People in Haryana will be allowed to sell and burst crackers for two hours on the occasion of Diwali, said the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday.
The relaxation comes after the state on Friday banned the sale and bursting of cracking.
The CM said that after these relaxations traders can now sell the crackers for two hours on Diwali.
“Corona cases are rising along with pollution, so we have to take tough decisions regarding crackers. Yet, we are giving relaxation of two hours for those who want to sell crackers and burst them. Traders can sell crackers during these two hours,” he said.
Khattar said decisions are in compliance with the guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) amid an increase in air pollution.
“In Haryana, people will be allowed to sell and burst crackers for two hours on Deepawali. These decisions have been taken in compliance with the guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in the wake of increasing air pollution,” he tweeted (roughly translated from Hindi).
“It has been seen that due to pollution, there has been an increase in corona infected patients in the past. This decision has been taken in view of reducing pollution and preventing the spread of corona infection,” he added. (ANI)
Reiterating that Gilgit-Baltistan “will always be a part of Jammu and Kashmir”, a local political activist has said that the region becoming a “so-called province of Pakistan will not bring development in the region”.
“The region will never become a part of Pakistan. The people of Gilgit-Baltistan have witnessed that Balochistan did not see any development despite it becoming a part of Pakistan,” said Senge Sering, President of Institute for Gilgit-Baltistan Studies, during a conversation with Balochistan Affairs channel.
Sering added that the people of “Gilgit-Baltistan on the Indian side” are enjoying freedom and equality under the “Constitution of India” unlike those living on the Pakistan side.
“The people of Gilgit-Baltistan have been living under no law for the past 73 years, having no judicial or constitutional head. Had we been with India, we would have been its part under the Constitution. In 1971, after the India-Pakistan war, India took under its control several villages of Gilgit-Baltistan. Immediately, the Indian government gave them constitutional rights and the constitutional boundary was extended till there. Hence, people in these areas are even able to send their representatives to the Parliament, have access to the Supreme Court, have their own head, local assembly, etc,” he said.
On the other hand, he added, the people living on the Pakistani side of Gilgit-Baltistan are in no-man’s land. “Recently the chief minister of the region, who was chosen not by the people but by Islamabad, requested Pakistan not to close the utility stores in Gilgit-Baltistan. Despite the requests, Pakistan closed these utilities. There is a kind of helplessness in the region.”
Sering said that in recent years a wave of demand for freedom started in Gilgit-Baltistan as for the first time people here got to know that “after the 90s they were not part of Pakistan, but India under law”. The wave gained momentum with China trying to annex the region, he said.
“Even the region has been granted the status of the fifth province of Pakistan as China wants to have peace in Gilgit-Baltistan to continue with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). To have China complete the CPEC, the Pakistani government has set up police chowkis at every 2-3 miles near the CPEC areas. Further, both China and Pakistan listen and record every conversation and movement of the local people of these areas. This has been done to instill fear among them,” he said.
“The local people fear that the Pakistan-China partnership will lead to their exploitation and hence, the issue of their freedom should be taken to international platforms. The people here say that while a Hindu nation is giving Baltistanis on its side so many rights, Pakistan, which claims itself to be an Islamic nation is exploiting them,” he added.
“This awareness has led to the Pakistan Army increasing its number in the region. People who talk of freedom are being charged with sedition, treason and terrorism. They are either put in jail or restricted to their districts. According to the anti-terrorism Act under Schedule 4, you can not move out of your district without police permission. Recently, 13-14 activists have been given life sentences.”
He felt with the strengthening of the voice for freedom, the restrictions on people have increased. “This has resulted in the international community not being able to know the situation in the region,” he added.
He added the Pakistani government is shifting its people to the Gilgit-Baltistan region to force the local citizens out. (ANI)
As the tourism sector opens up in Kerala, the first to catch up to the momentum is the medical tourism industry, with many turning to yoga and Ayurveda as a measure to boost immunity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pradnya Patil, the first woman from India to find a place in the Guinness World Records for doing yoga continuously for 103 hours, is on a two-day visit to the Indimasi Healing Village here as part of her efforts to understand more about curative yoga.
Patil said that in a post-COVID-19 world, Yoga would be significant as an immunity booster.
“I was exposed to Yoga from my childhood but did not practise it regularly. There was a phase in my life when I suffered health issues and during that time I turned to Yoga seriously. It really helped me tide over my physical as well as mental trauma. I did yoga for 103 hours and recorded a Guinness World Records as a way to reach out to the masses. My intention was to make yoga popular,” she said.
Though her record was later broken by another woman from Tamil Nadu, Patil said she was interested in chasing records.
“Now my effort is to make people realise the real benefits of yoga,” she said.
Founder of Indimasi Yoga, Shivan, believes that yoga fine-tunes the body and mind and simple breathing exercises could go a long way in boosting immunity, especially during the pandemic.
“The gurus of yore developed yogic disciplines and Ayurveda as branches of science. It has scientific explanations. Yoga is not mere acrobatics. It has a deeper meaning and a purpose,” Shivan said.
“Scientists worldwide have observed that the COVID-19 is caused by a virus that mutates. But our body equally mutates by nature (that is why it is called “sareera” in Sanskrit which means ‘something that keeps on mutating’). If these two mutations can harmonise, the virus can act as a natural vaccination against other powerful microbes, which can attack us in the future. Yoga can make that happen,” he added.
The yogi also said that post-COVID-19, many people are preferring to do Yoga and were realising its importance.
“Just spending 30 minutes of your time daily doing yogasanas and breathing exercise, along with consuming simple herbal mixtures that remove excess mucous can work wonders for you. All diseases are born from mother nature. She herself will show the remedy too. By doing curative yoga, be it any disease, you can find the remedy from within yourself,” he added. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing stand-off between India and China on the border areas, the demand for Chinese lights during this Diwali has declined as people are instead choosing Indian products.
Shopkeepers in Guwahati are saying that demand for Chinese lights has been hit this year due to the self-reliance of Indian manufacturers.
“There’s been no supply of Chinese lights. Shopkeepers have stocked up Indian-made lights, so prices have gone up,” said a local shopkeeper here in Guwahati.
Not only in Guwahati, people in other big cities like Hyderabad are also preferring India-made decorative items such as lights over Chinese products.
Lakshman Prajapati, an electrical goods shop owner said people are only inclined towards India-made lights and are not going for the Chinese products due to the ongoing issues between the two countries.
“We either have stopped selling lights from China or are bringing them from Delhi, Mumbai and other parts of India,” he said, adding this year, however, they haven’t even got 10 per cent of sales compared to the previous years due to the impact of the coronavirus. (ANI)
After the standoff that lasted more than six months in eastern Ladakh, it seems India and China are close to a breakthrough over disengagement on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The development is in the process after the eight-round of Corps Commander level talks between the two sides held on November 6 in Chushul.
“The two sides are likely to disengage from some of the friction points in next few days and they have been discussing the modalities for doing so in a phased manner,” defence sources told ANI.
“However, the Indian side is moving ahead cautiously on this matter as they want the discussions and agreements to be implemented on the ground,” they continued.
In June also, the two sides were discussing disengagement when the Galwan incident took place in which 20 India soldiers lost lives while a large number of Chinese troops also lost their lives.
As per the sources, the discussions between the two sides include pulling back tanks and armoured vehicles from their present positions, and some development in this regard is likely to take place in the next few days.
After the 8th round of talks, the two sides have to discuss some more issues to finetune the present proposals before acting on them,” they added.
Earlier today, The India and China issued a joint statement on the eighth round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting which was held in Chushul.
“The two sides had a candid, in-depth and constructive exchange of views on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of India-China border areas,” the statement read.
In the talks, both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, ensure their frontline troops to exercise restraint and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation.
They agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, and, taking forward the discussions at this meeting, push for the settlement of other outstanding issues, so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
“They also agreed to have another round of meeting soon,” the statement said.
India and China have been engaged in a military standoff for over six months now with China moving 60,000 troops on Indian border after India also acted swiftly and deployed an almost equal number of troops on its side to prevent any further misadventure by China.
After the Chinese transgressed into multiple locations in India, the Indian side also made its move on August 29-30 to occupy heights in the Northern and Southern Pangong lake area.
The Indian action on the LAC has been led by NSA Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane and Air Force Chief RKS Bhadauria who have been dealing strongly with the situation. (ANI)
Mufti
Mohammad Israfil, 52, says France must learn from India how to peacefully co-exist
in a plural society. The Mufti from Kanpur, UP, also believes that state and
religion must remain separated
What happened in France last month was
abominable, from both sides, though as President, Mr Emmanuel Macron should
have handled the matter with some cool-headedness and grace, as is expected
from top leaders, instead of making this an emotional issue.
I still remember the first time the image
of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was published in the Danish newspaper, Jyllanden
Post in 2005. It was a provocation then, and it was a provocation when Charlie
Hebdo published it. Provocation is neither journalism, nor art. Cartoons are
meant to give food for thought, not hurt a popular sentiment.
We in India, before 2014, knew how to not
cross one another’s boundaries. Different religions have co-existed peacefully
for a long time here. Perhaps the world could learn from the pre-2014 India on
how not to cross the line.
Religion is fluid –or at least its interpretation is fluid, while government is a stable structure in the sense that even a single change needs to pass through multiple bodies. Common people keeps moving between the two in their public and private spheres. Governance and religion must remain separated. I do feel unhappy about the people running Charlie Hebdo or other similar provocative publications; and I feel equally miffed when artists like MF Hussain take the liberty of drawing the objectionable images of Hindu gods and goddesses. It takes so much time to understand your own religion, how can you make fun of another religion that you don’t even understand?
Samuel Paty, the teacher who was killed, needed to understand that it was a contentious topic he was teaching. And as far as I have read, the matter had been stretching on for some time with the school authorities.
The Mufti from Kanpur says none of the party is entirely blameless in France’s case
Strict legal action should be taken against those guilty, but the government also needs to ensure that age-appropriate topics are introduced in the correct manner. Even wise men in government offices have been unable to solve such issue, as was seen in the Denmark case. Therefore with children, we require extra care in dealing cross-cultural issues. I am not justifying what happened, but none of the party is entirely innocent.
Islam was perhaps the first religion to
bring law into social dealings. Many other religions might have had laws but
people were being governed according to the whims and fancies of the kings or
heads of state. Islam tried to give powers to the common man and you could say the
Quran and Hadees are books of law.
The maulana, mufti, qazi interpret law and
serve justice. Islam is never about spreading terror, but about spreading love
for yourself, your neighbours, to the less fortunate. I would say ‘religious
pollution’ has put important social issues on the backburner. If I were to tell
you who is responsible for this atmosphere of ‘dharmik unmad’ (religious hysteria), I would say Israel and the
US.
As the pandemic has shown us, we are all in
this together. We need a world that knows how to come together. In India we
have co-existed peacefully, more or less, despite diverse language, food, and clothing
with every few kilometre. The world needs to see and learn from us that there
is a solution to the situation the world is in today.
Mutual respect is the key in handling
sensitive issues. Prophet Mohammed, Jesus, Moses, Krishna are all revered
figures and Islam says respect (especially for the leaders of others) is the
pillar on which a society stands. I wish there is neither more provocation, nor
more bloodshed as a response to that provocation. Restraint is the currency of
a peaceful society.
Maharashtra government is considering reopening schools and places of worship, which are closed in the state since March, after Diwali, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Sunday.
“We are considering reopening schools after Diwali while taking all precautionary measures. Religious places will also be allowed to open,” Chief Minister said in a video message.
He requested people to celebrate Diwali with ‘simplicity’, by lighting Diyas and staying at home and urged people to not bust crackers.
“Pollution can increase the impact of COVID-19. I appeal to people to not burn firecrackers rather lit earthen lamps. 15 days post-Diwali will be crucial, we should be cautious so that the need for lockdown does not arise again,” he said.
He further urged people to not venture in public places without a mask, as it could increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
“People in the state are moving without masks. This should not happen. A COVID-19 patient moving without a face mask in a crowd can infect about 400 persons and those 400 will further infect even more people,” the Chief Minister said.
Thackeray further informed that the state government is in talks with the Centre about re-starting the local train services for the general public, and a decision will be taken soon on the matter. (ANI)
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) searched the house of film producer Firoz Nadiadwala and arrested his wife Shabana Saeed in connection with a drugs-recovery case on Sunday. The NCB also issued a summon to Nadiadwala.
The NCB said that 10 gram of ganja was seized during the search, which was allegedly procured from another accused named Wahid Abdul Kadir Sheikh.
“A team of NCB officials intercepted one Shabana Saeed, wife of Firoz A Nadiadwala, from her home and searched her house in presence of two independent witnesses. This is a follow-up operation in connection with a case wherein a total of 717.1 gram of ganja, 74.1 gm charas and 95.1 gm MD (commercial quantity) were seized, along with Rs 3,58,610 cash, and four people were arrested,” said an official release issued by the NCB.
Sameer Wankhede, Zonal Director of the NCB, Mumbai, confirmed the arrest of Saeed.
“During the search, 10 gram of ganja, which was procured from accused Wahid Abdul Kadir Sheikh, was recovered. The said Shabana Saeed was issued a notice under Section 67 of the NDPS Act and after recording her statement, she was placed under arrest on November 8,” the release said.
Savouring on a lip-smacking vada pao that she couldn’t resist, actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra treated fans to a short glimpse from her fabulous ‘Sunday Binge.’
The ‘Dhadkan’ star posted a clip on Instagram in which she is seen seated in the car while relishing a lip-smacking vada pao.
In the clip, the ‘Life In A Metro’s star says, “Its Sunday, I can’t resist vada pav, and these crisp spinach pakoras,” as she fills her mouth with the snack.
Along with the video, Shilpa explained that she’s travelling back from Kajrat, and this is her favourite binge food.
She noted, “Chalte Chalte Dekha Vada pao. Mann ne bola Sunday hai.Toh Khao Khao Khao.Banta hai bhau!” “Travelling back from Karjat and this is my favourite Binge food cause its made the best here.. Excuse the food in my mouth..#sundaybinge time.. Crispy Spicy #vadapav ( #onionbhajias #samosas and #palakpakoda #travelfood #sundayfunday #sundayvibes #guiltfree #streetfood #gratitude #happy,” added Shilpa.
The post on the photo-sharing platform garnered more than 1 lakh likes within twenty minutes of being posted. The actor has been updating fans on her activities by frequently posting pictures and videos on social media. Last Sunday, Shilpa Shetty gorged on piping hot jalebis in chilly Manali, and shared a glimpse of her ‘Sunday Binge’ said that she just can’t resist the deliciousness of the sweet. (ANI)
Ahead of the release of their upcoming horror-thriller ‘Laxmii’ actors Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani on Saturday organised a special screening of the film for transgender community in New Delhi.
Film producers Tusshar Kapoor and Shabinaa Khan were also present with the two actors at the event that took place at Delite Cinema at Delhi’s Asaf Ali Road.
Superstar Akshay Kumar will be seen portraying the role of a man who is possessed by the spirit of a transgender woman in the horror-comedy.
A total of 150 people belonging to the community, including renowned transgender rights activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, were present at the special screening of the film.
Tripathi who had earlier hailed the trailer of ‘Laxmii’ and had thanked Kumar for making a film on the sensitive issue of equal rights for the third gender, expressed her excitement over the film screening.
“‘Laxmii’ is a film wherein for the first time a blockbuster hero (Akshay Kumar) is playing the role of a transgender on screen for the first time. I had watched the trailer and I liked it. I did not find anything that was indecent in the film and that is why I decided to come forward and support Akshay for the film,” she said.
Tripathi who is also a known Bharatanatyam dancer went on to heap praises on the superstar for his performance on the latest track ‘BamBholle’ where the 53-year-old actor is seen delivering a high-energy performance with his dance moves in a red coloured saree.
The acclaimed transgender rights activist began by quoting a few lines from the song and explained how she finds the lines meaningful.
“Kaal uska kya bigaade jo bhakt ho mahakal ka (Nobody can harm someone who is a devotee of Lord Shiva). How beautiful are these lines! The song is so beautiful. I absolutely adored the latest BamBholle song. Akshay has performed very well in it,” Tripathi said.
Several communities have been accusing the film of promoting ‘love-jihad,’ and when asked about whether she agrees with the same or not, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi said, “There is nothing like that. I am kinnar (third gender), and I eat from 70 jaatis (castes).”
“Each religion and each caste is similar for me. I seek alms from every religion and caste. There is nothing like that for us transgenders. I do not feel in this way,” she added.
She went on to talk about how India has always been a progressive civilisation for centuries and how the transgender community has been winning battles on the front of gender equality in the country for years.
‘Laxmii’ is the remake of the Tamil film ‘Kanchana,’ and has been directed by Raghava Lawrence. It stars Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani in the central roles.
The horror-comedy with a message for the need for equal rights for the third gender is set to premiere on November 9 on DisneyPlus Hotstar. (ANI)
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