Thursday, December 25, 2025

Administrative functioning during period of unitary rule in J&K is not ‘anti-people’, says NN Vohra

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Tehelka Web Desk
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Imposition of governor’s rule since June 20 in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, following the breaking up of Bharatiya Janata Party alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party shall help in functioning of entire administrative apparatus with more efficiency, speed and accountability to regain trust of common people,  Governor of Jammu and Kashmir NN Vohra reportedly said in an interview.

“Administrative functioning during the period of unitary rule is not anti-people. On the contrary, such spells are utilised to speed up the machinery and render prompt service, particularly to the neglected elements of society and those living in underdeveloped areas,” he added.

Vohra has held all-party meeting with representatives from the BJP, PDP, National Conference and other political parties to seek support to address concerns of Kashmiri youth who are choosing path of violence, he said ” there is a need to seek the involvement and support of various elements of civil society to engender a positive environment.”

 He further added, “I am unaware of the genesis of the [talk on the] hard line approach.”

“Every possible initiative will be taken to foster a peaceful environment,’’ J&K Governor said.

‘Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part’: India at UN Assembly

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Tehelka Web Desk
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India said that Jammu and Kashmir is an “inalienable” part of India in wake of Pakistan’s envoy Maleeha Lodhi’s statement in reference to India state at UN General Assembly debate on June 25.

Lodhi stated “People in Kashmir are among victims of “egregious crimes” such as killings and mass-blinding,” during the UN General Assembly debate on ‘The Responsibility to Protect and the Prevention of Genocide, War Crimes, Ethnic Cleansing and Crimes against Humanity.’

India at UN gave a befitting reply by exercising the Right of Reply, and strongly rejected Pakistan’s reference to Kashmir in the 193-member UN body.

“While we are having this serious debate for the first time in a decade on an issue that is of importance to all of us, we have witnessed that one delegation has, yet again, misused this platform to make an unwarranted reference to the situation in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir,” Sandeep Kumar Bayyapu, first Secretary in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN said.

“I would like to place on record and reiterate that the state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inalienable part of India. No amount of empty rhetoric from Pakistan will change this reality,” he said.

Global Experts survey ranks India ‘world’s most dangerous country for women’

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Tehelka Web Desk
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The Thomson Reuters Foundation survey report on June 26 named India as the world’s most dangerous country for women due to levels of violence against women still running high in the country.

The survey ranked India the world’s dangerous country on three particular issues first being the risks women face from sexual violence and harassment, second from cultural and traditional practices and last but not the least from human trafficking that includes forced labour, sex slavery and domestic servitude.

“India has shown utter disregard and disrespect for women … rape, marital rapes, sexual assault and harassment, female infanticide has gone unabated,” said Manjunath Gangadhara, an official at the Karnataka state government.

Government data reveals reported cases of crime against women rose by 83 percent between the year 2007 and 2016, when there were four cases of rape reported every hour. 

However, Indian Ministry of Women and Child Development has declined to comment on the survey report.

The Thomson Reuters Foundation survey ranked Afghanistan and Syria in second and third place, with a surprising addition of US which shares a joint place at third rank with Syria for the risks women face in terms of sexual violence that includes rape, sexual harassment, coercion into sex and a lack of access to justice in rape cases.

The other countries which are among the top 10 in the survey are Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Yemen, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo etc.

Jaitley compares former PM Indira Gandhi to Hitler, PM Modi urges people to read his blog 

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Tehelka Web Desk
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While launching a sharp attack on Congress, Union minister Arun Jaitley on 25 June compared former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to German dictator Adolf Hitler and said that PM Indira Gandhi may have been inspired by Hitler in suspending democracy in 1975 by imposing Emergency.

“Arun Jaitley writes about the dark days of the Emergency, the trampling of personal liberties, excesses committed and how the Emergency was a direct attack on our constitutional ideals. Do read his blogs,” PM Modi tweeted while sharing his blog on social media asking people to read Jaitley’s blog.

Jaitley wrote a blog to mark the 43rd anniversary of Emergency, he cited similar examples the way Indira and Hitler suspended fundamental rights and persecuted opposition party leaders and workers.

Jaitley wrote, “Both Hitler and Mrs Gandhi never abrogated the Constitution. They used a republican Constitution to transform democracy into dictatorship.”

 “Hitler continued to maintain that his actions were within the four corners of the Constitution. Mrs Gandhi imposed Emergency under Article 352, suspended fundamental rights under Article 359 and claimed that disorder was planned by the opposition in the country. The security forces were being asked to disobey illegal orders and, therefore, in the larger interest of the nation, India had to become a disciplined democracy,” Jaitley wrote.

While criticising Indira for turning country into dynastic democracy he wrote in his blog “There were a few things that Hitler did not do which Mrs Gandhi did. She prohibited the publication of parliamentary proceeding in the media.”

Intel agencies issue terror alert ahead of Amaranth Yatra

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Tehelka Web Desk
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Ahead of annual Amarnath Yatra that is going to commence on June 28, the intelligence agencies have issued specific security alert after gathering information on the infiltration of 20 militants looking to carry out terror attacks on the pilgrimage.

According to sources, terrorists have sneaked into the valley in two groups affiliated to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and they could even attack Kangan area.

“We do not want to leave anything to chance. It was a misfortune that militants succeeded in targeting a bus last year but we are making all out efforts to ensure that it is a smooth sailing this year,” a senior police official said.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on June 25 visited the Baltal base camp in Jammu and Kashmir review security arrangements and was briefed on the three-tier security arrangements made for the Amarnath Yatra, officials in the Defence Ministry said.

“We have formed a two-pronged strategy to ensure pilgrims are not affected by these kinds of incidents,” the official added.

Security Arrangements

Security personnel converted the Nunwan Base Camp into a fortress ahead of the annual Amarnath yatra.

Security forces — mainly police and CRPF personnel — have been deployed in large numbers around the Nunwan Base Camp located at the entry of Anantnag District.

Nearly 213 additional companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed to secure the 400 km-long Yatra route from Jammu to the two base camps of Baltal and south Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

Installation of CCTV cameras, metal detectors and X-ray machines has been in place to prevent smuggling and every tourist entering the resort will be frisked.

The first security checkpoint was established near the Langanbal bridge (the base camp for the pilgrimage) where police personnel check every vehicle entering or leaving Pahalgam.

Delhi Police Arrest Army Major for killing fellow officer’s wife

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Tehelka Web Desk
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Delhi Police has arrested Indian Army Major Nikhil Rai Handa from the Army’s cantonment area in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut on June 24 for his alleged involvement in the murder of a fellow officer’s wife (35-year-old Shailza Dwivedi), who was found with her throat slit near the Delhi Cantonment Metro station on 23 June, police officials said.

“We questioned Handa’s family members and learnt that he was earlier posted in the military engineering wing. His brother said he could have gone to Meerut. We searched 500 Army as well as private guest houses. Handa was caught while he was trying to flee,” said a police officer.

Shailza Dwivedi and Major Handa had first met in Nagaland in 2015 when Major Amit Dwivedi was posted there. Both had kept in touch, even when she came to Delhi after her husband was transferred. Major Handa use to call her more often, police said.

Delhi Police officer in a press conference stated, “Major Dwivedi once caught them during a video call. He even confronted his wife and Handa and warned him to not come close to his wife and his house.”

Shailza’s body has been handed over to her family members after autopsy at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital.

The sequence of events that led to her murder:

1.       Major Handa reached Delhi on June 23 and asked Shailza to meet him.

2.       CCTV footage revealed that at an Army Base Hospital in the cantonment area Shailza sat into Handa’s car.

3.       During the drive, they both had a heated argument, “He then stabbed her with a knife… he pushed her from the car and ran over her body to make it look like an accident,” a police officer said.

4.       Her body was found half-an-hour later in the same area.

5.       Police found that body was run over and her throat was also slit.

6.       Police found bloodstains, a Swiss knife, which has prints all over it.

7.      Police said that the major even tried to clean the car with towels, but still, there were blood stains.

PM Modi, Seychelles President Faure Hold Talks To Boost Economic, Defence Ties

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Tehelka Web Desk
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Seychelles President Danny Faure, who is on his first bilateral visit to India, held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25 to boost economic, strategic and defence cooperation.

The meeting is part of the regular high-level exchanges between India and Seychelles.

“Welcoming the esteemed guest at Hyderabad House! PM @narendramodi received the President of Seychelles Danny Antoine Rollen Faure for bilateral talks. Special ties with a maritime neighbor,” Raveesh Kumar spokesperson Ministry of External Affairs tweeted.

 “It will accord an opportunity to review our wide-ranging bilateral cooperation, including defence and security, and development partnership,” said an Indian Foreign Ministry statement.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also called on the visiting Seychelles President (who is on a six day India tour) and discussed expansion of bilateral ties, including capacity building and human resource development.

Kumar tweeted, “Relationship which is deep-rooted & historical! EAM @SushmaSwaraj calls on President of #Seychelles Danny Faure in New Delhi. Good discussion on expanding bilateral cooperation in all areas, specially capacity building, human resource development and people-to-people contacts.”

During his visit, Seychelles’s president also visited Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad and held a meeting with Errol D’Souza, the institute’s director.

The visit comes in wake of growing political opposition in Seychelles to an agreement it signed with India in 2015 to develop a naval base at the island.

SC To Hear Petition of 18 Disqualified AIADMK MLAs on June 27

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Tehelka Web Desk
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The Supreme Court today agreed to hear petition on June 27, filed by 18 disqualified AIADMK MLAs (loyal to sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran) seeking transfer of their case from the Madras High Court to the apex body after the High Court delivered a split verdict.

The court said, “We don’t go by WhatsApp messages and the matter will be heard on June 27”.                         

“There are various reasons for our decision and all of them are genuine. We are not against the High Court’s decision. But we have to appeal to the Supreme Court. We can’t reveal exactly why,” disqualified MLA P Vetrivel added.

A vacation bench of justices Arun Mishra and S K Kaul said it will hear the plea.

It is a serious matter which required an urgent hearing as the high court has given a split verdict on June 14 and the third judge is scheduled to hear the matter afresh, said Senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for the 18 MLAs.

If in case the disqualification of the 18 MLAs is cancelled, the state government will likely to face failure. Moreover, if it stands, the effective strength of the house will come down to 215.

Chief Justice Indira Banerjee upheld the disqualification of the 18 AIADMK MLAs as she found speaker’s decision reasonable.

Monsoon Session of Parliament to Begin From July 18

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Tehelka Web Desk
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The Monsoon Session of Parliament 2018 would be held from 18th July till 10th August, informed Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Ananth kumar on Monday. The Minister was briefing the media after the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, chaired by Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Rajnath Singh.

Shri Ananthkumar further informed that the session would have a period of 18 working days and appealed to all political parties to constructively cooperate with the Government to make this session a productive one. The legislative business would include passing of six Ordinances promulgated during the inter-session period before the Monsoon Session, 2018.

The Minister said that the Government would bring other important bills, including the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017, Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, National Medical Commission Bill, 2017,Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017, inter alia, for consideration and passing in both the Houses of Parliament.

Shri Ananthkumar also informed that the election to the post of Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha would also be held during the session as the term of Shri P. J. Kurien is ending this month.

Incessant rains kill three in Mumbai; hit local train, other transport services

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Incessant rains killed three people, including a 13-year-old boy, in Mumbai and adjoining Thane District on June 24 and 25. Continued rain has hit the road, air and train services. Several parts of the suburbs, including Malad and Powai, received heavy rainfall on June 24 and recorded the highest amount of rainfall at 110.80 mm to 78 mm between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, a Met department official said.

Two people were killed and three others were injured when a tree fell on them near Azad Maidan on June 24. All the five victims were rushed to GT Hospital, where two were declared dead.

A boy was killed and his parents were injured when a wall collapsed on their house at Wadol village in Ambernath taluka of Thane, Santosh Kadam, civic body official reportedly said.

Continuous rainfall has caused water logging at some stations, disrupting local train services and also affected the arrival of flights at Mumbai airport on 22 June afternoon. Even it has led to the closure of main runway about 30 minutes.

“Commuters are suggested to keep a check on Twitter and radio channels as we will be communicating about the diversions,” said Amitesh Kumar, joint commissioner of police (traffic).

“Expect showers to be as intense today as well,” private weather forecaster Skymet said.

A K Gupta, General Manager Western Railway, is proceeding to personally monitor the restoration work of affected UP line track between Bhilad and Sanjan due to very heavy rains during the previous night. Efforts are on for early restoration, Western Railway stated.

Live updates:

A part of an under-construction building collapsed on June 25 in Wadala but no injuries were reported from the incident.

Due to fall of tree at Mahananda Dairy, near NESCO, slowing down traffic on Western Express Highway in both directions: Mumbai Police.

According to India Meteorological Department, heavy to very heavy rain is likely to continue in the region. #Maharashtra

Western Railway suburban trains, Suburban trains on main harbour and transharbour lines are despite heavy rains.

Due to heavy rainfall between Thane and Byculla stations, trains on Up and Down lines running late by 15-20 minutes.

Due to heavy rain between Virar and Surat all Mail express trains arriving at Bandra Terminus, Dadar Terminus and Mumbai central are expected to arrive late: Divisional Railway Manager- Mumbai Division of Western Railway.

Due to continuous rains water logging is expected in Dadar TT, Kabutarkhana at Dadar, King Circle, Nagpada, Santacruz (East) and Marol Maroshi Malabar Hill, Hindmata, Dharavi, Byculla, and Andheri subway.

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