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Showing posts from August, 2023

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's Suspension From Lok Sabha Revoked

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's suspension from Lok Sabha was revoked on Wednesday, hours after a parliamentary panel made a recommendation to the effect. "The suspension of Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, MP from the service of the House which was effected on 10.8.2023 till the submission of the Report by the Committee of Privileges, has been revoked with effect from 30.8.2023," a notification by the Lok Sabha Secretariat said. Earlier in the day, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury appeared before the Privileges Committee of Lok Sabha and expressed regret over his conduct in the House following which the panel unanimously adopted a resolution to revoke his suspension. The report of the committee was immediately communicated to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Appearing before the committee, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also expressed regret over certain remarks made by him in the House which had led to his suspension from the Lok Sabha on the penultimate day of the monsoon session of

Maharashtra Minister Says Misquoted On "Eyes Like Aishwarya Rai" Remark

Maharashtra minister Vijaykumar Gavit expressed regret days after his comments linking the daily consumption of fish to having "eyes as beautiful" as Aishwarya Rai's triggered a row. In a written reply to the Maharashtra State Women Commission, the minister stated that news channels quoted him out of context, panel chief Rupali Chakankar said on Tuesday. "Mr Gavit said that he expresses regret if his comments have insulted any women. He had no intentions of insulting women. He also said that he was speaking in a local dialect and the news channels took his comments out of context. I had never used any insulting remarks against women in my lifetime," Ms Chakankar posted on X (formerly Twitter) quoting the minister. Remarks by Mr Gavit, a BJP leader and state tribal minister, stoked a controversy after the video of his speech at a public function went viral. "People who consume fish on a daily basis develop smooth skin and their eyes sparkle. If anyone lo

Accident Compensation Claims Not To Be Proven Like Criminal Cases: Court

In cases related to compensation claims in road accidents, the case is not expected to be proved like a criminal trial, the High Court of Karnataka has said. "It is well known that in a case relating to motor accident claims, the claimants are not required to prove the case as it is required to be done in a criminal trial. The court must keep this distinction in mind," the court said recently while dismissing an appeal filed by an insurance company challenging the compensation awarded to an accident victim's family. The Division Bench of Justices K Somashekar and Rajesh Rai K was hearing two appeals -- one filed by Bajaj Allianz Insurance and another filed by Chikka Thayamma and Rame Gowda, the parents of one Divakar M R who died in an accident on August 13, 2019. Divakar met with an accident near Durgaparameshwari Temple in Nagarabhavi while riding a motorcycle. A car is said to have caused the accident resulting in his death in a nearby private hospital where he was

How A Tattoo, Blurry Pic Helped Cops Arrest Murder Accused 7 Years Later

A tattoo helped the police nab a murder accused from Uttar Pradesh who was wanted in connection with the killing of a man in Maharashtra's Palghar district in 2016, an official said on Tuesday. The police on Sunday arrested Shiv Bhayya, 28, a main accused wanted for the murder of a 21-year-old man, from Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh, senior inspector Sahuraj Ranavare said. Bhayya along with three others had allegedly strangled to death Subashchandra alias Bhalu Ramsagar Gupta over a quarrel in March 2016, he said. The accused packed the victim's body in a gunny bag and stole his jewellery and his motorcycle, the official said. An offence under section 302 (murder) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code was registered and the police subsequently arrested three of the accused, he said. During a probe into the pending cases, the police received got a tip-off that the wanted accused, who had been on the run for more than seven years, was in Majra Chillimal Rajapu

Interfaith Couples Blackmailed, Videos Shared Online, 3 Arrested In Gujarat

Three persons were arrested in Vadodara in Gujarat for allegedly targeting interfaith couples, harassing them and uploading their videos on social media in order to cause enmity among religious groups, a police official said on Monday. The matter came to light when the video of one such couple went viral on social media platform X and a probe found that a gang that actively targeted such couples and shared videos on a WhatsApp group called 'Army of Mahdi' was behind it, Zone 2 Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhay Soni said. Three administrators of the WhatsApp group, identified as Mustakim Sheikh, Burhan Saiyad and Sahil Sheikh, were arrested under Indian Penal Code (IPC) provisions for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc., making statements conducing to public mischief, and disappearance of evidence, the DCP said. The content they shared could have led to mob lynching and communal clashes, he said, adding that the WhatsApp group in que

Goa Minister Complains To Cops Over "Derogatory Post" Linking Him To Woman

The office of Goa minister Mauvin Godinho on Sunday lodged a police complaint over a "derogatory" and "false" message being circulated along with photographs on social media linking his name to a woman deputy sarpanch of a village in the state, an official said. The minister's personal secretary Nehal Damodar Keni lodged the complaint at Vasco police station, he said. The complaint said that a derogatory and false message was being widely circulated on social media platforms from Saturday along with the photographs of Godinho with a woman deputy sarpanch of a village in Dabolim constituency. Godinho, who belongs to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), represents the Dabolim assembly segment. He handles Transport and Panchayat ministries. The complaint further said, "The message is being circulated along with publicly available photographs of Godinho, thereby creating a wrong and erroneous impression to the readers about the attribution of the said m

Chandrayaan-3, Anti-Ragging Among Kolkata Durga Puja Themes This Year

As the whole country continues to celebrate Chandrayaan-3's success, a Durga puja committee in Kolkata has decided to design its pandal modelled on lander Vikram which touched down on the lunar south pole on August 23. Another Puja committee will theme its pandal on the evils of ragging with the message of zero tolerance to such bullying. Pallir Jubak Brinda Club at Sitaram Ghosh Street in north Kolkata has started work on a jumbo-size Vikram replica which will serve as its pandal. "Come Pujas and visitors will see Maa Durga sitting in the lander model which will be perched on the ground resembling the lunar surface," a puja committee spokesperson said on Sunday. He said the organisers will get the puja inaugurated by the father of an ISRO scientist associated with the moon mission. India scripted history on August 23 when ISRO's ambitious third moon mission Chandrayaan-3's lander module touched down on the lunar surface making it only the fourth country to a

PM Had This Request For Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Governor For ISRO Pit-Stop

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said he had requested the Karnataka Governor, Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister not to come to the airport to receive him as he did not want them to take the trouble of coming early in the morning as he was not sure of his arrival time after a long flight. Ahead of PM Modi's Bengaluru visit to meet ISRO scientists, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday alleged that he purportedly barred Siddaramaiah and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, from receiving him at the HAL Airport. Meanwhile, a war of words erupted between BJP MLA and former minister R Ashoka and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over "ignoring" protocol to receive the Prime Minister at the airport. PM Modi flew down to Bengaluru around 6 AM directly from the Greek capital of Athens to interact with ISRO scientists involved in the Chandrayaan-3 mission to the Moon. Addressing a large number of people gathered outside the HAL airport, the PM said since he was comin

Supreme Court To Hear NGO's Petition Against Lowering Of Age Of Consent

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea by an NGO against lowering the age of consent, saying it jeopardises the interest of a large number of child victims of sexual abuse, especially girls. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Mishra issued notice to the Centre and tagged the plea of ' Bachpan Bachao Andolan ' with a pending petition filed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The NCPCR had challenged last year's order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court which said that a Muslim girl can marry a person of her choice. The Supreme Court on Friday sought the Centre's response on the issue. The plea of the NGO, besides seeking a slew of directions and guidelines, has also sought a directive to the courts to refrain from making observations about the girl's casual relationship and promiscuous attitude while dealing with the criminal proceedings under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offe

Ex-UP Minister, Wife, On Life Term For Killing Poet, Freed After 16 Years

Former Uttar Pradesh Minister Amarmani Tripathi and his wife Madhumani, serving life sentences in poet Madhumita Shukla's murder, were released this evening before the completion of their terms. The Uttar Pradesh Prisons Department on Thursday issued an order for their premature release, citing the state's 2018 policy on remission, since they have completed 16 years of their sentences. The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the release of the couple, who is currently admitted to Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College. The Prisons Department cited the couple's old age and good behaviour. Amarmani is 66 and Madhumani 61, Gorakhpur district jailor AK Kushwaha said, adding that though the two have been released, they will continue to remain at the hospital. Mr Tripathi's son Amanmani Tripathi told reporters that his parents were under doctors' supervision and based on their advice, further steps will be taken. Amarmani Tripathi, who was elected from the Nautanva

Lesbian Woman's Family Directed To Take Counselling By Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has directed the parents and maternal uncle of a 22-year-old lesbian woman to undergo counselling in order to prepare themselves to accept her "as per her wishes". The court's order came on a habeas corpus petition by the woman's friend who claimed that she was "missing". After interacting with the parties involved, a bench headed by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait directed the police to take the woman to a shelter home and make necessary arrangements for her boarding and lodging there. While asking the director of the shelter home to provide "counselling session" to the woman, the court observed that her family members should also be counselled on alternate days. The bench, also comprising Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, further directed the "parents and all other concerned" to "not to extend any kind of threat or undue pressure upon" their daughter and the petitioner. "It is further directed that parents

Article 370 Has "Self-Limiting Character": Supreme Court

The Supreme Court Wednesday said there is "intrinsic evidence" that Article 370 has a "self-limiting character" and it seems to have worked itself out after the term of the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly ended in 1957. A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 that accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. "Really speaking, though the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir framed its relationship with Union of India, unless that relationship was embodied in the Indian Constitution, how will it bind the dominion of India or Parliament for successive years after 1957," the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai and Surya Kant, said. The bench posed questions to senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for one of the petitioners Soayib Qureshi, who has challenged the Centre's August 5, 20

Moon Landing Done, ISRO Now Sets Eyes On Mars

ISRO Chairman S Somanath on Wednesday toasted the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, crediting it to the “pain and agony” of all the scientists who persevered on it and expressed confidence that the space agency would similarly land a spacecraft on Mars in the coming years. Acknowledging the contribution of a generation of leadership by the scientists of the country's space agency for the Chandrayaan-3 mission's success, he said this is an "incremental progress" and "definitely a huge one”. The journey to the Moon is tough and soft-landing is difficult for any nation to achieve today even with the advancement of technology, he said, pointing out that India achieved it in just two missions. Chandrayaan-2, the first mission with the objective of soft landing on the Moon had a narrow miss, while the Chandrayaan-3 mission was perfectly executed. Chandrayaan-1's objective was only to place an unmanned spacecraft in an orbit around the Moon. "It (succes

Rover Pragyan Rolls Out Of Chandrayaan-3 Lander Near Moon's South Pole

India's moon mission Chandrayaan-3 made a perfect landing today near the South Pole of the moon. The next big manoeuvre was the rolling out of the Pragyan rover, which will send data from the spot to the lander that will be relayed to space agency ISRO.   The launch of the rover, though, took time. This is because the rover cannot be launched till the dust kicked up by the touchdown of the Vikram lander is dissipated. The gravity of moon being a fraction of that of Earth, dust does not settle the way it does on Earth.   The scientists were concerned that if the rover is rolled out before the dust dissipates, it can damage the cameras and other sensitive equipment on the rover. It was, however, quicker than a day that ISRO Chief S Somnath had spoken of. "The rover will come out in a few hours. Sometimes it takes a day also... Once the rover comes out, it will do two experiments," Mr Somnath had told reporters in the euphoric moments after the landing.  "We are look

"Unacceptable": Court On "Article 370 Ceased To Exist After 1957" Argument

The Supreme Court Tuesday termed as "unacceptable" the submission that Article 370 of the Constitution ceased to operate once the term of the constituent assembly of Jammu and Kashmir ended in 1957 after drafting the state's Constitution. The remark by a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud came when senior advocate Dinesh Dwivedi, appearing for intervenor Prem Shankar Jha, argued that nothing of Article 370, which accorded special status to the erstwhile state, survived once the Constitution of J-K was enacted on January 26, 1957 and the term of the state's constituent assembly ended. Jha, who has challenged the August 5, 2019 decision of the Centre to abrogate Article 370, raised the legal question about whether Article 370 ceased to operate or exist after the enactment of the Constitution of J&K and the dissolution of the constituent assembly. This led the bench to raise queries on the legality of the submissions. The bench, also comprisi

18-Year-Old Girl Dies After Wall Collapses In Mumbai: Cops

An 18-year-old girl was declared brought dead after a compound wall of a house collapsed on the adjacent Chawl behind Bharat Talkies in Mumbai's Kurla (West). "A compound wall of a house collapsed on the adjacent Chawl at 8:30 pm behind Bharat Talkies in Kurla (West)," Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. More details are awaited. Further investigation is underway. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News-India-news https://ift.tt/ZnRQzMN

"I Don't Want...": Sunny Deol On Bank Of Baroda's Property Auction Notice

Bollywood actor Sunny Deol on Tuesday refused to comment on Bank of Baroda's property auction notice and said that I do not want to comment as these are personal matters. Bank of Baroda the state-owned bank was set to put on auction the property owned by actor and BJP Member of Parliament Sunny Deol to recover Rs 56 crore. "I do not want to comment. These are personal matters. Main kuch bhi bolunga, log galat matlab nikalenge," Sunny Deol said. Meanwhile, Bank of Baroda has cited two major "technical" reasons as to why it withdrew the auction notice of actor-cum-parliamentarian Sunny Deol's property in Mumbai. Earlier it withdrew the sale notice published citing "technical reasons". "First, the total dues did not specify the exact quantum of dues to be recovered. Secondly, the sale notice was based on a symbolic possession of the property as per Rule 8(6) of The Security Interest (Enforcement) Rules 2002. An application has been made for

Why KCR Announced Candidates In Telangana Before Poll Dates

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's move to announce a majority of his party candidates for the state elections that are yet to be announced, is a mark of confidence, leaders of his party said. Its full measure is repeating all the sitting members barring seven, they said.   The ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi has announced candidates for 115 of the 119 seats in the state assembly.  So far, only seven sitting MLAs appears to have been dropped.   "Our estimate is we will win 95-105 seats. Not just MLA, even MP seats. We want to win 17 (Lok Sabha) seats. We and MIM are friendly parties," Mr Rao told reporters today.   His party leaders say this will also bring in the first mover advantage -- which the party accrued in 2018 when it won its second term in power. "Even if there is some anti-incumbency against any individual MLA, people will vote for KCR and the BRS template of development and welfare," said senior party leader B Vinod. The party claims i

"She Never Spoke To Me About Her Anger Issues": Shraddha Walkar's Father

The father of Sharddha Walkar told a Delhi court on Monday that his daughter never spoke to him about her "serious anger issues" or getting "abusive first" with Aaftab Amin Poonawala, her live-in partner, accused of killing her and chopping the body into pieces. He also denied having been told by her daughter that she felt guilty about not defending her mother properly against her father's aggressive or abusive behaviour. Vikas Madan Walkar was being cross-examined as a prosecution witness by Poonawala's counsel before Additional Sessions Judge Manisha Khurana Kakkar. Poonawala is accused of killing Shraddha Walkar on May 18 last year. Defence counsel Akshay Bhandari posed several questions to Vikas Madan Walkar after playing some video clips where the victim was speaking to a psychologist or counsellor. "Is it correct that in the said videos your daughter is telling the counsellor that you used to beat your wife? Is it correct that your daughter i

ISRO Recruitment Test Cancelled After 2 From Haryana Caught Cheating

The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) on Monday cancelled the test held a day ago to hire technical staff, after two men from Haryana were arrested for allegedly impersonating and cheating in the exam. The VSSC, in a notification, said that the written tests to the posts of technician-B, draughtsman-B and radiographer-A held on August 20 at various centres in Thiruvananthapuram now stand cancelled. "The revised schedule for the test will be informed to all the candidates through the VSSC website in due course. Inconvenience caused is regretted," the statement said. The move comes after the Kerala Police caught two people red-handed at separate test centres as they cheated and arrested them. On checking their identities, the police realised they were proxying for the actual candidates when their names did not match with those appearing for the exam. Besides these two, four others from Haryana are in police custody for cheating. The police launched a full-fledged invest

Rajinikanth Offers Prayers At Ram Mandir, Hanuman Temple In Ayodhya

Superstar Rajinikanth offered prayers at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Sunday and saw the construction work. He also visited the Hanuman Garhi temple and paid obeisance. "I wished to come here for a long time and I am fortunate that the wish has been fulfilled. If Lord wishes, I will come again after the construction of the temple is completed," Rajinikanth told reporters. At the Ram Janmabhoomi, he was welcomed by senior officials, including the Ayodhya Commissioner Gaurav Dayal, the Inspector-General of Police Praveen Kumar and the Municipal Commissioner Vishal Singh. The chief priest of the Ram temple Acharya Satyendra Das presented Rajinikanth a model of the Ram temple and a stole with the name of Lord Ram woven on it. Mahant Raju Das of the Hanuman Garhi temple told news agency PTI that the actor spent around 10 minutes at the temple. "I express my thanks to Rajinikanth ji . Today, people from different parts of the country, of different professions and Bollywoo

Ticket Checker Says Attacked With Knife By Drunken Man On Train In Kerala

A travelling ticket examiner (TTE) was allegedly attacked with a knife onboard a moving train in Kerala by a man against whom the railway official had complained to the RPF for being drunk. The incident occurred on the West Coast Express on Sunday close to Vatakara in Kozhikode district, a Railway police officer said. The accused was arrested based on the TTE's statement, the police said. The TTE claimed to have suffered an injury to the back of his head in the attack. He told reporters that from Kannur he notice the alleged attacker was drunk and accordingly informed the Railway Protection Force's (RPF) control room. Subsequently, RPF officers made him deboard the train at Thalassery, the TTE said. However, the man got back on the train under the pretext of getting his bag and then went and sat in the general compartment, he said. Later while checking for tickets, he found the man in another reserved coach and on confronting him, the accused abused the official in Hindi

Unacademy Tutor Fired Over Remark Says Firm Acted "Under Pressure"

Unacademy sacked teacher Karan Sangwan on Saturday alleged that the firm terminated his service under pressure from trolls on social media who misinterpreted his generic remark to vote for educated candidates. In a video on his YouTube channel, Karan Sangwan said he made the generic remark on his YouTube channel and not during his lecture at Unacademy. "Why did termination happen? There is a pressure which gets built and you burst under its load. You (Unacademy) could not deal with the pressure. Therefore, under pressure you had to take an action which you may have not desired to or you desired to...I don't know. I can't say anything about what your intentions were?" Mr Sangwan said. Mr Sangwan said that Unacademy acted against him without hearing him out. "You directly sent me a termination notice," Karan Sangwan said, adding that to hide the pressure, Unacademy used the term "code of conduct" without defining a political statement. He said t

Jagan Reddy To Raise Andhra Students' Deportation From US With Centre

In wake of some students from Andhra Pradesh being deported from US, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to take up the issue with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to resolve it, said an official on Saturday. An unspecified number of students from the southern state were deported by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) federal law enforcement agency officials recently from the American airports on landing, reports said. "Reddy is looking into this matter and will address it to the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India for resolving this at the earliest as all students have a valid USA visa for higher studies…and also keeping in view of the careers of these students of AP," said an official of the state-government body Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) in a statement without divulging details. Though the students possessed valid visas, the Andhra Pradesh government has said that CBP officials should consider granting en

Taking Drum To Field, Man Leaves It On Tracks After Spotting Train

A man was arrested in Jalna in Maharashtra for allegedly leaving a drum filled with stones on the railway tracks after spotting an incoming train, a police official said on Saturday. Balu Makhmale (25) was arrested by the Railway Protection Force on Friday in connection with the incident that took place a month ago, he said. "The drum was spotted by the driver of the Devgiri Express on the Satona-Osmanabad route. He applied emergency brakes and averted an accident. A probe found Makhmale was taking the drum to his field nearby but abandoned it on the tracks after the Devgiri Express reached close by," he said.  (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News-India-news https://ift.tt/JalP86h

Over 50 Crore Jan Dhan Bank Accounts Opened, 56% Belong To Women: Centre

The total number of bank accounts under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana crossed 50 crore earlier this month, the government said in a release on Friday. As per the latest reports submitted by banks, the total number of Jan Dhan accounts has crossed 50 crore as on 9th August 2023. Out of these accounts, 56 per cent of accounts belong to women and 67 per cent of accounts have been opened in rural/semi-urban areas, the Ministry of Finance said. The ministry further stated that the deposits in these accounts are above Rs 2.03 lakh crore and about 34 crore RuPay cards have been issued in these accounts free of cost. The average balance in PMJDY accounts is Rs 4,076 and more than 5.5 crore PMJDY accounts are receiving DBT benefits. The zero-balance Jan Dhan bank account holder was given a debit card and guaranteed insurance of Rs 1 lakh rupees to deal with any contingency. The Jan-Dhan Yojana was among the key announcements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his maiden Red Fort addre

Arvind Kejriwal's "Styles Of Democracy" Jibe At BJP Over Services Law

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday attacked the BJP-led Centre, saying the ordinance on services matter was brought as money power and the threat of the ED and the CBI failed in Delhi. In a speech in the Assembly, he also claimed that the BJP has brought the "Sanghi" model of democracy through the Services Bill while asserting that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be fought on the issue of full statehood for the national capital. Mr Kejriwal alleged that the "democratic rights of the people of Delhi were trampled through the ordinance and the bill". "There are several styles of democratic systems like the Westminister style and parliamentary style. These people (BJP) have brought the Sanghi style of democracy through this bill," he said. "The ordinance on services matter was brought because money power and the threat of the ED and the CBI had failed in Delhi," he added. Mr Kejriwal also claimed that recently, someone from BJP had thre

Rajasthan Announces Rs 15 Crore Financial-Aid To Rain-Hit Himachal

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday announced a financial assistance of Rs 15 crore to Himachal Pradesh where heavy rains and landslides have caused massive damage. "An assistance of Rs 15 crore will be given by the Rajasthan government to help the people suffering from the difficult situation created by heavy rains and landslides in Himachal Pradesh," Mr Gehlot said in a post on X, formerly called Twitter. Mr Gehlot said the people of Rajasthan are standing with the people of Himachal Pradesh in these difficult circumstances. This comes after Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced a financial assistance of Rs 11 crore to the flood-hit state earlier in the day. Officials in Himachal Pradesh have said the total number of deaths in rain-related incidents in the state since Sunday night has increased to 75 with Shimla alone accounting for 22 fatalities.  Heavy rains have hit the hill state since Sunday, triggering landslides in Shimla and several o

"Scripted Production": After Viral Video, Naga Group Denies Sending Arms To Manipur

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The largest armed group of the Nagas that have signed a framework agreement with the centre has strongly denied allegations of supplying weapons and sending its cadre to Manipur to help a particular community, amid the ethnic violence between the hill-majority Kukis and the valley-majority Meiteis. The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah), or NSCN(IM), in a statement said a video being shared widely on social media showing a man alleging that NSCN(IM) sent its fighters to help the Meiteis in Manipur was a "scripted production by some mischievous agency". In the video, the man alleged that 15 well-trained NSCN(IM) fighters are coming to Manipur to join the Meiteis in the fight against the Kukis. The Kuki-Zo-Chin tribes have started demanding a separate administration after violence broke out on May 3 during a protest against the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status. The NSCN(IM) said the man in the video has been identified as H Khosiivei Lov

Amid Paper Row, Ashoka Faculty Presses For Academic Freedom Committee

A group of faculty members of Ashoka University has written to its vice chancellor claiming that free thought within universities in India is in crisis today and demanded that all decisions on matters related to academic freedom should be put on hold till the promised committee for academic freedom is in place. The letter comes following the resignation of assistant professor Sabyasachi Das after a controversy over his research paper which argued that the BJP won a disproportionate share of closely contested parliamentary seats in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, especially in states where it was the ruling party at the time. While another professor Pulapre Balakrishnan has put in his papers in support of Das, the faculty members from Economics, Political Science, English and creative writing departments have have written to the governing body threatening a faculty exodus if Das is not offered reinstatement. The faculty members have also warned of stopping teaching till their demands are met.

Delhi Minister Atishi Gives New Order On Transfer-Posting, Vigilance

Delhi Services Minister Atishi Wednesday issued a fresh order asking Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to ensure files on transfer-posting of officers and vigilance matters be presented to the National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA) only after her approval. She said the three-member NCCSA will meet regularly until any new order is issued by the Supreme Court. "Despite challenging this legislation (GNCTD ordinance) in the Supreme Court, we will comply with it as long as it remains prevalent as a law passed by Parliament," she said. The NCCSA was formed after the Centre issued an ordinance in May. The ordinance has now been replaced by the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023. The AAP has been alleging the Centre was trying to take control of Delhi's services matter through the ordinance which was promulgated a week after the Supreme Court ruled that the transfer and posting of official working in Delhi was under the city governmen

Centre Proposes Rules For Government Officials' Appearance In Court

Appearance through video conferencing, refraining from making comments on the physical appearance and educational background of government officials and reasonable time frame for compliance of judicial orders are some of the suggestions enumerated in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) the government has submitted to the Supreme Court for consideration. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in the top court regarding the appearance of government officials in court proceedings, including contempt proceedings. The SOP submitted for the apex court's consideration is intended to be applicable to all proceedings in government-related matters before the Supreme Court, high courts and all other courts that are hearing matters under their respective appellate and/or original jurisdiction (writ petitions, PIL etc.) or proceedings related to contempt of court. As per the SOP, in case of proceedings related to government matters where the person

Ghana National Arrested For Conning Men Of Money By Posing As Woman

A 35-year-old Ghana national was arrested here for allegedly duping men by posing as a woman on social media and befriending them, police said today. The accused, who identified as a foreigner, would ask his victims to pay the shipment charges and customs duties for "gifts" he had sent them, police officials said. The accused has been identified as Prince Joe, a native of Ghana in West Africa, they said. The complainant alleged that he came in contact with a woman on Instagram in June. Posing as a woman, the accused told the victim that he had sent him a birthday gift, a senior police officer said. On July 9, the victim received a call from an unknown person where the caller informed him that his parcel had arrived and he had to pay Rs 27,300 as shipment charge for its delivery, the officer said. After the complainant transferred the amount, he received another call from the same number saying that the parcel has been caught by the customs department and that Rs 31,500 n

Gold Worth Rs 24 Lakh Found In Plane's Trash Bin At Hyderabad Airport

The Hyderabad Customs Department today seized 412 grams of gold, estimated to be worth Rs 24.92 lakh, while conducting a check at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here, officials said.  They said that the seized gold was hidden in the trash bin. "During rummaging of Indigo flight 6E-2171 at RGIA, on its domestic leg from Trichy to Hyderabad on 16.8.23, Hyderabad Customs officers recovered 412 gm of gold paste (24kt), hidden in the trash bin. The value of the gold is Rs 24.92 lakh," the Customs said in a statement. "Further investigation into the matter is underway," an official said. More details are awaited. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) from NDTV News-India-news https://ift.tt/IFqQNRS

Row Over Congress Leader's "All 7 Seats In Delhi" Comment, AAP Reacts

A statement by a Congress leader that the party has asked its leaders to prepare for a contest in all the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi next year has raised a row with the Aam Aadmi Party, a member of the newly formed opposition bloc INDIA. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and party MP Rahul Gandhi held a three-hour meeting with their senior colleagues in Delhi today, where they broadly discussed strategies for the big fight in 2024. After the meeting, Congress leader Alka Lamba said they have been asked to prepare to contest in all the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital. "We have been told how to prepare for the 2024 election. Before the Delhi meeting, the leadership has met our people in 18 states. It has been decided all Congress leaders will immediately go to work on the seven seats in Delhi to win them," Ms Lamba told news agency ANI. "Seven months are left. All party workers have been asked to prepare for all seven seats," she added. Soon, Dee

"Strong Bipartisan Support" From US Congress Key In Improving Ties: PM

Strong bipartisan support from the US Congress is instrumental in further elevating India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday after a congressional delegation from America called on him. In a post on X, Modi said, "Glad to receive a Congressional delegation from US, including co-chairs of India Caucus in the House of Representatives, Rep. @RoKhanna and Rep. @michaelgwaltz." Glad to receive a Congressional delegation from US, including co-chairs of India Caucus in the House of Representatives, Rep. @RoKhanna and Rep. @michaelgwaltz . Strong bipartisan support from the US Congress is instrumental in further elevating India-US Comprehensive Global… pic.twitter.com/2BHbLS5OHK — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2023 "Strong bipartisan support from the US Congress is instrumental in further elevating India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership," PM Modi said. (Except for the headline, this

"Not Here As PM But A Hindu": Rishi Sunak Attends Ram Katha At Cambridge

Attending a Ram Katha at Cambridge University on Indian Independence Day, Rishi Sunak proclaimed that he was there "not as a Prime Minister but as a Hindu". "It is truly an honour and pleasure to be here today at Morari Bapu's Ram Kahtha at the University of Cambridge on Indian Independence Day. Bapu, I am here today not as a Prime Minister but as a Hindu," said Mr Sunak, the UK's first Indian-origin Prime Minister, who is also a practising Hindu with Punjabi roots. Mr Sunak was born and raised in Southampton, but his appointment as his UK's first prime minister of colour has been cheered by Indians who still consider him a son of the soil. "Like an ordinary person, our Rishi sahab is here. A warm welcome to you. May lord Hanuman bless you and the British people reap the benefits," said the spiritual leader welcoming the Prime Minister. Mr Sunak said that his Hindu faith guides him in every aspect of his life and gives him the courage to d

Foxconn Sees Potential To Invest Billions Of Dollars In India: Official

Taiwanese electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn sees potential of investing several billions of dollars in India if it gets to completely implement its plan, a top official of the company said. Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) Chairman and CEO Young Liu during the company's second quarter earnings call on Friday said that the company's Indian arm has achieved the turnover of close to USD 10 billion on an annual basis and there is a lot of investment potential in India. "Foxconn annual revenue was USD 200 billion. From the perspective of India's potential market size and if we can fully implement our plans there, several billion dollars in investment is only the beginning." He said Foxconn operates about nine campuses in India. "Total size will be equivalent to more than 500 football fields. We have over 30 factories in India. The turnover, business size, roughly USD 10 billion annually. We have over 20 dormitories that shelter tens and thousands of emp

Panel Formed To Achieve Gender Equality In India's Civil Aviation Sector

Civil aviation regulator DGCA has set up a four-member committee to provide suggestions for achieving gender equality in the aviation sector in India. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an order on August 10, 2023 stating that the objective of this committee is to suggest steps that DGCA should take to bring gender equality in the aviation sector. The four senior officers appointed as members of the committee are Survita Saxena, Director (Operations); RP Kashyap, Director (Training); Pavan Malviya, Deputy Director (Administration); and Kavita Singh, Deputy Director (Aircraft Engineering Directorate). They are supposed to formulate norms and submit them to DGCA which the regulator will further circulate among aviation stakeholders to adopt and bring in practice for gender equality. "The committee will submit its report/recommendation within six months from the date of its constitution," the order said. The initiative is in line with the commitment of