BJP National Meet Discusses Farm Laws, Assembly Polls

Discussions on upcoming state Assembly elections, Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan and farm laws are being held at a meeting of BJP office bearers in the national capital, informed BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh on Sunday.

“After Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed and guided national office bearers, discussions are being held on the upcoming state Assembly elections, Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan and farm laws. State-based group meetings and future events will be discussed and announced later today,” BJP National General Secretary told reporters.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national office bearers at the NDMC convention centre in Delhi on Sunday. The meeting is being chaired by BJP President JP Nadda. The meeting will take place till 5 pm.

The meeting that is underway is the first such meeting, following the coronavirus induced lockdown.

Apart from the national office bearers, state in-charge and co-incharges and state chiefs are taking part in the meeting.

On Saturday, BJP National President held a meeting with the party’s national general secretaries over Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. (ANI)

Abuse & Harassment At The Workplace

‘Had Priya Ramani Spoken Early, It Would’ve Helped Others’

Namita Shetty, 40, a trauma therapist in Mumbai, says if a journalist of Priya Ramani’s stature had spoken up against harassment in time, it would have saved many others from similar suffering

In my honest opinion the hashtag #MeToo doesn’t really help when it comes to abuse and harassment at the workplace. In my work as a psychotherapist, I can say that each case is different, and to push them all under the same umbrella (such as #MeToo) is problematic.

Coming to the Priya Ramani case, I frankly am not very proud of her. I would instead hold the example of an IAS officer like Rupan Deol Bajaj, who took on a man of the stature of KPS Gill, considered by many a super cop, a hero, in good time.

I feel sad that that a journalist of Priya Ramani’s standing needed a #MeToo surge to be able to tell her story of harassment. If a journalist of her experience did not have the courage to speak up for 25 years, how could she have the conviction to report matters of gender injustices such as Nirbhaya, Priyanka Reddy, Hathras, or lately Unnao? Having said that, it is still important that these stories be told, the traumas be shared.

Shetty (left) holds the fight of Rupan Deol Bajaj (right) in high esteem

If you feel you have been abused, you are supposed to speak up, not listen. It is the time to have a voice, not an ear to listen to other weaker, more scared voices and stop. I admire the courage of an unlettered woman like Asha Devi (Nirbhaya’s mother) who had the tenacity and the resilience to fight things through and not be embarrassed by what happened to her daughter. That is how we are supposed to react. By hiding our stories, we become victims over and over again.

I say there is a difference between being a victim and moving around with a sense of victimhood when it comes to harassment and abuse. Especially in the workplace you need to take quicker actions because you need to see the person everyday. Don’t wait for workplaces to strengthen the policies. While that is always welcome, work with the tools you have in hand right now and work towards feeling better.

ALSO READ: ‘Ramani’s Case To Be A Precedent & A Deterrent’

Being a victim of harassment is like registering what is wrong and untoward. But victimhood is not the answer. React; act whatever makes you feel empowered, legally or socially. If you are outraged at what happened to your dignity and modesty then walk with that anger and outrage until you feel better. Don’t wait for a revolution to share your story; be the revolution. Your story is as sacred as anyone else’s.

We need to do away with the ‘bechara’ culture in India. Bechara is the language of victimhood. Be a ‘ME’ and not a ‘ME TOO’. Love yourself enough so that the perpetrator cannot find gaps in your personality or gaslight you, be sure of yourself. Own your sexuality and your orientation. Owning yourself fully is the most powerful things you can do.

And while it is okay for people to come out decades later with their stories, it is preferable to come out sooner. You don’t have to carry the pain for so long. The post-pandemic workplace has changed and most of the work has gone virtual, that doesn’t mean you let go of virtual harassment.

As Told To Yog Maya Singh

Kejriwal Meets Farmers To Discuss Agriculture Laws

The meeting between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Uttar Pradesh farmer leaders is underway on Sunday at the Vidhan Sabha in the national capital to discuss farm laws and other issues.

Delhi Transport and Environment Minister Kailash Gahlot and Minister for Water and Tourism Rajendra Pal Gautam and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh are also present in the meeting.

Farmers have been protesting at the different borders of the national capital since November last year, against the three newly enacted farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The central government has offered to put the farm laws “on hold” for 12-18 months, an offer rejected by the farmers’ unions protesting against the laws. Several rounds of talks have been held with farmers over their demand for the repeal of three new laws against which farmers have been protesting at Delhi borders for nearly three months. (ANI)

John-Starrer ‘Attack’ To Hit Theatres On Aug 13

The makers of John Abraham, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Rakul Preet Singh-starrer action-thriller on Sunday announced the release date of their upcoming film ‘Attack’. The movie will be released in theatres on August 13, 2021.

The ‘Dostana’ star took to Twitter and announced that the film will be released on Independence day weekend.

“‘Attack’ – a taut, action entertainer with a strong storyline…a genre I love! In theatres, this Independence Day..Release Date- 13th August, 2021,” tweeted Abraham.

In May, last year, the ‘Garam Masala’ actor took to tweeted to inform about the acquisition of rights to the Hindi remake of Malayalam action thriller ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum.’

Abraham took to Twitter to share his excitement.

“Ayyappanum Koshiyum, a film that strikes a perfect balance between action, thrill, and a good story. At JA Entertainment we are keen to bring such appealing stories to our audience..we hope to make a truly engaging film with this remake in Hindi. Really Excited !!! ” he tweeted.

The original film featured actors Prithviraj Sukumaran and Biju Menon. (ANI)

Shazia Ilmi Accuses BSP MP ‘Dumpy’ Of Misbehaving With Her

Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice president Shazia Ilmi on Saturday alleged that former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Akbar Ahmad misbehaved with her at a private party on February 5.

Talking to ANI, Ilmi said, “Akbar Ahmad ‘dumpy’ was very much abusive and humiliating towards me at the gathering. He called me a traitor Muslim for joining BJP.”

She stated that while she was talking to the Ambassador of Chile, Ahmed joined the conversation and started abusing the BJP and her. He continued to hurl abuses, despite people asking him to stop, alleged Ilmi.

“I am proud of my choices, no one has the right to question them. You can’t ‘BJP-shame’ me,” Ilmi added.

She confirmed that a complaint was filed by her to the police. (ANI)

Faizabad Last Rites Samaritan

Faizabad’s Last-Rites Angel, Padma Awardee Is In Penury

Octogenarian resident of Khidki Ali Beg of Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, who is known for cremating thousands of unclaimed bodies and was conferred with Padma Shri by the government last year on Republic Day, is bedridden and awaiting treatment.

Speaking to ANI, ill and bed-ridden Mohammed Sharif said: “I heard the news about it on TV but have not received the award so far. I fell ill nearly two months ago.”

The family is going through a financial crisis and they were still hoping for some pension to Sharif against his award so that they could afford his treatment.

His family members say that he had performed the last rites of many unclaimed dead bodies irrespective of their religion for 27 years.

A family member of the Padma Shri awardee said, “He got bed-ridden because of his deteriorating health condition. The financial situation of the family is not good. We have a large family living in a rented house for almost 70 years. He is yet to receive the medallion and citation of the award. He is taken care of by his sons and grandchildren.”

“We are not getting any kind of financial help,” the family said.

Commenting on Sharif’s condition, BJP MP Lallu Singh, who had recommended his name for the award, has assured of all necessary help in the matter.

Last year, Sharif had received an invitation for ‘bhoomi pujan’ of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. However, the 80-year-old did not attend the event due to his poor health. (ANI)

Pakistan’s Foreign Debt, Liabilities Continue To Mount

Pakistan’s foreign debt and liabilities have mounted by USD 3 billion or 2.6 per cent during the six months period ended in December last year, the central bank’s data showed earlier this week.

According to The News, till December, external debt and liabilities of the country totalled USD 115.7 billion compared to USD 112.7 billion till end of June. The total external debt and liabilities were USD 110.7 billion till December 2019, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The external debt and liabilities (EDL) had been increasing sharply even before the start of the coronavirus pandemic due to falling exports, sharp depreciation of exchange rate, tight monetary policy and a decline in non-debt creating inflows, said economist Ashfaque Khan.

“However, COVID-19 has further intensified the country’s debt situation,” said Khan as quoted by The News. “When Pakistan is in the IMF’s [International Monetary Fund] program, the debt accumulates rapidly.”

Khan, the principal and dean at the NUST School of Social Sciences, said external debt and liabilities are expected to reach $120 billion by the end of this fiscal year.

The Pakistani outlet further reported that the State Bank’s data further showed that an expansion in the EDL occurred in public as well as private sectors. A major increase in the foreign debt came from the disbursements from multilateral donors and bilateral creditors.

It was further reported that the public external debt amounted to USD 90.5 billion as of December 31, last year compared with USD 87.8 billion till end-June. This was recorded at USD 87.6 billion till December-end of 2019.

The News reported that the government’s external debt rose to USD 74.8 billion in July-December FY2021 from USD 70.3 billion a year earlier. Long-term foreign debt stood at USD 73.9 billion at December-end, up from USD 68.7 billion till June-end. It amounted to USD 68.1 billion a year earlier.

Pakistan secured a debt relief of USD 1.7 billion from the G-20 countries, together with the Paris Club creditors under the debt service suspension initiative, announced to provide fiscal space to stressed economies hurt by the Covid-19 and lockdown. (ANI)

Five State Witness Surge In Daily New Covid-19 Cases

India’s total active COVID-19 caseload was pegged at 1,43,127 on Saturday as some states — Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh — have seen an upsurge in daily new cases, informed Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in a statement.

Maharashtra has exhibited a spike in the number of daily new cases in past week, accounting for the highest number of daily new cases in the country today. Total 6,112 cases of coronavirus were reported in the last 24 hours in the state.
Kerala continues to report a high number of daily new cases. In the last seven days, Chhattisgarh has also seen a rise in daily active new cases. In the past 24 hours, 259 daily new cases have been reported here.

Like Maharashtra, Punjab has also shown a sudden spike in the number of daily new cases reported in the last seven days with 383 daily new cases in the last 24 hours.

Since, February 13, Madhya Pradesh is also witnessing a rise in the number of daily new cases. In the last 24 hours, 297 daily new cases have been registered in the state.

The importance of adherence to COVID-19 guideline is strongly reiterated for breaking the chain of transmission of the virus and containment of the spread of the disease.

However, with the better healthcare infrastructure facilities and Test-Track-Treat method, more than 21 crore (21,02,61,480) tests have been conducted in the country. The cumulative national positivity rate has seen a consistent decline in last 13 days. It presently stands at 5.22 per cent.

A total of 1,07,15,204 vaccine doses have been administered through 2,22,313 sessions, as per the provisional report till 8 am today. These include 63,28,479 HCWs (1st dose), 8,47,161 HCWs (2nd dose) and 35,39,564 FLWs (1st dose).

The second dose of the virus vaccination started on February 13 for those beneficiaries who have completed 28 days after receipt of the first dose. Vaccination of the FLWs started on February 2. (ANI)

Disha Says No Links With Khalistan; Bail Decision On Feb 23

A Delhi Court on Saturday reserved its order for February 23 on the bail application of Disha Ravi, who was sent on Friday to judicial custody for three days in relation with the ‘toolkit’ case.

Disha Ravi told the court through her advocate Siddhartha Aggarwal that she has no connection with Sikhs For Justice or Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF).

“My history has nothing to do with Khalistan. My connection is not with Sikhs For Justice or Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF), ” she told the court through her lawyer.

Delhi Police told the Patiala House Court during the hearing that Disha Ravi “has a connection with pro-Khalistani outfits” and opposed her bail plea.

Delhi Police counsel said Poetic Justice Foundation “is carrying the agenda of protests globally in a planned manner”. ASG SV Raju appeared for police before the Delhi court.

Disha Ravi was sent to judicial custody for three days yesterday. She was taken into custody on February 13 from Bengaluru in connection with the ‘toolkit’ case as part of the police probe into violence on January 26 in the national capital during the tractor march called by farmers protesting against three new farm laws. (ANI)

Capt To PM: Resolve Farm Unrest To Farmers’ Satisfaction

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure an urgent resolution of the ongoing farm unrest by the Centre “to the satisfaction of the protesting farmers by addressing all their grievances.”

Through his speech submitted for the virtual meeting of the NITI Aayog, the CM called for the fullest respect for the ‘Annadata’ and reiterated his government’s stand that agriculture is a State subject and law-making on it should be left to the States in the true spirit of “cooperative federalism” enshrined in the Constitution, according to a press release.
In this context, he pointed to the state amendments already passed to the central legislations by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in October 2020, it said.

“Captain Amarinder could not attend the NITI Aayog meeting as he was indisposed,” the release added.

The CM asserted that any reform that is sought to be introduced in a sector subsuming almost 60 per cent of the country’s workforce must be done only through a process of extensive consultation with all the stakeholders, of which Punjab is a key stakeholder, being at the forefront of ensuring food security for the country.

Citing strong apprehension among farmers of Punjab that the Minimum Support Price (MSP)-based procurement regime through Food Corporation of India (or agencies on its behalf), introduced as part of food security measures in the 1960s, maybe discontinued in view of the Shanta Kumar Committee Report of 2015, Captain Amarinder also stressed the need for the Indian government to decisively dispel any such impression “to instill proper confidence in the farmers of the State,” the release mentioned.

The CM also used the forum to once again reiterated the state government’s demand for a bonus of Rs 100 per quintal of paddy procured as “Paddy Straw Management Compensation”, which can be used for purchase or rental of new equipment, attaining the skills for efficient use, and to reduce the cost of operation and maintenance.

He also requested the Central to provide Rs 5 crore per MW (Megawatt) financial support for Biomass Power Projects and Rs 3.5 crore per MW for Biomass Solar Hybrid Projects to the state as Viability Gap Fund (VGF) to help alleviate the effects of paddy straw burning through ex-situ utilization of available paddy straw with good returns to the farmers, according to the release.

It mentioned that underlining the importance of aligning the cropping system to agro-climatic conditions at the district level for optimum use of resources, Captain Amarinder called upon the Central government to designate agencies to procure and provide MSP matching the returns of wheat and paddy in order to incentivise the farmers to take up cultivation of alternate crops and thereby achieve diversification and save precious water.

He also sought Central’s support and liberal financial assistance to facilitate the state’s programmes and schemes for diversification towards Nutri-cereals, pulses, horticulture, fisheries and animal husbandry.

The importance of water conservation was also highlighted by the CM.

He has also requested the Centre government to consider Punjab’s pilot project – ‘Pani Bachao Paisa Kamao (PBPK)’ – as a national project, for which a feasibility report amounting to Rs 433.00 crore has already been submitted by the state to the Central Water Commission.

The Punjab CM further sought a Deficiency Price Support for alternative crops like maize, in order to encourage farmers to diversify out of the water-intensive paddy crop.

The release further said that Captain Amarinder also urged the central government to devise a cluster development scheme, on the lines of the MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) sector, for the Food Processing Sector for creating ‘Common Facilities’ in every Agri Cluster which will supplement the three Mega Food Parks established in the state. (ANI)