Month: August 2022

The water level continued to be above the danger mark in the Ganga and Yamuna in Prayagraj, so water entered densely populated colonies in the Uttari Rajapur area on Friday night. It left the residents searching for shelter, despite the rescue mission getting underway.

The probability of inundation was feared after water was released from the Chambal Betwa Ken into the Yamuna river and from Uttarakhand into the Ganga river. Due to this, the water levels in both rivers have gone above the danger mark.
National Disaster Response Force has started the rescue mission in the affected areas. It is providing relief materials and also relocating the affected people.

The affected people were not ready when suddenly water started entering their houses on Friday night.

“We didn’t even know when suddenly water entered our houses, we don’t know where to go, but the rescue team is helping us,” said the affected people.

Brajesh Kumar Tiwari, the NDRF officer also said that the water level is expected to rise in the coming days.

“As soon as we got the news, we came here with our rescue boats, we have rescued many of them, some 10-12 more people are there, and we will rescue them now. The water has gone above the danger mark and it is expected to rise even further in the coming days,” the officer told ANI.

On Friday also, several low-lying areas got submerged in water after the water level in the two rivers rose. A week before, Sangam Ghat in Prayagraj also got submerged in water amid rising water levels, after which the administration had to put restrictions on people visiting the Ghats.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted a meeting with the officials on Thursday. He had directed officials posted in districts along the Yamuna and Betwa rivers to stay alert as flood-like situations could emerge. The UP Chief Minister directed the officers to make special arrangements in the districts, which are expected to be affected.

He assessed the situation and directed the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to be alert and keep the control rooms active. He asked them to keep enough stock of the relief material so that relief can be carried out smoothly in case of any disaster. He also asked the officials to lay special focus on animals as well. They should be shifted to safe places with sufficient fodder. (ANI)

A Pakistani infiltrator was apprehended by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel along the international border in Jammu’s Arina sector during the early hours of Saturday, officials said.

This is the third attempt of intrusion within a week.
On the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, BSF personnel noticed movement near the International Border in the RS Pura area of the Arina sector. As soon as the intruder crossed over to the Indian side and started moving toward the fence, the BSF troops challenged the intruder but when he continued to walk ignoring their warnings, they fired upon him.

The intruder hid behind a gate and was soon apprehended by the BSF personnel.

After initial interrogation, the intruder was identified as 45-year-old Mohammad Shabad a resident of Pakistan’s Sialkot.

Further details are being obtained from the apprehended person.

Earlier on August 25, the BSF shot a Pakistani intruder who attempted to smuggle narcotics across the International Border in the Samba area of Jammu.

According to the BSF spokesperson, the intruder who tried to cross the border was shot by BSF personnel after they noticed a suspicious movement from Pakistan’s side in the early hours of the day.

The BSF troops immediately fired up on the intruder but the injured intruder managed to escape as the troops recovered blood stains from the spot.

However, he left behind a huge amount of drugs which he was attempting to smuggle.

The official said that they recovered as many as eight Packets of drugs (Heroin) equalling around 8 kgs.

On August 21, Indian Army troops on LOC in the Sehar Makri area of town Nowshera shot at and apprehended an intruder who was allegedly coming for a suicide attack.

The intruder identified as Tabarak Husain (26) was at first noticed to be involved in suspicious activity and was confronted by the army troops in the Sehar Makri area of town Nowshera in the Rajouri district of Jammu.

The infiltrator attempted to escape from the army troops but was shot at and intercepted in injured condition, said the Rajouri district police.

The intruder was rushed to the local army establishment for first aid and then was shifted to Army Hospital Rajouri, for further treatment, they added. (ANI)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting of Jammu & Kashmir BJP unit to discuss political and organisational issues on Friday.
BJP said that the meeting was planned one week ago only, and it was a coincidence that it happened on the same day when Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned from the Congress.

BJP State president Ravinder Raina said it was a significant meeting of over 2 hours, and all important issues concerning the state were discussed.

“We discussed about the political, organisational and security issues in J&K. Amit Shah Ji has directed the BJP members to spread information related to the beneficiary schemes of the Modi Government and keep on working for peace and development in J&K. We also suggested Amit Shah Ji to conduct big rallies in J&K with cabinet ministers. We also discussed the issue of targeted killings in the valley. He also thanked the residents of the valley, and especially the youth for making ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ a huge success,” Raina told ANI.

Other than him, BJP leaders BL Santosh, Jugal Kishore, Jitendra Singh, Shakti Raj Parihar, Devendra Singh Rana, Tarun Chugh and Aashish Sood were also present at the meeting.

Earlier, on Friday, J&K Governor Manoj Sinha also had a meeting with Amit Shah. On Thursday, both Shah and Sinha also held a review meeting with the top officials of J&K.

Raina said that BJP is ready for the Assembly elections in J&K, and as soon as the electoral process is complete, the elections will be held.

“The delimitation process has been completed, but currently the Election Commission (EC) is revising the electoral roll. The voter list is being revised, and some new polling booths are also to be made. The process will end around November 25. BJP is ready for the elections as soon as EC gives the nod,” Raina said.

The BJP leader also said that now Schedule Tribes (ST) will also get reservations in J&K elections, which was not the case earlier.

“Regarding the reservation of Assembly seats, the ST community didn’t get it earlier. But, now after the abrogation of Article 370, all the laws of the nation are applicable here as well. Now, 6 assembly seats in Jammu and 3 in Kashmir valley will be reserved for the ST community.

BJP State President also commented on Ghulam Nabi Azad’s resignation and called it his internal matter.

“His resignation is an internal matter, regarding whether he will make a new party, or will join any other party. It will definitely have an effect on J&K because he is a senior leader and Congress will be at a loss,” Raina commented.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Friday in a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, resigned from all positions of the Congress party including the primary membership of the party.

“The Indian National Congress has lost both the will and the ability under the tutelage of the coterie that runs the AICC to fight for what is right for India,” wrote Azad in his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi. (ANI)

Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Siddaramaiah on Saturday refused to participate in an event organised by the Chinese embassy citing ideological differences.

Moreover, he said he was surprised to be included in the guest list.
“Although I refused to participate in the program organized by India-China Friendship Association on Sunday, I was surprised to see my name in the invitation letter,” tweeted Siddaramaiah.

He also outlined the reason: “I am not participating in the program as ideologically my stand and that of our party is against the purpose of the program.”

The event has been slated for Sunday and has been organised under India-China Friendship Association. It includes a seminar on ‘Interference of the US imperialist in the internal affairs of the People’s Republic of China’.

The event also includes a Chinese photographic exhibition.

Earlier on August 24, Siddaramaiah reacted to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai doubting the credibility of the contractor’s association and said that it was the version of the Bharatiya Janata Party and not that of the contractors.

“It is BJP’s argument, not that of contractors…It’s irrelevant, I’m not going to accept that,” the senior Congress leader said when asked about the CM’s questioning the credibility of the contractor’s association over their allegation of a 40 per cent commission in the government contracts.

In order to reiterate and remind Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the increasing corruption in the state, the Karnataka State Contractors Association is planning to revive its 40 per cent kickback accusation by writing to him.

Notably, he also clarified that he did not eat non-vegetarian food before going to the temple and has not hurt religious sentiments after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attacked him.

The former CM termed it as a “non-issue” while asserting the right to choice of food.

Earlier on August 18, Siddaramaiah entered Basaveshwara temple in Kodlipet after allegedly eating non-vegetarian food, during his recent visit to Kodagu which triggered a row.

While addressing mediapersons in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said, “Is eating meat an issue? It is a personal food habit. I eat both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. It is my habit, while some don’t eat meat, it’s their food habit.(ANI)

Buses carrying Jharkhand MLAs were on Saturday afternoon seen leaving the Ranchi residence of chief minister Hemant Soren, who had called a meeting of the UPA legislators, amidst speculation about his possible disqualification as an MLA in the state assembly for allegedly violating poll norms by extending himself a mining lease.

Two Volvo buses carrying MLAs of the JMM-led ruling alliance were seen leaving the Jharkhand chief minister’s residence today.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand Congress Legislative Party is holding a meeting this evening with Incharge Avinash Pande presiding. In the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, the ruling alliance has 30 MLAs of the JMM, 18 MLAs of the Congress and one MLA of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).

Soren had called a meeting of the state’s ruling UPA coalition members, the third in two days. Earlier in the day several MLAs were seen arriving for the meeting with luggage in tow.

There is speculation that the MLAs will be taken to Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh. Prior to the meeting at Soren’s house the Congress Jharkhand president Rajesh Thakur said that all the MLAs have been asked to come prepared.

“I have no information about this. MLAs are coming with luggage for the meeting because they have been asked to be ready. We will let you know if MLAs are asked to shift somewhere,” Thakur said.

The Congress has blamed the BJP for polluting politics in the state. “Jharkhand’s politics is different… BJP is trying to pollute politics here. If EC sends a report in a sealed envelope, it gets leaked even before it’s opened. The alliance government’s recent decisions will affect their (BJP) base in tribal areas,” Jharkhand Congress working president Bandhu Tirkey told ANI.

Taking a jibe at the Soren-led meeting, BJP leader Nishikant Dubey said, “Even after scrambling, only 33 MLAs could gather in Ranchi.”

Meanwhile this morning Soren tweeted that he hailed from the tribal community and was unaffected by the ongoing slugfest.

“This is a tribal son. Never have our ways ever been stopped by their tactics nor have we ever been afraid. Our ancestors have long removed the feeling of fear from us. There’s no place of fear in the DNA of us Adivasis,” tweeted Jharkhand CM.

On Friday MLAs of the ruling coalition assured Soren of their support. Congress leader and Jharkhand Health Minister Banna Gupta said yesterday that the JMM-Congress coalition is “standing strong”.

Today’s meeting of the MLAs came a day after CM Soren denied receiving any communication from the ECI or Governor Ramesh Bais on the statements about the poll body “recommending his disqualification as an MLA.”

The Chief Minister’s office released a statement on Thursday after several media reports speculated that the ECI has sent a report to the Governor about Soren’s disqualification.

“The Chief Minister is apprised of several media reports about ECI sending a report to Honorable Governor -Jharkhand ‘apparently recommending his disqualification as an MLA’. No communication in this regard has been received by CMO from either ECI or Governor,” read the statement.

Soren has alleged that the EC report was “drafted” by the principal opposition party in Jharkhand, BJP with its 25 MLAs, to topple the Jharkhand government.

The trail of events gained pace after Nishikant Dubey, BJP Member of Parliament from Godda, Jharkhand, tweeted that a letter from the ECI has reached the Raj Bhavan.

The BJP has sought the disqualification of Soren as an MLA accusing him of allocating a mining lease to himself while he held the portfolio of Mines Minister in 2021.

In February this year the BJP submitted a memorandum to the Governor seeking disqualification of Soren from the House under Section 9(A) of the Representation of People’s Act.

The Governor had forwarded BJP complaint to the ECI and the poll panel in May had issued a notice to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader. (ANI)

Delhi Police has rejected permission to stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui to perform his August 28 scheduled show in the national capital.

The licensing unit of the Delhi Police denied the permission after the local central district police wrote a report stating that “the show will affect communal harmony in the area.”
The Joint Commissioner of Police, Licensing, OP Mishra told ANI that the permission for the show has been denied.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had on August 25 written to the Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora to cancel Faruqui’s show.

In its letter, the VHP alleged that “Communal tension arose in Bhagyanagar because of Munawar’s jokes on Hindu Gods.”

The VHP letter further said that if the show is not cancelled members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal will hold protests.

Last Saturday, Munawar Faruqui hosted a standup comedy show in Hyderabad, amidst tight security.

The Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar had given a call to boycott the show alleging that Faruqui mocked Hindu Gods.

Earlier this week, suspended Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh was arrested by the state police for his remarks on the Prophet in a video posted on social media. Singh said his video was in response to the show held in Hyderabad by Faruqui.

Protests erupted in Telangana following Singh’s alleged remarks on the Prophet. He was arrested first on Tuesday and was released following court orders. On August 25 the MLA from the Goshamahal constituency was arrested for the second time.

Earlier Faruqui’s show in Bengaluru, was cancelled by the city police for the second time, who said organisers had not taken prior permission to hold the event.

Earlier this year in May Faruqui participated in the Kangana Ranaut-hosted reality show ‘Lock-Upp’ and won the winner trophy after receiving more than 18 lakh votes.

On January 1 this year, Faruqui and four others were arrested by Madhya Pradesh police following a complaint by Eklavya Singh Gaud, son of BJP MLA Malini Laxman Singh Gaud that objectionable remarks about Hindu deities as well as Union Home Minister Amit Shah were passed during a comedy show at a cafe in Indore on New Year’s Day. He was later released on bail. (ANI)

Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra on Friday clinched the javelin throw competition at the Lausanne Diamond League with a best throw of 89.08m.

With his best throw at the event, Chopra became the first Indian to clinch the prestigious Diamond League Meeting title with a win in Lausanne.
Neeraj has thus qualified for the Diamond League Finals, which will take place in Zurich, Switzerland from September 7 and 8. He has also now qualified for the 2023 World Championships.

Neeraj’s throw sequence on the day was 89.08m, 85.18m, he skipped the third attempt while making a foul in the fourth. In also skipped his fifth attempt and then made a stunning throw of 80.04m in his sixth and final attempt.

Czech Republic’s Jakub Valejch threw 85.88m to claim the second spot while USA’s Curtis Thompson hurled 83.72m for the third spot.

Earlier in July, star Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was ruled out from Commonwealth Games. Neeraj sustained a groin injury in the finals of the World Athletics Championships in Oregon on Sunday, where he clinched the silver medal, to end India’s 19-year-long wait for a medal at the world championships.

Neeraj had clinched the gold medal in the CWG 2018, which was held in Australia. He further stated that he is deeply hurt by the fact that he will not be able to defend his title.

Neeraj had finished second in the Stockholm leg of the prestigious event trailing one spot behind the world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada with a national record throw of 89.94m, just 6cm short of the 90m mark, the gold standard in the world of javelin throw. (ANI)

A day after Justice NV Ramana retired, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit was sworn in as 49th Chief Justice of India on Saturday. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office of the Chief Justice of India to Justice Lalit at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning hours.

He succeeds Justice NV Ramana, who retired on August 26.
Justice Ramana had recommended Justice Lalit as his successor in keeping with convention and norms of seniority. The President subsequently confirmed Justice Lalit’s appointment as the new CJI.

Justice Lalit will have a brief tenure of 74 days as the head of India’s judiciary and would demit office on 8 November.

Yesterday at the farewell function of Justice Ramana, Justice Lalit said that during his tenure of nearly three months he will focus on three key areas and one of his top priorities would be to make the listing of cases simple, clear and as transparent as possible.

Justice Lalit has also promised to ensure a clear-cut regime where any urgent matters can freely be mentioned before the respective benches of the top court.

He assured that there will be at least one Constitution Bench functioning throughout the year in the Supreme Court.

Justice Lalit said, “I have always believed that the role of the Supreme Court is to lay down law with clarity, consistency, and the best possible way to do it is to have larger benches as early as possible, wherever the matters are referred to such benches so that the issues get clarified immediately, the matter has consistency and the people are well aware of what exactly are the contours of the peculiar positions in law.”

The outgoing CJI Ramana on his last working day apologised for not being able to list all the pending matters and said the court has been firefighting pendency, which rose alarmingly during the pandemic months.

Justice Lalit was a renowned senior advocate before he became the judge of the apex court. He was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court on August 13, 2014.

Justice Lalit will be the second CJI who was directly elevated to the Supreme Court bench from the Bar. Justice SM Sikri, who became the 13th CJI in January 1971, was the first lawyer to be elevated directly to the top court bench in March 1964.

Justice Lalit was born on November 9, 1957, in Maharashtra’s Solapur. His father, UR Lalit, was an additional judge at the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court and a senior advocate at the Supreme Court. Justice Lalit enrolled as an advocate in June 1983. He specialised in criminal law and practised at the Bombay High Court from 1983 to 1985.

He shifted his practice to Delhi in January 1986, and in April 2004, he was designated as a senior advocate by the top court.

He was later appointed a special public prosecutor for the CBI to conduct the trial in the 2G spectrum allocation case.

After Justice Lalit’s retirement on November 8, Justice DY Chandrachud is expected to be appointed as the 50th Chief Justice of India. (ANI)

Two more people have been arrested in connection with the murder case of actor and BJP leader Sonali Phogat, Goa Police said on Saturday.

Police said they have arrested the owner of Curlies beach shack in Anjuna and a suspected drug peddler Dattprashad Gaonkar taking the total arrests in the case to four.
On Friday Phogat’s PA Sudhir Sangwan and his associate, Sukhwinder Singh were arrested in connection with the alleged murder. Police said that the duo who travelled to Goa with Phogat on August 22 had during interrogation confessed that they had intentionally made her drink a liquid mixed with some “obnoxious” chemical. Both the accused will be produced before the court today.

Meanwhile, the suspected peddler Gaonkar held today had allegedly supplied drugs to Sukhwinder Singh. “Based on the investigation, the police detained the drug peddler who had supplied drugs,” Anjuna Police said.

“Statement of more than 20-25 people have been recorded so far in the case. These include the staff of Curlies Restaurant and others. The owner of the restaurant is being questioned by the police,” police officials said.

Sonali Phogat, 42, was declared dead at the St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa on August 23. A post-mortem report revealed blunt force injury on her body, following which the Goa Police registered a murder case.

Phogat’s PA and his associate were arrested after police accessed the CCTV footage in which the trio were seen partying at a club.

“On the basis of CCTV footage, it was seen that the accused Sudhir Sangwan and his associate Sukhwinder Singh were partying with the deceased at a club. A video establishes that one of them forcefully made the victim consume a substance,” Inspector General of Police Omvir Singh Bishnoi said.

Phogat was cremated at her hometown in Hisar yesterday. Her brother Rinky Dhaka said, “We are satisfied with how the investigation into the murder of my sister has progressed. The CCTV footage has revealed the truth. We cremated my sister today, will look into the further process to get her justice now.”

Rinku Dhaka had earlier filed a complaint alleging that Phogat was murdered by Sudhir Sangwan, her personal trainer along with Sukhwinder Singh who intended “to take over her properties and financial assets to finish her political career.”

“When confronted, Sukhwinder and Sudhir confessed that they intentionally mixed an obnoxious chemical into a liquid and made the victim drink it,” IGP Omvir Singh Bishnoi said.

The two accused confessed that after they intentionally mixed an obnoxious chemical into a liquid and made the victim drink it, which made her feel uneasy, after which they took her to the hotel and then to St. Anthony’s Hospital, where she was declared brought dead,” the Goa police said.

Meanwhile, Phogat’s last rites were conducted on Friday at Hisar in Haryana.

The actor, who rose to fame with her TikTok videos, contested the 2019 Haryana election as a BJP candidate but lost to then Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi (he has since joined the BJP). She also appeared in the reality show Bigg Boss in 2020. (ANI)

Soon after presenting his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu, German Ambassador to India, Dr Philipp Ackermann said that Europe is not happy with the way the Russian invasion is underway in Ukraine.
“As you know we are extremely concerned about Europe, very nervous and very unhappy about the events that is basically playing in the neighbourhood,” said the German ambassador while speaking exclusively to ANI.

In his first official event in the national capital here on Friday, the German envoy stressed that in the coming future he does not see any solution to the ongoing war between the two countries.

“I would say this is the greatest crisis in Europe right now and I do hope although I am not overconfident that we find a way,” the German envoy added.

Further, the German Ambassador to India revealed that his sister is providing shelter to a Ukrainian family in the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

“Around one million Ukrainian refugees are within the borders right now and two of my sisters are hosting Ukrainian families at their homes,” the German envoy told ANI.

Dr Philip Ackerman presented his credentials to President Droupadi Murmu today and participated in his first public event with the inauguration of the Air Filtration Tower at Sundar Nagar park in Delhi.

During the inauguration, the envoy said, “After a few weeks this air purifier is of great help to Delhites from pollution in winter,” the German envoy said.

Talking about his experience in India, he said, “I have been serving in India before, on another level, for me, it’s my first time as ambassador. I am very happy to be here. I have a great liking for India, my experience is that although the country has changed in 12 years, I feel the same warmth, same hospitality, same friendliness, and politeness of the Indian people and I am very much looking forward to spending the next few years here.”

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls by the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk for protection from Ukrainian troops.

Western countries have since been supplying arms to Ukraine and have rolled out comprehensive sanctions against Russia. (ANI)