Month: August 2022

In a move with significant political implications in Karnataka, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday got initiated into the Lingayat sect by the seer of Muruga Mutt at Chitradurga.

The seer of Muruga Mutt, Shivamurthy Muruga Sharana initiated him into the Lingayat sect after a conversation with various seers present in the mutt.
Rahul Gandhi’s move carries much political significance as the northern part of Karnataka is largely dominated by Lingayats that account for 17 per cent of the state’s population and this may benefit the Congress party in the upcoming election in 2023.

The Lingayats, a Hindu Shaivite community. The community can determine the outcome of polls in as many as 90-100 of the state’s 224 assembly constituencies.

Taking to Twitter, the Congress MP said he visited Sri Jagadguru Murugharajendra Vidyapeetha and receive the ‘Ishtalinga Deekshe’ from Dr Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru.

“It is an absolute honour to visit Sri Jagadguru Murugharajendra Vidyapeetha and receive the ‘Ishtalinga Deekshe’ from Dr Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru,” he said.

“The teachings of Guru Basavanna are eternal and I am humbled to learn more about it from the Sharanaru of the Math,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

A Mutt official said that the Muruga Sharanaru gave the ‘Ishta Linga Deeksha’ to Rahul Gandhi today.

On this historic occasion today at the Muruga Mutt, the Muruga Sharanaru gave the ‘Ishta Linga Deeksha’ to Rahul Gandhi. This is an extraordinary moment,” a Mutt official said.

But at the same time many raised questions over Lingayat ‘Deeksha’ being given to Rahul Gandhi in an unusual manner.

The pontiff put ‘Shiva Linga’ around Gandhi’s neck and put the three lines of ‘Vibhuti’ on his forehead horizontally as worn by the Lingayats, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) said in its statement.

“I have been following a little bit and reading a little bit about Basavanna Ji for some time now. So, it’s a real honour for me.I will make a request to you if you can send me somebody to teach me a little more in detail about ‘Ishta Linga’ and the practice of Shiva Yoga,” Rahul Gandhi urged the Muruga Mutt seer while speaking to seers at the Mutt.

“This is a historic occasion. Muruga Sri gave Deeksha (initiation) to Rahul Gandhi just as he initiated you all. I often say that the crux of all the faiths is one. There can be many names but the ultimate goal is one,” Shivakumar state congress president who was present at the moment said.

Gandhi also posted several photographs on Facebook and wrote, “Offered my humble respects at Sri Jagadguru Murugharajendra Vidyapeetha, Chitradurga in the presence of its President Dr Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru and senior leaders.”

Rahul, in his post on Facebook, appreciated the contribution of Vidyapeetha in empowering people throughout the state. “The Vidyapeetha is engaged in commendable efforts to empower people from rural and remote areas through 150 educational and cultural institutions. Their work has helped uplift countless lives and is an inspiration for all,” Rahul Gandhi further said in the same Facebook post.

Congress leader also honoured the president of Vidyapeeth Dr Sri Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, offering him a shawl. Gandhi received the ‘Ishtalinga Deekshe’ from the Murugha Sharanaru. He was also felicitated by the seer and gifted a portrait of Basavanna.

Notably, Sri Jagadguru Murugharajendra Vidyapeetha is an apex body established under the Societies Act to organize and manage educational and cultural institutions with an intention to take education to the doorsteps of common people in rural and remote areas. This was started in the year 1964 by His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Sri Mallikarjua Murugharajendra Mahaswamiji, the then pontiff of Srimath and now It runs 150 institutions.

During his last visit to the state in April, the Wayanad MP had set a target of winning 150 seats and urged for unity among the party’s rank.

Members of the Lingayat sect are known to keep away from non-vegetarian food and have to follow some strict rules.

Lingayats are followers of Basavanna, a 12th-century poet-philosopher who rejected caste and the feudal elements of Brahminism. (ANI)

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said that the “Indian National Congress is under siege” and that the Delhi Police has surrounded the party headquarters and homes of interim party chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

Attacking the Modi government for vendetta politics, he alleged in a tweet, “this is the worst form of vendetta politics. We will not submit! We will not be silenced! We will continue to raise our voice against injustices and failures of Modi Sarkar!”

While addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, ” We are seeing an open-ended investigation for events 10 years ago with a siege mentality in the heart of the capital of the world’s largest democracy. Can we believe it?”

“India, the proud largest democracy of the world has the siege mentality. I was astonished to see that people cannot come and go. There are platoons everywhere, it is present on the other side of the road also. The only sole object of this exercise is humiliation, insult and intimidation at one level,” he added.

“These are actions of a frustrated political regime. These are the actions of a regime that is losing its equilibrium and balance and is frustrated at the fact that its opponent – that is us – does not break or bend,” he further stated.

“You can try and suppress as much as you like, you will receive resilience and a reaction which is completely democratic for the world to see, we will continue to expose you,” he said.

“I only want to see that all laws have been thrown to the winds. All sense of decency, democratic values, all sense of balance and this reprehensible. We cannot find stronger words to condemn it,” he further said.

While General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee Ajay Maken said, “inflation, unemployment, and GST on food products. On these three issues, Congress want to protest in front of Rashtrapati Bhawan, PM’s residence.”

“We want to say that no matter how much you suppress us, Congress will continue to protest against the three issues. We were stopped by the police for protesting on the three issues. Congress will not give in to this pressure. We will protest on the three issues,” he stated. (ANI)

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has detected customs duty evasion of around Rs 2,217 crore by Chinese firm Vivo Mobile India, according to an official statement released on Wednesday.

Vivo India is a subsidiary company of Guangdong, China-based Vivo Communication Technology. The company is engaged in the business of manufacturing, assembling, wholesale trading as well as distribution of mobile handsets and accessories thereof.
During the course of the investigation, searches were conducted by DRI officers at the factory premises of Vivo India, which led to the recovery of incriminating evidence indicating wilful misdeclaration in the description of certain items imported by Vivo India, for use in the manufacture of mobile phones, according to a statement released by the Union Finance Ministry.

This mis-declaration resulted in wrongful availing of ineligible duty exemption benefits by Vivo India, amounting to Rs 2,217 crore, the ministry said.

After completion of the investigation, a Show Cause Notice has been issued to Vivo India demanding Customs duty amounting to Rs 2,217 crore, under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, it added.

A sum of Rs 60 crore has been voluntarily deposited by Vivo India, towards the discharge of their differential duty liability.

Recently, in another set of investigations conducted by DRI, Show Cause Notices demanding duty of Rs 4,403.88 crore has been issued to Oppo Mobiles India Private Limited, the Finance Ministry said. (ANI)

A 31-year-old woman tested positive for Monkeypox in the national capital on Wednesday, taking India’s tally to nine.
This is the first case of the disease among women in India.

She is under treatment in one of the government hospitals in Delhi.

Earlier on Tuesday, another 35-year-old Nigerian man living in Delhi, with no recent travel history, tested positive for monkeypox.

The patient is admitted to Lok Nayak Jaiprakash hospital which comes under the government of Delhi.

India has reported 9 monkeypox cases so far, 5 from Kerala and 4 from Delhi.

In the wake of an increase in the number of Monkeypox cases in the country, isolation rooms have been made operational for the treatment of such infections in three central government hospitals, according to sources.

“The isolation rooms for the treatment of Monkeypox patients are operational in three major central government hospitals i.e Safdarjang hospital, RML hospital and Lady Hardinge hospital,” official sources told ANI.

The Delhi Government issued the official statement on Tuesday on the preparation of isolation rooms in government and private hospitals. The 20 isolation rooms at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital, while 10 isolation rooms have been set up in Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital (GTB) hospital and 10 at Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital.

Notably, the Delhi government has also directed private hospitals to create isolation rooms for patients with Monkeypox cases. These three hospitals are Kailash Deepak hospital, East Delhi; MD City Hospital, North Delhi and Batra Hospital and Research Centre, Tughlakabad in South Delhi.

India has so far reported 9 Monkeypox cases, of which 5 are from Kerala with a history of international travel and four from Delhi with no recent travel history.

On Monday, the Joint Secretary in the Union Health Ministry wrote to Dr Hussain Abdul Rahman, Executive Director and IHR focal point in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), requesting him to intensify screening to ensure that persons exhibiting symptoms suggestive of Monkeypox disease are not allowed to board the flight to minimize the risk of disease transmission.

In the wake of the rising cases of Monkeypox in the country, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday assured citizens not to panic and said that an awareness campaign is being run in collaboration with the state governments to prevent the spread of the infection.

Speaking in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday during the ongoing Monsoon session of the Parliament, the Union Minister said, “There is no need to be afraid of Monkeypox, an awareness campaign is being run in collaboration with the state governments: Public awareness is very necessary for the context of Monkeypox. We have also formed a task force under the chairmanship of a member of NITI Aayog on behalf of the Government of India.”

“On the basis of the observations of the task force, we will assess and study the further action to be taken. If the state government of Kerala needs any kind of help from the Central government, it will be given. Also, an expert team of the Central government is guiding the state government from time to time,” he said.

India has reported 9 Monkeypox cases and approximately 100 samples have been tested till August 2, said Dr Pragya Yadav Senior Scientist ICMR-NIV, Pune.

“Till now at ICMR NIV Pune and VRDL have tested samples approximate 100 cases as on 2nd August 2022,” she added.

Notably, NCDC, Delhi and AIIMS lab has also started testing for Monkeypox as ICMR-NIV is sharing reagents with National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and all over the country network of 15 laboratories has started testing.

“There are fifteen Virus research and diagnostic laboratories (VRDLs) trained to undertake the diagnostic testing with ICMR -NIV Pune We have shared reagents to NCDC, Delhi also for performing testing. ICMR-NIV, Pune is a nodal center for testing and coordination,” said Dr Yadav. (ANI)

War-torn Afghanistan is witnessing an economic crisis and is under huge debt since the Taliban took control of the country as now it owes Tajikistan USD 28 million for electricity.

Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) of Afghanistan owes Tajikistan USD 28 million for electricity, said Mohammad Omar Asuzada, the head of the national electricity company of Tajikistan, Barqi Tojik.

In a press conference held on August 1, the Tajik energy official said that transferring money from the DABS company to Barqi Tojik became quite challenging after the banks responsible for purchasing electricity encountered sanctions, Khaama Press reported.

“We have received USD 2 million in cash”, however, the outstanding balance remains at USD 28 million to be paid by DABS,” Asuzada said.

The Afghan company, DABS, “is working on the matter,” he further added.

Tajikistan provided Afghanistan with more than 734 million kWh of electricity during the first half of the year, Khaama Press reported citing a Barqi Tojik senior official.

Due to the destruction of Afghan transmission lines in recent years, Afghanistan occasionally experienced interruptions in the provision of electricity, however, comes as according to a statement from the Uzbek Energy Ministry, Afghanistan has paid off its substantial debt to Uzbekistan for electric power imports.

Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in mid-August, many electricity supply projects in the country have been halted and several have shut down as well. The main reason for halting these projects is the suspension of funds from the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the United States development aid to Afghanistan.

Due to four decades of conflict, severe drought, and pandemics, Afghanistan’s economy was already collapsing.

After the Taliban seized power following the hasty withdrawal of US soldiers, the international community froze Afghanistan’s assets and withheld help.

Moreover, women work, and especially female breadwinners, have struggled to make ends meet since the Taliban took control. Female employees in government offices are currently housed in the majority of cases. (ANI)

Police in Manipur’s Imphal arrested a man accused of murdering his childhood friend in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Earlier on July 27, a woman in Manipur complained to the police that her brother had been missing for the last two days. A dead body was found in Tukaram Gate, Hyderabad on the same day.

Priyajith Namasudra (21) was arrested in Imphal in connection with the murder. He had earlier fled Hyderabad with his wife after the crime.

The police found out that the deceased and accused were childhood friends. Biswas and his family migrated to Hyderabad four years ago and were living in the Addagutta area. Namasudra and his wife also came to Hyderabad after a while and started living in a nearby house. However, an extramarital relationship developed between Biswas and Namasudra’s wife, Shilpi.

Despite Namasudra’s warnings, Biswa did not change his behaviour and decided to kill the latter. On June 25, Namasudra and Biswas went to an under-construction house at Trimurthy Colony to consume liquor. While Biswas was inebriated, Namasudra hit him on his head with a wooden block, due to which he died on the spot.

After the commission of the offence, the accused along with his wife fled away to their native place by flight as planned. The city police apprehended him in Imphal, brought him to Hyderabad on a transit warrant, and presented him in court on Wednesday. (ANI)

Cheetahs, widely known as the planet’s fastest animal, could soon make a comeback in India. The centre is planning to import Cheetahs from South Africa for the reintroduction of the species in the country.

This announcement was made following Foreign Office Consultations between India and South Africa that saw a discussion on the entire spectrum of bilateral ties.

“Both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations covering political exchanges, defence, economic and commercial issues, consular matters, cooperation in the field of agriculture, health, energy and minerals, human resource development, art, culture, sports and import of Cheetahs from South Africa for reintroduction in India,” said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement.

The 11th Session of India-South Africa Foreign Office Consultations was held today in New Delhi. The Consultations were co-chaired by Puneet R. Kundal, JS (East and Southern Africa), Ministry of External Affairs and Ntombizodwa Msutukazi Lallie, Acting Deputy Director-General Asia and Middle East, Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Republic of South Africa.

Besides import of Cheetahs, both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations. The two sides also reviewed the status of MOUs/agreements under negotiation and agreed to expedite their finalization for the mutual benefit of both countries.

In light of the upcoming completion of 30 years of ties between the two countries, it was decided to celebrate the occasion suitably, both in India and South Africa, through cultural and sports events and other activities.

During the consultations, both sides expressed satisfaction over the growth in bilateral trade which touched USD 17 billion in 2021-22 and agreed on the importance of further diversifying their trade.

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues including cooperation at the UN, BRICS, IBSA and IORA. The South African side assured of their support for the upcoming India G20 Presidency while the Indian side expressed its support for South Africa’s BRICS Chairship in 2023. Both sides also discussed regional issues, global developments and issues of common interest including the situation in Ukraine.

The two sides agreed to continue high-level exchanges and regular meetings of the institutional mechanisms such as the Joint Commission and various Joint Working Groups to keep up the momentum in bilateral relations. The Indian side also reiterated an invitation to South Africa to join International Solar Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

The talks were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. Both sides agreed to hold the next round of Consultations at mutually convenient dates in Pretoria. (ANI)

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday suspended the sentence of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala till the pendency of the appeal in a disproportionate assets (DA) case. Chautala recently had moved an appeal challenging the trial court order which had sentenced him to four years of imprisonment.

Justice Yogesh Khanna on Wednesday released the order copy stated that “considering the age of the appellant being 88 years and that in any case, admittedly, he has spent about one year and six months in custody as per nominal roll dated July 21, 2022, and further that in any case, he remained in custody even after his bail bonds were accepted in the present matter”.
“Thus as the appeal may take some time to come on board for hearing, hence keeping the question of benefit under Section 428 Cr.P.C. to be decided along with the appeal, the sentence of the appellant/applicant is suspended till the pendency of the present appeal”, said the Court

On Monday, the court had kept the order reserved and said will the appropriate order. Senior Advocate N Hariharan and Senior Advocate Sunil Dalal appeared for the OP Chautala on Monday. Advocate Anupam Sharma appeared for CBI in the case and opposed the suspension of sentence plea moved by OP Chautala.

Earlier OP Chautala had filed a writ petition before Delhi High Court through Advocate Amit Sahni submitting that his custody is already over and that his further custody is unlawful. Division Bench of Delhi High Court had directed the counsel of Chautala to file additional documents before the Single Bench, where his appeal is pending adjudication.

On May 27, 2022, the Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi ordered four years imprisonment to Om Prakash Chautala, also ordered to confiscate 4 properties of him and also imposed a fine of Rupees 50 lakh.

According to the CBI’s FIR accused Om Prakash Chautala, while functioning as Chief Minister of Haryana during the period from July 24, 1999, to March 5, 2005, in collusion with his family members and others, accumulated assets, immovable and movable, disproportionate to his known lawful sources of income, in his name, in the names of his family members and others to the extent of Rs.1,467 crores.

FIR further stated that the accused accumulated enormous wealth and invested the same throughout the country in the shape of thousands of acres of land, multi complexes, palatial residential houses, hotels, farmhouses, business agencies, petrol pumps and other investments apart from investments in foreign countries.

FIR also stated that 43 immovable properties in all, apart from cash and jewellery were accumulated. Apart from 43 alleged properties listed in the FIR, additional properties were also suspected to be of the accused family.

An investigation with regard to additional properties was also conducted for ascertaining the link of the accused family with the said properties.

The chargesheet filed in the matter after the conclusion of the investigation stated that accused OP Chautala had acquired assets, both immovable and movable, which were disproportionate to his known source of income.

The disproportionate assets were calculated to be Rs 6,09,79,026 (Rupees Six Crores Nine Lacs Seventy Nine Thousand and Twenty Six only) and the percentage of DA (Disproportionate Assets) was 189.11 per cent of his known sources of income.

Accordingly, CBI had chargesheeted the accused for the offence under Section 13(1)(e) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Apart from the charge sheet filed against the accused OP Chautala, the CBI had filed two more charge sheets arising out of the present FIR, against the sons of the accused i.e. Abhay Singh Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala and others, which are being tried separately.

Om Prakash Chautala is a former Chief Minister of Haryana from the Indian National Lok Dal and son of sixth Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal. (ANI)

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021 unanimously by a voice vote.

Opposition parties also took part in the discussion on the bill which seeks to provide a statutory framework for functioning of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the National Dope Testing Laboratory in sports.
The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on July 27.

Replying to the debate on the bill, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur said India will now join the league of nations like the US, China, France or Australia, Japan, S Korea to have a law and dope test laboratory.

The bill provides for planning, implementing, and monitoring anti-doping activities as well as investigating anti-doping rule violations.

It also seeks to give effect to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation International Convention against doping in sports and compliance with such other obligations and commitments. The legislation prohibits athletes, athlete support personnel, and other persons from engaging in doping in sports.

The violation of anti-doping rules may result in disqualification of results including forfeiture of medals, points, and prizes, ineligibility to participate in a competition or event for a prescribed period, and financial sanctions.

The Bill proposes to establish the National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports with a view to make recommendations to the government on anti-doping regulations and compliance with international commitments on anti-doping. The board will oversee the activities of NADA and issue directions to it.

Participating in the discussion, Biju Janata Dal’s Amar Patnaik said many Indian athletes take Ayurvedic and homoeopathic medicines without knowing they might include banned substances. “Our realities are different and that has to be factored into this Bill,” Patnaik said.

In her maiden speech, nominated Rajya Sabha member PT Usha said a high number of doping cases in India is a serious concern and this needs to be addressed.

“We are yet to open our eyes to doping abuse in our country. What was once confined only to the senior national levels has now reached junior, college, and school levels too,” she said.

CPI (M) MP John Brittas said budgetary allocation for sports should be increased.

“You should be using your political clout to increase the budgetary allocation to sports in India,” he said, addressing Thakur.

He also suggested that the ministry should consult PT Usha to understand the resources required by sportspersons. (ANI)

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday posted a video of herself riding a scooty on social media and said she had a great time dropping a fellow minister Bharati Pawar to office.

Taking to Instagram, Irani posted the video and wrote, “Dropping @dr.bharatippawar Tai, MoS Health to office after a great start to the day with Tiranga Yatra”.

In the video, Irani, who was all smiles, was seen wearing a beautiful floral red saree. She was seen wearing a helmet and glasses while minister of state for health Pawar held the national flag.

The central government and the BJP are celebrating 75 years of Independence by running a ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign.

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu along with Union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Piyush Goyal flagged off a Tiranga Bike Rally for MPs from Red Fort on Tuesday.

During the rally Irani said “Every citizen of the country is celebrating as India is completing 75 years of Independence. PM Narendra Modi’s resolve is that the next 25 years should be full of resolutions, full of duties and every Indian should live up to the expectations.”

“The power of the Tricolour is to unite 130 crore Indians. Today you can see that all have joined the Tiranga Yatra unitedly. Many Union Ministers, MPs and leaders of different parties have participated in this campaign. I wanted that the opposition parties should also join Tiranga yatra in large numbers but they didn’t. We are trying to send out a message to the coming generations that we will all keep India united, take India forward and make India stronger,” said Union Minister Anurag Thakur.

“It is a special 2nd August today! At a time when we are marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, our nation is all set for #HarGharTiranga, a collective movement to celebrate our Tricolour. I have changed the DP on my social media pages and urge you all to do the same,” tweeted PM Modi today.

PM Modi on Sunday called upon all citizens to turn the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign into a mass movement by hoisting or displaying the national flag at their homes and using the ‘Tiranga’ as a display picture on their social media accounts between August 2 and August 15 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence.

“Under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, from the 13th to the 15th of August, a special movement – ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ is being organized. Let us further this movement by hoisting the National Flag at our homes,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday while addressing the monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ is a campaign under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to encourage people to bring the Tiranga home and to hoist it to mark the 75th year of India’s independence.

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements. (ANI)