August 2023 - Page 19 of 44 - Lokmarg

MP Cong Accuses Shivraj Govt Of Scams, CM Hits Back

By LokMarg 18th August 2023

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath launched a scathing attack on the BJP government in the state, displaying an ‘allegation letter’ which, he claimed, uncovers various scams that took place on the watch of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led dispensation.

The Congress’ state chief unveiled the ‘allegation letter’ at a meeting of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) in Bhopal on Friday.

Addressing a press conference at the state Congress headquarters, the former CM said, “The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh has to be the world’s most scam-tainted government. CM Chouhan has created a record of corruption by committing various scams during his 18-year rule. The list of misdeeds on the watch of this government is a long one. It includes some scams as well. The Congress party has come out with a scam sheet during the 18-year tenure of the Shivraj government. This scam sheet will give people a true picture of this 50-per cent commission government.”

The alleged scams mentioned in the Congress sheet include “Rs 15,000 crore Poshan scam, Rs 12,000 crore mid-day meal scam, Rs 9,500 crore Anganwadi tap water scam, Rs 600 crore uniform scam, Rs 2,000 crore Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scam, Vyapam scam of Rs 2,000 crores, Nursing scam of Rs 2,000 crores, Kaushal scam of Rs 3,000 crores, Paramedical scholarship scam of Rs 2,500 crores, electricity scam of Rs 94,000 crores, Jal Jeevan Mission scam of Rs 10,000 crores and a check post scam worth Rs 50,000 crores”.

“Be it a child or an elderly, everyone in the state has been cheated by this government. They (BJP government) didn’t even spare Baba Mahakal or the holy cows. Today, every person in the state is either a victim of corruption or a witness to it. They have put the biggest corruption stain on Madhya Pradesh,” Nath said.

“The Shivraj government wasn’t formed on the basis of the people’s mandate but money. This government was formed through the subversion of democracy. Their mantra is to loot the government treasury and commit scams. That day is not far when one will search ‘scam’ on Google and the picture of CM Shivraj will appear on the screen,” the former CM claimed.

He added, “The Shivraj government has started considering commission, corruption and scams as its right. This is why a contractor, upset with the 50-per cent commission rule, wrote a letter and newspapers published it widely. Some of our senior leaders shared the letter on their social media handles and cases were filed against them at the behest of this government. Even on Thursday, another contractor in Rewa said there is a 50-per cent commission rule in the construction of a Gaushala. This shows that the Shivraj government did wrong but blamed others for it.”

“Copies of the scam sheet will be distributed to every house in Madhya Pradesh so that the people know how they were looted,” Nath added.

Responding to the former CM’s allegations, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “We are going into this election with determination and the belief that we will prevail. The Congress is broken and frustrated and have, hence, resorted to making unfounded allegations against us. However, the love and affection that we are receiving from the people remain undiminished and gives us the belief that we will win.” (ANI)

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A Question Of Few Months: Ujjwal On Possible Extradition Of Tahawwur Rana

By LokMarg 18th August 2023

Ujjwal Nikam, the special public prosecutor of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case, says the possible extradition of Pakistani-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, an accused in the case, is now a question of a few months.

Nikam’s statement came on the heels of US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel’s remarks to call for those involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to be brought to justice.

Patel, however, said that the extradition process of Tahawwur Rana is a “pending matter”.

A US court on Thursday denied the writ of habeas corpus filed by Tahawwur Rana, paving the way for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to issue a certification for him to be extradited to India, where he is facing charges of his involvement in 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

On the US court denying the writ of habeas corpus, Ujjwal Nikam said, “Indeed it’s a great success for India and I have no hesitation to say that because of the good relations between the US government and Indian government, the US administration had correctly declared that in any case whosoever the offender in the 26/11 terror attack case on Mumbai they should be punished according to law.”

“ It would all depend now on the US administration as to when Tahawwur Rana is to be sent back to India for trial. The moot question is where he will be tried, whether in the NIA court at Delhi or elsewhere, those questions will be decided by the investigating agency,” the special public prosecutor of the 26/11 case added.

Tahawwur Rana is not the first person who is currently serving time in a US jail after being accused of being part of the 26/11 attack conspiracy. Before Rana, David Coleman Headley was also arrested by the US. Headley struck a plea bargain with the US government to avoid being extradited to India. His statement was howver recorded by Nikam who had cross-examined him in an open court through a virtual conference.

When asked if he sees any major development if Tahawwur Rana is brought to India and is examined as a witness or accused, Nikam said, “Indeed because that Rana is basically Pakistan national born person and later on he accepted the US government’s citizenship and thereafter staying even in the US he was indulging in these terrorist activities.”

“Now it is more than clear that David Headley was his left and right-hand person and with the connivance of Rana, he opened the immigration office in Mumbai. So David Headley had visited India before the terror attack of 26/11 even after the terror attack similarly Tahawwur Rana had also visited Mumbai.”

In response to a question on how much time it could take to extradite Rana to India, Nikam said that both US and India’s diplomacy will work out on this issue because ultimately, according to US law also they have to give all opportunity to a criminal to defend himsefl.

“After availing all the opportunities, I’m sure very soon. Because now it is a question of a few months because Tahawwur Rana has lost his habeas corpus for the petition and according to my knowledge, now he has no option” Nikam said.

US State Department on Thursday said that Washington is committed to confronting terrorism across the world and continues to call for those involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to be brought to justice.

“What I can say is that we are committed to confronting terrorism across the world and we continue to call for those involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks to be brought to justice,” said State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel.

During the recently concluded monsoon session of the Indian parliament the Home Minister Amit Shah had informed the House that Tahawwur Rana would face the Indian judiciary soon.

Tahawwur Rana was arrested in the US on an extradition request by India for his role in the Mumbai attacks that killed 175 people, including six Americans.

Indian authorities allege that Rana conspired with his childhood friend David Coleman Headley to assist the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba in orchestrating the terror attacks. David Headley had pleaded guilty and testified against Rana. (ANI)

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BJP’s Baghel Tears Into Electoral Rival Bhupesh Baghel

By LokMarg 18th August 2023

In a mouth-watering battle that people across Chhattisgarh will have their eyes on, the BJP has fielded its Lok Sabha member Vijay Baghel against his nephew, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, from the Patan constituency in the upcoming Chhattisgarh Assembly elections.

Speaking to ANI on Friday, the Lok Sabha MP from Durg lashed out at CM Baghel, calling him a “cheater, fraud, and a liar”.

Describing his imminent electoral contest as an “interesting fight” against a “corrupt” chief minister, Vijay Baghel told ANI, “It is going to be interesting to fight against a cheater, fraud, liar and a corrupt chief minister.”

Coming down heavily on his distant nephew, the BJP MP said CM Baghel has betrayed the trust of voters in the Patan Assembly segment.

“The people of Patan reposed their electoral trust in Bhupesh Baghel five times but he betrayed their mandate every time. The people are regretting their decision now amid rising cases of murder, rape, and corruption in the state,” the BJP MP said.

Talking up his chances of upstaging his distant kin in the upcoming Assembly elections, Vijay Baghel thanked party leaders for pitting him against the chief minister in the Patan Assembly segment.

“We will win this election. I’m thankful to the party leaders for giving me the opportunity to fight the chief minister, who also happens to be my distant relative, from Patan. It will be an interesting contest,” the BJP MP added.

The BJP had earlier named the Durg MP, who was with the Congress till 2000, as the party’s in-charge of its manifesto committee, which comprises 30 leaders.

Responding to Vijay Baghel’s allegations against his distant kin, Congress leader Sushil Anand Shukla said the BJP was using the MP for their own benefit, adding that the latter was merely carrying out instructions of his party seniors in hurling abuse at the chief minister.

“The BJP is using Vijay Baghel for their political advantage. The party has instructed him to speak against the chief minister and that’s what he is doing. Vijay Baghel wants to build his election campaign by hurling abuses at CM Baghel. But the people of Patan know that the BJP MP has no hope of upstaging the CM on his home turf. The people know he can’t match the popularity of Bhupesh Baghel. He is just discharging an electoral responsibility. The BJP gave a ticket to a distant relative of the CM just to be in the news,” he said.

“Vijay Baghel has been fielded as a scapegoat. Bhupesh Baghel’s popularity is not hidden from anyone. After entering the fray in the last Assembly elections, Bhupesh Baghel did not campaign in his constituency even once. Yet, the people of Patan gave him a handsome mandate. The CM embodies the honour and self-respect of Patan. His work to raise farmers’ dignity, ensure the safety of women, create employment opportunities for the youth and ensure the well-being of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes makes the heart of every voter of Patan swell with pride. I believe he won’t need to visit Patan to campaign this time as well,” he added.

Meanwhile, moving swiftly as part of its poll preparations, the BJP on Thursday released its first list of candidates for two Hindi heartland states, even as Congress also made a significant change, putting the party’s general secretary Randeep Surjewala in charge of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

BJP released its first list of 21 candidates in Chhattisgarh and 39 candidates in Madhya Pradesh, where it is likely to face a tough contest in the Assembly polls later this year.

The list for the 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly includes five women candidates — Laxmi Rajwade, Shakuntala Singh Porthe, Sarla Kosaria, Alka Chandrakar, and Geeta Ghasi Sahu.

In Chhattisgarh, 11 of the 21 seats for which candidates were declared are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC), while the remaining 10 are for candidates from the general category.

Similarly, in Madhya Pradesh, 21 of the 39 seats for which the party has announced its candidate are reserved for ST/SCs.

Five states — Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram — will go to the polls by the end of this year. (ANI)

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Bomb Threat On Pune-Bound Vistara Flight; Passengers Deboarded

By LokMarg 18th August 2023

A GMR Group-run call centre here received a bomb threat call for a Delhi-Pune Vistara flight, which was scheduled to take off from Delhi airport this morning.

Soon after, the aircraft was kept in isolation for proper inspection by security agencies and no suspicious item was found on board, an official said. The flight was scheduled for departure at 8:30 am

“UK-971 Delhi to Pune flight received bomb threat at GMR call center in Gurugram,” a security agency official told ANI.

There were more than 100 passengers in the aircraft and all the passengers’ luggage were de-boarded. The passengers are currently in the terminal building and they were served refreshments, the official said.

As per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the plane cannot be scheduled until the security agencies give clearance and go ahead with the flight. The flight will leave for the destination (Pune) as soon as the final clearance is received from the security agencies. (ANI)

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Hema Meets ‘New Dream Girl’ Ayushmann

By LokMarg 17th August 2023

Veteran actor Hema Malini remembered her old days by meeting ‘New Dream Girl’ Ayushmann Khurrana ahead of his upcoming film ‘Dream Girl 2’ release.

On Thursday, Bollywood’s Dream Girl took to Instagram and dropped a video where Hema and Ayushmann were dancing on the music track ‘Dream Girl’ by Kishore Kumar.

The ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’ actor wore a pink saree while the ‘Andhadhun’ actor opted for a colourful jacket with a white T-shirt and cargo pants.

Along with the post, she wrote, “Had an amazing time reminiscing my old days with the new Dream Girl @ayushmannk. #DreamGirl2 in Cinemas on 25th August. @pooja___dreamgirl @ektarkapoor @shobha9168 @neeta_lulla.” https://www.instagram.com/p/CwDIVMXuTOh/embed

As soon as she shared the post, fans flooded the comment section with heartfelt comments.

‘Dream Girl 2′ is the sequel to the highly successful film, ‘Dream Girl’, which was released in 2019.

He will share screen space with actor Ananya Panday.

The first installment was a big hit at the box office. Raaj Shaandilyaa has directed the film and Ektaa R Kapoor has produced it. The film will hit the theatres on August 25.

In the film, Ayushmann will be seen pretending to be a woman named Pooja.

The trailer gives a glimpse of the characters of Ananya Panday, Manjot Singh, Rajpal Yadav, Paresh Rawal, Asrani, Manoj Joshi, Seema Pahwa and Vijay Raaz. (ANI)

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Cong Appoints Surjewala As Gen Secy In-Charge Of Poll-Bound MP

By LokMarg 17th August 2023

Congress on Thursday appointed Randeep Singh Surjewala as general secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, which will go to the polls later this year.

The party also appointed Mukul Wasnik as general secretary in-charge of Gujarat.

Randeep Singh Surjewala is the AICC incharge of Karnataka where the Congress registered an emphatic victory and ousted the BJP government in assembly polls held earlier this year.

Of the five states going to the polls later this year, BJP is in power only in Madhya Pradesh.

“Congress President has appointed Mukul Wasnik as general secretary in-charge of Gujarat and Randeep Singh Surjewala with additional charge as general secretary in-charge of Madhya Pradesh,” an AICC release said.

“The party appreciates the contributions of Raghu Sharma and Jai Prakash Agarwal. They are relieved from their responsibilities as AICC incharge,” the release added.

The BJP on Thursday released its first list of 39 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2023.

Five states – Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram – will go to the polls by the end of this year. (ANI)

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79% Of Afghanistan Lacks Sufficient Water Access: IOM

By LokMarg 17th August 2023

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said that 79 per cent of people in Afghanistan lack sufficient access to water for essential needs like drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing, Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported.

The water crisis in Afghanistan is further enhanced by various challenges, particularly the most severe drought in 30 years, a deepening economic turmoil, and the enduring effects of forty years of warfare.

These compounding factors have caused an alarming situation where half of the population is facing acute hunger, with an alarming six million people on the edge of famine, according to Khaama Press report.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, International Organization for Migration (IOM) stated, “79% of Afghans do not have enough water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing, indicating a water and hygiene crisis across the country.”

In a post on X, the IOM stated that they provided water, sanitation and hygiene aid to 160,000 people in Afghanistan. The post stressed the urgency of further action required to face the ongoing water and hygiene crisis, the report said.

The organisation has appealed for USD 33 million to deliver essential water, sanitation and hygiene assistance to 2.3 million people in Afghanistan throughout 2023. They warned that “time is running out and Afghanistan cannot wait.”

Earlier this month, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted Afghanistan’s deeply concerning state of affairs, Khaama Press reported.

According to the report, 25 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces are currently facing either “severe” or “catastrophic” drought conditions.

The report highlights the urgent need for international attention and efforts needed to address the humanitarian crisis in these drought-affected regions.

Furthermore, Afghanistan is currently facing the most extensive and severe humanitarian crisis globally, where 29.2 million people need humanitarian assistance for their survival.

Afghanistan is facing one of the most alarming malnutrition rates globally. Around 3.2 million children and 840,000 pregnant and nursing mothers are experiencing malnourishment, demonstrating the scale of the issue in the country.

The updated 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan by OCHA said that it requires USD 3.23 billion in funding to assist millions of vulnerable people in Afghanistan. However, only 23 per cent of this required funding has been received so far.

Earlier this month, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said that almost 30 million people are in serious need of assistance as funding shortfalls jeopardize the humanitarian response after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Afghanistan-based TOLO News reported.

The IRC warned that the shortfall in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan has contributed to a 60 per cent increase in the number of people in need, along with economic collapse, climate change, and reduced access to basic services.

IRC Afghanistan Director Salma Ben Aissa said, “Since August 15, 2021, Afghanistan has continued to suffer from a rapid economic collapse. Ordinary Afghans have paid the price; people who previously had jobs and were self-sufficient are now reliant on humanitarian aid and many families can no longer afford to feed themselves.”

“Two years later the economy remains cut off from international systems and 28.8 million people require humanitarian assistance, while nearly the entire population lives in poverty. Almost 80 per cent of those in need are women and girls,” she added, according to TOLO News.

Mir Shikib Mir, an Economist, said that the Taliban’s interference in assistance is one of the reasons behind the cut in humanitarian aid.

“The reason is the lack of recognition of the Taliban regime which has directly affected the aid process to Afghanistan. Another reason is the Taliban’s interference in assistance,” he said. (ANI)

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No Time For Politics: Anurag On Sukhu’s Remarks

By LokMarg 17th August 2023

Union Minister Anurag Thakur while referring to the damage caused by heavy rains and landslides in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday said that the parties especially Congress should stop doing politics and focus on providing relief in this hour of crisis.

He said that he will visit Himachal on August 20-21 and meet the affected people there.

The Minister said that many people have lost their lives and there has been widespread damage to infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh (due to rainfall and landslides).

“It is unfortunate that some parties, especially Congress, are doing politics on this. I appeal to them to stop politics and work together in this hour of crisis. The central government is providing all possible assistance. I will visit Himachal Pradesh on August 20-21 and meet the affected people,” he said.

Responding to Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s statement on Bihar architects, he said that there is no reason to drag the architects of Bihar into this and humiliate them. “Let’s come together and help each other like the Center helps the state. In the time of calamity let’s walk together and not comment,” he said.

Anurag Thakur said that a team of NDRF personnel has been sent to the affected region, Air Force personnel have also been deployed and all kinds of relief work is being done.

He further emphasized that the ministers should refrain from making statements and involve more in relief work in the state.

“Do relief work? I am also going to visit different districts of Himachal Pradesh. At that time, I will also meet those who have suffered losses and meet the officers and work on how maximum relief work can be given”, he said.

Earlier today, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu clarified on his “Bihari architects” remark and said people from Bihar are “just like our brothers” and damage to buildings in the state in the wake of heavy rains was the “fault of our structural engineering”.

Talking to ANI, the Chief Minister said people from Bihar were also stuck in the state due to heavy rains and he got them evacuated through helicopters.

Earlier, in media reports, Chief Minister Sukhu was quoted as saying that “migrant architects (masons) whom I call ‘Bihari architects’ come here and construct floor on floor.”

“I did not say anything as such. The people of Bihar were also stuck here. I got them evacuated by helicopters. Around 200 people from Bihar are still stuck here. They are like our brothers. It is the fault of our structural engineering, they are just labourers,” the Chief Minister said.

He said rescue work is being carried out on war footing and will further pick up pace as the weather improves. The Chief Minister said around 550 road blockades have been cleared. CM Sukhu said fully restoring the damaged infrastructure in the state will take time.

Over 70 people have died in the state due to heavy rains which led to landslides and damage to houses. (ANI)

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IndiGo Pilot Dies At Boarding Gate Just Before Departure

By LokMarg 17th August 2023

An IndiGo pilot, who was scheduled to fly from Nagpur to Pune on Thursday, fainted at the boarding gate.

He was taken to a hospital where he was declared brought dead, IndiGo said in a press statement.

“We are saddened at the passing of one of our pilots in Nagpur earlier today. He took unwell at Nagpur airport and was rushed to the hospital where he unfortunately passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones,” IndiGo said.

The name of the deceased pilot and other details about him were not immediately known.

According to the pilot’s roster, he operated several sectors before coming on duty today and had 27 hours of rest too.

“The said Pilot yesterday operated, two sectors Trivandrum-Pune-Nagpur, which were early morning (approx between 3am to 7am). Thereafter had 27 hrs of rest and was scheduled for 04 sectors today with departure at 1 pm. Departure from Nagpur was to be his 1st Sector,” the airline said. (ANI)

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Chandrayaan-3: Lander Successfully Separates From Propulsion Module

By LokMarg 17th August 2023

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission marked another giant leap in its lunar quest as the ‘Vikram’ lander module of the spacecraft successfully separated from the propulsion module on Thursday.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission’s lander is named after Vikram Sarabhai (1919–1971), who is widely regarded as the father of the Indian space programme.

On Wednesday, the spacecraft carried out the final lunar-bound orbit reduction manoeuvre of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, a week ahead of its scheduled landing on the south pole of the moon on August 23.

A GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle was used for the launch of the spacecraft that was placed in the lunar orbit on August 5 and since then it has been through a series of orbital manoeuvres been lowered closer to the moon’s surface.

It has been a month and two days since the Indian Space Research Organisation launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission on July 14. The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota.

ISRO is bidding to make a successful soft landing on the moon, which will make India the fourth country in the world to achieve the feat after the United States, Russia and China.

Chandrayaan-3 components include various electronic and mechanical subsystems intended to ensure a safe and soft landing such as navigation sensors, propulsion systems, guidance and control, among others.

The stated objectives of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission, are safe and soft landing, rover roving on the moon’s surface, and in-situ scientific experiments.

The approved cost of Chandrayaan-3 is Rs 250 crores (excluding launch vehicle cost).

Chandrayaan-3’s development phase commenced in January 2020 with the launch planned sometime in 2021. However, the Covid-19 pandemic brought an unforeseen delay to the mission’s progress.

Chandrayaan-3 is the ISRO’s follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019 and was eventually deemed to have failed its core mission objectives.

The key scientific outcomes from Chandrayaan-2 include the first-ever global map for lunar sodium, enhancing knowledge on crater size distribution, unambiguous detection of lunar surface water ice with IIRS instrument and more.

During the Chandrayaan-1 mission, the satellite made more than 3,400 orbits around the moon and the mission was concluded when the communication with the spacecraft was lost on August 29, 2009, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), S Somanath last week expressed confidence in the progress of the Chandrayaan 3, providing reassurance that all systems were operating as planned.

Chairman S Somanath stated, “Everything is going fine now. There will be a series of manoeuvres until it lands (on the Moon) on 23rd August. The satellite is healthy.”

Moon serves as a repository of the Earth’s past and a successful lunar mission by India will help enhance life on Earth while also enabling it to explore the rest of the solar system and beyond.

Historically, spacecraft missions to the Moon have primarily targeted the equatorial region due to its favourable terrain and operating conditions. However, the lunar south pole presents a vastly different and more challenging terrain compared to the equatorial region. (ANI)

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