Month: May 2022

Lok Sabha MP from Amravati Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana on Wednesday got bail by the Mumbai sessions court with several conditions in the Hanuman Chalisa row.

MP Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana, who is an independent MLA, were arrested on April 23 from their Mumbai residence after declaring that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s home in Bandra.
Earlier today, Navneet Rana who was arrested on charges of sedition and promoting enmity was shifted from the Byculla Jail to the JJ Hospital for her spondylosis treatment.

Rana’s lawyer provided details of her health and wrote a letter to the Superintendent of Byculla Jail on Monday stating that the BJP leader has spondylosis which is increasing due to continuously sitting and lying on the floor in jail.

He said that Rana needs to undergo a CT scan so that the doctors can understand the seriousness of her condition, adding that the jail authorities denied permission for the same.

“Navneet Rana has a problem of spondylosis which is increasing due to continuously sitting and lying on the floor in jail. In view of this, she was taken to JJ Hospital on 27 April. The doctor of JJ Hospital has specifically written that it is mandatory to do a CT scan of Rana so that they can understand how serious the problem of spondylosis is, but the concerned authorities did not allow for the same. Until this does not happen, it is difficult to decide what medicine or treatment should be given to Rana,” the lawyer said.

The two were booked in two FIRs lodged on charges of sedition, promoting enmity, and assaulting a public servant to prevent discharge of duty. (ANI)

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked for a detailed report from the Rajasthan government over communal tension in the state’s Jodhpur region, sources said on Wednesday.

As per the sources, the Ministry is also “watching the situation closely” and getting inputs from the state’s administrative and police authorities.
Tension gripped Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s hometown Jodhpur hours before Eid on Tuesday, prompting the authorities to suspend mobile internet services and impose a curfew in 10 police station areas of the city.

There was agitation over putting up religious flags on the Jalori gate circle in Jodhpur, which led to stone-pelting in which five policemen were injured.

The state Chief Minister has appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony.

Following the incident, Jodhpur Police issued orders imposing a curfew till May 4 midnight besides suspending mobile internet services to check the spread of rumours.

The situation was brought under control in the early hours of Tuesday with heavy deployment of police but tension escalated again in the morning after prayers at an Eidgah. Shops, vehicles and houses were pelted with stones near the Jalori gate area.

Members of the minority community were installing Eid flags and they put up a flag on a roundabout alongside the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa. This led to a confrontation as members of the other community alleged that a saffron flag, which they had put up there ahead of Parshuram Jayanti, had gone missing.

The issue snowballed into stone-pelting and clashes, officials said.

The police rushed to the spot to control the situation during which five policemen were injured, the police said.

The police had to lob tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Mobile internet services were suspended in the area to check the spread of rumours, the officials said. (ANI)

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) began the first phase of the demolition drive on Wednesday.

The first phase of the drive will continue till May 13. The demolition drive will cover several parts of South Delhi. The drive on Wednesday started from Karni Singh Shooting Range area in Tughlakabad.
Police staff is required to carry out the drive, said SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan.

During the anti-encroachment drives, the deployment of the police force is necessary for maintaining the law and order situation in the area, he added.

Suryan said that the people of Delhi support this drive.

“South MCD will start the first phase of the demolition drive from May 4 to May 13 in several parts of south Delhi. Letters have been written to the south and southeast Deputy Commissioners of Police in this regard,” Rajpal Singh, Standing Committee chairman central zone told ANI.

As per the demolition drive plan, it will be carried out in and around Mehrauli Badarpur Road and Karni Singh Shooting Range today. On May 5, encroachments from Kalindi Kunj main road and Kalindi Kunj Park to Jamia Nagar Police Station will be removed. On May 6, the demolition drive will be taken up in Srinivaspuri Private Colony to Okhla Railway Station Gandhi Camp.

Thereafter, following a gap of two days, the demolition drive will take place from Shaheen Bagh G Block to Jasola and Jasola Nale to Kalindi Kunj Park. On May 10, the demolition drive will be carried out from New Friends Colony to Buddh Dharm Mandir and in and around Gurudwara Road. On May 11, it will extend to Lodhi Colony, Meherchand Market in and around Sai Mandir, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, on May 12, Dhinsen Marg, Iskcon Temple Marg in and around areas. On May 13, encroachments will be demolished at the Khadda colony.

“For demolishing unauthorised encroachments, instances of road grabbing, there is no requirement of notice,” Rajpal Singh said.

Earlier, SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan had disclosed that a month-long plan was sent to the police for the anti-encroachment drive in different parts of the national capital.

Other than Shaheen Bagh and Okhla, Suryan said that they have identified many wards for conducting the anti-encroachment drive in its area, including the Vishnu Garden in Tilak Nagar West Zone, Madanpur Khadar, Jasola Vihar, Sarita Vihar, and Sangam Vihar.

The SDMC earlier ran an anti-encroachment drive at Gandhi Market in Nazafgarh’s Sagarpur where people had encroached on the drain. The civic body claimed that illegal Bangladeshis had encroached the government land and were running factories.

He had said that the administration will get these lands vacated and dedicate them to the public. (ANI)

More than 50 persons have been arrested in the Jodhpur violence, said Rajasthan Minister Rajendra Singh Yadav on Tuesday.

“The kind of incident that took place on Parshuram Jayanti, Akha Teej and Eid is shameful. We inspected the spots wherever the incident occurred and wherever the motorcycles were set ablaze. Patience is needed. There is no time for blame game now,” said the Minister.

“More than 50 people have been arrested. If some negligence by the administration is found, strict action will be taken,” added Yadav.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held a high-level meeting on Tuesday over the violence in Jodhpur.

Clashes broke out at the Jalori gate circle in Jodhpur, the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s home district, following Eid prayers. Police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the mob.

This followed the tense atmosphere which prevailed here on Monday after stone-pelting between two groups over objections raised over the raising of a flag at Balmukand Bissa at the Jalori Gate intersection circle.

After stone-pelting started, police tried to control the situation and disperse the crowd. Following the incidents, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appealed to the people to maintain peace in the area.

“I want to appeal to people to maintain peace. I’ve also instructed police to deal strictly with anti-social elements. Everyone should understand that we’ve to maintain brotherhood,” Gehlot told ANI.

Jodhpur district administration also suspended all mobile internet services in Jodhpur district, as a precautionary measure.

According to an order issued by Jodhpur Divisional Commissioner Himanshu Gupta, all internet services have been suspended in Jodhpur beginning from 1 am till further notice. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, in the Bhairahawa district of Nepal on Buddha Jayanti, sources said here.

The visit of PM Modi to Nepal comes less than a month after his Nepali counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba visited India. “Prime Minister Modi will be coming to Nepal on May 16 on Buddha Jayanti but this time Lumbini only. Preparations are already underway,” a source told ANI.

Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is expected to be present at Lumbini during PM Modi’s visit.

“Only visit to Lumbini is on the agenda. There won’t be bilateral talks or other engagements. The visit will be for less than a day,” the source said.

According to an official aware of the visit, PM Modi will be take part in a lamp-lighting ceremony at the Maya Devi Temple which also is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.

PM Modi will fly to Kushinagar International Airport from Delhi and then take a chopper to Lumbini.

This would be PM Modi’s first visit to Nepal after his re-election in 2019. He had visited Nepal four times during his previous tenure.

During the last visit to Nepal in May 2018, PM Modi had toured Janakpur and Muktinath, religious and cultural sites in Nepal.

The Maya Devi temple is UNESCO World Heritage Site. Archaeological excavations have revealed that the structural ruins belong to the different phases of the temple’s construction and restoration over the centuries. Emperor Asoka built a platform using the burnt bricks to safeguard the Marker Stone and the Nativity Tree under which Prince Siddhartha was born.

The Maya Devi Temple was re-discovered in 1896 by General Khadga Shamsher and Dr. Anton Fuhrer. Keshar Shumsher excavated the mound of early Maya Devi Temple and reconstructed it in 1939. The present-day Maya Devi Temple was rebuilt in 2003 by Lumbini Development Trust.

The structural ruins inside Maya Devi Temple are from 6th century BC to 15th century AD. It consists of 15 box chambers arranged in 5 rows in east-west and 3 rows in a north-south direction as well as a circumambulatory path surrounded by an outer wall.

The archaeological excavation undertaken by the Department of Archaeology, Lumbini Development Trust and Durham University (UK) during 2010-2013 AD uncovered a timber shrine dating back to the 6th century BC. During the excavation a pre-Mauryan brick structure, each brick measuring 49x36x7 cm in size and 20kg in weight from underneath the present visible layers of ruins was also uncovered. (ANI)

Water supply in the areas of North Delhi, North West Delhi, West Delhi and parts of South Delhi including Delhi Cantt and the command area of Deer Park will be affected till tomorrow evening.

“Due to excessive and unusual floating and filter clogging algae material resulting in choking of filter beds, the treatment process has slowed down at Haiderpur WTP. The production is expected to become normal by tomorrow evening,” tweeted Delhi Jal Board.

“Delhi Jal Board is endeavouring to rationalize the water supply, however, water will be available at low pressure till the situation improves. Residents are advised to store a sufficient quantity of water in advance as per requirement. Water tanker will be available on requirements,” added the Delhi Jal Board.

“Areas affected: North Delhi, North West Delhi, West Delhi and Part of South Delhi including Delhi Cantt and the command area of Deer Park,” stated Delhi Jal board. (ANI)

Afghanistan’s fastest-growing drug industry operates from desert outposts in plain view, a US media report said on Monday, weeks after the Taliban announced a ban on poppy cultivation.

This comes as Afghanistan has been a global hub for opium production, estimated to supply 80 percent of the world’s opiate users.

According to The Washington Post, the meth industry is growing at record speed, stoking fears that the country could become a major supplier as demand rises globally.

The US newspaper said that hundreds of meth labs have appeared in the country over the past six years.

The report added that more are being built each month as the country’s economic crisis forces Afghans to find new sources of income, the report said and added the vast majority of meth produced is for export.

“These labs have been extremely busy these last few months, as a consequence of the sheer amount of ephedra that passed through,” said David Mansfield, an expert on Afghanistan’s illicit economy who has produced reports for the World Bank and European Commission, drawing from on-the-ground investigators, aerial imagery and other sources.

According to the Post, though the Taliban inspect the market, they have not tried to shut it down. This is happening despite the ban issued by the Taliban issued on the growing, production and distribution of illicit drugs.

Abdulwadood who works openly in the methamphetamine business said the only reason they are in this business is that there are no other jobs. “Of course, if the economy gets worse, more people will start producing shisha.”

“A significant part of the Taliban’s revenue comes from taxing illicit commodities, and drugs is one of those,” said Andrew Cunningham, who heads the drug markets, crime and supply reduction branch at the EU’s European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction.

“It’s impossible to provide even the most basic of services unless there’s money coming into the government coffers,” Cunningham noted. (ANI)

The national capital Delhi reported 1,414 fresh COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, taking the active caseload to 5,986 in the city, as per a health bulletin by the Delhi government.

The daily case positivity rate stands at 5.97 per cent. As many as 1,171 COVID patients recovered from the disease yesterday. The total number of recoveries since the onset of the pandemic in the city has gone up to 18,54,888.

One COVID-affected person succumbed to the virus during this period, taking the death toll in the national capital to 26,176.

As per the official data, more than 13,875 COVID samples were tested in the city yesterday.

Under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive, a total of 45,853 eligible beneficiaries were administered coronavirus vaccine doses on Tuesday in Delhi.

So far, 3,35,79,923 vaccine doses have been provided in the national capital. (ANI)

To boost the river transport system in Assam, the state government has decided to set up a company, Assam Inland Waterways Company Limited (AIWCL).

The decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting held on Tuesday at Janata Bhawan under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“The Chief Minister will be the chairman of Assam Inland Waterways Company Limited and the company’s mandate is to establish, maintain and operate cost-effective water transportation services within Assam including river cruises, develop and maintain all-weather ports, jetties, passenger terminals,” Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta said.

The Minister further said that the state cabinet also approved a contract for the construction of Terminal and Riverine Infrastructure at Guwahati Hatway Ghat and the total contract value will be Rs 289.45 crore.

“The Assam cabinet approved Assam Bridge Project-II,4.08 km long 4-lane extra dosed PSC bridge over the Brahmaputra river connecting Palasbari and Sualkuchi at a cost of Rs 3,197 crore,” Keshab Mahanta said.

The state cabinet also approved the enhancement of state subsidy for houses being constructed under PMAY HFA (Urban) from Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 in respect of all incomplete houses, to release of Rs 30,000 for early completion of houses under Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC) component of PMAY HFA (Urban) as the third instalment to those beneficiaries who have reached roof level and this will benefit 1,16,380 beneficiaries with additional spending of Rs 116.3 crore, making Assam the first state to undertake such an innovative step.

“34 Polytechnics and 43 Government ITIs are to be upgraded as Centres of Excellence in association with Tata Technologies Limited (TTL) and the proposed project cost will be Rs 2,390 crore. Approval to release of Rs 308.75 crore as part of the Rs 700 crore relief package to employees of Nagaon Paper Mill and Cachar Paper Mill and the state government will provide jobs to 100 of its employees. The cabinet has given administrative approval to the construction of new Medical Colleges and Hospitals at Bongaigaon, Dhemaji, Golaghat and Morigaon and the total project cost will be Rs 2000 crore. Assam Complex will be established at Tiware village, Raigarh district of Maharashtra for promoting state’s rich cultural heritage,” Keshab Mahanta said.

The cabinet also approved the recruitment of 4,868 graduate and postgraduate teachers in government and provincialised High and Higher Secondary Schools in the state. (ANI)

Aurangabad Police registered a case against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday over his speech at a rally here on May 1.

The entire force of the Maharashtra police is “ready” to tackle any deterioration of the law and order situation, Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth said.
Police registered the case after seeing the viral videos of his public rally.

“Aurangabad Police Commissioner is capable of taking action against anyone. He is looking at the videos of Raj Thackeray’s rally and if he finds anything wrong in it then he will take action today itself,” said Maharashtra Director General of Police Rajnish Seth.

Heavy police deployment has been made outside Raj Thackeray’s residence.

Amid the ongoing political row over the use of loudspeakers at mosques, Raj Thackeray had on Sunday said that if loudspeakers are not taken down then the Hanuman Chalisa would be played with double volume compared to Azaan (a call for prayer by Muslims) from May 4.

“Today is the first day of Maharashtra (Maharashtra Day). I will not listen from the fourth day from now. Wherever we will see a loudspeaker, we will also chant Hanuman Chalisa in front of the loudspeaker in double volume,” Thackeray had said while addressing a gathering at Sanskrutik Mandal Maidan in Aurangabad.

He also announced that he will hold more rallies in Marathwada, Vidarbha and other cities as well.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered the Police not to wait for anyone’s permission to maintain law and order situation in the state.

Thackeray held a meeting with Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil on Tuesday to review the law and order situation in the state considering the prevailing situation.

Chief Minister ordered that Police should take all measures to maintain law and order and not wait for anyone’s order. Thackeray further held a telephonic conversation with the Maharashtra DGP Rajnish Seth.

Mumbai Police seized loudspeakers from the MNS office and detain the party’s Chandivali unit chief Mahendra Bhanushali and others on Tuesday.

The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief on April 12, when gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government seeking the removal of loudspeakers from mosques within May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers. (ANI)