July 2023 - Page 14 of 49 - Lokmarg

Priyanka Pens Appreciation Post For IndiGo Cabin Crew

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday penned down an appreciation post for the cabin crew of an IndiGo flight she was travellig on, calling them “most efficient and pleasant”.

Taking to Instagram, Priyanka Gandhi shared a string of pictures which she captioned, “Thank you to the sweet Indigo ladies on my flight to Gwalior….I have always thought that the crew on Indigo flights are most efficient and pleasant.”

In the pictures, the Congress general secretary is seen posing with the crew members of the flight and in the last post, she shared a picture of a special gift she received from team IndiGo.

Soon after she dropped the pictures, her followers swamped the comment section with red hearts and fire emoticons.

“This shows simplicity can bring people closer to you,” a fan commented.

Another fan wrote, “Brave girls!!“

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will address a public rally in the Gwalior-Chambal region, which is the home turf of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Friday.

Her rally in Gwalior comes two days after the Congress government announced implementation of Gruhalakshmi scheme in Karnataka for direct transfer of Rs 2000 every month to the women heads of families. (ANI)

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Manipur: Priyanka, Kareena Urge For Justice

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

Actors Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor Khan have reacted to the viral video that allegedly shows two women being sexually assaulted on a road in Manipur.

Taking to Instagram, Priyanka wrote on her stories on Thursday, “It took a video going viral… 77 days after the heinous crimes were committed… Before actions were taken. Rationale? Reasons? None matter–irrespective of what and why, situational or circumstantial, we cannot allow women to be pawns in any games. The collective shame and anger needs to be channelled now in a unified voice for just one thing- swift justice,” she added with hashtags ‘together in shame’ and ‘justice for the women of Manipur.”

Kareena also took to her Instagram account to post in her stories, “Deeply disturbed with the situation in #Manipur. All words of condoning the crimes mean nothing until action is taken. Swiftly.”

Earlier actors like Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani, Ektaa Kapoor, and Richa Chadha shared their reactions.

A video of the incident that took place in May this year in which two women being paraded naked by a group of men in Manipur triggered outrage.

Manipur police made its first arrest in connection with the incident, as per Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh. “Last night at around 1.30 am, we arrested the main culprit,” the Manipur chief minister told ANI on Thursday. Later Manipur Police said that four people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

“Every man and every human being will condemn this act,” Singh said adding that they will seek for the perpetrators to get punishment “to the maximum possible extent.”

“Really shocked when I saw the video and after seeing it I inquired about the incident it happened on 4 May…but this video leaked after 40 days. I asked for mass combing ops…and last night itself we arrested one man involved,” the Manipur chief minister said.

“Four main accused arrested in the Viral Video Case: 03 (three) more main accused of the heinous crime of abduction and gangrape under Nongpok Sekmai PS, Thoubal District have been arrested today. So a total 04 (four) persons have been arrested till now,” Manipur Police tweeted.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing reporters ahead of the commencement of the monsoon session of parliament said that that is pained over the incident and said the incident is “shameful for any civil society.” “No accused will be spared, we will never forgive those who are behind this,” the Prime Minister said. (ANI)

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Bhumi at Indian Film Festival Of Melbourne 2023

Bhumi To Be Honoured At Indian Film Festival Of Melbourne 2023

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

Actor Bhumi Pednekar will be honoured with the Disruptor Award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023 (IFFM) for her impeccable work both on and off-screen.

In her career, she has etched a strong position for herself as a powerhouse performer working on films with strong subjects that matter. In addition, this recognition will also be for her relentless commitment to addressing climate change and promoting sustainability.
The award will be presented to the actor on the festival’s opening day, August 11.

Speaking of this honour, Bhumi said, “I am so grateful for having been awarded as the Disruptor of the year by IFFM. This recognition means a lot to me. Through my work, through the films and roles I take up, the causes that I support and stand up for and for everything I do to champion climate conservation, this is exactly what I strive for – I strive to live a life of impact. I aim at changing society for the better, by championing representation of women in cinema and fighting for gender inclusivity, and working towards achieving environmental stability. This acknowledgement by IFFM strengthens my belief that I’m following the correct course and making progress in the right direction. I’m thrilled to celebrate the power of cinema and creative spirit with everyone present at IFFM this year. The film festival’s unwavering dedication to promoting Indian cinema globally and providing a platform for artists to showcase their work is truly commendable”

The Award will be presented to Bhumi by a dignitary from the Victorian government, highlighting the collaborative effort between the festival and the government in promoting impactful work in the entertainment industry.

As part of the recognition, she will be engaging in a special fireside chat with a live audience on sustainability, further cementing her role as a catalyst for change.

The festival will take place from August 11 to August 20.

Meanwhile, Bhumi will be next seen in the thriller film ‘The Ladykiller’ opposite actor Arjun Kapoor.

‘The Ladykiller’ will chronicle the story of a small-town playboy who falls in love with a ‘self-destructive beauty’ as they embark on a whirlwind romance. Ajay Bahl, who previously helmed movies like ‘BA Pass’ and ‘Section 375’, has directed this film. (ANI)

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LS, RS Adjourned, Oppo Insists On PM Statement Over Manipur Violence

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

The two Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day on Thurdsay following adjournments and opposition protests over their demand for discussion on Manipur violence by suspending other business of the day and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon and later for the day. Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2.30 pm before being adjourned for the day.
Soon after the Lok Sabha met for the day, opposition MPs were on their feet demanding discussion on the situation in Manipur. They also raised slogans.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said the Centre was willing to discuss situation in Manipur. He also referred to the horrific incident in which two women were paraded naked and sexual violence committed against them.

“Manipur incident is a very serious matter and sensing the gravity of the situation, the PM has said that what happened in the state (viral video) has put the entire nation to shame. A few political parties are tying to create a needless ruckus in Parliament to ensure that a discussion over Manipur can’t take place,” he said.

“PM has said strictest action will be taken over the incident. We do want a discussion in Parliament over Manipur. I had said this in the all-party meeting and I would like to reiterate on the floor of this august House that we want a discussion on Manipur,” Singh said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who had earlier taken up the Question Hour, urged members to take their seats.

“Will a solution to problems be found through sloganeering. The solution can be found through talks and discussion. This way is not correct,” he said.

As the din continued, the Speaker adjourned the House till 12 noon.

When the House reassembled, the opposition parties continued their protest.

Rajendra Agrawal,who was in the Chair, took up the listed business of the day amid sloganeering by opposition members.

The opposition members were also carrying placards. They sought of place the placards where the House camera was panning and the face of BJP member Satya Pal Singh, who was moving a motion, was covered for a short while.

Agrawal urged members to take their seats and said the government has indicated its willingness for discussion.

As the sloganeering and protests continued, the House was adjourned for the day.

Opposition parties also pressed their demand in the Rajya Sabha for detailed discussion on Manipur situation and a statement from the Prime Minister in the House.

After the House assembled for the day and papers were laid on the table, opposition members sought to raise the issue and urged the chair to consider their notices on the suspension of business for a detailed discussion on Manipur violence.

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chaddha, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien were among MPs who sought to raise the matter leading to a din.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar tried to convince the MPs that the government is ready to hold a debate on the matter and there is no confusion about it. A member also asked if a matter pending in the court could be discussed in the House.

As oppositon members continued raising their demand, the Chairman adjourned the House till 2.30 pm.

When the House reassmled, opposition members again raised their deman .

Dhankhar adjourned the House amid the din.

The monsoon session of Parliament began on Thursday and the business on the first day was almost washed out over opposition demand related discussion on Manipur violence. (ANI)

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SC Asks Allahabad HC To Give Details Of Krishna Janambhoomi Land Dispute

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the registrar of Allahabad High Court to give details of the suits which are being dealt with in the court relating to Mathura’s Krishna Janambhoomi land dispute.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia listed the matter after three weeks.
The top court was hearing the Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah appeal challenging Allahabad High Court order, which transferred to itself all the petitions relating to Mathura’s Krishna Janambhoomi land dispute from the District Court in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.

During the hearing, the top court noted that multiple suits had been filed in the matter.

Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah moved the Supreme Court challenging Allahabad High Court order, which transferred to itself all the petitions relating to Mathura’s Krishna Janambhoomi land dispute from Mathura district court.

The plea was moved by the Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah through advocate RHA Sikander.

Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah challenged the order dated May 26 passed by the Allahabad High Court whereby it transferred all such cases relating to the Krishna Janambhoomi dispute from the District Court Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, to itself.

The Transfer Application was allowed by the high court despite the fact that the proceedings in the Suit from which the Transfer Application emanated, were stayed by a Coordinate Bench of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad vide Order dated August 3, 2022.

The impugned Judgment takes away two appellate stages and also transfers other suits to the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad for which no transfer applications were filed.

“The impugned Judgment is passed on a mere ipse dixit by indulging in the prophecy of the Respondents No. 1 to 8 that ‘in case the trial court itself decides the suit, it will take a long time without even considering that the Suit was registered only on May 26, 2022, and the proceedings therein were subsequently stayed by a Coordinate Bench of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad vide Order dated August 3, 2022, which remained in force till May 1, 2023,” read the petition.

So far, nine cases have been filed in Mathura court in the case of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi and Shahi Idgah Masjid.

Ranjana Agnihotri, a resident of Lucknow, had filed a suit demanding the ownership of 13.37 acres of land of Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi.

In her legal suit, Agnihotri demanded removal of the Shahi Idgah mosque built in Krishna Janmabhoomi.

The suit filed in the Mathura court sought the removal of a mosque said to have been built in 1669-70 on the orders of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the 13.37-acre premises of Katra Keshav Dev temple, near the birthplace of Lord Krishna. (ANI)

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BSF Recovers Pak Drone Near Intl Border In Punjab’s Tarn Taran

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

BSF and Punjab Police troops have recovered a drone in broken condition from the farming field near Mastgarh village in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, officials said on Friday.

On Friday morning, on specific information, BSF and Punjab Police launched a search operation and recovered the Pakistani drone from the outskirts of Mastgarh village.
“The recovered drone belongs to Quadcopter, DJI Matrice 300 RTK model,” officials said.

Earlier, the Border Security Force (BSF) foiled the nefarious design of smugglers by seizing 2.35 kg of heroin dropped by a Pakistani drone near the International Border in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district on Tuesday.

During the detailed search, the BSF troops recovered one packet of narcotics suspected to be heroin weighing 2.35 kg wrapped with yellow adhesive tape from the farming field ahead of border fencing. (ANI)

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SC Issues Notice On Rahul’s Plea, Next Hearing On August 4

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Gujarat government and complainant on an appeal of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi challenging the Gujarat High Court order which declined to stay his conviction in the criminal defamation case in which he was sentenced to two years in jail by Surat court over ‘Modi surname’ remark.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and PK Mishra, issuing notice to the government and complainant Purnesh Ishwarbhai Modi, granted ten days time to them to file their responses through affidavit. It has posted the matter on the stay of his conviction for hearing on August 4.
At the outset of the hearing, the lead judge of the bench Justice BR Gavai said his father was a politician and had been an MLA and MP with the support of the Congress party and had a close association for more than 40 years.

Justice Gavai offered to recuse from the case saying his father and brother have association with the Congress party.

“It is my duty to disclose. everyone should know. My father had been a politician and had been closely associated with Congress for more than four decades. Though he was not a Congress member, he was elected with the help of Congress. My brother is in active politics. If any party had an objection, then I would recuse,” Justice Gavai said.

However, both parties said they don’t have any objection to Justice Gavai hearing the matter.

During the brief hearing, Singhvi argued that Gandhi has already lost 111 days as an MP from the Wayanad constituency and apprehended that Election Commission may announce a bypoll soon in the constituency.

“He could not attend the last Parliament session and now stands to be out of ongoing session. Please consider granting an interim stay on conviction,” Singhvi told the bench.

After his conviction in the case, Rahul Gandhi was declared disqualified as MP from Kerala’s Wayanad on March 24 following notification of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Gandhi was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment which disqualified him as an MP under the rigours of the Representation of People Act.

Approaching the top court, Gandhi also sought a stay of the Gujarat High Court verdict which upheld his conviction. He said the High Court verdict “has no parallel or precedent in the jurisprudence of the law of defamation”.

He contended that it was “not only curious but extremely significant, indeed sinister, that all earlier cases, including the one regarding the present speech, were filed by members and office bearers of the ruling party”.

It was submitted that the surname ‘Modi’, in different parts of the country, encompassed different communities and sub-communities, which usually have no commonality or uniformity at all. The Modi surname belonged to various castes.

The complainant, Gujarat BJP MLA Purnesh Ishwarbhai Modi who simply has a ‘Modi’ surname, did not prove that he was prejudiced or damaged in any specific or personal sense, the plea filed in the apex court added.

Gandhi’s plea said, “Unprecedentedly, in a case of criminal defamation, a maximum sentence of two years has been imposed. This itself is a rarest of rare occurrence.”

The High Court on July 7 affirmed the decision of a Gujarat Sessions court, which had refused to put on hold a magisterial court order on March 23 convicting Gandhi and handing out the maximum punishment provided for criminal defamation under the Indian Penal Code.

Rejecting Gandhi’s plea, the High Court said he has been seeking a stay on his conviction on “absolutely non-existent grounds” and a stay on conviction is not a rule but an exception.

In March, the magisterial court convicted Gandhi for his remarks ahead of the 2019 national polls about the ‘Modi’ surname.

After the magisterial court convicted Gandhi, he approached the Sessions court, which rejected his plea for a stay on his conviction on April 20. Thereafter, he approached the High Court.

Congress leader was sentenced to two years in jail on March 23 under sections 499 and 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in a case filed by Purnesh Modi.

At a rally in Karnataka’s Kolar in April 2019, Rahul Gandhi, in a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said, “How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”. (ANI)

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Some Oppn Parties Not Serious About Manipur Situation: Rajnath

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

Amid the din from the Opposition benches on the demand for discussion on the Manipur violence, Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday assured all members in the Lok Sabha that the Centre was ready and willing to discuss all issues with regard to law and order in the Northeast state.

Singh rose to address the Lower House after being asked by Speaker Om Birla to do so.
“Manipur incident is most definitely a very serious matter and sensing the gravity of the situation, the PM, himself, has said that what happened in the state (viral video on Wednesday purportedly showing two women being paraded in the nude) has put the entire nation to shame,” he said.

Accusing the Opposition members of not being as serious on the Manipur situation as they should be, the Defence Minister said, “A few political parties are tying to create a needless ruckus in Parliament to ensure that a discussion over Manipur can’t take place.”

The opening day of the ongoing Monsoon Session, on Thursday, was disrupted over the demand for a discussion on Manipur in both Houses of the Parliament.

Speaking to media persons before the Parliament went into session on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his heart was filled with sorrow and anger over the incident in Manipur.

“What has happened to the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven,” he said.

“This incident is a shameful act for any civilized society. The perpetrators of this sin, the wrongdoers, whoever they are, the entire nation is feeling ashamed. 140 crore citizens are feeling embarrassed. I appeal to all Chief Ministers to strengthen law and order in their states, especially taking stringent steps to ensure the safety and protection of our mothers and sisters,” PM Modi added.

“Whether the incident happens in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, or Manipur, in any corner of India, in any state government, rising above political disputes and maintaining the significance of the rule of law and the respect for women is crucial. I want to assure the citizens of this country that no wrongdoer will be spared. Every step will be taken to ensure law forcefully with all its might,” he added.

Meanwhile, amid slogan-shouting by some Opposition members over Manipur, on Friday, the Lower House was adjourned till 12 noon. (ANI)

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UPI-Based Payments To Be Accepted In SL

By LokMarg 21st July 2023

India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) technology will now be accepted in neighbouring Sri Lanka.

Several agreements, including that of UPI’s acceptance in the island country, were exchanged between India and Sri Lanka in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the national capital on Friday.
UPI payments system has become hugely popular for retail digital payments in India, and its adoption is increasing at a rapid pace.

So far, France, UAE, and Singapore had parterned with India on the emerging fintech and payment solutions.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is India’s mobile-based fast payment system, which facilitates customers to make round-the-clock payments instantly, using a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) created by the customer.

In February 2023, India and Singapore signed an agreement to link their respective payment systems, allowing users in either country to make cross-border transactions. People in both the countries will be able to send money real-time via QR-code based or simply by entering mobile numbers linked to the bank account.

Earlier this month, France had agreed to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment mechanism. It will begin from the iconic and tourist hotspot Eiffel Tower.

Also, a MoU was exchanged to interlink the payment and messaging systems between the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of the UAE. It will facilitate the integration Unified Payments Interface (UPI) of India and the Instant Payments Platform (IPP) of the UAE.

India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing ecosystems for fintech innovation and the PM Modi-led government has been instrumental in driving the globalisation of India’s digital payment infrastructure.

A key emphasis of Indian government has been on ensuring that the benefits of UPI are not limited to India only, but other countries, too, benefit from it.

Taking into account the popularity of the UPI payment system, the Reserve Bank of India proposed to permit all inbound travellers to India to use UPI for their merchant payments while they are in the country.

To begin with, the facility will be extended to travellers from G20 countries arriving at “select international airports”. On February 8, the RBI governor Skaktikanta Das made the announcement while deliberating upon the outcome of the three-day monetary policy committee meeting. (ANI)

Invitations Sent To All Leaders For G20 Summit: MEA

By LokMarg 20th July 2023

India has sent out invitations to all G20 members, invitee countries and international organizations and is looking forward to welcoming their participation for the G20 Summit scheduled in the national capital this September.

Responding to a question on whether Russia has confirmed participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the G20 Summit, External Affairs Ministry official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said he cannot issue a response on any particular leader.
“At this point, all I can reiterate is what we have said earlier that invitation have gone out to all the G20 members as well as the invitee countries, the international organisations and all the invitee international organisations. This is a physical summit and we would hope that all the invitees are able to participate in person for the summit.

“There have been confirmations I understand but again I don’t have any specific response on any particular leader, yes or no, and I don’t think it would be fair to look at it that way. But, yes, we are looking forward to welcoming the leaders here for our G20 Leaders Summit, New Delhi leaders’ Summit in September,” he said.

Putin had skipped the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia in 2022 and sent his Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in his place.

Earlier today, the office of South African President, Cyril Ramaphose had announced that Putin will not attend the BRICS nations summit. This will be the first summit hosted in person since the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent global restrictions. The Summit will be attended by the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa.

Putin will instead deliver his speech at the summit via video conference, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agency TASS. Peskov also confirmed that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will represent Russia at the summit in-person.

Lavrov had this March participated in the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting in Goa. India assumed the G20 Presidency on December 1.

The 18th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 9-10. The meeting will be a culmination of all the G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year among ministers, senior officials, and civil societies.

A G20 Leaders’ declaration will be adopted at the conclusion of the New Delhi Summit, stating Leaders’ commitment towards the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group meetings, according to the official G20 statement.

The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and the European Union. The invited countries are Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and UAE. (ANI)

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