Month: June 2022

Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has sparked a controversy by comparing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to dogs.

“When I talk individually, 25 people from BJP start barking against me like Mudhol (hound) dogs. But when they bark, only I have to speak, no one else from our party speaks,” said Siddaramaiah, speaking at an event in Mysore on Wednesday.

“Our people don’t talk, and that’s why we have distributed books from our office,” said Siddaramiah.

The former chief minister also participated in a protest by the Karnataka Congress at the Vidhan Soudha against the alleged “saffronisation” of textbooks in the state and that their protests would continue till the government rolled back the revised textbooks.

“The textbook has been revised by Rohith Chakrathirtha (head of the textbook revision committee), who is an orthodox RSS man. I hope the government will consider revising it, if not, we will go to the streets,” said Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru earlier today.

Mudhol Hound, also known as Caravan Hound, is commonly used by villagers in Karnataka for hunting and as guard dogs.

The Karnataka government textbook revision committee set up in 2020 headed by writer Rohith Chakrathirtha, recently revised social science textbooks from Classes 6 to 10 and Kannada language textbooks from Classes 1 to 10. (ANI)

In yet another incident of atrocity against minorities in Pakistan, a Hindu temple was attacked by some extremists in Karachi, Sindh province of the country.

The incident took place at the Korangi Number 5 area of the country’s port city. The Shri Mari Mata Mandir, which also houses the residence of the Hindu priest, was attacked late on Wednesday, triggering fear among the Hindu community.

A violent mob attacked the house of the priest and vandalised the idols. No arrests have been made by Pakistan police so far.

The idols were brought by the priest a few days ago to be installed in the under-construction temple.

“We don’t know who has attacked and why,” The Express Tribune newspaper quoted a local Hindu resident as saying.

Eyewitnesses say six to eight individuals on motorcycles attacked the complex. “Five to six unknown suspects entered the temple and escaped after vandalising it,” said Korangi SHO Farooq Sanjrani.

Police said that they are collecting the evidence adding that they cordoned off the area and provided protection to the community.

Temples in Pakistan are often the target of mob violence. Last October, a historical temple located in Sindh’s Kotri was desecrated by unidentified people.

Activists say human rights in Pakistan records have touched a new low with several media reports and global bodies reflecting the dire situation for women, minorities, children, and media persons in the country.

In Sindh, forced conversions and attacks on minority communities have become even more rampant.

Forced conversion of minor Hindu, Sikh, and Christian girls, always under duress, has become an increasingly common phenomenon in the country. (ANI)

As the countdown for the Amarnath Yatra has begun, security personnel deployed in Jammu and Kashmir, especially those in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), will be equipped with high-tech gadgets being used “first time” during the annual pilgrimage of Hindus amid specific concern regarding the use of “sticky bombs” by terrorists, sources said.

The names of these special gadgets, which are withheld due to security reasons, are learnt to be used for some specific purpose, said a source in security wind requesting anonymity, adding that “these gadgets include some of them manufactured by Israel”.
Besides, the source said, the number of drones for surveillance is being increased during the pilgrimage and it is estimated that over 50 are to be used only on twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal.

For the first time, another officer in the CRPF said, an “integrated” effort is being put across all forces concerned including Army, CRPF, Jammu and Kashmir Police, Jammu and Kashmir administration and Amarnathji Shrine Board members.

Meanwhile, the officer said security agencies are concerned over terrorist groups possessing “sticky bombs” — explosives that can be attached to vehicles and detonated remotely — and are reshaping their standard operating procedure for the pilgrimage which is all set to start on June 30 after a gap of two years.

The inputs came during the interrogation of arrested terrorists and their sympathisers and other evidence which suggests that while some “sticky bombs” have been recovered by security forces, many of them may have found their way into terror groups in Kashmir Valley, said the officer.

“As the sticky bombs can be only used in unattended civilian vehicles, the message is being circulated not to leave any vehicle unattended,” said the officer.

About three lakh pilgrims are likely to take part in the pilgrimage to the cave shrine located in the upper reaches of south Kashmir.

It has been decided that vehicles of pilgrims as well as of security forces will be secluded during their movement, some other officials, privy to the development said.

“Instructions have also been issued to the security forces as well as those managing the pilgrimage not to leave vehicles unattended.”

The ‘sticky bombs’ emerged on the terror scene in February last year in Kashmir when these were recovered from the Samba of the Jammu region, indicating the initiation of a new phase of terrorism in the union territory.

It was the first such recovery of “sticky bombs”, used largely in Afghanistan and Iraq. In India, it was used by suspected Iranian terrorists who targeted the vehicle of an Israeli diplomat in February 2012, resulting in injury to his wife.

Sticky bombs, which were also used by the British forces during World War II, can be put on any vehicle and detonated through remote control or an in-built timer, the officials said.

However, online registration for Amarnath Yatra 2022 has started on April 11 and the Home Ministry has already sanctioned over 200 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) for the purpose to provide security during the pilgrimage.

While online registration has already begun, the pilgrimage is scheduled to be held for 43 days between June 30 and August 11.

The Amarnath shrine pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva, located in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, is held from the twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal.

The J&K government had cancelled the annual Amarnath pilgrimage due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation in 2020 and 2021 after a discussion with Amarnathji Shrine Board members. (ANI)

Pakistan’s former Member of the National Assembly (MNA) and popular television host Amir Liaquat, 49, passed away in Karachi under mysterious circumstances, local media reported on Thursday.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader was found unconscious at his home in Khudad Colony and shifted to a private hospital in a critical condition.

According to reports, Liaquat felt discomfort on Wednesday night, however, he refused to go to the hospital, reported Pakistan’s local media outlet Geo TV.

Javed, Liaquat’s employee said a scream was heard from Liaquat’s room Thursday morning. The room was locked from the inside. When there was no response from the other end, his domestic staff broke down his room’s door.

Afterwards, the doctors said that Liaquat was dead when he was brought to the hospital. Police initiated an investigation into Amir Liaquat’s death. The police also conducted a search at his home in Karachi’s Khudadad Colony.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) East said the police will also obtain CCTV footage to gather and ascertain the facts which led to the death of the PTI leader. As Liaquat’s death occurred under mysterious circumstances, the police authorities have decided to conduct a post-mortem.

As per the East SSP, the police examined Liaquat’s house and everything was in place.

The police cordoned off his bedroom after collecting evidence. Police said that the family’s permission has been acquired for an autopsy after which a report will be prepared on the cause of death.

Furthermore, the statement of Amir’s driver Javed will also be taken by the police as he is the one who informed the police about the incident. A time for Liaquat’s funeral prayers will be announced later, Geo News reported. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Biotech Startup Expo – 2022 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on Thursday.

Union Ministers Jitendra Singh, Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan were also present at the event.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Biotech Startup Expo – 2022 is a two-day event being held on June 9 and 10.

It is being organised by the Department of Biotechnology and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).

The event is being held to mark the completion of ten years of setting up of BIRAC. The theme of the Expo is ‘Biotech Startup Innovations: Towards AatmaNirbhar Bharat’.

The Expo will act as a platform to connect entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, scientists, researchers, bio-incubators, manufacturers, regulators, government officials, etc, said the PMO.

About 300 stalls are set up at the Expo, that showcases the applications of biotechnology in various fields such as healthcare, genomics, biopharma, agriculture, industrial biotechnology, waste-to-value, and clean energy, among others. (ANI)

War in Ukraine has left an estimated 1.6 billion people in 94 countries exposed to at least one dimension of finance, food, or energy crisis, with around 1.2 billion living in “perfect-storm” countries severely vulnerable to all three areas, the policy brief by the Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG) has revealed.

The report published on June 8 calls for stabilizing record-high food and fuel prices, implementing social safety nets, and increasing financial support to developing countries.

The UN report warns that “time is short” to prevent a food crisis in 2023 in which we will have both a problem with food access and food availability.

“If the war continues and high prices of grain and fertilizers persist into the next planting season, food availability will be reduced at the worst possible time, and the present crisis in corn, wheat and vegetable oil could extend to other staples, affecting billions more people,” it added.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the ripple effects of the Ukraine war have generated a severe cost-of-living crisis which no country or community can escape.

At the launch of the latest report on the conflict’s impacts on food security, energy, and financing, the UN chief said the message is clear and insistent: countries must act now to save lives and livelihoods.

“Three months into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we face a new reality,” he told reporters.

“For those on the ground, every day brings new bloodshed and suffering. And for people around the world, the war is threatening to unleash an unprecedented wave of hunger and destitution, leaving social and economic chaos in its wake.”

The crisis is amplifying the consequences of other challenges confronting countries, such as the climate emergency, the COVID-19 pandemic, and inequalities in resources for post-pandemic recovery.

The increase in hunger since the start of the war could be higher and more widespread, according to the report.

The number of severely food insecure people doubled from 135 million prior to the pandemic, to 276 million over just two years. The ripple effects of the war could push this number to 323 million. (ANI)

China has praised India for helping Sri Lanka amid the unprecedented economic crisis in the island nation that has led to a shortage of fuel and other essential items.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said China ‘commends’ India for efforts to mitigate the crisis in Sri Lanka.

“We have taken note that the Indian government has also done a lot in this regard. We commend those efforts. China is ready to work with India and the rest of the international community to help Sri Lanka and other developing countries experiencing difficulty to pull through the hardship as early as possible,” Lijian said during a presser.

“The Chinese government will do its utmost and make full use of the channels available to deliver help to the Sri Lankan society,” he replied to a question over a remark made by Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Notably, Rajapaksa said in an interview on June 6 that Sri Lanka couldn’t tap a USD 1.5 billion credit line from China and has yet to hear back on the request to China for a USD 1 billion loan. He also said that China seems to have shifted its strategic focus to Southeast Asia and Africa, and has less interest in South Asia.

In response to these remarks, the Chinese spokesperson said Beijing pays close attention to and feels for the difficulties and challenges facing Sri Lanka.

“We have all along provided support to Sri Lanka’s socioeconomic development as long as our ability permits. China has announced that it would provide emergency humanitarian assistance worth 500 million RMB for Sri Lanka,” he added.

Sri Lanka is witnessing an unprecedented economic crisis and political crisis. Large scale protests have been taking place for months, leading to the ouster of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The island nation is also facing a severe foreign currency shortage which has created problems in importing essential items.

Last week, India handed a total of 3.3 tons of essential medical supplies to Sri Lanka. These humanitarian supplies are in continuation of the Indian government’s ongoing support to the people of the crisis-ridden island nation in forms such as financial assistance, forex support, material supply and many more.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, more than 25 tons of drugs and medical supplies which were donated by the Government and people of India during the last two months are valued at close to SLR 370 million.

This is in addition to the economic assistance of around USD 3.5 billion and supply of other humanitarian supplies such as rice, milk powder, kerosene etc, according to Indian High Commission. (ANI)

Bollywood diva Disha Patani has spoken about her “lack of sleep” through a selfie she posted on her social media.

The ‘Malang’ actor captioned her Instagram story as “When lack of sleep hits you.”

In the picture, Disha can be seen in a black tube top accessorised with a minimalistic cross pendant.

Disha kept her hair in a messy ponytail and sported a nude lipstick shade, which complimented her flawless look further.

Disha’s Instagram stories indicated that she was on a a trip somewhere. The actor seems to love taking pictures of the sky. In her recent posts, she shared some stunning images of the sky displaying changing colours from scarlet to purple and indigo.

Apart from her acting skills, Disha is also known for her intense workout regimes which she often uploads on her social media account. Disha has inspired fans to stay fit and healthy as well.

Meanwhile, Disha is the latest addition to Nag Ashwin’s upcoming film ‘Project K’, which also features Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Prabhas. ‘Project K’ is touted as a mega-budget sci-fi thriller. (ANI)

The size of the Indian economy is projected to cross $5 trillion in 2026-27 and likely to become $20 trillion by 2040, Chief Economic Advisor Anantha V Nageswaran said on Wednesday.

Addressing an event organised by the Department of Economic Affairs, Nageswaran said that the structural reforms of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government, such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) will manifest their advantages and potential in the coming decade, once the current clouds of global political developments and macro monetary policy challenges dissipate.

He underlined that for these reasons India is forecasted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cross $5 trillion by 2026-27. “If GDP of the country doubles every 7 years, we will be $20 trillion GDP by 2040 with the per capita income close to $15,000,” he said.

Nageswaran stated that India is better positioned than many other countries in facing the current challenges.

“We face challenges of managing a sustainably high growth rate, moderate inflation, keeping the fiscal under balance and also ensuring that the external value of the rupee remains stable,” he said.

Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) stated that the Government is prepared to meet the challenges of balancing these core important considerations. (ANI)