Month: September 2024

The Bharatiya Janata Party has come out guns blazing against the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, over his remarks on the Sikh community and accused the Congress party of inciting people and “massacring” the Sikhs during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, while the Congress party has defended the leader’s remark, saying he has only highlighted ‘injustice’ in the country.

This comes amid a row created by Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in the United States, where he said that today the fight in India is whether a Sikh person will be able to wear his turban, kada, and visit Gurdwara.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri slammed Rahul Gandhi and said that he is trying to incite people who live outside the country, and making statements without any basis.

“I have been wearing ‘Turban’ and ‘Kada’ for more than the last 60 years, and I have never come across anyone who would say that they have any difficulty in wearing a ‘Turban’ and a ‘Kada’. It was in his (Rahul Gandhi’s) father’s time when a pogrom was carried out. Our 3000 people were killed… It’s not like he is unaware of all this…He has been in politics long enough. So he should realise that if he is outside the country or even inside the country and makes such statements, then he will be laughed at. This is a statement which deserves to be condemned in the strongest possible terms…He is trying to incite our brothers who live outside the country…He is making statements without any basis,” Puri told ANI.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh criticised the Congress leader and accused his party of doing ‘appeasement politics’.

“The Congress, who post-independence has been doing appeasement politics, massacred the Sikhs, is trying to teach a lesson. Mere yaha kahavat hai, ‘jo log agayaani jayada hote hai vo apne gayaan ka pardarshan jayada karte hai’ (Fools display their intellect much more),” Giriraj Singh said.

“Rahul Gandhi said that he would give it in writing that we will win 400 seats…Those who were not able to cross the mark of 99 seats were talking of winning 400 seats…We will have to go below the belt to answer him…PM Modi came to power for the third time after garnering more votes than his grandmother,” he added.

BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa also condemned the statement made by LoP Rahul Gandhi on “Sikhs” and said that the Gandhi family has a lot of hate against Sikhs.

“I condemn this statement. These kinds of statements being made by Rahul Gandhi against Sikhs are not new…The Gandhi family has a lot of hate against Sikhs. No one can even think of removing our turbans, gurudwaras…He is demeaning a community for political gains…He is spreading confusion and trying to divide the country to gain power…He wants support from China, Pakistan and the USA, that’s why he is making these kinds of statements abroad,” Sirsa said.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari also slammed the Lok Sabha LoP, saying Rahul Gandhi has become a leader who speaks ill of the country abroad.

“The leaders of America also never speak ill of their country abroad…These kinds of leaders are very dangerous to the nation who speak ill of the country…He made a wrong statement regarding the Indian Sikh community. Which Sikh has to seek permission to visit Gurudwara, wear a turban?… His behaviour shows that these kinds of leaders should not be trusted…Rahul Gandhi has made many statements to end reservations…He has always been against reservation,” Tiwari said.

Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla asked what is the ‘Idea of India’ according to Rahul Gandhi, that “Indira is India.”

“When Rahul Gandhi lost an election in Amethi, he said that the people of north and Uttar Pradesh didn’t understand the issues. He also said that the people of Kerala understand the issues…We also remember how one of the leaders of the Congress party, brother of DK Shivkumar, said that the south should separate from the north. Is this your idea of India? Is this your idea of putting one state against the other state? We also remember what statements DMK has made about the entire north India,” Poonawalla said.

“Today, if Rahul Gandhi truly believes in the idea of India, what is the idea of India? Indira is India? That is what Congress has said. Has Congress ever condemned that statement where they equated one person to the entire country? Today Rahul Gandhi should condemn that statement. And Rahul Gandhi preaching about the Constitution is like the devil preaching scriptures. Your alliance partner is saying 370 should come back…Do you support 370…Rahul Gandhi should clarify this rather than preaching to us,” he asked.

BJP MP Jagdambika Pal said that being the LoP of Lok Sabha, he (Rahul Gandhi) is criticising India on an international platform.

“They can criticise India as much as they want in the Parliament. The truth is that 10 years ago, India was counted in the top 5 fragile economies of the world. And today, when India is in the top 5 economies of the world and talking about being in the top 3 economies by 2027, he (Rahul Gandhi) is behaving like an agent of China. He praises China and Pakistan and criticises his own country. PM Narendra Modi says that even if you want to abuse him, do that in India. But, he (Rahul Gandhi) is embarrassing India by maligning its image abroad,” Jagdambika Pal said.

Attacking the Congress with a veiled reference to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam said that the statement on the Sikh community is made by those who “massacred the Sikhs.”

“Which religion is the BJP trying to stop? These statements are being made by those who massacred the Sikhs…On the other hand, the BJP government brought ‘Guru Granth Sahibji’ with respect from Afghanistan. We worked to increase the respect of Sikhs in the country… We inaugurated the Kartarpur corridor. Veer Baal Diwas is celebrated every year…He should not spread confusion,” Gautam said.

UP Minister Jaiveer Singh said, “There has always been a tradition in democracy that inside the country we keep accusing each other for political reasons, but outside the country, whether it is the leader of the opposition or the ruling party, their only job is to raise the voice of the country..but Rahul Gandhi is breaking this tradition, so I think this is not in the national interest.”

The Congress party on the other hand, has defended Rahul Gandhi’s statement and accused the BJP and RSS of ‘dividing’ the nation.

Senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao said, “Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has said that Rahul Gandhi is disrespecting India. He is not disrespecting India. All the religions and communities live in India. But RSS and BJP are trying to break India’s unity…They are separating people for the votes. RSS is trying to make (India) a Hindu country. This is what he (Rahul Gandhi) is telling. He is not saying anything wrong…During the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he got to know what kind of injustice is being done…RSS has been doing this from the very start to break the nation…Rahul Gandhi has just talked about the discrimination being done in this nation.”

Congress leader Srinivas BV said, “Whatever Rahul Gandhi has said is right. I don’t know why the BJP has become so nervous. These (BJP) people have never understood the Constitution. They are saying that Rahul Gandhi has insulted India on foreign soil but I believe BJP people (PM Modi) have insulted India in Germany, China, America, Canada, and Doha.”

CPI-M leader Subhashini Ali also reacted to Rahul Gandhi’s claim that “the fear vanished in one second” after the election results, and said that after the Lok Sabha elections some kind of change has come.

“As the party that had a majority previously has now become the coalition government. But it does not matter that there has been a change in the BJP’s policies; it remains the same,” Subhashini Ali said.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP from Raebareli, Rahul Gandhi, during his interaction with the Indian diaspora said that the fight is about whether a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear a turban in India and would be able to visit a Gurdwara.

“First of all, you have to understand what the fight is about. Fight is not about politics. It is superficial. What is your name? The fight is about whether he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India. Or he as a Sikh is going to be allowed to wear a kada in India. Or a Sikh is going to be able to go to Gurdwara. That’s what the fight is about and not just for him, for all religions,” he said.

Further, he continued his tirade against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, claiming that the “fear of Prime Minister Narendra Modi” among people had vanished after Lok Sabha elections 2024 results were declared.

“Something has changed after the elections. PM Modi tried to create an environment of fear. Various agencies, media, income tax department tried to spread fear, even among small and medium-sized businesses. But, nothing worked. The fear vanished in one second. The spread of fear took years and consumed a lot of money, but it vanished. You can see it in parliament right upfront… And I can tell you that the idea of PM Modi, 56 inch chest, direct connection with God. That’s all gone. It’s history now. He, his partners in government and India, the three or four senior ministers in his government realise it.” he said.

Rahul Gandhi, who is on a visit to the US, arrived in Dallas on Sunday. He interacted with students and teachers at the University of Texas and also addressed the members of the Indian diaspora in Dallas and Virginia. (ANI)

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The Rouse Avenue court has granted permission to Tejaswi Yadav to travel to Dubai for a family vacation. Tejaswi is an accused in a CBI case.

Tejaswi Yadav had sought permission to travel to Dubai from September 18 to October 8 with his family for a family vacation. Special CBI judge Vishal Gogne granted the permission to travel to Dubai.

The Court has directed that Tejashwi Prasad Yadav provide FDR for a sum of Rs 25 lakh, which shall be subject to forfeiture in favour of the Government of India in case the accused violates any of the conditions of this order.

The court also directed that Tejashwi inform the court about his travel itinerary, including placing on record the details of his stay in Dubai and the contact number to be used by him during the said period in Dubai before his travel abroad. He is also required to provide a mobile number on which he can be contacted during this period.

He shall inform the court about his arrival in India within 48 hours of his return and shall surrender his passport after renewal of the same. He shall not request for an extension of his stay abroad, the court said in the order.

The CBI had opposed the bail application. The CBI submitted that the allegations relating to Sections 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act against Tejaswi and other accused persons are grave.

“The gravity of the allegations is by itself not reason to deny foreign travel to an accused who is on bail,” Special Judge Vishal Gogne observed in the order passed on September 9.

The court rejected the contention of the CBI and said that it is to be observed that the right to travel is an intrinsic right enjoyed by any person, including an accused.

“Such rights ought not to be curtailed by way of uncalled monitoring of the personal travel-related planning and details of accused persons,” the court observed.

The court said that it does not find merit to the omnibus objection from the CBI to the effect that the ends of justice would be frustrated if the application is allowed.

Besides, the applicant can be required, as was the condition imposed qua the previous foreign travel, to inform the court about his travel itinerary and the details of his stay abroad prior to his travel abroad, the court held.

It was submitted by his counsel that the applicant is currently the Leader of the Opposition in the state of Bihar and there is no apprehension of him absconding from India.

It was stated by the CBI in response to the prayer of the accused for travel to Dubai that material particulars regarding the said travel and stay arrangements have not been provided by the applicant and that there is no particular necessity for the applicant to undertake the travel in question.

It was further submitted by the counsel for the CBI that any plea for such travel be subjected to reasonable restrictions. (ANI)

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Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday filed his nomination as BJP candidate from the Ladwa constituency for the forthcoming assembly elections in the state.

He filed his nomination in the presence of Union Minister and former CM Manohar Lal Khattar and other leaders of the party.

CM Saini while addressing media persons said that PM Modi will visit Haryana on September 14 for the election campaigning. He expressed his confidence and said that the BJP would form a double-engine government in Haryana for the third time.

After filing his nomination, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini said, “I received a lot of love from the public of Ladwa. This was a historic event of nomination where the whole of Ladwa was on roads to bless you. One thing that is assured is that the public will form the double-engine BJP government in Haryana for the third time. PM Modi will be arriving in Haryana on 14th September and we will offer him a rousing welcome.”

Union Minister Khattar who was present in the nomination said that the BJP would soon release the remaining list of candidates. BJP has released a list of 67 candidates out of 90 assembly constituencies of Haryana and is yet to announce the names of the remaining seats.

ML Khattar said, “The nomination process has started from September 5 and the process is going on as candidates are filing their nominations. It’s a matter of happiness that our CM Nayab Singh Saini has filed his nomination from the Ladwa constituency. Till September 12, all the nominations will be submitted. We (BJP) have issued a list of 67 candidates till now, and I think the rest of the candidates will be declared by today. I think this time BJP will be the first party to declare all the candidates at the earliest. I am hopeful that BJP will form the government in Haryana for the third time…Congress is heading towards defeat…”

Earlier in the day, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the love and blessings that Ladwa’s public is showering on him is priceless. Exuding confidence, Saini said that earlier they had chosen him as an MP but now they will elect him as an MLA.

CM Saini also extended his wishes and gratitude to the party workers in Haryana as he inaugurated a party office in Ladwa.

Before filing his nomination, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini inaugurated a party office in Ladwa, Kurukshetra and took part in the havan rituals at the inauguration of the BJP office.

Voting for the 90-member legislative assembly in Haryana will be held on October 5, with the last date for filing nominations being September 12. The counting of votes will take place on October 8.

On August 31, the Election Commission of India (ECI) revised the polling date for the Haryana Assembly elections from October 1 to October 5 and moved the counting of votes for both the Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assemblies from October 4 to October 8. (ANI)

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In view of the recent situation pertaining to the law and order in the capital of Manipur, the District Magistrates of Imphal West and Imphal East have imposed curfew in both districts starting from 11:00 am Tuesday, September 10.

In two separate orders released on Monday, the DMs from Imphal East and Imphal West stated that they had lifted the previous order of curfew relaxation from 5 am to 10 pm and imposed a total curfew in both districts from immediate effect until further notice.

“This Office, vide Order of Even No. dated 9th September 2024, issued a curfew relaxation order under Cril. Misc Case No. 5 of 2024 for relaxing curfew imposed under Section 163 of BNSS, 2023, in Imphal East District with the relaxation period from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM on 10th September, 2024. Now, due to the developing law and order situation in the district, the above-mentioned relaxation order stands cancelled with immediate effect, i.e., from 11:00 AM of 10th September 2024. Hence, there is total curfew in Imphal East district with immediate effect and until further orders,” one of the orders stated.

However, the orders stated that the movement of persons belonging to essential services such as health, public health engineering department, municipal officials, power (MSPCL/MSPDCL), petrol pumps, functioning of courts, to and fro movement of flight passengers, and media personnel shall be exempted from the curfew.

Meanwhile, in a series of highly successful joint operations, the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and other security forces conducted relentless search and recovery efforts across various districts of Manipur, resulting in the recovery of substantial quantities of arms and ammunition, according to an official release.

The operations, conducted in the first week of September 2024, resulted in the recovery of substantial quantities of arms, ammunition and warlike stores, highlighting the effectiveness of the joint efforts undertaken by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles with other security forces.Acting on specific intelligence regarding weapon caches in areas such as Liklai, Mashemjang, P Geljang, Thoroilok, Gelmon, Molphai Tampak, Leisanbung, and Maulnghat in Churachandpur District, a joint search and area sanitization operation was launched by the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, BSF, CRPF, and Manipur Police. (ANI)

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The death toll in the landslide that occurred near Sonprayag area on Monday night increased to five people. Three people were found injured.

The landslide occurred due to torrential rains in the area. Relief and rescue operations are underway.

Rudraprayag Additional District Magistrate, Shyam Singh Rana arrived at the spot and said that five people were killed and three people were injured due to the landslide that occurred.

“A landslide occurred on the National Highway near Sonprayag, due to which five passengers travelling from the route became victims of the accident. Three other people who were injured in the landslide have been rescued by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).”

He further appealed to the people in the district to plan their commute, keeping in mind the weather conditions.

“I appeal to the people in the district to plan their commute accordingly, keeping in mind the persisting weather conditions,” he added.

According to Uttarakhand Police, information was received about some travellers reportedly buried under the debris, following which a joint operation was carried out by the police, administration, state disaster response forces, and national disaster response forces.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed condolences in a post on X on Monday evening upon receiving the news of the loss of life from the landslide.

“Very sad news was received that some passengers were buried under debris between Sonprayag-Munkatiya (Rudraprayag). The local administration, NDRF and SDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations. I am also in touch with the concerned officials and monitoring the rescue operation. I pray to Baba Kedar for the safety of the travellers,” read the post by CM Dhami. (ANI)

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A man who recently travelled from a country experiencing Mpox transmission has been tested positive for the disease, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Monday.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the previously suspected case of Mpox (monkeypox) has been verified as a travel-related infection. Laboratory testing has confirmed the presence of the Mpox virus of West African clade-2 in the patient.

“This case is an isolated case, similar to the earlier 30 cases reported in India from July 2022 onwards, and is not a part of the current public health emergency (reported by WHO), which is regarding clade 1 of mpox,” the ministry said in its statement.

“The individual, a young male who recently travelled from a country experiencing ongoing Mpox transmission, is currently isolated at a designated tertiary care isolation facility. The patient remains clinically stable and is without any systemic illness or comorbidities,” it added.

The case aligns with earlier risk assessments and continues to be managed according to established protocols. Public health measures, including contact tracing and monitoring, are actively in place to ensure the situation is contained. There is no indication of any widespread risk to the public at this time, the ministry said.

Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra on Monday issued an advisory to states and union territories regarding the precautionary actions, symptoms, and causes of the WHO-declared Public Health Emergency of International Concern “Mpox.”

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, has been a public health issue in parts of Africa for many years but resurfaced as a global concern in 2022.

Since January 1, 2022, Mpox cases have been reported to the WHO from 121 member states across all six WHO regions. The WHO Mpox report dated September 3, 2024, provides global data up to July 31, 2024. A total of 102,997 laboratory-confirmed cases and 186 probable cases, including 223 deaths, have been reported to the WHO.

In July 2024, 1,425 cases and six deaths were reported globally. More than half of these cases were from the African region (55 per cent), followed by the American region (24 per cent), and the European region (11 per cent). The South-East Asia Region (SEAR) reported 1 per cent of the total cases. (ANI)

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Two of the key accused involved in the high-profile Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast case were ISIS radicals, and they had earlier conspired to do ‘Hijrah’ to ISIS territories in Syria, National Investigation Agency (NIA) mentions in a chargesheet.

These radicals, the NIA mentions, were Mussavir Hussain Shazib and Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taaha. Both the accused were absconding since 2020, after the Al-Hind module was busted. They were arrested from their hideout in West Bengal 42 days after the Rameshwaram cafe explosion.

The NIA investigations revealed that Shazib was the man who had planted the bomb.

“Both Shazib and Taaha, hailing from Shivamogga district of Karnataka, were ISIS radicals and had earlier conspired to do Hijrah to ISIS territories in Syria. They were actively involved in radicalising other gullible Muslim youth to the ISIS ideology, and Maaz Muneer Ahmed and Muzammil Shareef were among such youth,” said the NIA in a statement after filing a chargesheet against four accused on Monday.

Besides Shazib and Taaha, the other two accused are named as Maaz Muneer Ahmed and Muzammil Shareef. They have been charged under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Actiities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act and Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property (PDLP) Act. All four were earlier arrested and are currently in judicial custody in the case.

The IED explosion, which took place on March 1 this year at the Rameshwaram Cafe, Brookfield, ITPL Bengaluru, had left nine persons injured and extensively damaged the hotel property.

The NIA, which started investigation in the case on March 3, further said that Taaha and Shazib had fraudulently obtained Indian SIM cards and Indian bank accounts and also used various Indian and Bangladeshi Identity documents downloaded from the dark web.

Investigations further revealed that Taaha had been introduced by an ex-convict, Shoaib Ahmed Mirza, to Mohammed Shaheed Faisal, an absconder in the Lashkar-e-Taiba Bengaluru conspiracy case. “Taaha then introduced Faisal, his handler, to Mehaboob Pasha, an accused in the Al-Hind ISIS module case, and to Khaja Mohideen, Amir of ISIS South India, and later also to Maaz Muneer Ahmed,” said the NIA.

NIA said that Taaha and Shazib were funded by their handler through crypto currencies, which Taaha converted to Fiat with the help of various Telegram-based P2P platforms.

“The funds were used by the accused to perpetrate various acts of violence in Bengaluru,

These included a failed IED attack at the state BJP Office, Malleshwaram, Bengaluru, on the day of Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, after which the two key accused had planned the Rameshwaram cafe blast,” added the agency. (ANI)

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A Group of Ministers has been tasked to look into GST rates related to medical insurance and come up with a report by October so that the GST Council can take up the matter in the November meeting.

“There were a lot of discussions about whether we should reduce the rate or exempt it, whom should we exempt and whom should not, what happens to group insurance; are we going to carve out only for senior citizens, will this not complicate the implementation?” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters after hours-long GST Council meeting held on Monday.

A lot of issues were brought up for further discussion today in the GST Council, Sitharaman said, adding that which is why they felt it should go through a rigorous looking into by the GoM.

It will be the rate rationalisation GoM headed by the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar but with newer members added for this limited purpose.

“We have told them that they will look into this matter and come up with a report by the end of October 2024. The #GST Council which will meet in November, will finalise based on this report which will come from the GoM,” she added.

Both life insurance and medical insurance premiums attract a GST rate of 18 per cent.

Recently, many leaders from opposition-ruled states have requested Finance Minister Sitharaman to reduce GST on medical insurance and premiums. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has requested the central government to withdraw the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on life insurance and health insurance premiums, terming the taxation on such items as “anti-people.”

During the recently concluded Parliament session, the INDIA alliance leaders held a protest against the Central government outside the Parliament, demanding to roll back GST on health and life insurance products. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also joined the protest.

Against that context, Sitharaman had asked the members to write to their respective state’s finance minister so that they could take it up in the GST Council meeting.

Speaking on the suggestions by many Opposition members to reduce GST on health insurance premiums, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that taxes were imposed on such items even before the GST regime came into effect in 2017.

The GST Council, consisting of the Union Finance Minister and representatives from all States and Union Territories, was established to make decisions on various aspects of GST, including tax rates, exemptions, and administrative procedures.

The GST regime was brought in to remove the inefficiencies and complexities of the previous archaic taxation system. Over the years, GST has, among others, simplified compliance and reduced the cascading impact of tax. Before July 1, 2017, the indirect tax regime was highly fragmented. The Centre and States were separately taxing goods and services.

The GST Council, a federal body, comprises the Union Finance Minister as its Chairman and Finance Ministers from states and Union territories. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged more people to nominate inspiring personalities for the Padma Awards.

PM Modi’s call comes as the deadline for nominations approaches on September 15.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister said, “Over the last decade, we have honoured countless grassroots level heroes with the #PeoplesPadma. The life journeys of the awardees have motivated countless people. Their grit and tenacity are clearly visible in their rich work.”

PM Modi said that the central government has brought in the initiative of public nomination in a bid to make the system more transparent and participative.

“In the spirit of making the system more transparent and participative, our Government has been inviting the people to nominate others for various Padma awards. I am happy that several nominations have come,” he said.

“The last day to nominate is the 15th of this month. I urge more people to nominate inspiring personalities for the Padma Awards,” PM Modi mentioned in the post.

As per an MHA release, The online nominations for the Padma Awards 2025 to be announced on the occasion of Republic Day, 2025 began on May 1, 2024. The nominations for Padma Awards will be received online on the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal.

The Padma Awards, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, are amongst the highest civilian awards of the country. Instituted in 1954, these Awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year. The award seeks to recognise ‘work of distinction’ and is given for distinguished and exceptional achievements/service in all fields/disciplines, such as, art, literature and education, sports, medicine, social work, science and engineering, public affairs, civil service, trade industry, etc.

All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these Awards. Government servants, including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for Padma Awards.

The release mentioned that the Government is committed to transforming Padma Awards into “People’s Padma,” and so all citizens are, therefore, requested to make nominations, including self-nomination. (ANI)

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New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): During the official visit of Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, India and the UAE on Monday signed several significant Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs), paving the way for cooperation between the two nations in sectors like nuclear energy and petroleum.

An MoU was signed between Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) and Nuclear Power Cooperation of India Limited (NPCIL) for the operation and maintenance of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE.

Also, an agreement for long-term LNG supply between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited was signed, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.

MoU between ADNOC and India Strategic Petroleum Reserve Limited (ISPRL); Production Concession Agreement for Abu Dhabi Onshore Block 1 between Urja Bharat and ADNOC; and MoU between the Government of Gujarat and Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company PJSC (ADQ) on food parks development in India were signed.

Notably, Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in New Delhi on September 8 on his first official visit to India, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, received the Crown Prince upon his arrival. He was also accorded a ceremonial welcome after he landed here in the national capital.

“A new milestone in a historic relationship. His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Delhi on his first official visit to India. Warmly received by @CimGOI @piyushgoyal and accorded a ceremonial welcome,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

“India and UAE share historically close and friendly ties. In recent years, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and UAE has deepened in a wide range of areas, including political, trade, investment, connectivity, energy, technology, education, and culture,” the Ministry of External Affairs stated in a press release.

“The Crown Prince’s visit will further reinforce strong India-UAE bilateral relations and open avenues for partnership in new and emerging areas,” it added.

In February this year, PM Modi visited UAE. He held discussions with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the India-UAE bilateral relationship and witnessed the exchange of eight agreements. (ANI)

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