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Allowing Russia To Do What It Is Doing In Ukraine Will Be Message To Aggressors: US Secretary Of State Blinken

By LokMarg 3rd March 2023

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday said allowing Russia to do what it is doing in Ukraine will be a message to aggressors everywhere.

“If we allow Russia to do what it is doing in Ukraine then that’s a message to the aggressors everwhere that they may be able to get away with it too,” US Secy of State Antony Blinken said at the meeting of the Quad Foreign Ministers in the national capital.
Blinken was speaking at the Raisina Dialogue 2023 in Delhi themed “The Quad Squad: Power and Purpose of the Polygon,”, where all Quad Foreign Ministers participated in-person.

“For us the future is so much in Indo-Pacific…Even as we are rightly focussed on what is happening in Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression, not just because it matters to Ukrainians and to Ukraine and Europe, but because it matters to the entire world,” Blinken added.

On Quad grouping, Blinken said he believes it is a force for good, positive, and affirmative action.

India on Friday hosted the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting presided over by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with participation by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

The meeting comes a day after the foreign ministers meeting of the G20 in the national capital and according to the Ministry of External Affairs, the meeting offes an opportunity for the ministers to continue their discussions held at their last meeting in New York in September 2022.

On Thursday Blinken and Jaishankar met and had discussions on measures to mitigate the global impacts of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

On the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meet, Blinken spoke to Jaishankar and shared his views on tackling global and regional challenges.

Secretary Blinken and Minister Jaishankar also discussed how to mitigate the global impacts of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the United States and India’s cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the successful launch of the initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), and regional issues.

Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had urged his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to reverse Moscow’s “irreversible decision” and return to implementing New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) nuclear arms reduction treaty. (ANI)

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I Had Pegasus On My phone, Indian Democracy Under Attack: Rahul

By LokMarg 3rd March 2023

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack at the Centre during a lecture at Cambridge University, alleging that an attack has been unleashed on the basic structure of Indian democracy while also claiming that Israeli spyware Pegasus was being used to snoop into his phone.

Rahul claimed that he had been warned by the intelligence officers to be “careful” while speaking on the phone as his calls were being recorded.
Congress leader and ex-advisor to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sam Pitroda shared the YouTube link of Rahul Gandhi’s address to MBA students at Cambridge Judge Business School on the topic of ‘Learning to Listen in the 21st Century’, on Twitter.

“I myself had Pegasus on my phone. A large number of politicians had Pegasus on their phones. I have been called by intelligence officers who told me, ‘Please be careful about what you are saying on the phone because we are sort of recording the stuff. So this is the constant pressure that we feel. Cases on the Opposition. I have got a number of criminal liable cases for things that should under no circumstances be criminal liable cases. That’s what we are trying to defend,” the Congress leader said in his address.

In August last year, the Supreme Court-appointed committee, set up to look into the allegations of the government allegedly using Pegasus for snooping, had concluded that the spyware was not found in the 29 mobile phones examined by it, but the malware was found in five mobile phones.

Reading the report of the committee, the bench had said, “We are concerned about the technical committee report… 29 phones were given and in five phones some malware was found but the technical committee says it cannot be said to be Pegasus.”

Rahul alleged further that constraints were being put on the Parliament, press and the Judiciary in the country.

“Everybody knows and it’s been in the news a lot that Indian democracy is under pressure and under attack. I am an Opposition leader in India, we are navigating that (Opposition) space. The institutional framework which is required for a democracy — Parliament, free press, the judiciary, just the idea of mobilisation, moving around — all are getting constrained. So, we are facing an attack on the basic structure of Indian democracy,” the Congress MP alleged.

Sharing a picture of himself in the presentation slide in which he is seen being held by the police personnel, the Congress leader claimed that the Opposition leaders were “locked up” in jail for “just standing” in front of the Parliament House to talk about some issues, while also alleging that such incidents have happened “relatively violently”.

“In the Constitution, India is described as a Union of States, and that Union requires negotiation and conversation. It is that negotiation that is under attack and threat. You can see the picture which is taken in front of Parliament House. The Opposition leaders were just standing there talking about certain issues, and we were put in jail. That’s happened 3 or 4 times. It has happened relatively violently. You have also heard of the attacks on minorities and the press. You get a sense of what is going on,” Rahul claimed. (ANI)

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Japan FM Arrives In Delhi To Participate In Quad Meet

By LokMarg 3rd March 2023

Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Friday reached New Delhi to participate in Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting.

“A warm welcome to FM Yoshimasa Hayashi of Japan @MofaJapan_en to New Delhi for the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting being hosted by India today. An opportunity for Quad FMs to exchange views on recent developments in #IndoPacific & other regional issues,” tweeted the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
The meeting of the Quad Foreign Ministers will be hosted by India in New Delhi today.

The meeting will be chaired by External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, and will see the participation of Foreign Ministers of Australia, Penny Wong and Japan and the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

The meeting will be an opportunity for the Ministers to continue their discussions held at their last meeting in New York in September 2022, read the MEA press release.

They will exchange views on recent developments in the Indo-Pacific region and regional issues of mutual interest, guided by their vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

The Ministers will also review progress made by the Quad in pursuit of its constructive agenda and implementation of initiatives aimed at addressing contemporary priorities of the region, added the release.

It is pertinent to note that Hayashi did not attend the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in India due to domestic parliamentary sessions.

Instead of him, Deputy Foreign Minister Kenji Yamada attended the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. (ANI)

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We Condemn Attack On Hindu Temples: US

By LokMarg 3rd March 2023

The United States condemns any sort of violence and extremism, US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said. He said that religious pluralism is one the core values of the US and stressed that Washington condemns any movement that seeks to carry out acts with a different vision.

In response to a question regarding Khalistani elements threat to Hindus and attacks on Hindu Temples, Ned Price said, “We condemn any form of violence, we condemn the threat of violence, any form of violence, extremism. This is a country that has always had at its core key values, one of those is religious pluralism, tolerance for people of all faiths or no faith that is a principle that we uphold and respect. We condemn any individual or movement that seeks to carry out and acts with a different vision.”
Earlier in January, a Hindu Temple in Brampton in Canada has been defaced with anti-India graffiti triggering outrage among the Indian community. The Indian Consulate General in Toronto on Monday (local time) condemned the vandalism at the Gauri Shankar Mandir stating that the act has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. The Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has condemned the vandalism and the Canadian authorities are investigating the incident.

The consulate office in a statement said “We strongly condemn the defacing of Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton, a symbol of Indian heritage, with anti-India graffiti. The hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada. We have raised our concerns on the matter with Canadian authorities.”

Meanwhile, several Hindu temples were vandalized in different parts of Australia allegedly by anti-India elements in January. On January 23, a Hindu Temple was vandalised with anti-India graffiti in Melbourne’s Albert Park, The Australia Today reported.

The incident was reported days after Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Australia’s Carrum Downs was vandalised with anti-Hindu graffiti. The act came to notice on January 16 after temple devotees came for ‘darshan’ amid the three-day long “Thai Pongal” festival which was celebrated by Australia’s Tamil Hindu community, The Australia Today reported.

A week before the above incident, on January 12, the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Australia’s Mill Park was smeared with anti-India and anti-Hindu graffiti. The temple was vandalised by anti-India elements with anti-India slogans written on the temple’s walls, located in the suburb of Mill Park, The Australia Today reported. Patel, an onlooker shared how he witnessed the vandalised walls of the temple when he visited the site. (ANI)

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Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid dispute

CEC To Be Selected By A Team Of PM, LoP & CJI, Orders SC

By LokMarg 2nd March 2023

The Supreme Court on Thursday while ordering to set up a panel consisting of the Prime Minister, LOP, CJI for selecting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners said that it is concerned with leaving the appointments in the sole hands of the Executive.

“We are concerned with the devastating effect of continuing to leave appointments in the sole hands of the Executive on fundamental values, as also the Fundamental Rights, we are of the considered view that the time is ripe for the Court to lay down norms,” the SC said.

A vacuum exists on the basis that, unlike other appointments, it was intended all throughout that appointment exclusively by the Executive was to be a mere transient or stop-gap arrangement and it was to be replaced by a law made by the Parliament taking away the exclusive power of the Executive. This conclusion is clear and inevitable and the absence of law even after seven decades points to the vacuum, said the Supreme Court Constitution Bench.

Court further said that the electoral scene in the country is not what it was in the years immediately following the country becoming a Republic. The criminalisation of politics, with all its attendant evils, has become a nightmarish reality. The faith of the electorate in the very process, which underlies democracy itself, stands shaken.

The impact of ‘big money’ and its power to influence elections, the influence of certain sections of media, makes it also absolutely imperative that the appointment of the Election Commission, which has been declared by this Court to be the guardian of the citizenry and its Fundamental Rights, becomes a matter, which cannot be postponed further, added the court.

Political parties undoubtedly would appear to betray a special interest in not being forthcoming with the law. The reasons are not far to seek. There is a crucially vital link between the independence of the Election Commission and the pursuit of power, its consolidation and perpetuation, said the Court.

The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a panel consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of India for the selection of Commissioners in the Election Commission of India.

“Appointment of an election commissioner shall be on the recommendation of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha,” said the constitution bench headed by Justice KM Joseph, and also comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and CT Ravikumar.

The Election Commission has to be independent and it is duty-bound to act in a fair and legal manner and abide by the provisions of the Constitution and the directions of the Court said Justice Joseph during the pronouncement of the order.

Justice Joseph also added that the hallmark of a substantial and liberal democracy must be borne in mind, democracy is inextricably linked to the power of the people. The power of the ballot is supreme, capable of unseating the most powerful parties.

Supreme Court on Thursday delivered two verdicts, however, both were unanimous verdicts.

Justice Ajay Rastogi in its separate judgement added that the process of removal of Election Commissioners shall be as same as that of Chief Election Commissioner– Impeachment

The Supreme Court Constitution Bench on Thursday pronounced its order on various petitions seeking reform in the process for the appointment of members of the Election Commission of India.

On November 24 2022, the apex court reserved its judgement on a batch of pleas seeking a collegium-like system for the appointment of Election Commissioners (ECs) and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

The apex court was hearing pleas challenging the constitutionality of the present appointment process of CEC and ECs and contended that appointments were being done as per the whims and fancies of the executive.

The petitions sought the creation of an independent collegium or selection committee for future appointments of CEC and two other ECs.

The petitions stated that, unlike the appointments of the CBI director or Lokpal, where the leader of the Opposition and judiciary have a say, the Centre unilaterally appoints the members of the Election Commission.

On October 23, 2018, the apex court referred PILs to the Constitution bench.

While reserving its order, the court has questioned the Centre on the appointment of former IAS officer Arun Goel as the new Election Commissioner at “lightning speed” saying the process was completed within 24 hours. The court had perused the original files brought by the Centre on Goel’s appointment as Election Commissioner. (ANI)

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Medical Seats Doubled In Last Few Years: Modi

Northeast Neither Far From Delhi, Nor From Our Heart: Modi

By LokMarg 2nd March 2023

After the results of assembly polls of three northeastern states were declared on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the election results depict people’s faith in democracy, adding that the Northeast is neither far from Delhi nor from the heart.

Prime Minister Modi received a warm welcome at BJP headquarters in the national capital. PM urged the workers gathered at the occasion to turn on the flashlight of their phones in honour of the people of the northeast.

Addressing party workers at BJP headquarters, PM Modi said, “The Northeast is neither far from Delhi nor from our heart. The election results depict people’s faith in democracy. I humbly thank the people of Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya. These people have blessed the BJP and its allies. Besides, I congratulate the BJP workers of these three states. It is not easy to work in the northeast, and therefore a special thank is due to them.”

Today’s results, the PM said are the outcome of the hard work of all BJP workers. Today’s election and these election results have many messages for the country and for the world, he said.

In reference to earlier times, PM Modi said, “There was not much discussion in Delhi and other parts of the country when the results were out from the northeast region. The discussion was about the violence during the elections.”

The PM said winning the heart of the people of the northeast is a big win for him. He said the time has come for the northeast region’s peace, prosperity and development.

“By frequently visiting the northeast, I won their heart. And it is a big win for me. I was satisfied that the people of the northeast are no longer ignored. It is a time to create new history. When I visited the northeast recently, someone congratulated me on the half-century. When I inquired about it, I was told that I had visited the northeast 50 times,” he said.

The PM said BJP gave a new model of politics in India. For BJP, the country and the countrymen come first.

Many political analysts are trying to understand the reason for the victory of the BJP. Some of our well-wishers want to know the reason. The reason is ‘Triveni’. It means the combination of three streams. The first power is the work of the BJP governments, the second one is the work style of the BJP and the last one is the BJP work. The ‘triveni’ increases the power of the BJP by 1+1+1 = 111 times”

Earlier in Tripura, Prime Minister said there was a situation where even a flag of another party could not be hoisted. If someone tried to do it, he was made to bleed. “What a big change we have seen in these elections this time. Now we are seeing the Northeast moving in a new direction,” he said.

Prime Minister said BJP government is committed to the empowerment of women. Through various flagship schemes, he said the government ensured the empowerment of the women of the northeast.

After seven decades of independence, many villages of the northeast did not have electricity. Previous governments knew that it was a difficult task to electrify those villages, and therefore they turned a blind eye towards them, he stated.

Attacking the Congress party, PM Modi said, “Today’s results have exposed Congress’s thinking about the northeast. Congress claimed that these are small states and insignificant. It is an insult to the mandate and the people of the northeast states.”

“At such a time, some people are aspiring to dig Modi’s grave. But wherever there is a chance, the lotus keeps on blooming…It keeps on blooming. Some people are engaged in identifying fanatics…They also do dishonesty with fanaticism. These fanatics say – ‘Mar jaa Modi…mar jaa Modi…Desh keh raha hai mat jaa Modi,” Prime Minister added.

With the declaration of results for the Tripura Assembly polls on Thursday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) returned to power in the state by winning an absolute majority.

According to the Election Commission of India, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 32 seats with a vote share of around 39 per cent. Tipra Motha Party came second by winning 13 seats. Communist Party of India (Marxist) got 11 seats while Congress bagged three seats. The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) managed to open its account by winning one seat.

The CPI(M) and the Congress, arch rivals in Kerala, came together in the Northeast this time in a bid to oust the BJP from power. The combined vote share of CPI(M) and Congress remained around 33 per cent.

Chief Minister Manik Saha defeated Congress’ Asish Kumar Saha from the Town Bordowali seat by a margin of 1,257 votes. In the 60-member Tripura assembly, the majority mark is 31.

The BJP, which had never won a single seat in Tripura before 2018, stormed to power in the last election in alliance with IPFT and had ousted the Left Front which had been in power in the border state for 35 years since 1978.

The BJP contested on 55 seats and its ally, IPFT, on six seats. But both allies had fielded candidates in the Ampinagar constituency in the Gomati district.

The Left contested on 47 and Congress on 13 seats, respectively. Of the total 47 seats, the CPM contested 43 seats while the Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India (CPI) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) contested one seat each.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front ruled the state for nearly four decades, with a gap between 1988 and 1993, when the Congress was in power but now both parties joined hands with the intention to oust BJP from power.

In Nagaland, BJP secured 12 seats, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) won 25 seats and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) bagged seven seats. National People’s Party (NPP) won five seats. Naga Peoples Front, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Republican Party of India (Athawale) won two seats each. Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) got one seat.

The majority mark in 60 seat Nagaland Assembly is 31.

In Meghalaya, the National People’s Party (NPP) won 26 seats, United Democratic Party (UDP) bagged 11 seats and Trinamool Congress got five seats. BJP, People’s Democratic Front and Hill State People’s Democratic Party bagged two seats each. Congress managed to get five seats while the Voice of the People Party got four seats. Two seats were won by independent candidates. (ANI)

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Blinken, Jaishankar Discuss Ways To Mitigate Global Impacts Of Russia-Ukraine War

By LokMarg 2nd March 2023

United States Secretary of State Antony J Blinken had discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on measures to mitigate the global impacts of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

On the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meet, Blinken spoke to Jaishankar and shared his views on tackling global and regional challenges.
United States Department of State spokesperson Edward Ned Price said that Blinken met with Jaishankar to discuss how India and the US can expand technology and defence cooperation and increase food energy, and health security.

Ned Price also informed that Blinken and Jaishankar spoke about efforts to elevate and expand strategic technology and defence industrial cooperation and promote food, energy, and global health security. They also held discussions to promote clean energy transition, counternarcotics cooperation and women’s economic empowerment.

Blinken said, “I urged Russia to reverse its irresponsible decision and return to implementing the New START, which places verifiable limits on the nuclear arsenals of the United States and the Russian Federation. Mutual compliance is in the interest of both our countries. It’s also what people worldwide expect from us as nuclear powers.”

He said that every country continues to bear the cost of Russia’s aggression.

“Every country continues to bear the cost of Russia’s aggression; a war that President Putin can end tomorrow if he chooses to do so. We worked hard to prevent it,” said Blinken in New Delhi.

Blinken also reaffirmed Washington’s support for Ukraine’s peace proposal that maintains the country’s territorial integrity.

“The US stands ready to support Ukraine through diplomacy to end the war on this basis President Putin however has demonstrated zero interest in engaging saying that there is nothing to talk about,” Blinken said.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the West is trying to divide the geopolitical picture into individual episodes.

“The West is trying to divide the geopolitical picture into individual episodes but India, addressed by PM Modi, gave the assessment of the situation across the globe in general terms and I completely share it,” Lavrov said after holding a brief meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Lavrov said that Russia has tried to resolve the issues on many occasions, and Russia has publicly stated that it has never refused to listen to suggestions to find political solutions.(ANI)

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G20 Meet: Blinken Urges Russia To Reverse Action On Ukraine

By LokMarg 2nd March 2023

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday urged his Russian counterpart Lavrov to reverse Moscow’s “irresponsible decision” and return to implementing the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treat) nuclear arms reduction treaty.

“I spoke briefly with Russian FM Lavrov today,” said Blinken as he confirmed that he met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday on the sidelines of G20 in New Delhi.

“I urged Russia to reverse its irresponsible decision and return to implementing the New START, which places verifiable limits on the nuclear arsenals of the United States and the Russian Federation. Mutual compliance is in the interest of both our countries. It’s also what people around the world expect from us as nuclear powers,” Blinken added.

“I told the foreign minister that no matter what else is happening in the world or in our relationship, the United States will always be ready to engage and act on strategic arms control, just as the United States and the Soviet Union did even at the height of the Cold War,” he added.

The meeting was the first face-to-face meeting between the two foreign ministers since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began over a year ago and which triggered a rift between US-led Western countries and Russia.

He said that every country continues to bear the cost of Russia’s aggression.

“Every country continues to bear the cost of Russia’s aggression; A war that President Putin can end tomorrow if he chose to do so. We worked hard to prevent it,” said Blinken in New Delhi.

Blinken also reaffirmed Washington’s support for Ukraine’s peace proposal that maintains the country’s territorial integrity.

He also lauded Indian prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying “PM Modi is right that there are challenges to the multilateral system. And those challenges in many ways are coming directly from Russia which is violating the principles that lie at the heart of that system.”

“I told the foreign minister (Lavrov) what I and so many others said last week at the United Nations and what so many G20 foreign ministers said today: End this war of aggression, engage in meaningful diplomacy that can produce a just and durable peace,” Blinken said in Delhi.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is suspending participation in New START — the only remaining major nuclear arms control treaty with the US — and sought to blame the West for the Ukraine conflict.

Notably, the START caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the US and Russia can deploy.

The TREATY was signed by former US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in 2010.

It came into force in February 2011 and was extended in 2021 for five more years after US President Joe Biden took office.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the West is trying to divide the geopolitical picture into individual episodes.

Lavrov said that Russia has tried to resolve the issues on many occasions, and Russia has publicly stated that it has never refused to listen to suggestions to find political resolutions.(ANI)

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China Plans Railway Line In Tibet Along Line Of Control

By LokMarg 2nd March 2023

China has unveiled an ambitious plan to construct a new railway line along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and through the disputed Aksai Chin region.

According to a new railway plan revealed by the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) government, the ‘medium to long-term railway plan’ will help expand the TAR rail network to 4,000km by 2025 from the current 1,400km.

As per the report by Railway Technology, the project will cover new routes that will continue up to China’s borders with India and Nepal. Designed to start in Shigatse, Tibet, the proposed rail line will run northwest along the Nepal border before piercing north via Aksai Chin and ending at Hotan, Xinjiang. The planned route will travel through Rutog and around Pangong Lake on the Chinese side of the LAC. The first section from Shigatse to Pakhuktso is anticipated to be completed by 2025, while the remaining line section concluding at Hotan is expected to be completed by 2035.

A state media report citing the plan revealed by the TAR Development and Reform Commission stated – “by 2025, the construction of several railway projects, including the Ya’an-Nyingchi section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, the Shigatse-Pakhuktso section of the Xinjiang-Tibet Railway, and the Bomi-Ra’uk section of the Yunnan-Tibet Railway will all see significant progress”.

There is a serious concern in India now that with its railway network into and within Tibet expanding and railway lines poised to reach the LAC soon, Beijing may feel emboldened to flex its military muscles more resolutely to alter its border with India unilaterally. Even Tibetans fear that more railway lines into Tibet will facilitate Beijing’s plunder of natural resources. The increased influx of Han Chinese migrants and tourists into Tibet is also expected to further impact local demography and culture, already under threat by China’s decades-long “Sinicization” policy.

India is concerned about the strategic motivations that underlie China’s construction and extension of railway lines along the border region. Chinese analysts have openly advocated that in the event of a war with India, the railway line will help deliver strategic materials to the disputed Sino-Indian border. The Army Chief General Manoj Pande recently said there has been an increase in Chinese troops at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). In addition to building up troop numbers along the border, satellite imagery shows continued construction activity by Chinese forces shoring up their position along the LAC.

The new railway line is close to Indian borders. In the event of a border conflict between China and India in the eastern LAC, the new railway line would allow the PLA to mobilise trainloads of soldiers to the frontline swiftly. In recent years, Beijing has dedicated substantial resources to building the connective infrastructure that links the border city with the rest of China. China is also extending the Lhasa-Xigaze railway line southwards to Yadong – a trading town near the strategic Nathu La mountain pass that runs between Tibet and India in the eastern sector of the LAC. Yadong is also near western Bhutan, where China has territorial claims in the Doklam plateau.

The recent escalation of tensions along the LAC has made India more sensitive to railroads’ role in the PLA’s mobilisation of troops to the border. Indian observers have not overlooked that many of the towns along the LAC where Chinese trains are planned to arrive have been the site of major crises and face-offs between the PLA and Indian security forces recently. (ANI)

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Meghalaya Polls: NPP Emerge As Single Largest Party In Hung Assembly

By LokMarg 2nd March 2023

The counting of votes for the Meghalaya Assembly elections ended on Thursday with the National People’s Party (NPP) coming out as the single largest party with 26 seats, as no party was able to touch the majority mark (31 seats) on its own.

The former ally of NPP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 2 seats, while TMC, which is the principal Opposition in the state, won 5 seats.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma won the South Tura seat with a margin of over 5000 votes.

The People’s Democratic Front bagged 2 seats, the United Democratic Party won 11 seats, the Voice of the People party won 4 seats and Hill State People’s Democratic Party won 2 seats.

The Congress party also won 5 seats, while 2 seats were bagged by independent candidates.

Earlier in the day, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Sarma said that his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma called Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking support to form a government in the state.

“Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad Sangma called Amit Shah ji, Hon’ble Home Minister and sought his support and blessings in forming the new Government,” tweeted CM Sarma.

Sarma further said that BJP national president JP Nadda has advised the state unit of the party to support the National People’s Party in forming the next government in Meghalaya.

“Adaraniya Sri JP Nadda ji, the national president of the BJP has advised the state unit of BJP, Meghalaya to support the National People’s Party in forming the next government in Meghalaya,” Assam CM added.

Earlier, Sangma dropped a subtle hint of a possible post-poll alliance, as the latest counting trends pointed to the likelihood of a hung Assembly.

He said his party will wait till the number stabilizes and a clearer picture emerges and will then deliberate on a post-poll tie-up, if necessary.

“We’d like to thank the people of the state for having voted for us. We are a few numbers short, so we’ll wait for the final results to come out. We will decided our future course of action on the basis of the final results,” CM Sangma told ANI.

The voting for Meghalaya was held on February 27, with a voting percentage of over 76 percent being recorded.

Polling was held at 3,419 polling stations across 59 Assembly constituencies in the state.

Out of the 60 Assembly constituencies in Meghalaya, 36 constituencies fall in Khasi, Jaintia Hills region while 24 are in Garo Hills region. (ANI)

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