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Mon, 11 March 2024
Cong finalises 40 names, Nath's son for Chhindwara
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23:38 5 killed, 11 injured as bus touches live wire in UP; 3 officials suspended
At least five people were killed and 11 others injured when a bus in which they were travelling caught fire after it came in contact with an overhead high-voltage wire here on Monday, the police said.
The accident took place when members of a marriage party from Mau were on its way to Mahahar temple in the Mardah police station area, SHO Dharmendra Kumar Pandey told PTI over phone.
Taking note of the incident, state energy minister A K Sharma suspended three officials of the power department and terminated a lineman.
Executive engineer Manish, sub-divisional officer Santosh Chowhdury and junior engineer Pradeep Kumar Rai were suspended while services of lineman Narendra, who was on contract, were terminated, an official statement said.
The minister also visited Ghazipur and Mau to meet the victims' families.
The bus came in contact with a high-tension electric line and caught fire, SHO Pandey said.
District information officer Rakesh Kumar said that the district magistrate and other senior officials reached the spot. -- PTI
23:10 Odisha school headmaster gets 5-year jail for molesting minor student
A POCSO court in Odisha's Balasore district on Monday sentenced a headmaster of a school to five years rigorous imprisonment for molesting a minor student.
The special judge of POCSO court in Balasore, Ranjan Kumar Sutar also imposed a fine of Rs 3000 on Ganesh Chandra Sahu, the headmaster.
According to the police, the headmaster molested the class 10 girl student when she went to fetch water on school premises and threatened dire consequences if she disclosed it to anyone.
The victim, however, disclosed her ordeals to her family and her father lodged a complaint with the Singla police station in 2020.
The accused was arrested and tried under several relevant sections of the IPC and POCSO Act, the police said. -- PTI
22:59 Cong finalises 40 names, Nath's son for Chhindwara
Top Congress leadership on Monday discussed over 60 seats in five states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Assam and finalised the names of about 40 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Sources said the party has decided to field former chief minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath once again from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara and Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav from Jalore in Rajasthan.
Speculation was rife about both Kamal Nath and his son Nakul switching over to the BJP ahead of the polls.
Both Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot are unlikely to contest, with the former's son entering the poll fray and the latter having responsibility of Chhattisgarh as AICC general secretary, the sources added.
The Congress' central election committee, chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, met at the party headquarters to finalise candidates, days after the party released its first list of 39 candidates for the polls.
Among the seats that were discussed at the meeting included 14 each from Rajasthan, Assam and Gujarat, 16 from Madhya Pradesh and five from Uttarakhand, besides one from Union Territory of Daman and Diu.
For Rajasthan, about 10 candidates were finalised, including Rahul Kaswan, who quit the BJP to join the Congress on Monday, from Churu; Vaibhav Gehlot from Jalore and Harish Meena from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur. -- PTI
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22:45 CAA discriminatory law, violates right to equality: Amnesty India
Calling the Citizenship Amendment Act a discriminatory law that goes against the constitutional values of equality and international human rights, Amnesty India said the legislation stands in violation of the right to equality.
The Centre on Monday announced the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, paving the way for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
The rules were notified days ahead of the expected announcement of the Lok Sabha elections.
With this, the Narendra Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians -- from the three countries.
Following the notification, Amnesty India hit out at the government in a series of posts on X.
"The Citizenship Amendment Act is a discriminatory law that goes against the constitutional values of equality and international human rights law. The notification of the rules issued by the (Union) Ministry of Home Affairs will make this divisive law operational from today," it said.
The human rights body said CAA stands in violation of the right to equality before the law and right to non-discrimination, as guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. -- PTI
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22:22 TTV Dhinakaran's party joins hands with BJP for LS polls
Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam chief TTV Dhinakaran on Monday announced his party's unconditional support to the BJP for the soon to be announced Lok Sabha polls.
Speaking to reporters, Dhinakaran said his party's alliance with the BJP is confirmed.
He said: "TN BJP President K Annamalai and BJP leader Kishan Reddy spoke to me over phone and I have conveyed to them the unconditional support of AMMK to the BJP-led alliance."
Dhinakaran said he could not meet the BJP leaders on Monday as he was out of Chennai.
The AMMK leader said the BJP leaders had been in touch with them for the past six months and talks were on for about three months now.
While it is certain that people will give Prime Minister Narendra Modi a third term in office, his party, the AMMK will contribute like a 'squirrel,' to ensure victory for the BJP in Tamil Nadu.
On seat-sharing, the AMMK leader said his party's demands will be reasonable.
There is no issue as regards the number of constituencies to be allotted to his party and the Lok Sabha segments from where his party nominees will contest. -- PTI
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22:05 1st batch of Indian military personnel leave Maldives
Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives manning the operations of a helicopter have departed from the island nation after handing over the operations of the chopper to an Indian civilian crew, the Maldivian media reported on Monday.
A media official for the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) told the Adhadhu news portal that the Indian soldiers who were stationed in Addu city are now back in India after handing over the operations of a helicopter to an Indian civil crew.
There was no immediate confirmation from India's defence ministry on the withdrawal of the first batch of Indian military personnel from the Maldives as reported by the media in Male.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, seen as a pro-China leader, has affirmed that no Indian military personnel, not even those in civilian clothing, would be present inside his country after May 10.
There will be no Indian troops in the country come May 10. Not in uniform and not in civilian clothing. The Indian military will not be residing in this country in any form of clothing. I state this with confidence, Muizzu was quoted as saying by the local media last week.
After a high-level meeting in New Delhi on February 2 between the two sides, the Maldivian foreign ministry said India would replace its military personnel operating the three aviation platforms in the Maldives by May 10 and the first phase of the process would be completed by March 10.
India had agreed to remove its troops from the Maldives under the condition that a number of their civilians equivalent to the military presence are brought to operate the aircraft.
Muizzu rode to power last year on an anti-India stance and within hours of taking oath demanded India to remove its personnel from the strategically located archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean.
21:49 Modi greets people on eve of Ramzan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday greeted people on the eve of Ramzan.
He said in a post on X, "Wishing everyone a blessed Ramzan. May this holy month bring joy, good health and prosperity in everyone's lives."
The holy Islamic month of Ramzan begins on Tuesday as the Ramzan moon was sighted in various parts of the country on Monday. -- PTI
21:23 SC frowns on celebratory firing at weddings
The Supreme Court on Monday termed as unfortunate the incidents of celebratory firing at wedding ceremonies which often have "disastrous consequences".
The court's observations came in a judgement by which it set aside the conviction of a man, accused of killing another in celebratory firing at a wedding in 2016, under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC.
"The act of celebratory firing during marriage ceremonies is an unfortunate yet prevalent practice in our nation. The present case is a direct example of the disastrous consequences of such uncontrolled and unwarranted celebratory firing," a bench of justices Vikram Nath and Satish Chandra Sharma said.
The bench overturned the punishment of life imprisonment awarded to Shahid Ali by the trial court and the Allahabad high court.
The top court, however, convicted him under Section 304 Part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC.
He walked free as the court set off the sentence against the eight years he had already served in prison. -- PTI
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20:44 BJP's poll body holds 2nd meet to finalise Lok Sabha candidates
The Bharatiya Janata Party's central election committee on Monday held its second meeting to decide on the party's candidates for the Lok Sabha elections as its senior leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, went through the list of probables for several states to make final choices.
The states, which were tipped to come up for discussion, included Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Haryana.
Ahead of the meeting, Haryana deputy Chief Minister and Jannayak Janta Party leader Dushyant Chautala held talks with BJP president JP Nadda for distribution of seats among the two allies in the state.
Though a section of Haryana BJP leaders has been opposed to the alliance, the party seems to be weighing its options.
The BJP had won all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the previous elections in 2019.
The JJP had allied with the party after the assembly polls.
The BJP has joined hands with a number of parties across the country in the run-up to the general elections, expected to be held in April-May, as it eyes a bigger majority.
The Telugu Desam Party is the latest to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, and the national party has also been in talks with Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal. -- PTI
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20:30 CAA notification: Matuas in Bengal celebrate '2nd independence day'
A section of West Bengal's Matua community celebrated the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) 2019 at the headquarters of the sect in Thakurnagar, North 24 Parganas, on Monday, claiming it to be their 'second independence day'.
Matuas, originally from East Pakistan, are a weaker section of Hindus who migrated to India during the Partition and after the creation of Bangladesh.
The community, with an estimated population of three million in the state, can tilt the scales in favour of a political party in more than 30 assembly seats in Nadia, and North and South 24 Parganas districts bordering Bangladesh.
Members of the Matua community celebrated the occasion by beating drums and exchanging pleasantries and expressed their gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and local MP and Union minister Santanu Thakur for the Act's implementation.
They hailed the moment as a defining one for them, expressing joy at finally being granted citizenship.
They referred to it as their 'second independence day'.
However, a Trinamool Congress supporter from the area, belonging to the sect, claimed that people of the community had previously obtained voter ID cards, ration cards, and Aadhaar cards, which were deactivated by the BJP a month ago.
The Matuas had once stood behind the TMC but supported the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The rules for implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) 2019 were notified on Monday, paving the way for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, according to officials.
With the CAA rules being issued, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India till December 31, 2014.
These include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians. -- PTI
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20:06 Crescent moon sighted, marks beginning of Ramzan
The Ramzan moon has been sighted in various parts of the country and Muslims will begin fasting in India on Tuesday, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind said.
A meeting of the Ruyat-e-Hilal Committee under the presidentship of Maulana Niaz Ahmed Farooqui, secretary Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, was held on Monday at 1, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi.
It has been verified that the moon has been sighted in several parts of the country, a statement issued by the Muslim organisation said.
"Thus, it is declared that the first Ramzan falls on Tuesday, March 12, 2024," the statement said.
Fatehpuri Masjid Imam Mufti Mukarram Ahmad also told PTI that the moon had been sighted and fasts would begin on Tuesday.
He greeted people on the occasion and said the moon was clearly sighted by many people from the mosque and in many parts of the country.
Millions of Muslims all over the world eagerly await the sight of the crescent moon, marking the beginning of the holy month.
During Ramzan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk after the pre-dawn meal 'sehri' and break their fast at sunset with 'iftar'. The end of the month is marked by Eid ul Fitr.
19:30 Cong questions timing of CAA rules notification
The Congress on Monday alleged that the timing of notifying the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act is evidently designed to polarise the coming Lok Sabha elections, especially in West Bengal and Assam.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also alleged that the announcement is yet another attempt to 'manage the headlines' after the Supreme Court's strictures on the electoral bonds issue.
Ramesh said it has taken four years and three months for the Narendra Modi government to notify the rules for the law cleared by Parliament in December 2019.
'After seeking nine extensions for the notification of the rules, the timing right before the elections is evidently designed to polarise the elections, especially in West Bengal and Assam,' the Congress leader said.
'The prime minister claims that his government works in a business-like and time-bound manner. The time taken to notify the rules for the CAA is yet another demonstration of the prime minister's blatant lies,' he said in a post on X.
The rules for implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) 2019 were notified on Monday, paving the way for granting citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, according to officials.
With the CAA rules being issued, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India till December 31, 2014.
These include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians.
The CAA was passed in December 2019 and subsequently got the president's assent but there were protests in several parts of the country against it.
Over a hundred people lost their lives during the anti-CAA protests or police action.
The law could not come into effect as rules had not been notified till now. -- PTI
19:08 Security tightened in Delhi as CAA rules notified
Security has been beefed up in northeast Delhi, Shaheen Bagh, Jamia and other sensitive areas across the national capital following the notification of Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) on Monday, officials said.
Police personnel and paramilitary forces have also been deployed in some parts, with flag march being conducted in parts of northeast and southeast Delhi, they said.
Delhi witnessed communal riots in 2020 over the CAA and NRC (National Register of Citizens).
"Safety of every single common man of Delhi's northeast district is our responsibility," DCP northeast Joy Tirkey told PTI.
He further said that intensive patrolling and checking is being carried out by northeast district police personnel and paramilitary forces for the safety of citizens in sensitive areas. Everyone is requested to follow the safety instructions, the officer said.
"We have intensified night vigil along with paramilitary forces. No one will be allowed to breach the law and order situation. We took out flag marches for the safety of every single common," the DCP said.
The rules for implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 were notified on Monday, paving the way for granting of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
With the CAA rules being issued, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India till December 31, 2014.
These include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians. -- PTI
18:41 SC protects TV anchor Sudhir Chaudhary from arrest
The Supreme Court on Monday granted protection from arrest to news anchor Sudhir Chaudhary in connection with a first information report (FIR) lodged in Ranchi for allegedly making objectionable remarks on air after the then Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in January.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the journalist, that he was facing threat of arrest.
'Pending further orders, no coercive steps be taken,' the bench ordered and issued notice to the state police and others on the plea the news anchor.
A tribal group had filed a police complaint under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against him for his alleged remarks. -- PTI
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud took note of the submissions of senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the journalist, that he was facing threat of arrest.
'Pending further orders, no coercive steps be taken,' the bench ordered and issued notice to the state police and others on the plea the news anchor.
A tribal group had filed a police complaint under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against him for his alleged remarks. -- PTI
18:27 CAA rules notified, non-Muslim migrants to benefit
The rules for implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) were notified on Monday, paving the way for granting of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, officials said.
With the CAA rules being issued, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India till December 31, 2014.
These include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians.
The CAA was passed in December 2019 and subsequently got the President's assent but there were protests in several parts of the country against it.
The law could not come into effect as rules had not been notified till now.
18:09 Wrestler Chandrahar Patil joins Uddhav Sena
Wrestler Chandrahar Patil on Monday joined the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and he is likely to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Sangli in the western part of Maharashtra.
Patil, who has won the state's top wrestling competition 'Maharashtra Kesari' two times, joined the outfit in the presence of Thackeray and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut.
Amid slogans from the crowd about sending Patil to Delhi, Thackeray said, "Chandrahar had asked me to give some hint. I think you people have already decided, then no one can change it now."
"We need to send a strongman from Sangli with a blunt mace in one hand and a flaming torch (Thackeray's party symbol) in the other to Parliament. I appoint Chandrahar Patil as Shiv Sena Lok Sabha coordinator for Sangli district," he said.
Thackeray further said he would come to campaign in Sangli and asked people to invite him for the victory rally.
Incidentally, Patil's candidature for the Lok Sabha polls was announced earlier by the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), which is in talks with the Maha Vikas Aghadi for an alliance.
Thackeray's announcement goes against the agreement reached within the MVA last week that none of the constituents would unilaterally declare candidates.
Raut, on March 5, had said details of seat-sharing would be announced jointly by MVA members.
The Congress, which is part of the MVA, has won the Sangli seat several times, before the BJP wrested it in 2014 and retained it in 2019.
17:46 PM announces Agni-5 ballistic missile test
PM Narendra Modi tweets, "Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology."
India announces Mission Divyastra.
This is a big development because it moves India's missile development to the next level. The missile has multiple warheads and therefore alters the geopolitical presence of India massively. It makes the missile very hard to shoot down, say reports.
17:14 Ensure elections are fair: CEC to poll observers
In the run-up to the forthcoming General Elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies, the Election Commission of India on Monday organised a briefing for Observers to be deployed in the States and Union Territories.
Over 2150 senior officers drawn from IAS, IPS officers as well as officers from Indian Revenue Service and a few other Central Services attended the briefingmeeting which was organised in a hybrid mode at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
During the briefing, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar instructed the poll observers to ensure a level playing field for free, fair, intimidation and inducement-free elections.
CEC emphasised that the Observers as representatives of the Commission are expected to conduct themselves professionally and be accessible to all stakeholders including candidates.
"Observers were instructed to be tough but polite in their conduct on the field. He asked them to visit the polling stations and familiarise themselves with the geography and take stock of any vulnerabilities and sensitive areas," an official statement issued by the Election Commission read. Rajiv Kumar also mentioned that the Commission has re-drafted all circulars and updated the manuals, and handbooks which are available on the ECI website in a searchable and easy-to-read format.
He added that handbooks and manuals have been prepared on the basis of the roles and functions of different officials along with a checklist of Do's and Don'ts. -- ANI
17:10 CAA rules likely to be notified today
Update: The rules for implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) are likely to be notified today to facilitate the granting of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, according to sources.
Once the CAA rules are issued, the Modi government will start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians -- who had come to India till December 31, 2014.
The CAA was passed in December 2019 and subsequently got the president's assent but there were protests in several parts of the country against it. The law could not come into effect so far as rules have to be notified for its implementation.
17:02 Defamation case: SC asks Kejriwal if he wants to apologise
The Supreme Court on Monday asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has challenged a Delhi High Court order upholding the summons issued to him as an accused in a criminal defamation case, whether he wanted to give an apology to the complainant in the matter.
On February 26, Kejriwal told the apex court that he made a mistake by retweeting an allegedly defamatory video circulated by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee related to the BJP IT Cell.
During the hearing on Monday, a bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta was told by the counsel appearing for complainant Vikas Sankrityayan that Kejriwal may issue an apology on public platforms like microblogging platform 'X' or Instagram.
"You tell us what you want. We can put it to the other side. We are not going to step into your shoes or the other side's shoes," the bench told the counsel. The bench said the complainant can give the format of the apology to Kejriwal. "So, if you want to give an apology, you can circulate it without prejudice to your rights and contentions. Let him examine," the bench told senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who was appearing for Kejriwal.
"Otherwise we will examine the legal issue whether merely re-tweeting is criminal offence or not We may agree with you, we may agree with the other side. We will examine that," the bench said. When one of the lawyers sought time to take instructions, the bench said, "Show him the apology. If he agrees to it, then it is fine."
While posting the matter for hearing in the week commencing May 13, the bench said its earlier order asking the trial court not to take up the defamation case till March 11 would continue till the next date of hearing.
16:43 Home Ministry may notify CAA rules today
The Union Home Ministry is likely to notify the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rules by today.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has maintained the CAA, which was enacted in 2019, will be implemented before the Lok Sabha elections this year after issuing the rules in this regard.
"Our Muslim brothers are being misled and instigated (against the CAA). The CAA is only meant to give citizenship to those who came to India after facing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. It is not for snatching anyone's Indian citizenship," he has said.
16:21 Princess of Wales apologises for edited photo
Princess of Wales Kate Middleton apologises for any confusion over the Mother's Day family photo saying she, "occasionally experiments with editing."
She added: "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day."
She signed off the post with her initial: "C'.
Kensington Palace has been under pressure to answer questions about whether the first picture of the Princess of Wales to be released after her surgery has been digitally altered.
16:12 Parl breach: Police get 45 days to complete probe
The Patiala House Court of Delhi on Monday granted a 45-day extension to the Special Cell of Delhi Police to complete the investigation in the Parliament Security Breach case registered under stringent sections of UAPA.
The Additional Sessions Judge Dr Hardeep Kaur passed the order while hearing the Delhi Police's plea seeking an extension of 90 days to complete the investigation stating that the case is sensitive and certain reports are awaited. Digital data is also voluminous.
The Court has directed Delhi Police to complete the probe by April 25, 2024. Special public prosecutor Akhand Pratap Singh appeared for the Delhi Police in the matter.
Meanwhile, the Court has also extended the Judicial Custody of all accused by 30 days in the matter. All the accused were produced physically before the court on Monday.
15:58 BJP govt 'misusing' ED to create fear among opposition leaders: Pawar
NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government was misusing agencies like the Enforcement Directorate to create fear among opposition leaders and called the ED "supporting party" of the BJP.
Speaking to reporters in Pune ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Pawar also claimed that steps were being taken to influence elections with the help of agencies like the ED and candidates were being threatened not to contest from the opposition side.
He cited figures of the ED's actions between 2005 and 2023, claiming it registered 5,806 cases and only 25 of them have been disposed of.
"The disposal rate is 0.42 per cent and the conviction rate is just 0.40 per cent. The ED's budget has gone up from Rs 300 crore in 2022 to Rs 404 crore," the former Union minister said.
"Between 2005 and 2023, two governments were in power, including the UPA of which we were also a part.
During the UPA regime, the ED investigated 26 leaders, of whom five were from the Congress and three from the BJP. It shows that during the UPA regime ED's action was not politically motivated, but after 2014, not a single BJP leader has been questioned," Pawar said.
These figures raise a doubt if the ED's actions under the BJP government were politically motivated, the former Maharashtra chief minister said. "It indicates that the ED has become a supporting party of the BJP," he said. "BJP leaders know about the ED's actions in advance...looks like the orders come from the BJP," Pawar claimed.
15:39 BJP calls pakora sales jobs; 4 cr unemployed: Cong
The Congress on Monday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his "relentless campaign" on 'Modi ki Guarantee' cannot change the truth that he will say whatever he needs to in order to win an election and his "warranty" is now over.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the prime minister is going around the country proclaiming the virtues of his "guarantees" and since he has already been in power for a decade, one must do a status update of 10 guarantees he has given during his tenure.
He said Prime Minister Modi promised to create two crore jobs for India's youth every year but unemployment reached a 45-year peak in India under "anyay-kaal (period of injustice)".
"Since 2014, the number of unemployed persons has gone from 1 crore to 4 crore and to cover up its failures, "unpaid domestic work and pakora-sales" have been labelled as "jobs" by this government," Ramesh said in his post on X.
He said that on February 28, 2016, Modi promised to double farmers' income by 2022 but farmers' real income increased by just two per cent per year, nowhere close to the 12 per cent per year required for doubling by 2022.
"Instead, widespread agrarian distress due to inadequate MSP and rising input costs has caused farmer indebtedness to increase by 60%. In these circumstances, about one lakh farmers have died by suicide since 2014," he said.
Ramesh said Modi promised Rs 15 lakh in black money to be deposited in every Indian's bank account but this "guarantee" was admitted to be a "jumla" by Home Minister Amit Shah on February 5, 2015.
"In fact, the Modi government has totally failed to curb black money. 99.3% of the cash in circulation returned to the RBI after the failure of demonetisation.
In the meantime, fraudsters like Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi have scammed India out of thousands of crores and gotten away scot-free with their black money," Ramesh alleged.
He claimed that Modi promised to show "laal aankh" to China but that country is "currently occupying 2,000 sq km of Indian soil".
"The prime minister, in his statement at the all-party meeting on June 19th, 2020, gave China a clean chit.... By giving China a public clean chit, Modi has refused to acknowledge the truth and take appropriate action, even as India has lost access to 26 out of 65 patrolling points on the LAC," he alleged.
PM Modi claimed that "nobody can touch" reservations while he is in power, Ramesh said. The Congress leader said the University Grants Commission issued draft guidelines to de-reserve teaching posts for SC, ST, and OBC candidates in January 2024.
"The BJP has been removing reservations through the back door by privatising Public Sector Enterprises and contractualising jobs, cutting 2.7 lakh jobs in the remaining PSEs, and leaving 5 lakh reserved government posts vacant," he alleged.
"The Modi government promised that 'Make in India' would deliver 10 crore manufacturing jobs by 2020, and increase the share of manufacturing to 25 per cent of GDP," he said.
Ramesh claimed that for the first time since 2004, workers are moving from manufacturing jobs back to farm jobs in the 'anyay-kaal'.
"2.4 crore manufacturing jobs have been lost in the chaos of demonetisation, GST, and the unplanned COVID-19 lockdown. The share of manufacturing in GDP has actually decreased from 16.5 per cent under Dr. Manmohan Singh to just 14.5 per cent under Modi," he said.
Recalling PM Modi's "na khaunga, na khaane dunga" remark against graft, Ramesh alleged that the Modi years have seen the "most open corruption" in India's history. "The entire economy has been handed over to a few chosen crony capitalists," he alleged.
Ramesh also attacked the government over its 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign, claiming that 78.9% of the scheme's budget between 2016 and 2019 was spent on advertisements. Since 2014, PM Modi has promised repeatedly to clean the Ganga by 2019, Ramesh said while claiming that the holy Ganga river is dirtier than ever before.
Noting that in June 2014, PM Modi promised to develop 100 cities as smart cities', Ramesh said that in the years since, the Modi government has been unable to meaningfully define a 'smart city'.
"Even amidst the vagueness of this scheme, only one of the 110 cities - Madurai - has actually completed all the projects it embarked upon under this scheme. As of December 2023, 400 projects across the country were still incomplete. The scheme is so clearly unsuccessful that even the BJP's 2019 manifesto did not mention it," Ramesh claimed.
"The prime minister's relentless campaign on 'Modi ki Guarantee' cannot change the truth of the matter: that he is.....who will say whatever he needs to in order to win an election. Modi ki guarantee nahi, Modi ka warranty khatam hai!" the Congress leader said. -- PTI
Kate Middleton at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral
15:18 Official royal image of Kate Middleton with kids 'killed' by agencies
In a rare move, major international photo agencies issued a so-called kill notice on an official royal photograph released by Kensington Palace featuring the Princess of Wales and her three young children.
Kate Middleton, who has been on official leave as she recovers from an abdominal surgery in January, has not been seen in public for weeks which had led to some social media speculation over her condition.
Kensington Palace, the office for the Prince and Princess of Wales William and Kate, have repeatedly said that the 42-year-old Royal is doing well and that health matters are private. She underwent surgery on January 16.
On Sunday, marked as Mother's Day in the UK, the palace released an image of Kate with Princes George, 10, and Louis, 5, and Princess Charlotte, 8, which it said was taken by Prince William at Windsor Castle earlier in the week.
"A new picture of the Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis was posted on our social media channels today to mark Mother's Day," the palace said. "The image was taken in Windsor earlier this week by the Prince of Wales," it said.
In her message accompanying the photo on Instagram, Kate wrote: "Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day."
However, hours later Reuters, Associated Press (AP), Getty Images and Agence France-Presse (AFP) asked their subscribers to "kill" the photo from their systems and archives over concerns it was "manipulated" by "the source".
The agencies, which have strict rules on digital manipulation of images, said they had spotted a number of inconsistencies in the photograph, including the alignment of Princess Charlotte's left hand. Several people also took to social media to point out that Kate Middleton was not wearing her wedding ring, which was unusual. Kensington Palace has not yet commented after the photo was pulled by picture agencies.
AFP said it had "come to light" that the image of the "Princess of Wales and her kids had been altered" and was therefore removed from its systems. An AP statement read: The Associated Press initially published the photo, which was issued by Kensington Palace. The AP later retracted the image because at closer inspection, it appears that the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP's photo standards. The photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte's left hand."
Reuters said it withdrew the picture following a "post-publication review" with a spokesperson saying the agency is "reviewing the matter". Royal experts have indicated that editing of photographs after they have been taken for professional purposes is a common practice. Therefore, it is believed Kensington Palace may have only been trying to improve the photograph if it was indeed altered.
Meanwhile, it would only fuel further social media speculation over the health of the Princess of Wales, as details of her medical condition have not been released by the palace except to say it is not cancer related. She is not expected to return to official royal duties until after Easter next month as she recuperates. PTI
PM Modi inaugurates the Sela Tunnel in Itanagar
15:12 China protests Modi's weekend visit to Arunachal
China on Monday said it lodged a diplomatic protest with India over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh last week, reiterating its claim over the area by saying India's moves will "only complicate" the boundary question.
Prime Minister Modi on Saturday dedicated to the nation the Sela Tunnel built at an altitude of 13,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh that will provide all-weather connectivity to strategically located Tawang and is expected to ensure better movement of troops along the frontier region.
The Rs 825 crore tunnel, constructed on the road connecting Assam's Tezpur to West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, is being billed as the longest bi-lane road tunnel in the world at such an altitude.
The Sela Tunnel will provide for better movement of troops and weaponry to various forward locations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, according to military officials. China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, routinely objects to Indian leaders' visits to the state to highlight its claims. Beijing has also named the area as Zangnan.
India has repeatedly rejected China's territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the state is an integral part of the country. New Delhi has also dismissed Beijing's move to assign "invented" names to the area, saying it did not alter the reality.
Asked by the official media about Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh at a media briefing here on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Zangnan area is Chinese territory.
"China never recognised the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India and firmly opposes it," he said.
15:06 The Constitution is inconvenient for BJP: Cong
The Congress on Monday slammed the BJP over its MP Anantkumar Hegde's remarks about amending the Constitution, alleging that the Constitution is inconvenient for the BJP's "autocratic plans" and that is why it's aiming for 400-plus seats to "officially convert India into a dictatorship".
In a post on X, Congress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal also alleged that the BJP has a "forked tongue" with which it conveys two messages -- one for public decorum and the other its "Mann Ki Baat".
"What Anantkumar Hegde said about altering the Constitution is their Mann Ki Baat. In their heart, they have never stood for the Constitution or the core values it espouses," he alleged.
The BJP believes in imposing duties on citizens, while snatching away their fundamental rights, Venugopal said.
"Its parent organisation has wished for reservations to be done away with. And we are all witness to how constitutional institutions like the ECI or the judiciary are being compromised, while principles of federalism and checks and balances are being disregarded," the Congress leader alleged.
"In reality, the Constitution is an inconvenience for the BJP's autocratic plans. That's why they aim for 400+ seats -- to officially convert India into a dictatorship. However, democracy is in the veins of Indian society and it will reject these anti-Constitutional forces, who look to destroy Dr. Ambedkar's Constitution," Venugopal said.
Addressing a gathering at Karwar in Karnataka on Saturday, Hegde had said the BJP needs a two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament to amend the Constitution and "set right the distortions and unnecessary additions made to it by the Congress".
A six-term Lok Sabha MP and former Union minister, Hegde is known for his hardline views and his comments have sparked controversies in the past too.
14:44 I can't dream or think small: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the speed of implementation of infrastructure projects will be accelerated manifold in the next five years to make India the third largest economy in the world.
Modi said he has inaugurated and laid the foundation of projects worth Rs 10 lakh crore so far this calendar year and added that he is running short of time for inaugurating projects.
He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for 114 National Highway projects across the country worth about Rs 1 lakh crore. Among key National Highway (NH) projects, Modi inaugurated the Haryana section of the landmark Dwarka Expressway.
Modi took a dig at Congress, saying the opposition party and its 'Ghamandiya' alliance has lost sleep, seeing the speed at which development works are taking place in the country by his government. The prime minister said the Congress party is still looking at everything with negativity and this has become a character of the opposition parties and their INDI Alliance.
Modi stressed that he wants everything on a large scale, with great speed to achieve the target of making India a developed nation by 2047. "All of you know and understand me well. I cannot think small, nor do I dream small, nor do I make small resolutions. Whatever I want, I want it big! Whatever I want, I want it at a fast pace! By 2047, I want to see my country as a 'Viksit Bharat'," he said.
Highlighting that the country has moved from 11th position in 2014 to become the fifth largest economy now, Modi said the fast development of infrastructure will help India soon become the third largest economy in the world.
The prime minister noted that expressway projects would open a lot of opportunities for rural India. Modi also asserted that his government does not work with elections in mind and added that development work continues whether there are elections or not.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari were present at the event. PTI
Prof Saibaba has spent 10 years in jail
14:00 SC upholds Bombay HC's acquittal of Prof Saibaba
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Maharashtra government application seeking a stay on a Bombay High Court order that acquitted former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba and others in the Maoist links case.
A bench of justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta admitted the state government's appeal, even as it observed that the high court order was "prima facie well reasoned". The bench also rejected the oral request of Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the Maharashtra government for early listing of the appeal and said it will come in due course.
"There cannot be any urgency in the order of reversal of conviction. Had it been the other way around, we would have considered," the bench told Raju.
Justice Mehta said it is a hard-earned acquittal and in normal course, this court should have dismissed this appeal.
On March 5, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court acquitted Saibaba, 54, and others, noting that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the case against him.
The HC had also set aside Saibaba's life sentence and acquitted five other accused in the case. It held as "null and void" the sanction procured by the prosecution to charge the accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
"The prosecution has failed to establish any legal seizure or any incriminating material against the accused," the HC had said. Saibaba, who is wheelchair-bound, was lodged in Nagpur Central Jail since his arrest in the case in 2014.
13:54 Churu MP Rahul Kaswan resigns from BJP, joins Congress
Churu MP Rahul Kaswan on Monday resigned from the BJP and joined the Congress. He also resigned as a member of the Lok Sabha.
Announcing his decision, Kaswan, who was denied ticket by the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party leaders for giving him the opportunity to represent Churu as the MP twice.
"Due to political reasons, at this very moment today, I am resigning from the primary membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party and from the post of Member of Parliament," Kaswan posted on X.
"I express my gratitude to BJP national president J P Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, who gave me the opportunity to serve the Churu Lok Sabha family for 10 years, " he said.
The BJP had given ticket to paralympic gold medalist Devendra Jhajharia from the Churu Lok Sabha seat in place of two-time MP Kaswan. PTI
13:47 Woman sent to jail for 6 months for not filing ITR on income of Rs 2 cr
A Delhi Court recently convicted and sentenced a woman to six months in jail for not filing a return on income of Rs 2 crore. This case pertains to a complaint filed by the Income Tax Office (ITO) alleging that TDS (tax deducted at source) amounting to Rs 2 lakh was deducted against the receipt of Rs 2 crore made to the accused during the financial year 2013-14, however, no return of income for the assessment year 2014-15 was filed by the assessee/accused.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Mayank Mittal sentenced Savitri after hearing submissions and considering the facts and circumstances of the case.
"The convict is awarded a sentence of simple imprisonment for six months with a fine of Rs 5,000 and in default to undergo simple imprisonment for one month," ACMM Mittal said in the order passed on March 4.
13:08 Karnataka faces severest drought in 40 years!
Amid the acute water shortage in Bengaluru, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on Monday the state had not witnessed such a severe drought in the past three-four decades, and the next two months are "very much important."
The administration is making all efforts to manage the crisis and supply water to the citizens, he said, adding, steps have been taken to control the water "mafia" in the city.
"In the last 30-40 years we had not seen such drought; though there was drought earlier we had never declared such a large number of taluks as drought-affected," Shivakumar told reporters.
Shivakumar, also in-charge of Bengaluru development, said wherever Cauvery river water has to be supplied in the city, it is being done, but out of 13,900-odd borewells in Bengaluru, about 6,900 have become defunct.
"So to control the situation, we have arranged for tankers to supply water. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) are making all efforts in this regard," he added. Karnataka has declared drought in 223 out of 240 taluks, out of which 196 are categorised as severely drought affected. Alleging that the opposition (BJP-JD(S) combine) was trying to indulge in politics over the issue, Shivakumar said the administration has on its part made efforts to control the water "mafia", and provide water by taking it from private borewells, and also rates have been fixed based on distance travelled by the water tankers.
"A separate online system has been brought in for this and officials have been appointed to oversee this," he added. Stating that the next two months are "very much important," Shivakumar, who is also the Water Resources Minister, said priority is to ensure that there is no wastage of water.
"(By implementing) Cauvery fifth stage (project) -- we will make all efforts to provide Cauvery water to 110 villages (around Bengaluru) at the earliest by May last week," he said.
To control the water "mafia", more than 1,500 private water tankers have registered so far and time has been extended for others also to register till March 15, Shivakumar further said.
Police, Regional Transport Office (RTO), BBMP and BWSSB will monitor it and there will be a board with registration number on tankers. "Operating illegally and charging exorbitantly Rs 5,000 or 6,000 (per tanker of water), such things are going on. To control, its price has been fixed based on the distance travelled," he noted.
13:05 Plea in SC to restrain govt from appointing new ECs
The Supreme Court on Monday said that it will consider submission for early listing of a petition seeking to restrain the Centre from appointing new election commissioners as per a 2023 law, the provisions of which have already been challenged in the apex court.
Two vacancies of election commissioners have arisen following the resignation of Election Commissioner Arun Goel and Anup Chandra Pandey's retirement.
"Send an email. We will see, "said the bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwla and Manoj Misra. The plea was mentioned for urgent listing by senior advocate Vikas Sigh and advocate Varun Thakur, appearing for the Congress leader Jaya Thakur.
The local Congress leader has challenged the provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and terms of office) Act, 2023.
In her application, Thakur informed the court that during the pendency of her plea, in which a notice was issued on January 12, "one member of Election Commission namely Arun Goel gave resignation on March 9, 2024, which has been accepted by the President".
The prime minister-chaired high-powered committee will meet on March 15 to finalise the names of new election commissioners. Days before the poll panel is expected to announce the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls, Goel resigned on Friday morning.
His resignation was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday and the Union Law Ministry issued a notification to announce it. This leaves Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar as the sole member of the poll body. -- PTI
12:55 SC protects democracy from current regime: Cong on bonds order
The Congress Monday hailed the Supreme Court for dismissing the SBI's plea seeking an extension of time to furnish details of electoral bonds, saying the apex court has once again come to protect democracy from the "devious machinations" of the current regime.
A five-judge Constitution bench of the top court on Monday dismissed the State Bank of India's plea for time extension and directed it to furnish the details of electoral bonds to the Election Commission by close of business hours on March 12.
In a post on 'X', Congress general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal, said, "The Supreme Court has once again come to protect Indian democracy from the devious machinations of this regime."
"It was laughable for the SBI to seek an extension on a simple 1 day job. The fact is that the government is scared of all their skeletons tumbling out of the closet," he said.
"This mega corruption scandal, as certified by the Supreme Court, will expose the unholy nexus between the BJP and its corrupt corporate masters," Venugopal said.
During the hearing, the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, J B Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, took note of the submissions of senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the SBI, that more time was needed for collating the details and matching them as the information was kept in two different silos with its branches.
He further said that if the matching exercise was to be done away with, the SBI could complete the exercise within three weeks. The bench said it had not directed the bank to match the details of donors and donee with other information. -- PTI
12:48 SC slams SBI for 'willful disobedience' on bonds
The Supreme Court on Monday came down strongly on the State Bank of India for "willful disobedience" of last month's order -- that data about donors and recipients of electoral bonds be released by March 6.
CJI Dhananjay Chandrachud said, "Though we are not exercising the contempt jurisdiction, but we place SBI put on notice that this court will proceed against it for willful disobedience of court if it does not adhere to the directions issued by the court."
The court also directed the Chairman and Managing Director of SBI - India's largest bank, with a 23 per cent market share -- to file an affidavit after compliance.
Shahjahan Sheikh
12:33 CBI summons nine close aides of Shahjahan Sheikh
The CBI has summoned nine close aides and associates of suspended TMC leader Shahjahan Sheikh to appear before the agency on Monday, officials said.
The agency suspects that these nine individuals were allegedly part of the attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on January 5 and instigated the crowd to target the team when they went to raid the premises of Sheikh at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal, they said. Sheikh, whose role in the attack is under probe, is under the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) till March 14, the officials said.
The CBI has taken over investigation in three cases related to incidents on January 5 when ED officials were attacked by an around 1000-strong mob when they went to search the premises of Sheikh in connection with the agency's investigation into an alleged ration distribution scam case, in which a former minister of the state has been arrested.
Sheikh was arrested by the state police on February 29, a day after the high court ordered that the CBI, ED or the West Bengal police could arrest him. PTI
12:31 Electoral bonds: SC rejects SBI's plea for time extension
Update: A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the State Bank of India's plea seeking extension of time and directed it to furnish the details of electoral bonds to the Election Commission by close of business hours on March 12.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud also directed the EC to publish the details shared by the bank on its official website by 5 pm on March 15.
During the hearing, the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, J B Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, took note of the submissions of senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the SBI, that more time was needed for collating the details and matching them as the information were kept in two different silos with its branches.
He further said if the matching exercise is to be done away with, the SBI can complete the exercise within three weeks. The bench said it had not directed the SBI to match the details of donors and donee with other information.
The SBI has to just open the sealed cover, collate the details and give the information to the Election Commission, the apex court said. It also asked the bank about the steps taken by it for complying with the directions given by the apex court in its February 15 judgment.
"In the last 26 days, what steps have you taken? Your application is silent on that," the bench said. It asked the SBI to do a "plain disclosure" as per the court's judgment. In a landmark verdict delivered on February 15, a five-judge Constitution bench scrapped the Centre's electoral bonds scheme that allowed anonymous political funding, calling it "unconstitutional" and ordered disclosure by the Election Commission of donors, the amount donated by them and the recipients by March 13.
The SBI had sought an extension till June 30 to disclose the details of each electoral bond encashed by political parties before the scheme was scrapped. A separate plea, seeking initiation of contempt action against the SBI, was also heard by the bench. PTI
12:15 EC briefs its observers ahead of Lok Sabha elections
The Election Commission (EC) on Monday organised here a meeting for the observers it will be deploying for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The day-long briefing for the over 1,800 observers is being addressed by EC officials on different subjects.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar is also likely to address the observers drawn from different services. These police, general and expenditure observers are drawn from services such as IAS, IPS, IRS and other allied services. They are deployed in poll-bound areas ahead of announcement of elections and work as eyes and ears of the poll authority in the states. PTI
Jaya Thakur
12:08 SC understood seriousness of matter: Petitioner on bonds
Petitioner Jaya Thakur says, "Supreme Court understood the seriousness of the matter and issued strict order for the bank (SBI) to submit all documents by tomorrow. I think this is a great decision, I welcome it..."
Turning down the State Bank of India's (SBI) request for more time to disclose details of the electoral bonds scheme, the Supreme Court today said the bank must share the details with the Election Commission of India (ECI) by tomorrow. The poll body has been asked to publish the details on its website by 5 pm on Friday.
Read our interview with Jaya Thakur here.
11:56 Disclose details of bonds tomorrow: SC to SBI
The Supreme Court directs the Election Commission to publish information shared by SBI on electoral bonds by March 15.
The court directs SBI to disclose details of electoral bonds by the close of business hours on March 12.
The court dismisses SBI's plea seeking extension of time till June 30 to disclose details on electoral bond.
11:42 The Body Shop files for bankruptcy, shuts down all US-based stores
The UK-based cosmetics company, The Body Shop, shut down all of its US-based operations and will soon be closing dozens of Canadian store locations after filing for bankruptcy, CNN reported.
Earlier this month, The Body Shop, in an official release, announced that its US subsidiary was no longer operational, effective March 1. It further added that 33 of its 105 stores in Canada will begin liquidation sales immediately and "online sales via Canada's e-commerce store will stop," but that all Canadian locations will remain open for the time being, reported CNN.
According to reports, high inflation in recent years has affected traditional retailers, particularly those like The Body Shop, which predominantly operated out of malls and were aimed at the middle class.
The UK-based cosmetics company, founded in 1976 by human rights activist and environmental campaigner Anita Roddick, is known for products it markets as natural, sustainable, ethical and cruelty-free. It was one of the first companies to prohibit testing on animals for many of its products, according to CNN. -- PTI
11:34 SC on bonds: SBI has to just open envelope...
A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court on Monday asked the State Bank of India to apprise it about the steps taken so far to ensure disclosure of details of electoral bonds encashed by political parties before the scheme was scrapped last month.
Commencing the crucial hearing, the bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said it had asked the SBI to do a "plain disclosure" as per the court's judgment. In a landmark verdict delivered on February 15, a five-judge Constitution bench scrapped the Centre's electoral bonds scheme that allowed anonymous political funding, calling it "unconstitutional" and ordered disclosure by the Election Commission of donors, the amount donated by them and the recipients by March 13.
"In the last 26 days, what steps have you taken? Your application is silent on that," the bench, also comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai, J B Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, said.
"The SBI has to just open the sealed cover, collate the details and give the information to the Election Commission," the bench said.
The hearing in the case is underway. The State Bank of India has sought an extension till June 30 to disclose the details of each electoral bond encashed by political parties before the scheme was scrapped. A separate plea, seeking initiation of contempt action against the SBI is also being heard. PTI
11:20 What did you do for 26 days, SC asks SBI on bonds
A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, is hearing the an application from the State Bank of India, seeking more time to file information on electoral bonds.
The court had given time till March 6 to file the details. The bank wants time till June 30.
SBI has to just open sealed cover, collate details and give information to Election Commission, says SC. "In the last 26 days, what steps have you taken? Your application is silent on that," the SC says.
"We have asked you to do plain disclosure as per our judgment," the court says.
10:55 Coastal Road's Worli-Marine Drive link opened
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde inaugurates first phase of coastal road in Mumbai. This is the south-bound corridor of the coastal road between Worli and Marine Drive, also known as Mumbai Coastal Road Project Phase 1.
The construction work of the Mumbai Coastal Road had started on October 13, 2018, and its projected cost is 12,721 crore.
10:40 Modi's promise of 112 highways ahead of polls
Ahead of his visit to Gurugram in Haryana where he scheduled to inaugurate the Dwarka Expressway in Gurugram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the 112 National Highways projects that are to be launched at the event will boost economic growth and are also in line with "our efforts to build next-generation infrastructure".
Taking to his official handle on X, PM Modi posted, "Today is an important day for connectivity across India. At around 12 noon today, 112 National Highways, spread across different states, will be dedicated to the nation or their foundation stones would be laid. The Haryana Section of Dwarka Expressway will be inaugurated. These projects will boost economic growth and are also in line with our efforts to build next-generation infrastructure".
Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for 112 National Highway projects spread across the country worth about Rs 1 lakh crore.
To help improve traffic flow and ease congestion between Delhi and Gurugram on NH-48, Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate the Haryana section of the landmark Dwarka Expressway, the PMO stated in an official release.
Representational image
10:17 Professor kills daughter, self with surgical blade
A 35-year-old professor and his eight-year-old daughter were found dead at his office at Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Haryana's Hisar, with surgical blade cuts at their throat, police said.
The professor, who was suffering from clinical depression, allegedly slit her daughter's throat with a surgical blade before using the same weapon to slit his own, the police added.
Further, according to officers, the deceased professor, identified as Sandeep Goyal, had left the house on his scooter on Sunday at 4 pm with his daughter, Sanaya, on the pretext of taking her for a ride on his scooter.
When the father-daughter duo did not return for hours, Goyal's wife went to the university to search for them, police said.
When she noticed Goyal's scooter parked outside the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology office, she went in but found the office door locked from inside, following which she informed the security guard.
As they broke open the gate, the mortal remains of the professor and his daughter were found in a pool of blood following which the police were called.
A team from the HAU Police Post reached the spot after receiving word of the bodies found. -- ANI
10:10 Delhi borewell death: Police register case
Police have registered an FIR against an unidentified person in connection with the death of a 30-year-old man who fell into a borewell at a Delhi Jal Board sewage treatment plant in the national capital, officials said on Monday.
The victim is yet to be identified, they said. "An FIR under section IPC 304A (causing death by negligence) has been registered at the Vikaspuri police station.
Further investigation will be taken up," Deputy Commissioner of Police (west) Vichitra Veer said. The body of the man was pulled out of the 40-foot-deep borewell after a nearly 12-hour-long operation on Sunday, police said. PTI
10:04 Modi to unveil railway projects worth Rs 85,000 cr in Ahmedabad
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday will visit DFC's Operation Control Centre in Ahmedabad to lay the foundation stone and dedicate a slew of railway projects worth over Rs 85,000 crore.
Thousands of people on Gaza are starving
10:02 Netanyahu defies Biden's 'red line,' vows to invade Rafah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu staunchly defended his decision to press ahead with an invasion of Rafah, a city on the southern border of the Gaza Strip, despite US President Joe Biden's warning that such an offensive would be a "red line," POLITICO reported.
Netanyahu stressed he would not back down, citing the October 7 Hamas raid as a crucial factor in his determination, according to the report. Amid the raging war between Israel and Hamas, Biden, in an interview with MSNBC, criticised Netanyahu saying that he was "hurting more than helping" Israel by failing to limit casualties.
"He's hurting - I - in my view, he's hurting Israel more than helping Israel by making the rest of the world - it's contrary to what Israel stands for. And I think it's a big mistake," Biden said, expressing concern about the impact on Israel's international standing.
09:55 Don't fall into a trap to elect PM: Kejriwal
Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday invoked the Hindu epic Mahabharata and said his party has 'dharma' with it while asking people to decide whether they are with 'dharma' or 'adharma'.
The Delhi chief minister also asked people to vote in the coming Lok Sabha polls to elect an MP, not the prime minister, saying the MP would "work for you during tough times".
Addressing a public meeting in Haryana's Kurukshetra Lok Sabha constituency, he urged people to vote for Sushil Gupta, the AAP candidate from the seat.
The AAP and the Congress will fight the Lok Sabha polls in alliance in Haryana. Under the tie-up, the AAP will contest from the lone Kurukshetra seat out of total 10 parliamentary seats in the state.
Taking on the BJP-JJP government, Kejriwal said the Khattar government has "destroyed" Haryana in the last 10 years.
"Now, everybody wants the Khattar government to go. Ensure AAP's victory on the Kurukshetra seat...it will follow the news of Khattar's exit," he said.
Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal said Kurukshetra is a pious land where the 'dharmayudh' was fought.
'Pandavas' had won it despite 'Kauravas' having everything, said the AAP convener who was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
"What did Pandavas have? Lord Shri Krishna was with them," he said.
"Today, what do we have with us. We are small too, but Lord Shri Krishna is with us," said Kejriwal.
Referring to the BJP-led Centre, Kejriwal said, "They have everything. They have all the powers. They have IB, CBI, ED."
"We have our 'dharma' (righteousness) with us. It (Lok Sabha polls) is a fight between 'dharma' (righteousness) and 'adharma' (non-righteousness) and you have to decide whether you are with 'dharma' or 'adharma'," Kejriwal told the gathering.
"Do not make a mistake this time. Do not fall into a trap of electing the prime minister. Vote for electing your MP. Elect an MP that will help you in tough times," he asked people.
Seeking votes for his party candidate, Kejriwal said he (Gupta) understands the problems of people and will raise their voice.
Kejriwal said the BJP says that it is winning 370 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. "They are openly saying they do not need your votes."
"I came from Delhi to seek your votes with folded hands. Sushil Gupta ji is going door to door to seek your votes. We need your votes to win elections. They (BJP) do not need your votes," said Kejriwal.
The Delhi CM further said there are two types of people in the country. One is a "desh bhakt" and the other is "andh bhakt".
"Those who are 'desh bhakt' come with me...we don't need 'andh bhakt'," he said.
Slamming the BJP MPs from Haryana, Kejriwal claimed that they never did anything for the people of the state.
You have been giving all the 10 seats to the BJP for the last two Lok Sabha elections. I want to ask you what these 10 MPs did for you in the last 10 years. Tell one work which they did...they did nothing.
"They are not your MPs. They are BJP MPs. They are BJP's slaves. When you faced so many problems in the last 10 years, where were they," he asked. -- PTI
09:35 BJP distances from MP's 'will change constitution' remark
The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday distanced itself from MP Anantkumar Hegde's remarks on amending the Constitution, calling it "personal views", and said that it will seek an explanation from him.
The party said it reaffirms its unwavering commitment to uphold the Constitution, and Hegde's remarks do not reflect its stance.
"MP Shri Ananthkumar Hegde's remarks on the Constitution are his personal views and do not reflect the party's stance. BJP reaffirms our unwavering commitment to uphold the nation's Constitution and will ask for an explanation from Shri Hegde regarding his comments," BJP posted on 'X'.
Hegde has said it is necessary for the party to gain two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and also come to power in more than 20 States to amend the Constitution aimed at setting right alleged distortions and unnecessary additions to it by the Congress.
The six-time Lok Sabha member from Karnataka said NDA winning more than 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will eventually help in mustering a similar majority in the Upper House and also bagging two-third of the states.
"If the Constitution has to be amended -- the Congress which fundamentally distorted the Constitution by forcefully filling unnecessary things in it, especially by bringing in laws that were aimed at suppressing the Hindu society -- if all of this has to be changed it is not possible with this (current) majority," he said, addressing a gathering in Uttara Kannada district.
Reacting to Hegde's statement, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Hegde's statement is not his personal one but a part of the secret agenda of the BJP.
"Hegde's statement has exposed the ulterior motives of the BJP to replace Baba Saheb Ambedkar's version of the Constitution with their own, influenced by the Manusmriti. The BJP's version would reinforce the evil practices of the caste system. The BJP will remove all reservations for OBCs and Dalits if they come to power. His statement is a direct attack on OBCs and Dalits," he said in a statement.
The CM said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi disagrees with Hegde's opinions, he should first expel him from the party. Failing to act against Hegde suggests the Prime Minister's implicit agreement.
Hegde, who has sworn to uphold the Constitution, making statements against it constitutes a punishable offence, he said, adding that "The Speaker of the Lok Sabha should take serious action against Hegde and permanently disqualify him from contesting elections." -- PTI
08:44 SC to hear SBI's plea on electoral bonds today
A five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court will hear Monday an application filed by the State Bank of India (SBI) seeking extension of time till June 30 to disclose details of each electoral bond encashed by political parties before the scheme was scrapped last month.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, will also hear a separate plea which has sought initiation of contempt action against the SBI alleging it "wilfully and deliberately" disobeyed the apex court's direction to submit details of the contributions made to political parties through electoral bonds to the Election Commission by March 6.
In a landmark verdict delivered on February 15, a five-judge constitution bench had scrapped the Centre's electoral bonds scheme of anonymous political funding, calling it "unconstitutional" and ordering disclosure by the Election Commission of the donors, the amount donated by them and the recipients by March 13.
Ordering closure of the scheme forthwith, the top court had directed the SBI, the authorised financial institution under the scheme, to submit by March 6 the details of the electoral bonds purchased since April 12, 2019 till date to the Election Commission which was asked to publish the information on its official website by March 13.
On March 4, the SBI had moved the apex court seeking extension of time till June 30 to disclose the details of the electoral bonds encashed by political parties.
In its application, the SBI has contended that retrieval of information from "each silo" and the procedure of matching the information of one silo to that of the other would be a time-consuming exercise.
The application said due to stringent measures undertaken to ensure that the identity of the donors was kept anonymous, "decoding' the electoral bonds and matching the donors to the donations made would be a complex process.
08:30 US will work towards 6-week ceasefire in Gaza: Biden
Greeting the Muslim community across the world on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, United States President Joe Biden on Sunday reiterated that the United States will continue working non-stop to establish an immediate and sustained ceasefire for at least six weeks as part of a deal that releases hostages.
"While we get more life-saving aid to Gaza, the United States will continue working non-stop to establish an immediate and sustained ceasefire for at least six weeks as part of a deal that releases hostages. And we will continue building toward a long-term future of stability, security, and peace. That includes a two-state solution to ensure Palestinians and Israelis share equal measures of freedom, dignity, security, and prosperity. That is the only path toward an enduring peace," Biden said.
The United States will continue to lead international efforts to get more humanitarian assistance into Gaza by land, air, and sea, he said.
"Earlier this week, I directed our military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments of aid. We are carrying out airdrops of aid, in coordination with our international partners, including Jordan. And we'll continue to work with Israel to expand deliveries by land, insisting that it facilitate more routes and open more crossings to get more aid to more people," Biden said.
In a message, Biden said as the new crescent moon marks the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, he and the First Lady extend their best wishes and prayers to Muslims across the US and around the world.
"The sacred month is a time for reflection and renewal. This year, it comes at a moment of immense pain. The war in Gaza has inflicted terrible suffering on the Palestinian people. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them civilians, including thousands of children. Some are family members of American Muslims, who are deeply grieving their lost loved ones today," he said.
"Nearly two million Palestinians have been displaced by the war; many are in urgent need of food, water, medicine, and shelter. As Muslims gather around the world over the coming days and weeks to break their fast, the suffering of the Palestinian people will be front of mind for many. It is front of mind for me," said the US president.
Biden noted that in the US they have seen an "appalling resurgence" of hate and violence towards Muslim Americans. Islamophobia has absolutely no place in the United States, a country founded on freedom of worship and built on the contributions of immigrants, including Muslim immigrants, Biden said. -- PTI
08:09 Will end BJP's 'chor bazar' in polls: Uddhav
The Bharatiya Janata Party was never part of any movement or struggle nor had it created anything of its own but only knows how to snatch from others, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday.
He was addressing party workers in suburban Mumbai.
"The BJP was not part of the freedom movement, the Sanyukta Maharashtra struggle or the Marathwada Mukti Sangram. It only knows to snatch. We will destroy BJP's 'chor bazar' in the elections. It has seen our friendship. Now BJP will see the heat of our 'mashaal' (poll symbol lighted torch)," he said.
Thackeray asked Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials to not be part of the BJP's "corrupt activities".
Thackeray reiterated that Amol Kirtikar will be his party's candidate for the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat. He is the son of sitting MP Gajanan Kirtikar, who is part of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
Thackeray's announcement a day earlier had drawn an angry response from Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, who had contested the seat unsuccessfully in 2019. -- PTI
07:44 Art director Nitin Desai remembered at Oscars
Renowned production director Nitin Desai, who created sets for blockbuster movies such as the Oscar-nominated Lagaan and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, was among the film personalities who were honoured in the 'In Memoriam' segment at the 96th Academy Awards.
Every year, the Academy Awards pay a tribute to industry legends who passed away in the last one year in its In Memoriam montage.
Desai, 57, was found hanging at his studio in Karjat near Mumbai on August 2, 2023.
He was also known for his art work in films such as Jodhaa Akbar and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo as well as the popular TV quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati.
In his career spanning over 30 years, Desai closely worked with directors like Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rajkumar Hirani and Ashutosh Gowariker. -- PTI
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