Pak Army Was Involved In Pulwama Attack: Lt Gen Dhillon

Pakistan Army was involved directly in the 2019 Pulwama attack which was carried out by a suicide bomber resulting in the death of 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, said Lt Gen KJS Dhillon (Retd) on Monday who commanded 15 Corps in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, when the terror attack took place.

He said that the evidence, documents, and weapons recovered by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir police, and intelligence agencies during the investigation prove that the Pakistan army was involved in this terror attack.

Speaking to ANI, Dhillon said, “The evidence, including weapons, and documents recovered by us during the investigation of the attack, is there. Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) is being run, funded, and equipped from Pakistan. Those terrorists came to the Kashmir valley and attacked the CRPF personnel and disturbed the peace in the union territory.”

He stated that the security forces eliminated the module behind the Pulwama attack led by a Pakistani national Kamran within 100 hours of the attack. “After security forces’ operations against JeM, their terrorists were so scared of dying that nobody wanted to take the leadership role,” Dhillon added.

Dhillon also said the intercepts of the calls from Pakistan revealed that the terrorists were asked to take a leadership role but they all would refuse.

He also asserted that Pakistan Army, ISI, and terrorist organizations work in unison, so one can cross LoC without the active participation and guidance of the Pakistan Army.

“Pakistan Army, ISI, and terrorist organizations work in unison. No one can cross LoC without active participation and guidance from the Pak Army. We apprehended Pak nationals on LoC in Gulmarg sector who were brought there by the Pakistani post opposite to ours,” he added.

On February 14, 2019, a terror attack was carried out in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir by a suicide bomber resulting in the death of 40 CRPF personnel. The suicide bomber, identified as JeM’s Adil Ahmed Dar, rammed his vehicle into a bus with the CRPF convoy. (ANI)

Former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar Quits Congress

Former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar on Tuesday resigned from Congress after a long association of 46 years with the party.

In a letter to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, Kumar said, “Having given my thoughtful consideration to the matter, I have concluded that in the present circumstances and consistent with my dignity, I can best subserve larger national causes outside the party-fold.”

He further said that he hopes to proactively pursue public causes inspired by the idea of transformative leadership, based on the promise of a liberal democracy envisioned by our freedom fighters.

“I am accordingly quitting the party after a long association of 46 years and hope to proactively pursue public causes inspired by the idea of transformative leadership, based on the promise of a liberal democracy envisioned by our freedom fighters,” he said.

“While paying my respectful regards, I thank you for the consideration extended to me in the past and wish you good health in the years ahead,” he added. (ANI)

I Am Chief Minister Not A Terrorist, Says Channi

Alleging that his chopper was not allowed to fly to Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar as it was declared a no-fly zone because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Jalandhar, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said that he is not a terrorist and Punjab is safe in our hands, adding that using investigative agencies for the Opposition will not work.

Consequently, he was unable to attend Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s election rally in Hoshiarpur.

Speaking to media persons, the Chief Minister said, “I was in Una at 11 am but suddenly permission to fly (to Hoshiarpur) was denied due to PM Modi’s movement, it was declared a no-fly zone. I was not able to attend Rahul Gandhi’s rally in Hoshiarpur. I had permission to land,” said Channi.

“This is our Punjab and this is safe in our hands. Charanjit Channi is a Chief Minister, he’s not a terrorist that you are stopping him from flying to Hoshiarpur. This is not the way,” he added.

“The elections should be conducted free and fair and using agencies (ED, CBI) against opposition will not work,” he said.

Earlier on Monday, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Sunil Kumar Jakhar had alleged that Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s scheduled visit to Hoshiarpur was cancelled by the Centre.

Addressing a public gathering in Hoshiarpur, Jakhar said, “Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was scheduled to come to Hoshiarpur but it’s shameful that the Central Government cancelled permission for him to come here.”

“If the Election Commission of India does not take cognisance of this, I will understand that these polls are a farce, sham,” Jakhar said.

The Congress leader said the Centre should shed some light on the incident.

“A few days back, the Prime Minister said that when he came to Punjab, he wasn’t allowed to visit Ferozepur and there was a threat to his life. Today, when Charanjit Singh Channi is being stopped from coming to Hoshiarpur, I request PM Modi Sahab to shed some light on it,” he said.

Prime Minister’s Ferozepur rally earlier had to be cancelled after a major security breach with his convoy stuck on a flyover after the agitating farmers had blocked the road. The BJP is raising the issue of the security breach of the Prime Minister in the ongoing electioneering in the state.

On January 5, Prime Minister’s convoy was stuck on a flyover for 15-20 minutes.

Assembly polls for electing 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 20. The results will be declared on March 10. (ANI)

Four Killed In Mumbai-Pune Expressway Road Accident

At least four people were killed after a speeding truck lost control and collided with several vehicles stuck in slow traffic along the Mumbai Pune Expressway in Khopoli, Raigad on Tuesday morning.

A total of seven people have been injured in the accident out of which four people have been severely injured and three have suffered minor injuries.

“Four people killed after a speeding truck lost control and collided with several vehicles stuck in slow traffic along the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in Khopoli, Raigad, at 6:30 am today. 7 people were injured, of which 4 people were shifted to a hospital,” Expressway Police said. (ANI)

Lalu Yadav Convicted In 5th Fodder Scam Case

Former Bihar chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted of fraudulent withdrawal from Doranda treasury by a CBI Special Court in Ranchi on Tuesday.

The CBI court, while pronouncing its verdict in the fodder scam case, found the RJD leader guilty.

Earlier in April last year, the Jharkhand High Court granted bail to the RJD Supremo in the case of fraudulent withdrawal from Dumka Treasury, one of the cases related to the fodder scam for which he was convicted.

He had already been granted bail in the Chaibasa Treasury Scam case in October 2020, and in the Deoghar Treasury Scam case in February 2020.

The case pertains to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.5 crore from the Dumka treasury by Animal Husbandry Department officials between 1991 and 1996 when Lalu Prasad Yadav served as the State’s Chief Minister. (ANI)

Assembly Polls: Voter Turnout In Goa 79%, U’khand 61%, UP Phase-II 63%

The single-phase Assembly elections in Uttarakhand, Goa and phase two of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls concluded on Monday.

The Election Commission of India expressed gratitude to all stakeholders especially to the voters for their enthusiastic and fearless participation in the election process today. The Commission particularly thanks PwD electors, senior

citizens, and service voters for taking part in elections honouring COVID protocol norms.
As per the Election Commission, while Uttarakhand recorded 61.58 per cent voters’ turnout in the Assembly elections, Goa achieved 78.94 per cent voters’ turnout while Uttar Pradesh recorded 62.99 per cent voters’ turnout.

Polling was conducted peacefully in 36,823 polling Stations spread across 165 Assembly Constituencies today, in the states of Uttarakhand, Goa and for the second phase of Uttar Pradesh. The elections were conducted for single phase election in 40 ACs in Goa, 70 ACs in Uttarakhand and for 55 ACs in Uttar Pradesh’s second phase of their Assembly Elections.

The Commission has laid great emphasis on ensuring proper arrangements at the polling stations. Voters set an example of COVID appropriate behaviour following due protocols of sanitization and social distancing.

Nearly 2.95 crore General Electors including over 5 lakh first-time electors, spread across 36,823 Polling Stations were registered to exercise their franchise across 165 ACs in the three states. The number of Polling Stations has increased in view of the fact that the number of voters per polling station has been reduced from 1500 to 1250 keeping in view of the social distancing norms.

As part of the Commission’s initiative to provide a comfortable experience to women voters, 334 All Women-Managed polling stations were set up across the 165 ACs.

As a major push in conducting free and fair elections, live monitoring and webcasting mechanism for more than 50 per cent of polling stations including critical and vulnerable polling booths was put in place to ensure a safe and secure atmosphere in polling areas. Commission, CEOs, DEOs, Observers could watch live streaming and keep a close watch on these polling booths. Webcasting arrangements were put in place for all 1722 polling stations in Goa, 5828 Polling Stations in Uttarakhand and 11,448 polling stations for the second phase in Uttar Pradesh.

There were a total of 1,519 candidates contesting in this phase across Goa, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh which included 158 women candidates. In this phase, over 2.19 lakh PwD electors and 4.67 lakh 80+ electors were registered to vote across 165 ACs. As an initiative towards inclusive and accessible elections, the option of postal ballot facility has been extended to PwDs, Senior Citizens above the age of 80 years, COVID-19 suspect or affected persons and persons employed in notified essential services. The Observers were specifically asked to oversee arrangements for facilitation of these voters.

All the Polling Stations were directed to follow COVID-19 safety protocols. Accordingly, it was ensured that the Polling Stations were sanitised one day prior to poll, and the facility of thermal scanning, hand sanitisers, face masks were also made available at the Polling Stations. Proper arrangements for social distancing were put in place. Nodal Health Officers have been designated for State, District and Assembly Constituencies to oversee COVID-19 related arrangements and preventive measures during the entire electoral process. The last hour of the polling was reserved for the COVID affected or suspects voters and voting was ensured with all covid appropriate protocols at the polling stations.

All Polling stations have been equipped with Assured Minimum Facilities (AMF) of drinking water, waiting shed, toilet with water facility, adequate arrangements for lighting, ramp of appropriate gradient for wheelchair for PwD electors and a standard voting compartment etc were made available at all the Polling Stations. All arrangements like transport facility, volunteers assisting Persons with Disability and senior citizens have also been put in place. As part of ECIs commitment for accessible elections, Volunteers with Divyang Dolis, NCC Cadets were deputed in Uttarakhand for assisting movement of PwDs and senior citizens to the polling stations.

In Goa, certain polling booths were set up in an eco-friendly manner giving the message of clean and green India.

During this phase, EVMs and VVPATs were used successfully in all 36,823 polling stations. As per standard procedure all these EVMs and VVPATs had already undergone First Level Checking, Randomisation, Commissioning and undergone mock polls during FLC and commissioning in the presence of Political Parties/Candidates agents.

Today before the start of the poll, each of the EVMs and VVPATs again underwent a mock poll in every polling station in the presence of polling agents of the candidates with minimum 50 votes and the results of EVM were matched with the result of VVPAT slips and shown to the polling agents. As part of innovative measures, polling parties in Uttarakhand were equipped with special backpack bags to keep them handsfree and help them trek on treacherous routes in districts like Chamoli.

Since the date of notification of Election till Poll day of second phase, record seizure of Rs. 224.71 crore has already been achieved in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa. The seizure figure, which includes seizure of cash, liquor, narcotics, freebies etc upto the poll day is more than the total combined seizure of Rs 203.78 Crore in the entire General Election to Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa LA 2017 including all phases. 2400 Flying Squads (FS) and 2654 Static Surveillance Teams (SST) were operationalised to check movement of cash, liquor, drugs and freebies in the three states. (ANI)

Weekly Update: Gasbag Gunboat Diplomacy, Hijab Row & Yogi’s Maya

With pop guns blazing from her mouth and a dance of eyebrows that mimicked Clint Eastwood in A Few Dollars More, Liz Truss, Britain’s Foreign Secretary (Foreign Minister), went to meet the savvy, experienced Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergei Lavrov to tell him ‘Clear out or….’

The amused Lavrov waited for the ‘or…’. It turned out the gunboat waiting outside Kremlin was threat of economic sanctions and the prophecy of a dangerous war that Britain won’t get involved in but will sell weapons in.

One of the most experienced diplomats in the world, Lavrov made comic of Britain’s diplomatic initiative and said it was like a mute talking to the deaf and called her style, ‘shouting slogans from the tribunes’. The British Foreign Minister thought he was calling her ‘mute’ and immediately retorted that she was certainly not mute in the talks making herself look even more silly.

But that was not the only banana slip. During the talks Lavrov asked her a ‘trick question’ whether she recognised Russia’s sovereignty over regions of Voronehz and Rostov. ‘Never’ said Clint Liz Truss Eastwood making lip contortions as if spitting tobacco on the floor just as Clint does on screen. Liz, who had done as much homework as her Boss, Boris of Global Britain does before a meeting, thought Voronehz was Donbass. She probably didn’t know where Donbass was either.

By this time Lavrov probably felt like a University professor asked to do an oral viva of a student who had less knowledge than a nursery child but attempting a degree exam. It was the British Ambassador who quietly reminded Liz Truss that Voronehz and Rostov were Russian regions just as Midlands and Hertfordshire are in Britain.

During colonialism, the British had perfected a unique form of diplomacy called gunboat diplomacy. There would be a few ships with cannons loaded and pointing towards the Chief’s house while the British representative would engage in ‘diplomatic negotiations’. It went like this:

Brit Diplomat: ‘Chief, we want your land to dig gold and we will give you these shiny plastic beads in return.’

Chief: ‘Not acceptable.’

British Diplomat: ‘Ok that boat there will make our opening diplomatic statement.’

The cannons fired killing half the village and the Chief.

This particular type of British diplomacy worked well during colonialism. Now everyone has big cannons and the Russians some hundred times more than British Army. But habits die hard. The British Foreign Office still sticks to the old and tried methods. So its minister went to the Bear’s den to tell Lavrov, ‘Clear off or….’

Imagine Lavrov’s disbelief! In a war between Britain and Russia, the British Island will be frazzled within 15 minutes out of sight, making the channel crossing a long journey between France and America without any recognisable land mass in between.

The British Foreign Minister, Liz Truss, hoping to oust Boris the Boss, came back to Britain thinking she had put Lavrov in his place with her gunboat diplomacy and looking tough and determined. To the many old Brits, this playacting reminds of old days and they love it, even if it is only drama now. She will get their votes.

As for the sanctions, the Russians know that the threat of freezing their ‘slush money’ is non-starter. Britain owns 90% of ex pirate Islands now used for ‘keeping safe illicit money or money away from the taxman.’ The arrangement works in secrecy. If the Government freezes funds of one person, the whole edifice will start to come apart exposing British Oligarchs as well. Not a chance that British impose real sanctions.

Karnataka Going French

It was just the French who were afraid of women’s clothing and brought in the full force of the law against little girls wearing hijab. Now it is the brave men of Karnataka, the Hindu Rashtra soldiers, who feel their identity, masculinity and Trishul power draining existentially when they see an 8 year old girl with a Hijab over her head.

It seems romantic revivalism of the Kshatriya soldier has had the same effect on the men of Karnataka as the French revolution did on the French.

Both have huddled in numbers and passed laws banning the threatening and dangerous piece of cotton or polyester clothing over the head of young women. Imagine little girls saying, ‘Mummy, why is that man going pale and trembling when he looks at my hijab?’

The police, the Government officers and the teachers have forced little girls to ‘TAKE OFF THAT HEAD SCARF’, called hijab. The men can feel safe in Karnataka. Onward march the soldiers of Krishna, now that they have removed the most powerful defence equipment that was hampering their progress in what ever they think they are progressing to.

Only problem, when is a hijab not a form of chunni. dupatta or vice versa. Women have been covering their heads in South Asia since time immemorial. Even Sita covered her head. Will all young girls in Karnataka be subjected to naked heads! No more chunni! That is what the French did.

It is quite a sight to see a French Foreign Legion trained soldier reduced to a weeping, melting body of tissue when he sees a schoolgirl with a hijab. So it was understandable the French had to ban head covering. It is a quirk of French cultural genes as no one else in the world was inflicted with this fear psychosis of the hijab. Now it seems the genetic mutation has reached Karnataka. It would have been better to ban Air France.

Can ‘flyover superman’ Modi ji come to the rescue?

Moksha Elections Continue

It was a belief held in ancient times that this world is ‘maya’, an illusion. Moksha is when the soul leaves the body and joins the great ‘Brahma’. That belief sustained Hindus for thousands of years. Hindus survived alien occupations, wars, and oppressive regimes knowing that all that takes ‘form as matter’ is ‘maya’. Yoga and meditation were geared towards that.

Now Yogi Adityanath, perhaps having done enough yoga and not seeing any Mokshastan in sight has decided that it will be Hindustan that will be made into Moksha basti. The concept of Maya itself has become illusion and reality is to make first UP, then Hindustan, free of Muslims. So his tirades against Indian Muslims continue and an underlying theme of elections in UP.

One will no longer have to persevere through Yoga, Simran, Samadhi, Dhyan. People can just go to the voting booth, put Yogi ji in power again and Moksha will be in sight. And its all thanks to the genius of the British.

The power of British invention of democracy is extraordinary. Seems Westminster style democracy panth beats all other Indian panths and can achieve moksha in mayaland too.

87-Yr-Old, Bedridden Woman Raped In Delhi; SIT Formed

An 87-year-old woman was allegedly raped by an unknown man who broke inside her home in the national capital’s Tilak Nagar on Sunday afternoon. Police have registered a case and has begun an investigation.

Prashant Gautam, Additional. DCP West Delhi said, “Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed in the case. Section 376 and 323 of IPC have been added in the case.”

The woman who lives with her 65-year-old daughter and has been bedridden for the last seven months.

The family members alleged that an unknown person entered the house on Sunday afternoon when the daughter had gone for a walk at around 12.15 pm after lunch. Upon her return at about 2 pm, finding her mother bleeding from her nose, she immediately called up people and informed her relatives about the incident.

According to the Delhi Police, the victim’s daughter had initially filed a complaint about the theft of a mobile phone, following which a case of theft had been registered.

“The daughter said a person entered her house on the pretext of fixing gas and took a mobile phone with him. The police registered a theft FIR following that”, said Delhi Police.

Additional DCP Prashant Gautam said, “We had received a call, our team reached the spot immediately. The initial complaint was that a boy had entered the house on the pretext of getting the gas fixed, the victim’s mobile has been stolen.”

“But some people tweeted saying that an 87-year-old woman has been raped, after which another complaint was registered with Delhi Police,” he said.

Additional DCP added, “Fresh allegation has come this morning in the case. We have registered a new FIR as per the relevant section. The investigation is on and the accused will be arrested soon.”

According to the acquaintances and relatives of the victim, the elderly woman and her daughter were initially nervous, so a case of mobile theft was registered. However, even after more than 24 hours of the crime, medical tests could not be done. The family wanted the medical team to do the test from her house as the victim was bedridden. Later, a team came to her house for the medical tests but according to family members the team returned as they didn’t have enough equipment for the medical.

Delhi Police said it has got some leads in the alleged crime. The Police have got hold of CCTV footage and on Monday said they are waiting for the medical reports to help them in the investigation. (ANI)

Gauhati High Court WFI

NCDRC Orders Supertech To Refund Money Of Home Buyers With Interest

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has directed real estate firm Supertech to refund the paid-up amount with interest to the home buyers. NCDRC passed the order on a petition moved by a home buyer couple. They had booked a flat in Hilltown Project of the company at Sohana, Haryana.

The bench headed by Dr. SM Kantikar directed the Supertech to refund the entire paid-up amount along with interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum within six weeks after which it will attract interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum.
The buyers had approached NCDRC through Advocate and consumer activist Monica Anand Kumar seeking a refund of Rs 88,82,001. This amount was paid by complainants against the total consideration of the flat booked along with interest.

Counsel for complainants submitted that the buyers Nilanjan Lahiri and his wife Shilpi Lahiri applied for a flat in the Supertech Hilltown project in 2014 under a subvention scheme. However, the builder not only failed to deliver the possession of the flat even after 8 years but also stopped paying pre-EMIs in early 2018 as per the subvention scheme. They were to get the possession by December 2019.

Counsel for the petitioners apprised the Apex Consumer Commission that an FIR has also been registered against Supertech by EOW, Mandir Marg, New Delhi in respect of the same project under section 406, 420, 120B IPC.

The complainants booked the flat for a total sale price of Rs 90,71,375. On 17 December 2017, they were asked to submit the booking amount. They paid Rs 5,00,000 as booking amount through cheque to the company. They stated that, in compliance with the terms of the payment schedule, the total payment made by them to the company till 1 April 2019 was Rs 84,82,001 and the company had issued a receipt for it.

In a rejoinder filed by the complainants, it was stated that on the date of filing the present complaint a paid-up amount of Rs 88,82,001 and including delayed interest if becomes above rupees one crore.

On the other hand, the objection of the company was that the term and conditions of the agreement are binding in nature is devoid of merit. They submitted judgments in support of their objection.

The company also submitted that the complainants are not a consumer under section 2(1)(d) of the Act. They also raised the issue of territorial jurisdiction including pecuniary jurisdiction. (ANI)

BJP Raising Hijab Issue To Divert Attention: Yechury

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Monday lashed out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, alleging that the BJP is raising the hijab issue in elections to divert attention from issues like unemployment, inflation and starvation.

Speaking to ANI, Yechury said that question before the people in the ongoing elections is starvation. “Whether people will get employment or not? Whether people will stay alive or not? All these questions need answers, but the BJP is bringing the hijab issue to divert attention from real issues,” said Yechury.
The CPI (M) leader said that the BJP has no answers to the big issues agitating the people. “They have no answer on what they are doing for people to stay alive. The common man is not accepting this. This time their defeat in the elections is certain,” Yechury told ANI.

He also attacked the UP Chief Minister for defending his statement that the state can become like West Bengal, Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir if the BJP is not voted to power.

“Comparing (UP) with Kerala is humorous; NITI Aayog of the (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi government had put out the figures of states in which Kerala has been ranked number one. Kerala is the best state in terms of the Human Development Index and Law and Order and Governance. If UP wants to become a state like Kerala, then people of Uttar Pradesh must defeat the BJP,” Yechury said.

Former Rajya Sabha MP Yechury further accused Adityanath of withdrawing all criminal cases against himself as soon as he became the Chief Minister and of taking the law and order for a ride ever since.

“The UP CM is talking about law and order? Remember as soon as he became the Chief Minister, he withdrew all the criminal cases against himself? This is the law and order in UP. What happened in Lakhimpur Kheri? Union Minister’s son was the prime accused according to the SIT. Gang rape and murder of Dalit girl in Hathras. All these underlines their law and order” he said.

Further, Yechury alleged that the UP CM is targetting West Bengal, Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir because there the minorities are not subjected to the kind of atrocities like in UP.

“Their comparison means that they have no agenda except for communal polarization so that he can seek votes from the people,” he added. (ANI)