Kolkata, May 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash of Calcutta High Court, who retired on Monday from judicial services, gave the credit of shaping his personality to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

On his last day, Justice Dash said that his association with RSS goes back to his childhood days when he was a member of this organisation.

According to him, the lessons of RSS made him courageous and upright, while teaching him the value of having an equal view of others.

He also said that the greatest lesson that he learnt from the RSS was "the dedication to work", and most importantly, patriotism.

However, at the same time, Justice Dash mentioned that he deliberately distanced himself from the RSS since he entered judicial services to avoid any perceived bias.

According to him, he maintained his stand of neutrality as a judge irrespective of the political affiliations of the litigants whose cases he heard.

Justice Dash started his judicial career in 1999 with Odisha judicial services.

Since then, he has served in various positions including additional district judge and sessions judge in Odisha, his home state.

He was elevated as an Additional Judge of Odisha High Court in 2009. He was transferred to the Calcutta High Court in June 2022.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, May 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Monday alleged that the Congress cheated the people of Telangana by making false promises to come to power.

He reiterated that the Congress government has failed to fulfill six guarantees given during Assembly elections.

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

The BRS leader appealed to voters to elect BRS candidate Rakesh Reddy in the by-election scheduled to be held on May 27.

KTR, as the BRS leader is popularly known, said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was making false claims that he fulfilled five out of six guarantees.

Stating that there are 13 promises in six guarantees, he said the government only implemented one promise. It was free travel for women on TSRTC buses.

He recalled that BRS had cautioned people not to believe the promises of Congress, but people wanted to give a chance and they have given a chance.

"The Congress came to power with six guarantees and in these six months people know what has happened," he said.

Stating that none of the promises made to farmers have been fulfilled, he said Rakesh Reddy should be elected to question the lies and false claims of the Congress.

The BRS leader said even Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi made false claims that Congress is giving Rs 2,500 to every woman.

He mentioned that in 60 years only three medical colleges were set up in the state but in 10 years, KCR established 33 new medical colleges.

Like a chameleon, who changes colour, Revanth Reddy is changing dates for farm loan waiver.

He alleged that BJP and Congress will privatise Singareni Collieries Company Limited KTR reiterated that the BRS during its 10-year rule filled two lakh vacancies.

He advised voters to ask those coming to seek their votes whether there is any other state in the country which provided so many jobs.

He claimed that neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Congress leader Rahul Gandhi could answer this during the Assembly elections.

The BRS leader said that if anybody proves that any other state provided more jobs than Telangana did in 10 years, he would resign as MLA.

He alleged that Revanth Reddy claimed to have given 30,000 jobs but the fact is that these jobs were sanctioned when KCR was the chief minister.

KTR said that since providing government jobs to everyone is not possible, the BRS government provided employment opportunities for 24 lakh people by bringing investment in the private sector.

He said while the BRS failed to inform people about this achievement, its opponents ran a false campaign against the BRS government and some unemployed believed the false propaganda.

He said the state needs strong opposition leaders who can make Revanth Reddy fulfill his promise of providing two lakh jobs.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, 19 May (SocialNews.XYZ) The latest scandal to hit the Aam Aadmi Party evokes shock and disgust. A woman MP is assaulted at the Chief Minister’s house, and the perpetrator is later arrested from the CM’s residence.

The Swati Maliwal episode represents a new low in politics, exposing the depths to which India’s newest national party has fallen.

The flip-flop by the AAP on the incident raises suspicions about the party's leadership itself. Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh met Maliwal a day after the incident. He admitted that something wrong had happened and the party would take appropriate action.

The next day onwards, the party made a volte-face and started putting all the blame on Maliwal.

Instead of shunning the alleged ‘assaulter’ Bibhav Kumar, the Personal Secretary of CM Arvind Kejriwal, the party has chosen to stand by him. Kumar accompanied CM Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh to various events in the days preceding his arrest on May 18. Swati Maliwal, on the other hand, was labelled a ‘liar’.

The party has put up its female Minister, Atishi, to defend the AAP’s ‘honour’.

Despite being a woman, Atishi did not hesitate to resort to victim-shaming and even called Maliwal a pawn in BJP’s conspiracy. Atishi has claimed that Maliwal was facing arrest in an illegal recruitment case and was blackmailed by BJP to become part of the conspiracy against the CM.

Atishi also made references to the selective videos which have been released by AAP to justify the point.

Selective video clips, each a few seconds long, were released to support AAP’s claim that Maliwal is lying and to suggest that CM Kejriwal is being targeted just days before the Lok Sabha election phase in Delhi.

The selective videos released by AAP did help create confusion regarding the kind of chilling details about the assault in the FIR lodged by Maliwal. However, the medical report revealed bruises on her body. As per the report, Maliwal sustained injuries to four parts of her body, including her left leg and below her right eye. This is something Atishi has not reacted to so far.

By fielding Atishi to counter Maliwal’s charges, CM Kejriwal has sought to play smartly by making it a kind of woman vs woman matter and attempting to debilitate the case before the public.

Since the day of the assault on Maliwal, CM Kejriwal has avoided speaking to the media on the issue. Whether it was the joint press conference with Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, his campaigns in Punjab or the INDIA bloc rally in Mumbai, Kejriwal has maintained silence on the episode. When reporters asked him the tough questions, his angry emotion was too stark to be ignored.

The only time he spoke related to the issue was his televised address wherein he sought to deflect the scandal towards BJP. An episode happened at his official residence and all the involved characters are AAP people, and yet Kejriwal, instead of cleaning his act, is trying to give a spin to save himself and his party.

Swati Maliwal is no ordinary person. She is AAP’s chosen Rajya Sabha member, held the post of Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women for years and has been associated with Kejriwal for around two decades, much before the AAP came into existence. She had direct access to CM Kejriwal’s residence till May 13, the day she was suddenly stopped.

What went wrong suddenly? There are several theories, including rumours that she was being asked to resign from Rajya Sabha so that the seat could be given to a senior lawyer, who is fighting Kejriwal’s cases.

Whatever the reason behind the May 13 happenings at CM Kejriwal’s residence, the fact is that AAP is now imploding under the enormous and rapid success it has achieved in a short time.

Right from the day Kejriwal formed AAP, controversies have been erupting. Several AAP leaders have been accused of financial misconduct and have landed in jail. CM Arvind Kejriwal calls himself and AAP ‘Kattar Imandar’, but is currently on interim bail in a corruption case after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in February.

In August 2022 during a hectic election campaign in Gujarat, CM Kejriwal had said that Manish Sisodia, who was Deputy CM then, deserves Bharat Ratna for improving education standards in Delhi schools. Six months later Sisodia was arrested in the liquor scam case and has been in jail with courts refusing to give him bail.

With the Swati Maliwal episode, the AAP seems to be hurtling down the hill it climbed in 2012.

The images of Maliwal with downcast eyes and a painful, slow walk will only haunt CM Kejriwal for a long time.

‘Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. Arvind Kejriwal, who started as an anti-corruption crusader, should perhaps reflect on this.

(Deepika Bhan can be contacted at deepika.b@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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New Delhi: The nation can still recall how Punjab was caught in the grip of terrorism in the latter 1980s that could be countered only through sustained use of armed police, socio-political efforts at restoring peace and the diplomatic initiatives taken for mobilising world opinion against the call of 'Khalistan'.

The environment of hurt feelings amongst Sikhs created by Op Blue Star at the Golden Temple, the rise of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as the fulcrum of the 'Khalistan movement' in the state, and the full exploitation of the situation by Pakistan which pumped in arms, explosives and trained militants into Punjab had all combined at that time to push the level of terrorist violence all over the state to an unprecedented high with things coming to a pass where people in Chandigarh and Mohali stopped leaving their houses after sunset.

The comprehensive countermeasures of the state did succeed by the turn of the decade -- the execution of Operation Black Thunder in 1988, which was based on two fundamental precepts that no policeman would enter the premises of the Golden Temple and no bullet would be fired from outside towards the Temple, played a major part in turning the things around for the eventual return of peace to Punjab.

What really marked the end of the chapter of terrorist violence in the border state was the restoration of Hindu-Sikh unity against the machinations of the external enemy to permanently damage their brotherly relations by instigating targeted killings on communal lines. This ground reality of peace rooted in Hindu-Sikh unity has held on for decades -- it found validation in the political alliance between the BJP and Akali Dal in recent times. Punjab happily is once more acknowledged as the prime contributor to the nation’s defence as well as the country’s food economy. The border state however is again being targeted by forces inimical to India.

The situation in Punjab, with its strategic location, is becoming vulnerable in the face of the evil designs of the adversaries to revive the call of Khalistan outside India in the hope that this would produce an induction effect within the state.

The people of Punjab are averse to any disruptive ideas and remain united in faith -- being totally devoted to the teachings of Guru Nanak and the recitation of ‘Shabad’ at Gurudwaras. There is complete socio-cultural harmony between Hindus and Sikhs in Punjab as also in the rest of the country. India’s enemies are therefore trying to operate externally to work out ways of injecting trouble in the state from outside.

The Khalistan movement is being revived in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK by enemy agents trying to work in the Sikh diaspora, particularly among the younger generations who had remained somewhat cut off from Punjab, the land of their origin, possibly losing some emotional attachment with India as well. They could fall for the separatist rhetoric more easily particularly when this was backed by the narrative of ‘majoritarianism’ and ‘anti-minorityism’ built against the regime by anti-India lobbies abroad often working with some of the civil society groups at home.

In Punjab, sporadic attempts to use Gurudwaras to revive the Amritdhari cult have come to notice. Isolated incidents of assault on a Granthi or desecration of Guru Granth Sahib have to be guarded against as they could prove to be the flag points for instigated trouble. It is also clearly evident that there is an organised attempt by the adversary to step up the induction of narcotics into Punjab from across the border to increase drug addiction among the youth there making them vulnerable to outside influence and the manoeuvring of enemy agents.

Slowly but steadily the Pak-supported Khalistan movement is raising its head in Sikh diaspora abroad, particularly since 2022. Vandalism against India’s diplomatic missions, defacing of temples and glorifying past incidents pertaining to Khalistan terror in India have been resorted to in a planned manner. These subversive activities abroad have been accompanied by some violent actions on Indian soil as well. There was infiltration of Khalistan elements in the farmer’s agitation of 2020 and on January 26, 2021, some Sikh protestors entered Red Fort and hoisted Nishan Sahib's flag there.

Meanwhile, Amritpal Singh, a known Khalistan protagonist who had links with the US-based Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), along with thousands of supporters carrying a copy of Guru Granth Sahib and also some firearms, raided Ajnala Police Station near Amritsar on February 23, 2023, and forcibly secured the release of Loveprit Singh Toofan, an aid of Amritpal, arrested earlier in a case of violence.

Amritpal Singh, the leader of self-styled Waris Punjab De, is known to have been trained by Pak ISI and housed in Dubai which is an important hub of ISI. He visited Rode village in Moga district the birthplace of Sant Bhindranwale in an attempt to emulate the latter. He was finally arrested in April 2023 and shifted to Dibrugarh jail in Assam considering his potential for whipping up violence in Punjab.

Apart from spreading the Khalistan movement, Amritpal Singh was actively involved in smuggling drugs into Punjab and promoting addiction amongst the youth of Punjab. All of this proved Pak ISI’s hand behind the revival of Khalistan call in Punjab and the pumping of drugs into the state with the intention of raising a body of addicted youth who would do its bidding in subverting the border state through the separatist Khalistan movement.

The Sino-Pak axis remains hostile to India and has become much more active after the abrogation of Article 370 by the Indian Parliament.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes through the northern part of PoK and it was vehemently opposed by India. Operational collusion between China and Pakistan against India has lately been reflected in the use of Chinese drones by Pak ISI for dropping arms and narcotic consignments in Kashmir and Punjab.

There are reports of Pak-based Islamic militant outfits being used for building contacts with Sikh extremist elements in Punjab. Pak ISI is likely to repeat its modus operandi in Punjab and do a few things that had helped it in the 1980s to build terrorism in the state. Gurudwaras were used for indoctrinating and even sheltering militants, training in techniques of making IEDs was imparted -- cycle bombs made by packing RDx into the cylinders of a cycle and fitting it with a timer became a trademark of terror at that time -- and Hindu-Sikh enmity and distrust was whipped up by directing targeted killings of Hindus. Any beginnings of this kind of violence should be promptly noticed.

Pak ISI knows it is not easy to build the Khalistan movement at present but buoyed by the Sino-Pak axis, it is determined to press for it by first promoting the idea outside and using pro-Khalistan groups to inject the same into Punjab. Pak ISI is prompted to concentrate on Punjab in line with its old K2 plan as the Centre had successfully controlled the situation in Kashmir after abrogating Art 370 of the Constitution.

It would be prudent to set off coordinated measures in Punjab to mitigate any chances of the revival of the Khalistan idea in the state.

Punjab needs to be put in charge of a Governor with a national security background who had knowledge of how the terrorist problem in the state was handled in the past. An important function of the Head of the state would be to guide and educate the state government about the operational measures needed to be put in place, particularly in a border state and the socio-political environment that had to be created to mitigate the threat of separatism in the name of Khalistan.

Security of the border state has to be kept above party politics.

Since the adversary this time is using the pro-Khalistan elements abroad to inject violence in Punjab, intelligence coverage of Khalistan groups outside India already identified had to be stepped up further.

India has designated some leaders of Indian origin actively engaged in promoting the call of Khalistan in countries like the US and Canada and all efforts have to be made to get them extradited to India to face legal action.

India has launched a diplomatic effort to counter the anti-India activity abroad and called the ruling elites in the concerned countries to check the same.

Watch on social media used for the spread of Khalistan separatism and indoctrination of youth has to be intensified and effective action taken particularly against insiders colluding with such activity -- under the new Penal codes passed by the Parliament in December last year.

Democratic forces at home have to be encouraged to speak up against the subversive call of Khalistan and uphold the unity of India. We have to be ahead of the troublemakers within the country or outside in countering any threats to national security, integrity and sovereignty.

(The writer is a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau. Views are personal)

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, May 18 (SocialNews.XYZ) It is a calculated move by the BJP to rope in Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra as the fiery UP CM is seen as someone who can protect the interests of the Hindu community and effectively counter the alleged 'Islamisation' of India.

CM Adityanath addressed about 10 rallies across Maharashtra as he emerged as the leader in demand for the BJP and Shiv Sena cadres after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, especially amid the opposition’s allegations that the Constitution will be changed if the BJP retains power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls.

Adityanath, in his speeches, also attacked the Congress government in Karnataka for proposing to include all castes and communities of Muslims under the Other Backward Class (OBC) section.

The BJP organised Adityanath’s rallies in areas such as Maregaon, Vasai-NalaSopara, Kurla, and Solapur, among others, where the Hindus and Muslims play a dominant role in deciding the fates of the party nominees.

Further, the UP CM's campaign blitz in the state is also seen as an attempt to reiterate that the BJP is the true advocate of Hindutva, painting the Shiv Sena (UBT) headed by Uddhav Thackeray as 'fake' as it has 'compromised' Hindutva to gain power and is now indulging in appeasement politics by teaming up with the Congress and the NCP (SP).

Adityanath focused his speeches largely on hailing the PM Modi-led government’s achievements, including the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the abrogation of Article 370, the ban on triple talaq, and the stern actions to curb cross-border terrorism and Maoist extremism in the country, among others.

By painting the Congress as 'Rashtra Drohi' and 'Desh Drohi', especially in the wake of certain comments made by its leaders, Adityanath has reiterated that the BJP is well positioned to save the country from 'Islamisation', and counter the appeasement politics of the opposition parties.

Adityanath chose to rake up the killing of three Sadhus in Palghar during the rule of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to send a clear message that the BJP will not tolerate violence against Hindus and take stern action against those indulging in such incidents.

He also went on to add that had such killings taken place in Uttar Pradesh, the culprits would have been sentenced to death.

This apart, the BJP also chose to arrange Adityanath’s rallies in areas where the migrant population, especially from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, live in large numbers as their support is crucial to achieving the party's 'Mission 45 Plus' target in Maharashtra and 400 plus seats across India.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Speculation is rife in the Desert State as to who will be the next chief of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee.

Whether an Ashok Gehlot loyalist will be given the coveted post or someone from the Sachin Pilot camp will be made the state Congress chief are the million-dollar questions doing the rounds in the political corridors of the state.

Party sources said that the results of the Lok Sabha elections, due on June 4, will decide whether state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra's will retain his chair.

“There is a possibility of extensive changes in the Congress after the Lok Sabha elections," said a party worker.

Gehlot’s fate depends on the results for the Jalore and Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) Lok Sabha seats. While Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot is the Congress nominee from Jalore, the former Chief Minister has been made the party observer for the prestigious Amethi Lok Sabha constituency.

Now, all eyes are set on these two seats which will decide Gehlot’s political stature in the state, said sources.

The fate of former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot will also be decided after the declaration of the Lok Sabha results on June 4.

Many candidates have reportedly been fielded in the LS polls on the recommendation of Pilot, including from Jaipur Rural, Tonk, Dausa, Karauli, Jodhpur, Jhunjhunu, Bharatpur, and Sri Ganganagar.

If these candidates win, Pilot's stature will grow significantly, and in that scenario, the post of state Congress chief might as well go to a leader of his choice, sources said.

Another point of discussion in the state's political circles is why Gehlot was appointed the observer for Amethi, while Pilot was sent to North East Delhi as the observer where the party has fielded former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar.

Many party workers feel that Gehlot’s proximity to the Gandhi family was the reason for sending him to Amethi, which used to be a Congress bastion before BJP's Smriti Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi there in 2019.

However, Pilot was also seen campaigning for Rahul Gandhi in Raebareli recently, which somewhat silenced those questioning Pilot’s close connection with the Gandhi family scion.

Earlier, there was speculation that Dotasra would be removed from the chair after the party's defeat in last year's Assembly polls. Now it is being said that the results of the Lok Sabha elections will decide his stature in state Congress, sources said.

"Wait till June 4, and you will get a clear picture. If Gehlot’s son wins from Jalore, his opinion will matter, and if Pilot's candidates win a few seats, he will emerge as the decision maker in selecting the new PCC chief," said a party worker.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) If the defeat in the assembly elections in November last year was a major setback for the Madhya Pradesh Congress and several prominent leaders joining the ruling BJP led to shrinking ground, it is also believed that these political developments of the past six months have some positive aspects too.

These setbacks have undoubtedly demoralised the Congress cadre. However, at the same time, to some extent it has reduced the factionalism the party has been suffering from for decades in Madhya Pradesh.

Until a few years back, the Congress in Madhya Pradesh boasted a number of stalwarts -- Jyotiraditya Scindia, Suresh Pachouri, Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh, Ajay Singh (Rahul) with a strong base in their respective regions.

Scindia left the Congress and joined the BJP in March 2020 and contested the Lok Sabha election on the Lotus symbol in 2024. Suresh Pachouri also shifted to the BJP.

Another Congress veteran Kamal Nath led the party for over five years and under whose leadership the party won the assembly election in 2018. However, the political developments unfolding after the 2023 assembly elections restricted him to his pocket borough Chhindwara.

Kamal Nath managed to secure a ticket for his son Nakul Nath, however, he did not campaign beyond his bastion even after polling in Chhindwara was completed in the first phase on May 19.

He did not visit the Congress headquarters in Bhopal after he addressed a press conference in December last year, a Congress functionary told IANS.

"Kamal Nath has restructured the party and undoubtedly he led the party single handedly and he was an unopposed leader. But, rumours of his possible shifting to the BJP before the Lok Sabha elections and the drama which unfolded from Bhopal to Delhi was a drawback for him," a senior Congress leader said requesting anonymity.

Two other senior MP Congress leaders, Ajay Singh (Rahul) and Kamleshwar Patel, also do not have much to do because the party lost badly in the Vindhya region (BJP won 25 out of the 30 assembly seats in the Vindhya region) to which the duo belong.

Former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, who contested his last Lok Sabha election (as he announced) from his home district Rajgarh has given his full backing to new state party president Jitu Patwari, reliable sources in the Congress claimed.

"Jitu Patwari is Rahul Gandhi's choice, but he obliged Digvijaya Singh more than any other state leader because the latter has a strong base in the state. And overall, Jitu Patwari has always enjoyed Digvijaya Singh's support," another Congress leader said.

Now, the new MP Congress chief has started reshaping the party from top to bottom and the process will move ahead in earnest after the results of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections are announced on June 4.

After the Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh concluded on May 13, addressing a press conference Jitu Patwari said, "The party has lost four assembly elections between 2003 and 2023, and we can't always blame our opponent (BJP) every time. We need to introspect over it and the process will start soon after the Lok Sabha results are out."

Source: IANS

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Ranchi, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Kalpana Murmu Soren, wife of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, has formally made an entry into politics on March 4, this year.

In the last few months, she has become a key face of the INDIA bloc in Jharkhand. Kalpana Soren is contesting the bypoll from Gandey Assembly seat on a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) ticket.

Moreover, she is also touring the country as a star campaigner for the INDIA bloc. Amid the hectic election campaign, she spoke to IANS in an exclusive interview on a wide range of issues. Here are some excerpts.

IANS: One and a half months after your husband's arrest, you announced your entry into politics on March 4. Exactly three months later, when the election results will be declared on June 4, where do you see yourself?

Kalpana Soren: Public has been showering their love on me after I decided to enter politics. The love I am receiving is because of the hard work and sacrifice of Hemant Soren. I am happy that the public perceives one of their sisters and daughters. I am hopeful that on June 4, because of the immense support from the people of the Gandey Assembly constituency, I will become an elected member of the Jharkhand Assembly.

IANS: Some political analysts predict that after becoming MLA on June 4, Kalpana Soren might also take the chair of Jharkhand Chief Minister. What do you think?

Kalpana Soren: This is a hypothetical question. My priority right now is the Gandey Assembly by-poll and the Lok Sabha elections for 14 seats in the state. I am dedicated to the election campaign as a devoted party worker.

IANS: Has the absence of Hemant Soren affected the INDIA bloc's election campaign in Jharkhand? Are you able to fill the void left by Hemant Soren?

Kalpana Soren: Millions of people in the state who love Hemant Soren are missing him. No one can replace him. His presence makes everyone feel stronger. The slogan 'Hemant hai toh himmat hai' (If Hemant is there, there's courage) stems from the emotions of the people. The public knows that he has been sent to jail under false accusations and conspiracies. Even though he is not physically present among the people, he is with us mentally. As his representative and a party worker, I am conveying his messages to the people.

IANS: The ED has filed a chargesheet against Hemant Soren and preparations are underway to begin a trial. What do you think about this?

Kalpana Soren: Not just me but the entire state knows that Hemant has been falsely accused. The land case for which he was arrested has fallen flat. The ED has not been able to provide a single document or piece of evidence showing that this land belongs to him.

They arrest some people, put them in jail and then put words in their mouths. Just because someone says it verbally, does it become true? Hemant Soren was falsely implicated at the behest of the BJP. He was and will remain untainted. We have faith in the courts.

IANS: Crores of rupees were seized from the house of the servant of Personal Secretary (PS) of a Jharkhand Cabinet Minister and people connected to them. And now, even Minister Alamgir Alam has been arrested. Is this not a case of corruption?

Kalpana Soren: Let me make it clear that if there is any form of corruption, we do not support it. Hemant Soren himself has always taken a strict stance against corruption. What accusations were made against the minister and on what basis he was arrested should be revealed. We will stand with truth and integrity.

I also want to add that sending someone to jail for purely political reasons and targeting opponents selectively is also corruption. The media should expose these forms of corruption as well.

IANS: Sita Soren, your sister-in-law, has left the party and the family and is contesting the elections on a BJP ticket. She is also making several allegations against you...

Kalpana Soren: What she thinks and does is her personal decision. She is our elder sister, and we respect her. Moreover, the public knows everything about our family.

IANS: In the Lok Sabha elections in Jharkhand, on one side is the influential face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and on the other hand is your alliance with multiple leaders. What do you think will be the outcome on June 4?

Kalpana Soren: Their focus is on one person, one face, while our face is no different from the faces of millions of people. The veil of their jumlas (empty promises) has been lifted. From our side, the public itself is in the fray. In a democracy, the public always wins. We are confident about winning all 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand and the Gandey assembly seat. There is not much time left for June 4, and the complete picture will be soon in front of everyone.

Source: IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) A book written by a former journalist has spilled the beans on the role he and another journalist played in settling a massive protest in 2013 called by the CPI-M against the then Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who was caught in the Solar Scam.

However, on Friday, the CPI-M flatly denied any settlement.

In his yet-to-be-piblished book on the Solar Scam, John Mundakayam, former chief of bureau of Malayala Manorama -- a top vernacular daily -- claims that John Brittas, a former top employee of the CPI-M backed Kairali TV, who is presently the party's Rajya Sabha member, called him and the subsequent discussions led to the calling off of the protest, a claim that Brittas has denied now.

On August 12, 2013, the CPI-M then led by present Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with thousands of Left workers from all across the state surrounded the state Secretariat, demanding Chandy to step down.

The solar scam case pertains to a live-in couple -- Saritha and Radhakrishnan -- who cheated numerous people by taking money without supplying promised solar panels. Chandy got into trouble after it was found that three of his staff members had links with Saritha.

Mundakayam, who was a close aide of late former Chief Minister Chandy, states in his book that on August 13, 2013, he got a call from Brittas asking if something can be done to end the protest.

“I asked him if they were ready and Brittas said the protest could come to a close if Chandy called a press briefing and announced a judicial probe into the matter. Soon I spoke to Chandy and he asked me to speak to P.K. Kunhalikutty (then state Industries Minister). Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan was also spoken to.

"The final round of talks took place when Left ally RSP leader N.K. Premachandran spoke to CPI-M veteran Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and the protest was called off after Chandy announced a judicial probe,” writes Mundakayam.

Radhakrishnan told the media that all that Mundakayam said was true.

But on Friday, Brittas flatly denied ever speaking to Mundakayam.

“I don’t know how Mundakayam can say this. In fact, I wish to ask, I am very surprised how he did not put out this news in Malayalam Manorama. He being a seasoned journalist, this should have been put out as news,” said Brittas.

“It was Radhakrishnan who spoke to him and he called me on the phone of Cherian Phillip (a Congress veteran who moved to the CPI-M and was with Kairali TV). Later, I went and met Radhakrishnan, as I was asked by my party. I then raised the demand for the judicial probe and it was accepted and that was how the protest was called off.

"I am really surprised how can Mundakayam say things that never took place. Look, we know most journalists after retiring come out with books to stay in the limelight,” added Brittas.

Phillip, who has since returned to the Congress, preferred to remain silent.

Meanwhile, CPI-M veteran M.V. Jayarajan, a close aide of CM Vijayan and who was at the forefront of the protest in 2013, dismissed Mundakayam’s revelation as "rubbish".

“This is baseless and is meant to defame the CPI-M, which happens time and again,” said Jayarajan.

Responding to Brittas' denial of speaking to him, Mundakayam said he understands the former's position.

“Brittas has agreed that Radhakrishnan spoke and that’s the second part of what happened. I can understand the position of Brittas. My only intention was the protest should end. My book was written to portray that Chandy was named in a scam where he did not do any wrong,” Mundakayam told mediapersons from Singapore.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) As demand for skilled people in emerging technologies surges in the country, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), IIT Ropar and Masai School on Friday introduced a jointly certified minor programme in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML).

The course includes seven modules -- fundamentals of prompt engineering, introduction to machine learning, data handling and processing, neural networks and deep learning, natural language processing (NLP), functioning of large language models (LLMs) and capstone project.

"Integrating AI into our curriculum underscores our commitment to equipping students with cutting-edge competencies that are highly sought after in today's job market," said Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

By embracing AI education, "we are preparing our workforce to meet future challenges and ensuring our nation's competitive edge in the global arena," he added.

The credit-linked micro-specialisation in AI and ML is the most in-demand and the highest-paying tech job in India.

The course is meticulously crafted to equip learners with the skills, knowledge, and industry exposure necessary to thrive in the rapidly evolving tech landscape, said the stakeholders.

"The minor programme in AI and ML epitomises our dedication to providing students with a holistic educational experience, blending academic rigour with hands-on application," said Rajeev Ahuja Director, IIT Ropar.

Cities like Jaipur, Gwalior, Haridwar, Jodhpur and Agra are witnessing a boom in AI jobs, according to a latest report by HRtech platform GetWork.

Driven by talent growth, the AI market in India is projected to grow at 31.5 per cent CAGR (compound annual growth rate) to reach $5.1 billion by 2027.

"We are not just transforming education; we're sculpting a new paradigm in skill-based learning, sculpting a dynamic talent pool primed for global success," said Prateek Shukla, Co-Founder, and CEO of Masai School.

Source: IANS

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Chennai, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Madras High Court's Chief Justice, Sanjay V. Gangapurwala is set to retire on May 23 and Justice R. Mahadevan, the senior-most judge of the court, will serve as the Acting Chief Justice until the post is filled.

Chief Justice Gangapurwala, who was in the Bombay High Court earlier, took charge at the Madras High Court on May 29, 2023, and has dealt with several cases including constitutional, statutory, and public interest issues.

On June 16, 2023, while dealing with a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed against the felling of 182 trees and transplantation of 103 more trees for the expansion of Egmore Railway Station in Chennai, his bench directed the Southern Railway to strictly comply with the conditions imposed by the District Green Committee.

In another landmark judgment, he also made it clear to the banks that they could not use muscle power and engage private agents to recover loans. He asked the banks to follow the procedures established by the law to realise their dues.

In the case of former Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthil Balaji continuing to be part of the state cabinet even after being in judicial custody, a bench of the Chief Justice and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu wrote that a minister without a portfolio was a constitutional travesty.

He had also called upon the Tamil Nadu government to act with urgency to appoint teachers in the special schools of visually challenged children, as he disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition stating that 50 per cent of the teaching posts were lying vacant in such schools run by the state government.

Then, a bench comprising him and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy had refused to declare null and void the election of four MPs and eight MLAs who had contested on reserved symbols belonging to other political parties in the 2019 general elections and the 2021 Assembly elections.

Justice Gangapurwala, before the commencement of the summer vacation for the high court on April 30, had passed a significant order related to the abolition of manual scavenging, ordering the registration of criminal cases against civic body officials, if any deaths were reported due to this practice.

Source: IANS

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Aizawl/Imphal, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) After Manipur, the Mizoram government is likely to initiate biometric enrollment for refugees, particularly from Myanmar, officials said on Thursday.

After the military junta seized power in Myanmar on February 1, 2021, at least 34,350 people including women, elderly people and children from the neighbouring country took shelter in 11 districts of Mizoram.

A Mizoram government official on Thursday said that Chief Minister Lalduhoma, during a meeting with the leaders of the state’s influential NGO Young Mizo Association (CYMA), indicated the state government’s plan for biometric enrollment for refugees.

Officials said that of the total refugees, 17,901 people are staying in the rented and relatives’ houses and 16,445 migrants are sheltered in 149 relief camps across seven districts of Mizoram.

Another 1,167 refugees have also taken shelter in Mizoram since 2022 after they fled to the state following alleged ethnic persecution in Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.

All the refugees from Myanmar and Bangladesh belong to the Kuki-Zomi-Chin community and have similar ethnicity and cultural and linguistic ties with the Mizos of Mizoram.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) earlier in 2022 asked both the Manipur and Mizoram governments to undertake the recording of biometric and biographic data of all the refugees.

Though the BJP-led government in Manipur immediately started the process, the then Mizoram government, led by the Mizo National Front (MNF), refused, claiming that the Myanmarese are "brothers and sisters of Mizos and such an initiative would discriminate against them".

After the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) led by Lalduhoma came to power defeating the MNF in the November 7, 2023 assembly elections, the new state government had hesitation over the biometric enrollment exercise too.

Since the military took over the administration in Myanmar, 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. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said earlier this week that 379 migrants went back to Myanmar voluntarily and as per reports received, the migrants are keen to go back to Myanmar as the cultivation season has started, but they have become hesitant due to bombing by the Myanmar army in the past few days.

He had said that the illegal migrants would be deported back to Myanmar by the district administration, as and when the situation improves in Myanmar.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a case of medical marvel, a 13-year-old girl has fought all odds against Wilson's disease (a rare inherited condition), hepatitis A, and liver failure to live.

The girl, Radha, was first presented to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) seven years ago, in 2017, with a liver problem, swelling in her stomach, and swelling in her legs, which was diagnosed as Wilson's disease.

It is a rare genetic disease that leads to the accumulation of copper levels in several organs, especially the liver, brain, and eyes.

She was under treatment and her condition was controlled via diet and medication.

But her condition deteriorated when hepatitis A dealt a deadly blow to her already damaged liver, leading to acute chronic liver failure in March this year.

"Radha's body turned like a battlefield as her illness worsened at an alarming rate. Her jaundice, accompanied by skyrocketing bilirubin levels (44), was a clear sign of failing liver function," said Dr. Naresh Bansal, Senior Gastroenterologist at SGRH.

Further, the subtle development of hepatic encephalopathy (loss of brain function) sent her into a state of altered consciousness.

Making the situation much worse, she also suffered catastrophic upper gastrointestinal blood vomiting where she was put on life support.

The family was advised to consider a liver transplant as a life-saving option, and her mother decided to give up a portion of her liver.

The transplant was successfully done in a 12-hour-long surgery led by Dr. Ushast Dhir, Director of liver transplant and hepatobiliary Surgery.

Radha opened her eyes on the second day after the liver transplant, said Dr. Ushast.

"It was the toughest case to make it possible for a young patient with Wilson disease to get the success of this transplant. It was difficult to counsel the family, briefing the importance of a liver transplant which was the only way to save her life.

"The child was critical and a living donor liver transplant had to be performed in the perfect time frame," he added.

"The girl has recovered very well and now is back home with siblings and getting ready to go back to school after summer vacation," the doctor said.

Source: IANS

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Gurdaspur (Punjab), May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday campaigned for the Gurdaspur Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate, Shery Kalsi, and said previous MPs here betrayed the people.

While addressing a public meeting at Qadian town, Mann said none of the previous MPs of Gurdaspur belong to this seat. “They were selfish and ignorant who only worked for themselves and their families.” Mann said, “This time you have a chance to correct your past mistakes. Shery Kalsi is your own son. He knows the people here and their problems. Make him win, after becoming an MP you can go to his house and get your work done. Unlike previous MPs who disappeared after winning from here.” Mann slammed the Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Pratap Singh Bajwa. He said the Congress murdered Bajwa's dream of becoming the Chief Minister and he blames “this for this”. Taking a jibe at Bajwa as his brother is in the BJP. “Bajwa's house is the only house in Punjab in which the flags of both the BJP and the Congress are hoisted. There is only a distance of a few stairs between the two parties in that house.” Mann also slammed the Sukhbir Akali Dal President Sukhbir Badal, saying he’s a person who lives in air-conditioned rooms. “He goes out after asking the temperature. When the outside temperature is 30-32 degrees Celsius, he takes out his Punjab Bachao Yatra for two hours. How will such people understand the pain and suffering of the common people.” He said in reality Pratap Bajwa and Sukhbir Badal behave like that of kings and princes. Reiterating his commitment towards the farmers and agriculture, Mann said the development of the farmers of Punjab is his first priority.

Source: IANS

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Chennai, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) On the occaion of National Dengue Day, Tamil Nadu Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has issued a circular to all the district health officials in the state to take measures to prevent breeding of Aedes mosquitoes.

The theme for this year is,' Connect with community, control dengue'.

The Directorate has asked the district health officers to control and prevent dengue fever by strictly following the district action plan.

The district health officials are urged to conduct focused campaigns to educate and inform the people about Dengue fever.

There has been a spike in dengue cases in Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Madurai, Theni, Namakkal, Ariyalur, Tiruvannamalai, Dindigul, Krishnagiri and Thanjavur.

State Director of Public Health, T.S. Selvavinayagam, has instructed officials to conduct focussed campaigns and create awareness on dengue.

The officials were also urged to take up all interventions under the National Programme well on time.

The department has issued guidelines on the collection of reports from government and private hospitals on fever cases and to engage domestic breeding checkers to curtail the breeding of Aedes mosquitos.

He issued instructions to district health officials to comply with the guidelines on the collection of reports of fever from government and private hospitals and to ascertain the presence of dengue viruses.

The district health officials have been urged to conduct source reduction activities to prevent the breeding of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that carry and spread the infection.

Source: IANS

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Mandi, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi have developed a novel biodegradable and natural fibre-containing composite that can be used in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, the institute said on Thursday.

Electromagnetic interference is a new form of pollution led by the proliferation of electronic devices. It can affect the functions of electronic systems across industries such as radar systems, military controls, and networking infrastructure. EMI shielding materials are essential to protect electronic devices and systems from EMI interference.

IIT Mandi’s new eco-friendly composite blend of kenaf fibre (known as Deccan Hemp/Ambari in local languages) and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), not only exhibits superior EMI shielding properties but is also recyclable.

Kenaf, known for its strength and low density as a natural fibre, acts as an optimal reinforcement material, augmenting the mechanical properties of the composite while diminishing its environmental impact. In addition, HDPE, a commonly used recyclable plastic, adds to the composite's eco-friendly characteristics.

The team added carbon nanotubes to make the composite an electrical conductor for EMI shielding.

The researchers incorporated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to confer electrical conductivity to their composite. A blend of 16 per cent kenaf fibre and 5 per cent CNTs was found to exhibit superior EMI shielding, surpassing 30 dB, and exceptional mechanical strength.

"Cultivating a sustainable future demands innovation that enhances performance while minimising environmental impact. Our work in developing eco-friendly EMI shielding materials combines technological advancement with ecological responsibility," said Dr Himanshu Pathak, Associate Professor, School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, IIT Mandi.

The application potential of this innovative composite material is vast, spanning from electronic equipment casing to overhead bins and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), revealed the study, published in the journal Polymer Composites.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced that this year, the southwest monsoon is likely to set in over Kerala on May 31, with a model error of ± 4 days.

Southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1, with a standard deviation of about seven days. IMD has been issuing operational forecasts for the date of monsoon onset over Kerala from 2005 onwards. An indigenously developed state-of-the-art statistical model with a model error of ± 4 days is used for the purpose, according to an IMD statement.

Last year, the monsoon arrived in Kerala on June 8. The IMD had forecast the arrival on June 4 with a margin of ± 4 days.

In its latest bulletin, the IMD has forecast heatwave conditions over Northwest India from May 16 and in the eastern region from May 18. Concurrently, heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds, is anticipated over the southern states until May 20.

IMD has forecast above average monsoon rainfall in 2024, which augurs well for the country’s agricultural sector which was hit by erratic weather last year.

The monsoon, which normally arrives in Kerala around June 1 and retreats in mid-September, is expected to total 106 per cent of the long-term average this year.

The monsoon plays a key role in the Indian economy as over 50 per cent of the country's farmland does not have any other source of irrigation. The monsoon rains are also crucial for recharging the country’s reservoirs and aquifers from which the water can be used later in the year to irrigate crops.

India has emerged as a key exporter of foodgrains but had to resort to curbing overseas shipments of sugar, rice, wheat and onions in order to increase domestic supplies and keep prices in check due to the erratic monsoon last year which hit farm production. A robust growth in the farm sector helps to keep inflation in check.

IMD defines average or normal rainfall as between 96 per cent and 104 per cent of a 50-year average of 87 cm (35 inches) for the June-Sept season.

Apart from supplying food, the farm sector also plays a key role in providing a demand for industrial goods such as two-wheelers, fridges and fast moving consumer goods. An increase in agricultural production and incomes, therefore, apart from contributing directly to GDP growth also leads to an increase in industrial growth.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi on Wednesday convened a high-level meeting of officials and area in-charges and reviewed the arrangements for smooth vehicular traffic on the yatra route.

She also directed officials to plug the gaps and not refrain from taking strict measures for ensuring smooth and hassle-free yatra for the pilgrims.

Legal action against those spreading fake news or videos to defame the Char Yatra was another crucial decision at the high-level meet.

The officials have been directed to lodge FIR if anyone is found spreading fake pictures or videos.

This apparently comes in light of the heavy rush of devotees for the Char Dham Yatra this year, which is seemingly enormous as compared to previous years.

Instructions have been issued to stop and send back unregistered buses and vehicles.

The Chief Secretary directed the Transport Department to hold a meeting with the tour operators on the issue of vehicles without registration, without trip card or post-dated registration.

Vehicles without registration will be identified at the check points established at various places and appropriate action will be taken.

The officials have also been instructed to take due action on any complaint of any devotee received on their mobile.

Officials have been asked to keep their mobile phones on 'switch on' mode for 24 hours and record all the complaints related to Yatra.

Rishikesh Municipal Corporation has been asked to ensure satisfactory arrangements for food, drinking water, toilets on the Yatra route and also arrange the best possible facilities for the pilgrims, including the LIVE telecast of dhams.

According to the state government's health secretary, 184 doctors have been deployed on the Yatra route this time, out of which 44 are specialists.

The Health Department is providing all facilities to the pilgrims, from health checkups to other facilities.

A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) related to the Yatra has also been issued in a total of 11 languages.

Source: IANS

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Prayagraj, May 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Allahabad High Court has held that maintaining a list of gifts received by the bride or bridegroom at the time of marriage as prescribed under Section 3(2) of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 is important to prevent false allegations of dowry at the time of subsequent disputes.

"The maintenance of the list is also important so that both the parties to the marriage and their family members may not level false allegations of taking dowry or giving dowry in a marriage subsequently. The arrangement made by the Dowry Prohibition Act may also assist in subsequent litigation between the parties to arrive at a conclusion whether the allegations with regard to the taking or giving of dowry are covered by the exception carved out under section 3(2) of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961," Justice Vikram D. Chauhan said.

Section 3 of the Act provides penalties for giving or taking dowry as imprisonment for not less than 5 years and a fine not less than Rs 50,000 or the amount equal to the value of the dowry, whichever is higher.

Sub-section (2) of Section 3 provides that presents which are given to the bride or the bridegroom at the time of marriage and have not been demanded are not 'dowry', provided that a list of such gifts received by either person is maintained in accordance with rules.

Rule 2 of the Dowry Prohibition (Maintenance of Lists of Presents to the Bride and Bridegroom) Rules, 1985 prescribes the manner in which the list of gifts under Section 3(2) is to be maintained.

"The Dowry Prohibition (Maintenance of Lists of Presents to the Bride and Bridegroom) Rules, 1985 have been framed in this respect by the Central government, as in the Indian marriage system, gifts and presents act as a token of celebration and honouring the important event. The legislature was aware of the Indian tradition and as such, the above-mentioned exception was carved out. The above-mentioned list would also act as a measure to thrash out the allegations of dowry which are subsequently levelled in matrimonial disputes," the court stated.

The court observed that Section 8B requires the appointment of a Dowry Prohibition Officer for the purpose of implementation of the Act, and accordingly, sought a response from the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary as to how many Dowry Prohibition Officers have been appointed in the state and if they have not been appointed, then explain why they have not been appointed when dowry cases are increasing.

The next hearing of the case will be held on May 23.

Source: IANS

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Lucknow, May 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) Senior citizens in Lucknow have a request for the sitting MP and Union defence minister Rajnath Singh -- good old-age home in the state capital.

“It is about priorities. The government spends thousands of crores on big projects. It can also establish a good old-age home where the elderly can choose to live at their own will. The government gives subsidy on land for businesses, it can very well do that for setting up such facilities,” says B N Sarup (78), a retired doctor who is looking for a decent old age home after the demise of his wife. His two sons and daughter are settled in Canada.

There are an estimated 60,000-odd citizens in the state capital in the 80 years and above age group, left to the care and concern of the family, in particular, and society, in general. They want an old age home with amenities, facilities and aid for their ease of living from the government.

“I am even willing to pay a particular amount every month for such a facility because living alone after a certain age is difficult as well as insecure,” said Srila Prakash, a single woman, who is unwell and aged about 68 years.

“I have a car but cannot drive at this age. Cab services only pick and drop from point to point but there is no assistance beyond that. So, if there is any trusted government-backed system where we can just call and get someone to help us get basic things done or go out occasionally that would help,” she said.

These senior citizens tried to meet the Lucknow MP Rajnath Singh but could not succeed.

“We have decided to send a memorandum to him so that he can consider this facility for us after the polls,” said Atul Varshney, another 80-year-old who has no one to support him here.

A voracious reader and a compulsive writer, he said he yearns for a circle where he can share his love for art.

Besides old-age homes, recreational centres/clubs, parks and community centres, the elderly feel there should be dedicated government helpline numbers where they can connect to get their issues resolved.

“Broadly, we need a right policy push to help create a benevolent society which could ensure a dignified living to the elderly, especially the octogenarians,” he said.

As per the government data, the population of 60 years and above has more than tripled in India in the past 50 years.

Further estimates reveal that the country expects 19 per cent of its population, to be above 60 years of age by 2050.

A major social churning is already underway where the concentration of good jobs in a few select cities in India is precipitating the rise of micro-families with elderly people left behind to live alone and grapple with isolation.

Many may not even need old age homes, but they do feel the need for elderly care facilities that can help them with basic errands like banking, mobility to market and public places, and occasional social engagement to avert depression tightening its grip on their mental state.

Insufficient healthcare and domestic abuse are also a concern needing attention.

Last year, NITI Aayog announced that it is firming up a policy prescription for enhancing elderly care in the country with a focus on public-private partnerships to set up old-age homes, a convergence of existing schemes related to the elderly, and pitching for higher resources to be allocated to the sector to significantly ramp up care for senior citizens.

Source: IANS

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Chennai, May 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered stringent action against corrupt practices in the issuance of legal heir certificates.

A single judge bench of Justice S.M.Subramaniam took serious note of the corrupt practices involved while issuing legal heir certificates and sought criminal action against those who suppressed vital facts while applying for them.

The court also said that strict action has to be taken against those government officials who issue these certificates by colluding with fraudulent applicants.

It directed the Commissioner of Revenue Administration to issue a circular, within five weeks, instructing all revenue officials across the state to lodge police complaints, if and when they come across any application having been filed for a legal heir certificate by suppressing vital information.

The single bench judge issued the direction while disposing of a writ petition filed by M. Marannan of Coimbatore. The petitioner had challenged an order passed by the Mettupalayam Tehsildar rejecting his request for issuance of a legal heir certificate to him, following the death of his father, Maranna Gowder.

However, Additional Government Pleader U. Bharanidharan told the court that the petitioner had suppressed the fact of having a brother and two sisters while making an application for the certificate and therefore, the Tehsildar had refused to issue it to him.

On hearing this, the court expressed its concerns in coming across many such cases related to false claims for legal heir certificates.

Government Advocate (Criminal Cases) S. Vinoth Kumar informed the court that Sections 177 (furnishing false information to a public servant), 182 (furnishing false information with intent to make public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person) and 199 (false statement made in a declaration) of the Indian Penal Code could be invoked against the applicants who suppress vital information for legal heir certificates.

He also said that if the false certificates had been used to take away the property or insurance amount of the deceased, the police could invoke Sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the IPC against the applicant.

Justice Subramaniam then directed the revenue authorities to promptly lodge criminal complaints against all dishonest applicants.

"Unless such penal actions are initiated, it would be very difficult to control the menace," he said, adding that if any practice of abetment to commit the offences is identified, then the government officials are also liable to be prosecuted under criminal law.

The judge directed the Commissioner of Revenue Administration to warn Tehsildars of disciplinary action if they failed to lodge police complaints against fraudulent applicants.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, May 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) Over 2500 policemen, five bomb squads and 20 sniffer dogs searched over 60 schools in Rajasthan after bomb threat emails were received by them, said officials on Tuesday.

The private schools received threats on Monday at 2.49 a.m. The searches started at 6 a.m. and continued till late night hours.

After extensive searches, the threat turned out to be a hoax as nothing suspicious was found in any of the schools.

The bomb threat was sent from a mail ID 'instrumentt@inbox.ru' via the Russian domain.

Police are investigating the matter and analyzing the language of the emails. The wording of the email sent to Delhi schools and airports recently is also being studied.

Preliminary investigation has revealed that Russian servers have been used for sending the threat mail to Jaipur and Delhi schools. An email was sent to the schools of Delhi from the id 'awariim@mail.ru' and to the schools of Jaipur from the id 'instrumenttt@inbox.ru'.

Meanwhile, cyber experts said that criminals generally have been using VPNs from other countries to hide their location. “For example, in both the Jaipur and Delhi cases, it is being said that emails were sent from the Russian servers. It is possible that the emails were sent from some other place, but the location is shown as Russia,” they added.

Cyber security expert Mukesh Chaudhary said that by hiding the location through VPN, such accused manage to escape from the police.

"Anyone can change their location through a VPN. In such a situation, the email receiver feels that the sender of the email is in the same country from where he has received the mail, however, the case is different," he said.

Meanwhile, officials did not deny a strong possibility that some organisation or gang may be behind the incidents in Delhi and Jaipur.

Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George said that a similar pattern of mail has been used in Delhi and Jaipur schools. There is no dateline mentioned and it uses the term Bcc under which one mail is being sent to many others. So one should not be scared of such emails.

Cyber security and law expert Monali Krishna Guha said that vicious criminals usually use darknet or proxy servers while sending such emails due to which the police investigation takes a long time to reach any conclusion.

Rajendra Prasad, former in-charge of the cyber crime police station, says that police should take help from the CBI and Interpol when VPN is being used.

The email sent to schools spoke of taking revenge. It referred to Gujarat and threatened to turn cities into ruins.

It needs to be mentioned here that miscreants have sent bomb threats to Jaipur airport six times in the last six months. In May, such bomb threats were sent twice on May 3 and then on May 12. However, no suspicious object was found during the search operation.

In April too, Jaipur Airport received bomb threats on February 16, April 26, April 29 and December 27 last year.

Source: IANS

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Lucknow, May 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The remaining three phases of elections in Uttar Pradesh will be a test for OBC leaders in the state. The performance of these leaders and their parties will decide their future in the NDA.

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) President Om Prakash Rajbhar, also a minister in the UP government, has been making tall claims about the influence he wields on the Rajbhar community.

The BJP has given him the Ghosi seat on which he has fielded his son Arvind Rajbhar. His son’s candidature has already caused resentment in the community which wanted other members to contest the seat.

If Om Prakash Rajbhar manages to win the Ghosi seat, his position in the NDA will be secure but if he fails to do so, he may face problems. Rajbhar is already known for his controversial statements.

Nishad Party President and UP minister Sanjay Nishad also faces the challenge of ensuring his son Parveen Nishad’s victory. Parveen is seeking re-election from his Sant Kabir Nagar seat on the BJP symbol.

He had first won a by-election from Gorakhpur in 2018 on the Samajwadi Party ticket.

Sanjay Nishad claims to wield influence over 27 Lok Sabha seats and his son’s performance in Sant Kabir Nagar will validate his claims.

The Anupriya Patel-led Apna Dal (S), a BJP ally since 2014, also faces a test this time.

The Apna Dal (S) has been winning two seats that it got in 2014 and then again in 2019.

This time, Anupriya is contesting from Mirzapur but the Samajwadi Party has pitted Ramesh Bind, sitting BJP MP from Bhadohi, who on Sunday joined SP, against her.

In Robertsganj, the Apna Dal (S) has denied a ticket to the sitting MP Pakodi Lal Kol and has named Rinki Kol -- his daughter-in-law -- as the candidate.

The family feud has come out in the open and this could harm the party.

Another OBC leader whose popularity will be on the test, in these elections, is UP Minister Dara Singh Chauhan.

Dara Singh Chauhan quit the BJP in January 2022 to join the SP.

However, when the BJP formed government again in 2022, Chauhan quit SP and returned to BJP. He fought a by-election but lost to SP.

The BJP made him a member of the Vidhan Parishad and then a minister. Chauhan also claims to be a custodian of Lonia Chauhan votes and NDA’s performance in Ghosi in these polls will determine whether Chauhan has any hold over his community votes.

BJP rebel Swami Prasad Maurya is also facing a crucial test from Kushinagar Lok Sabha seat.

Maurya had revolted against the BJP in 2022 to join SP and then left SP in February this year after issuing statements against Sanatan Dharm.

He sent feelers to INDIA bloc members but got no response and is now contesting as a candidate of his own Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj Party.

Maurya’s diatribe against the BJP ensured that his daughter Sanghmitra Maurya was denied a ticket from Budaun.

Maurya, sources claim, is looking for a return to BSP after the polls.

Two other OBC leaders whose fate will also be sealed in these elections are Krishna Patel and her daughter Pallavi Patel of Apna Dal (Kamerawadi).

The mother-daughter broke away from SP in March and later formed an alliance with AIMIM -- called PDM (‘Pichda, Dalit and Musalman’) alliance -- hoping to strike it rich in the Lok Sabha polls.

However, the euphoria vanished and the PDM could announce only seven candidates.

Those who were looking forward to a face-off between the warring sisters Anupriya and Pallavi in Mirzapur are sorely disappointed because Pallavi is not contesting the polls.

She will have to decide her own future after the Lok Sabha polls because she was elected from the Sirathu assembly seat on the SP symbol in 2022.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) As the debate rages on the decline of the Hindu population, the exodus of the minority community from Kashmir is a case for study.

It took only a couple of years for a ‘motivated ecosystem’ to reduce a happy contented Kashmiri Pandit community into rootless, shattered refugees. From a number of over seven lakh in 1990, the community has only a few thousand left in the Valley with a majority of them being government employees living in protected areas.

For the present-day generation, it may come as a surprise to know that Kashmir was once a Hindu land. Great emperors like Lalitaditya Muktapida ruled the Valley. Kashmir was also a seat of learning. Sharada Peeth established by Kashmiri Pandits was on par with Nalanda and Takshila. However, the decline started with the advent of Islam in the Valley in the 14th century.

After continued persecution which continued till 1948, the divided Valley was left with about six per cent Kashmiri Pandits.

Over the decades, this percentage gradually decreased. Pandits moved to other parts of India due to discriminatory policies and attitudes of the governments in the state administration and political class which was shielded by Article 370.

Till late 1980s, the population had come down to almost two per cent. In February 1986, organised attacks were carried out against the Kashmiri Pandits in Anantnag district. Many houses were looted and temples burnt.

This was followed by a full-blown terror onslaught the target of which was the Kashmiri Pandit community which everyone perceived to be pro-India.

The minorities were ruthlessly attacked. It was during the tenure of Farooq Abdullah, who became the Chief Minister on November 7, 1986 (till January 18, 1990) that Kashmir witnessed organised attacks on Kashmiri Pandits.

The Home Minister of the country was Mufti Mohd Sayed, a Kashmiri Muslim who was largely suspected by the community to be behind the 1986 Anantnag riots.

Hundreds were killed, many kidnapped, women were abducted and raped. Many were brutally killed and bodies hung from trees and poles.

Mosques were openly used to carry out anti-India and anti-Hindu agendas. Loudspeakers atop mosques would blaze slogans against the Kashmiri Pandits. As targeted violence was unleashed on minorities, there was no one to help them or stand for them. Threats were openly given in local vernacular newspapers; posters were pasted on Hindu homes and hit lists were released.

The Pakistan-backed ecosystem openly gave only three options to the Kashmiri Pandits – convert, face death or flee. The community chose to flee, leaving movable and immovable properties, temples and shrines, treasured books and archives.

A whole community, which is the original native of the land and has a rich heritage of over 5,000 years, was suddenly uprooted, thrown in the hot plains of the country and forced to live in tattered tents and camps.

In the Valley, there was no remorse, no one came forward to help the beleaguered community. There were no political voices, or human rights organisations in the Valley who could raise the voice for the persecuted Hindus.

Once the Kashmiri Pandits were forced out, the next on the agenda of the ecosystem was to usurp the properties. Hindu houses were looted and many of the stolen goods were put up for sale in markets by looters. Lands were encroached upon and taken over. A majority of the Hindu house owners were forced to sell their houses and lands for peanuts.

Three decades after the mass exodus, there is no case of ethnic cleansing or genocide. What happened to Kashmiri Pandits is termed as mass migration as if the community people willingly left their homes to live in tents in hot humid conditions.

No one stands guilty and none has been sentenced for the crimes perpetrated against the minority Hindus. All those perpetrators who were directly or indirectly involved in killings/kidnappings/rapes and gang-rapes/arson and loot were not outside marauders like in earlier centuries but were locals. In a majority of cases, the attackers were known, either neighbours or colleagues or friends.

While the victims knew who the attackers were, the police, administration and the political class had just shut their eyes to the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits. They were probably following the plan to a perfect execution, which was done meticulously.

The ecosystem was so strong and well organised that it challenged the country’s secular ethos and converted the Muslim-majority Kashmir into almost a ‘Hindu-free’ place in the 1990s.

The political class that existed in the Valley when the Kashmiri Pandits were being persecuted continues to be there today as well. They remained silent in those times and have till today not sought justice for fellow Kashmiri minorities. There has been no SIT or judicial commission to probe the persecution and the exodus.

The only time the country’s justice system mentioned the tragedy of the community was during the trial of JKLF chief Yasin Malik. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) told a Delhi court in 2022 during arguments on the sentencing of Yasin Malik in a terror funding case that he was responsible for the Kashmiri Pandits' exodus from the Valley.

On June 11, 1999, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in a ruling stated that the violence against the community was genocide-like and stopped short of terming it as genocide.

The Supreme Court too dismissed petitions seeking a probe into the alleged mass murder of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley in 1989-1990. However, a judgment authored by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul on the abrogation of Article 370 in 2023 did mention the ordeal of the community and recommended a structural investigation of the events and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to rebuild the social fabric and heal wounds.

Today the same community is struggling to keep alive its culture, language and traditions. The faceless ecosystem that worked to uproot the Kashmiri Hindus from the Valley is today sitting pretty, somewhere unidentified and scouting for new lands.

(Deepika Bhan can be contacted at deepika.b@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, addressing a conference in New Delhi on "Advance of Criminal Justice System", on April 20, lauded the new Penal Codes enacted by the Parliament in December last year, described the development as a "watershed moment" and expressed satisfaction that India was changing in synchronisation with our times.

He felt that implementation of the new laws would mark a significant overhaul of the criminal justice system to better protect the interests of victims and ensure a more efficient conduct of investigation and prosecution.

He emphasised the urgent need for capacity building in areas of forensic expertise, reorientation of investigating officers and investment in our court system.

It may be mentioned that with the avowed objective of freeing the country of the colonial hangover on the justice system, the Indian Parliament re-designated the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Indian Evidence Act, 1872; and Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, as Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita Act, Bharatiya Sakshya Act, and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Samhita Act, respectively.

The Chief Justice declared that the enactment of these laws by Parliament "underscored India's evolving dynamics and the pressing need for innovative legal mechanisms to address contemporary challenges".

In bolstering the concept of punishment acting as a deterrent against crime, the new law lays down the death penalty for the rape of a minor and also for "lynching" -- the two black marks of the contemporary crime scenario in India.

The Act replaced the Indian Penal Code of 1860 repealed 22 old sections, added 8 new ones and amended as many as 175 others.

A new Section 69 punishes indulgence in sexual intercourse through deception by way of making promises of marriage while concealing identity.

"Snatching" has been made a distinct offence and a severe penalty was prescribed for disseminating false information through spoken words, signs or electronic means. This latter is also meant to check criminal misuse of social media.

The new code for the first time punishes an act of "terrorism" that was likely to threaten India's unity, integrity, security, sovereignty or economy or spread terror among the people domestically or abroad.

There has been some expression of concern by civil society groups -- particularly those building a narrative of "authoritarianism" against the present government -- that the definition of terror activity was being stretched to punish "anti-regime" criticism.

There is no doubt, however, in the minds of average citizens that in this era of proxy wars, advocacy of violence against a legitimate democratic government deserved to be viewed seriously.

In what can be regarded as a progressive move for dispensing justice, community service has been included as a punishment for first-time offenders committing a petty crime.

Besides, a new definition of "organised crime" has been incorporated in the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita Act to include among other things, kidnapping, human trafficking and cyber crimes carried out to secure material benefit.

The activities of members of an organised crime syndicate are punishable with imprisonment of a minimum of five years -- going up to a life sentence if there was no death -- and, including capital punishment if a death was caused.

The new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Samhita Act has repealed 9 sections of the old Act, introduced 9 new sections and modified 160 earlier sections. It mandates forensic investigation for crimes punishable with imprisonment of seven years or more. It requires forensic experts to visit the scene of crime, gather clues and document the process.

Electronic mode of giving evidence is permitted at trials, enquiries and proceedings under Section 173 and it is laid down under Section 356 that a judgement can be pronounced in the absence of a proclaimed offender who had avoided the trial.

A great reform is the introduction of the concept of Zero FIR to be registered by a police station on receiving a complaint even if it did not have the jurisdiction, for being forwarded to the right police station. The new Act establishes deadlines for framing of charges and prescribes communicating the progress of the investigation to the victims within 90 days of the complaint.

The Bharatiya Sakshya Act replaced the Indian Evidence Act of 1872 after introducing one new section, removing 5 sections and altering a total of 23 other sections. In a pathbreaking reform, it recognises electronic records as primary evidence under Section 57 and permits electronic presentation of oral evidence enabling remote testimony.

It expands the concept of joint trial under Section 24 of multiple people -- some of whom might have failed to respond to an arrest warrant. An important advance is the direction the Act gives for audio-visual recording of search and seizures to protect civil liberties.

Judicial scrutiny of the same would safeguard the rights of citizens against procedural improprieties committed during search and seizure.

Legal minds particularly of the opposition, have expressed misgivings that many of the new provisions endangered civil liberties and enhanced the power of the police over citizens in certain key areas.

Under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Samhita Act and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act, police officers could compel the accused persons to produce their digital devices for accessing their contents -- the rules about how to handle these devices were still not laid down -- and the concern was that police could look into privileged communications of the accused with their lawyers and their spouses which were otherwise protected.

For offences with a maximum punishment of three to seven years of imprisonment, the police are permitted to conduct a preliminary inquiry within 14 days of the complaint to decide whether an FIR was to be registered -- this seemed to be against the judicial mandate that FIR had to be registered on any complaint alleging a cognisable offence.

It is apprehended that this might allow the police to refuse to register an FIR even on a legitimate complaint.

The provisions made in the new laws can improve the justice system but they could also be put to misuse by the authorities wielding power. Supervision of senior officers should be able to check the latter.

With time under judicial scrutiny, hopefully, the pathway to improvement will be opened up.

The introduction of two new offences in the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita that did not exist in the Indian Penal Code, have invited an acrimonious debate in human rights groups. They relate to a "terrorist act'' and an act "endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India".

It is said that the definition of a "terrorist" act was the same as provided in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act which was worded loosely enough to allow police to book political dissidents. It punishes even the "advice" and "incitement" to do something that amounted to a threat to India's unity, integrity, sovereignty, security and economy.

Further, the inclusion of the offence of publishing "false" or "misleading" information jeopardising the sovereignty, unity, integrity and security of India -- it is alleged -- would enable the state to target media outlets and journalists who revealed information inconvenient to the government.

In a nutshell, some of the new laws have been run down by the critics -- mostly the Opposition and civil society groups -- as an instrument in the hands of the regime for suppressing dissent and advancing its political interests.

The people of India are sensitive to issues of governance and human rights but they would appreciate any genuine reform in the maintenance of law and order and dispensation of justice of which police is perhaps the most important systemic component.

Conscientious citizens would appreciate the deterrent law enacted for offences like the rape of a minor and mob lynching that had an unsettling impact on society as a whole.

(The writer is a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau. Views are personal)

Source: IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, May 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) As the results of the Lok Sabha polls are awaited on June 4, a fresh issue appears to have surfaced in Kerala and all eyes are on how the ruling CPI-M-led Left is going to navigate it.

Three members are due to retire from Kerala from the Upper House on July 1, and the problem now is that while all the retiring members belong to the Left, the new nominees will see the Left winning two, while the Congress-led UDF is certain to win one.

The retiring members are state party chiefs of two Left allies -- Binoy Viswam who heads the CPI in Kerala, and Jose K. Mani of the Kerala Congress (Mani) (KC-M) and CPI-M veteran Elamaram Kareem.

With the Congress-led UDF certain to win one, the ruling Left will win only two, of which one will certainly be taken by big brother CPI-M. Then it is whether CPI or KC-M gets the nomination.

While the CPI is the second biggest ally in the ruling Left and has been with the Left Democratic Front (LDF) since its formation, the KC-M is the third biggest ally which joined the Left only in 2020, after their party split, the one led by Mani joined the LDF.

A political critic, on condition of anonymity, said that it’s a ‘Catch 22’ situation for CPI-M.

“The situation will become clearer when the Lok Sabha polls results come out on June 4. The CPI has contested for two seats and the KC-M one. The results will be crucial for both these parties. The CPI-M will be the last word if both CPI and KC-M insist on the one seat,” said the critic.

Mani has been in the Parliament since 2009, when he won his first win and retained his Kottayam Lok Sabha seat at the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, but with a year remaining as part of a political adjustment, the Congress gifted one of their Rajya Sabha seat to Mani.

After his party moved over to the Left in 2020, he resigned and contested again and won his seat. Now all eyes are on the CPI-M, with one seat, and whom they will back.

The notification for the elections to the three seats is expected anytime now.

Source: IANS

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Bengaluru, May 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday said that the trend of decline of the Hindu population in the country is the most worrying development.

Speaking to the media, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the state and central governments should wake up and initiate action immediately to prevent this trend.

He said that there should be a comprehensive study regarding the decline of the Hindu population in the country.

“If the number of Hindus decline then over a period of time the democratic system itself will change. Bharat is the only secular country in the world. It is a secular state in true spirit. Secularism is in the blood of Indians and it is also ingrained in their character. It is going to be affected in future,” Joshi said.

He said that the country has found unity in diversity while the country has ensured freedom to practice all religions and cultures and this heritage should continue.

“Though the nation is predominantly Hindu country, it has sheltered people of all religions. As the population of Hindus is on the decline it is a matter of utmost concern and the society and governments must contemplate over it,” Joshi said.

According to the study titled ‘Share of Religious Minorities – A Cross-Country Analysis (1950-2015) by a three-member committee, from 1950 to 2015, the Hindu population dipped from 85 per cent to 78 per cent while the Muslim population rose to 14 per cent from 10 per cent.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) While the debate intensifies over 'Hindus on decline and Muslims on uptrend' in terms of population, as depicted in the EAC-PM report, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi on Thursday sought to give 'valuable insight' into the raging controversy and also left a piece of advice for the minority community.

Sudhanshu Trivedi said that the widespread rise in the Muslim population was indeed true. However, the surge in population led to 'decline in the quality' of the populace. He said that in 1951 the population of Muslims was less but at that time, there were many talented people among the Muslim community who were their voice.

He also asked "where have they all gone now?"

He said this while speaking to IANS on the findings of EAC-PM report, which outlined the decreasing population of Hindus and increasing population of Muslims in the country from 1950 to 2015.

"Earlier, their icons were people like Ustad Bismillah Khan, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ghulam Ali and more. But, due to secular politics, who has become the representative of Muslim society now? They are Zakir Naik, Ishrat Jahan, Yakub Memon, Abu Salem, Chhota Shakeel, Mukhtar Ansari, Atiq Ahmed and more. It should also be seen that their population has increased, but the quality declined," Trivedi said.

"I think the Muslim society should also do introspection about this, instead of reacting," he said, leaving a piece of advice for the community.

Speaking on Article 370 revocation, the BJP spokesperson said: "There were many parties which used to say that Article 370 can never be removed. Some people used to say that if Article 370 is removed, Kashmir Valley will be on fire. However, due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and determination and Amit Shah's role as Home Minister, Article 370 has become a part of history, and Kashmir is moving forward on the path of prosperity."

He also said that many stories of misery are coming from PoK and if the community hears voices from this side of the border, there will be pain in their hearts.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Delhi High Court has reaffirmed the principles of transparency enshrined in the Right to Information Act, 2005, stating that difficulty in collating information is not a valid ground for denying access to the information.

Justice Subramonium Prasad said that public authorities cannot refuse information merely because it is not readily available in one place or would take time to compile.

The court said that the objective of the RTI Act is to promote transparency in government operations, and this objective cannot be undermined by the state government citing the voluminous nature of the information sought.

The case stemmed from an RTI application filed by Probhjot Singh Dhillon seeking details about disciplinary actions taken by the Delhi government's Education Department against teachers conducting private tuitions in the national capital.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) had directed the Delhi government to provide the requested information, noting the "cavalier attitude" of the Public Information Officer (PIO) in handling the application.

Rejecting the Delhi government's plea challenging the CIC's order, Justice Prasad said that disciplinary proceedings against teachers, whether in government or aided schools, must be disclosed to the public. He said that even if the information is not consolidated in one place, efforts must be made to collate and provide it to the applicant.

The court noted that information regarding penalties imposed on teachers for conducting private tuitions in both government and private schools should be accessible to the public. It stressed that the government must endeavour to gather and furnish the requested information.

Consequently, Justice Prasad directed the Delhi government to furnish the information sought by Dhillon regarding disciplinary actions against teachers in both government and private schools for conducting private tuitions.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Supreme Court on Thursday set in motion contempt proceedings against the officials of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for felling of trees in Delhi's Ridge area in violation of its orders.

Issuing notice in the contempt petitions, a bench, headed by Justice Abhay S. Oka summoned the Director General of the CPWD and DDA Vice Chairperson, in person, on the next date of listing.

"We direct that the respondents shall not indulge in any further tree felling and status quo as of today shall be maintained in respect of the property subject matter of these contempt petitions," the bench, also comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, ordered.

The contempt petitions alleged that a large number of trees in the ridge had been felled there by the DDA to construct an approach road between the Chhattarpur Road and the SAARC University near Maidan Garhi.

In an earlier order, the top court had said that other areas having morphological ridges were required to be protected and no permission for construction should be given there. Further, it had directed the Ministry of Environment and Forest to set up a committee to work out modalities to identify areas of the Ridge which are not notified but also have the same ridge-like features.

Source: IANS

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Agartala, May 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a bid to improve the quality of education and performance of teachers and students, the Tripura government would soon introduce the e-attendance system for teachers and students in all 4,912 government schools, an official said on Thursday.

A top Education Department official said that the digital move, being introduced under the Vidya Samiksha Kendra, would bring transparency in the entire academic system and better functioning of schools.

"The entire process to cover the e-attendance system for teachers, students in all 4,912 government schools would be completed in a two-year time," the official told IANS, refusing to be named.

The Vidya Samiksha Kendra, which was first launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat in 2022, was envisioned by the Union Education Ministry as a "force multiplier" that would amplify the existing capabilities of people in the education system, enabling a transformative impact on the desired educational outcomes.

After implementation of the e-attendance method in all schools, the geo-tagging system would also be introduced to bring all necessary aspects available online, the official pointed out.

He said that after completion of the process of e-attendance system covering all the schools, the Chief Minister, concerned ministers and senior officials from their offices would monitor the performance of the teachers and schools.

Currently, necessary training of headmasters and all concerned are going on to make them familiar about the new digital system.

The Tripura government has already introduced the e-attendance system in some government offices, including the civil secretariat, headquarters of the administration, here.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, who also holds the Education Department, recently launched the state's first Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK) in Agartala to help students fulfil their dreams through quality education, real-time monitoring, and support of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The centre is geared towards digitising educational data to provide the stakeholders with real-time visibility into the progress of various educational initiatives, enhancing the existing capabilities, and enabling transformative impact through coordinated efforts to drive improvements in the education sector.

The VSK will serve as an institutional framework designed to facilitate integrated and collaborative data analysis for informed decision-making in the field of education.

In total, 37,761 teachers are now involved in 4,912 government schools in the state while 6,94,539 students are enrolled in Elementary, Secondary and Higher Secondary level of school education.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) Propelling the BJP-NDA's 'Vijay Rath' forward at an unprecedented pace in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with his unmatched oratory prowess and relentless energy, has reduced the opposition parties and their leaders to mere spectators.

As the office-goers were returning home on Wednesday evening, PM Modi was participating in a massive roadshow through the streets of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh with Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan.

The Prime Minister started the day in faraway Telangana by offering prayers at Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple in Karimnagar around 9.30 AM.

A little over half an hour later, he was addressing a public programme in the same constituency. Around noon, he was addressing another rally in Warangal.

Hot and humid Rajampet in Andhra Pradesh was the PM's next stop as he addressed another gathering post 4 PM.

In between, PM Modi met not just many leaders and workers from his and coalition parties but also interacted with the locals, including stopping his cavalcade to meet a kid in Lakshmipuram village while on his way to Warangal.

Tuesday was no different. Immediately after casting his vote in Ahmedabad, PM Modi travelled to Madhya Pradesh to address poll rallies in Khargone and Dhar.

Later in the day, he was in Ahmednagar and Beed in Maharashtra spotlighting his government's achievements over the last 10 years while tearing into the opposition INDIA bloc at the same time.

Analysts, who at the start of the election campaign believed that PM Modi has stolen a march over the opposition, are now of firm belief that he is miles ahead of opposition leaders - including 'challenger' Rahul Gandhi from Congress - when it comes to travelling the length and breadth of the country to ensure a third term for his government.

Calling him a 'superhuman', they reveal that PM Modi has already crossed the century mark when it comes to addressing rallies besides also giving more than two dozen interviews to regional, national and international news outlets since March.

And, after a long tiring day, the Prime Minister has still found time to connect with the masses through various road shows in different corners of the country.

On the other hand, keen observers have also taken note of the rather lackadaisical approach of the opposition parties, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, that has already pushed the alliance on the backfoot.

Insisting that the 'challenger' has largely been missing, they reveal that since the 'Nyay Yatra' ended on March 17, Rahul Gandhi has addressed only 39 public meetings till May 8 - many of them planned poorly and held in areas where the Congress may not have much chance of emerging victorious.

They also point out that, unlike PM Modi, the Congress MP has not given any interview to put across the viewpoint of the INDIA bloc.

As temperatures rise, it seems that it is only the BJP which is heating up the election campaign for the remaining phases.

With the launch of a 'Viksit Bharat' campaign, it is also quite clear that the party is already looking at 2047 and not just June 4, 2024, when the election results will be announced.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, May 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Delhi High Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition for authorities to provide sewage and garbage disposal facilities at an unauthorised colony in the national capital.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora rejected the PIL filed by Sarva Seva Trust as it questioned the legitimacy of providing facilities to encroachers of government land.

"Tomorrow someone will encroach on High Court land, are we going to provide them sewage facility?" it asked.

The PIL had urged the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi government to arrange sewage facilities and garbage disposal measures for the colony. However, the court was informed that the colony in question is unauthorised, and attempts by the MCD to provide facilities have been met with objections from residents of nearby areas.

In light of these circumstances, the bench concluded that the residents of the unauthorised colony were encroachers of government land, and therefore, the court cannot issue directives on the matter.

Remedies like writ petitions cannot be utilised by encroachers of government land, it held.

Source: IANS

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Shillong, May 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) on Wednesday declared results for Class 12.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma lauded the students for their good results and said that the pass percentage has significantly increased.

Taking to his X handle, Sangma wrote, "Heartiest congratulations to the students for clearing the MBoSE HSSLC (Science and Commerce) Stream. Pass percentage has significantly increased science is 85.24 per cent and commerce is 80.26 per cent. Wishing all the very best in their future endeavours."

The board declared the results for Science and Commerce streams, along with vocational courses.

Source: IANS

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Panaji, May 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) Alleging that Congress has always done politics on the lines of caste and religion, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that BJP will win both the Lok Sabha seats in the state by a huge margin.

Addressing a press conference in the BJP office here, he said that they fought the election on the agenda of development and strength of their organisation.

The Chief Minister said that out of 40 constituencies, Congress has existence only in four constituencies of the state. "Their existence has reduced in the state and even the INDIA alliance will vanish after election," he said.

"Congress has not fought this election on development, but on the lines of caste and religion. We never contest elections on these lines. We always fight elections on the agenda of development and genuine developmental projects," he said.

"(like Congress) We are not promising reservation to any section... Congress tried to bring unwanted things during this election," he said.

Chief Minister Sawant said that Congress failed to tell people about their contribution to the state, while they had a double-engine government. "They have done nothing in the state and hence had nothing to tell people. Because of that they criticised me and Shripad Naik," the chief minister said.

He claimed that North Goa seat will be won by 1 lakh votes and South Goa by 60 thousand votes.

"Goans are educated and wise. Hence they don't vote on caste and religion lines, and in the future too, they will not vote on these lines. New voters are alert and they know the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.

The BJP had fielded Union Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Naik from North Goa, and industrialist Pallavi Dempo from the South Goa seat.

As per the Election Commission of India (ECI), the state recorded a voter turnout of 75.20 per cent for the North Goa and South Goa seats where polling was held on Tuesday.

Source: IANS

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