Nuh administration has denied permission to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) Brij Mandal Jal Abhishek Yatra which was to be held on August 28.
Nuh Deputy Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata confirmed the development and told IANS that, “On Tuesday evening that the permission for VHP’s Yatra was cancelled.”
The administration official said that the decision to deny the permission was also based on intelligence inputs and the local peace committees, who said the situation is still tense in the district.
Hindu groups under the banner of the Sarva Hindu Samaj held a mahapanchayat at Pondri village in Palwal district on August 13 where they announced that they would resume the Braj Mandal Yatra on August 28 after it was stopped due to communal violence on July 31.
The Yatra was supposed to start from Nuh’s Nalhar Mahadev Mandir, go to Ferozepur Jhirka, and later Singar in Punhana. However, still 3 km away from the Nalhar temple as riots erupted in the area.
“We know that the administration has rejected the permission but members of the organisation have said that they will go ahead with the Yatra, ” said a VHP leader.
Six people, including two home guards and a cleric died in the clashes that erupted in Nuh following the VHP procession. Sources said that keeping G20 in mind, the permission was denied. The upcoming G20 meeting is to be held in Tauru from September 3.
Bengaluru: The BJP’s Karnataka unit has been directed not to stop the party leaders who want to join the ruling Congress in the state.
The Congress leaders have been claiming that about 10 to 15 BJP leaders will join their party through ‘Operation Hast’ ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Former Minister and BJP MLA S.T. Somashekar, Shivaram Hebbar, also a former minister and BJP MLA, are all set to join Congress party, according to sources.
A large number of supporters of Somashekar, who have joined the Congress, claimed that Somashekar joining the grand-old party is mere a formality.
Hebbar is upset with BJP leadership and he is also likely to join Congress soon, sources said. Both leaders had joined BJP in 2019 through ‘Operation Lotus’ from Congress.
Former minister V. Somanna, who lost assembly elections from Varuna against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Chamarajanagar seats is said to be considering switching over to Congress. Somanna is an aspirant of State President’s post and he is said to be taking the decision once the party makes a decision in this regard.
In core committee meeting attended by former Chief Ministers B. S. Yediyurappa, Basasvaraja Bommai, D. V. Sadananda Gowda, former national general secretary C. T. Ravi and other senior leaders on Monday, it was decided not to stop the leaders who want to quit the saffron party.
The leaders said once the leadership is announced for the party, everything will fall in place. The BJP is cadre based party and need not fear if leaders decide to quit.
The leaders decided to appeal to the party high command to take a call on appointment of the Leader of the Opposition and for the post of State President.
With Yediyurappa coming to the thick of things again in the party, the workers are expecting a turnaround for them.
New Delhi : Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday attacked the BJP for stealing the popular mandates by bribing and intimidating MLAs after losing the elections.
He termed the existing Madhya Pradesh BJP government as ‘illegal’.
Addressing a mammoth public rally in Sagar district of Bundelkhand region of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Kharge questioned the claims of “clean image and clean politics” made by the BJP leaders while referring to Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh where the party (BJP) stole the popular mandate by either bribing or intimidating the MLAs to switch sides.
He accused the BJP of using Central agencies to harass and intimidate its opponents. “So many Congress leaders are being harassed and jailed. After November these people (while referring to BJP leaders), will run away to Mumbai and Delhi for cover as they will be held accountable for their misdeeds, ” he said.
Kharge said the Congress does not believe in vindictiveness, vendetta or intimidation. “We neither intimidate people, nor get intimidated, ” he said.
Referring to the corruption charges, he said, in Karnataka it was 40 percent corruption and asked the gathering how much it is in Madhya Pradesh. To this there was a unanimous shout from the crowd, “50 per cent”.
He told the gathering that the time has come to remove the “50 per cent corrupt” government in MP.
He also reiterated party’s five commitments including the waiving off of the farmers’ debt, 100 units of free power, Rs 1, 500 monthly stipend for women, gas cylinder for Rs 500 and old pension scheme for the government employees.
He also said that if Congress forms the government in MP, it will hold the caste based census which will help in better planning of resource allocation for backward classes and downtrodden people.
He underlined that the Congress had given representation to six backward class people in its recently announced apex decision making body, the Congress Working Committee.
Kharge also referred to the unfortunate incident where a BJP leader had urinated on the face of an Adivasis. “This is how they treat the tribal people, ” he said. While questioning the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan’s act of washing the victim’s feet, Kharge asked will the Chief Minister be able to wash urine from the victim’s mouth and humiliation from his life.
Responding to Home Minister Amit Shah allegations, Kharge said that the Bhilai Steel Plant which is now in Chhattisgarh, was set up by the Congress. Similarly Indira Sagar Dam, IIM Indore, AIIMS Bhopal, Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Chambal Ghati Project, just to name a few were all set up by the Congress. “Did you set these up or did Modi?” he said.
He also warned the BJP against toying with the idea of changing the Constitution. He said: “There are some people who have started talking about changing the constitution that was given by Baba Saheb Ambedkar, but 140 crore people who are standing guard against it will not let them do that.”
Kharge also cautioned people against getting misled by Modi’s fake promises. Referring to the plans of the construction of Guru Ravi Das temple, he asked, why the BJP and Modi got the idea to build a temple after 18 years of ruling MP. He said, “It is just their (BJP) election gimmick.”
President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday arrived in Goa on her three-day visit to the coastal state.
Goa Governor P. S. Sreedharan Pillai, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Protocol Minister Mauvin Godinho were present at Dabolim airport to receive the President.
On the first day of her visit, she laid a floral wreath at Martyr’s Memorial at Azad Maidan at Panaji. In the evening, the President will attend a Civic Reception hosted by the state government in her honour.
On August 23, the President will address the 34th Convocation of Goa University at Durbar Hall, at Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula and interact with the Vulnerable Tribal Group.
Later in the evening, she will address the members of Goa Legislative Assembly at Assembly Complex, Porvorim.
New Delhi : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that he was proud of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who wanted to do developmental work in his constituency despite being in jail.
Manish Sisodia had moved a plea before a court seeking permission to use his MLA fund for the development, which has been accepted.
“We are all proud of Manish Sisodia. Despite being in jail, he cares about the people of Delhi and his constituency. Today, he sought permission from the court to use his MLA fund for the development of his constituency. The court granted him permission, ” Kejriwal posted on X, formerly Twitter.
A Delhi court has granted permission to Sisodia to make expenditure from his MLA fund.
Sisodia can now carry out development work in the Patparganj constituency.
“Sisodia who is in jail was continuously receiving letters from the people of his constituency regarding development projects. These letters included requests for various works such as internal roads, society gate barriers, water cooler installations, and cleanliness of community centers.
“In response, Sisodia has filed an application in the Rouse Avenue Court. He filed an application to seek permission to withdraw funds from his MLA fund for the development of the area, ” the AAP said. Sisodia is in jail in connection with the corruption and money laundering cases related to the now-scrapped excise policy.
The tulip garden nestled at the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range in Kashmir has been recognized as Asia’s largest tulip garden by the World Book of Records. This prestigious accolade marks a significant milestone for the garden since its establishment in 2008.
The renowned garden, situated on the picturesque banks of Dal Lake, has garnered attention not only for its breathtaking beauty but also for the tireless efforts of the Department of Floriculture, Gardens, and Parks in Kashmir.
This diverse array, consisting of 68 different tulip varieties, has been a captivating spectacle that drew the admiration of approximately 3.75 lakh visitors during the month-long tulip season.
The World Book of Records awarded the coveted certificate of recognition to the Department of Floriculture, Gardens, and Parks during a ceremony held in Srinagar.
“The inclusion of Tulip Garden Srinagar in the World Book of Records as Asia’s largest tulip garden is a monumental achievement. This recognition not only honors the hard work of every individual involved but also bolsters Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism industry,” Javaid Masood, the dedicated Floriculture Officer in charge of the Tulip Garden, said.
Established in 2008, the Tulip Garden has played a pivotal role in enhancing the region’s tourism landscape. Its allure has attracted tourists from far and wide, doubling tourist arrivals in the valley since its inception. This accolade further reinforces the garden’s position as a prime attraction, enticing travelers to explore the mesmerizing beauty of Kashmir’s landscape.
New Delhi : Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday taunted the BJP government at the Centre over withdrawal of bank notice to e-auction actor- turned-politician Sunny Deol’s Juhu residence saying “wonder who triggered these technical reasons”.
Taking to his social media handle X, formerly Twitter, the party’s general secretary stated, “Yesterday afternoon the nation got to know that Bank of Baroda had put up the Juhu residence of BJP MP Sunny Deol for e-auction since he has not paid up Rs 56 crore owed to the Bank.”
“This morning, in less than 24 hours, the nation has got to know that the Bank of Baroda has withdrawn the auction notice due to ‘technical reasons’.
Wonder who triggered these ‘technical reasons’?” the Congress Rajya Sabha MP said.
Sunny Deol is a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Punjab’s Gurdaspur Parliamentary constituency.
The remarks from the Congress leaders comes after the Central government-owned mortgage lender, Bank of Baroda (BOB) laden with Rs 34, 832.16 crore of gross non performing loans as on June 30, decided to withdraw its decision to auction actor
Sunny Deol’s Mumbai property over a debt of Rs 56 crore and interest on that.
The decision comes a day after the bank advertised about e-auctioning of the actor’s property.
A newspaper advertisement on Monday said that “the sale notice I respect of Mr. Ajay Sing Deol alias Mr. Sunny Deol stands withdrawn due to Technical Reasons” and listed the description of the property.
On Sunday, in the newspaper advertisement, that has been widely circulated in the social media, BOB said the borrower, Sunny Deol, owed the bank about Rs 55.99 crore plus interest and cost from December 26, 2022 onwards less recovery upto date.
Whether the bank misspelt the actor’s name as ‘Ajay Sing Deol’ instead of ‘Ajay Singh Deol’ is yet to be ascertained.
The Supreme Court of India has rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that aimed to affirm the validity of the Indian government’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and the removal of Article 35A from the Indian Constitution, the portal LiveLaw reported.
The bench overseeing the case, comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, expressed initial skepticism about the nature of the petition.
Chief Justice Chandrachud questioned the petitioner’s intentions during the proceedings, stating, “What kind of a petition is this? Who has prompted your client to file this?” He went on to clarify the court’s stance by stating, “This court cannot issue a declaration regarding the constitutional validity of actions taken by the central government. The matter of constitutional validity is still under the consideration of this court. This plea is not well-founded.”
Consequently, the plea was dismissed by the court.
The PIL had sought an official declaration from the Supreme Court affirming the constitutionality of the government’s decision to revoke Article 370 and Article 35A. Article 370 granted a special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, while Article 35A provided special privileges to its residents in matters related to property and employment.
A constitution bench is currently hearing a series of pleas challenging the abrogation of Article 370, which was carried out on August 5, 2019. Simultaneously, the court is also considering challenges against the removal of Article 35A, which had granted distinct privileges to residents of Jammu and Kashmir in specific areas.
This development underscores the ongoing legal discussions surrounding the government’s decision to alter the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its implications on constitutional matters.
Chandigarh, August 21 : Tapan Singhel, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, one of the country’s leading private companies in the general insurance business, believes that the Central Government should consider bringing down the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on life and health insurance. Rates should be cut which will be beneficial not only for the companies of this sector but also for the general public.
Singhel is also Chairman of CII National Committee on Insurance and Pensions and Board Member of Institute of Insurance and Risk Management. In a press conference here today, Singhel said that at present the GST rate on life and health insurance is 18 percent which is high and needs to be cut. He informed that the general insurance sector has demanded a reduction in this rate from the Central Government and the GST Council. Asked what could be a reasonable rate, he said there are 12 more slabs below the 18 per cent. Any such reduction will be in the interest of expansion of insurance coverage and in general public in particular and also because insurance does not come under the ambit of luxury.
According to him, the insurance sector has an important contribution in the development of the country. He claimed that 40 per cent of the country’s development expenditure comes from the insurance sector. Similarly, he says that due to lack of health insurance, about 10 crore people in the country go below the poverty line every year because due to any serious illness and lack of health insurance, people have to sell their houses, jewelry etc. But if there is health insurance, then the insurance companies can prove to be helpful in this difficult time.
He said that in the same way crop insurance has also proved beneficial for the farmers. In case of crop loss, the farmers are compensated with the sum insured. The effect of this has been that wherever farmers have taken crop insurance, there has been a decline in the incidents of farmer suicides.
On the question regarding insurance claims, he said that in case of an accident of the vehicle, if the insurance holder takes photographs of the vehicle and sends it to the company, then he gets his claim amount in just 20 minutes. But this is possible in a situation where there is no loss of life or injury etc. He said that artificial intelligence is proving to be very helpful in settlement of claims.
On the question of business expansion, Tapan Singhel said that after strengthening its presence in metros, tier 2 and 3 towns, the company is focusing on increasing the reach of its products to the rural parts of the country and in this regard, in the next one to one and a half years by installing at least 1000 hub and spoke. He said that the market share of the company in the total general insurance business of the country is about 8.5 percent and its year-on-year growth rate is about 35 percent. The company currently has presence in about one thousand cities and towns in the country and has about one lakh insurance agents and distributors and brokers.
The company’s Marketing Head Vikramjit Singh Bhyana was also present on the occasion.
New Delhi, August 21, Rajat Banerji, Chairman, Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA), while reacting to the WFDSA report, said, “India’s direct selling market is growing steadily and has the potential to place itself in the top five global markets over the next decade. The IDSA is an autonomous, self-regulatory body for the direct selling industry in India and acts as an interface between the industry and policy-making bodies of the Government facilitating the cause of the Direct Selling Industry in India.
Banerj said, “With the notification of Consumer Protection (Direct Selling) Rules 2021 and its subsequent amendment, the direct selling industry in India should see stability that could inspire investor confidence as well as interest from the large global direct selling companies. Only three among the top ten, are in India today and we would like to see all start their business in India and contribute to the overall socio-economic development of the nation”.
