Pokhara Airport

Nepal Engulfed In China’s Debt Trap Over Pokhara Airport Deal: NYT Report

In the shadow of the magnificent Himalayas, Pokhara, Nepal’s scenic paradise, welcomed a Sichuan Airlines flight from China in June, marking a momentous occasion for the city. The newly constructed international terminal at Pokhara’s airport, a project largely financed and executed by Chinese companies, had finally become operational. However, beneath the surface of this grand opening lay a complex and unsettling reality – one that highlighted China’s controversial infrastructure influence and its geopolitical rivalry with India, The New York Times reported.

For over four decades, Nepal had aspired to establish an international airport in Pokhara, envisioning it as a catalyst for transforming the city into a global tourist destination. Unfortunately, the project had languished due to political instability, bureaucratic challenges, and financial difficulties. That was until China stepped in to fill the void, furthering its quest to create an alternative sphere of influence, challenging American dominance on the global stage. Nepal, located south of China and with close ties to India, represented an enticing geopolitical prospect.

The airport’s construction was a part of China’s grand ambitions, aligning with President Xi Jinping’s signature infrastructure campaign, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which promised substantial investments in infrastructure projects worldwide. However, Nepal discreetly rejected the notion that the Pokhara airport was a part of the initiative. This discrepancy propelled the airport into a diplomatic tug-of-war between China and India, according to The New York Times.

While dozens of countries, including Nepal, convened in Beijing for the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s overseas development endeavors were under scrutiny for their exorbitant costs and poor-quality construction. The Pokhara airport exemplified the perils that came with importing China’s infrastructure-at-any-cost development model, disproportionately benefiting Chinese firms at the expense of the borrowing nation.

China CAMC Engineering, the construction division of state-owned conglomerate Sinomach, played a pivotal role in the Pokhara airport project. It imported building materials and machinery from China, and the airport itself was brimming with Chinese-made security and industrial technology. Despite China’s claims about the project’s quality, an investigation by The New York Times revealed an unsettling narrative.

Multiple individuals involved in the project and a thorough examination of thousands of documents indicated that China CAMC Engineering had consistently dictated terms to maximize profits and protect its interests. Simultaneously, it systematically dismantled Nepali oversight. As a consequence, Nepal found itself entangled in significant debt to Chinese creditors without the expected influx of passengers to repay the loans.

Before construction commenced, Nepal’s finance minister had signed a memorandum of understanding supporting CAMC’s proposal in 2011, even before an official bidding process had started. The Chinese loan agreement exclusively allowed Chinese firms to bid for the project. CAMC initially submitted a bid for USD 305 million, nearly double Nepal’s cost estimate for the airport. This drew criticism from Nepali politicians, who accused the process of being rigged and the price inflated. Following the outcry, CAMC lowered its bid to USD 216 million, reducing the cost by approximately 30 percent.

In 2016, China and Nepal formalised a 20-year agreement for the project, with a quarter of the funding provided as an interest-free loan. Nepal intended to borrow the remainder from China’s Export-Import Bank at a 2 per cent interest rate, with repayment scheduled to begin in 2026.

As construction progressed, glaring issues came to light. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal was responsible for overseeing the Chinese contractor, but the lack of experienced personnel, combined with the inadequate allocation of funds for consultants, hampered the project. Initially earmarked at USD 2.8 million, the budget for hiring consultants to ensure CAMC’s compliance with international construction standards was eventually reduced to a mere USD 10,000, diverting funds elsewhere.

This lack of oversight allowed CAMC to initiate work before consultants were in place and perform construction work that did not meet international standards. Key components, such as soil density tests for the runway’s foundation, were omitted, jeopardising the runway’s future stability. Other oversights included the airport’s drainage system design, ignoring historical rainfall data and sloping topography, increasing the risk of flooding. The quality of Chinese-made building materials and the identity of vendors were inadequately documented, contravening the terms of CAMC’s contract with Nepal, as reported by The New York Times.

While consulting efforts were expected to oversee CAMC’s work, the Chinese company managed to sidestep consultants and interact directly with Nepali officials who had limited construction experience. Any efforts to seek additional information or documentation were often fruitless.

China’s Export-Import Bank had commissioned China IPPR International Engineering, a consulting firm, to ensure the quality, safety, and schedule of the project and to confirm Nepal’s satisfaction with CAMC’s work. However, the situation grew murkier in 2019 when CAMC acquired IPPR, turning it from a sister company into a direct subsidiary. IPPR’s fees came from Nepal as part of its loan from the Chinese bank.

Chinese engineers working on the project claimed that they were instructed not to scrutinise CAMC’s work closely, with a focus on delivering an airport rather than a “chicken farm.” Furthermore, allegations surfaced that documents related to the qualifications of IPPR’s workers in Pokhara had been falsified. In some cases, even employee credentials were manipulated. Such practices revealed a disconcerting disregard for transparency and accountability.

CAMC and IPPR remained unresponsive to inquiries and requests for comments about their involvement in the Pokhara airport project.

In a troubling incident, Zhu Zhanfeng, the project site manager for the contractor, boasted about the airport’s adherence to the “Chinese standard,” the New York Times reported.

Yet, what went unmentioned was a tragic incident involving Zhu from three years earlier. In 2019, Zhu struck and killed a pedestrian in Pokhara following a night of drinking. Police suspected he was intoxicated when he hit Deu Kumar Tamang, who was walking in a crosswalk. Tamang’s tragic death led to a contentious compensation offer from CAMC, starting at 1 million Nepali rupees (approximately USD 7,500). When the family declined, CAMC offered to double the payment and provide space for a coffee shop within the new airport. Eventually, the family accepted the offer, with the condition that payment would only be made after Zhu’s release from prison.

However, allegations arose that CAMC sought to downplay the incident by arguing that Tamang had been drinking and had contributed to the accident. The case went to trial, with Zhu being found guilty of a “traffic death” and sentenced to four months in prison. This sentence, considered lenient by many, was further reduced to time already served, causing outrage among the victim’s family. Nabin Tamang, Deu Kumar Tamang’s brother, expressed disappointment in the justice system, perceiving it as prioritizing the project’s progress over seeking justice.

The opening of the Pokhara airport in January 2023 was marred by geopolitical tensions. The Chinese Embassy in Nepal declared the airport as “the flagship project” of China and Nepal’s Belt and Road Initiative cooperation, despite its pre-existing status. This declaration ignited a diplomatic dispute, with India’s skepticism regarding the Chinese initiative further complicating the situation, according to The New York Times.

As Pokhara airport struggled to attract international flights, especially from Indian airlines, Nepal’s aspirations for the airport were put in jeopardy. Buddha Air, Nepal’s largest airline, had requested permits for flights to India but awaited approval from the Indian government. A feasibility study commissioned by CAMC had projected passenger numbers that would enable the airport to repay its loans from profits, but as of now, no international flights have commenced.

Nepali officials have reportedly requested that China convert the loan into a grant due to the airport’s financial challenges, a matter discussed during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to Beijing in late September. The joint statement issued by China and Nepal during the visit acknowledged the completion and operation of the Pokhara airport but made no mention of plans to waive the loan.

The construction of Nepal’s Pokhara airport, primarily funded and executed by Chinese companies, has raised concerns about the quality of work, the manipulation of oversight, and the burden of debt on Nepal. Additionally, the airport’s association with China’s Belt and Road Initiative has ignited diplomatic tensions with India, making it challenging for the airport to attract international flights.

The Pokhara airport serves as a stark example of the pitfalls associated with importing China’s infrastructure development model, highlighting concerns about financial sustainability and transparency, all while fueling geopolitical rivalries in the region, The New York Times reported. (ANI)

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Raghav Refers Chandigarh Mayoral Unconstitutional

Raghav Bungalow Row: Delhi HC Sets Side Order To Evict Residence

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday set aside an order by the Patiala House court that paved the way for the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to evict Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha from his official residence in the national capital.

Member of Parliament (MP) Raghav Chadha on Tuesday welcomed the decision of the Delhi High Court to set aside a court’s order to evict the AAP MP from his official residence and said that the decision to revoke his official accommodation was arbitrary, unreasonable, and unjust.

The follow-up on the Raghav Chadha Residence row arrived a week after the AAP MP moved the Delhi High Court challenging a trial court’s decision to vacate an interim order that gave a nod and paved the way for the Rajya Sabha secretariat to evict him from the government bungalow allotted to him.

After the Delhi HC set aside the Patiala House court order, Raghav Chadha said, “This is not a fight for a house or a shop, this is a fight to save the Constitution. In the end, truth and justice have prevailed. I welcome the decision of the Delhi High Court to set aside the order of the trial court, which was against me.”

Speaking about the development further Chadha said, “The cancellation of this allotment was a clear case of political vendetta, aimed at silencing a young, vocal parliamentarian. The decision to revoke my official accommodation was arbitrary, unreasonable, and unjust, representing a new low in political vendetta.”

“This incident marked an unprecedented departure from democratic norms, as it was the first time in the 70-year history of the Rajya Sabha that a member faced such political harassment for holding the government accountable. Not only was this cancellation driven by malicious intent, but it also contained glaring irregularities that clearly violated established rules and regulations,” the AAP MP added.

“Every Member of Parliament is entitled to official accommodation, and what has been given to me is identical to what many many of my fellow first-time MPs have received. Opposition voices, those who represent the concerns of millions of Indians, are being deliberately targeted. Till now, I have delivered two speeches in parliament holding the BJP-led Central Government accountable,” said Raghav Chadha.

He further stated, “After my first speech, my official accommodation was cancelled. After my second speech, my membership as a parliamentarian was suspended. No parliamentarian can function if he is made to worry about what his forthright and honest speech will cost him next. However, I am not afraid, and I am ready to make any sacrifice to uphold the principles of democracy and hold this government accountable for its misdeeds.”

“On the issue of suspension from the Rajya Sabha, yesterday, the Supreme Court took up the matter and issued a notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, seeking their response on my suspension. As the matter is pending before the Supreme Court I do not want to state anything further in that respect,” he said.

“All I want to say is that they can remove me from my official accommodation, they can remove me from Parliament, but they can’t remove me from the hearts of millions of Indians, where I hope I really reside,” he stated further.

The bench of Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani last week had kept the order reserved after hearing the parties at length.

Recently Trial Court passed an order vacated and recalled the stay order which granted interim relief to the Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha that he would not be dispossessed from the current accommodation without due process of law.

The trial Court Judge Additional District Judge Sudhanshu Kaushik in an order passed on October 5, 2023, stated that on April 14 an interim relief was granted to the plaintiff (Raghav Chadha) that he would not be dispossessed from the accommodation without due process of law.

Earlier on April 18, the Court in its interim order directed that Raghav Chadha, who is staying there with his parents shall not be dispossessed from the Bungalow without due process of law.

Court had also said a prima-facie case is made out for issuing directions to the effect that plaintiff/Raghav Chadha shall not be dispossessed from bungalow No.AB-5, Pandara Road, New Delhi without due process of law.

The balance of convenience also lies in favour of the plaintiff as he is residing in the accommodation along with his parents. Plaintiff would indeed suffer irreparable injury, in case, he is dispossessed without the due process of law, said the Court.

Accordingly, till the next date of hearing, the defendant is directed not to dispossess the plaintiff from bungalow No.AB-5, Pandara Road, New Delhi without due process of law. Notice of the application under Section 80 (2) of CPC be issued to the defendant to show cause in respect of the relief claimed in the suit, added to the court in the order passed on April 18, 2023.

Raghav Chadha in his civil suit stated that he on 6.7.2022, was allotted bungalow No.C-1/12, Pandara Park, New Delhi which falls under the category of Type VI bungalow. Thereafter, on 29.8.2022, plaintiff/Raghav made a representation to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha requesting for the allotment of Type-VII accommodation. The said representation of the plaintiff was considered and on 3.9.2022, in lieu of earlier accommodation, he was allotted bungalow No.AB-5, Pandara Road, New Delhi from Rajya Sabha Pool.

The plaintiff accepted the allotment and started residing therein along with his parents after carrying out renovation work. It has been stated that the plaintiff took the physical possession of the bungalow on 9.11.2022 and the allotment made in his favour was notified in the official gazette. The plaintiff has mentioned that he came to know that the allotment made in his favour had been cancelled arbitrarily and this fact was communicated to him on dated 3.3.2023.

Through the suit, Raghav Chadha has sought directions that a letter dated 3.3.2023 issued by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat may be declared illegal. He has also sought a permanent injunction to the effect that the defendant and their associates may be restrained from taking any further action in consequence of the letter dated 3.3.2023 and they may also be restrained from allotting the bungalow to some other person.

Apart from this, Raghav Chadha has also sought damages to the tune of Rs 5,50,000/- from the defendant for causing mental agony and harassment, stated the suit. (ANI)

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National Award

National Film Award Bestowed Upon SS Rajamouli, MM Keeravani

Ace music composer MM Keeravani was felicitated with the National Award on Tuesday.

President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to Keeravani at the ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in the capital. Keeravani won the Best Background Score for director SS Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’.

Keeravani’s son Kaala Bhairava, too, bagged the award at the 69th National Film Awards.

Kaala Bhairava won best playback singer for the song ‘Komuram Bheemudo’.

This year has been extremely special for ‘RRR’ team as the ‘Naatu Naatu’ song became the first Indian song ever to win the Golden Globes for Best Original Song. Later, it won the ‘Best Original Song’ at the 95th Academy Awards.

SS Rajamouli was also present at the 69th National Film Awards. His film bagged six awards at the ceremony.

The film also won the award for Special effects for Srinivas Mohan, choreography for Prem Rakshith and action direction for King Solomon.

‘RRR’ won an award in the category Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment as well. Rajamouli received the award for this category.

Released in 2022, ‘RRR’ is a fictional story based on the lives of two Telugu freedom fighters, Alluri Seetharama Raju and Komaram Bheem. Ram Charan and Jr NTR played lead roles, respectively. The film collected over Rs 1,200 crore worldwide. Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn and Shriya Saran also starred in the film. (ANI)

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69th National Film Awards: Alia Receives Best Actress For Gangubai Kathiawadi

Actor Alia Bhatt was conferred with the Best Actress Award for her performance in the film ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ at the 69th National Film Awards here on Tuesday.

Alia received the award from President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony that took place at the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Union Minister Anurag Thakur was also present on the occasion.

Alia arrived at the ceremony along with her husband Ranbir Kapoor.

She added glamour to the event as she donned a beige-coloured embroidered saree that complemented the Indian culture.

Alia has jointly won the Best Actor award with Kriti Sanon, who has won in the same category for her performance in the film ‘Mimi’.

Helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ revolves around a maiden sold by a suitor into prostitution and how she becomes a prominent and celebrated figure in the underworld and Kamathipua red-light district.

Alia’s stellar performance in the film helped her bag the Best Actress Award at IIFA 2023 and Filmfare Awards 2023. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has also bagged the National Award for Best Editing for the film ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’.

Meanwhile, Alia will be next seen in director Vasan Bala’s upcoming film ‘Jigra’ which she is also producing.

‘Jigra’ is all set to hit the theatres on September 27, 2024. (ANI)

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Chhattisgarh

Congress Releases Menifesto In MP Promises Caste Census 27% OBC Reservation

Congress on Tuesday released its manifesto for Madhya Pradesh assembly polls next month and made a slew of promises including Old Pension Scheme, caste census, Nari Samman Nidhi of Rs 1500 per month to women, Rs 25 lakh health insurance and 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in government services.

The manifesto, released by Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath in the presence of senior party leaders including former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, made “101 main guarantees” including continuing Jai Kisan Agricultural Loan Waiver Scheme to waive off farmers’ debt up to Rs 2 lakh besides providing domestic gas cylinder at Rs 500 and making school education free in the state.

“Madhya Pradesh is the state of farmers. Congress government will buy paddy at Rs 2500 per quintal, we will buy wheat at Rs 2600 per quintal,” Kamal Nath said.

Under the Indira Grih Jyoti Yojana, 100 units of electricity will be provided free and subsequent 200 units of electricity will be provided at half rate, the party said. It promised to enact a ‘Right to Health’ law.

The manifesto said that the Old Pension Scheme will be started, five horsepower electricity will be provided free for irrigation, pending electricity arrears of farmers will be waived off and “false cases” related to farmers’ movement and those pertaining to electricity will be withdrawn.

The party promised 27 per cent reservation to OBCs (Other Backward Classes) in government services and schemes and setting up a skill upgradation university in the name of Saint Shiromani Ravidas in Sagar.

Under the ‘Padho Padhao’ scheme, an aid of Rs 500 will be given to the children of government schools from classes 1 to 8, Rs 1000 to students of classes 9 and 10 and Rs 1500 per month to the students of classes 11 and 12.

The party promised implementation of the PESA Act in tribal areas apart from promising some other measures for the tribal population in the state.

Congress promised to start Nandini Godhan Yojana under which cow dung will be bought at the rate of Rs 2 a kg. The party said it will restart the plan to construct 1000 gaushalas (cowsheds) and give a bonus on the purchase of milk through the cooperative sector.

Major promises for the youth include a law for government recruitment and filling two lakh government posts.

Two to four new posts will be created and filled in every Gram Panchayat in the state. The Congress party will move forward to ensure that the youth of the state get priority in government jobs. There will be a 100 per cent exemption in competitive exam fees, the party said.

The party said it will fill vacancies pending for the past 18 years including of teachers, patwaris, forest guards, nurses and also in the police.

Under the Yuva Swabhiman Scheme, financial assistance ranging from Rs 1500 to Rs 3000 a month will be provided to needy educated unemployed youth for two years.

For women, the party said it would start a new scheme for the marriage of girls and will provide assistance of Rs 1.01 lakh.

Loans up to Rs 25 lakh will be provided to women for start-ups at 3 per cent interest rate. A 5000 square feet plot will be given to houseless rural women, free passes will be provided for transportation in metropolitan bus service and rules will be made to regularise Anganwadi assistants and workers.

A new cadre of field health workers will be created for Asha and Usha workers. The manifesto said a Congress government will start ‘Meri Bitiya Rani’ scheme for girls under which they will be given an amount of Rs 2.51 lakh from their birth till their marriage.

The party said it will start Vardaan Health Insurance Scheme for residents of the state under which health insurance of Rs 25 lakh and accident insurance of Rs 10 lakh will be provided to a family.

The Congress is seeking to oust the BJP from power in Madhya Pradesh. The state will go for assembly polls on November 17 for 230 assembly seats and counting will take place on December 3. (ANI)

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Explosion At Gaza

India Will Soon Be Among Top Three Economies: Modi At Global Maritime Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the day is not far when India will be among the top three global economies, adding that everyone was looking at India in the hope that it will lead the efforts for a new world order.

Inaugurating the three-day Global Maritime India Summit in the national capital on Tuesday, PM Modi said, “In this changing world order, the whole world is looking towards India with new aspirations. The Indian economy is gathering more strength while the world is in the grip of an economic crisis. The day is not far when India will be one of the top three economic powers of the world.”

Underlining the importance of the country’s maritime sector, PM Modi said, “History bears witness that whenever India’s maritime capability has been strong, the country and the world have benefited greatly from it. Taking this as our guiding principle, we have been working in a planned manner for the last 9 years to strengthen this sector.”

PM Modi stated further that the maritime industry will be boosted no end once the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor comes to be implemented.

“Recently, during the G20 Summit, a historic consensus was reached on forming an India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. This is a huge step at India’s initiative, which could potentially rejuvenate the maritime industry across the world in the 21st century,” PM Modi said.

He also laid the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 18,800 crore.

He laid the foundation stone for the Tuna Tekra all-weather deep draft terminal, which is to come up at a cost of more than Rs. 4,500 crore at Deendayal Port Authority in Gujarat. The state-of-the-art greenfield terminal will be developed on the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

He also unveiled the ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’ for the Indian maritime blue economy.

The summit is the biggest Maritime Event hosted in the country. The first Maritime India summit was held in 2016 in Mumbai while the second was held virtually in 2021.

The third summit will be held from October 17 to 19 at MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai.

The three-day summit will discuss and deliberate key issues of the maritime sector including ports of the future; decarbonisation; coastal shipping and inland water transportation; shipbuilding; repair and recycling; finance, insurance & arbitration; maritime clusters; innovation & technology; maritime safety and security, and maritime tourism, among others.

The summit will also provide a platform for attracting investment in the maritime sector of the country. (ANI)

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Chandigarh Mayor elections

Marriage Equality Rights Refused To LGBTQIA+

A five-judge Supreme Court Constitution bench has in majority verdict ruled that for LGBTQIA+ couples there is no unqualified right to marriage and that conferring legal status to civil union can only be through enacted law.

The bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha delivered the verdict it had reserved on May 11 this year.

The court, however, said the judgement will not preclude the right of Queer persons to enter into relationships. The apex court also said that the challenge to Special Marriage Act (SMA) on the ground of under-classification is not made out.

Justice Ravindra Bhat, Justice Narasimha and Justice Hima Kohli were in agreement on these positions, while CJI Chandrachud and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul took divergent positions.

At the start of the judgment the bench clarified that there were four judgements in the case. One by CJI Chandrachud, another by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, a third by Justice Ravindra Bhat and the last by Justice Narasimha.

In his judgement the CJI passed the directions that the Union government and State governments must ensure there is no discrimination against the Queer community.

The CJI said it should be ensured that there is no discrimination in access to goods and services to the queer community. There is a need to sensitise public about queer rights. The Union and state Governments must create a hotline for queer community to prevent harassment. The government must create safe houses for queer couple. Government also must ensure inter-sex children are not forced to undergo operations.

The CJI said that it should be ensured that no person shall be forced to undergo any hormonal therapy. There shall be no harassment to queer community by summoning them to police station solely to enquire about their sexual identity. Police should not force queer persons to return to their natal family. Police should conduct a preliminary enquiry before registering an FIR against a queer couple over their relationship.

The CJI said this Court has the power to hear the case. Queer is a natural phenomenon known to India from ages. It is neither urban or elitist. Marriage is not static. Supreme Court cannot strike down Special Marriage Act or read words into the Act due to the institutional limitations. Failure of the State to recognise the bouquet of rights flowing from a queer relationship amounts to discrimination.

Right to enter into union cannot be restricted on the basis of sexual orientation. Transgender persons in heterosexual relationships have the right to marry under the existing laws including personal laws.

On adoption of children by queer couples, the CJI in his judgement said, unmarried couples, including queer couples, can jointly adopt a child. The Union Government, State Government and Union Territories shall not discriminate against the right of the queer community to enter into union.

The CJI directed the Union Government to constitute a committee to decide the rights and entitlements of persons in queer unions. The Committee shall consider to include queer couples as family in ration cards, enabling queer couples to nominate for joint bank account, rights flowing from pension, gratuity etc. The Committee report to be looked at the Union Government level.

In his concurring judgement Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said legal recognition of same sex unions is a step towards marriage equality, however, marriage is not the end. Justice Kaul said let us preserve the autonomy as it does not impinge on others rights.

Justice Ravindra Bhat and Justice Narasimha disagreed with the CJI on various aspects of the judgement.

Justice Bhat said there cannot be an unqualified right to marry which is to be treated as a fundamental right. While we agree that there is a right to relationship, we squarely recognise that it falls within Article 21. It includes the right to choose a partner and enjoy physical intimacy with them including right to privacy, autonomy etc. and should enjoy this right undisturbed from the society and when threatened State has to protect the same. There cannot be any doubt that there is a choice to have a life partner.

Justice Bhat said the Court can’t put State under any obligation when there is no constitutional right to marry or legal recognition of unions among non-heterosexual couples. Justice Bhat said the Court cannot create a legal framework for queer couples and it is for the legislature to do as there are several aspects to be taken into consideration. All queer persons have the right to choose their partners but State cannot be obligated to recognise the bouquet of rights flowing from such a union.

Justice Bhat further said a general neutral interpretation of Special Marriage Act may not be equitable at times and can lead to women being led to vulnerabilities in an unintended manner. The purpose of terms like wife, husband etc. is aimed to protect the vulnerable and the women facing domestic violence is there to ensure they receive justice. Thus, interpreting the Special Marriage Act as desired would render it unworkable.

Justice Bhat also disagreed with the CJI on the right of queer couples to adopt and he raised certain concerns.

In his conclusion Justice Bhat said there is no unqualified right to marriage. Conferring legal status to civil union can only be through enacted law. But these findings will not preclude the right of queer persons to enter into relationships.

In his order Justice Bhat said challenge to Special Marriage Act on the ground of under-classification is not made out. Transgender persons in homosexual relationships have the right to marry. State shall ensure queer persons are not harassed.

Justice Hima Kohli said she agrees with the view of Justice Ravindra Bhat. Justice Narasimha also said he agrees with the view of Justice Ravindra Bhat.

The five-judge Constitution bench was dealing with a batch of petitions pertaining to marriage equality rights for LGBTQIA+ community. The order was reserved on May 11 after counsels from all sides concluded their arguments.

The Constitution bench had begun the hearing on the matter on April 18 and the hearing went on for nearly 10 days. The court had clarified that it will deal with the issue under the provisions of the Special Marriage Act and will not touch the personal laws on this aspect.

The Centre has opposed the plea and said that parliament and not the court, should consider the issue. The Centre called it an Urban elite concept but the court did not agree

During the hearing the Centre had agreed to examine issues relating to giving some certain rights to LGBTQIA + but opposed legal recognition to the same-sex couple. (ANI)

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Gaganyaan Mission Modi

Gaganyaan Mission’s Readiness Reviewed By Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired a high-level meeting to assess the progress of India’s Gaganyaan mission and to outline the future of India’s space exploration programs.

The Department of Space presented a comprehensive overview of the Gaganyaan mission, including various technologies developed so far such as human-rated launch vehicles and system qualification.

It was noted that around 20 major tests, including 3 uncrewed missions of the Human Rated Launch Vehicle (HLVM3) are planned. The first demonstration flight of the Crew Escape System Test Vehicle is scheduled for October 21 (Saturday).

ISRO is all set for the Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission a key part of its ambitious human space mission Gaganyaan, between 7 am and 9 am this Saturday.

This flight will simulate the abort condition during the ascent trajectory. Crew escape systems with crude modules will be separated from the test vehicle at an altitude of about 17 km. Subsequently, the abort sequence will be executed autonomously commencing with the separation of crew escape systems and deployment of the series of parachutes, finally culminating in the safe touchdown of crew module in the sea, about 10 km from the coast of Sriharikota.

Meanwhile, the prime minister’s review meeting evaluated the mission’s readiness, affirming its launch in 2025.

Building on the success of the Indian space initiatives, including the recent Chandrayan-3 and Aditya L1 Missions, Prime Minister Modi directed that India should now aim for new and ambitious goals, including setting up ‘Bharatiya Antariksha Station’ (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending first Indian to the Moon by 2040.

To realize this vision, the Department of Space will develop a roadmap for Moon exploration.

“This will encompass a series of Chandrayaan missions, the development of a Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV), construction of a new launch pad, setting up human-centric Laboratories and associated technologies,” Prime Minister’s Office said in a release.

PM Modi also called upon Indian scientists to work towards interplanetary missions that would include a Venus Orbiter Mission and a Mars Lander.

PM Modi also expressed confidence in India’s capabilities and affirmed the nation’s commitment to scaling new heights in space exploration.

Gaganyaan project envisages a demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of 3 members to an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission and bringing them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters.

The pre-requisites for Gaganyaan mission include development of many critical technologies including human rated launch vehicle for carrying crew safely to space, Life Support System to provide an earth like environment to crew in space, crew emergency escape provision and evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery and rehabilitation of crew.

This program will make India the fourth nation to launch a manned spaceflight mission after the US, Russia, and China.

On August 23, India took a giant leap as the Chandrayaan-3 lander module successfully landed on the moon’s South Pole, making it the first country to have achieved the historic feat and bringing to an end the disappointment over the crash landing of the Chandrayaan-2, four years ago. India became the fourth country – after the US, China, and Russia – to have successfully landed on the moon’s surface.

After having landed, the Vikram lander and the Pragyan rover performed different sets of tasks on the lunar surface, including finding the presence of sulphur and other minor elements, recording relative temperature, and listening to movements around it.

Soon after the soft landing of Chandrayaan-3, India launched its maiden solar mission Aditya-L1 on September 2. So far in its journey, the spacecraft has undergone four earth-bound manoeuvres and a Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion (TL1I) manoeuvres, all successfully. In the process, the spacecraft successfully escaped the sphere of Earth’s influence.

In latest, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft performed a trajectory correction manoeuvre (TCM), for about 16 seconds, which was needed to correct the trajectory evaluated after tracking to keep it in its intended path. (ANI)

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Netanyahu

Israel Will Not Stop Until Hamas Destroyed: Netanyahu Tells Putin

The office of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday shared details of his telephonic conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that the former briefed him on the ongoing counter-offensive against Hamas, following the October 7 terror attacks, and his talks with several leaders from the region and the Palestinian authorities.

“The Prime Minister made it clear that Israel had been attacked by brutal and abhorrent murderers, had gone to war determined and united, and would not stop until it had destroyed Hamas’s military and governing capabilities,” the Israel PM’s office tweeted from its official handle on X.

It posted further that PM Netanyahu told the Russian President that the Israeli forces won’t relent till they “eliminate Hamas”.

“The Prime Minister made it clear that Israel had been attacked by brutal and abhorrent murderers, had gone to war determined and united, and would not stop until it had destroyed Hamas’s military and governing capabilities,” the Israeli PM’s office posted further.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, during their telephone conversation, Putin highlighted the measures Russia is taking to stop the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip from escalating further.

“President of Russia Vladimir #Putin spoke with Prime Minister of the State of Israel @netanyahu over the phone,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia posted on X.

“President Putin laid out the steps being taken by Russia to prevent the further escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip,” it added.

Moscow said the conversation was centred on “the crisis situation resulting from the brutal escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.

“The Israeli side was in particular informed of the essential points of telephone correspondences that took place today with the leaders of Palestine, Egypt, Iran and Syria,” the Kremlin said in a statement.

The Russian President also expressed “his sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased Israelis”, the Kremlin said, according to The Moscow Times.

Along with that, he informed the Israeli leader of the measures taken by Russia to “promote the normalisation of the situation, prevent a further escalation of violence, and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip”.

The Russian President also expressed to Netanyahu his country’s “fundamental desire to continue its targeted action aimed at ending” the crisis and achieving “a peaceful settlement through political and diplomatic means,” according to a statement from the government, reported The Moscow Times.

The Israeli military is all set to launch a ground invasion in the Gaza Strip, but its extent and when it is carried out may be affected by operational considerations, as tensions grow on the northern border.

Meanwhile, Israel’s National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi reaffirmed that the cabinet’s war goal is to remove Hamas from military and political control over the Gaza Strip.

Hanegbi said at a recent cabinet meeting that the government approved a plan to “destroy” Hamas. (ANI)

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303: Shashi

Cong In Many Ways A Family-Run Party: Tharoor

Reacting to a question at an event in Thiruvananthapuram on not being a Prime Ministerial candidate from party, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday said that Rahul Gandhi could become Prime Minister since Congress is in many ways is a ‘family-run’ party.

Inaugurating the new office of a US-based Silicon Valley company at Technopark Phase 3 in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday, Shashi Tharoor said that either Congress president Malikarjun Kharge or Rahul Gandhi could become PM from the Congress.

“My guess is from the Congress party either Mr Kharge who will then be the first Dalit Prime Minister of India or Rahul Gandhi since in many ways it is a ‘family-run’ party. But at the same time, the merit of the parliamentary system is the Prime Minister is the first among equals and other ministers also have great responsibility for their work so whatever responsibility is assigned to me, I am confident I can do work.”

The remark comes even as the former Congress president Rahul Gandhi made an effort to distance himself from dynastic politics when the question was posed to him at a news conference in Aizawl, Mizoram today.

“What is exactly the son of Amit Shah doing? What does Rajnath Singh’s son do? last I heard, Amit Shah’s son is running Indian cricket. Many of their (BJP) children like Anurag Thakur, are dynasties” Rahul Gandhi said in an effort to put the ball back in the BJP court.

Earlier, hitting out at both Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Congress in Telangana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 1 said that the “two family-run parties” known for corruption and commission have halted the progress of the poll-bound state.

“Both of these parties have the same formula. The party is of the family, by the family and for the family… These people are turning democracy into a family dynasty. Their party is run like a private limited company. The president, CEO, director, treasurer, general manager, chief manager, and manager all are of the same family,” the Prime Minister had said.

Meanwhile at his address to young professionals, Tharoor while explaining the system of electing representatives said that a candidate’s individual merit was not the singular reason to choose him to contest.

“Our system is very different from the American system. The parliamentary system means the party decides who to put forward in these situations. Even whom to give tickets is given by the party unlike in America where voters decide through a primaries system” said Tharoor.

“It’s not possible to have an Obama type career in India. We are a vast country, we have 543 parliamentary seats and it is not the individual merit of one person that matters,” he added. (ANI)

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