Category: News

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) LS TN Kamal Haasan

Actor Kamal Haasan Joins DMK-Led Alliance in Tamil Nadu

By LokMarg

Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), the political party founded by actor-politician Kamal Haasan, has decided not to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha (LS) election and instead support the DMK, a prominent political force in Tamil Nadu.

Kamal Haasan announced his unwavering support and campaign efforts for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The DMK, however, has been offered one seat for the 2025 Rajya Sabha polls to MNM in exchange of campaigning for the party.

“Me and my party are not contesting in this election. But we will give all cooperation to this alliance. We have joined hands as this is not just for position, this is for the Nation,” said Kamal Haasan.

Actor turned politician Kamal Haasan made his political debut in 2018, by launching his own party Makkal Needhi Maiam.

His party contested in 37 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and lost. Makkal Needhi Maiam’s vote share in the 2019 Lok Sabha election was 3.72%.

Haasan unsuccessfully contested the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election from Coimbatore South and lost to BJP Mahila Morcha President Vanathi Srinivasan by a narrow margin of 1728 votes.

Meanwhile the DMK has almost sealed off all it alliances for the Lok Sabha Polls. The party has allotted two seats each to the Communist Party of India and CPIM, as well as one each to the Indian Union Muslim League and the Kongu Desa Makkal Katchi. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi has also been allotted two seats. It is expected that the seat sharing arrangement with the Congress will be sealed by Saturday evening.

In 2019 the DMK alliance won 38 of the 39 seats and the INDIA bloc will be hoping for a repeat performance this rime as well. (ANI)

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Assam Modi Tea

Modi Spends Time At Tea Garden In Assam

By LokMarg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a two-day visit to Assam, took some time out from his tour to spend some time at a tea estate.

Taking to his X handle, he urged tourists to visit Assam’s tea gardens during their visits to the state.

“Assam is known for its splendid tea gardens, and Assam Tea has made its way all over the world. I would like to laud the remarkable tea garden community, which is working hard and enhancing Assam’s prestige all over the world,” the X post read.

The tea community in Assam, which comprises a sizeable portion of the state’s population, plays a critical role in dozens of Assembly constituencies.

Assam’s lush tea gardens have more to offer to the world than just the beverage itself.

Assam produces nearly 700 million kg of tea annually and accounts for around half of India’s overall tea production.

Tea plantation in Assam has come a full circle as thousands of small farmers have taken to growing the crop, primarily shifting from paddy. The tea plantation business has seen unemployed youths taking up tea cultivation as a business venture. Some even cultivate it in their backyards , while many have started their tea stories through startups.

A stay in the tea garden, playing golf and driving through tea estates could be some unforgettable experiences. This beautiful state has sprawling lush green tea estates with old-world bungalows, most of which have golf courses attached to them. Besides classical clubhouses for post-golf sessions, some of these estates have even airstrips for tourists to arrive and take off in chartered aircrafts.

Tea growers in Assam are celebrating the plantation industry reaching a crucial milestone of 200 years. Tea estates around plantations, hitherto unexplored and unpicked, in the state’s upper reaches first came to be established way back in 1823.

Renowned globally for its richly coloured and aromatic tea, Assam’s tea industry, which is the country’s largest, provides livelihoods to millions with many others directly or indirectly dependent on the plantations. The state is famed for both Orthodox as well as the CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) varieties of tea.

In 1823, Robert Bruce discovered wild tea plants growing wild in the upper Brahmaputra Valley. Subsequently, a tea garden was started by the government in 1833 in the erstwhile Lakhimpur district.

Today, Assam now produces nearly 700 million kg of tea annually and accounts for around half of India’s overall tea production. The state also generates annual foreign exchange earnings estimated at an equivalent to Rs 3,000 crore. (ANI)

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Lahaul-Spiti

Severe Snowfall Hits Life In Lahaul-Spiti

By LokMarg

Electricity, water supply and communications networks were disrupted in the Kaza area of Lahaul-Spiti district in the upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh on Saturday after a fresh of snowfall across the state, an official said.

Normal life was thrown out of gear in the tribal areas of the district following near-relentless snowfall over three consecutive days–on March 2, 3 and 4.

Speaking to ANI over a satellite phone, an official from the local administration said the entire communication system in the area fell apart following fresh snowfall and only satellite phones were working.

Along with communication lines, the power and water supply have also been hampered by the elements, the official informed.

All communication networks and water supply could only be restored once the power lines and up and running again, the official added.

Further, the official informed further work was underway on a war footing to restore electricity and communication lines at the earliest.

He said several roadways, including three national highways, have been closed in the region in light of the snowfall.

An official in the state disaster management department informed that 346 roads, including 3 national highways, are closed while 365 electricity supply schemes have been hampered and 8 water supply schemes have been disrupted in the wake of the snowfall.

In Lahaul -Spiti district, two national highways and 260 roads are closed and 155 electricity supply schemes have been disrupted.

Earlier, on March 3, an avalanche struck Lahaul’s Tandi Bridg, partially burying shops in the area.

However, no casualties or major losses were reported in the incident. (ANI)

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Bengaluru water crisis

Grappling With Severe Water Crisis, Bengaluru Stares At Harder Days

By LokMarg

In the grip of a severe water crisis, Bengaluru stared at tougher days as the sweltering summer sets in, with people in areas such as Varthur in the Mahadevpur Assembly constituency struggling to quench thirst and meet regular household needs.

Residents across the city complained of low water supply in the area, with one telling ANI, “It has been two weeks since we have stopped receiving proper water supply. We received drinking water only once a week.”

Expressing concern over the prevailing situation, the people urged the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the primary civic body in the city, to address the water problem on priority and ensure regular supply.

On March 5, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy DK Shivakumar, and cabinet ministers along with officials and secretaries of respective departments, held a crucial meeting to address the shortage of drinking water in Bengaluru.

He also warned the water tanker owners across the state that the government would seize their vehicles if they did not register with the authorities before March 7, the deadline day.

With the summer expected to be more severe this year, as many as 7,082 villages across Karnataka and 1,193 wards, including in Bengaluru Urban district, are vulnerable to drinking water crisis in the coming months as per an assessment made by the government as of February 10.

A report by the revenue department has identified the majority of villages in Tumakuru district (746) and most wards in Uttara Kannada as staring at a grave water crisis in the days ahead.

In the Bengaluru Urban district, 174 villages and 120 wards have been shown to be vulnerable. (ANI)

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Sela Tunnel project Arunachal

Arunachal: Modi Dedicates All-Weather Strategic Sela Tunnel To Nation

By LokMarg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the strategic Sela Tunnel project virtually at an event held in Itanagar on Saturday.

The foundation stone of the tunnel was laid earlier by him on February 09, 2019, and the construction commenced on April 1 of the same year.

The tunnel project was completed in just five years, overcoming challenges in the form of difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions.

The tunnel has been constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at an altitude of 13,000 feet on the road connecting Tezpur, Assam to Tawang in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Built at a total cost of Rs 825 crore, the tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang across Sela Pass on the Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang Road, boosting the preparedness of the armed forces and augmenting the socio-economic development of the border region.

In his address after the dedication of the project at the event Viksit Bharat Viksit North East, Prime Minister Modi voiced the government’s ‘unwavering commitment’ to the development of the Northeast region.

He said the Sela Tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity and improve the ease of travel for the people of Tawang.

Work on many such tunnels is going on in the northeast region, he added.

Prime Minister Modi also criticised the neglect towards border villages by previous regimes at the Centre. He reiterated his style of working as per the needs of the nation and not for electoral considerations.

He promised the defence personnel that he would come to meet them at this engineering marvel in his next term.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and the Union Minister for Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju were among the dignitaries present during the inauguration ceremony.

The Sela Tunnel has been constructed using the new Austrian Tunnelling Method and incorporates safety features of the highest standards.

The project will not only provide a faster and more efficient transport route in the region but is of strategic importance to the country.

The BRO has always been at the forefront of the development of the border areas.

In the last three years, the BRO has completed a record 330 infrastructure projects constructed at the cost of Rs 8,737 crore.

From the same event held in Itanagar, the Prime Minister, among others, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth about Rs 55,600 crores in Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. (ANI)

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Minister Suresh Pachouri BJP

Come With Zero Expectations: Pachouri After Joining BJP

By LokMarg

Revealing his grouse against the Congress high command after crossing over to the BJP, former Union Minister Suresh Pachouri on Saturday pointed to some decisions, both ‘political and religious’, as ones that prompted his exit from the party.

Addressing a press conference at an event during which he was inducted into the ruling party in the state, Pachouri identified the turning down of the invitation to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Ram Lalla by the Congress heavyweights last year as the primary reason for his exit.

The grand Ram temple in Ayodhya was inaugurated on December 22, last year, drawing a long line of VVIP guests from across the country and abroad.

Pachouri was ushered into the BJP earlier in the day in the presence of former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, his successor Mohan Yadav and senior leader and MLA Kailash Vijayvarghia, among others.

Voicing his misgivings over the prevailing state of affairs in the Congress, the former Union Minister blamed his switchover on the party’s shift towards ‘divisive politics’.

Speaking to ANI after being formally inducted into the BJP, Pachouri said, “I entered politics to serve society and the country. Congress has always worked towards establishing a classless society. However, the idea stands rejected today. Some of the decision-making by the Congress high command, especially on religious and political matters, drove me closer to the edge and eventually exit the party.”

Invoking a party event where he claimed derogatory remarks were made against Lord Ram, Pachouri said it added to his discontent against the leadership and eventually made him sever all ties with the Congress.

Quoting a verse from the Ramcharitmanas, the miffed leader said, “I will not stand with those who do not respect Ram-Ji”.

Also revealing a deep-rooted desire for the construction of a ‘Ram Mandir’ in Ayodhya, he expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling the long-held dream of devout Hindus all over the world.

On whether his decision to quit the Congress was timed to coincide with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Pachouri said, “I have never been hungry for power. Even today, I have come here with zero expectations. However, it is clear that the pulse of the people is clearly with the BJP.”

“The Congress has drifted from the core principles and policies that it was founded on. It has alienated itself from the public and is unable win back lost support,” the former Union Minister told ANI.

Addressing media persons after picking up its latest Congress scalp, BJP state president VD Sharma said earlier, “Former Union Minister and Congress leader Suresh Pachouri is a tall leader in Madhya Pradesh Congress. Since there is no place for leaders of his stature in the Congress anymore, he has joined the BJP and will work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” (ANI)

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nationwide caste census Rahul Gandhi

Bihar Caste Census An X-ray For Country: Rahul

By LokMarg

Reiterating his call for a nationwide caste census, which he stated earlier was a promise that the Congress would fulfil if voted back at the Centre, Rahul Gandhi on Saturday termed Bihar’s caste census an ‘X-ray’ for the country that will shed light on the real living standards of the poor.

“Have we ever wondered who the poor are? How many are there and in what condition? Is it not necessary to count all these? The caste census conducted in Bihar revealed that 88 per cent of the poor population comes from Dalit, tribal, backward and minority communities. The figures from Bihar are just a small glimpse of the real picture of the country, we do not even have an idea in what condition the poor population of the country is living.,” Gandhi said in a tweet.

“That is why we are going to take two historic steps – caste counting and economic mapping, based on which we will uproot the reservation limit of 50 per cent. This step will X-ray the country and provide the correct reservation, rights and share to everyone,” the Congress MP stated further.

“This will not only help in making the right policies and plans for the poor but will also help in rescuing them from the struggle of education, earning and medicines and connecting them to the mainstream of development. Therefore, wake up, wake up and raise your voice, caste counting is your right and it will take you out of the darkness of difficulties and towards the light,” he added.

“Count is our slogan because counting is the ‘first step to justice’,” he added.

Earlier, on Friday, Rahul said his party will change the status quo in the country in which a select few billionaires have complete control over wealth and resources, while 90 per cent of the population remains marginalised and sidelined.

He promised to create a special Rs 5,000 crore dedicated corpus to encourage entrepreneurship among the youth coming from ordinary family backgrounds in a bid to enable them to start their own businesses. (ANI)

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Aam Aadmi Parry (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan

HC To Pass Judgment On AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan’s Aanticipatory Bail Plea On March 11

By LokMarg

The Delhi High Court is scheduled to pass an order on AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan’s anticipatory bail application in the alleged Delhi Waqf Board Money Laundering case on March 11. His anticipatory bail was earlier dismissed by the trial court.

The bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on March 4 kept the order reserved after hearing the arguments of both sides at length. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Rajat Bhardwaj appeared for Amanat Ullah Khan, while advocate Zoheb Hossain appeared for the Enforcement Directorate in the matter.

According to the petitioner’s lawyers, applicant Amanat Ullah Khan is not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing or any violation of the provisions of the PMLA in any manner. His life and liberty must be protected from unwarranted and unjustified encroachment at the hands of the respondent on the basis of a false, malicious and motivated case without any merit.

Lawyers alleged that the applicant is being targeted by the investigating agency by alleging baseless and frivolous allegations against the applicant. ED has implicated the accused in a false and concocted story and no case is made out against the applicant. There are reasonable grounds believing that the applicant is innocent and has no involvement whatsoever in the alleged offence.

There is no bribe amount involved, therefore there is no generation of proceeds of crime, which leaves no scope of Applicant’s involvement in any activity of placement, layering, and/or integration of any proceeds of crime and as such, there is no question of any violation of the provisions of the PMLA, argued Amanat’s lawyers.

On the other hand, it was submitted by the ED’s counsel that the petitioner has been issued several summons and he has been evading the same. The Rouse Avenue court on March 1 dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of AAP MLA Amanat Ullah Khan.

According to the ED, the case is related to the purchase of a property worth Rs 36 crore in the Okhla area on the alleged behest of Amanat Ullah Khan, who is also sitting MLA from that area. In this case, the court has dismissed the bail application of three accused, namely Zeeshan Haider, Daud Nasir and Jawed Imam Siddiqui.

A charge sheet was recently filed by the ED against four accused persons, including Qausar Imam Siddiqui. It has been alleged that Rs 100 crore Waqf Properties were given on lease illegally. It is also alleged that 32 contractual employees were appointed in Delhi Waqf Board during the chairmanship of Amanat Ullah Khan, flouting the rules. (ANI)

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303: Shashi

BJP Is Going To Find It Very Tough To Even Repeat 303: Shashi

By LokMarg

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor thanked the grand old party on Friday for the opportunity to ‘defend his seat’ after he was named candidate from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, a seat he has held for three terms.

He further said that the “BJP is going to find it very tough to even repeat the 303 they had”.

He also pointed to the leaders jumping the ship ahead of polls and said that leaders shifting to other parties doesn’t mean that there is some conflict or confusion rather the “individuals have their own ambitions in politics.”

“I am honoured and humbled that the Congress party has given an opportunity to defend my seat. I have had the privilege of serving the people of Thiruvananthapuram for 15 years and I look forward to an opportunity to continue this process of service once more,” Shashi Tharoor said while addressing media after the party’s announcement.

“The other two parties have announced their candidates, I have a great deal of respect for them and I look forward to a fair and effective contest and I look forward to the opportunities to debate with them the ideas and policies that I stand for,” he said.

He further asserted on engaging in ‘constructive and positive politics’ and informed that he will be travelling to his constituency on Sunday.

“And I look forward very much to a constructive and focused campaign. In 15 years of politics, I have never needed to spend one day of negative campaigning or attacking anybody. I believe very much in constructive and positive politics,” Tharoor said.

“We have to give the people a choice and in a democracy, at the end of the day people will decide that is exactly the spirit in which I’m entering the race. I will be travelling from Sunday to be full-time in my constituency,” he said.

“The BJP is going to find it very tough to even repeat the 303 they had. I’m convinced at this time the BJP is going to lose the government. I have not seen any evidence of that. In every election, there’s always been somebody leaving some party and going to some other party. That doesn’t mean that’s conflict or confusion,” he said.

“It means that individuals have their own ambitions in politics and they want to pursue them elsewhere. I don’t see that BJP is immune from that either. Some people left the BJP also and went in other directions. These things happen. Certainly, those of us in the Congress party for the last few years have seen opportunities to serve the people and that’s why we are in politics. That’s what I’m doing in Thiruvananthapuram. I’m here to serve the people of my constituency,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Congress released its first list of candidates for 39 Lok Sabha constituencies.

The names have been announced for Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshwadeep, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Telangana and Tripura.

Of the total 39 candidates announced, 16 are from Kerala, seven from Karnataka and six from Chhattisgarh, four from Telangana. Two from Meghalaya and one each from Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim and Lakshwadeep.

The list was released after the party held its Central Election Committee meeting on Thursday.

A total of 16 candidates have been announced from Kerala, including Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram and Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad, seat he won in 2019.

Congress party’s second Election Committee meeting will be held on March 11 in Delhi to discuss the candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP has already released its first list of 195 candidates. The Lok Sabha polls are likely to be held in April-May this year. (ANI)

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People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD)

Gupkar Alliance Was Unique, Sad That It Has Been Scattered: PDP Chief Mufti

By LokMarg

People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday expressed disappointment at the discontent prevailing in the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) and said that without any consultations with PDP, National Conference went on to declare that it will fight from three Lok Sabha seats.

PDP chief said that it is sad to see the way the “Gupkar alliance has been scattered”.

Addressing reporters in Srinagar, Mehbooba Mufti said, “Omar Abdullah himself said that they’re not in the alliance. We wanted The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to continue but everyone knows who ended this PAGD. We will talk to Congress as we are in the INDIA alliance and see how to go forward.”

Mufti further added that Jammu and Kashmir has become a laboratory for whatever is happening in the country and parties should have tried to remain united in the valley.

“PAGD was a democratic and unique alliance but the way it has been scattered is very disappointing. Jammu and Kashmir is a laboratory for whatever is happening in the country that is facing a big challenge and hence we should have made a collective effort. We (PDP) made a lot of efforts, but he (Omar Abdullah) declared that they’ll contest all three seats, without any consultation from us. They have made PAGD a joke. PAGD was the lost hope for people,” she said.

Responding to the remarks made by NC leader Omar Abdullah that ” a party (PDP) who secured third position in 2019 Lok Sabha elections is trying to claim stakes on some of the Lok Seats”, Mufti said that even Farooq Abdullah lost Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

“So does this mean that he can never fight for election again? Omar Abdullah also lost an election earlier. Victories and losses are part of it. This does not mean that one cannot fight elections,” he said.

Earlier today, NC leader Omar Abdullah said that it is not the sole responsibility of the National Conference to follow “coalition dharma”.

“On their raising day (PDP), they target NC. What type of coalition Dharma is this? Why don’t you ask them when they target NC on social media handles? It is not the sole responsibility of National Conference to follow coalition dharma,” he said.

The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) is an alliance between the several political parties in Jammu and Kashmir campaigning for autonomy for the region by restoring special status along with Article 35A of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. It was founded in year 2020. (ANI)

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