June 2023 - Page 8 of 52 - Lokmarg

UCC Should Be Implemented For Hindu Religion First: Elangovan

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on having a Uniform Civil Code in the country, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan on Tuesday said that it should first be implemented for the Hindu religion.

“Uniform Civil Code should be first introduced in the Hindu religion. Every person including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should be allowed to perform pooja in any temple in the country,” Elangovan said.
“We don’t want UCC only because the Constitution has given protection to every religion,” he said.

Earlier today, PM Modi said that the country cannot run on two laws and that Uniform Civil Code was part of the Constitution.

“Today people are being instigated in the name of UCC. How can the country run on two (laws)? The Constitution also talks of equal rights…Supreme Court has also asked to implement UCC. These (Opposition) people are playing vote bank politics,” he said.

It is noteworthy that Part 4, Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, corresponds with Directive Principles of State Policy, making it mandatory for the State to provide its citizens with a uniform civil code (UCC) throughout the territory of India.

After flagging off five Vande Bharat Express trains on Tuesday morning, PM Modi addressed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) booth workers in Bhopal.

“Will a family function if there are two different sets of rules for people? Then how will a country run? Our Constitution too guarantees equal rights to all people,” PM Modi said in Bhopal today while addressing party workers under the BJP’s “Mera Booth Sabse Majboot” campaign.

The Prime Minister further said that people are being instigated in the name of the Uniform Civil Code.

“The Muslim brothers and sisters of India have to understand which political parties are taking political advantage of them by provoking them. We are seeing that work is being done to incite such people in the name of UCC,” he further said.

He said that appeasement politics had left many people behind, including the Pasmanda Muslims.

“Pasmanda Muslims have become a victim of politics. Some people are using the politics of appeasement to break the country. The BJP cadre should go and explain this to the Muslims and educate them so that they do not fall victim to such politics”, PM Modi said.

“If they were supportive of Muslims the Muslim brothers would not be poor or deprived…Supreme Court has also asked for the implementation of the UCC. But these people are hungry only for vote bank,” Modi said accusing the Opposition in the country of employing vote-bank politics of appeasement. (ANI)

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Tibetan Troops Recruited By Chinese Army Now Visible Across LAC In Ladakh, Arunachal

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

The Tibetan troops recruited by the Chinese Army for helping them in high-altitude areas are now visible as part of the People’s Liberation Army border defence patrols along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, according to the sources.

Soon after the aggression along the LAC in 2020, China started recruiting these soldiers to help them sustain in high-altitude areas as part of their long-term deployment plans there.
“The Tibetan soldiers are now visible as part of the patrols of their border defence troops but the majority continue to be the mainland Chinese soldiers,” sources in security forces said.

The Chinese have faced issues with their regular mainland troops to sustain themselves in high altitude areas and also have seen how the Indian Special Frontier Force troops including many Tibetan troops performed during the capture of high peaks in the Kailash ranges by the Indian Army, sources said.

As per reports, China had issued instructions to their senior commanders to induct at least one soldier from each Tibetan family and turn them loyal towards the country as well as keeping a check on their families.

However, sources said the move by China has seen a lot of resentment from the affected families.

India and China have been in a military standoff since April-May 2020 and deployed heavily in the border areas.

India has also deployed an almost equal number of troops along the Eastern Ladakh sector to counter any possible misadventure by the Chinese in the future.

The Army has also reoriented its focus towards the northern borders and deployed new formations along with dual tasking some of them for facing the two-front threat scenario. (ANI)

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Himachal To Receive More Rain For Next 5 Days: IMD

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

There is a possibility of rains for the next five days in Himachal Pradesh, some places may receive heavy rains, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday.

“There is a possibility of rain for the next 5 days. Heavy rain alert continues at some places of the state,” said Sandeep Kumar Sharma, IMD scientist, Shimla.
Sandeep Kumar Sharma said that more than average rainfall is likely in the state in June this year.

“An orange alert has been issued today and a yellow one for tomorrow. More than average rainfall likely in June,” the IMD scientist said.

The Meteorological Centre in Shimla on Tuesday predicted light rainfall with thunderstorms in different parts of the state.

According to the weather department, different areas of Kangra, Chamba, Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur, Mandi, Kullu, Shimla, and Solan districts are expected to get light-intensity rainfall with thunderstorms in the next 2-3 hours.

Earlier in the day, heavy rain triggered a flash flood in Himachal Pradesh that blocked Tandi-Killar State Highway-26 in Dared Nala, officials said on Tuesday.

Monsoon hit Himachal Pradesh on June 24 and till now, 9 people have lost their lives, said officials.

“Monsoon hit Himachal Pradesh on June 24. Till now, 9 people have lost their lives, 14 injured, 4 houses are fully damaged while 28 are partially damaged due to heavy rains. The estimated loss is approximately Rs 104 crores,” said Onkar Chand Sharma, Principal Secretary of Revenue and Disaster Management. (ANI)

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Assam: Flood Situation Gradually Improving

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

The flood situation in the Barpeta district of Assam is improving but nearly 88,000 people in the district are still affected by the deluge.

Many flood-affected people are currently taking shelter in relief camps set up by the district administration on roads and embankments.
In the Kayakuchi area in the Barpeta district, around 100 families have taken shelter at the Paka Betbari Development Block campus after the flood waters submerged their homes.

According to locals, they are facing many problems including food, clean drinking water, medicines, etc due to floods.

113 villages of the district are still under water. The flood waters submerged 312.75 hectares of cropland in the district.

Meanwhile, the flood situation in Assam has marginally improved but it has damaged the homes and household items of various people leaving them to take shelter on embankments.

One of the locals identified as Gagan Talukdar said that he along with his four family members are now taking shelter on an embankment for the last five days after the devastating flood completely damaged his home and other household items.

Gagan is a resident of Doloigaon Shantipur village in Assam’s Bajali district.

Speaking to ANI, he said, “In the wee hours of June 23, I along with my family members were sleeping when the flood waters breached a big portion of the embankment. The flood waters immediately entered our house and I called my children and alerted other fellow villagers,” he said.

“We immediately rushed to the embankment to save our lives and also asked other villagers. We weren’t able to get out my household items, and stuff. The flood waters washed away many household items and damaged my home. There was about 4 feet of water inside my home,” he added.

He also said that he is a daily wage labourer and his entire family is dependent upon him.

He further said that they received relief materials for 1-2 days from the government and some other NGOs helped them.

The flood situation in Bajali district and other parts of the state is improving, but nearly 1.56 lakh people in 11 districts are still affected.

According to the flood report of Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 87232 people have still affected alone in Barpeta district followed by 44617 people in Bajali district, 17086 people in Lakhimpur district, 5909 people affected in Nalbari district.

563 villages under 23 revenue circles and 3801.63 hectares of cropland are still underwater.

48 villages in the Bajali district are currently underwater.

In the last 24 hours, two children drowned in flood waters in Barpeta district taking the death toll to five.

As many as 2,915 flood-affected people are still taking shelter in 29 relief camps in five districts set up by the district administration. (ANI)

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Bhaukla Gaye Hain: Modi Fires Salvos At ‘Opposition Unity’ Front

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took a jibe at the opposition meeting held on June 23 saying that they have become flustered because the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to win the 2024 elections.

“Wo baukhala gaye hain (They have become flustered). So, they have started to hold meetings… A few days ago a photo session was organised by them (Opposition) and if you see the photographs, you will realise that every person in the photo has their own history of scams, Every photo is a guarantee of corruption and scams. Everyone together is a guarantee of at least Rs 20 lakh crore corruption. at least Rs 20 lakh crore corruption. Congress alone has carried out scams worth lakhs of crores. The RJD, TMC, NCP all of them have a long list of scams,” PM Modi said while addressing party booth workers here.
PM’s remarks come in the wake of a mega Opposition meeting held on June 23 in Patna where leaders from over 15 Opposition parties participated to forge opposition unity to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“There was bitter opposition of the BJP… be it 2014 or in 2019, in both the elections, there was not as much restlessness as is being seen today. Today, they prostrate in front of each other and there was a time that they used to abuse each other all the time. Their restlessness shows that the people of the country have made up their minds to bring back the BJP in the 2024 elections. Once again in 2024, the massive victory of the BJP is certain, that is why all the opposition parties are in a panic,” he added.

He further said that the opposition has only one guarantee, that of scams and that he will ensure action is taken against every scamster.

“These parties have experience only with scams, and they only have one guarantee, which is of scams. The country has to decide if it wants to accept this guarantee. And here is Modi’s guarantee and that is –to take action on every scammer,” PM Modi said.

Without naming Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, the PM said leaders of the opposition parties had headed to Patna to take lessons of being in jail from “experienced” people.

“You have heard, when a criminal returns to his village from jail, people come to him eagerly to know his experience of jail. Leaders of the opposition party also need that type of experience as they know that they are under scanner and for this, what better than Patna,” PM Modi further said.

The BJP has also come down heavily on the opposition meeting chaired by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in Patna terming it a “photo session”.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 23 had said, “Today a photo session is underway in Patna. They (the opposition) want to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NDA. I want to tell them that PM Modi will form his government in the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls with more than 300 seats,” Shah, who arrived in Jammu on a two-day visit today said. (ANI)

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Grave Injustice To Muslim Daughters: Modi On Triple Talaq

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at Opposition parties for “vote bank politics” and their “policy of appeasement” and said that those who are supporting triple talaq are doing grave injustice to Muslim women.

Stating that advocating Triple Talaq is a “grave injustice” to Muslim women, PM Modi said that if it is a necessary tenet of Islam, then why Pakistan, Indonesia, and Bangladesh do not have it?
“Whoever talks in favour of Triple Talaq, whoever advocates it, those vote bank hungry people are doing a great injustice to Muslim daughters. Triple talaq doesn’t just do injustice to daughters. It is beyond this; the whole family get ruined. If it has been a necessary tenet of Islam, then why was it banned in countries like Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh,” said PM Modi while addressing Bharatiya Janata Party booth workers in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal.

Making a strong pitch for uniform law, he said that the country cannot run on two laws and that Uniform Civil Code was part of the Constitution.

Notably, Part 4, Article 44 of the Indian Constitution, corresponds with Directive Principles of State Policy, making it mandatory for the State to provide its citizens with a uniform civil code (UCC) throughout the territory of India.

PM Modi, after flagging off five Vande Bharat Express trains on Tuesday morning, addressed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) booth workers in Bhopal.

The Prime Minister further said that people are being instigated in the name of the Uniform Civil Code.

He said that appeasement politics had left many people behind, including the Pasmanda Muslims.

“If they were really supportive of Muslims the Muslim brothers would not be poor or deprived…Supreme Court has also asked for the implementation of the UCC. But these people are hungry only for vote bank,” Modi said accusing the Opposition in the country of employing vote-bank politics of appeasement. (ANI)

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Assam Rifles Recover Weapons, Explosives Heading To Violence-Hit Manipur

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

Assam Rifles and Kohima Police foiled a smuggling bid and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition heading to strife-torn Manipur in a joint special operation in the Kohima City of Nagaland, stated a release from the Defence PRO on Tuesday.

The recovered items include two pistols and other ammunition.
“Two pistols, four Magazines, ammunition, explosives and other war-like stores were recovered,” the PRO statement added.

The PRO statement said forces received information that miscreants were attempting to smuggle weapons to strife-torn Manipur via Nagaland.

Acting on the tip-off, a joint operation was launched by the Assam Rifles and the Kohima police at 2 AM on June 26.

“Assam Rifles spotted a passenger vehicle and kept it under surveillance. At 6 AM, the teams jointly searched the vehicle,” the statement further added.

“A total of 11,00 arms, 13,702 ammunitions and 250 bombs of different kinds have been recovered so far. Flag marches, area domination, cordon and search operations are continuing in various parts of the state,” a Manipur police statement said on Monday.

Manipur has been in the throes of ethnic violence for over 52 days. Over 100 people have been killed so far, as per officials.

An all-party meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah was held on Sunday to take steps to restore peace back in the BJP-ruled state.

Violence gripped Manipur on May 3 after clashes erupted during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest against the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Manipur Police and central forces have conducted patrolling, flag marches and cordon, search operations in vulnerable areas of the state. (ANI)

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‘BJP Will Pay Dearly In Haryana Elections For Mistreating Our Women Wrestlers’

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

Sunita Tyagi, a retired academic, and Dr CD Sharma, a physician, from Haryana speak on the likely impact of the women wrestlers’ protest on the upcoming Haryana elections. Their views:

The peaceful and difficult struggle by our world champion women wrestlers, and against all odds, has sent multiple, positive messages. Their himmat and big heart has sent a message of hope to ordinary women and girls in Haryana and across the country. Their struggle is quite unprecedented, given the status of women in Haryana. They have truly shown the way.

People in Haryana, which is their home state, and especially women, feel a deeper linkage with them. However, women did not join the protests as much as was expected. Even men, who take up cudgels whenever there are inter-caste marriages in the state, or, if there is a case of live-in relationship involving a woman and man, why did they not show the same anger against the sexual harassment faced by young women of the state in the hands of a history-sheeter bahubali backed by the might of the entire BJP apparatus in the state and the Centre. Why was the male ego not hurt? Where was their sense of pride and honour when they saw the ‘Haryana ki Beti’ being hounded by the regime, and dragged on the streets of Delhi?

Thankfully, the farmers and their families stood with our young women, who are also daughters of the land. The farmers proved that this was a historical struggle and should be backed to the hilt. Consequently, there is no doubt that the BJP is on the back-foot in the state.

ALSO READ: ‘Even Olympians Aren’t Safe From Sexual Predators’

The fact is that the façade of development in Haryana is hollow. Ironically, Haryana tops in the unemployment index in the country, and the industrial sector has not grown. The education scenario is abysmal, and women, despite high education, their brilliance and ambition, find career aspects very difficult given the male-dominated social structure.

Clearly, the wrestler’s movement, combined with the farmers’ protracted struggle, and the glorious struggle waged by the mothers and daughters of Shaheen Bagh, will have serious consequences for the BJP, impacting its poll prospects in the coming elections. There is no wave for the BJP in Haryana; indeed, there is an anti-wave.

In the Lok Sabha elections, according to our understanding of the ground reality, the Congress will sweep the polls. In the assembly, the BJP might be reduced to less than two digits, and the Dushyant Chautala group will be wiped out. And, this time, they really can’t capitalize by raking an issue like Pulwama, where 40 of our soldiers died so tragically. Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Satyapal Malik, with huge backing of the farmers here and in Western UP, has exposed them thoroughly, and his words have found an echo in every heart in Haryana. The state feels the pain much more intensely because a huge number of our young men are in the Indian army.

Undoubtedly, things don’t augur well for the BJP, either in Haryana, or in the rest of India, in the days to come. And that is certainly a sign of relief and hope.

(The narrators are civil society activists, and have participated on important social and political issues like the non-violent Shaheen Bagh sit-in, anti-CAA movement, the resistance waged by students of JNU and Jamia Millia Islamia, and women wrestlers protests)

As told to Amit Sengupta

Himachal: Tandi-Killar State Highway-26 Blocked Amid Flash Flood

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

Heavy rain has triggered a flash flood in Himachal Pradesh that blocked Tandi-Killar State Highway-26 in Dared Nala, officials said on Tuesday.

“Today, on 27/06/2023 at 07:50 am, according to the information received from the District Disaster Management Authority Lahaul-Spiti, Pangi-Killar Highway (SH-26) has been blocked due to a flash flood in Dared Nala,” SDRF of Himachal Pradesh tweeted.
According to the Public Works Department minister, over 300 roads have been blocked in the state due to the incessant rain.

Earlier, on Monday, the Indian Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for the next 24 hours in the state.

“Under the leadership of our Chief Minister, we are well prepared for any eventuality, during the past two or three days there has been a rain alert in the state. 301 roads are closed in the state. This rain has caused a 27 crore rupees loss in the state. The restoration is underway, 180 roads will be opened by today evening and tomorrow on the 27th we shall restore 15 roads. And during the next two days, more 106 roads will be cleared. We shall start a contact number as a hipline by today evening. We have also identified nearly 350 landslide-vulnerable spots and preventive majors are being displayed, we shall ensure that people do not go. there. Yesterday one of our workers died on the spot, people will also have to be responsible. We have also deployed 390 machineries to restore the roads. We shall ensure that all roads are restored,” said Vikramaditya Singh, Minister of Public Works Department.

The Public Works Department Minister stated that the restoration is being done on a war footing. He said the state government has identified over 350 vulnerable hot spots in the state which are landslide prone.

“There has been rain across the state for the past 48 hours, during the past 24 hours some places in the state have received heavy to heavy rainfall. The district of Mandi has received the highest rainfall in the state. Sirmaur and Shimla have also received rain. As far as rain intensity is concerned, Sarkaghat received 134 MM rainfall, Baldwara received 92 MM and Sundernagar also received rainfall in the state. This rain will continue and in Sirmaur, Solan and Shimla, it is raining and it is moving towards Hamirpur and Kangra. During the next 4 to 5 days, the rain will continue in the state”, said Vikramaditya Singh, Minister of Public Works Department.

“We have issued an orange alert for today and tomorrow. We have issued flash flood alerts also; the water level will increase in low-lying areas. We have issued flash flood alerts for Sirmaur, Solan, Shimla, Kullu and Kangra, there is a high probability of flash floods, and we are issuing time-to-time alerts to the state government. We are also issuing the alert of visibility conditions in the state. We have also issued a rain warning for Sirmaur, Solan, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Una, Mandi, Kangra and some parts of the Kullu district for today and tomorrow an orange alert has been issued in the region”, added the PWD Minister. (ANI)

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Tomato Prices Soar Across Country, Rs 80-100 Per Kg

By LokMarg 27th June 2023

Tomato prices have recently shot up in the markets across the country from Rs 10-20 per kg to a price of Rs 80-100 per kg. The reason behind this is the dip in supply due to heatwaves in tomato-growing areas and heavy rain.

Ajay Kedia, a Mumbai-based commodity market expert and head of Kedia Advisory said, “This year, for a variety of reasons, fewer tomatoes were sown than in prior years. As the price of beans surged last year, many farmers switched to growing beans this year. However, a lack of monsoon rains has caused the crops to dry out and wilt. The limited supply of vegetables, particularly tomatoes are due to crop damage caused by heavy rainfall and extreme heat.”

Speaking to ANI, Mohammad Raju, a resident of Delhi said, “Tomato is being sold at a price of Rs 80 per kg. The rate has suddenly shot up in the past two-three days.”

According to him, the sudden increase in price is due to heavy rainfall.

“Rain has destroyed tomatoes,” added Mohammad Raju.

Tomato prices have also skyrocketed in the southern state of Karnataka and its capital city Bengaluru as incessant rains have damaged the crop and made transportation difficult.

The price of tomatoes touched Rs 100 per kg in a market in Bengaluru and traders said that due to heavy rain, the crops have been damaged.

Tomato, sold at Rs 40 to 50 per kg a week ago in the UP’s Kanpur market is now being sold at Rs 100 per kg while in Delhi it is being sold at Rs 80 per Kg.

“Earlier, the price of Tomato was Rs 30 per kg, after that I bought it for Rs 50 per kg and now it has become Rs 100. Price is going to go up further and we’re helpless, we have to buy,” said Suraj Gaur, a resident of Bengaluru.

In Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur, the acute shortage of the essential vegetable is burning holes in common people’s pockets. The wholesale prices range from Rs 80-90 per kg, and the retail shops are selling tomatoes for Rs 100 per kg.

According to vegetable vendors of a market in Kanpur, Karnataka, a major tomato supplier, saw heavy rains that destroyed the crops. The prices soared in just 10 days and are likely to increase further, the vendors added.

“Price rise is because of rain. Tomatoes are coming from Bengaluru. Within 10 days it will increase further. Every year during this month tomato prices usually increase,” Lakshmi Devi, a vegetable seller at a Kanpur market said.

Due to rain, significant disruption in the supply of tomatoes has happened in Karnataka’s tomato-growing districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Ramanagara, Chitradurga and Bengaluru Rural.

Meanwhile, a customer in Kanpur said that he would stop buying tomatoes if prices increase further.

“I will stop eating tomatoes if the price increases. People from households like mine are worried about the price rise. How can we buy vegetables if prices increase like this?,” Gopal a resident of Kanpur said.

Meanwhile, a trader in Kanpur said that the prices of tomatoes can shoot up to 150 rupees per kg in the coming days.

“The tomato rate has doubled in the last few days. We are not receiving tomatoes from local areas and there is an acute shortage of them. We rely on Bengaluru for supply in these two months, and in upcoming days, prices will shoot up to 150 rupees per kg”, a trader said.

“We are selling tomatoes at Rs 100 kg. Due to rain, the prices have increased,” says a tomato seller in Kanpur.

According to the database maintained by the Price Monitoring Division under the Department of Consumer Affairs, per kilo tomato on an average rose from Rs 25 to Rs 41 in retail markets. Maximum prices of tomatoes in retail markets were in the range between Rs 80-113.

The rates of staple vegetables were in tune with the rise in their prices in wholesale markets, which jumped about 60-70 per cent on an average in June. (ANI)

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