Author: LokMarg

Russia denied carrying out a “massacre” in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv in Ukraine, adding that there is evidence that it was in fact a “cynical false flag operation perpetrated by Kyiv itself”.

Russian Embassy in India added that the country firmly stands for bringing to justice those involved in this “outrageous war crime act”.
In its statement, the Embassy wrote, “Russia firmly stands for bringing to justice those involved in this outrageous war crime act. The main challenge is to ensure a genuinely independent and unbiased investigation.”

“Regrettably there have been so far widespread hollow allegations against Moscow while there’s evidence that it was in fact a cynical false flag operation, perpetrated by Kiev itself. It is vitally important to take this evidence into account as we seek justice,” it added.

Moreover, the Embassy also compared the “heinous attack” in Bucha with the crimes during World War II.

“The heinous crimes in Bucha bring back the nightmares of the Nazi crimes during the Second World War. It raised revulsion and condemnation in Russia and India and globally,” the Embassy noted in its statement.

Reports have said that more than 300 people have been killed and the total number of casualties was likely to increase as the whole city is being checked.

Hundreds of civilian residents were found dead on the streets in Bucha, besides their homes, and in mass graves. Ukraine accused Russia of the Bucha massacre. However, Russia has denied the allegations and said that it was Ukrainian propaganda.

The United States, along with the G7 nations and European Union (EU), has imposed severe and immediate economic costs on Russia for its “atrocities in Ukraine, including in Bucha”. (ANI)

Emphasizing the need for a good and healthy relationship with neighbouring countries, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Thursday said India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan and is committed to addressing issues adding that the onus is on Islamabad to create a conducive atmosphere.

When asked to present the view of the government in regards to media reports stating that ‘Adviser to Pakistan PM Imran Khan backs resumption of trade ties with India’ the MoS stated in Rajya Sabha, “The Government’s consistent position has been that India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan and is committed to addressing issues, if any, bilaterally and peacefully in an atmosphere free of terror, hostility, and violence.”

The Government while confirming that it has seen the reports said, “In August 2019, Pakistan announced the suspension of bilateral trade with India. Pakistan partially relaxed its ban on trade with India in September 2019 by permitting trade in certain pharmaceutical products,” he added.

Notably, Pakistan is facing heavy external debt and rising inflation. As Pakistan’s economic woes continue, the country’s trade deficit has been on the rise for nine consecutive months owing to an unprecedented increase in imports while exports stagnated at around USD 2.5 billion to USD 2.8 billion a month.

The federal government debt jumped to PKR 42.8 trillion by February 2022, an addition of PKR 18.1 trillion in three and a half years, according to the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) monthly debt bulletin released on Tuesday. (ANI)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been questioning former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and vice president of National Conference Omar Abdullah here in the national capital in connection with Jammu and Kashmir Bank scam case, officials said.

Abdullah appeared before the investigators around 11 am at ED’s headquarters. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) leader was earlier summoned by the ED and was asked to visit its office on Thursday here.

The ED officials are taking the statement of Abdullah who is accused of opening several accounts in the Jammu and Kashmir Bank with the help of his close aides including Ahsan Mirza, who was authorized to sign cheques.

Mirza, though not an elected office bearer, was appointed “treasurer” of JK Cricket Association (JKCA) by Abdullah its president, while parallel accounts of JKCA were opened in the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in connivance with a senior executive of the bank, claimed sources.

The role of the senior executive of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, now retired, is also under scrutiny for helping the former Chief Minister open the accounts with the bank based on “inadequate” documents.

In 2007, the then-elected treasurer of JKCA Mir Manzoor Gazanfar, brought these “illegal” transactions to the notice of JKCA president Abdullah who allegedly ignored the anomalies.

Gazanfar has informed ED that it was Mirza, who was appointed treasurer in 2003 and was transferring the money to unauthorized accounts at Abdullah’s instance.

The ED had also questioned Abdullah in July 2019 based on the statements of Mirza and his other associates who had earlier been questioned by the agency. (ANI)

Fearing bulldozer action by the police, five men accused of gang rape of a minor girl surrendered to the police in Uttar Pradesh’s Ambedkar Nagar on Thursday, said the police.

The gang rape took place in the village Jiuli under district Ambedkar Nagar police station, Jaitpur area on March 29, 2022, added the police.

The accused along with their families surrendered at the police station in the morning and apologized for their actions by joining hands in front of SHO Jaiprakash Singh.

“The five accused of gang-raping a minor girl surrendered after coming to the police station of Jaitpur, fearing bulldozer warning, fear of bullets and Ambedkar Nagar police’s swift action, ” tweeted the Ambedkar Nagar police. Earlier following the incident and after verification and identification of culprits Police threatened their families of using bulldozer over their houses if they fail to surrender, which yielded the result. (ANI)

As the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) concluded its roadshow and rally in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi yesterday, both Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress shared the opinion that the state has no place for a third force.

BJP state chief Suresh Kashyap said that the kind of politics AAP’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal does not work in Himachal Pradesh.

“Kejriwal speaks of corruption, but Himachal is already free from corruption. There is no place for a third party in the state. The voters of Himachal are intelligent and know what their choices are,” he said.

The state Congress President, Kuldeep Singh Rathore said that the gathering at the rally which seemed to be of lakhs consisted mostly of “tourists” from Punjab and Delhi who “would go back”.

“The people of Himachal have rejected them. The upcoming elections are a contest between the BJP and the Congress only; Himachal does not entertain a third party,” Rathore said.

Slamming Kejriwal, the party’s state president said that his claims of not knowing politics are false.

“Kejriwal claims that he can only build hospitals and schools, but what about the previous government? Have they never built hospitals, schools and educational institutes?” Rathore questioned while saying that AAP is daydreaming about forming a government in Himachal Pradesh.

AAP held a roadshow and a rally in Mandi where Arvind Kejriwal was accompanied by Punjab’s new Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Meanwhile, buoyed by its landslide victory in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will now contest all 68 seats in the Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh slated to take place later this year.

Earlier, Delhi Health Minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain also announced that the party would contest the Shimla Municipal Corporation election.

Talking about the poll promises, Jain announced that the AAP government if comes to power would provide free electricity and water to the people of Himachal as well as education and health facilities.

The AAP leader further informed that the organisation has been constituted in all the 68 assembly seats and will now be expanded till the elections.

Sidelining Congress as a state challenge after the party’s debacle in the recently concluded Assembly elections in the five states, Jain said AAP’s competition is with the BJP.

“Congress cannot defeat BJP. Aam Aadmi Party has the mantra to defeat BJP,” he said. (ANI)

India reported 1,033 new COVID -19 cases in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Thursday.

With the new cases, the active caseload stands at 11,639 which accounts for 0.03 per cent of the country’s total positive cases.

Meanwhile, 1,222 patients recovered from the disease in the last 24 hours taking the total recoveries to 4,24,98,789.

The current recovery rate is at 98.76 per cent and the daily positivity rate is at 0.21 per cent.

With 4,82,039 tests conducted in the last 24 hours 79.25 crore COVID tests have been conducted in the country so far.

A total of 185.20 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive. (ANI)

With another hike of Rs 2.5 per kilogram on Thursday, the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has zoomed by Rs 9.10 per kg in the last six days.

Notably, the CNG prices were increased by the same amount yesterday also.

With today’s hike, CNG in Delhi would now cost Rs 69.11 per kg, while in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad it would cost Rs 71.67 a kg.

In Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Shamli, the CNG will now be available at Rs 76.34 per kg, while in Gurugram it is priced at Rs 77.44 per kg. CNG costs the highest in Kanpur, Hamirpur and Fatehpur where it is priced at Rs 80.90 per kg.

Meanwhile, after a hike of Rs 10 in the price of petrol and diesel over the last 16 days, the fuel rates were not increased on Thursday.

Petrol in the national capital crossed the Rs 105 mark yesterday, whereas, in Mumbai, it has surpassed Rs 120.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday defended the Central government over the issue of fuel price hike, comparing it with that of other countries, saying that India has merely seen a change of “only five per cent”.

“Fuel prices hiked in India are 1/10th of the change of prices in other countries. Comparing gasoline (petrol) prices between April 2021 and March 2022, the prices in the United States of America (USA) have increased by 51 per cent, Canada by 52 per cent, Germany by 55 per cent, the United Kingdom (UK) by 55 per cent, France by 50 per cent, Spain 58 per cent but in India only 5 per cent,” said Puri in Lok Sabha.

However, the Opposition has been stepping up pressure on the government with demand for the rollback of the fuel price hike. (ANI)

The US on Wednesday (local time) threatened China with sanctions if it supports Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman at a hearing on “Restoring American Leadership in the Indo-Pacific”, told the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee that sanctions imposed on Russia over its war in Ukraine should give China a “good understanding” of the consequences it could face if it provides material support to Moscow and that Beijing eyeing Taiwan should “take away the right lessons” from the sanctions imposed on Russia.

Introducing the proceedings, Congressman Gregory Meeks, the Chairman lambasted China for using military aggression in the Indo-Pacific region and for failing to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

He said, “Russia’s pre-meditated and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine demonstrates its disdain for the rules-based international order, and China has woefully abdicated its self-proclaimed role as a responsible stakeholder by failing to condemn Russia’s illegal war and in the Indo-pacific, China routinely coarse our friends and allies, uses military aggression to gain upper hand in broader maritime and territorial disputes. It steals technology and bends the rules to protect its domestic industries. It commits human rights abuses on a grand scale through genocide in Xinjiang, destruction of Hong Kong’s autonomy or its surveillance and repression of citizens throughout the mainland.”

He urged US partners and allies to counter Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC) aggression and preserve a free, open Indo-Pacific.

Deputy Secretary of State Sherman further said that the US is deeply concerned about the growing strategic alignment between Russia and PRC as represented in their February 4 statement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin before the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony issued a joint statement that voiced Russia’s support for China’s stance that democratically-governed Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and opposition to any form of independence for the island.

“We have expressed those concerns directly to PRC as have our allies and partners. A strong and coordinated response from the international community, including nations in the Indo-Pacific to Russia’s flagrant violation of international law and principles like sovereignty and territorial integrity, sends a strong signal that such actions will not go ignored,” said Sherman.

Answering Meeks’s question regarding the Biden administration’s assessment on whether China actively supported Russia and its invasion of Ukraine and US earlier warned President Xi of the consequences if China is found to be materially supporting Russia’s war effort, Sherman said that the sanctions imposed on Russia imply that what sort of action will come for Xi if help extended to Russia.

“President Biden has been very direct with President Xi. One only has to look at the range of sanctions to be announced today against Putin, against the Russian economy, against individuals who are enablers, against elites, oligarchs, export controls, designations, sanctions, that are not only from the US. But, in unprecedented fashion coordination with our allies and partners, not just in Europe but throughout the world gives President Xi, I think a pretty good understanding of what might come his way should he in fact support Putin in any material fashion. This is a very serious matter,” said Sherman.

She also said that the US was quite concerned over the joint manifesto of Russia and China that was signed before the Beijing Olympics.

“It increased the concern about what this partnership was about. PRC had said publicly that this is a partnership and not an alliance as part of Xi Jinping trying to distance himself some way from what President Putin had done with his premediated, unjust and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” said Sherman.

The hearing chaired by Meeks was attended by the full committee parity in person and virtually. (ANI)

Reacting to the video statement released by Al-Qaeda chief Ayman Al Zawahiri on the hijab row, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said Al-Qaeda will never understand the importance of wearing uniforms in educational institutions.

Supporting the stand of the Indian judiciary on banning wearing hijabs in schools and colleges, Sarma said that they will become a platform for the display of religious clothes.

“Karnataka High Court gave a clear verdict that it’s not expected of a student to wear something else except hijab,” he told media persons when asked about the Al-Qaeda video.

“If you wear hijab, I will wear something else (it will become an idealogy), then school and college will become a platform for the display of religious clothes and religious behaviour. So, how can then school and college continue (with permitting hijab)? That is why the term uniform came so that there’s no difference between Hindus and Muslims. There is no difference between poor and rich,” the Chief Minister added.

Sarma also said that the Indian Muslims are with the judiciary.

“Al-Qaeda will never understand but I am sure that Indian Muslims will understand that we have to wear uniforms. Once you finish your school and college, you come back to your home and whatever you want to wear, you wear. I am sure that Indian Muslims are with the judiciary,” he said.

Zawahiri in a video praised student Muskaan Khan for standing in defence of the headscarf. (ANI)

The Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill that seeks to make the investigation of crime more expeditious and increase the conviction rate.

The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022, bill was passed by Rajya Sabha on Wednesday after a reply by Home Minister Amit Shah. The bill was passed by Lok Sabha on April 4.

Amit Shah said the purpose of the bill is to decrease the crime rate, increase the rate of conviction of criminals and boost the security of the country.

The Minister said the bill will not compromise the privacy of any individual and that the rules of the Act will be notified after proper scrutiny.

“Our law is ‘bachha’ (nothing) in terms of strictness as compared to other nations. There are more stringent laws in countries like South Africa, UK, Australia, Canada and the US, which is why their conviction rate is better,” he said.

Shah said the Bill is about safeguarding the “human rights of the victims of crimes, and not just criminals.”

“We do not have the intention of misusing the provisions of the Bill. It is meant to keep our police ahead of criminals. Next-generation crimes cannot be tackled with old techniques; we have to try to take the criminal justice system to the next era,” he said.

He sought to allay apprehensions voiced by the opposition about the possible misuse of the new legislation.

“Best technology will be used for safeguarding data and there will be the training of manpower,” Shah said.

The bill provides for legal sanction for taking appropriate body measurements (finger impressions, palm-print and foot-print impressions, photographs, iris and retina scan, physical, and biological samples) of persons who are required to give such measurements to “make the investigation of crime more efficient and expeditious”.

It also seeks to empower the National Crime Records Bureau to collect, store and preserve the record of measurements and for sharing, dissemination, destruction and disposal of records. It also empowers a magistrate to direct any person to give measurements and empowers police or prison officers to take measurements of any person who resists or refuses to give measurements.

A total of 17 members participated in the debate on the Bill. Some opposition members termed the bill “unconstitutional” and that it should be sent to the select committee. (ANI)