Month: September 2023

C-295 Transport Aircraft

IAF Chief Receives First C-295 Transport Aircraft

By LokMarg

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on Wednesday received the first C-295 transport aircraft made for India by global aircraft manufacturer Airbus at a facility in Seville in Spain.

The Airbus officials handed over the keys of the aircraft to the Indian Air Force chief Chaudhari. 

After receiving the delivery of the first C-295 transport aircraft, the IAF chief said that it is a major milestone for the whole country and that it is a stepping stone for Atmanirbhar Bharat. 

“It is a major milestone not only for IAF but for the whole country. This is for two reasons – first, for IAF it improves our tactical airlift capabilities by leaps and bounds. For a nation, it marks the beginning of a new era,” Chaudhari said. 

For Atmanirbhar Bharat, he said, “After the first 16 aircraft roll out from this plant, the 17th aircraft onwards will be made in India. It’s a big step for the Indian aviation industry where we will be manufacturing the first military transport aircraft in the country…”

The aircraft is the first of 16 C-295 that will be produced in Spain and the remaining 40 will be made in an Indian facility in Gujarat’s Vadodara under a joint venture of Tata and Airbus.

The aircraft is expected to be inducted formally into the service at a ceremony in Hindan around September last week.

The Indian Air Force chief was personally involved in the contract at important stages as Deputy Chief of Air Staff where he was leading the contract negotiations.

Indian Defence Ministry and Airbus Defence and Space, Spain signed a contract for procurement of 56 C-295 aircraft for the Indian Air Force in September 2021. C-295MW aircraft is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

The aircraft has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and paradropping of troops and cargo. Sixteen aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition from Spain within 48 months of signing of the contract and forty aircraft will be manufactured in India by TATA Consortium within 10 years of the signing of the contract.

This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company.

All 56 aircraft will be installed with an indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite. The project will give a boost to aerospace ecosystem in India in which several MSMEs spread over the country will be involved in the manufacturing of parts of the aircraft, according to a press release of the Ministry of Defence. 

The programme will provide a major boost to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ of the Government as it offers a unique opportunity for the Indian Private Sector to enter into a technology-intensive and highly competitive aviation Industry.

The project is expected to augment domestic aviation manufacturing resulting in reduced import dependence and an expected increase in exports. (ANI)

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IT Raids On Locations Linked To SP Leader Azam Khan

By LokMarg

The Income Tax department on Wednesday morning conducted searches at multiple premises linked to Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan in Uttar Pradesh, sources said.

Teams of IT personnel reached cities including Rampur, Meerut, Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Saharanpur and Sitapur to raid multiple premises linked to the Samajwadi Party leader.

Azam Khan was elected MLA from the Rampur Sadar constituency.

The state Assembly Secretariat, earlier in October, announced Khan’s disqualification from the House after a court sentenced him to three years in jail in a hate speech case.

The case was registered against Khan in April 2019 for levelling serious allegations against administrative officials posted in Rampur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during an election meeting.

During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Khan was booked for making inflammatory speeches while addressing a public meeting in Khatanagaria village of the Milak Kotwali area.

Earlier Allahabad High Court in May 2022 had granted interim bail to Azam Khan in a matter which was related to a wrongful possession of Waqf board property land. 

Azam Khan began his political career by winning the 1980 assembly election on Janata Party (Secular) ticket from Rampur. He has served as a minister in both Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav governments. (ANI)

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Special Parliament Session New Uniforms

Special Parliament Session With New Uniforms: Turbans For Marshals, Jackets For Women

By LokMarg

Parliament staff will be seen in new uniforms as the Parliament Session begins next week starting September 18, according to sources.

As per sources, chamber attendants, officers, security personnel, drivers and marshals all will don new uniforms.

Khaki trousers, cream-coloured jackets, cream shirt with pink lotus motifs printed on them, bright coloured sarees with jackets for women and turbans for marshals figure in the new dress code. Security personnel at the Parliament building, instead of safari suits, will now wear camouflage pattern clothes similar to those worn by military personnel.

The special session of Parliament will start in the old building on September 18 and will be later moved to the new building on September 19 on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.

The new Parliament building was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, this year.

The new dress code for Parliament staff has meanwhile sparked a political debate, with the opposition Congress party raising concerns about the inclusion of a lotus motif on the clothes.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore posted on X, “Why lotus only? Why can’t peacock or why can’t tiger? Oh they’re not BJP party election symbol. Why this fall sir @ombirlakota?”

The Centre has called for a special session of Parliament for five days between September 18 and 22.

Meanwhile, 24 parties of the INDIA bloc have agreed to participate in the special session of the Parliament.

The agenda for the special session has however not been revealed yet.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament, which concluded last month, was held in the old Parliament building. The announcement of the special session came as a surprise in political circles with the parties gearing up for assembly polls in five states later this year. (ANI)

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Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tamil Nadu president Armstrong

Rajasthan: 16-Year-Old NEET Aspirant Hangs Self In Kota

By LokMarg

A medical aspirant preparing for the NEET (National Eligibility and Entrance Test) allegedly hanged herself, an officer of the nearby Vigyan Nagar police station informed on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Tuesday night, Devesh Bhardwaj, an officer from the Vigyan Nagar police station, informed further, adding that the victim was identified as 16-year-old Richa Singh.

She had been staying at a hostel at the Electronic Complex in Kota where she was preparing for the all-India medical entrance exam, the officer said, adding that she hailed from Ranchi, Jharkhand. 

Earlier, in August, Rajasthan Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas had voiced concern over rising suicide cases among students at coaching institutes in Kota, saying that the tutorials are run with the sole purpose of making money.

Khachariyawas termed these coaching centres as ‘Mafia’, urging the Congress government to act strictly against them.

In a similar incident, a 16-year-old student, who was preparing for the NEET for admission to undergraduate medical courses, allegedly died by suicide at his coaching institute in Kota on August 27, police said.

The deceased, identified as Avishkar from Maharashtra, jumped to his death from the 6th floor of the building housing the coaching centre.

It was the 23rd such incident reported this year, according to sources.

Amid the rising suicide cases among students in Kota, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recently put together a committee, which was tasked with looking into such cases and filing a report at the earliest. (ANI)

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Army Soldier Of Rajouri Encounter

J-K: Army Bids Sombre Farewell To Soldier Of Rajouri Encounter

By LokMarg

A sombre wreath laying ceremony was held for Army Rifleman Ravi Kumar, who lost his life during an encounter with terrorists at Narla in the Rajouri disrtrict of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.

The Army bid a tearful farewell to the slain jawan on Wednesday.

The Jammu-based White Knight Corps of the Army said in a statement, “White Knight Corps salutes the supreme sacrifice of Rifleman Ravi during OP SUJALIGALA in the highest traditions of the Indian Army. His unwavering dedication and service to our nation will always be remembered.”

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, one more terrorist was also killed in the ongoing gunfight with the security forces.

“Another terrorist (second) was gunned down in the ongoing encounter in Narla area of Rajouri,” Mukesh Singh, additional director general of police (ADGP), Jammu, said.

Earlier, on Tuesday, a top police officer said one terrorist was shot dead and a solider, too, lost his life in the encounter that broke out in the Narla area of Rajouri. Three security personnel, including a Special Police Officer (SPO), also sustained injuries in the exchange of fire.

“One terrorist neutralised; One Army jawan lost his life, three others including one police SPO injured in the ensuing encounter in Rajouri district,” Singh was quoted as saying in a statement on Tuesday.

A six-year-old dog (female labrador) from the army’s canine unit laid down her life shielding her handler during the encounter on Tuesday.

The Public Relations Officer, Indian Army, Jammu informed through a statement on Tuesday that Kent, a canine from the 21 Army Dog Unit, was leading a group of soldiers on the trail of fleeing terrorists when it came under heavy fire and succumbed at the scene.

Kent was at the forefront of ‘Operation Sujaligala’, the statement read.

Last week a terrorist was killed in an encounter in a joint operation conducted by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir police last week in the Reasi district.

Officials had said that war-like stores, including one AK series assault rifle with magazines, were recovered during the search following the encounter.

The officials said the Army defused an Improvised explosive device (IED) in the same region on September 3.

Barely two weeks ago, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said it arrested two persons for harbouring the terrorists, who had killed five innocent civilians in Dhangri village of Rajouri district in January this year.

On January 1 this year, five persons were killed and others seriously injured in an attack by unidentified terrorists.

The case was initially registered at Rajouri police station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 and Arms Act.

The NIA re-registered the case and took over the probe into the incident on January 13. (ANI)

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Nawaz Sharif Shehbaz Pakistan

Nawaz Sharif To Return To Pakistan On October 21: Shehbaz

By LokMarg

Amid speculations, Former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed on Tuesday that his elder brother and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan on October 21, Geo News reported.

This comes ahead of the upcoming elections in Pakistan, after the National Assembly was dissolved last month.

“Nawaz Sharif will reach Pakistan on October 21,” Shehbaz told Geo News on Tuesday.

The statement came after a meeting of the PML-N’s top leadership headed by Nawaz in London.

Nawaz —  who has been in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019 owing to health reasons — was disqualified for life in 2017 by the Supreme Court for not declaring a receivable salary.

While speaking to the media after the high-level party huddle in London, Shehbaz said that the date for Nawaz’s return was finalised after consultation with the party members.

He added that the credit for Pakistan’s attainment of nukes, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the ending 20 hours of electricity load-shedding in the country “goes to Nawaz”.

Shehbaz added the journey of development will continue from where Nawaz had left in 2017 when he was removed from power under a false and baseless case. “Nawaz wasn’t deprived of power but Pakistan’s people were deprived of development and prosperity.”

When asked about the PML-N’s stance if the elections are not conducted on time, the former premier said that “holding polls is the Election Commission of Pakistan’s constitutional responsibility and he hopes that the electoral watchdog will fulfil its responsibility fairly”, Geo News reported.

The London meeting was attended by Suleman Shehbaz, Hassan Nawaz, former federal minister Khawaja Asif, Malik Mohammad Ahmed Khan and Nasir Janjua.

The party’s strategy regarding the election, Nawaz’s return and the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) stance on the elections also came under discussion, according to Geo News. (ANI)

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Modi Carires No Weightage

Priyanka Slams Centre’s Decision To Reduce Tariff On American Apples

By LokMarg

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday slammed the Centre over its decision to reduce customs duty on apples imported from the US, saying it will make import of American apples easier and the move has come at a time when apple growers were facing problems.  

Priyanka Gandhi, who is visiting rain and flood-affected areas of Himachal Pradesh, said there has been a massive loss.

The Congress leader told ANI that the farmers in the state were suffering due to decisions of industrialists concerning procurement and the central government’s move on tariff reduction on apples coming from US will affect them adversely.     

“…This will make the import (of American apples) easy and they will be sold easily. Prices of procurement of apples in Shimla have been brought down by big industrialists. When the apple growers are suffering here, who should be helped? They, or the farmers in the US?” she asked.

The Congress leader said local farmers should be helped and they should get proper price for their produce.  

She was answering a query about Centre’s decision of 20 per cent reduction in customs duty on apples imported from the US.

In June, the US and India agreed to terminate six outstanding disputes at the World Trade Organization. Also, India agreed to reduce tariffs on certain US products, including chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, apples, boric acid, and diagnostic reagents, a United States Trade Representative statement said on Friday.

An additional 20 per cent duty was imposed on US apples in 2019 in response to US’ measure to increase tariffs on certain steel and aluminium products. There is no reduction on Most Favoured Nation (MFN) duty on apples which is still applicable on all imported apples including on the US at 50 per cent.

Political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, have also slammed the Centre’s move to reduce tariff on apples imported from the United States.

Speaking about the impact of rain-induced floods in Himachal Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi urged the Central government to declare the situation in the hilly state a national disaster.

She told ANI that the state government is doing what it can and the calamity should not be politicised.

“The situation is very painful. There has been a massive loss…People are suffering…We have been requesting that if the Central Government declares it a national disaster, it will be beneficial to them (locals). The state government is doing everything it can…But some things can be done only with the help of the Central Government. I’m sure they will help… I don’t think anyone wants to politicise such a calamity…,” she said. (ANI)

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Two Deaths In Kerala Due To Nipah Virus: Mandaviya

By LokMarg

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday confirmed that the two deaths in Kerala’s Kozhikode district have been caused by the the Nipah virus.

The Union Health Minister added that currently four patients suspected to be infected with Nipah virus are under surveillance and their samples have been sent for testing.

A Central team has been sent to Kerala to take stock of the situation and assist the state government in Nipah virus management, Mandaviya said in a press conference here.

“I have spoken to the Health Minister of Kerala, there have been reports of this virus several times this season. Cases are coming up, this virus is spread by bats. A guideline has been prepared by the Health Ministry regarding this so that we can take precautions,” Mandaviya said.

The first death took place on August 30 and the second death on September 11.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that the State government is viewing the two “unnatural deaths” reported from Kozhikode very seriously and that the health department has issued an alert in the district. Health officials suspect Nipah virus infection to be behind the two “unnatural deaths” reported from a private hospital in Kozhikode.

The state department has also issued an alert in the district in the wake of two deaths after a review meeting chaired by State Health Minister Veena George.

There was a Nipah outbreak in the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts in 2018 and later in 2021, a case of Nipah was reported in Kozhikode.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nipah Virus is caused by fruit bats and is potentially fatal to humans as well as animals. Along with respiratory illness, it is also known to cause fever, muscular pain, headache, fever, dizziness, and nausea.(ANI)

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Annamalai

Rahman Row: Annamalai Claims Women Sexually Harassed

By LokMarg

Amid the row over the alleged mismanagement during celebrated music composer AR Rahman’s concert in Chennai a few days ago, the BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai on Tuesday alleged that some women in the crowd were sexually harassed, adding that the DMK government took no action in the matter.

Many fans of the Oscar-winning music composer took to social media to vent their outrage over the alleged mismanagement during the concert.

It was alleged that there were no parking facilities provided for by the organisers of Rahman’s concert in Chennai’s Panaiyur on Sunday evening.

The soiree, titled ‘Marakkuma Nenjam’, saw overcrowding and resulted in severe traffic congestion on the East Coast Road, which connects Puducherry, leaving the fans of the composer miffed.

Several ticket holders, including those with Platinum and Diamond tickets which cost over Rs 25,000, claimed they couldn’t reach the venue on time owing to traffic congestion on ECR, on September 10.

The BJP’s state unit alleged that women’s safety was compromised at the concert.

“Music composer AR Rahman’s concert was held in Chennai, a day before yesterday. I came to know that the concert has caused a lot of trouble to the public due to various defects in the program arrangement,” Annamalai said in a statement. 

He said that the public faced issues arising out of inadequate seating, overcrowding, and no parking arrangements.

“Due to the total failure of the event organizers, the public has suffered. More than all this, the news of women being sexually harassed in the crowd is shocking and saddening. What action has this government taken against event organizers who do not ensure women’s safety?” the statement read. 

Annamalai said he was surprised that the Tamil Nadu government was yet to act despite the large number of complaints, including those of sexual harassment, lodged.

In the face of a severe backlash, the event managers involved with the concert issued an apology saying they were taking full responsibility for the inconvenience. 

ACTC Events, an event organiser involved with the soiree, took to X to post, “Grateful to Chennai and the legendary @arrahman Sir! The incredible response, the overwhelming crowd made our show a massive success. Those who couldn’t attend because of overcrowding, Our sincere apologies. We take full responsibility and accountable. We are with you. #MarakkumaNenjam (sic).”

Rahman, too, promised a refund to fans to bought tickets to the concert but couldn’t reach the venue because of the crowding and traffic issues.

“Dearest Chennai Makkale, those of you who purchased tickets and weren’t able to enter owing to unfortunate circumstances, please do share a copy of your ticket purchase to arr4chennai@btos.in along with your grievances. Our team will respond asap. @BToSproductions @actcevents,” he wrote on X. 

In a separate post, Rahman wrote, “Some people call me G.O.A.T …………let me be the sacrificial goat this time for all of us to wake up ..let Chennai’s live art flourish with a world class infrastructure, increase in tourism, efficient crowd management, traffic management, refining audiences to follow rules ..creating a safe and surreal experience for children and women ..Triggering a cultural renaissance at Chennai celebrating our deserving, illuminated local and international talent.” (ANI)

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Army Dog Kashmir Encounter

Army Dog Lays Down Her Life To Save Handler In Kashmir Encounter

By LokMarg

Making the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, in keeping with the highest traditions of the Indian army, a six-year-old dog (female labrador) laid down her life shielding her handler during an encounter that broke out in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri on Tuesday. 

Kent, a canine from the 21 Army Dog Unit, was leading a group of soldiers on the trail of fleeing terrorists when it came under heavy fire and succumbed at the scene, the Public Relations Officer, Indian Army, Jammu informed through a statement.

Kent was at the forefront of ‘Operation Sujaligala’, the statement read.

Additional Director General of Police, Mukesh Singh, said one terrorist and an army jawan were killed in the encounter that broke out in the Narllah area of the Rajouri district in the Jammu region.

Three more jawans, including a Special Police Officer (SPO), were also injured in the exchange of fire.

Last week, a terrorist was killed in a joint operation conducted by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Reasi district.

“War-like stores including one AK series assault rifle with magazines were recovered during the search following the encounter,” an official said.

Indian Army defused an Improvised explosive device (IED) in the same region on September 3. (ANI)

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