaccines for every American by April (2021)," Trump said at a press briefing.

He said "brilliant" doctors and scientists of the US have been working around the clock to produce a COVID-19 vaccine and informed that three vaccines are in the final stage of clinical trials.

"Lot of work has been going on with respect to vaccines...The vaccine should be developed as soon as possible to end the pandemic and get life back to normal. A successful vaccine will not only save millions of lives, it will put an end to restrictions," the US president said.

"All vaccine candidates are going through the gold standard of clinical trials with a heavy emphasis on safety," he stressed.

As part of Operation Warp Speed, initiated by the Trump administration to facilitate and accelerate the development of COVID-19 vaccines, Trump said all of the most promising vaccine candidates are being manufactured in advance.

According to the latest data by Johns Hopkins University, the US remains the worst-affected country by the COVID-19 pandemic and has 6,705,114 cases and 198,197 deaths.

-- ANI

00:13 We're seeing start of second Covid wave: UK PM

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the UK is "seeing the start of a second wave coming in" of Covid-19 infections.

Speaking in Oxfordshire, Johnson said it had been "inevitable" the UK would see a rise in cases.

"I don't want to go into bigger lockdown measures at all," he said, but added: "Clearly when you look at what is happening you've got to wonder whether we need to go further than the rule of six that we brought in."

The UK PM said a second lockdown is the "last thing anybody wants" but said the current measures would need to be kept "under review".

His comments come after the government's scientific advisers said there is now widespread growth of the virus across the UK.

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