July 2023 - Page 38 of 49 - Lokmarg

Gita Press Is Not Just An Organisation, But A Living Faith: Modi

By LokMarg 7th July 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attended the centenary celebrations of Gita Press in Gorakhpur and said that Gita Press is the only printing press in the world which is not just an organization but it is a living faith.

“Gita Press is the only printing press in the world, which is not just an organization but a living faith. Gita Press is not just a printing press but a temple to crores of people,” PM Modi said.
He said Gita Press was conferred with Gandhi Peace Prize and said that “On the occasion of Gita Press completing its 100 years, our government has conferred Gita Press with Gandhi Peace Prize.”

“The spiritual light that illuminated here in the form of Gita Press in 1923, today its light is guiding the entire humanity,” he said.

He further added that “100 years ago the colonial forces exploited India…our Gurukuls were destroyed. When our printing press was not able to reach every citizen due to its high cost…Gita Press became the guiding force…We all are blessed to witness this organisation’s centenary celebrations.”

PM Modi remembered Mahatma Gandhi’s connection with Gita Press and said that “Gandhi Ji once used to write for Gita Press through Kalyan Patrika as he was emotionally attached to Gita Press.”

Prime Minister said that Gita Press is also proof that when your objectives are pure, your values are pure then success becomes synonymous with you.

“Today, India is reaching new heights of development…This is the time to be free from the mentality of slavery and take pride in our heritage,” he added.

He further asserted that from the moment he shared the photos of Gorakhpur Railway Station on social media, people were left amazed. They never imagined that a railway station could be developed in such a way.

Established in 1923, Gita Press is one of the world’s largest publishers, having published 41.7 crore books in 14 languages, including 16.21 crore Shrimad Bhagvad Gitas.

The statement issued by the Ministry of Culture said that the jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi unanimously decided to select Gita Press, Gorakhpur for the Gandhi Peace Prize.

Gandhi Peace Prize 2021 recognizes the important and unparalleled contribution of Gita Press in contributing to the collective uplift of humanity, which personifies Gandhian living in the true sense. (ANI)

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Those Stained With Corruption Are Uniting: Modi At C’garh

By LokMarg 7th July 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking in the poll-bound Chhattisgarh, on Friday sharpened his attack against the Congress party.

Addressing a Vijay Sankalp Rally in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur, PM Modi in clear reference to Congress said those who are stained in corruption are trying to stitch an Opposition Unity.
“Those stained are trying to come together today. Those who used to curse each other, they have now started finding excuses to come together,” PM Modi said.

In the same breath, he went on to say that if Congress is the guarantee of corruption, then Modi is the guarantee of action against corruption.

“Every corrupt person in this country should listen to one thing with open ears. If they Congress is the guarantee of corruption, then Modi is the guarantee of action on corruption.”

“These people will follow me, threaten to dig my grave, hatch conspiracies against me. But they do not know, the one who gets scared cannot be Modi.”

He added there is corruption in the core of the Congress party.

“Without corruption, Congress cannot even breathe. Corruption is the biggest ideology of Congress.”

Chhattisgarh, where BJP is at present in the Opposition, is among the states who are scheduled to go to Assembly polls later this year. The other four states are Rajasthan, Telangana, Mizoram, and Madhya Pradesh.

Speaking particularly about Chhattisgarh, he equated the Congress party with an ATM.

“Chhattisgarh is like an ATM for the Congress party,” he said.

In an apparent reference to the Congress party’s symbol as a “big claw”, PM Modi said it has stood like a wall in front of the development of Chhattisgarh.

“This is the claw of Congress, which is snatching your rights from you. This claw has decided that it will loot and ruin Chhattisgarh.”

“Chhattisgarh is the state in whose formation BJP has played a major role. Only BJP understands the people of Chhattisgarh, knows their needs. Today, the foundation stone and inauguration of projects worth more than Rs 7,000 crore have taken place here.”

Speaking at the rally, he expressed condolences to the three people who lost their lives while coming to the event this morning.

This morning, three Chhattisgarh residents, who were coming for a rally in Raipur, died in an unfortunate bus accident, leaving behind some injured

“I pay tribute to those who have passed away and all possible help is being provided for the treatment of those who have been injured,” PM Modi said.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of eight projects over Rs 7,000 crore in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur.

The Prime Minister dedicated and laid the foundation stone for five National Highway projects worth around Rs 6,400 crores. The projects that were dedicated include the 33 km long 4-laning of Raipur to Kodebod section on the Jabalpur-Jagdalpur National Highway.

Prime Minister dedicated to the nation the 53 km long 4-lane Bilaspur-Pathrapali stretch of Bilaspur to Ambikapur section of NH-130.

Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for three National Highway projects for the Chhattisgarh Section of the 6-lane Greenfield Raipur – Visakhapatnam corridor. These include development of 43 km long six lane Jhanki-Sargi section on NH 130 CD; 57 km long six lane Sargi-Basanwahi section on NH 130 CD; and 25 km long six lane Basanwahi-Marangpuri section of NH-130 CD.

PM Modi distributed 75 lakh cards to beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The PM said that Rs 40,000 crore assistance has been given to youths of Chhattisgarh under Mudra Yojna (ANI)

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Gujarat HC Refuses To Atay Rahul’s Conviction In Defamation Case

By LokMarg 7th July 2023

The Gujarat High Court on Friday refused to stay on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction in the ‘Modi surname’ defamation case.

The bench of Justice Hemant M Prachchhak said that the trial court conviction order is proper.
“There is no need to interfere with the said order. Therefore, the application is dismissed,” he said.

The court dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s plea and noted that at least 10 criminal cases were pending against him and even after the present case, some more cases have been filed against him. One such case has been filed by the grandson of Veer Savarkar, the court said.

Earlier in May this year, Gujarat HC reserved its order on Rahul Gandhi’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction in the 2019 ‘Modi surname’ defamation case.

Rahul Gandhi had moved the Gujarat High Court on April 25 challenging the Surat sessions court order which declined to stay his conviction in the criminal defamation case.

During the hearing on April 29, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Rahul Gandhi, had sought time to produce certain documents on record after which the court adjourned the hearing to May 2.

The Surat sessions court had on April 20 rejected Rahul Gandhi’s plea seeking a stay on his conviction in the criminal defamation case.

In his judgement, Additional Sessions Judge Robin P Mogera cited Rahul Gandhi’s stature as an MP and former chief of the country’s second-largest political party and said he should have been more careful.

He cited prima facie evidence and observations of the trial court and said it transpires that Gandhi made certain derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi apart from comparing people with the same surname with thieves.

Judge Mogera said the surname of the complainant in the case, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Purnesh Modi, is also Modi. “…the complainant is [also an] ex-minister and involved in public life. Such defamatory remarks would have certainly harmed his reputation and caused him pain and agony in society,” he said.

He cited the disqualification criteria under the Representation of the People Act and added that removal or disqualification as MP could not be termed irreversible or irreparable loss or damage to Gandhi.

Following his conviction by a lower court in the criminal defamation case, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as Lok Sabha MP. He had been elected to Lok Sabha from Wayanad in Kerala.

The lower court sentenced the Congress leader 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?”.

Following the session’s court verdict, Congress had said it will move the Gujarat High Court. (ANI)

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After Threads Launch, Twitter Threatens Meta With Lawsuit

By LokMarg 7th July 2023

In what may be the clearest sign yet that Twitter sees Meta as a competitive threat, the former has threatened the latter with a lawsuit following the successful launch of Meta’s new Twitter rival, Threads, reported CNN.

An attorney for Twitter on Wednesday sent a letter to CEO Mark Zuckerberg accusing Meta of stealing trade secrets by employing former Twitter employees.
Semafor was the first to report on the letter. The veracity of the letter was confirmed to CNN by a source with knowledge of the situation.

In a letter, Alex Spiro, an outside lawyer for Twitter owner Elon Musk, claimed that Meta had committed “systematic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property.”

In response to reports on the letter, Musk tweeted: “Competition is fine, cheating is not.”

The letter goes on to say that Meta hired former Twitter employees who “have improperly retained Twitter documents and electronic devices” and that Meta “deliberately” involved these employees in developing Threads.

“Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights,” Spiro said, adding, “and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information.”

The letter was dismissed by Meta spokesperson Andy Stone.

“No one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee — that’s just not a thing,” he said on Threads, as per CNN.

Since Musk paid USD 44 billion to buy Twitter, the social network has faced competition from an increasing number of smaller microblogging sites, including the decentralized social network Mastodon and Bluesky, a rival supported by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. However, Twitter has not indicated that it will file a lawsuit.

Unlike some Twitter competitors, Threads has grown quickly, and, according to Zuckerberg, 30 million users signed up for the app on its first day. Threads was the number-one free app on the iOS App Store as of Thursday afternoon.

According to Carl Tobias, a law expert at the University of Richmond, the legal threat may or may not result in litigation, but it might be a tactic to impede Meta.

“Sometimes lawyers, they threaten but don’t follow through. Or they see how far they can go. That may be the case, but I don’t know that for sure,” Tobias told CNN.

He added: “There may be some value to tying it up in litigation and complicating life for Meta,” CNN reported. (ANI)

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Chandrayaan-3 Will Lift Off On July 14: ISRO Chief

By LokMarg 7th July 2023

Director of Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO), S Somanath, has announced that the Chandrayaan-3, India’s planned third lunar exploration mission, will be launched on July 14 at 2.35 pm.

The ISRO chief made the remark on Day-1 of the Space Economy Leaders Meet held in Bengaluru on Thursday as part of India’s G20 Presidency. The meeting saw a discussion on the possibilities of bilateral partnership in sharing space economy.
On the launch of Chandrayaan-3, Somanath said, “On July 14 at 2.35 pm, Chandrayaan-3 will lift off and if everything goes well, it will land (on the moon) on August 23…the date is decided based on when is the sunrise on the moon, it will depend on the calculations, but if it gets delayed then we will have to keep the landing for the next month in September.”

He also said ISRO’s prime objective was to enable a safe and soft landing of Chandrayaan-3.

“Our main objective is safe and soft landing, all equipment will be fine if it goes safe and there is a soft landing. We are good with the landing system. Rover will come out after landing, rover has 6 wheels, and we are expecting the rover will work for 14 days on the moon…With the support of multiple cameras on the rover we will receive images. We have a solar panel on the rover. We already tested it, and we have good results with the battery,” Somanath added.

The ISRO chief also informed that partnerships between space agencies, industries, and start-ups were discussed in the meeting.

On the challenges in the space economy, he said, “Challenges in the space economy, first and foremost, is it is capital intensive. So you have to invest heavily to create the capability. And the return of investment comes very late.”

Representatives from 86 space companies took part in the meeting.

India’s G20 sherpa, Amitabh Kant said India’s space economy was experiencing rapid growth with increasing revenue and more commercial actors entering the sector. He added that studies suggest it could become a USD 1 trillion sector in the coming decades.

“This exponential growth necessitates support from governments worldwide. That’s why we are discussing space as a formal element within the G20 meeting,” Kant said.

MoS, Ministry External Affairs, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, said India has more than 400 private space companies working to harness this sector.

“We also have a student outreach program. This program is designed to cultivate scientific temper among young minds. Space technology can bring immense predictability to the varieties of climate changes, agricultural harvest, food security, natural disasters, and even the distribution of economic drought. These uncertainties unfold the worst impact on developing countries,” Singh said.

Day-1 of the Space Economy Leaders Meet saw participation from 27 countries and 33 industries.

It showcased India’s industry capabilities in the space sector. On the concluding day, there will be a session on Space Industry partnership. (ANI)

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I Am Working.. No Matter I Am 82 Or 92: Pawar

By LokMarg 6th July 2023

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar asserted that his effectiveness remains unchanged regardless of whether he is 82 or 92 years old.

“I am still effective, whether I am 82 or 92,” said Sharad Pawar after the party’s National Executive meeting in Delhi while responding to recent remarks made by his nephew, Ajit Pawar who took a veiled swipe at his age.
Ajit Pawar’s comment stirred discontent among party members and loyalists, triggering a series of reactions.

Ajit Pawar had indirectly blamed Sharad Pawar, who is 82 years old, for the NCP’s missed opportunity to have a Chief Minister in Maharashtra despite having the support of a majority of MLAs in 2014.

Asserting that he is still the president of the party Sharad Pawar added that “I am the president of NCP.”

“Today’s meeting helped boost our morale…I am the president of NCP,” he said as he presided over a crucial national executive meeting in New Delhi.

Sharad Pawar further said that, now, whatever we need to say, we will say it before the Election Commission of India.

While sources revealed that Election Commission has received a petition from Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar staking claim to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the party symbol.

The sources said the Election Commission has also received a caveat from Jayant Patil, who is with the Sharad Pawar group. He also informed the panel that they have initiated a disqualification process against nine MLAs who joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in the state on Sunday.

The politics of Maharashtra is on the boil since Sunday as senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister of the state. Ajit Pawar joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government with 8 other MLAs and has claimed control over the Nationalist Congress Party. (ANI)

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Modi To Lay Foundation Stones Of Projects Worth Rs 12,100 Cr In Varanasi

By LokMarg 6th July 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi on Friday to lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 12,100 crore.

The PM will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 12,100 crore in his home constituency, Varanasi, and will inaugurate the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Junction-Son Nagar railway line of the Dedicated Freight Corridor, the release said.
The PM will also flag off two Vande Bharat trains connecting Gorakhpur – Lucknow and Jodhpur – Ahmedabad (Sabarmati) and lay the foundation stone of the Gorakhpur Railway Station redevelopment.

The PM will also dedicate a four-lane widening of the Varanasi-Jaunpur section of NH-56 making travel from Varanasi to Lucknow easier and faster and lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats and distribute loans of PMSVANidhi, keys of PMAY Rural houses and Ayushman cards to the beneficiaries in UP.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a tour of four states including Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Rajasthan from July 7 to 8, during which he will lay the foundation, and dedicate multiple projects worth Rs 50,000 crores, a press release from the Prime Minister’s office said. (ANI)

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With NCP Joining, We Have More Than 200 MLAs: Shinde

By LokMarg 6th July 2023

Addressing the recent reports of discontent among Shiv Sena MLAs regarding NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s joining the Shinde-Fadnavis government, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde made it clear that his government has emerged stronger, adding that he has no plans of stepping down and termed it as “rumours”.

“It is all rumours…,” CM Shinde told ANI.
Speaking about the split in the NCP, Shinde said that the NCP should introspect on what is happening in their party.

“They (NCP) should introspect on what is happening in their party. They should look into their party, khud ka ghar toh toot gya hai (Their own house is broken now).”

“Yesterday I also held a meeting with our MPs and MLAs and our government is getting stronger day by day,” he added.

He further added, “Including three parties presently our MLAs are more than 200. No leader is unhappy and all have faith. Our government is only getting stronger. We have a huge support of PM Modi and Amit Shah,” Maharashtra CM said.

CM Shinde had on Wednesday conducted a meeting of Shiv Sena MLAs at his official residence, Varsha, in Mumbai.

Earlier on Wednesday, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule also said that opposition parties are creating confusion regarding the Chief Ministership of Eknath Shinde but he will continue as the CM of the state.

Uddhav Thackeray faction leader Sanjay Raut said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde may be replaced in the coming days in the wake of NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight other MLAs joining the National Democratic Alliance government.

“The chief minister of Maharashtra may be changed in the coming days,” Sanjay Raut said.

Earlier on Sunday NCP leader Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra and took oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Sunday in a surprise and dramatic political move that changed political equations in the state ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly polls next year and has ramifications for national politics. (ANI)

Muslim World League Secy General To Arrive In India On July 10

By LokMarg 6th July 2023

Muslim World League Secretary General Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa is set to arrive in New Delhi on July 10 on a six-day visit, the sources said.

Upon his arrival in India, Al-Issa will be meeting India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for a one-on-one in the evening.
On July 11, at 11 am, on the invitation of the Khusro Foundation, Al-Issa will address a gathering of prominent religious and community leaders, academics and media at BS Abdur Rahman Auditorium at the India Islamic Cultural Centre.

The National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval shall also address the gathering. Al-Issa will be in India from July 10-15.

As per sources, Al-Issa is expected to meet India’s Minister for External Affairs, S Jaishankar, and Minister for Minority Affairs Smriti Irani, and he may also call on the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.

He will also meet the President of ICCR and interact with a group of distinguished faith leaders at Vivekanand International Foundation. As per sources, he might visit Akshardham Temple and meet some prominent personalities.

During his stay in the national capital, an important part of his engagement will also be the visit to Jama Masjid Delhi for Friday Prayers. He is also scheduled to visit Agra.

Notably, Al-Issa is an Islamic scholar and a leading voice on moderate Islam. He is also a promoter of inter-faith dialogue and world peace.

He is a prominent religious leader, Islamic scholar and reformist from Saudi Arabia. Before being appointed as the Secretary General of the Muslim World League in 2016, Al-Issa served as the Minister of Justice in the Saudi Cabinet.

As the Secretary General of the Muslim World League, an influential non-governmental organization representing Muslims worldwide, Al-Issa has spearheaded initiatives to build partnerships and strengthen relations between diverse communities, faiths, and nations.

He also serves as the chairman of the Centre for Responsible Leadership, a body of globally influential government, faith, media, business, and community leaders working together to solve the challenges facing humanity and the world today. (ANI)

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My Outfits Were Flamboyant: Zeenat Recalls ‘Chhailla Babu’

By LokMarg 6th July 2023

Veteran actor Zeenat Aman remembered her 1977 film ‘Chhailla Babu’ and said that her “outfits in the film were awesomely flamboyant.”

She penned a heartfelt note with a picture of herself.
She took to Instagram and shared a black-and-white picture of herself and wrote a long note which read, “Nahiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!” Chhailla Babu was a suspense thriller that rocked the box office in 1977. It was produced by the lovely and easy-going Shomu Mukherjee, directed by Joy Mukherjee and starred Rajesh Khanna. Romance, action, music, drama – it had everything in spades. Including a long drawn-out “nahiiiiiiiin” by yours truly, which I think we can agree is pretty much the hallmark of Bollywood masala.”

She added, “This snapshot was captured in between takes of the climactic action sequence that we shot at sea in Goa. And yes, I got to throw some punches too. My outfits in the film were awesomely flamboyant. So what am I wearing here? A black and pink (fake) leather bustier, a matching skirt, a scarf, and knee-high boots. And the entire ensemble was embellished with metallic studs! How’s that for an “outfit of the day”?”

“As an aside, I will admit that so many of the films that we made back then haven’t aged too well. In fact, my younger followers would be appalled by the “red Indian” sequence in this film. Quite frankly, it makes me cringe too. Such caricatures were entirely the norm back then, and I am glad that I know better now!” she concluded.

As soon as she shared the post, Archana Puran Singh reacted to the post and commented, “Wow Zee. You’re amazing. Always were!”

Zeenat Aman made her Instagram debut in February. She keeps on sharing reflective thoughts on topics ranging from parenthood, the privacy of celebs, dyeing of hair and many more things. (ANI)

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