External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar

Jaishankar Meets Indonesian FM, Discusses EAS, G20 Summit

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi as he arrived in Jakarta to attend the ASEAN Summit on Wednesday. 

EAM Jaishankar’s meeting with his Indonesia Counterpart was focused on the East Asia Summit and G20 summit which is being hosted by India this year, informed the Indian Minister’s post on X. 

Taking to X, Jaishankar said, “Arrived in Jakarta to attend ASEAN Summit-related meetings. Delighted to meet my friend @Menlu_RI again. Our discussions focused on the East Asia Summit and the G20 Summit.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Indonesia to attend the 20th ASEAN-India Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit (EAS) on Wednesday.

PM Modi will leave for Indonesia on Wednesday (September 6) evening and will return to New Delhi late in the evening on the following day.

The Prime Minister will be in Jakarta at the invitation of the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. Both the ASEAN-India Summit and the 18th East Asia Summit (EAS) will take place on September 7 (Thursday).

Indonesia, the current chair of ASEAN, made adjustments to the schedule for both summits to facilitate Modi’s early return. PM Modi’s visit to Indonesia comes ahead of the G20 Summit to be held in New Delhi on September 9-10 under India’s Presidency this year.

Indonesia is part of the G20 ‘troika’ as it had the presidency of the grouping last year.

The forthcoming ASEAN-India Summit will be the first Summit since the elevation of ties between India and the Association of South East Asian Nations bloc of countries to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022.

The foreign ministry said that the the Summit will review the progress of India-ASEAN relations and chart the future direction of cooperation.

This year the ASEAN Summit will be chaired by Indonesia under the theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.” This theme indicates that Indonesia expects the ASEAN to be relevant and significant as the centre of economic growthAccording to a statement, the East Asia Summit would provide an opportunity for leaders of ASEAN countries and its eight dialogue partners, including India, to exchange views on issues of regional and global significance.

In August, ASEAN-India Economic Ministers met in Indonesia and the main agenda of this year’s meeting was the timely review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) which was signed in 2009.

A joint committee agreed to a regular, quarterly schedule of negotiations, which would conclude the review of the ASEAN-India FTA in 2025.

In 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jakarta at the invitation of Indonesian President Widodo. During this visit, both leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in all areas by establishing a New Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to take the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and India into a new era. (ANI)

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18th Lok Sabha

Spl Parl Session To Start In Old Building, Move On To New One

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, sources said. 

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 scheduled to begin on September 18. Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi will be writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of these 24 parties, sources said.

This decision was taken at a meeting of INDIA bloc floor leaders.

The meeting of floor leaders of the INDIA bloc parties was held at the residence of Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi on Monday evening.

Issues that will be raised by the opposition parties in the Special Session of the Parliament were also finalised in the meeting. These issues will be given in writing to the government through the Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, said sources.

Earlier last week, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi informed about the five-day special session of Parliament from September 18-22.

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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Omar Abdullah

SC Allots Plough Election Symbol To J&K National Conference

The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the notification issued by the Union Territory of Ladakh for the election in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) and allotted the ‘plough’ symbol to the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC).

Welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision, JKNC Vice President Omar Abdullah said, “We have got the verdict we wanted and deserved.”

Hitting out at the ‘biased’ UT administration, Abdullah said, the Bharatiya Janta Party, ably assisted by a totally biased Ladakh administration, did everything possible to deny us our rights.

“Our symbol, the plough, was given to us by the Hon. Supreme Court earlier this morning. The BJP, ably assisted by a totally biased Ladakh administration, did everything possible to deny us our rights. The court saw through this and penalized them with ₹1 lakh in costs imposed on the administration. Congratulations to @JkncKargil! And a huge thank you to @ShariqJReyaz for the amazing job he did arguing this in front of the HC and SC,” Omar Abdullah wrote on X.

On Friday, the Supreme Court reserved orders on a petition filed by the Ladakh administration seeking to restrain the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference Party (JKNC) from fighting the local body elections in Kargil on its registered ‘plough’ symbol. The court announced that an order would be passed on Wednesday.

Elections will be held in the Kargil region on September 10. The Court, in its order, asked the election authorities to allot the plough symbol to the JKNC.

The decision was announced by a bench of Justices, including Vikaram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullan. The court directed a fresh notification to be issued to LAHDC within 7 days. Also, a fine of Rs 1 lakh has been imposed on the UT administration. The Court said that only due to this reason, the entire election process issued by the Ladakh authority has been set aside. (ANI)

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G20 Summit India

G20 Summit: India To Provide UPI Experience To Delegates

Taking India’s G20 Presidency as an opportunity to showcase the country’s digital public goods to the world and its ‘Digital India’ initiative, the central government has decided to provide hands-on experiences to around 1,000 visiting foreign delegates with UPI wallets technology, besides explaining them about ease of making payments through the indigenous solution.

“Foreign delegates or participants will be given Rs 500-1,000 in their UPI wallets for doing UPI transactions,” a government official told ANI, adding it has earmarked around Rs 10 lakhs for it.

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.

UPI payment system has become hugely popular for retail digital payments in India, and its adoption is increasing at a rapid pace.

India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing ecosystems for fintech innovation and the government and the central bank have been instrumental in driving the globalisation of India’s digital payment infrastructure. A key emphasis of the Indian government has been on ensuring that the benefits of UPI are not limited to India only, but other countries, too, benefit from it.

So far, Sri Lanka, France, UAE, and Singapore have partnered with India on emerging fintech and payment solutions.

Also, RBI had earlier this year extended Unified Payments Interface-based payments for in-bound travellers from G20 nations to make local payments while they are in India. This facility was made available in April.

India is all set to host the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9-10.

World leaders will arrive in New Delhi to attend the G20 Summit. The summit will be hosted at the state-of-the-art Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

Notably, India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1 last year and about 200 meetings related to G20 were organized in 60 cities across the country.

The government today also launched the ‘G20 India’ mobile app for seamless and smooth functioning with Indian and foreign delegates. The G20 India mobile app having all member countries’ language options will help delegates access UPI and navigation facilities during the summit. (ANI)

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‘₹200 Price Cut On LPG Cylinder Is A Big Relief For Poor Households’

Shalini Mathur, who taught in Kenya for many years before settling down in Noida, says even a small cut in cooking fuel prices can make a major difference for the poor. Her views:

LPG price cut is definitely a boon for households especially for the middle and the lower middle class income groups. For people living in high rise societies and those that come under the upper middle class or the higher strata, a price cut doesn’t make a difference. A cut of a few thousands or hundreds doesn’t affect their daily lives.

But for a certain income group and the lower class, even a cut of 100 or 200 rupees can make a remarkable change in their lives. For example, if LPG is affordable for a household maid, it brings about a major change in her life and that of her family. They need fuel for daily cooking be it LPG, kerosene, coal or wood. If the government makes LPG affordable to this strata, they will be at maximum advantage.

Firstly, she will be able to use LPG only if she can afford it. Cheaper rates will make her think about using it instead of the time consuming kerosene or any other fuel she might be using for cooking. Therefore, price cut will increase demand. More and more people will look at using LPG and if supply and accessibility is taken care of, it shall be of huge benefit to households.

Secondly, if LPG prices come down, the money saved makes her and her family eat better. It means more ration and vegetables for them. Likewise, for a daily wager. Every penny matters to them. It makes their lives better. It’s a saving by all means.

Thirdly, their quality of life will improve. A hygienic and quick cooking fuel and its easy availability in affordable price range gives the lady of the house better and more opportunities to work outside and earn extra for her family.

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We have come a long way from making advance bookings for cylinders to buying them in black and waiting sometimes for even a month to get one when we ran out of the existing one.

For the lower middle class especially, one cylinder lasts close to 2 months. They are more than happy with this cost effective fuel. And not to forget the health benefits. An LPG price cut is always a win-win situation for every household especially the women. It’s a necessity, a basic comfort.

Also, under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna, the subsidized rates announced by the government will make a huge difference to the households of the lower middle class. New connections will also ensure more users and this all is set to have a positive impact on the lives of people. With connections being distributed to those who are in need, it will give a boost to women, their work, health and homes.

In fact, the opposition is criticizing the move and making it into an election gimmick. Inflation had peaked in July and this move will be of great help to people below poverty line. On the part of the government, it is a blessing.

As told to Deepa Gupta

Rakul Preet Singh

Rakul Preet Opens Up On Films In Different Languages

Actor Rakul Preet Singh, who has done several films in Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil has opened up about her upcoming projects.

“This is a really exciting phase for me as an actor, I’m really glad to be getting opportunities to do films across languages. I’m immensely thankful for the diverse languages of cinema that allow me to speak to hearts across linguistic borders. It’s a joy for me to connect with audiences from all walks of life through the magic of storytelling,” she said.

Rakul said all her upcoming films are in different languages including Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and multilingual films like ‘Indian 2’ and ‘Ayalaan.’

“There are many more films that are currently under wraps but will soon be out, and I cannot be more excited for it! I can’t wait for my fans to experience it and I just hope that they continue showing me love like they always have,” she said.

Singh who made her acting debut with Kannada film ‘Gilli’ (2009) has worked in Telugu film ‘Venkatadri Express’ and Tamil film ‘Thadaiyara Thaakka’. She was next seen in Tamil and Telugu films like ‘Loukyam’ (2014), ‘Pandaga Chesko’ (2015), ‘Sarrainodu’ (2016), ‘Dhruva’ (2016), ‘Nannaku Prematho’ (2016).

She entered Hindi cinema with the comedy ‘Yaariyan’ (2014). She has primarily acted in Hindi films, such as the romantic comedy ‘De De Pyaar De’ (2019), the drama ‘Runway 34’ (2022), and ‘Doctor G’ (2022).

Rakul has ‘Ayalaan,’ ‘Indian 2’ and certain other films that are currently kept under wraps. (ANI)

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Communal Hatred In The Classroom

India, it is said, is where extremes and contradictions are colliding all the time. One thought one was shock-proof, but it was not enough, to witness in the wake of the successful Chandrayan-3 landing on the moon, a school teacher asking students to slap a seven-year-old boy. And, after his tear-filled face went red with multiple hits, on his bare behind.

A fact-check journalist has been arrested for revealing the boy’s name. Given a clue, the authorities in Khubbapur village, district Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, may well get hold of the person who shot the damning video or for naming the school and its owner-teacher.

Her defence of the act is ingenious: she asks other students to take turns slapping the boy because she is handicapped. No remorse. There is not even a defence for enforcing corporal punishment which is, anyway, illegal. The ‘Mohammedan’ students were incapable of learning, she said exhorting her proxy perpetrators.

The victim is a member of the largest minority community that has of late become fair game for anyone in authority, as well as the groups of vigilantes who enforce their street power. The law, if there is an outcry, takes its own slow, tedious course. In this case, the communal angle is excluded and she has been charged with non-cognizable offences. Familiar, again, are pressures on the family of the victim to reach a ‘compromise’ – in short let the lady off the hook in this case – or else, threats follow.

The outcry is because someone has filmed the crime and when it goes viral, it reduces its deniability. Salute to social media, despite its million faults. Almost always, the perpetrators/accused say the film is tampered. The action, the reaction and the remedy run on a familiar course. Regrettably, the political course is also getting increasingly normal.

Familiar, yet again, is caste and political considerations. They have brought the ruling BJP on the same page with many of the opposition bunch with stakes in Western UP, keen to garner votes of the lady’s powerful caste. Where does this caravan of crime and consensual compromise end?

The incident is set against a larger backdrop. A Delhi school teacher is also accused of hate rants against Muslims in her classroom. A constable kills four on a running train and delivers a hate speech stomping the body of one of the victims. An increasing political polarisation is steadily trickling into public and private spaces across India.

ALSO READ: Toxic Environs (No, It Is Not About Pollution)

One would have thought that lessons might be learnt from a non-issue like Muslim girls wearing hijab to school contributing to the electoral outcome in Karnataka where it played out. Obviously, one was being naïve. It has only radicalised and polarised the situation further, far and wide. This is evident in Nuh, Haryana, where people have been killed and maimed and their homes bulldozed, prompting the country’s apex court to question the objective and the objectivity that guided the latter action of clearing illegal encroachment.

The scene is becoming murkier and is giving forthcoming electoral contests a new edge. It circumscribes debates in between elections and in media where cacophony has come to rule. With few exceptions, media houses, small and big, are involved, for political favours, ad revenue and the TRPs.

Boosted by social media (the seamy side of the same coin), there are many more incentives for promoting views that veer to the extremes and stay firmly there, than for positions that reflect reason and sobriety, much less openness and tolerance. Sadly, the elections and 24×7 electioneering have come to mean little else in this world’s largest democracy.

The slap-the-boy incident is a new phenomenon in that what was confined to political issues, faith, caste and region, has now come down to the children and their schooling. A classroom, one thought, is sacrosanct and we still remember the school and the teachers who educated us. What is taught and what is learnt in it stretches into the future.

Sadly, the experience of punishment and the open airing of prejudices have become normal, even socially and politically correct these days. This sends out troubling signals for future citizens.  A troubled childhood could be the recipe for future actions that may not be conducive to society. The present may be sowing poisonous seeds that can only grow poisonous fruits.

Media reports another incident in Kathua that also occurred last week, in which a Muslim teacher in a government school reportedly beat up a student for writing “Jai Shri Ram” on the blackboard. This cannot be justified either. But it does not cancel out the Muzaffarnagar outrage — it only adds to it, and to a series of such incidents that betray, not mindless violence prompted by the social volatility, but one that also conforms to a political agenda.

To return to the terrain that wreaks of unnerving familiarity, it is likely that such incidents may get cancelled out by compromises that competing political forces may strike. It is also likely that after initial indignation, the episode, like numerous others before, may be forgotten.

The media have this thing about causing ‘fatigue’ to its readers/ viewers over an unpleasant incident, and move on, happily lapping up the seemingly delicious distractions that the people in power dish out. The “khao-piyo-aish-karo” is a convenient recipe for a media that entertains more than informs or educates. This may be the end for the Muzaffarnagar and Kathua incidents, like others that have happened before, to fade out or the public memory – which is short, anyway.

The responsibility to counter the brutalisation of the classroom must be owned by civil society, of course, but the onus is primarily on the political leadership, and especially the government that seeks to educate the whole world. This is essential because, God forbid, more such incidents could take place as India goes for multiple elections in the next nine or ten months.

Such incidents recur in the silence and ambivalence that settles around them, after a perfunctory show of indignation. They repeat themselves in the spaces vacated by a political system that ignores them to seek short-term gains.

The basic worry persists. What type of future citizens are we nurturing today when hatred and ‘othering’ of a region, caste or faith are promoted?

The writer can be contacted at mahendraved07@gmail.com

Uttarakhand Dhami 8 New Cities

No One Will Be Harassed During Anti-Encroachment Drive: Dhami

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday assured that district authorities have been directed to ensure the citizens are not “harassed” during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in the state.

The CM also vowed strict action against people who had created illegal structures in the name of “land jihad” on the forest land in the state.

Speaking to ANI, CM said, “I want to assure that the citizens wouldn’t be harassed during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive. No demolition would be carried out without taking due consideration and proper verification of land documents”.

He added that the district authorities would ensure that citizens are not being harassed during the drive.

“Unless it is not assured that the structure is built on government land, no demolition would be carried out till that time. Action will continue against people who have erected illegal structures in the name of land jihad on forest land”.

“All the District Magistrates have been directed that in the name of removal of encroachments on the roadsides, there should be no vandalism and harassment to any citizen on the legal construction by the administration. I want to assure the people of the state that before taking any action it will be ensured that the construction has taken place on illegal and government land which needs to be removed,” CM Dhami posted on X, formerly Twitter, in hindi, on Tuesday evening.

“But action will continue against the illegal symbols created in the name of land jihad on forest land,” CM Dhami posted on X. (ANI)

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Malaika Cryptic Post

Malaika’s Cryptic Post Amid Rumoured Breakup

Actor Malaika Arora, on Tuesday, shared a cryptic post amid breakup rumours with Arjun Kapoor.

She took to Instagram Story and posted a quote that said, “A woman becomes a reflection of how you treat her. If you don’t like how she’s acting, look at how you are treating her.”

Recently several media reports suggested that Arjun and Malaika have now parted ways and the ‘Gunday’ actor is now dating social media influencer Kusha Kapila

However, the duo shut down their breakup rumours as they stepped out for a lunch date and were even captured by Mumbai-based paps.

In the viral pictures, Malaika is seen donning an all-white look. She opted for a schiffli white shirt which she paired with lacy white shorts and matching shorts. Arjun looked uber cool in a black t-shirt that he paired with black cargo pants and a black beanie.

Because of this, their fans were extremely happy. 

“Thank God. Break-up reports were not true,” a social media user commented.

“They look so good together,” another one wrote.

But, people are again doubting whether they are in a relationship or not after this cryptic post.

Malaika and Arjun have been dating for over four years now. The couple made their relationship official when Malaika shared a sweet birthday post for Arjun in 2019. They have been dishing out a major couple goals ever since.

Malaika was previously married to actor Arbaaz Khan. They are parents to son Arhaan Khan, who is 20 years old. The two divorced in 2017 after 19 years of marriage. (ANI)

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National Teachers Day Award 2023

Murmu Confers National Teachers’ Award 2023 To 75 Awardees In Delhi

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday conferred the National Teachers’ Award 2023 to 75 selected awardees in Delhi.

Speaking on occasion, President Murmu said, “Our teachers and students should gather detailed knowledge from Charak and Sushruta and from Aryabhatta to Chandrayaan-3, take inspiration from them and work for the glorious future of the country with a broad mind. I firmly believe that our teachers and students will together take India rapidly ahead towards becoming a developed country in Kartavya Kaal.”

She further said that giving students love is more important than giving them education.

“When teachers appreciate or encourage or punish, students remember everything. If they are punished to improve them, students realise it with time. So, I believe that giving them love is more important than giving them education. Our Education Policy gives priority to connecting with Indian culture and pride,” she said.

The award ceremony was held in Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. 

According to a government release, each award carries a certificate of merit, a cash award of Rs 50,000 and a silver medal.

Department of School Education and Literacy of the Ministry of Education has been organising a National level function on Teachers Day every year to confer the National Awards to the best teachers in the country, selected through a rigorous, transparent selection process.

From this year, the ambit of the National Teachers’ Award has been expanded to include teachers of the Department of Higher Education and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, it added.

50 school teachers, 13 teachers from higher education and 12 teachers from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship have been awarded this year.

Every year, the country celebrates September 5, the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, as National Teachers’ Day. The purpose of the National Teachers’ Award is to celebrate the unique contribution of teachers in the country and to honour those teachers who, through their commitment and dedication, have not only improved the quality of education but also enriched the lives of their students.

With a view to recognize innovative teaching, research, community outreach and novelty of work the nominations were sought in online mode to maximize participation (Jan Bhagidari).

The ministry constituted three separate Independent National Jurys comprising eminent persons for the selection of teachers. (ANI)

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