Author: LokMarg

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon on Monday following ruckus created by the Opposition against rising prices of petroleum products and essential commodities across the country.

A united Opposition, including Congress, Shiv Sena and Trinamool Congress, started raising slogans, requesting Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to hold a discussion in the House over price hike soon after the notice of a few members, including that of the CPI MP from Kerala Binoy Viswam, under Rule 267, was rejected by him.

Several MPs stood near their seats and started sloganeering, demanding to hold a discussion on the price hike of petroleum products and essential commodities.

Rajya Sabha Chairman said their notices over the issues are being rejected but they can raise them later in the day.

Amid the din, the Chairman tried to conduct Zero Hour but he was forced to adjourn the House till noon as the MPs continued their protests.

Last month too, the Upper House had faced a similar protest, leading to adjournment over rising prices of fuel across the country.

Petrol in the National Capital currently is sold at Rs 103.81 per litre up from Rs 103.41 per litre on Sunday. (ANI)

Days after the Centre initiated eviction proceedings, Congress is likely to vacate its bungalow in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri within a fortnight, sources said.

It has also been brought to the notice of the Central government that the property at C-II/109 Chanakyapuri which was allotted to the Congress party recently has been occupied by former Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Gowda.

As per the details available, the monthly rent of this bungalow is Rs 5,07,911. Notably, the last time the rent paid was in August 2013. As of date, penalties including all other charges now stand at Rs 3.08 crores.

A copy of the eviction notice sent by the Directorate of Estates under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry on March 25 accessed exclusively by ANI reads, “Whereas, I, the undersigned, am of the opinion on the grounds specified below that you are in unauthorized occupation of the Public Premises mentioned in the SCHEDULE below and that you should be evicted from the said premises…You have been continuing to occupy Public Premises as specified in the SCHEDULE below even after its allotment stands cancelled w.e.f. 26-06-2013 vide letter No. 7/259/94-TS dated 22.01.2015 issued by the DoE.”

The notice further adds, “Now. therefore, in pursuance of sub-section (1) of Section 3B of the Public Premises Act. 1971, I hereby call upon you to show cause within 3 working days at 02:30 P.M. for a personal hearing as to why an order of eviction should not be made. You may appear before me in person or through a duly authorized representative capable to answer all material questions connected with the matter along with the evidence which you intend to produce in support of the cause. In case, you fail to show cause and/ or appear within the stipulated time, the case will be decided ex parte.”

In February, in reply to an RTI, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had said that the Congress party had pending rent and dues for three properties including the Congress office, Sonia Gandhi’s official residence and this Chanakyapuri bungalow.

As per the documentation with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, this Chanakyapuri bungalow in the national capital was given to the Congress party, but it has been brought to the notice that Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi’s secretary Vincent George has been living in this property. (ANI)

Expressing concern at the Taliban’s decision to ban girls’ education in Afghanistan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that this is an unjustifiable violation of equal rights and it will damage the entire country.

“I deeply regret that girls’ education above 6th grade remains suspended – an unjustifiable violation of equal rights that damages the entire country,” Guterres said, according to Khaama Press.

The UN chief further said that support for Afghan women and girls is the support that lifts children out of hunger and communities out of poverty.

Earlier, the Taliban regime issued a decree banning female students above grade six from attending classes. The girls were further told to stay home until the Islamic Emirate announces its next decision.

The decision by the Islamic Emirate has drawn severe backlash across the world with the Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America condemning the Taliban’s decision to deny so many Afghan girls the opportunity to finally go back to school. (ANI)

Pakistan Opposition has decided to stage a dharna in National Assembly till the no-trust vote against Prime Minister Imran Khan is not held.

After National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri dismissed the no-confidence motion against Khan, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday said that the Opposition members have decided to protest against the “unconstitutional” move in the National Assembly and have decided to not leave the floor till their Constitutional rights are not given to them.

“Government has violated the Constitution by not allowing voting on the no-confidence motion. United Opposition is not leaving Parliament. Our lawyers are on their way to Supreme Court. We call on all institutions to protect, uphold, defend and implement the Constitution of Pakistan,” Bilawal tweeted.

Suri, who was chairing today’s session, dismissed the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan-led government, terming it a contradiction of Article 5 of the Constitution.

“Everyone has seen what happened in Pakistan today. President, Speaker can easily see that the Opposition had a majority against Imran Khan in the no-confidence motion,” said Bilawal.

Lashing out at the Deputy Speaker, he said, “He has done unconstitutional thing at the last moment. He broke the Constitution of Pakistan. The no-trust vote had to take place today as per the Constitution.”

Announcing the Opposition’s decision to stage a dharna, Bilawal said, “We are also in talks with our lawyers, we will go to Supreme Court so that the voting can take place today itself. In the light of the majority being with Opposition, the House cannot be dissolved.”

He also lashed at Imran Khan and advised him to stop behaving like a child and running away from fights and appealed to Pakistani citizens to side with the Constitution and believe in democratic values, adding “do not allow puppet or non-democratic person to rob your rights”.

Meanwhile, Pakistan President Arif Alvi has dissolved the National Assembly on the proposal of Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday, with the elections likely to be held in the next 90 days.

This comes after Imran Khan surprised the Opposition to announce in his televised address to the nation that he has advised President Arif Alvi to dissolve all the Assemblies.

However, the Supreme Court has taken a suo moto notice of the dissolution of the National Assembly by Alvi on Sunday. (ANI)

Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Sunday allocated portfolios to his cabinet colleagues while retaining crucial Home and Finance departments with himself.

The notification, allotting portfolios to all the Ministers who were sworn in recently in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was issued by an order in the name of the Governor of Goa by Under Secretary (GA) Shripad Arlekar.

The Chief Minister will hold the charge of Home, Finance, Personnel, Vigilance, and Official languages departments in the state.

Vishwajit Rane has been given crucial Health and Town and Country Planning Portfolios along with Urban Development, Women and Child, and Forest departments.

Mauvin Godinho has been allotted Transport, Industries, Panchayat and Protocol portfolios.

Ravi Naik has been given Agriculture, Handicrafts, and Civil Supplies portfolios.

The crucial Public Works Department portfolio has been allotted to Nilesh Cabral along with Legislative Affairs, Environment and Law and Judiciary portfolios.

Subhash Shirodkar has been allotted Water Resources Department, Co-operation and Provedoria portfolios while Rohan Khaunte is given Tourism, Information and Technology and Printing and Stationary departments.

Govind Gaude will be Minister for Sports, Art and Culture and RDA and Atanasio Monserratte has been allotted Revenue, Labour and Waste Management portfolios.

Atanasio Monserratte Revenue, Labour, Waste Management

BJP emerged as the single largest party in Goa, winning 20 seats in the 40-member state Assembly and reducing Congress to 11 seats.

It fell one seat short of the majority figure in Goa but is set to retain power in the state with the help of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and independent candidates. (ANI)

A total of 11 coaches of Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT)-Jaynagar Pawan Express derailed near Nashik here on Sunday afternoon, Central Railway informed.

The incident took place at around 3.10 pm between Lahavit and Devlali in the Bhusaval division.

An accident relief train from Manmad, accident relief medical equipment from Bhusaval and a medical van from Igatpuri have rushed to the spot.

So far, no death has been reported as per a statement by the Central Railway.

Due to the incident, three trains– 12109 (CSMT-MMR), 12110 (MMR-CSMT) and 11401 (CSMT-ADB) have been cancelled while three other trains have been diverted.

Further details are awaited. (ANI)

Mahendra Singh Dhoni becomes the second Indian cricketer after Rohit Sharma to play 350 T20 matches in IPL at the Chennai Super Kings versus Punjab Kings match being played at Brabourne Stadium on Sunday.

Rohit Sharma leads the way with 372 T20 matches while MS Dhoni’s former India and CSK teammate Suresh Raina has played 336 T20 matches.

Out of the 350 T20 matches MS Dhoni has represented India in 98 T20 Internationals while he has played 222 T20 matches in the Indian Premier League for Chennai Super Kings and Rising Pune Supergiants.

In Dhoni’s 350th T20 match CSK will look to register their first win of the season after facing two consecutive defeats against Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants. (ANI)

After offering prayers at Kaal Bhairav temple, Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife Arzu Deuba accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath went to Kashi Vishwanath temple and offered prayers on Sunday.

Deuba arrived in India on Friday on a three-day visit. It is his first such visit abroad after assuming office in July 2021. Today on the last day of his official visit he came to Varanasi to offer prayer at the famous Kaal Bhairav temple and Kashi Vishwanath temple.

At Kashi Vishwanath temple, Deuba was welcomed by applying ’tilak’.

The streets of Varanasi were seen decked up with Deuba’s posters and hoardings. Children could be seen standing with the national flags of both countries (India and Nepal).

Earlier today, Deuba along with his wife offered prayers at Kaal Bhairav temple and was welcomed as per the Indian ritual, with conch, damru and “bel patra” garland.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was already in Varanasi before the Nepal Prime Minister’s arrival.

A day earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Deuba met and held delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

The two Prime Ministers jointly launched multiple projects which are likely to boost connectivity between the two countries while they expressed hope that the key initiatives being taken by them would take India-Nepal relations to new heights.

Both PMs first inaugurated a 35-km long cross-border rail link from Jayanagar in Bihar to Kurtha in Nepal and also a passenger train service built under India’s Grant Assistance in a joint address at Hyderabad House. Deuba is on a three-day India visit.

Deuba met Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda at the party headquarters on Friday and discussed strengthening the ties between the Nepali Congress and the BJP.

After meeting BJP President, Nepal PM met the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla in Delhi.

The Nepal PM was also accompanied by Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka, Energy and Water Resources Minister Pampha Bhusal and Health Minister Mahendra Rai Yadav during the meeting. (ANI)

At least ten people were injured in an explosion that occurred at Kabul’s market Sarai Shahzada on Sunday morning, a crowded market of money exchangers.

The blast was due to a hand grenade thrown into the market by a person who planned a robbery there, said the Ministry of Interior, adding that an investigation has started into the incident, reported Tolo News.

Zirak Zirak, a spokesman for Sarai Shahzada, told Tolo News that the explosion took place on the first floor of the market.

He said that many of those wounded are in critical condition. (ANI)

The Taliban on Sunday announced a ban on the cultivation of poppy.

Taliban’s supreme leader Hebatullah Akhundzada in a decree said the cultivation of poppy seeds as well as drug trafficking are banned in the country, reported Tolo News.

He announced a “strict ban” on poppy cultivation as well as the use and trafficking of all types of illicit drugs.

The decree, read by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, said that there is a “strict ban” on the use and trafficking of “all types of illicit drugs” such as alcoholic beverages, heroin, “Tablet K”, hashish and others, reported Tolo News.

The decree also puts a ban on the production of illicit drugs.

“If anyone violates the decree and cultivates poppy, their crop will be destroyed and the violator will be punished based on the Sharia law,” the decree said.

“The enforcement of this decree is mandatory. Violators will be prosecuted and punished by judiciaries,” the decree read.

However, multiple reports indicate that poppy cultivation and drug trafficking provide a big income source for the Taliban, mainly in the southern and northern parts of the country. Most of the drug smuggling goes through Iran and the Taliban makes a big money from it.

Afghanistan has been among the world’s top illicit drug-producing countries. There are scores of drug addicts currently on the streets. (ANI)