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Thu, 31 March 2022
Nitish Kumar rumoured to be next vice prez
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23:32 Nitish Kumar rumoured to be next vice prez
Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi on Thursday indicated that she will not mind Nitish Kumar, her husband Lalu Prasad's arch rival, vacating his chair for a plush assignment in Delhi.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader was replying to questions from journalists who were trying to make sense of a reportedly off-the-cuff remark by Kumar which has triggered furious speculations that he may move to Delhi as the next Vice President of the country.
"He should go. Everyone would like him to go away. (jana hi chahiye. Sabhi log chahenge ki chale jaayein)," she said replying to queries about the cryptic remark made by Kumar that he had been a member of both Houses in the state legislature and the Lok Sabha and a term in Rajya Sabha would complete his political journey.
To a pointed query about speculations that Kumar could emerge as the Bharatiya Janata Party's choice for the post of Vice-President after the expiry of Venkaiah Naidu's term in a few months, the reticent Rabri Devi replied, "achcha hi na rahega (will it not be good for him?)"
Kumar is reported to have made the Rajya Sabha remark during an informal chat with some journalists who had asked him about his recent tour of areas falling under the now abolished Barh Lok Sabha constituency which he had represented many times.
The journalists had queried, apparently in a jocular vein, whether Kumar had plans to contest parliamentary elections again.
A section of the media has since been running reports speculating that the Janata Dal-United leader, who has been in power in Bihar since 2005 and has become the longest serving chief minister of the state, could move to Delhi for a top constitutional post.
The reports also claim that he might agree to a new power-sharing formula in the state where the BJP, which had won far more seats than the JD-U in the 2020 assembly polls, could be allowed to have its own chief minister.
Incidentally, Bihar remains the only state in the entire Hindi belt where the BJP has never had its own chief minister.
BJP leaders like MLA Vinay Bihari have openly pitched for our own CM while taking care to add that the final decision rests with the national leadership.
Upon returning to power for his fourth consecutive term in office, Kumar had claimed that he had, following the JD-U's relatively poor performance in polls, expressed the desire to step down and make way for the BJP but relented only after the alliance partner insisted that he continue occupying the top post.
Nonetheless, the state's hyperactive rumour bill is busy coming out with names of BJP leaders who could make it in the event of Kumar's departure.
The front-runners include Nityanand Rai, the Minister of State for Home known to be trusted by both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah , whose elevation brings the promise of breaching the sway of the RJD, the main opposition party, over the sizeable Yadav community.
Meanwhile, all eyes are fixed at the next move by Kumar, a deft player of the game of politics, who had cryptically told an election rally in 2020 that it was his aakhiri chunav, only to reiterate later I will continue to work for the people of Bihar for as long as they wish. -- PTI
22:01 Imran says US sent threatening note, backtracks
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday reiterated his claims of 'foreign conspiracy' and said that a foreign nation is trying to oust him over the 'independent' foreign policy choices made by him.
Addressing the people of Pakistan, ahead of the no-confidence motion, Imran claimed a foreign nation sent a message that Imran Khan needs to be removed else as the country will suffer consequences.
"The United States," Imran Khan said in a slip of the tongue and then stated that 'a foreign country' had sent a 'threatening memo' which was against the Pakistani nation.
"On March 8 or before that on March 7, the US sent us a...not the US but a foreign country sent us a message. The reason why I talking about this...for an independent country to receive such a message... this is against me and the country," he said.
Imran Khan said the memo was against him, not against the government.
'...it stated that if the no-confidence motion passes, Pakistan will be forgiven, if not, there will be consequences.'
Pakistan PM earlier shared the contents of a secret letter that was in news last week when he informed a public meeting that his government had received threats from abroad.
Imran Khan had claimed that the threatening letter had been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Pakistan media reports said that letter is the word-for-word transcript of a conversation between the diplomats of Pakistan and another country sent to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry. -- ANI
Representative image only
21:40 Bajrang Dal members attack 'halal' meat seller
A day after Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said his government will look into 'serious objection' raised against 'halal' meat, some Bajrang Dal members allegedly attacked a Muslim vendor in Bhadravathi on Thursday, police said.
Shivamogga Superintendent of Police (SP) B M Laxmi Prasad told ANI that a first information report (FIR) has been registered under relevant sections.
"Bajrang Dal activists argued and then attacked a Muslim vendor. An FIR has been registered at Hosamane police station in Bhadravati," the Shivamogga SP said.
Police said that some Bajrang Dal activists around 12.30 pm on Wednesday were campaigning in the Hosamane area against 'halal' meat.
They allegedly threatened Muslim meat vendor Thousif.
According to the complaint with the police, the activists asked him to sell 'non-halal' meat at his chicken shop. He told them that such meat was not ready and he would arrange it. Irked by it, the members allegedly thrashed him.
Following a complaint, cops have started a probe and interrogated five right-wing members, the police said.
In another incident in the communally sensitive Shivamogga district, police registered a case against the same Bajrang Dal members for allegedly threatening and abusing a hotelier in Old Bhadravati for not serving 'non-halal' meat to them.
A case has been registered on charges of abusing the hotelier.
Bommai on Wednesday said that the state government will look into 'halal' meat issue as 'serious objections' have now been raised against it.
"The halal issue has just started. We have to study it. It's a practice that is going on. Now serious objections have been raised about it. I will look into it," Bommai said at a press conference.
Asked about the call for boycott of halal meat by some right-wing organisations, Bommai said, "As far as my government is concerned, we are not right-wing or left-wing, only growth wing." -- ANI
20:48 Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov arrives in India
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in India on Thursday on a two-day official visit, his first trip to the country since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine last month.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Lavrov will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Friday.
A media advisory on Lavrov's visit issued by the Ministry of External Affairs has not mentioned any meeting between the Russian foreign minister and the prime minister.
People familiar with the preparations for the talks said India is also likely to press for ensuring timely delivery of various military hardware as well as components of the S-400 missile systems by Russia.
The Russian foreign minister arrived in India after concluding a two-day visit of China.
His visit to India coincides with that of US Deputy National Security Adviser Daleep Singh and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India. EU Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific Gabriele Visentin visited New Delhi this week.
Unlike many other leading powers, India has not yet criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and it abstained from the votes at the UN platforms in condemning the Russian aggression.
However, last Thursday, India abstained on a resolution pushed by Russia on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, which was seen as reflective of its neutral position on the conflict. India has been pressing for the resolution of the crisis through diplomacy and dialogue.
Modi has held phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, March 2 and March 7.
Modi had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy twice.
Last week, Jaishankar said in Parliament that India's position on the Ukraine conflict has been 'steadfast and consistent' and that it has been seeking immediate cessation of violence. -- PTI
20:07 Lawyer who filed pleas against Fadnavis arrested
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday arrested Nagpur-based lawyer Satish Uke and his brother Pradeep in connection with a money laundering investigation, officials said.
They said the two were taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and are expected to be produced before a court on Friday.
The lawyer, who has filed petitions against senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in the last few years, was raided by the central probe agency since early morning.
Officials claimed the money laundering case against the brothers is related to the purchase of an about 1.5 acre land in Nagpur sometime back and the documents used for the land purchase were allegedly forged.
The land that was purchased was in the name of the brothers, they said.
Satish Uke's house located in Parvati Nagar area of Nagpur was searched, and he and his brother were later taken to the ED's office in the city for interrogation. -- PTI
19:25 BJP spreading hate through Kashmir Files: Pawar
Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar accused it on Thursday of creating a 'poisonous atmosphere' in the country by spreading 'false propaganda' about the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley through The Kashmir Files, a film showcasing the plight of the community.
"Such a film should not have been cleared for screening. But it is given tax concessions and those responsible for keeping the country united are encouraging people to watch the film that stokes anger among people," Pawar said, addressing a convention of the minorities department of the Delhi unit of his party.
This was the second event of the NCP in Delhi in three days.
It is also planning a massive gathering in the national capital to mark its foundation day on June 10.
Pawar said it is true that Kashmiri Pandits had to leave the valley, but Muslims too were targeted in a similar manner.
"Pakistan-based terror groups were responsible for the attacks on Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims," he added.
The former Union minister said if the Narendra Modi government really cares about Kashmiri Pandits, it should make every effort for their rehabilitation and not stoke anger in their mind about minorities.
The NCP chief also hit out at the BJP for dragging Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of the country, into the debate, while pointing out that the Kashmiri Pandits had to leave the valley when Vishwanath Pratap Singh was the prime minister.
"The V P Singh government was backed by the BJP. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the home minister and Jagmohan, who later contested the Lok Sabha polls from Delhi as a BJP candidate, was the governor of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Pawar said the then Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah had quit following differences with Jagmohan and it was the governor who facilitated the departure of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley.
He also slammed the BJP for targeting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks on The Kashmir Files.
"Political agitations are welcome, but Kejriwal was criticised for speaking up for minorities. The BJP is taking the country on a different path. It is destroying the unity of the country," Pawar said. -- PTI
18:59 How rupee fared vis-a-vis dollar in March
Infographic shows how the rupee performed against the dollar in March 2022, when the forex market saw volatility in the wake of Russia's attack on Ukraine.
18:46 Bengal govt lifts all Covid-related curbs
With the COVID-19 situation having considerably improved in West Bengal, the state government on Thursday announced that that all curbs related to the contagion would stand withdrawn from midnight.
The withdrawal of the restrictions came almost two years after the pandemic struck in March 2020.
In a notification, the government, however, stressed on the use of masks and hygiene maintenance.
'Accordingly, it is hereby notified that restrictions as currently in force by aforesaid orders are hereby withdrawn. However, advisory in respect of health and hygiene protocols including wearing of masks at all times, hand hygiene and sanitisation of public places shall continue to be strictly observed until further order,' it stated. -- PTI
18:19 Maha to lift all Covid curbs, masks not must
After more than two years, all pandemic-related restrictions including the mandatory wearing of masks would be lifted in Maharashtra from April 2, the state government announced on Thursday.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Health Minister Rajesh Tope told reporters.
From Gudhi Padwa (Marathi New Year which falls on April 2 this time), all COVID-19 related restrictions under the Epidemic Diseases Act and Disaster Management Act will be withdrawn, Tope said.
Wearing of face mask will be voluntary from April 2, he said. -- PTI
18:14 7 teachers suspended for allowing hijab-clad girls to write SSLC exam
Seven teachers who had allegedly allowed hijab-clad girls to write the 10th board examination have been suspended in Gadag district, sources in the Education Department said.
The teachers were the exam invigilators at CS Patil School.
Two other teachers who were the centre superintendents were also placed under suspension, they added.
The action was taken as it was against the Karnataka high court order, which dismissed a set of petitions by Muslim girls from Udupi Government Pre-University Girls' College who challenged the government order banning hijab or any cloth that disturbed peace, harmony and public order.
Maintaining that hijab was not an essential religious practice, the court said students have to abide by the school uniform norm. -- PTI
Karisma Kapoor with her dad, Randhir Kapoor
17:53 Randhir Kapoor suffering from early stage dementia, reveals Ranbir
Veteran actor Randhir Kapoor is in the early stage of dementia, his nephew actor Ranbir Kapoor has revealed.
According to Ranbir, the 75-year-old actor recently saw Sharmaji Namkeen, which marks the last screen appearance of his younger brother and Ranbir's father, actor Rishi Kapoor.
Rishi passed away at the age of 67 in April 2020 after a two-year long battle with leukemia.
In an interview with NDTV, Ranbir said when Randhir saw the film, his instant reaction was to call Rishi.
"I remember when my entire family saw it, my father's elder brother, my uncle Randhir Kapoor, who is going through an early stage of dementia, and he came to me after the film and said, Tell dad that he was amazing in this film, and where is he, let's call him," Ranbir said.
"Art crosses boundaries of medical conditions, issues, conflicts and a good piece of storytelling is what stands tall. Sharmaji Namkeen really embodies that," he added.
Randhir, the eldest son of Raj Kapoor, lost both his brothers, Rishi and Rajiv, in a span of ten months. Rajiv passed away aged 58 in February, last year. The veteran's sister, Ritu Nanda, also passed away in 2020.
fter Rishi's passing away, the makers had contemplated getting Ranbir on-board to finish the film using VFX. The role was eventually played by actor Paresh Rawal.
-- PTI
17:35 Fuel prices on upward spiral in March
By how much have fuel prices risen in March 2022 in various cities?
The infographic alongside gives a quick idea.
17:24 Fire at Nashik currency press premises
A major fire broke out on the premises of the Currency Note Press (CNP) here on Thursday, a fire brigade official said.
The fire, which was doused within three hours, did not affect the currency press building and nobody was injured in the incident, he said.
The blaze began in a heap of scrap material stored on the CNP premises in Nehru Nagar area around noon, the official said.
The scrap material included ink containers and there was thick grass around the spot, he said.
"We received a call around 12 noon. A total of eight fire tenders including two vehicles of the CNP were pressed into action," the official said.
By 3 pm the fire was put out and cooling operation was now on, he said.
The reason behind the fire was yet to be ascertained but no one was injured, the official said.
The CNP is a unit of the Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Ltd (SPMCIL).
The SPMCIL has another unit, India Security Press (ISP), nearby. -- PTI
16:28 Imran Khan offers to dissolve Assembly if...
Pakistan PM Imran Khan has offered to dissolve the assembly if a no-confidence motion against him is withdrawn. According to the sources, an "important personality" has given a message from the PM to the Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, says Pakistan's Geo News.
Imran Khan will address the nation later tonight ahead of the no-confidence motion against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government, said federal minister Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday.
Taking to Twitter, Fawad Chaudhry said: "Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the nation tonight". The development comes at a time when Pakistan National Assembly is all set to take up discussion on the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government in the Lower House session which is scheduled at 4 pm today.
The National Assembly secretariat issued the order on Wednesday night for the discussion on the no-trust motion for today's (Thursday) agenda, Geo TV reported. Earlier, on Monday, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif tabled the no-confidence motion. With this move, Imran Khan became the third Pakistani PM to face the no-confidence motion.
16:23 60% of Assam will be out of AFSPA: Assam CM
Reactions to AFSPA withdrawal: Assam CM HB Sarma: "I wholeheartedly welcome the decision of PM Modi to withdraw AFSPA from all areas of Assam barring 9 districts and 1 sub-division. I also convey our deep gratitude to Home Minister Shah for this bold decision.
"Now around 60% of State's area will be free from AFSPA's purview. AFSPA has been in force since 1990 and this move marks the beginning of a new chapter in Assam's future. It is a testimony to the significant improvement in law and order in the state.
"With peace getting primacy, North East is now on a new trajectory of growth and development. I also compliment the people of Assam, who have believed in peace. Due to PM Narendra Modi's visionary leadership, the region is all set to become the new engine of India's growth."
In a major outreach to the Northeast, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced reduction of the disturbed areas imposed under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades.
15:43 Aryan Khan case: NCB gets 60 days for charge sheet
A special court here on Thursday granted 60 days extension to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to file a charge sheet in the drugs-on-cruise case, in which Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, is an accused.
The probe agency had on Monday filed an application before special judge V V Patil, seeking a 90-day extension to file a charge sheet in the case since the investigation in the high-profile case was still on.
However, the judge, after hearing arguments of both the prosecution and defence lawyers, gave the probe agency another 60 days to file a charge sheet in the case.
The NCB, through a special public prosecutor, had argued that there were "compelling reasons" to seek the extension.
Aryan Khan was named an accused in the case along with 19 others by the NCB last year. The 24-year-old was arrested by the NCB on October 3 last year, following a raid on a cruise ship off the coast of Mumbai.
The accused persons were booked under relevant sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for alleged possession, consumption, sale/purchase of banned drugs, conspiracy and abetment, among others.
The probe agency has claimed that the chemical examination reports of all the 17 samples were received on March 12, which proved that the entire contraband recovered during the raid was narcotics/psychotropic drugs.
-- PTI
-- PTI
15:31 I am a proud Kannadiga: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw tweets again.
After requesting Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to resolve the "growing religious divide" on Thursday, she tweeted again to say, "Unfortunately, vested interests are hijacking the issue to political parties. I am confident our CM @BSBommai will resolve the matter peacefully. I am a proud kannadiga and don't want to see these incidents detract from economic progress. All parties need to work towards this."
Bommai said Karnataka is known for peace and progress and sought cooperation from everyone in maintaining it.
Mazumdar-Shaw, while pointing out that the state has always forged inclusive economic development, expressed worry that if IT/ BT sectors became communal it would destroy its global leadership.
15:16 Ukraine war: Shortage of cooking oil in India likely
The ongoing war in Ukraine, which is the world's largest sunflower grower, is likely to result in at least 25 per cent or 4-6 lakh tonnes shortage of crude sunflower oil supplies in India next fiscal, according to a report.
Around 70 per cent of crude sunflower oil comes to India from Ukraine and about 20 per cent from Russia.
Balance sheets of domestic edible oil processors are healthy enough to withstand supply disruptions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine but will have a bearing on the production planning of domestic edible oil processors, rating agency Crisil said on Thursday.
Refined sunflower oil constitutes 10 per cent of the country's consumption of 230-240 lakh tonnes of edible oils annually and almost 60 per cent of the demand is met through imports.
As much as 90 per cent of the country's annual crude sunflower oil requirement of 22-23 lakh tonnes come from Ukraine (70 per cent), Russia (20 per cent) and the rest from Argentina and other countries.
"Supply disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict could lead to a supply shortfall of at least 4-6 lakh tonnes of crude sunflower oil for India next fiscal," Crisil said. Cumulatively, Ukraine and Russia export 100 lakh tonnes of crude sunflower oil annually, with Argentina at the third place with 7 lakh tonnes in outward shipments, Crisil said in a report.
According to the report, the problem is that Russia's major banks are severed from the SWIFT system after it invaded Ukraine and the resultant sanctions imposed by the US and European nations. Although trading of food products with Russia has not been prohibited, trade settlement has become difficult, leading to supply disruptions.
15:12 Precaution dose of Covid vaccine for diplomats under discussion
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is discussing the administration of the precaution dose of Covid-19 vaccine for diplomats, sources told ANI on Thursday.
This development has come after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urged the Health Ministry to allow precaution doses for those travelling to Europe, who had taken their second (final) dose of vaccine more than 270 days before the proposed date of travel, sources said.
Recently, the Government of India has allowed international flights, while several countries have imposed curbs on those who haven't received a booster dose of the Covid vaccine yet.
Currently, only healthcare workers, frontline workers, and people above 60 years of age are allowed to receive a booster dose of the Covid vaccine.
15:02 Heavy shelling continues in Donetsk Oblast
Ukraine update: Heavy shelling continues in Donetsk Oblast. Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said that Russian forces overnight continued shelling the region using white phosphorus munitions.
Image: A Ukrainian flag with a signature "Russian ship, go f*ck yourself" is seen at a checkpoint in the Independence Square in Kyiv. Pic: Anastasia Vlasova/Getty Images
14:57 Pakistan PM Imran Khan's address to nation in evening
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the nation later tonight ahead of the no-confidence motion against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government, said federal minister Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday.
Taking to Twitter, Fawad Chaudhry said: "Prime Minister Imran Khan will address the nation tonight".
The development comes at a time when Pakistan National Assembly is all set to take up discussion on the no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government in the Lower House session which is scheduled at 4 pm today.
The National Assembly secretariat issued the order on Wednesday night for the discussion on the no-trust motion for today's (Thursday) agenda, Geo TV reported. -- ANI
14:36 Govt reduces areas under AFSPA in N East: HM
The Government of India has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades, says Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He says the reduction is a result of improved security, fast-tracked development due to the government's consistent efforts.
"Thanks to PM Modi's commitment, Northeast is now witnessing new era of peace, prosperity, development after decades of neglect," says Shah.
14:21 Unmarried daughter can claim marriage expenses from parents: HC
The Chhattisgarh high court has ruled that an unmarried daughter can claim the expenses of marriage from her parents under the provisions of the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956.
A division bench of the high court in Bilaspur was hearing a petition filed by a 35-year-old woman, Rajeshwari, a native of Chhattisgarh's Durg district.
The bench of Justices Goutam Bhaduri and Sanjay S Agrawal on March 21 allowed her plea for hearing by admitting that an unmarried daughter can claim the amount of her marriage from her parents under the provisions of the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, said the petitioner's advocate A K Tiwari.
The bench set aside the order dated 22 April 2016 passed by the Principal Judge of family court Durg and remanded the matter to the family court for adjudication of the same on merits in the spirit of Section 3(b) (ii) of the Act of 1956. The court has directed the parties to appear before the family court.
The petitioner, daughter of an employee of Bhilai Steel Plant Bhunu Ram, filed a petition in Durg family court under Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, and made a claim that maintenance to the tune of around Rs 20 lakh be given to her in the mode of marriage expense.
The family court had on 7 January 2016 dismissed the application by stating that there is no provision in the Act that a daughter can claim the amount of her marriage.
In her plea, Rajeshwari said that the respondent, Bhanu Ram, is going to retire and likely to receive Rs 55 lakh as retiral dues, therefore, appropriate writ be issued directing the respondent-employer Bhilai Steel Plant to release a part of his retiral dues to the tune of Rs 20 lakh in her favour.
Challenging the order of the family court, Rajeshwari had moved the high court stating that as per the law, an unmarried daughter can demand the expenses of marriage from her father, claiming that the expense comes under the purview of maintenance, Tiwari said.
The bench considered the decision as significant and it has been approved for reporting (AFR), he said, explaining that the case would now be given place in all the law books.
This the first of its kind order by the high court of Chhattisgarh, Tiwari added. -- PTI
13:56 Maha Cong leader writes to Sonia
Maharashtra Congress leader Vishwabandhu Rai writes to the party's interim president Sonia Gandhi alleging that the Congress ministers, leaders and workers are being neglected in the present MVA dispensation.
13:46 You mocked MNREGA, Sonia reminds BJP
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday voiced concern over the budgetary cut for MGNREGA, contending that several states have negative balance in their accounts to the tune of Rs 5000 crore which has led to delays in payments to workers.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Gandhi urged the government to make adequate allocations to MGNREGA, a scheme that had helped the government during the COVID-19 pandemic, and ensure payments within 15 days.
He said under Prime Minister Modi, geo-tagging of assets created under MGNREGA was introduced and payments were directly made to workers in their Jan Dhan accounts. Congress members were up on their feet protesting the remarks targeting the UPA made by Singh and Thakur.
As the commotion continued, Thakur said it was ironic for the opposition to criticise when a union minister had responded immediately to an issue raised by Gandhi.
Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh and I&B Minister Anurag Thakur hit back at Gandhi, accusing her of politicising the issue and claimed that her remarks were far from truth.
"The issue raised by the honourable member is far from the truth. The budgetary allocation for MGNREGA in 2013-14 (UPA years) was Rs 33,000 crore, whereas under Prime Minister Narendra Modi it had reached Rs 1.12 lakh crore. No need to show us the mirror," Singh said.
Gandhi said MGNREGA, which was mocked by some persons, had provided timely help to crores of affected poor families during the pandemic and played a positive role in helping the government.
"Still there is regular reduction in the budgetary allocation for MGNREGA. This year the budget for MGNREGA is 35 per cent less than that of 2020. This comes at a time when unemployment is rising continuously, she said. Gandhi said the budgetary cuts were weakening the legal guarantee of timely payment and employment. She noted that the Supreme Court had likened the delay in MGNREGA payments with forced labour.
Gandhi said the states were told that their annual labour budget will not be approved unless they meet conditions related to social audit and appointment of Lokpal.
Social audit should be made effective but workers can't be punished by stopping the money for this, she said. I request the Central government to allocate adequate funds for MGNREGA, ensure payment of workers within 15 days of work, and pay compensation in case of delay in payment of wages, Gandhi said.
Responding to Gandhi, Thakur alleged that the MGNREGA scheme saw massive corruption under the UPA government, which was weeded out by the Modi government. -- PTI
13:36 Stalin meets PM, Sonia in Delhi
Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin calls on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. Stalin also met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at Parliament. "I just came to say vanakkam. I will see you on Saturday, at the function of the opening of your office," Sonia Gandhi told the CM.
13:31 Loss incurred by AI, AI Express, Alliance Air Rs 17,032 in Apr 2020-Dec 2021
Air India, Air India Express and Alliance Air suffered a total loss of Rs 17,032 crore between April 2020 and December 2021, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
He said the highest loss was incurred by the now privatised Air India with Rs 9,373 crore loss in 2020-21 and Rs 6,927 crore in 2021-22 (upto December 2021). Air India Express incurred Rs 184 crore profit in 2020-21 and Rs 161 crore loss in 2021-22 (till December 2021), he said during the Question Hour.
The minister said Alliance Air's loss was Rs 440 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 315 crore in 2021-22 (till December 2021). Air India and Air India Express were taken over by the Tata Group early this year.PTI
13:12 Wiling to die for my country: Kejriwal
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on the vandalism outside his residence yesterday.
"Arvind Kejriwal is not important but the nation is. I can lay down my life for the country," says the Delhi CM on the attack at his residence.
"If India's biggest party indulges in hooliganism, it will send out wrong message. If the world's largest and ruling party does such 'goondagardi' in Delhi, then what message will it send to the youth of the country? The country can't progress like this," Kejriwal said.
AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj Thursday approached the Delhi High Court seeking constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a fair and time bound investigation into the alleged attack outside the residence of the Delhi Chief Minister.
13:07 US won't provide security guarantees to Ukraine
Ukraine updates: US won't provide security guarantees to Ukraine. White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said at a briefing that President Joe Biden doesn't intend to participate in a direct military confrontation with Russia.
Image: Colonel general Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Ground Forces of Ukraine, visits his troops at an advanced post as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in north of Kyiv. Pic: Zohra Bensemra/Reuters
12:46 Gandhiji considered drinking alcohol a sin: Nitish
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday called the people who drink alcohol as "sinners" while adding that it is considered a sin by Mahatama Gandhi, after the state legislative assembly passed Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
Speaking at the Bihar legislative assembly, "Somebody went to drink alcohol and died after drinking poisonous liquor, alcohol is bad. Liquor ban should be implemented."
"Further he said that liquor ban should be implemented. It is bad to drink alcohol, Bapu has also said and he who does not listen to Bapu is a great sinner, he Laws are made but no one follows them," he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, The Bihar Legislative Assembly passed the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2022 which empowers the state government to impose penalties for certain categories of offences instead of direct imprisonment.
The Bill permits the state government to prescribe fines, and imprisonment (in case of repeat offenders) for the consumption of liquor. -- ANI
12:20 Academy begins action against Will Smith
"Disciplinary proceedings" are underway against Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars, said the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, adding that the actor was asked to leave the awards ceremony after the incident but refused to do so.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Academy on Wednesday said through his actions Smith violated its Standards of Conduct, "including inappropriate physical contact, abusive or threatening behavior, and compromising the integrity of the Academy".
In a statement released after a Board of Governors meeting, the institution said the actor could face suspension, expulsion or other sanctions if the board chooses to take action at the next scheduled meeting on April 18. Smith will also receive 15 days' notice of a vote as well as an opportunity to be heard by written response beforehand.
"Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated. While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently," the Academy said.
The statement from the Academy didn't provide details about who asked Smith to leave. The Academy also apologized directly to Rock in the statement, as well as nominees, guests and viewers.
While presenting the Oscar for best feature documentary on Sunday night, Rock cracked a joke about Smith's actor-wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who currently sports a shaved head due to alopecia. After apparently laughing at the quip, Smith walked up to the stage to slap Rock, which will go down as one of the most shocking incidents in Oscars history. Once Smith returned to his seat, he shouted at a seemingly disoriented Rock to take "my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth."
Smith later went on to win the best actor award for his performance in "King Richard". In his maiden Oscar acceptance speech, he apologised to the Academy and fellow nominees but didn't mention Rock. After outrage and many condemnations, including from the Academy, Smith took to Instagram on Monday to publicly apologise to Rock.
"Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last night's Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable... I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong," he wrote. Next day, Pinkett Smith broke her silence on the controversy in an Instagram post as she shared a brief statement that read, "This is a season for healing and I'm here for it." -- PTI
12:13 The slippery road to maternal health in UP
Expectant mothers in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur and Varanasi districts are at risk from anaemia, poor nutrition and inadequate healthcare. The fallout from the pandemic has added to the harm. Read the report here.
12:10 Pak parl to meet on Thursday to debate no-trust motion
The lower House of Pakistan's Parliament is scheduled to meet on Thursday for a debate on the no-confidence motion tabled by the joint opposition against Prime Minister Imran Khan to topple his government which has effectively lost majority after two key allies walked away from the ruling coalition.
The National Assembly session will be held at the Parliament House at 4pm (local time), according to the schedule issued by the assembly secretariat. It also issued a 24-point agenda for the session and the no-confidence motion is fourth on the agenda.
Opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif will start the debate on the no-confidence motion which was tabled on March 28. The motion was tabled under Article A-95 of the Constitution, and it had 161 members as signatories.
While tabling the motion, Sharif had said he was presenting the no-confidence motion against prime minister Khan. The voting is expected on April 3 and before the crucial day, the two sides would use the assembly forum to debate the matter.
The position of the opposition parties has strengthened after two main allies of the government, including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), joined the front against the government. The government lost its majority after the allies ditched it and pressure is mounting on Khan, the cricketer-turned-politician.
11:58 Experience more powerful than knowledge: PM to RS
PM Narendra Modi speaks to the retiring members of the Rajya Sabha. This is the last parliament session for 72 MPs.
The PM said, "Our Rajya Sabha members have a lot of experience and sometimes experience has more power than academic knowledge. We will say to the retiring members 'come again'.
"We have spent a long time in this Parliament. This House has contributed a lot to our lives, more than we have contributed to it. The experience gathered as a member of this House should be taken to all four directions of the country."
The retiring members include, A K Antony, Ambika Soni, P Chidambaram, Anand Sharma, Jairam Ramesh, Suresh Prabhu, Praful Patel, Subramanian Swamy, Prasanna Acharya, Sanjay Raut, Naresh Gujral, Satish Chandra Mishra, M C Mary Kom, Swapan Dasgupta and Narendra Jadhav.
11:56 Biocon chief asks Bommai to make Karnataka inclusive
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Executive Chairperson of Biocon Limited, asks the Karnataka CM to resolve the increasingly communal overtones in the state. She tweets, "Karnataka has always forged inclusive economic development and we must not allow such communal exclusion. If ITBT became communal it would destroy our global leadership. @BSBommai please resolve this growing religious divide."
ITBT is the Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology.
She was responding to a report in the Indian Express on the ban on Muslim traders from setting up stalls on temple premises or at temple fairs in Karnataka.
11:43 Police arrests brother-sister duo accused of abduction, rape of minor
The Delhi Police have arrested two people, from Delhi, accused of abducting and raping a minor girl in Nangloi on March 21.
The accused involved is a brother-sister duo, identified as Joginder Singh and Kamaljeet Singh alias Kamlesh were apprehended from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh and Karkardooma Metro Station of Delhi, respectively. The case was initially registered with the Nangloi Police Station in 2006.
"On 19 April 2006, a report for missing of a 13-year old minor was lodged by her father in Nangloi Police Station, who had alleged Joginder and Kamlesh for kidnapping his daughter after enticing her," said Delhi Police.
"Since the day the complaint was registered, both the accused remained absconding. However, the girl was recovered and a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the duo under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)," it added. -- ANI
11:38 Why Ukraine can never trust Putin's promise
Just hours after pledging to scale back operations in certain zones to promote trust between the two sides, Russian forces bombarded areas around Kyiv and another city.
The shelling and intensified Russian attacks on other parts of the country tempered optimism about any progress in the talks aimed at ending the punishing war.
The Russian military's announcement Tuesday that it would de-escalate near the capital and the northern city of Chernihiv to increase mutual trust and create conditions for further negotiations was met with deep suspicion from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the West.
Soon after, Ukrainian officials reported that Russian shelling hit homes, stores, libraries and other civilian sites in and around Chernihiv and on the outskirts of Kyiv.
Russian troops also stepped up their attacks on the Donbas region in the east and around the city of Izyum, which lies on a key route to the Donbas, after redeploying units from other areas, the Ukrainian side said.
Image: Polish emergency services transfer vulnerable children from a train which arrived from the South East of war torn Ukraine in Przemysl, Poland. Pic: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
11:11 Rana Ayyub moves HC against travel restrictions
Rana Ayyub moves the Delhi High Court against restrictions on foreign travel.
The petition was mentioned before Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla today.
The counsel for Ayyub prayed for early listing tomorrow morning since she has to travel abroad tomorrow.
Ayyub was stopped at the Mumbai airport on Tuesday from boarding a flight to London. This was based on a look out circular issued by the Enforcement Directorate against her in a money laundering case.
10:58 Mariupol evacuation corridor begins at 10 am today
Russia announces ceasefire to evacuate residents of Mariupol. The Russian Ministry of Defense said a humanitarian corridor from Mariupol to Zaporizhzhia, via the Russian-controlled port of Berdiansk, will begin at 10 am on March 31st.
-- UK GCHQ spy chief says Russian troops in Ukraine refused to carry out commands. Head of Britains GCHQ spy service Jeremy Fleming said on Mar. 30 that intelligence revealed Russian troops had low morale, were poorly equipped, and accidentally downed one of their own aircraft.
-- Ukraine in talks with Poland on complete closure of border with Belarus. Ukraines Ambassador to Poland Andriy Deshchytsia said the two countries are discussing the possibility of fully closing the Polish border with Belarus, regardless of the EUs decision.
Image: An apartment building heavily damaged during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol. Pic: Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters
10:39 India allows Russia to invest in domestic market
In the face of mounting sanctions against Russia for launching military operations in Ukraine, India in line with its old ties and friendly relations will allow Moscow to invest and borrow in the domestic market.
Russia has been hit by multiple sanctions following its military operations in Ukraine. Countries around the world are imposing fresh sanctions against Russia.
The United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada have banned certain Russian banks from SWIFT, the high-security network that facilitates payments among 11,000 financial institutions in 200 countries.
Earlier, Germany halted certification of the 'Nord Stream 2' gas pipeline, following Moscow's actions in Ukraine.
Amid the sanctions, India allowed Russia to invest in Indian corporate debt funds that could help Moscow. -- PTI
10:22 US denies sending letter to topple Imran govt
The US on Wednesday denied reports of any specific message being delivered to Pakistan's then-ambassador to the United States and said that no US government agency had sent a letter to Pakistan on the current political situation in the country.
While responding to the question regarding the alleged 'letter' and 'US involvement in a no-confidence motion against Pakistan Prime minister Imran Khan', a State Department spokesperson said, "there is no truth to these allegations," Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported.
Pakistan's embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday shared some details of the "foreign conspiracy letter" with senior journalists and cabinet members, asserting that the document was authentic and a foreign conspiracy was afoot to remove him from power, touting the Opposition's no-confidence motion against him as a testimony of "foreign-funded" move to topple his government.
According to some media reports, it was assumed that the 'foreign-conspiracy' letter was sent to Ambassador Asad Mujeed on the basis of his meeting with the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu. -- ANI
10:16 News updates at this hour.
-- Delhi High Court today will hear a petition seeking 'Bharat Ratna' to industrialist Ratan Tata for his service to the nation.
-- Three Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu's Pudukottai district who were fishing in the Sri Lankan-Karainagar waters were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy yesterday. SL Navy also seized an Indian fishing boat.
-- Special NDPS court in Mumbai today will pass its order on the application of NCB seeking more time for filing the chargesheet in the Cordelia cruise drug case in which Aryan Khan and others are accused. NCB has sought an extension of 90 days for filing chargesheet in the matter.
10:00 India has 14,307 active Covid cases
With 1,225 new coronavirus infections reported in a day, India's infection tally rose to 4,30,24,440, while the active cases dipped to 14,307, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The death toll climbed to 5,21,129 with 28 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.
The active cases comprise 0.03 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate remained at 98.76 per cent, the ministry said.
A reduction of 397 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The country's daily Covid positivity rate was recorded at 0.20 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 0.23 per cent. A total of 78.91 crore Covid tests have been conducted so far, with 6,07,987 tests conducted in the last 24 hours. India's COVID-19 tally had surpassed the one crore-mark on December 19, 2020. -- PTI
09:57 Russian soldiers raped me as my terrified son cried
The woman whose case could be the first heard in a war crimes investigation talks about what happened in Kyiv. Read the report here.
Image: Civilians, who volunteered to join the Territorial Defence Forces, take aim during a weapons training in the Lviv region. Pic: Viacheslav Ratynskyi/Reuters
09:50 Rahul leads protests against fuel price hike
Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi hold protests at Vijay Chowk against fuel price hike. In Parliament, Congress MP Manickam Tagore gives adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss fuel price hike.
09:35 Chris Rock 'still processing' Will Smith's Oscars slap
Comedian Chris Rock has finally broken his silence on Will Smith slapping him at the 94th Academy Awards ceremony.
During a stand-up show in Boston on Wednesday, Rock walked out to two boisterous standing ovations that lasted roughly two minutes, The Hollywood Reporter said.
Rock, 57 opened his comedy with, "How was your weekend?" which was greeted with laughter, the outlet informed.
The comedian then went on to speak briefly about "what happened" without directly mentioning the Oscars ceremony, or Will Smith.
"I don't have a bunch of shit about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend, and I'm still kind of processing what happened. So at some point I'll talk about that shit. And it'll be serious, and it'll be funny," Rock said.
He continued, "I'm going to tell some jokes. It's nice to just be out."
Rock later told the audience, "Except for some other pretty weird things, life is pretty good right now."
The comedian received big cheers at the show which ran about an hour, as per The Hollywood.
09:19 Resolution introduced in US Congress to designate April 14 as National Sikh Day
More than a dozen lawmakers including Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, have introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to designate April 14 of each year as National Sikh Day.
Observing that the Sikh community, which began immigrating into the United States over 100 years ago, has played an important role in developing the United States; the resolution supports the designation of 荘National Sikh Day'' to honor and celebrate the important role played by the Sikh community in strengthening and inspiring the people of the United States.
Sponsored by Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, the resolution introduced in the House on March 28 was co-sponsored by over a dozen lawmakers: Karen Bass, Paul Tonko, Brian K Fitzpatrick, Daniel Meuser, Eric Swalwell, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Donald Norcross, Andy Kim, John Garamendi, Richard E Neal, Brendan F Boyle and David G Valadao.
Both John Garamendi and David Valadao are Co-Chairs of the Sikh Caucus.
The resolution was welcomed by Sikh caucus committee, Sikh co-ordination committee and American Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee. -- PTI
08:32 Putin misled by Russian military on Ukraine war: US
The United States has information that Russian President Vladimir Putin felt misled by his military, the White House said Wednesday adding that the Ukraine war has been a strategic blunder.
"What I can say is, of course, we have information that Putin felt misled by the Russian military, which has resulted in persistent tension between Putin and his military leadership," White House Press Secretary Kate Bedingfield told reporters at her daily news conference.
"We believe that Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about how badly the Russian military is performing and how the Russian economy is being crippled by sanctions, because his senior advisors are too afraid to tell him the truth," she said.
"So, it is increasingly clear that Putin's war has been a strategic blunder that has left Russia weaker over the long term, and increasingly isolated on the world stage," she said.
From the outset that Russia made an aggressive push toward Kiev at the beginning of the invasion.
They are now publicly trying to redefine the goals of their invasion to be different than they were at the outset, she noted when asked about some declassified American intelligence information that Putin had bad information from his military.
"What does that mean for the war in Ukraine and the prospects for negotiations right now?" she was asked.
"I think putting forward this information simply contributes to a sense that this has been a strategic error for them. Again, I'm not going to characterize what they are thinking. I'm certainly not going to characterize how they may or may not use this information to make decisions. That's not my place. But I do think that making this information public contributes to an understanding that this has been a strategic failure for Russia.
"Obviously, we will continue to pursue our strategy of imposing severe costs on Russia, and trying to strengthen Ukraine on the battlefield and at the negotiating table," Bedingfield said.
08:08 Fuel prices hiked again, 9th rise in 10 days
Petrol and diesel prices were on Thursday hiked by 80 paise a litre each, taking the total increase in rates in the last 10 days to Rs 6.40 per litre.
Petrol in Delhi will now cost Rs 101.81 per litre as against Rs 101.01 previously while diesel rates have gone up from Rs 92.27 per litre to Rs 93.07, according to a price notification of state fuel retailers.
Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending upon the incidence of local taxation.
This is the ninth increase in prices since the ending of a four-and-half-month long hiatus in rate revision on March 22.
In all, petrol and diesel prices have gone up by Rs 6.40 per litre each.
02:42 Months after eviction notice, Chirag Paswan vacates Delhi bungalow
Months after eviction notice, Lok Janshakti Party MP Chirag Paswan on Wednesday vacated 12 Janpath bungalow that had been allotted to his later father and former union minister Ram Vilas Paswan.
An eviction order was issued last year by Directorate of Estates, with multiple reminders were sent, officials said.
Chirag Paswan, when contacted, refused to make any comment on the matter.
Ram Vilas Paswan was a union minister both in UPA and NDA governments and had stayed in the bungalow for long years.
The bungalow also served as a hub of LJP's political activities with Ram Vilas Paswan holding regular press conferences.
A bust of Ram Vilas Paswan was also placed in front of the main gate at 12 Janpath.
Ram Vilas Paswan was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1977 on a Janata Party ticket from Hajipur in Bihar. -- PTI
00:41 Cong leader Anand Sharma meets Rahul Gandhi
Congress deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma on Wednesday met former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and exchanged notes with him over tea.
Sharma is due to retire as a Rajya Sabha member on April 2 Gandhi lauded Sharma's role as deputy leader of the party in Rajya Sabha and shared with him thoughts on the political situation in the country, sources said.
Sharma, who is a member of the G23 which has been demanding organisational overhaul, is learnt to have put forth his views on the prospects and challenges before the Congress in Himachal Pradesh that goes to polls later this year.
He hails from Himachal Pradesh and is currently the Rajya Sabha member from the state.
Sharma has been a long time Parliamentarian and has been a former Union minister for many years and has vast political experience. -- ANI
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