Month: June 2024

On the occasion of the completion of 50 years of Emergency imposed in 1975, Birla praised the strength and determination of all those who strongly opposed the Emergency, fought and protected India’s democracy.

Birla said, “This House strongly condemns the decision to impose emergency in the country in 1975. Along with this, we appreciate the determination of all those people who strongly opposed the emergency, fought an unprecedented struggle and took the responsibility of protecting the democracy of India.”

He added, “The day of June 25, 1975 will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India.”

Even as Birla was making his speech on Emergency, the opposition parties continued sloganeering “Stop Dictatorship”. Afterwards, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till June 27.

Lok Sabha Speaker further stressed the need to pass the resolution and asserted that the youngsters should be aware of the Emergency period. He said, “On this day in 1975, the then cabinet had post-facto ratified the Emergency, approving this dictatorial and unconstitutional decision. Therefore, to reiterate our commitment to our parliamentary system and this second independence achieved after countless sacrifices, it is necessary to pass this resolution today. We also believe that our young generation must know about this dark chapter of democracy.”

Om Birla was re-elected as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday after the motion for the same was moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The motion was adopted by the House through a voice vote.

The Lok Sabha Speaker targeted Indira Gandhi for imposing an Emergency on a country that always upheld the values of democracy. “India’s democratic values were crushed and freedom of expression was throttled. During the emergency, the rights of the people were destroyed, and citizens lost their freedom. It was the time when the opposition leaders were put to jail… The government during that time imposed several restrictions on the media…,” he said

Stepping up his attacks on the Congress party, Birla said, “Congress took such decisions that did the work of crushing the emotions of the Constitution. By bringing amendments to the MISA Act, the Congress party made sure that the courts could not provide justice to people arrested under MISA. To stop the media from writing the truth, the Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection of Publication) Act and other acts were brought.”

Birla expressed confidence that the 18th Lok Sabha will uphold its commitment to preserve and protect the Constitution created by BR Ambedkar. He said, “The 18th Lok Sabha will remain committed to the rule of law and decentralization of powers in the country.”

Asserting that the Emergency had destroyed the lives of people, Birla said, “We observe two minutes of silence in the memory of such dutiful and patriotic citizens of India who lost their lives at the hands of the dictatorial government of Congress during that dark period of Emergency.”

The NDA leaders held a protest in the Parliament premises on Wednesday to mark the 50th anniversary of the emergency, demanding an apology from the Congress.

The BJP held a nationwide programme to mark the 21-month state of emergency imposed on June 25, 1975, by Indira Gandhi. June 25 marks the day when Indira Gandhi declared a state of Emergency in the country for 21 months, from 1975 to 1977. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Paraguay became the 100th country to join as a full member of the International Solar Alliance on Wednesday.

Paraguay handed over the International Solar Alliance Instrument of Ratification in the national capital today.

It handed over the Instrument of Ratification during the meeting with the Ambassador of Paraguay to India Fleming Raul Duarte with Head of Depository, Joint Secretary (ED and MER), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Abhishek Singh.

“Paraguay becomes the 100th country to join as full member of the International Solar Alliance. Paraguay handed over the @isolaralliance Instrument of Ratification, during the meeting of Ambassador Fleming Raul Duarte of with Head of Depository, JS (ED & MER) Abhishek Singh @Abhishekifs in New Delhi today,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson said in a post on X.

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies as a means for bringing energy access, ensuring energy security, and driving energy transition in its member countries.

India and France jointly launched the International Solar Alliance (ISA) during COP21 in Paris. The ISA aims to contribute to the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement through the rapid and massive deployment of solar energy, according to an MEA press release.

It was conceptualised on the sidelines of the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Paris in 2015, the ISA stated.

Currently, 119 countries are signatories to the ISA Framework Agreement, of which 99 countries have submitted the necessary Instrument of Ratification to become full members of the ISA; Paraguay is the 100th country to submit the Instrument of Ratification.

Spain became the 99th member of the International Solar Alliance in May this year. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi on Wednesday sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to three days CBI remand in connection with the Excise policy case.

Vacation Judge Amitabh Rawat after taking note of all the submissions of both sides, allowed Arvind Kejriwal to be on CBI remand till June 29, 2024.

During the remand period, the court has allowed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, to meet him for 30 minutes and his lawyer to meet him every day for 30 minutes. The court has also allowed him to carry his prescribed medicines during the remand period.

Home-cooked food is also allowed during the remand period, the court said.

During the hearing, Arvind Kejriwal himself addressed the court and said, “CBI is claiming that I have made a statement against Manish Sisodia, which is completely false. Manish Sisodia Nirdosh hai, Aam Aadmi Party Nirdosh hai. Main bhi nirdosh hun. Iss Tarah ke statements hamme media me badnam Karne ke liye diye ja rahe hai (Manish Sisodia is innocent, Aam Aadmi Party is innocent. I am also innocent. statements are being given in the media to defame us.)”

He also added that “CBI sources ke hawale se media me hamme badnam kar rahe rahe hai. Inka plan hai ki media front page ye chala de ki Kejriwal ne sara thikra Manish Sisodia pe daal diya. (They are tarnishing our image in the media by using unnamed sources. Their plan is to make it headline news that Kejriwal has shifted all the blame to Manish Sisodia.)”

However, the Court on this said,” apki statement maine pad liya hai… apne aisa nahi bola hai. (I have read your statement… you have not said this.)”

Appearing for CBI, DP Singh submitted that there are certain dates…I got permission under PC Act on April 23, 2024, and since the election were on and then he was on interim bail, we refrained from investigating him, said DP Singh for CBI. Vijay Nair a close confidant of CM, the media incharge of AAP is given the responsibility to coordinate.

CBI counsel further alleged that on May 25, 2021, policy was notified. Before this first attempt was made to meet liquor baron. Policy wasn’t yet notified. But the process of finding suitors started?

K Kavitha and Magunta Reddy met together and again in March 2021 itself, K Kavitha calls Reddy and then met. Even though lockdown happened, these meetings started and on a private flight, a team from the South came to Delhi during prime COVID. Boinpally sends a report through Nair to Sisodia…C Arvind, the Secy of Sisodia, types the report and it was given in his camp office (CM), said the CBI in court.

The GoM report was prepared by the South Group, the said report goes to the LG office. Four chargesheets have been filed, 17 accused persons, we’re almost at the conclusion of the investigation, said CBI

Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Vikram Chaudhari appeared for Arvind Kejriwal opposing the remand application moved by CBI. He said CBI has filed four chargesheets till now and now arresting Arvind Kejriwal and it still have to identify some persons through Arvind Kejriwal? Is this a valid reason for arrest?

Kejriwal’s lawyer further added that, according to CBI Arvind Kejriwal gave evasive replies during his examine/Interrogation in Tihar jail. The investigation officer of the case called it evasive because the only reply they want is Kejriwal’s admission of guilt.

Chaudhri questions the timing of the arrest. They were waiting for the pronouncement of Arvind Kejriwal’s bail order. They could’ve arrested Kejriwal on June 2 when he surrendered. The materials must be perused by the Court before granting them (the CBI) the custody of Kejriwal.

On Tuesday, the CBI arrested the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Kejriwal after the Vacation Judge of the Delhi Court allowed CBI to examine/interrogate him in the courtroom so that the agency could proceed with his formal arrest.

The court also asked the CBI to place on record the material that they have for his arrest.

Kejriwal was produced today before the court of vacation judge Amitabh Rawat in compliance of the production warrant issued by the court yesterday.

During the hearing, Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and AAP leader Dilip Pandey were present in the courtroom.

CBI’s Special Public Prosecutor, DP Singh, extensively argued and opposed submissions by Kejriwal’s lawyer.

The advocate also moved an application seeking a supply of applications for interrogation by CBI and the order passed related to that.

Yesterday, Kejriwal was in Tihar Jail and recorded his statement related to the Excise Policy case. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in an Excise Policy money laundering case on March 21 this year and is presently in Judicial Custody in the case.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s bail order passed by the trial court, saying that the trial court should have at least recorded its satisfaction with the fulfilment of twin conditions of Section 45 of the Prevention of the Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before passing the impugned order.

The vacation bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain, while passing the order, said that documents and arguments were not appreciated properly by the trial court.

On June 20, the trial judge granted bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case. The next day, the ED moved an urgent petition before the High Court challenging the bail order. The High Court heard both sides extensively reserve orders on the ED’s application to stay the bail order and it halted the release of Kejriwal until the pronouncement of its order. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s versatility and charisma have impressed millions of people across the world. In his 32 years of career, he has impressed the audience with his distinct characters and out-of-the-box performances. One such film was ‘Hey Ram’, which was directed by Kamal Haasan and Shah Rukh played a prominent role in the film.

During the trailer launch of ‘Indian 2’, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan recalled working with the actor who is famously known as SRK and said that the latter did not charge any money for his directorial ‘Hey Ram’, which was released in 2000.

“As a matter of fact Shah Rukh Sahib made that film for free,” Kamal Haasan said, adding, “What more do you need?”

Haasan said, “That’s not something a superstar would do. That takes a true fan of cinema, a connoisseur of art and a good actor. I’m ever thankful for him. “

On the title of “superstar”, he said, “We don’t see all that. I don’t see a superstar; he does not see a super director. We are friends. You all give us titles and we shyly accept it.”

‘Hey Ram’ is written, directed, and produced by Kamal Haasan. He also played the lead role in the film. It revolves around India’s Partition and the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

He also opened up about the big budget of the film which was impacted by Covid 19 and on-set accidents.

“The budget was not just decided by the director and the script. Covid-19 decided our budget. Some of the accidents delayed and increased the budget. The tenacity of purpose of both the director and the producer has to be applauded even before the film becomes a hit. That I owe to them. So this is that applause for them. Because it’s very easy to let go. They didn’t do that. Because all of us were working. We had other films to do. And even he had other films. But not to let go of the child, not to orphan this child, was a decision taken by Laika Productions and Shankar,” shared the actor while praising the director S Shankar and the producers.

Meanwhile, taking to X, Lyca Productions treated fans to an exciting trailer.

The trailer is high on action and Kamal Haasan leaves his fans going gaga over his stunts and disguises.

The trailer opens by introducing Siddharth’s character, who is seen questioning the flaws of the system. Kamal Haasan is reprising his role as a freedom fighter turned vigilante.

In the clip, Kamal’s character Senapathy, who once fought against the system, is back to save society. Kamal Haasan appears in many disguises throughout the trailer.

He also says, “This is the second war of independence. You take the Gandhian approach, while I take Netaji’s approach” in the trailer.

Sharing the trailer video, makers captioned the post, “SENAPATHY is back in style! The much-awaited #Hindustani2 Trailer is OUT NOW, packed with breathtaking action and visuals that will keep you hooked.”

‘Indian 2’ is the sequel to the 1996 film ‘Indian’, which also starred Kamal as Veerasekaran Senapathy. The franchise brings back Kamal and director S Shankar for the sequel.

Sidharth, Rakul Preet Singh, and Kajal Aggarwal are also part of the film. ‘Indian 2’ has music by Anirudh Ravichander and has writers Jayamohan, Kabilan Vairamuthu and Lakshmi Saravanakumar on board. The first poster of Indian 2 was unveiled on the occasion of the Pongal festival in 2020.

Produced by Lyca Productions and Red Giant Movies ‘Indian 2’ will be released on July 12, 2024, worldwide in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani called on Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to invite him for his son Anant Ambani’s wedding scheduled to take place on July 12.

The industrialist along with the soon-to-be groom and bride Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant met with Shinde and extended the invitation for the wedding.

The wedding of Anant Ambani with industrialist Viren Merchant’s daughter Radhika Merchant will take place on July 12 at the prestigious Jio World Convention Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai.

Earlier on Monday, Reliance Foundation Founder and Chairperson, Nita Ambani visited Kashi Vishwanath Temple to seek blessings and offered the first wedding invitation to Lord Shiva.

As Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding day approaches, Mumbai is set to witness a grand celebration that combines tradition, opulence, and a touch of modernity. The wedding festivities are meticulously planned, adhering to the traditional Hindu Vedic customs.

The main ceremonies will commence on Friday, July 12, with the auspicious Shubh Vivah or wedding function and according to sources guests are encouraged to embrace the spirit of the occasion by dressing in traditional Indian attire.

The celebrations will continue on Saturday, July 13, with Shubh Aashirwad.

The final event, Mangal Utsav or the wedding reception, is scheduled for Sunday, July 14. For this grand occasion, guests have been asked to dress in ‘Indian chic.’

Radhika Merchant, daughter of Encore Healthcare CEO Viren Merchant and entrepreneur Shaila Merchant, is set to join the Ambani family, marking a union of two prominent industrialist families.

Earlier this year, the couple hosted a series of pre-wedding festivities in Jamnagar, which saw a star-studded guest list from around the globe.

Business leaders, heads of state, and Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities graced the occasion, making it an event to remember.

Among the distinguished guests were Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and Ivanka Trump.

The highlight of the pre-wedding celebrations was an electrifying performance by pop sensation Rihanna, marking her debut performance in India.

The theme ‘A Walk on the Wildside’ with ‘jungle fever’ was a creative touch that left guests in awe, followed by ‘Mela Rouge,’ a celebration of South Asian culture.

The three-day extravaganza also featured the world-renowned illusionist David Blaine, who left guests spellbound with his incredible feats.

Bollywood stars and family members joined in the sangeet performances, with a special appearance by actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh, captivating the audience. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

Like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt and Neha Dhupia, mom-to-be Richa Chadha has now become an inspiration for many women on how to balance professional and personal life. She is determined to resume work soon post welcoming her baby and also has signed a comedy film.

Richa has decided to continue her work without interruption. She has signed her next, and the work on the untitled film is set to begin soon.

As per a source close to the film’s production, “Richa has loved the script and it’s a really fun concept. The pre-production work is set to take place in August and will go on floors in October. The film is meant to be shot at the brink of winters in the north”.

The script of the film which is a comedy genre is already ready and has been written by Amitosh Nagpal, and is set in North India.

Commenting on her return to work after maternity break, Richa said, “While I can’t speak for all women, because it depends on each individual what their journey is like, I am determined to get back to work as soon as possible, and not take a long break, as I have pending commitments.”

Revealing the inspiration behind her decision, she stated, “I take immense inspiration from my mother, who managed both roles with grace and efficiency. I believe I can handle both duties effectively as well because it depends on the kind of support system you have around you and how hands-on your partner is. In my case, I feel blessed to have both of those things figured out. I also don’t think it is out of the ordinary. I have seen the badass women of Mumbai take local trains well into their 9th month, heading to work, looking perfectly groomed with their gajras intact. I am very inspired by the average Indian woman and don’t want this to be treated as a medical condition, it is not. It is a natural part of life.”

Richa and Ali are expecting their first child together.

In February, the couple took to Instagram and shared the good news with their fans and followers. They posted an image saying 1 + 1 = 3, confirming the news with a caption: “A tiny heartbeat is the loudest sound in our world”

Richa and Ali met on the sets of Fukrey in 2012 and soon fell in love with each other. They have been legally married since 2020, but they celebrated their union in 2022 with festivities across Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow.

Meanwhile, Richa is currently receiving appreciation for her performance as Lajjo in the recently released ‘Heeramandi’. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

On the occasion of Arjun Kapoor’s birthday, filmmaker Rohit Shetty unveiled a new poster from ‘Singham Again’ to wish him on this special day.

Taking to Instagram stories, Rohit dropped a new look of Arjun as the antagonist from the movie and captioned the post, which read, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY @ARJUNKAPOOR.”

Drenched in blood and clad in black attire, Arjun can be seen in his menacing avatar, holding an ax and with an evil smile on his face.

Re-sharing Shetty’s post on his Instagram stories, Arjun wrote, “@itsrohitshetty sir what a gift!!!

Ek aur ‘Danger’ reveal on the birthday!!”

Arjun’s Singham Again co-star Kareena Kapoor Khan also wished him this big day.

She shared a stunning picture of them together and wrote, “Happy birthday Arjj.j Sending hugs @arjunkapoor.”

Excited to see how the audience will react to his performance in the film, Arjun earlier said, “I’m ecstatic that a stalwart filmmaker like Rohit Shetty saw I had the potential to play the villain in his massively mounted Singham Again which boasts of so many stars in it! I know I have given it my all and I’m looking forward to seeing how people react to me when the film releases.”

“So when I wanted to explore acting, I just wanted to act and face the camera. I was never fixated on what I was selected to play on screen. I wanted to feel the same passion and joy that I had seen actors feel when they gave the shot. I wanted to feel the rush to be in front of the camera and I wanted to work very hard to do a good job,” he added.

Helmed by Rohit Shetty ‘Singham Again’ also stars Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepika Padukone, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, and Ranveer Singh in the lead roles. ‘Singham Again’ is the third instalment of the super-hit franchise.

‘Singham’ was released in 2011, starring Kajal Aggarwal and Prakash Raj in lead roles, followed by ‘Singham Returns’ in 2014. Both projects were declared box office hits.

He made his acting debut with ‘Ishaqzaade’ in 2012 and he received a positive response for his performance. Later, he also worked as assistant director for Nikhil Advani’s ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ in 2003 and was seen in the action thriller ‘Aurangzeb’ in 2013. He appeared in ‘Gunday’, a crime action film also starring Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra. The actor also worked opposite Alia Bhatt in ‘2 States’. Arjun also acted in movies such as ‘Ki & Ka’, ‘2 States’, ‘Half Girlfriend’ among others. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

After Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla condemned the Emergency Period, imposed in 1975, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the happenings during the Emergency exemplified what a dictatorship looks like.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “I am glad that the Honourable Speaker strongly condemned the Emergency, highlighted the excesses committed during that time and also mentioned how democracy was strangled. It was also a wonderful gesture to stand in silence in honour of all those who suffered during those days.”

“The Emergency was imposed 50 years ago but today’s youth needs to know about it because it remains a fitting example of what happens when the Constitution is trampled over, public opinion is stifled and institutions are destroyed. The happenings during the Emergency exemplified what a dictatorship looks like,” PM Modi added.

Meanwhile, the NDA leaders held a protest in the Parliament premises on Wednesday to mark the 50th anniversary of the emergency, demanding an apology from the Congress.

BJP MP Sambit Patra said, “The whole nation is protesting today. This day is important in the minds of the people of India. 49 years ago today, the Emergency was imposed by Indira Gandhi. Around one and a half lakh people were jailed. 42nd Amendment was brought into the Consitution of India. It is important to show the mirror to Rahul Gandhi who speaks about saving the Constitution.”

Union Minister Chirag Paswan said that the Emergency is a black spot in the history of India.

“The whole country was turned into a prison and dictatorship was imposed. The current and the coming generations must know about it,” Paswan said.

BJP MP Kangana Ranaut said the Congress needs to see its track record before claiming that the constitution was in danger.

“Those who speak for the Constitution the most should also take the responsibility. They are gathering votes in the name of their father and grandmother, so will they take responsibility for their deeds? They should see their track record of how the democracy was choked,” Kangana said.

Earlier, before adjourning the lower house till Thursday, Speaker Om Birla condemned the Emergency and the house also observed a two-minute silence for the people who lost their lives during the period.

“This House strongly condemns the decision to impose Emergency in 1975. Along with this, we appreciate the determination of all those people who opposed the Emergency, fought and fulfilled the responsibility of protecting the democracy of India. 25th June 1975 will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India,” Birla said.

“On this day, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed an Emergency in the country and attacked the Constitution made by Baba Saheb Ambedkar. India is known all over the world as the mother of democracy. Democratic values and debate have always been supported in India. Democratic values have always been protected, they have always been encouraged. Dictatorship was imposed on such an India by Indira Gandhi. The democratic values of India were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled,” he added. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/

In his first speech as Leader of Opposition of the 18th Lok Sabha, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday congratulated BJP’s Om Birla for being re-elected as Lok Sabha Speaker

Gandhi said that the Lok Sabha Speaker is the final arbiter of the voice of the people, and the Opposition this time represents that voice significantly more than the 17th Lok Sabha.

Clad in a white kurta pyjama, Rahul Gandhi speaking as the Leader of the Opposition said, “I would like to congratulate you for your successful election that you have been elected for the second time. I would like to congratulate you on behalf of the entire Opposition and the INDIA alliance.”

“This House represents the voice of India’s people and you are the final arbiter of that voice. The government has political power but the opposition also represents the voice of India’s people and this time, the opposition represents significantly more voice of the Indian people than it did last time,” the Congress MP said.

Rahul Gandhi also assured the Speaker on behalf of the entire opposition of assisting the speaker in the functioning of the House.

“The opposition would like to assist you in doing your work. We would like the House to function often and well. It is very important that cooperation happens based on trust. It is very important that the voice of the Opposition is allowed to be represented in this House,” said Rahul Gandhi.

“We are confident that by allowing the Opposition to speak, by allowing us to represent the people of India, you will do your duty of defending the Constitution of India. I’d like to once again congratulate you and also all the members of the House who have won their election, said the MP from Raebareli.

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate and MP from Kota, Om Birla was elected as the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha after the motion for the same was moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The motion was adopted by the house through a voice vote.

The house echoed with ‘Ayes’ and ‘Noes’ and the pro-tem speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab declared Om Birla as the Speaker of the lower house.

The opposition which had filed K Suresh as the Speaker candidate of the INDIA bloc did not press for a division vote.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also extended wishes to Birla and accompanied him to the chair along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and PM Modi. (ANI)

For more details visit us: https://lokmarg.com/