Month: January 2022

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday slammed the Samajwadi Party for not announcing its candidate list publicly and alleged that the party is “taking money under the table” for giving tickets for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.

Speaking with the media here, Yogi Adityanath said, “The habit does not improve very quickly and that’s why in a hurry to hide faces, SP has avoided making the list of candidates public and is silently alloting the party symbol under the table and is taking money for it.”
Further, the Chief Minister alleged that Samajwadi Party “has once again revealed its true character by giving election tickets to criminals.”

“When BJP comes to power again, we will bring all these criminals to justice,” said Adityanath.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had arrived at Ghaziabad to review the COVID-19 facilities here.

He criticize the Opposition parties, especially the Samajwadi Party, and said that in the last five years, criminals and history sheeters have lived in fear.

Lashing out at the Samajwadi Party for its candidates from Kairana, Bulandshahar, and Loni, Adityanath said, “By announcing the criminals responsible for the exodus of the traders from Kairana, the criminals of the Muzaffarnagar riots and professional history-sheeters as its candidates, the Samajwadi Party has once again shown its true character.”

He then claimed that on March 10, the BJP will again get an absolute majority and will form its government in the state.

“I assure the people of Uttar Pradesh, with the blessings of the common people,

the BJP will form the government with a thumping majority on March 10 and it will crack down on professional hooligans and criminals in the same way as it was done in past,” the CM said.

To make Uttar Pradesh self-reliant in oxygen-production, Adityanath said that the government has established 551 oxygen plants in the state.

“Each district in the state has a dedicated Integrated Covid Control Centre,” he said. (ANI)

After allotting 40 per cent tickets to women candidates for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the Congress party will now pay special attention to campaigning for them.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday released the party’s first list of 125 candidates for Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls that will begin from February 10.
“The Congress party has released a list of 125 candidates who will be contesting for the upcoming Assembly election. Of these, 50 are women. We have tried to include those who fight for the rights of the common man and with this historic initiative, we hope to bring in a new kind of politics in the country,” the Congress leader said.

Announcing the list of candidates, she stated that 50 candidates are women including Asha Singh, mother of the Unnao rape victim. From Shahjahanpur, we have fielded Asha worker, Poonam Pandey who led agitation for an increase in honorarium.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in charge of Uttar Pradesh Congress, decided to contest UP polls using the slogan “Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon” and gave women a staggering 40 per cent participation.

Sources also said that Priyanka wanted to give 50 per cent tickets to women candidates, but many senior party leaders told her to give only 33 per cent tickets.

Finally, she chose a middle path and announced to give 40 per cent tickets to women this time, sources added.

Speaking to some women candidates including Sadqf Jafar, Shamina Shafiq, Pankhuri Pathak and many more, they informed that Priyanka Gandhi has personally decided to make efforts for the victory of more and more women candidates in the polls.

“In the last one year, the Congress party also conducted several rounds of surveys in Uttar Pradesh. A more aggressive election campaign will be conducted through social platforms and digital platforms for women candidates,” the women candidates said.

They also informed that a separate election content will be created for women candidates to campaign using social platforms.

Most of the women candidates are either contesting for the first time or are financially weak, so, the party will also give more financial help to these women candidates to contest the elections.

Uttar Pradesh Mahila Congress has also been advised to work harder to ensure the victory of women candidates.

The prominent women candidates who have been given tickets are the mother of Unnao victim, Poonam Pandey, Alpana Nishad, Ritu Singh, Sadaf Zafar, Pankhuri Pathak, Shamina Shafiq among others.

Another women candidate Pankhuri Pathak is also contesting from the Noida seat, who is fielded against Pankaj Singh, the sitting MLA and son of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Sadaf Jafar is contesting from Lucknow Central seat against sitting BJP MLA and Law Minister of UP government Brijesh Pathak.

Notably, Congress has not come to power in Uttar Pradesh for more than 30 years as the last Chief Minister of the party was Narayan Dutt Tiwari. During these years, Congress fought elections in an electoral alliance with both the BSP and the SP, however, the party did not get any major success.

A senior Congress leader informed that the party tried hard to contest upcoming polls in an alliance with Samajwadi Party, but it did not get even 40 seats, out of 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.

Elections for the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10, the Election Commission said. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

Two Indian nationals were among the three people killed in a fuel petrol tank explosion near a major oil storage facility in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi, local media reported on Monday.

Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the attack that was suspected to have been carried out by drones, reported WAM, state news agency today.
Two Indians and one Pakistani were killed and six injured in a fuel tanker explosion in Abu Dhabi, WAM said.

Police earlier today said that an explosion involving three oil tankers in Abu Dhabi and a fire in the construction site of the emirate’s new airport extension were potentially caused by drones the news agency said.

“The fire provoked an explosion in three tanks for transporting fuel in the Misfah area near the fuel depots of the Emirati state-owned company ADNOC,” the police said in a tweet earlier, according to Sputnik.

“Also, a small fire broke out in the construction area of the new airport of the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. According to the preliminary version, this happened as a result of a drone hit,” the police added,

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, at the same time of the explosion, told the Almasirah broadcaster that the Yemeni rebel group will soon reveal details about the military operation in the UAE territory.

The UAE intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 as part of the Arab Coalition but it scaled down its operations in 2019, according to WAM. (ANI)

Delhi Customs have arrested a passenger carrying a high volume of foreign currency worth approximately Rs 51 lakh at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here.

Shaukat Ali Nurvi, additional commissioner of Customs (IGI Airport) informed on Monday that on January 15, an Indian national, native of Punjab, intended to depart to Sharjah by a flight from Terminal 3 of Delhi airport when he was intercepted by the Customs Officers.
“The Customs officers recovered foreign currency (USD 69,200) equivalent To INR 50,96,580 from the handbag of the passenger,” he said.

He added that the recovered foreign currency was seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act.

The passenger has been arrested, and further investigation in the case is in progress. (ANI)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to postpone the voting dates for the Punjab Assembly election to February 20. Earlier, the State was scheduled to go for polls on February 14.

This comes after several political parties, including Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s party Punjab Lok Congress, requested the Commission to postpone the elections.
Sources said that the request was made as many people from the Scheduled Caste community from State are likely to visit Varanasi, in view of Guru Ravidas birth anniversary on February 16.

According to the statement issued by the ECI, the last date for filing the nomination for the candidates is on February 1, while the candidates can withdraw their nominations till February 2.

The results will be announced on March 10. (ANI)

AAP’s Punjab Chief Ministerial candidate’s name will be announced on Tuesday at noon, party’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday.

“AAP’s Punjab CM face will be announced tomorrow at noon,” Kejriwal said to reporters.
This announcement holds importance ahead of Punjab Assembly Elections.

Punjab will go to the polls in a single phase on February 14 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.

In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, Congress won an absolute majority in the state by winning 77 seats and ousted the SAD-BJP government after 10 years. Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the second-largest party winning 20 seats in 117-member Punjab Legislative Assembly. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) could only manage to win 15 seats while the BJP secured 3 seats. (ANI)

A word of words broke out between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij after the latter blamed the high COVID-19 infection rate in three districts of the State adjoining Delhi on the “uncontrolled” rise in cases in the national capital.

Replying to his claims, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain termed it as “political talk” and said “over 1,000 COVID-19 cases are being reported from outside Delhi every day.”
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal told media persons, “Blaming won’t end the virus. I will not step into this garbage.”

Vij said Haryana was “adversely affected” due to its vicinity to Delhi, and claimed that “more than half” of the around 9,000 new COVID-19 cases in Haryana were from Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonipat districts put together.

“Haryana reports around 9,000 COVID-19 cases every day, of which over 50 per cent cases are from Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonipat. Delhi’s infection rate is having an impact in the state. However, as per requirements, we are tackling the situation by making all necessary arrangements of healthcare services in the state,” he said on Sunday.

Vij also said that whether patients come from Delhi or anywhere else, they will be given complete treatment in the state. (ANI)

Ahead of assembly elections, expelled Bharatiya Janata Party Minister Harak Singh Rawat said that Congress Party will form government in Uttarakhand.

Speaking to ANI today, HS Rawat said, “Congress Party will form government in Uttarakhand. I will work for the Congress party.”
“BJP will never understand the problems of the common man. I know that party very well. I understand their approach. I will continue to work for the welfare of people,” he said.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had dismissed State Minister Harak Singh Rawat from the Cabinet on Sunday.

The decision to dismiss Rawat from the Cabinet was taken during the BJP’s Uttarakhand core group meeting held at the party’s headquarters in Delhi on Sunday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami were present in the meeting along with the party’s National President Jagat Prakash Nadda, State president Madan Kaushik, state election in-charge Pralhad Joshi, election co-in charge RP Singh and others.

Harak Singh Rawat, who was invited for the meet, did not even attend the BJP core group meeting. Rawat was angry with the party since he had been demanding tickets for himself and for his daughter-in-law Anukruti Gusai, for which BJP was not ready.

According to sources, Harak Singh was constantly pressurizing BJP to give three tickets including himself, his daughter-in-law and one of his supporters.

Earlier too, he had been pressurizing the party for getting his demands fulfilled. But this time the party did not entertain his demands and showed him the way out by expelling him from the party.

Earlier in December, Harak Singh Rawat had quit the cabinet and threatened to resign from the party following which BJP leaders had asked him to remain in the party to which he had agreed.

Harak Singh Rawat came to BJP five years ago after rebelling from Congress. Although, speculations are rife about Rawat returning to Congress again. He has a long history of changing political parties.

In the last Assembly election, BJP secured the win on 57 seats out of 70 Assembly constituencies in Uttarakhand.

Polls to elect the 70-member State Legislative Assembly are scheduled to be held on February 14. The counting will take place on March 10. (ANI)

India reported 2,58,089 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Monday.

With this, the total number of COVID-19 infections in the country moved up to 3,73,80,253 including 16,56,341 active cases. Active cases account for 4.43 per cent of the total infections.
Of the total cases, 8,209 total Omicron cases have been detected so far which is an increase of 6.02 per cent since yesterday. The daily positivity rate is 19.65 per cent.

Notably, on Sunday, with a positivity rate of 16.28 per cent, India had recorded 2,71,202 fresh COVID-19 cases.

As many as 1,51,740 recoveries were added in the last 24 hours thereby increasing the total recoveries to 3,52,37,461. With this, the recovery rate currently stands at 94.27 per cent.

Single-day case fatality rose to 385 in the country thereby pushing the total death toll to 4,86,451, the health ministry said.

The health ministry informed today that 70.37 crore total tests have been conducted so far to detect the presence of the virus in individuals out of which 13,13,444 tests have been conducted in the last 24 hours.

As far as the COVID-19 vaccination is concerned, 157.20 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive which completed one year on Sunday. (ANI)

People from different walks of life are paying heartfelt tributes to Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj. Political fraternity, too, expressed grief after learning about the demise of Birju Maharaj.

“The demise of legendary Pandit Birju Maharaj marks the end of an era. It leaves a deep void in the Indian music and cultural space. He became an icon, making unparalleled contribution to popularise Kathak globally. Condolences to his family and admirers,” President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted.

Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu, described Pandit Birju Maharaj as “an institution and inspiration.”

“Deeply saddened by the passing away of the legendary Kathak dancer, Pandit Birju Maharaj. The world renowned Kathak exponent with his unique style was an institution and an inspiration across the globe. His death is a huge loss to the world of performing arts,” he wrote on Twitter.

The 83-year-old, who was the torchbearer of the Kalka-Bindadin gharana of the Lucknow style of Kathak, breathed his last on Monday. Reportedly, he suffered a heart attack.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted that Pandit Birju Maharaj and Kathak were complementary and synonymous to each other.

Paying her heartfelt condolences, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, tweeted, “India loses a legend of performing arts. Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj is no more. Born into a family of Kathak masters, belonging to the Lucknow gharana, Pandit Birju Maharaj took kathak to wider audience. Took forward the traditions,held through generations,with great elan.”

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, too, mourned the demise of Birju Maharaj.

“Received the sad news of the demise of Kathak maestro Shri Birju Maharaj.My condolences to his family, friends and fans. His contribution to the field of Indian classical dance is unparalleled and he will be remembered for it,” he wrote.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also condoled the Kathak maestro’s demise.

He tweeted, “The demise of Kathak Emperor, Padma Vibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj ji is extremely sad. His passing is an irreparable loss to the art world. Praying to Lord Ram to grant the departed soul a place at his feet and strength to the bereaved family members to bear this loss.”

The Kathak legend was a recipient of the country’s second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan. He was fondly called Pandit-ji or Maharaj-ji by his fans and followers. (ANI)