Month: May 2022

The Palarivattom Police on Thursday registered a case against Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President (KPCC) president K Sudhakaran over his ‘dog with broken chain’ remark against the state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

On the complaint of one Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) leader Vinu Vincent, the police have registered the case under section 153 (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot–if rioting be committed–if not committed) of the Indian Penal Code.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Convenor EP Jayarajan had termed Sudhakaran’s words “highly reprehensible” and ”vulgar”, and said that “they are not even used by an ordinary politician”.

The KPCC chief had used the slang ‘the dog with a broken chain’ against the CM while addressing the mediapersons (on Tuesday).

Notably, Jayarajan had demanded the arrest of Sudhakaran and had alleged it a “serious crime to insult a Chief Minister to spoil the atmosphere of peace” in the state. (ANI)

Highlighting the country’s rising stature at the international forums, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that India offers new hope for the world amidst global unrest and conflicts.

Addressing the ‘Yuva Shivir’ organised at Karelibaug, Vadodara via video conferencing, Prime Minister Modi said, “From delivering vaccines and medicines to the world amid the COVID crisis and scattered supply chain to the role of a capable nation for peace in the midst of global unrest and conflicts, India is the new hope of the world today.”
Prime Minister’s remarks assumed significance amid the Ukraine-Russia war which is adding to the woes of global supply chains.

“We are showing the path of Yoga to the entire humanity and the power of Ayurveda. We are emerging as a nation looking forward to a new future, from software to space. Today, the way of working of the government has changed in the country, the thinking of the society has changed and public participation has increased. The goals which were considered impossible for India once, today the world is also seeing how India is doing better in such areas,” he said.

Referring to Indian culture, PM Modi said ‘Sanskar’ means education, service, sensitivity, dedication, determination and strength.

“Our saints and scriptures have taught us that any society is formed by continuous character building through generations. Today we are taking a collective resolve, making efforts to build a new India. A new India with a forward-looking approach and ancient tradition! Such a new India, which moves ahead by taking both new thinking and age-old culture together, will give direction to the entire mankind,” added Prime Minister.

The ‘Yuva Shivir’ is being organised by ‘Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Kundaldham and Shree Swaminarayan Temple Karelibaug, Vadodara.

As per the Prime Minister’s Office, the Shivir aims to involve more youth in social service and nation-building. (ANI)

The Supreme Court on Thursday granted interim bail to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in another case of cheating, relating to Kotwali police station in Uttar Pradesh.

A bench of justices L Nageswara Rao, BR Gavai, AS Bopanna granted interim bail to Khan, and also granted him the liberty to apply for regular bail before the concerned court within a period of two weeks.
The Supreme Court also assured that the interim bail will be continued until the regular bail is decided by the competent court.

Earlier on Tuesday, the apex court had reserved the order on Khan’s interim bail plea in the aforesaid case, as opposed by the Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for Uttar Pradesh state.

Khan is currently been lodged in judicial custody in another matter pertaining to Kotwali in Rampur.

The Supreme Court had earlier expressed displeasure with the prolonged delay in the announcement of judgement by Allahabad HC on his (Khan’s) bail plea and called it a ‘travesty of justice’.

Last week, the Allahabad HC had granted Khan interim bail in the case related to wrongful possession of land.

The present application filed by Lzafeer Ahmad stated that Khan was arrested in another FIR which appears to be nothing more than a means to subvert justice and to prevent the petitioner from coming out of his prolonged and politically engineered incarceration.

“The State has, in order to satisfy political vendetta, adopted all means available, to purposefully delay and deny the right to personal liberty to a senior opposition leader and a legislator who is an incumbent and ten term Member of the Legislative Assembly, two-time member of the Parliament, and an erstwhile Cabinet Minister of the State of UP across multiple terms,” the application said.

The petition sought to quash the proceedings and grant interim bail to the petitioner during the pendency of this petition.

According to the application, the case dated 18 March 2020, registered at Rampur’s Kotwali Police Station under Sections 420 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was a false and frivolous FIR wherein some alleged deficiency in the affiliation process of one of the schools being run by a trust is given a criminal colour.

“The said FIR was registered after the petitioner, his wife and son were already taken into custody, for a completely false and frivolous case where the petitioner was not named. The said FIR neither mentioned the date and time of offence nor disclosed the offence, alleged to have been committed (by Azam Khan),” the petition said.

Khan has been lodged in Sitapur jail since February 2020 last year as many cases are registered against him. (ANI)

At the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, Hollywood star Tom Cruise and his ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ team made a grand entry for a high-octane premiere of the upcoming action flick.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, their entry included eight fighter jets zooming above the event, expelling smoke in red and blue to match the colours of the French flag.
Cruise was destined to be the biggest draw for the event, however, even by the festival’s own standards, the actor received the sort of rapturous reception that could only befit one of Hollywood’s most successful and globally renowned stars.

Earlier in the day, having taken part in a ‘MasterClass Conversation’ in the 1,000-seat Debussy Theatre, Cruise was gifted with another tribute before the screening, led by festival director Thierry Fremaux.

In honour of his long-running career at the centre of international pop culture Fremaux delivered remarks (in French) and introduced a 13-minute clip reel that showcased every entry on Cruise’s filmography, as per The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI)

BCW India Group, an Indian communications group, and WhiteKettle Consulting, one of India’s pioneering Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) firms that partners corporate, civil society and government to create end-to-end sustainable social development and CSR interventions, have announced the launch of CSP+, a new offering to help companies in India lead with purpose.

CSP+ will help organizations integrate their brand purpose into their DNA and deliver on it, including through management, impact measurement and stakeholder engagement to build stronger purpose-focused equity. This offering will leverage research, data analytics, creativity and innovation to deliver impact for clients across their stakeholder audiences. 

“Organizations today need to create long-term values and profitability through engagement with all stakeholders,” said Deepshikha Dharmaraj, chief executive officer, BCW India Group. “Purpose helps align an organization’s values and strategy to a shared vision. With CSP+, we give our clients a framework to move people with their purpose and encourage them to think differently, feel deeply and act with urgency.”

“Purpose goes beyond the mandated two percent CSR spends,” said Rama Iyer, founder, WhiteKettle. “It spans and unites all of the stakeholders of a company. The CSP+ framework supports organizations with strategies and interventions no matter where they are in their purpose journey, whether they are just starting out or looking to scale up their impact.”

WhiteKettle is a consulting firm that partners corporates, civil society and government to identify, create and advance a more outcome driven social sector. Their expertise helps build end-to-end solutions in CSR, Sustainability and Purpose for responsible global and Indian corporates.

Several sculptures of gods and goddesses alongwith other structures related to Hindu belief were seen in the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, said advocate Ajay Kumar Mishra, who was appointed commissioner by Varanasi court to survey the Gyanvapi-Gauri Shringar complex but was later removed for leaking the information.

The report was submitted by former court-appointed Commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra as the Supreme Court is set to resume the hearing of the Gyanvapi mosque case on Wednesday with petitioners contending that the videographic survey carried out of the site was in violation of the Places of Worship Act.
The report submitted by Mishra stated, “Outside the barricading of the disputed area, the ruins of the old temple were found in which sculptures of gods and goddesses and patterns of lotus were seen. In the middle, stone sculptures of Sheshnag and “Nag phan” like patterns were seen. All the slabs seemed to be part of a big edifice.”

The local court had removed Advocate Commissioner Ajay Mishra on Tuesday, stating that he had been “highly irresponsible” in executing the work.

“Further four idol like structures with “Sinduri” mark were observed. It seemed that arrangments for lighting diyas were there. The stone slabs with artistic patterns were kept in the west wall behind the mosque appeared to be in the continuity with the big structure,” the report said.

The report by Mishra also mentioned that the three-four sculptures with Sindoor marks and ‘Choukhat’ like stone slab are believed to be ‘Sringar Gouri’.

The Varanasi court-appointed commission which conducted the survey of the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi mosque complex is expected to submit its report today after it has sought a two-day extension.

The three-day-long court-monitored videography survey of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi concluded on Monday.

The Hindu petitioner in the case, Sohan Lal Arya on Monday claimed that the committee found a Shivling at the complex. Arya, who accompanied the court commission for the mosque survey, said that they have found “conclusive evidence”.

After the conclusion of the survey, the Varanasi court ordered the District Magistrate of Varanasi, Kaushal Raj Sharma, “to seal the area where the Shivling was found and to bar people from going to the place.”

Hearing the Gyanvapi mosque case on Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered the Varanasi district magistrate to ensure the area where a shivling was purportedly found is protected without obstructing the Muslim community’s right to worship. (ANI)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday underlined that hunger levels around the world are at “a new high” and made a call for action to fight the current surge in global food insecurity.

He made the appeal during the ‘Global Food Security-Call to Action’, chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York.
The UN chief said the number of severely food insecure people had doubled in just two years – from 135 million pre-pandemic to 276 million today, with more than half a million experiencing famine conditions – an increase of more than 500 per cent since 2016.

“These frightening figures are inextricably linked with conflict, as both cause, and effect,” he said. “If we do not feed people, we feed conflict”.

The climate emergency is another driver of global hunger he added, pointing out that 1.7 billion people have been affected by extreme weather and climate-related disasters over the past decade.

Moreover, the COVID-induced economic shock has compounded food insecurity by reducing incomes and disrupting supply chains, leading to an uneven economic recovery. Access to financial markets has been restricted, with some developing States now on the brink of debt default.

Between them, Ukraine and Russia produce almost a third of the world’s wheat and barley and half of its sunflower oil. Russia and Belarus are the world’s number two and three producers of potash, a key ingredient of fertilizer, UN News reported.

The war threatens to tip “tens of millions of people over the edge into food insecurity, followed by malnutrition, mass hunger and famine, in a crisis that could last for years,” warned the UN chief. “High rates of hunger have a devastating impact on individuals, families, and societies,” the UN chief emphasized.

In concluding his speech, the UN chief said that the Global Crisis Response Group on food, energy and finance is tracking the impact of the crisis on vulnerable people, identifying and pushing for solutions. “Our only chance of lifting millions of people out of hunger is to act together, urgently and with solidarity,” he said.

Blinken chaired the meeting in which foreign ministers from approximately 30 regionally diverse countries discussed steps to address global food security, nutrition, and resilience.

Describing the current situation as the “greatest global food insecurity crisis of our time,” Blinken attributed the emergency to conflict, drought and natural disasters – made worse by the Russia-Ukraine war.

The US State Secretary announced USD 215 million in humanitarian aid to address the global crisis.

“Today, given the urgency of the crisis, we’re announcing another USD 215 million in new emergency food assistance. And we’ll do much more. We expect our Congress very soon to approve approximately USD 5.5 billion in additional funding for humanitarian assistance and food security,” he said.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, who represented India at the high-level ministerial meeting in New York, expressed his concern over global food insecurity.

The Union Minister said that the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Russia-Ukraine have impacted the developing countries, with spiralling energy and commodity prices and disruptions in global logistical supply chains.

During his speech, Muraleedharan pointed out the Global Report on Food Crises and said 139 million people had suffered across the world from conflict-induced acute food insecurity, up by around 30 per cent reported previously.

He further stated that this situation is a severe issue and it can’t be neglected. (ANI)

Gripped by a severe economic crisis, Sri Lanka, a major player in the global tea market, has not been able to export tea, creating an opportunity for the Indian tea industry to tap the market.

The tea traders of North Bengal said that the present condition in Sri Lanka, which has been unable to export its tea, can create opportunities for the new market in India.
Kamal Kumar Tiwari, Chairman of the Siliguri Tea Auction Committee and Trader said, “Sri Lankan buyers who are unable to get tea due to the ongoing crisis, will depend on India.”

If the situation continues like this in Sri Lanka, the Indian market will boom, and people who look for good quality India can offer them as it produces good quality tea, Tiwari said.

Satish Mitruka, another trader and tea garden owner from Siliguri, said that if the Indian market expanded more then it will be a boon for the ailing industry.

Mitruka said Sri Lanka is a major producer of orthodox tea, they produce around 3 million kg of orthodox tea, and a maximum of its products are exported to European and American countries.

“Now due to this economic crisis buyers will hesitate buying tea from Sri Lanka and will shift to India for this,” he stressed.

“The shift will boost the orthodox tea market in India,” he added.

Sri Lanka is currently struggling with acute food and electricity shortages and the recession is attributed to foreign exchange shortages caused by a clampdown on tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The country is unable to buy sufficient fuel and gas, while the people are being deprived of basic amenities as well.

As the economic crisis in Sri Lanka is worsening day by day, several people including those jobless are participating in the protest against the government to get two-times meals. (ANI)

The Court-appointed special assistant commissioner on Thursday submitted a report on the Gyanvapi Mosque survey to a Varanasi court.

“The report has been submitted before the court. People from both sides were present before the court. It is a 10-15 page long report,” said Assistant Court Commissioner Ajay Pratap Singh on Gyanvapi Mosque survey report

“We have filed a video chip too in a sealed cover,” added Advocate Vishal Singh.

“At 4.30 pm yesterday, Ajay Mishra (ex-court appointed commissioner) submitted his report. Today at 10.30 am, Vishal Singh and Ajay Pratap Singh filed their report with details of the three-day survey,” said Advocate Nityanand Rai.

“The Assistant Commissioners have also filed a chip that contains photos, videos. A copy will be made available to the other side. Once they get the copy, the court will invite their objections. After listening to them, the court will give a final decision if the report will be taken as evidence”, added Advocate Rai.

Several sculptures of gods and goddesses along with other structures related to Hindu belief were seen in the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, said advocate Ajay Kumar Mishra, who was appointed commissioner by the Varanasi court to survey the Gyanvapi-Gauri Shringar complex but was later removed for allegedly leaking the information.

The local court had removed Advocate Commissioner Ajay Mishra on Tuesday, stating that he had been “highly irresponsible” in executing the work.

The report by Mishra mentioned that the three-four sculptures with Sindoor marks and ‘Choukhat’ like stone slab are believed to be ‘Sringar Gouri’.

The three-day-long court-monitored videography survey of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi concluded on Monday.

Speaking on the Gyanvapi mosque survey, Advocate Vishnu Jain, representing the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi mosque matter in Supreme Court said, “We’ve not filed an affidavit yet. SC has kept the matter for hearing today. Additional developments have taken place in the meantime that have to be brought to the records of the court. So, we will seek some time from the court.”

“We’ve requested our legal time there (Varanasi) to take some adjournment today as the matter is pending before SC and we need to place every document on the records. So, simultaneously two proceedings can’t go on,” said Advocate Vishnu Jain.

“As far as the application for demolition of the wall beneath the wazukhana is concerned, we will take some time. The Muslim side is also seeking time to file their objections to our application”, said Advocate Jain.

Hearing the Gyanvapi mosque case on Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered the Varanasi district magistrate to ensure the area where a Shivling was purportedly found is protected without obstructing the Muslim community’s right to worship.

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the civil court in Varanasi civil court to not proceed with the case related to the Gyanvapi Mosque case till it takes up the case on May 20. (ANI)

Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022 to unify all the three municipal corporations of Delhi– North Delhi Municipal Corporation, South Delhi Municipal Corporation, and East Delhi Municipal Corporation– into one entity will come into force on May 22.

A Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notification mentions the declaration.
With the move, the three present municipal corporations of Delhi will be treated as one Municipal Corporation of Delhi from May 22.

The move comes almost one month after the Rajya Sabha on April 5 passed with a voice vote the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 to merge the three municipal corporations of Delhi into a single entity.

The Act seeks to unify the three municipal corporations into a single, integrated and well-equipped entity to ensure a robust mechanism for synergised and strategic planning and optimal utilisation of resources.

Through the Act, the Centre proposed to appoint a “Special officer” who will essentially discharge the functions of the elected wing of councillors in the interim till the first meeting of the new corporation is held.

The Act aims to merge three municipal corporations of Delhi into a single entity by seeking an amendment to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. The Act was amended in 2011 by Delhi Legislative Assembly to trifurcate the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi into North, South, and East Delhi Municipal Corporation. The Bill was passed by Lok Sabha on March 30.

The bill proposes to completely omit the section on directors, and local bodies in the amended act that governs the functioning of the MCDs. (ANI)