Lucknow, May 22 (SocialNews.XYZ) A polling officer at a booth in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency has been suspended for allegedly taking selfies with his mobile phone while photographing voters on the day of polling two days ago, a top polling officer said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said that Ashish Kumar Arya, an assistant teacher at Girls' Primary School Umri in Muskara block of Hamirpur district was posted as a polling officer in polling station 112 of Shri Vidya Mandir Inter College in Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat.

In a clear violation of the instructions of the Election Commission (EC), Arya was suspended for inappropriate conduct.

Taking cognisance of the violation of EC's directives, the District Basic Education Officer, Hamirpur, suspended Arya and posted him to Block Resource Centre, Muskara, he said.

Source: IANS

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Tel Aviv, May 22 (IANS/DPA) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told US media that Israel has no plans to build settlements in the Gaza Strip once the war there is over.

"Resettling Gaza... was never in the cards," Netanyahu said in an interview with the US broadcaster CNN on Tuesday.

"Some of my constituents are not happy about it, but that's my position."

Several of the right-wing nationalist Ministers in Netanyahu's coalition had repeatedly spoken out in favour of resettling the Gaza Strip with Jewish settlers. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir even declared on Tuesday that he would like to live there himself.

As soon as Palestinian militant organisation Hamas is defeated, sustainable demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip must be achieved, Netanyahu told CNN, adding that "the only force that can prevent the resurgence of terrorism for the foreseeable future is Israel".

"At the same time we want -- I want -- a civilian administration that is run by Gazans who are neither Hamas nor committed to our destruction."

On Saturday, Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's war Cabinet, said that he and other members of his centre-right National Union Party would leave Netanyahu's government if the Prime Minister did not present a plan for the post-war order in the Gaza Strip by June 8.

The 64-year-old retired Army General and former Defence Minister joined the war Cabinet as a Minister without portfolio.

The parties involved sought to demonstrate national unity in the wake of the attacks led by Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7, in which more than 1,200 people were killed. The unprecedented attack triggered the Gaza war as Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive.

The National Union is an opposition party. In opinion polls, it is currently far ahead of Netanyahu's Likud party.

Netanyahu has previously said he wanted the territory to remain under Israeli military control for the foreseeable future. So far, he has refused to present a plan for the administration and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip after the end of the war.

Source: IANS

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United Nations, May 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, has called for the resumption of negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

"I urge the parties to redouble all efforts and return to the negotiating table immediately and in good faith," Wennesland told the UN Security Council on Monday.

"If talks do not resume, I fear for the worst for the beleaguered and terrified civilians in Rafah, for the hostages held in unimaginable conditions for more than 225 days, and for an overstretched humanitarian operation that remains on the brink inside the (Gaza) Strip," he said as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

Just two weeks ago negotiations were taking place in Cairo with the support of Egypt, Qatar, and the US. However, those talks ended on May 9 without agreement, he noted.

"Regrettably we face yet another precipice of further catastrophe in Gaza amid stalled talks between the parties to secure the release of all hostages held in Gaza and a cease-fire to provide much-needed relief to the civilian population," he said.

Wennesland reiterated the United Nations' full support to the mediators and its willingness to support the implementation of a deal between Israel and Hamas.

Since the first week of May, the security situation in Rafah has been rapidly worsening as the Israeli military operations and maneuvers in and around Rafah intensified, he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, alongside numerous international partners and concerned neighbours, has voiced serious objection to a military operation in Rafah amid clear indications of its devastating consequences for the civilian population, he added.

"Saving lives and addressing the critical needs in Rafah and Gaza more broadly must remain our immediate priority. I reiterate the Secretary-General's call for a humanitarian cease-fire," Wennesland said.

"At the same time, we must not lose sight of the risks that these immediate threats pose to prospects for a resolution to this conflict and for longer-term peace and stability in the region."

He voiced concern that the failure to reach a cease-fire in Gaza and a large-scale military operation in Rafah exacerbates the risk of escalating regional tensions. He reiterated that there can be no long-term solution in Gaza that is not fundamentally political.

The devastation and misery of the past seven months have reinforced a simple truth.

Palestinians and Israelis can no longer wait to establish a viable political horizon to end the conflict and establish a two-state solution, he said.

"Day after day we are witnessing the deadly consequences of inaction. Now is the time to lay the foundations for a better future for Palestinians, Israelis, and the broader region."

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Rajeev Chandrasekhar hosted hundreds of retired personnel from armed forces, bureaucracy and the judiciary at the former’s residence during the weekend, as part of BJP’s Vishesh Sampark Abhiyaan and sought to win over their support for third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, on the back of developmental work in the last 10 years.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar spoke on how Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains committed towards the country's development and citizens' welfare and remains in mission mode, 24x7 on all 365 days.

Speaking to IANS, he shared PM Modi's vision on turning India into world’s best and one of the most prosperous countries.

He also reiterated Modi government's resolve to "punish those who snatched the rights of poor" in the next term.

On questions of Congress' promises of 'easy life to citizens' with Rs 1 lakh yearly assistance pledge, the Minister took potshots at the party and its Wayanad MP.

"His own Wayanad seat is in danger. Rahul Gandhi knows that Congress can't win more than 40 seats. If party wins more than this, it can feel itself lucky," he said mocking at lofty promises.

The Union Minister also slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its convenor Arvind Kejriwal for dragging the BJP into Swati Maliwal episode.

"The party, which took birth by running a campaign against Congress, has now become its B-team. AAP chief is a U-turn politician, who does not hesitate in compromising with its ideology," he said.

The Vishesh Sampark Abhiyaan, also touted as Veterans with NaMo, was an effort to show retired personnel's unflinching support in PM Modi-led dispensation and also in a way endorse him for another term.

Notably, the 'Chai pe Charcha' campaign in 2014 polls, inspired by PM Modi, to reach out to ordinary voters was a big hit.

Designed on similar lines, the Dinner Pe Charcha (Vishesh Sampark Abhiyaan) seeks to inform, enlighten and woo the eminent citizens of the country.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, May 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Bathini family will distribute ‘fish prasadam’ to people suffering from asthma and other respiratory ailments here on June 8-9. The family announced on Monday that the annual event will begin at 11 a.m. on June 8 at Exhibitions Grounds, Nampally, and will continue till 11 a.m. on June 9.

Bathini Vishwanatham Goud, president, Bathini Mrigasira Trust, told media persons that they are making all arrangements for the distribution of fish prasadam.

Asthma patients from various parts of Telugu states and other places in the country take this prasadam in June every year in the hope of finding relief from respiratory problems.

The family requested concerned government departments to make arrangements like every year for the smooth conduct of the event.

This will be the first event after the death of the head of the family, Bathini Harinath Goud. He passed away at the age of 84 in June last year, following prolonged illness.

He was the last of the fourth-generation Gouds distributing free fish medicine to asthma patients from across the country.

Harinath Goud was instrumental in organising the event for the last three decades after the demise of his elder brothers.

The Bathini Goud family claims to have been distributing this medicine free of cost for the last 178 years. The secret formula for the herbal medicine was given to their ancestor in 1845 by a saint after he took an oath that it would be administered free of cost.

Members of the Bathini Goud family administer the ‘wonder drug’ on ‘Mrigasira Karti’, (during the first week of June) which heralds the onset of the monsoon.

A yellow colour herbal paste prepared by the family is placed in the mouth of a live ‘murrel’ fingerling, which is then slipped through the throat of the patient. It is believed to provide much-needed relief if taken for three consecutive years. For vegetarians, the family gives medicine with jaggery.

Asthma patients from various parts of the country flock to Hyderabad to take this treatment. However, the medicine lost its popularity during the last 15 years due to controversies pertaining to the contents of herbal paste.

Some groups working to inculcate scientific temper among people, termed the fish medicine a fraud. They also approached the court, claiming that since the herbal paste contains heavy metals, it can cause serious health problems.

However, Goud family claims that the tests in laboratories conducted as per court orders revealed that the herbal paste is safe.

After the challenge by the rationalists, the family started calling it ‘fish prasadam’.

Despite the controversies, people continue to throng the venue every year in hope of finding some relief to their nagging respiratory problems. However, the numbers have dwindled over the years.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, May 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Sunday urged voters of MLC graduates' constituency to think before casting their votes.

He addressed two meetings at Bhongir and Aler as part of the party's campaign for election of Member of Legislative Council (MLC) from Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates' constituency.

The by-election is scheduled to be held on May 27.

Rama Rao slammed both the Congress and BJP for not fulfilling their promises.

He said while Congress has backtracked on promises made in Assembly elections, the BJP government at the Centre has done nothing for Telangana in last 10 years.

He appealed to voters to apply their minds before choosing their candidate.

He asked voters to see not just parties but also the qualities of candidates.

The BRS leader said his party has fielded a highly educated candidate, Rakesh Reddy.

An alumnus of BITS Pilani, he had an opportunity to earn crores in the US, but he came back to serve people, said KTR -- as Rama Rao is popularly known.

"You have a highly educated candidate from BRS and a blackmailer from Congress," he said referring to Chintapandu Naveen, also known as Teenmaar Malanna.

KTR said the Congress indulged in blackmailing activities in the garb of journalism but BRS did not pay attention.

There are 4.6 lakh voters in the constituency spread over 34 Assembly seats in erstwhile districts of Warangal, Khammam and Nalgonda.

There are 52 candidates in the fray but it will be mainly a triangular contest among Congress, BRS and BJP candidates.

KTR said Prime Minister Narendra Modi made many promises during the last 10 years but failed to fulfill them.

"Whenever asked what he has done, he is saying he has built temple. He had nothing else to say. If building a temple is a criteria, has KCR not built Yadadri temple?" he asked.

"Not just temple. We also built projects and reservoirs which are called modern temples," said KTR, son of BRS president and former chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

KTR said BRS did a lot in 10 years but in the recent Assembly elections it suffered defeat.

He attributed the loss to party's failure to take to people the good works done and also the party unintentionally distancing from few sections.

"Our rivals also ran a misinformation campaign against us through media and social media," he said.

KTR said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had promised that farm loans will be waived on December 9 but even after five months this promise has not been fulfilled.

He asked voters they will get cheated again.

"If we are cheated once, it's the fault of those who cheated but if we get cheated for second time it will be our mistake," he said.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) While Amethi and Raebareli, the long-held bastions of Gandhi family, gear up for polling on Monday, a spoof video on the Gandhis has taken the social media by storm.

The video, with an apparent intention to mock the mother-son duo, comes days after Congress released an animated conversation of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi discussing the country's first family's age-old ties with two Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh -- Amethi and Raebareli.

Notably, the two seats have been represented by either Gandhi family including Indira and Sonia Gandhi or the family loyalists since Independence.

It was only in 2019 Lok Sabha polls that Rahul Gandhi got voted out in Amethi by the 'giant slayer' Smriti Irani.

The video featuring the look-alikes of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi shows the duo talking about Gandhi family's long legacy while taking caustic and satirical jibes at previous Prime Ministers, including Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

As the duo look back at the country's political history, the characters impersonating as Sonia and Rahul discuss Jawaharlal Nehru's interview and pictures in Playboy magazine hogging the global headlines while rebuking the Emergency imposed under Indira Gandhi.

They are also seen lampooning the family over Bofors scandal and Bhopal Gas tragedy and how the 'mamas' like Ottavio Quattraochi (the middleman in Bofors deal) and Warren Anderson (the US businessmen who escaped the country after toxic gas leak) took the Indian laws for a ride.

The viral video also shows pictures of Gandhi family on exquisite holidays across the country, while claiming: "INS Vikrant ko toh hum taxi bana liya karte the (we used to convert warship INS Vikrant into persoan taxi)." The mother-son also take dig at Congress' rejection of Ram Temple invite.

It shows Rahul's impersonator taking pride in visiting the tomb of Mughal emperor Babar while mother quipping, "you never went to Ram Mandir, you naughty boy".

They are also seen mocking the then 'dirty and untidy' landscape of Amethi and Raebareli and closing the six-minute video by saying: "Let's wash our hands for dinner."

The video, evoking many responses on social media, has raised the hackles of Congress and it is likely to lambast the BJP for the video.

Notably, Congress and many other top party leaders had released a video of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi discussing Gandhi family's 100-year-old connection with these two seats, on May 14, a week before polling in those two LS seats.

This was aimed at intensifying party's campaign and also to gain extra mileage over the BJP, by positioning itself as the 'century-old custodians' of these constituencies.

In the May 14 video, the mother and son described Amethi and Raebareli as their 'karmabhoomi' and also recalled how previous members of Gandhi family served the people here, with their sweat and blood.

The family pocket boroughs of Amethi and Raebareli are among the top 14 Lok Sabha constituencies heading to polls in the fifth phase of voting on May 20.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, May 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Election Commission of India has given conditional nod for Telangana Cabinet meeting, making it clear that issues relating to the common capital of Hyderabad and crop loan waiver shall be deferred till completion of Lok Sabha elections.

The Cabinet meeting, scheduled on Saturday, was postponed as permission was not received from the Election Commission.

The poll panel said in its communication to the state government that only those matters which are of an emergent nature and are to be implemented in a time-bound schedule shall be taken up.

The cabinet meeting may only take up matters which are emergent and urgent and can't wait till June 4, 2024, it said.

The Commission also ordered that no state government officer involved in the conduct of elections should be called to attend the meeting. It apparently laid down the conditions as the Model Code of Conduct for general elections to Lok Sabha is in force and also in view of the Graduate MLC elections for the Warangal-Nalgonda-Khammam constituency to be held on May 27.

The Cabinet meeting scheduled on Saturday was postponed because the Election Commission did not respond to the permission sought by Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, his cabinet colleagues and officers waited till the evening expecting the response but that did not come forcing the government to postpone the meeting. The agenda was prepared with a focus on farm loan waiver, paddy procurement, action plan for the ensuing Kharif season and other important issues related to farmers.

Source: IANS

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Lucknow, May 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) The yield from Lucknow University’s (LU), ‘political nursery’ is in full bloom in the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav had first referred to the student union in the LU as a ‘political nursery’ and his words have proved prophetic.

Today, the maximum number of leaders participating in elections as campaigners, motivators or contestants belong to the Lucknow University Students Union (LUSU).

The list begins with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who is a former Lucknow University student. He was an active member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at the university and was also the president of LU’s ABVP unit.

Even though he has made it big in politics, he still remembers his friends from LU and meets them whenever he comes to Lucknow. He is one of the star campaigners for the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat is also an ex-LU student but he has not campaigned in Uttar Pradesh this time, mainly due to his health issues. Rawat did his BA and LLB from the university in the 1970s.

Uttar Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak is another LU alumni who has made a mark for himself in state politics.

Pathak first served as a law minister in the first term of the Yogi government and later became one of two deputy chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh.

Pathak joined the BJP in 2017 after quitting the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Following the 2017 polls in which the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, he became an MLA from Lucknow's central seat.

Known as a prominent Brahmin leader, Pathak is the party’s star campaigner in the ongoing general election.

Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha candidate from Lucknow, Ravidas Mehrotra, was an active student leader of LU. He was elected LUSU general secretary in 1978.

Atul Kumar Anjaan, national secretary, of the Communist Party of India and general secretary, of All India Kisan Sabha, also graduated from LU student politics. Anjaan passed away recently after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Anjaan won the post of president of Lucknow University Students’ Union in 1978. A gifted orator in half a dozen languages, Anjaan was one of the main leaders of the police-PAC revolt of Uttar Pradesh. He even spent four years and nine months in jail during his political journey.

Rakesh Singh Rana was LUSU general secretary in 1988 and was elected LUSU president in 1992-93. He is a former SP MLA.

Another former LUSU president (1988) Santosh Singh is a BJP MLC.

Arvind Kumar Singh ‘Gope’, who was elected LUSU president in 1993-94, was a minister in SP rule. Similarly, Gopal Rai, a minister in the Delhi government, also graduated from LU student politics in mid mid-1990s.

The two mafia-turned-politicians have also graduated from LU’s student politics -- Dhananjay Singh and Abhay Singh.

Dhananjay Singh is a former student leader who was elected MLA twice from Malhani constituency in Jaunpur, as an independent. He also won the 2009 Lok Sabha polls from Jaunpur on a BSP ticket.

SP MLA from Gosainganj in Faizabad, Abhay Singh, is a former LU student leader who has now crossed over to the BJP.

State Transport Minister Daya Shankar Singh has been a LUSU general secretary and president in the past.

Likewise, former LUSU vice president Arvind Kumar Singh was its elected president in 1995-96. He is an SP MLC and a former Rajya Sabha MP.

Shailesh Singh Shailu, former LUSU president (in 2002-03), had contested the Assembly election on a BSP ticket from Lucknow. He is contesting the by-election from the Gainsari seat on a BJP ticket.

Former SP MLC Anand Bhadauria also graduated from LU student politics. Pawan Pandey (Tej Narain Pandey) was elected LUSU vice president in 2004 and was a Minister of State during the SP rule in 2012.

Bajrangi Singh Bajju was elected LUSU president in 2005-06. He is now a secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party’s Gorakhpur Kshetra.

Former LUSU general secretary Ram Singh Rana (2004) and former LUSU president Rajpal Kashyap (2004) were given minister rank as they were appointed chairman of commissions.

U.P minority welfare minister Danish Ansari was also into LU student politics and worked as an ABVP worker there.

Since 2005, no student union elections have been held at Lucknow University.

In 2006 the then-LU administration had decided to hold the polls as per the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Commission. This was opposed and the matter went to court after some student leaders protested the age restrictions.

Source: IANS

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Imphal, May 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) Various law enforcing agencies have seized various drugs worth Rs 7,887.76 crore and arrested 2,943 people during the last seven years in Manipur, an official said on Saturday, citing a document.

According to the document, since 2017, a total of 2,351 cases in connection with the drugs smuggling and illegal trading of various drugs have been registered under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985 and other laws.

"Sudden spikes in seizure of the staggering quantity of drugs trafficked from Myanmar in Mizoram since 2023 have been witnessed following the ethnic unrest in Manipur," the official paper said.

According to the official document, around 16,161 acres of poppy cultivation in the Kuki-Zo community-dominated areas in the districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi were destroyed under the 'War on Drugs' campaign of the Manipur government.

The poppy has been used to manufacture various drugs. There has been continuous threat to the state's heterogeneous population and demography due to the constant upsurge in the number of illegal migrants.

There was a massive influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar into Manipur, particularly in the years 1988 and 1962.

No measures were undertaken to collect their biometric data or identities. They were freely allowed to continuously encroach and settle upon the Protected Forest areas of Manipur, the official document said.

"The demographic changes taking place by the influx of immigrants and the adverse outcomes which have been taking place for years even before the measure for identification was launched. Even before the state government started the drive to identify and collect the biometric data of the immigrants, as many as 996 new villages had already mushroomed in Manipur as a result of years of illegal immigration which went unchecked and undetected."

Since the military took over the administration in Myanmar in February 2021, at least 8,000 Myanmarese have taken shelter in Manipur's Tengnoupal, Chandel, Churachandpur, and Kamjong districts and the Manipur government has already recorded the biometric details of the majority of the refugees.

"These fresh arrivals of illegal immigrants into Manipur, following the Military coup in Myanmar are just a tip of the iceberg," the official document noted.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and leaders of other civil society organisations have often claimed that smuggling of drugs from Myanmar, illegitimate poppy cultivation and illegal immigration of people in Manipur from across the border are associated with the ethnic unrest and violence, that broke out in Manipur since May 3, 2023.

Biren Singh has said that 877 sq km of forest cover in the northeastern state were destroyed in 34 years (1987-2021), primarily for the illegal cultivation of poppy.

The eviction of unauthorised encroachers has been carried out ever since the BJP government led by Singh came to power in Manipur in 2017 and 291 encroachers were evicted from the Reserve Forest and Protected Forest throughout the state.

"The eviction drive was never targeted towards any particular community," the Chief Minister pointed out.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Telangana government on Thursday issued orders to replace 'TS' with 'TG' as the state's abbreviation.

With the Centre adopting 'TG' as the new abbreviation, the state government ordered the replacement of all references to 'TS' with 'TG' in the nomenclature of all state PSUs, agencies, autonomous institutions and other government bodies.

Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari issued a Government Order (GO) directing all departments of the Secretariat to replace all references to 'TS' with 'TG' in official documents (including letterheads, reports, notifications etc), signages within and outside government offices, websites and online platforms and any other official communication.

She requested all Special Chief Secretaries/Principal Secretaries/Secretaries to review with all government institutions under their administrative control to ensure this migration seamlessly across the board.

All departments have been asked to submit compliance reports by May 31.

The Ministry of Road and Transport and Highways had on Wednesday formally notified 'TG' as Telangana’s vehicle code.

With this, 'TG' will replace 'TS' as the state code for all vehicle registration plates. It was in February that the new Congress government decided to change the abbreviation.

Following the Cabinet decision, 'TG' will replace 'TS' in the gazette of the Union Government.

After the formation of Telangana in 2014, the then-TRS government opted for 'TS' as the state abbreviation. However, the Congress, which came to power five months ago. decided to change the abbreviation. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said that the previous government did not follow any rule and rhyme and decided to go with 'TS' as per its whims.

During the campaign for Assembly elections, Revanth Reddy had said that 'TS' was chosen only to suit the TRS party. No other state in the country has ‘state’ in the alphabet component in the vehicle registration number, he had pointed out.

Source: IANS

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Guwahati, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Assam unit of Trinamool Congress on Friday moved the Election Commission of India (ECI) accusing Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of making “hate speech” at an election rally in Jharkhand recently.

Ripun Bora, President of Trinamool Congress in Assam, wrote to the ECI saying, “During his speech, he (Himanta Biswa Sarma) incited and instigated the Hindu community against the Muslim community.”

According to Bora, the Assam CM allegedly said, "The Mughals had made the entire country dirty, and now we Hindus must clean it.”

Bora also claimed that Sarma said if the BJP gets 400 seats, a temple will be built on the Gyanvapi mosque site in Varanasi.

“Referring to the arrest of Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam in a money laundering case, he (Sarma) said that 'Hindus must not allow the Muslims to keep such huge cash in their possession'. He also said that only Muslim leaders can commit such an offence,” Bora wrote to ECI.

The Trinamool leader also enclosed a link to Sarma’s controversial speech along with the complaint.

“The above speech of Himanta Biswa Sharma created hatred against the Muslim community. He instigated the Hindus against the Muslims, which is not only unconstitutional but also a serious violation of the Model Code of Conduct, which is in force in the entire country in view of the ongoing general elections,” Borah said in his complaint.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Actor-politician Vijayashanthi, who has been lying low since leaving the BJP to join the Congress in November last year, on Friday said that the BJP does not understand the self-respect and regional aspirations of the southern states.

Vijayashanthi, who did not contest the Lok Sabha elections and also stayed away from the Congress campaign, in a post on X, criticised Union Minister and state BJP President G. Kishan Reddy for claiming that the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) will no longer exist in Telangana.

The veteran film star wrote that southern states have been following the path of regional emotions and public sentiments for their self-esteem. Those who don’t understand this should know how people responded to leaders from Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramachandran, N.T. Rama Rao, Ramakrishna Hegde and Jayalalithaa to the BRS and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), she added.

Vijayashanthi said while the Congress understands the existence of self-respect in the south, the BJP has perhaps not even thought of it and this is reflected in Kishan Reddy’s statement.

Her comments to defend the BRS triggered speculations in political circles that she may be planning to return to the party. She, however, denied any such plans.

Vijayashanthi, who was a BJP national executive member, defected to the Congress just two weeks before Telangana Assembly elections.

It was in December 2020 that Vijayashanthi returned to the BJP after 15 years.

Popular as ‘Lady Amitabh’ for her action roles in Telugu films, she joined the BJP in 1997 and served as General Secretary of the party’s women’s wing. She quit the BJP in 2005 to float a separate outfit, Talli Telangana, to fight for separate statehood for Telangana. She later merged Talli Telangana with the TRS (now BRS) and was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Medak constituency in 2009.

In August 2013, a few months before the formation of Telangana, the TRS suspended Vijayashanthi for anti-party activities. She later joined the Congress and unsuccessfully contested from the Medak Assembly constituency in the 2014 polls.

After lying low for four years, Vijayashanthi again became active in Congress in 2017 and was named its star campaigner for the party in the 2018 Assembly polls. After the party’s debacle, she was not active in the party and returned to BJP in 2020.

Vijayashanthi, whose film career spans nearly four decades, has acted in over 180 films in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi.

Source: IANS

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Agartala, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) The BJP government in Tripura is preparing to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), Chief Minister Manik Saha announced here on Friday amid opposition from other political parties which fear the new law will trigger communal tensions in the state.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a blood donation camp at a mosque here, Saha said that after directions from the Centre, the state government is preparing to implement CAA in Tripura.

To recall, on March 11, the Centre notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024, thus paving the way for enforcing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians who came to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan before December 31, 2014.

Following the advice of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a six-member state-level empowered committee with the Director of Census Operations as its chairman was formed in Tripura recently to grant citizenship under the CAA.

“After the advice of the MHA, like other states and Union Territories in the country, a state-level empowered committee was constituted for granting Indian citizenship under the CAA. District-level committees headed by the District Magistrates of all the eight districts were also formed accordingly," Rabindra Reang, Director of Census Operations, Tripura, told IANS.

He said the district-level empowered committees would receive applications under the CAA and scrutinise them before forwarding the same to the empowered panel.

The official said those who want Indian citizenship under the CAA will have to apply to the district-level committee for consideration.

Under the Act, those living in areas under the Tribal Autonomous Council, which was constituted under the Sixth schedule of the Constitution, are not eligible to apply for citizenship, the official said.

Tripura has a lone tribal autonomous body -- Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council -- which has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area, and is home to over 12,16,000 people, of which around 84 per cent are tribals.

Along with the opposition CPI-M and Congress, the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), a new ally of the BJP in the state, has also been opposing the CAA since the very beginning.

TMP founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma on Friday doubted the implementation of CAA in its present form, saying anyone who has illegally entered the state may claim citizenship with false documents, and verifying the authenticity of such documents is also very tough.

Implementation of CAA in its present form is not acceptable, he told the media.

“We may be a partner of the BJP but our party's principles and policies are very clear. We do not want demographic changes in any of the northeastern states, because the number of indigenous people in the region is small and if we do not have a proper system, many people can come and claim that they have been here for years.”

Strongly opposing the BJP government’s decision, opposition leader and CPI-M state Secretary Jitendra Choudhury reiterated his party's longstanding opposition to the CAA, saying he has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court against the Act.

He also expressed concern that the implementation of CAA will negatively impact the entire northeastern region, which has suffered due to significant influxes in the past.

Choudhury claimed that to get political mileage during the Lok Sabha elections and to divert attention from the electoral bond issue, the CAA is being implemented now.

Congress MLA and former minister Sudip Roy Barman echoed these concerns.

Expressing sympathy with the persecuted minorities in the neighboring countries, Roy Barman said he fears that implementing CAA could reignite tribal insurgency in Tripura by further marginalising the tribal community.

He also claimed that granting citizenship to foreigners based on religion would strain India's financial resources and encourage fundamentalist forces across the border, making the CAA an ineffective solution.

Source: IANS

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Bhubaneswar, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Odisha Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker during a pre-poll clash at Khallikote in the state's Ganjam district on May 15, an official said on Friday.

Director General of Odisha Police Arun Kumar Sarangi has directed the SIT to ensure the submission of a chargesheet in the matter within 30 days by expediting the investigation.

The SIT has also been directed to give a status report to the IG of Police, Southern Range, from time to time.

"A Special Investigation Team will investigate the Khallikote murder case. The SIT will arrest the rest accused persons early, collect proper evidence (scientific/ forensic/ digital), and submit the chargesheet within 30 days for early trial of the case," a source with Odisha Police said on Friday.

Meanwhile, senior IPS officer and Additional DGP (Headquarters) RK Sharma has been instructed to camp at Chhatrapur to oversee the law and order situation in Ganjam district during the poll scheduled to be held in eight Assembly constituencies of the district on May 20.

Keeping in view the pre-poll violence in Khallikote, a high-level committee headed by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, Nikunja Bihari Dhal, had earlier approved the deployment of 20 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) in the district for the 5th phase of election on May 20.

Dillip Pahan, a BJP worker, died while three others sustained serious injuries in a scuffle with the alleged workers of the state's ruling Biju Janata Dal over putting up of campaign posters at Krushnasaranpur village.

Tension erupted in the locality following the brutal murder of Dillip.

The aggrieved BJP workers held a protest outside the Khallikote Police station seeking immediate arrest of the prime accused in the case.

Police resorted to mild cane-charge near Khallikote Police station when the protesting BJP workers attacked the cops with stones and water bottles on May 16.

As many as eight persons have so far been arrested by the Ganjam Police in this connection while several others are still at large.

Assembly and Lok Sabha elections will be held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases from May 13 to June 1.

The results of the polling will be out on June 4.

Source: IANS

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Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra), May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Shivba Sanghatana chief Manoj Jarange-Patil who embarked on a state tour to drum up support for the Maratha reservations cause, fell ill on Friday, following which he was rushed to a private hospital here.

Jarange-Patil is currently undergoing treatment at the Galaxy Hospital, where he had been earlier admitted on a couple of occasions, said an aide.

He is suffering from heat-related weakness and dehydration though his condition is reported to be stable, and he continues to be under medical supervision, the aide said.

The development came a day after Jarange-Patil announced that he would launch a fresh hunger strike from June 4 -- the day of the announcement of Lok Sabha election results -- at his native village Antarvali-Sarati in Jalna district.

Besides the fifth round of hunger strike, he said he would take out a massive rally from Beed district on June 8.

Jarange-Patil warned that Marathas would contest all the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections due in October in case the ruling MahaYuti government failed to concede all the pending demands of the Marathas.

These include implementation of the draft notification of January 2024 giving benefits of the reservations to the 'sage-soyare' (bloodline), issuing certificates to Marathas under the OBC category to enable them get quotas, and other demands.

Source: IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid a looming major financial crisis in Kerala and state Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal falling ill, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has cut short his private three-nation trip and is scheduled to return next week.

CM Vijayan was originally expected to return on May 22, but now he is likely to arrive on May 19 from Dubai, which was his last leg of the three-nation private visit. He left Kerala on May 6.

The challenge before CM Vijayan and his cash-strapped government is the mass retirement of more than 13,000 state government employees on May 31, which entails a massive payout to retirees. The amount is approximately over Rs 8,500 crore.

The way out for the Vijayan government is to either turn to the Centre or immediately increase the retirement age of state government employees from the present 56 years upwards.

But for the Vijayan government increasing the retirement age could invite the wrath of the youth wings across all political parties.

“The Vijayan government has a few proposals to tide over the financial crisis temporarily. It includes increasing the retirement age to 58 years or deferring paying the retirement benefits, and when given, paying the interest for it,” said a source.

However, it remains to be seen if CM Vijayan will take the gamble of extending the retirement age.

Of late the vacancies in many colleges have become an issue in the state. Several colleges, including engineering colleges, have seen a huge exodus of students to foreign universities, as jobs available in the state government are only a handful. More than four million educated unemployed youth are waiting for jobs in the state.

The coming days are going to be crucial for the Vijayan government. and With the Finance Minister still recovering from a medical emergency, CM Vijayan will have to take extra caution while making the crucial decision.

Source: IANS

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Chennai, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tamil Nadu Congress President K. Selvaperunthagai's remark that the party has been cheated for the past 57 years might trigger a row in among the INDIA bloc constituents in the southern state.

Addressing an election rally in Dharmpuri on Wednesday night, Selvaperunthagai also asked how long the Congress will have to seek alms for seats from another party, adding that it was high time the Congress stopped the 'betrayal' meted out to the party since 1967.

“From asking for seats during elections, the Congress party should grow to the stature of allocating constituencies to its alliance partners. We waited patiently for the last 57 years, and now the party cadres should work hard to realise the dream of Kamaraj rule in Tamil Nadu,” Selvaperunthagai said.

He added, “How long can we seek alms for seats from another party? Rahul Gandhi was worried about the party’s current scenario when he visited the state. Once the Congress used to allocate seats to other parties, and the same should happen again in Tamil Nadu.”

Selvaperunthagai's speech can create problems in the INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu in which both the DMK and the Congress are allies.

While senior leaders of the DMK refrained from responding in public, in private they said the statements of Selvaperunthagai made from a public platform were quite unacceptable.

A senior DMK leader told IANS on condition of anonymity, "I don’t know in what context the TNCC President made such a statement. The ground reality is the Congress is not even entitled to the nine seats the DMK allocated the party for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

"DMK, the largest political party in Tamil Nadu, contested only 22 seats, so this statement of the Congress leader is not fair. If the Congress is not growing among the public, it is for them to do introspection rather than making such public statements.”

When contacted, several senior leaders of the DMK said that while party President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is unlikely to comment on Selvaperunthagai's remarks, he would communicate the matter to the Congress high command.

Some second-rung leaders of the DMK told IANS that the Congress did not even have booth committees in most of the Lok Sabha seats they contested in the state, and it was the DMK cadres who worked for the party candidates at the grassroots level. so such public statements from the state Congress chief were quite unacceptable.

In February 1967, the DMK came to power in Tamil Nadu for the first time after the party led by iconic Dravidian leader C.N. Annadurai trounced the ruling Congress led by M. Bhaktavalsam.

The Congress has not formed a government in Tamil Nadu since then.

Source: IANS

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Bhubaneswar, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President J.P. Nadda on Thursday said the people of Odisha want a young and Odia-speaking chief minister.

He said that officials are running the government in Odisha while MLAs and MPs elected by the people have become powerless.

"It is difficult to comprehend what kind of government is functioning here. The officials are running the government while MPs and MLAs are sitting idle. They have no power and none listen to the MLAs and MPs who are elected by the people," J.P. Nadda said during an election meeting at Padampur in Bargarh constituency.

He said that the people of Odisha now want a chief minister who is young, a resident of Odisha, speaks Odia language and more active in addressing the concerns of the common person regularly.

"If you want a young CM, a CM of Odisha, an Odia-speaking CM and an active CM then press the button of lotus (BJP's symbol). A chief minister should be one who is born here, knows the culture and speaks the language. This is why it is the question of 'Swabhiman' of Odisha," the BJP president added.

J.P. Nadda also noted that politicians were earlier engaged in divisive politics in the country, but after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, the culture of politics changed, and now people are discussing the politics of development.

He said that India achieved significant development in the health, economic, manufacturing, petrochemical sectors, etc., under PM Modi's 10-year rule.

Targeting Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, the flagship programme of the ruling BJD government in Odisha, J.P. Nadda said: "Naveen Babu (CM Naveen Patnaik) did not bother to implement Ayushman Bharat Yojana in Odisha and launched Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana in the state."

He said that around 68 lakh families in Odisha are deprived of the benefits provided under Ayushman Bharat Yojana.

He said Odisha has been subjected to a lot of torture.

"But the people of Odisha, who are peace-loving, won’t tolerate this anymore."

J.P. Nadda also addressed another public gathering in Sundargarh constituency.

Veteran BJP leader and former union minister Jual Oram has been fielded in the Sundargarh Lok Sabha seat.

The BJP president also held a 1 km-long roadshow in Bhubaneswar earlier in the day.

He later offered prayers at the famous 11th century Lingaraj Temple.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) With US President Joe Biden announcing a steep hike in tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese goods, an opportunity has opened up for India to increase its exports of items such as steel and aluminium as well as medical goods such as facemasks, PPE, syringes & needles and gloves to the American market, according to industry experts and market analysts.

The opportunity for India comes in the backdrop of the strengthening of bilateral economic ties between the two countries.

India and the US had decided to end all bilateral trade disputes that were pending at the World Trade Organization during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington in June 2023.

Following this, the US agreed to withdraw the 25 per cent and 10 per cent import duties on certain steel and aluminium products respectively, that had been earlier imposed "on grounds of national security".

India had reciprocated by withdrawing its retaliatory duties on American products such as chickpeas, lentils, almonds and walnuts.

"The US move to ramp up duties on Chinese goods provides an opportunity to India and other competitors to chip in the supply gap. Of the products affected by additional duties on China, India has opportunities in facemasks, PPE, syringes & needles, medical gloves, aluminium and iron & steel," said Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Ashwani Kumar.

After the trade disputes were settled in one-go following PM Modi's talks in Washington, the US subsequently agreed to allow the import of 3,36,000 tonnes of steel and aluminium from India with the waiver of additional duties that were imposed under a national security law by the erstwhile Donald Trump administration in 2018.

"Now with a greater opportunity arising following the hike in the tariff on Chinese goods, the exports of Indian steel and aluminum products are expected to accelerate," said a senior SAIL official who did not want to be named.

However, at the same time, there are concerns in the steel sector that China, which has excess capacity, may resort to dumping its steel output in other markets, including India.

"China is sitting on overcapacity in many sectors and thus the threat of dumping, in any case, not ruled out and more so when an important market is closed for their exports. However, I am sure industry and the government will be keeping a close watch on imports and if surge or dumping happens, DGTR will take appropriate action to safeguard our industry," said FIEO chief Ashwani Kumar.

Source: IANS

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Kolkata, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent remarks that she would provide "outside support" to the Opposition bloc should it come to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections are highly confusing and contradictory, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Thursday.

“I am quite confused by her remarks on Trinamool Congress providing outside support to a probable INDIA bloc government. For the last few months, she has not cooperated with the INDIA bloc at all. Now she is speaking of outside support, which means she does not want to be a part of any government formed by the INDIA bloc,” Yechury said while speaking to mediapersons here on Thursday.

According to Yechury, such confusing comments are in line with the quickly changing political stands of Mamata Banerjee.

“On one hand, she is trying to project as if she is not against the INDIA bloc because she knows that it will have a negative impact on the voters in West Bengal. At the same time, she is speaking of extending outside support,” the senior Left leader said.

According to Yechury, some regional parties are directly aligning with the BJP while some leaders are joining the ruling party, thus disassociating themselves from the minority.

“On the other hand, some are not directly associating with the BJP out of the fear of losing minority votes. But they are entering into clandestine deals with the BJP. This has been seen in seen in many South Indian states. Trinamool has a similar history. Mamata Banerjee had been part of the NDA government before. But this time, the Trinamool will not be able to mislead the people with its ploys,” Yechury said.

The CPI-M leader also said that he is confused with Trinamool's stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

“When the CAA Bill was passed in the Parliament, Trinamool had abstained. Now Mamata Banerjee is saying that she is opposing CAA. She should make her stand clear on this issue,” Yechury said.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) JD-S supremo and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who is turning 92 years old on May 18, on Thursday announced the cancellation of his birthday celebrations.

In a statement addressed to his fans and party workers, Deve Gowda said: "I am completing 91 years on May 18 and entering my 92nd year. Due to various reasons, I am not celebrating my birthday. Against this backdrop, I urge all of you to convey your wishes from wherever you are."

He appealed to everyone to honestly put their efforts into the Legislative Council elections and ensure the victory of NDA candidates, emphasising that everyone must perform their duties with commitment to the organisation.

Deve Gowda thanked the party workers and fans for their trust and love.

Sources said that Deve Gowda is in no mood to celebrate his birthday in light of developments surrounding his grandson, JD-S MP and Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan, Prajwal Revanna, who is the prime accused in an alleged sex video scandal and presently absconding.

Deve Gowda's son, JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna, was jailed and recently released on conditional bail in a kidnap case involving a victim of the alleged sex scandal related to his son.

The JD-S had also requested party workers not to celebrate H.D. Revanna's release.

Deve Gowda has not yet reacted to the developments, and ruling Congress leaders, criticising his earlier press conferences, have urged him to call a press conference regarding Prajwal Revanna.

Sources, however, said that Deve Gowda is terribly upset with the developments and is busy strategising to counter them and protect his party and family.

Source: IANS

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Hubballi (Karnataka), May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Belagavi, Jagadish Shettar, claimed on Thursday that the internal strife and turmoil in the ruling Congress in the state could spill out anytime after the results of the Lok Sabha elections are announced on June 4.

Speaking to reporters here, Shettar said he is making this remark after closely observing the developments in the Congress for the past two to three months.

“The infighting for the top post between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D.K. Shivakumar has been going on since before the formation of the Congress government last year,” he claimed.

"There is no clarity as to whether Siddaramaiah will complete a full five-year term or exit midway. Attempts being made by Shivakumar to secure the CM’s chair can bring the downfall of the Congress government in Karnataka," Shettar pointed out.

He also noted that the BJP does not have to carry out ‘Operation Lotus’ to bring down the government headed by Siddaramaiah in Karnataka.

"The MLAs who are unhappy over the non-allocation of funds are filled with discontent. No money is allotted for development works. The discontent might come out at any point in time," he said.

Stating that Siddaramaiah often claims that no MLA from his party will quit and join the opposition ranks, the senior BJP leader said, "If he is repeatedly trying to put up a united face, it means that all is not well in the party."

“Three months back, I said the Congress government will collapse in Karnataka after the Lok Sabha election results are announced. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde too said the same thing recently. The internal strife in Congress is intense,” Shettar claimed.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Viksit Bharat Ambassador event in Mumbai's NSE auditorium on Thursday saw the presence of not just hundreds of 'ambassadors' but also many prominent citizens, including filmmaker Subhash Ghai and actor-turned-politician Shekhar Suman.

Addressing the Viksit Bharat Ambassador event, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw impressed upon the audience about the country's rapid strides in diverse sectors, ranging from Railways to semiconductor businesses to indigenous mobile manufacturing.

Ashwini Vaishaw's detailed presentation enlightened them on the country's 'transformation in ten years' and they also heaped praise on landmark achievements under the incumbent government.

Acclaimed filmmaker Subhash Ghai said that every citizen habours dream of a developed and self-sufficient nation and said that it could be possible with collective endeavour of citizens.

He said that the country was making progress in all fields, including commerce and arts, and this was laudable.

"Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw explained in detail how the government was working with a plan and mission to achieve its objective. I am impressed with such governance," he said.

On questions of whether he supports a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, he said that he wants to see him as the country's Prime Minister again.

Akanksha Rathi, a local resident, said that she feels proud as a citizen as India has become the fifth largest economy and is slated for the top three slots by expanding its economy to $5 trillion.

"Initiatives like Make in India and other flagship schemes have drastically changed the country in the last ten years. Today, the world gives us due recognition and respect," she said.

Naresh Ojha, another Mumbaikar said that the country was witnessing a 360-degree growth in fields like road and train infrastructure and added, "the recently built sea link in Mumbai makes office-goers happy and elated".

He said that corruption has vanished under PM Modi-led government, adding: "Progressive schemes of government are making the life of common people easier and comfortable."

Source: IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) With the mortal remains of 39-year-old Rajesh, a protest began on Thursday morning outside the office of Air India SATS here to highlight the treatment meted out by the airline to Amritha, now his widow.

Amritha had reached the airport here on May 8 to be with her ailing husband N. Rajesh, who was in a hospital in Muscat after he suffered a heart attack.

She failed to be with her dying husband after Air India Express cabin crew began a strike.

Despite several attempts to reach Muscat, she failed to go and on Monday, Rajesh passed away.

On Thursday morning, the body of Rajesh was received by his relatives at the airport and they took the body to the office of Air India SATS near the airport in Thiruvananthapuram.

After placing the body in front of the office, his relatives stood in silence.

Amritha’s uncle broke into tears and said that had Air India officials made some arrangements for her to be with Rajesh, his life might have been saved.

Her father is now sitting inside the office of Air India SATS and said that none of the officials have said anything.

“I am told that this company of Air India has no role in the strike. I will be sitting here till my daughter gets justice. After a while the body will be taken home and then for the last rites, but I am not going to move from here,” said her father.

“We will continue our protest as Air India is solely responsible for the death of Rajesh. Amritha should get adequate compensation. Rajesh was the only breadwinner of the young family consisting of two kids aged 5 and 3, and Amritha is a second-year nursing student. They live in a rented house. The young family should be compensated by Air India,” said her uncle.

Amritha's family had decided to take legal steps against the airline and protest with the body of Rajesh is the first step.

Rajesh was working in the administration department of a school in Muscat. On May 7, he suffered a cardiac arrest and was hospitalised there. On May 13, he passed away.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, May 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Telangana government will take over the buildings allotted to Andhra Pradesh in Hyderabad after June 2 when the city will cease to be the joint capital of the two states.

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday directed the officials to take over the buildings like the Lake View Guest House which were allotted to Andhra Pradesh for 10 years.

Telangana completes 10 years of its formation on June 2. Under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014, Hyderabad was declared joint capital for a period of 10 years.

The Chief Minister has decided to place special focus on solving pending issues with Andhra Pradesh under the AP Reorganisation Act.

He has convened a meeting of the state Cabinet on May 18, which will discuss the pending issues in the Reorganisation Act and the contentious issues pending with Andhra Pradesh.

At a meeting with ministers and officials on Wednesday, the Chief Minister ordered the officials concerned to prepare a report on all the pending issues related to the division of assets and payment of the debts between the two states after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

The division and distribution of assets of the organisations and corporations under Schedules 9 and 10 has not yet been completed as the two states did not reach a consensus on some issues.

The issue of payment of power dues was also pending.

The CM enquired with the officials about the status of the division of the assets and the efforts made by the state government to resolve these issues so far. He instructed the officials to resolve amicably the pending transfer and repatriation of the employees with the Andhra counterparts.

He also asked the officials to resolve the issues after reconciliation between the two states and also take further action to protect the interests of Telangana on the pending issues.

The CM instructed the officials to submit a comprehensive report on the matters pending under the Reorganisation Act and the details of those which have so far been resolved through consensus between the two states.

As the Lok Sabha elections have concluded, the Chief Minister started focusing on public administration. He, along with his cabinet colleagues N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, held a meeting with the officials of various departments at the BR Ambedkar Secretariat.

The CM inquired about the progress in the paddy procurement and directed the officials to take measures to ensure smooth procurement without any trouble to the farmers.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, May 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) Marking a significant achievement, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation installed the second gigantic Bow Arch String girder connecting the Mumbai Coastal Road (MCR) project with the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL), in the Arabian Sea off Worli, officials said here on Wednesday.

This is the second Bow Arch String girder installed -- after the first one on April 26 -- and now the MCR and BWSL are connected on both sides, which will prove to be a boon for traffic movement in each direction.

Top officials of the BMC including Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Amit Saini and others were present to witness the feat at dawn which was completed smoothly in tandem with the tidal wave conditions.

Compared with the first girder which was 136 metres long, 18-20 metres wide and weighed 2,000 tonnes, the second girder is bigger at 143 metres length, 31.7 metres wide, 31 metres tall and weighs 2,500 tonnes.

However, erecting it was a huge challenge as the space was very cramped beside the BWSL bridge and positioning the second girder just 2.8 metres away from the first was a complex task.

For the first girder, the engineering teams had flexibility and ample space needed for a smooth setup, unlike this time but the teams overcame all the risks and executed the mission carefully, starting at 3 a.m. and successfully completing it at 6.07 a.m., before Mumbai woke up.

An official of Freight Wings Pvt. Ltd. tasked with the mammoth challenge of installing both the girders, said it had deployed an array of specialised equipment, a fleet of 250-class barge with tugs, 120 self-propelled modular transporters, 32 strand jacks each with a capacity ranging from 200-980 tonnes, quick lowering long-stroke tidal jack of 5,000 tonnes, heavy duty tower modules, mooring winches, rapid ballast systems and leg-mating units.

The second girder, like the first one, was also manufactured in pre-fab parts in Ambala (Haryana), and then transported in over 500 trailer trucks to Mazagon Docks in Mumbai.

It was assembled at the Mazagon Docks and on Sunday, it was loaded onto a barge of around 25,000 tonnes which departed from there for a 62-km long voyage to the BWSL where it reached early on Wednesday for the setup.

For the first time in India, the contractor opted for the float-over method due to the shallow draft and anticipated weather conditions, including wave heights reaching upto 1.5 metres, and leg-mating units in the open sea for superstructure installation.

The groundwork and other technical preparations for the installations of the two girders had started in January, and after overcoming all hurdles including inclement weather conditions, the two girders were finally installed at the designated spots on April 26 and May 15.

The BMC said that now the concretisation for the road on the girders will be taken up using Japanese technology to prevent corrosion before the new links are opened for traffic.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, May 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) Private schools in Rajasthan can’t increase fee for three academic years, say new guidelines issued by the state’s education department.

The Rajasthan education department has also allowed parents to buy uniforms and books from the market apart from the school.

“A committee of parents-teachers should be formed to finalise fee structure in private schools. This committee will fix the fee amount. The name, address, mobile number of all the members of this fee committee will have to be updated on the private school’s portal,” say the guidelines.

The 10-point guidelines further say that it “would be illegal to charge more than the fee approved by the committee. Action may be taken against such schools under the Fees Act and the extra fees collected from parents may have to be returned.”

The education department has stressed that there should be 100 per cent compliance with its norms for the sale of study materials and uniforms and also with the rules made for specially-abled and female students.

The education department has also asked private schools to organise parent-teacher meetings where student and school management related problems should be discussed.

It will be mandatory to provide this information to the District Education Officer and paste the guidelines on school notice boards and upload them on their websites.

Along with prompt hearing of complaints of mental and physical harassment of students, action should be taken against the culprits as soon as possible.

Private schools affiliated with the Board of Secondary Education Rajasthan, CBSE, CISCE, CAIE etc should select books for the academic session by following the norms.

It is mandatory to upload information i.e. name of the author, price of the book etc on the notice boards and websites of schools a month before the start of the academic session, so that parents can buy them from the market also, the education department said.

Source: IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, May 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) Amid a row in the Left Democratic Front on the Rajya Sabha ticket distribution, veteran Congress leader Cherian Phillip on Wednesday taunted the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF over the way it treats its allies in comparison to the United Democratic Front (UDF).

Phillip said the CPI(M)’s big brother attitude towards its allies is "deplorable".

“The Left allies like Kerala Congress (Mani) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) are entitled to a Rajya Sabha seat. When they were with the Congress-led UDF, they were always treated with respect and given their due share of the Rajya Sabha seats by the Congress, even foregoing their due and giving seats to their allies,” said Phillip.

KC (Mani) party is led by Rajya Sabha member Jose K. Mani, who will retire soon. The state unit of the RJD is led by media baron Shreyams Kumar, who failed to get a renomination to the Upper House some time ago.

Phillip’s statement comes at a time when a row has broken out with both the KC(M) and CPI staking their claims for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats which will fall vacant soon. The ruling front is sure to win two seats given its numbers.

Three seats fall vacant on July 1 after the members retire. Notification from the Election Commission is expected anytime. As per the existing numbers, one seat will be won by the UDF, and the Left will be able to send two members to the Upper House.

The CPI(M) will take one, leaving the other seat either for the CPI or the KC(M).

“The Congress is always considerate to their allies, and when the KC(M) and the RJD were with the UDF, they were given seats, but in the Left the CPI(M) never is magnanimous,” added Phillip.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, May 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Strict action will be taken against policemen in uniform who upload videos, reels or stories, etc., on 'non-policing issues' on various social media platforms, Rajasthan police chief U.R. Sahu said on Tuesday.

Director General of Police (DGP) Sahu said that it is against police rules for cops to post or upload their videos, reels, etc. in uniform on social media, which have no connection with police work.

Such acts have an adverse effect on the dignity and image of the department, he said.

Accordingly, the DGP has directed all the SPs and other senior police officers in the state to ensure that a policeman in uniform doesn't post any video, reel, etc., that has nothing to do with police work on social media.

"The police uniform is a symbol of our commitment, dedication, and accountability towards the public. We should take utmost care and seriousness while wearing it. Broadcasting inappropriate content in uniform is not only a sign of indiscipline but also undermines the trust of the public," the DGP said.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, May 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The tussle between ex-Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former Deputy Sachin Pilot came to the fore once again on Tuesday after the former launched a veiled attack on the latter without taking his name for saying that he wasn't invited to Jalore for campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.

Answering a question recently on why he did not campaign in Jalore, Pilot said that he was not invited.

Gehlot, while speaking to the media in UP's Amethi on Tuesday, said, “No one should make such comments during elections. One shouldn't say 'stupid' things such as ‘I was not called...' Such a statement was not required."

Gehlot also said that Priyanka Gandhi came for campaigning in Jalore-Sirohi.

"Had he come along, he would have been accorded a warm welcome. I was invited to campaign in support of Anil Chopra in the Jaipur Rural seat. He spoke to my OSD. However, my programme could not be rescheduled. Now if I say that I was not invited by Anil Chopra, it will not look decent. Such statements would have sent a wrong message to the public that Gehlot did not come because he was not invited," the senior Congress leader said.

It needs to be mentioned here that Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot is contesting from Jalore on a Congress ticket.

In 2019, Vaibhav Gehlot had unsuccessfully contested from Jodhpur against BJP's Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

Source: IANS

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Kolkata, May 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of spreading falsehood on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Addressing an election rally in the Matua-dominated Bangaon Lok Sabha constituency in support of BJP nominee and sitting MP Shantanu Thakur, the Home Minister said: “Mamata Banerjee is misleading the people by saying that applying for CAA will attract trouble. I want to assure all of you that no one will be in trouble. You will get citizenship and stay in the country with dignity. No power in the world can stop Hindu, Sikh, and Jain refugees from becoming citizens of the country."

To recall, on March 11, the Centre notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024, thus paving the way for enforcing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians who came to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan before December 31, 2014.

The news triggered celebrations among the members of the Matua community, a backward-class Hindu group that came to West Bengal as refugees from neighbouring Bangladesh, with a large section settling down in the Bangaon region.

He also said that on one hand the Chief Minister and the Trinamool Congress are trying to make infiltrators the citizens of the country, while on the other they are opposing the CAA through which people from the Matua community will be granted citizenship.

“I want to remind Mamata Banerjee that grating citizenship is within the authority of the Union government and the state government,” he said.

Amit Shah also attacked Chief Minister Banerjee for not attending the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya despite being invited.

“Despite being invited, she did not attend the inauguration ceremony to appease her dedicated vote bank. The world knows who constitutes Trinamool's vote bank. Remember, you are not part of their vote bank. Infiltrators constitute their vote bank,” Amit Shah said.

Source: IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, May 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) There is a shortage of nearly 7,000 police professionals in Kerala, according to the Administrative Reforms Commission report.

At present, Kerala's police force has a strength of 53,222, which means one policeman for 656 people.

Even though this report came out a few years back, fresh recruitment based on the report is yet to be taken up.

Incidentally, the National Crime Records Bureau report has pointed out that in 2022 in Kerala, there were 2,5,858 criminal cases registered and one reason why the probe into cases gets delayed is because of the lack of the desired number of police officials.

However, over the years, the standard reply given by the authorities with regard to the cases getting registered is that unlike many other states, in Kerala, due to the increased social awareness, the tendency to register cases is high.

Very recently, those whose names appeared in the selection list prepared by the Kerala State Public Service Commission to the Kerala Police had staged a protest before the state Secretariat demanding the Pinarayi Vijayan government to either start recruiting from the list of qualified candidates or extend the date of the list, but it failed to happen.

Source: IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, May 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Air India Express cabin crew strike last week has left a young woman called Amritha in tears forever, as she failed to be by her ailing husband’s side in his final moments in Muscat.

Amritha's family has decided to take legal steps against the airline.

Amritha, who was seen wailing on May 8 when she and her mother reached the airport in Kerala's capital to fly to Muscat, was told that due to the strike of Air India Express cabin crew, flights have been cancelled.

She then broke into tears and said that her young husband has suffered a cardiac arrest in Muscat and she had to urgently be with him, but the airport authorities said they were helpless.

Her repeated attempts to fly to Muscat failed, and breaking into tears at her home in Thiruvananthapuram, she has now turned silent after being told her husband has passed away.

Her husband, 39-year-old N. Rajesh, was working in the administration department of a school in Muscat. On May 7, he suffered a cardiac arrest and was hospitalised there.

Amritha’s mother, on Tuesday, said: "We did our best to be with him."

“All our attempts to reach Muscat failed due to the flash strike of the staff of the airline. We decided to go immediately as after he suffered the cardiac arrest, he told bystanders that he wished to see his wife. We knocked on all the doors at the airport but nothing happened,” said Amritha’s mother, unable to control her tears.

Meanwhile, the family of Rajesh has decided to sue the airline for the flash strike.

“The airline has to give us an answer. Had his wife reached there, his life could have been saved. We want an answer,” said his mother.

Amritha has two young kids. Rajesh's body is expected to arrive later in the day.

Source: IANS

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Guwahati, May 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Assam's Secondary Board of Education has announced the date sheet for compartment examinations for those candidates who failed to pass in one or more subjects in the recently declared Class 10 board examination results, officials said.

According to an official notification, the examination will start on May 28 and will be conducted in two shifts -- morning and afternoon.

The morning shift exams will begin at 9 a.m. while the evening shift will start at 1:30 p.m.

The compartment examinations will conclude on June 3.

The official notification also mentioned that the examinees would be given an additional time of five minutes to get habituated to the question paper.

Source: IANS

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