New Delhi : Expressing his pain and anger over the Manipur incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the gruesome incident with the women in the Northeastern state is very shameful, and can never be forgiven.
“Today, my heart is filled with pain and anger. The incident of Manipur which has surfaced, for any civilised society, this is a very shameful incident, ” Modi told reporters in the Parliament House Complex ahead of the beginning of the Monsoon Session, referring to the horrific video which went viral on social media, of two women being paraded naked in Manipur.
He said, “This incident is an insult for the entire nation as it has shamed 140 crore countrymen. The incident which happened with the women in Manipur can never be forgiven. I assure the countrymen that no one will be spared.”
The Prime Minister also urged the Chief Ministers of the states to further strengthen the law and order situation in their respective states.
“I urge all the CMs to further strengthen law and order situation in their respective states, especially for the protection of mother and daughter, and take action against the perpetrators, ” he said.
He added, “Whether the incident is of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Manipur or any part of the country, rising above politics, the law and order is important.”
The Opposition has been slamming the BJP since the video went viral and questioned the law and order situation in the Northeastern state.
Prime Minister Modi also said that all the political parties should make the best use of this Monsoon session.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami has objected to another 30-day parole given to Dera Sirsa chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is serving a sentence in jail under rape and murder charges.
He said in a statement that this dual policy of the governments is creating an environment of mistrust among the Sikhs. He said that if Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is accused of the crimes like murders and rapes, can be given repeated paroles, then why the government is not listening to the voice raised by the Sikh community for the release of Bandi Singhs (Sikh prisoners).
The SGPC President said that the governments are turning a blind eye to the heinous crimes of Gurmeet Ram Rahim for their political interests and are letting him free repeatedly.
“Such a policy of the governments is going to make the Sikhs feel alienated, which is not good for the country. The parole of Gurmeet Ram Rahim should be canceled immediately, and he should be locked up in jail”, said Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami.
Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee assured on Wednesday that his party is determined to bring peace and solace to the minds of the people of Manipur. Responding to a question about the effectiveness of their efforts compared to the visits of Rahul Gandhi and Amit Shah, Banerjee reaffirmed the Trinamool Congress’s commitment to making a positive impact in the troubled region.
Banerjee, who is a part of five-member delegation from the Trinamool Congress, arrived in Manipur to assess the ongoing violent situation on Wednesday morning. After a productive meeting with Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey, Banerjee expressed gratitude for the Governor’s comprehensive consideration of the situation in Manipur.
“We had a very good discussion with the Hon’ble Governor. Her understanding of all aspects pertaining to Manipur is commendable,” Banerjee said, conveying his satisfaction with the Governor’s proactive steps to prioritize peace restoration.
The delegation’s visit was marked by active engagement with various stakeholders in Manipur. They visited the hill and valley areas, inspected numerous relief camps, and interacted with local residents to gain deeper insights into the challenges faced by the affected communities.
“Our priority is to restore peace in the entire Manipur region,” Banerjee emphasized, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
During their visits to relief camps in both hill and valley areas, the delegation observed inadequacies in the availability of relief materials. In response to these findings, Banerjee informed that the matter was escalated to the Manipur Governor. “We discussed it with the Hon’ble Governor, and she assured us that she has issued instructions for the proper implementation of relief policies to address this issue promptly,” Banerjee shared.
In a promising sign of support, Banerjee revealed the Governor’s commitment to ensuring the smooth transport of relief materials from the state of West Bengal to Manipur. “The Hon’ble Governor assured us that if relief materials are sent from West Bengal, she will personally ensure their delivery to the relief camps,” he stated.
Manipur is grappling with relentless violence, resulting in the loss of over 140 lives, the displacement of thousands, and widespread destruction of properties since May 3.
New Delhi-Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wednesday said that the party will move an adjournment motion in the Lower House on Thursday, seeking discussion on the situation in Manipur.
He told reporters prior to the commencement of the all-party meeting convened by the government, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come in Parliament and speak on the violence in Manipur.
“The prime minister speaks about the spirit of cooperative federalism, therefore he should come to Parliament and speak about violence in Manipur, ” Chowdhury said.
Apart from this, the opposition also wants discussion on the prevailing flood situation in many parts of the country as well as on inflation, he added.
“We also want to raise the issue of situation prevailing along India-China border and the imbalance in trade between India and China, ” the Congress MP said.
He urged the government to show a big heart and allow the opposition to raise issues in the House, if it wants smooth functioning of Parliament.
Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that as many as 21 bills will be introduced in Parliament during the monsoon session.
Joshi told mediapersons prior to the commencement of the all-party meeting, that government is ready to discuss all issues as per rules. Defence minister Rajnath Singh is chairing the all party meeting.
New Delhi : National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners have adopted a resolution to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Besides, the allies also targeted the Opposition’s unity efforts, saying that the Opposition is “facing an identity crisis and is beset by confusion and disorientation”.
Shiv Sena President and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde put forward the resolution during the NDA meeting held at The Ashok Hotel in New Delhi on Tuesday.
AIADMK’s K. Palaniswami and Atul Bora of the Asom Gana Parishad also supported the resolution.
The meeting which was organised on the completion of 25 years of establishment of the NDA saw the participation of around 39 parties. It was chaired by Prime Minister Modi.
The resolution, referring to the achievements of the Modi government during the last nine years, also applauded the government’s “hard work, and selfless dedication towards the service of the country”.
“For making the countrymen feel proud on many occasions, all the fellow parties of NDA congratulate Narendra Modi. NDA constituents unanimously take a resolution that as partners in this development journey of the country under the leadership of Narendra Modi – we are one, and united, ” it added.
Further, the resolution noted that “for taking the country forward on the path of progress”, all the parties of NDA also congratulate the “visionary and popular” leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
It was said in the resolution that it has been 25 years since the formation of the NDA. In these 25 years, NDA has set high standards of good governance. Whenever the NDA government has come to power, it has worked considering the spirit of the nation first and the objective of public welfare as paramount. Be it the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from 1998 to 2004 or the Narendra Modi government from 2014 till now, the NDA government has always worked with the spirit of nation-building while supporting the country’s regional aspirations.
Issues like strengthening national security, the establishment of good governance, infrastructure development, improvement in the standard of living of the poor and backward and India’s reputation on the world stage have been the priority of the NDA government. Especially in the last nine years, the work done by the NDA government in terms of service, good governance and development under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi is “unprecedented”, it added.
Two non-local labourers were injured after being fired upon by terrorists in Anantnag town of Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday evening. This marks the second attack on migrant workers in the region in the past five days.
According to reports, the injured labourers were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where they are currently receiving medical treatment. Their condition is stated to be stable.
Police cordoned off the area to conduct a search operation in an effort to apprehend the attackers.
The incident has sparked concerns among the migrant worker community in South Kashmir, as it follows a similar attack in Shopian district, south Kashmir, where three labourers were shot at just five days ago.
The authorities have urged all residents and non-local workers in the area to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the police promptly.
New Delhi : The water level in the Yamuna River has once again crossed the danger mark, reaching 205.35 meters.
It was recorded above the danger level at 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning. An hour later, the water level reached 205.48 meters.
The danger level is 205.33 meters, and the current water level shows that Yamuna is flowing 15 centimeters above the danger level.
Officials are expecting an increase in volume due to the current rain in the hilly areas.
On Tuesday night at 8 p.m., it was recorded at 205.3 meters, which was slightly below the danger level. However, due to continuous rain in the hilly areas, it increased again and crossed the danger level mark.
The Yamuna River broke a 45-year-old record and reached its highest level at 208.65 meters on July 13. As a result of the flood in Delhi, several low-lying areas were submerged, and many roads were flooded.
Amritsar : SGPC”s employees have decided to contribute with their one day’s salary in the services being provided by the SGPC to help the flood-affected people. The SGPC has also appealed to the Sangat (devotees) for support by making a bank account public, following which the employees of the SGPC have taken this initiative.
The association of retired SGPC employees contributed Rs 51,000, while the Sikh kathawachak (preacher), also a retired SGPC employee, Bhai Jaswinder Singh Shahur made a contribution of Rs 1 lakh.
In a statement issued here today, the SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami termed the decision taken by the Sikh body employees as in the interest of humanity. He said that standing with humanity in difficult times is part of the path shown by the Sikh Gurus, under which everyone has a duty to help the flood victims.
President Dhami held a meeting with all the SGPC employees at the Teja Singh Samari Hall located in the SGPC office and evaluated the relief services being run by the organization and also directed to maintain the continuity of operations to help the affected people. He claimed that the SGPC is doing more work than the governments and its employees are serving the flood victims without caring for their lives.
Bengaluru: Keeping its growth trajectory intact, Karnataka continued to be at the top in Direct Selling business in the Southern region of the county, reaching Rs 1128 crore during the financial year 2021–22, according to an Annual Survey Report released by the Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA) here on Tuesday.
The survey, carried out by IPSOS Strategy 3, shows a sales increase of Rs 94 crores, with more than nine percent growth over the previous FY figure of Rs 1034 crores, indicating that despite the year being partially marred and impacted by the COVID-19 second wave, the direct selling industry could manage to emerge stronger and maintain its growth momentum in the state.
During the period, the state also contributed nearly Rs 170 crore to the exchequer by way of taxes. The sector, however, remained static in terms of the number of direct sellers, at 78 thousand, with nearly 34 thousands of them women. The state had a share of over 5.9% of the overall national sales, which stood at over Rs 19,030 crore during the period, the report further elaborates.
Rajat Banerji, Chairman, IDSA, in his address highlighted “Karnataka continues to be a key market for the direct selling industry. The growth of over nine percent clearly reflects that the direct selling industry in the state could withstand the blip of the COVID-19 pandemic’s second wave, which extended to the first quarter of the year. The growth figure also reaffirms the relentless hard work of direct sellers. Direct Selling has provided sustainable self-employment and micro-entrepreneurship opportunities for nearly 84 lakh Indians and has demonstrated consistent and sustained growth with a CAGR of approximately 13 percent over the period of the last four financial years down the line. The 19 member companies of IDSA can confidently lay claim to successfully protecting consumer interests as well as those of the 78 thousand direct sellers in Karnataka,” added Banerji.
He said the year bore the fruits of hard work and efforts by IDSA and other premier institutions, witnessing a major development when the Ministry of Consumer Affairs notified Consumer Protection (Direct Selling) Rules-2021 in December 2021, bringing regulatory clarity on the operations of the direct selling entities in the country. Vivek Katoch, Vice Chairman, and Ms Aprajita Sarkar, Secretary, IDSA, were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.
Imphal : The Rapid Action Force (RAF), known for their callous and notorious behavior towards civilians, once again resorted to extreme measures as they fired tear gas at hundreds of women protesters at Singjamei Bazar in Imphal on Tuesday evening. The protesters, united in their repeated slogans of “Long Live Manipur” and “No Compromise on Territorial Integrity,” were silenced by the aggressive actions of the security personnel. The actions of the RAF have resulted in the injury of 19 women, with one among them enduring severe injuries.
In a symbolic gesture of hope, the women protesters waved both India’s tricolour and the United Nations flags, believing that the security forces would respect these symbols and refrain from attacking them. One of the protesters expressed, “We hold high hopes for peace and unity to return to Manipur. By displaying the national flag of India and the UN flag, we aimed to convey our desire for peace and normalcy in Manipur to the security forces and the government.”
The women had gathered from 2:00 pm at Singjamei Bazar Chingamathak Traffic junction, after they were prevented from proceeding towards the Chief Minister’s official residence in Babupara area. Their demand was clear: they wanted long-term solutions to bring peace and normalcy to Manipur without compromising the state’s territorial integrity.
Unable to advance, the unarmed and frustrated protesters resorted to a sit-in protest, blocking one side of the road. State and central police forces closely monitored their every move until approximately 9:50 pm. The protesters questioned why a group of around a hundred, whose main intention was to submit a memorandum, was denied entry, while thousands of men and women were allowed to storm the Chief Minister’s Bungalow and its surroundings, where important offices are located.
One of the women protesters explained the motive behind their demonstration, stating that the violence that began on May 3 continues to wreak havoc, resulting in loss of life and property. Normalcy seems distant and unattainable. She added, “We wanted to meet the Chief Minister of the state with the hope that he would take steps to alleviate the suffering we are all experiencing. Unfortunately, the security forces are not giving us the opportunity to meet and express our dire situation to him. This is disheartening and deserves condemnation from everyone.”
Among the rally participants were the relatives and loved ones of the nine victims allegedly killed by Kuki militants in the Khamenlok incident. They hoped to submit a memorandum and share their harrowing experiences with Chief Minister N. Biren Singh. However, they were dismayed by the blockades imposed by state security forces and the Rapid Action Force, preventing their access and leaving them waiting in vain for the Chief Minister to hear their distressing stories.
Expressing their disappointment, the victims’ relatives asserted that they would not move an inch until the Chief Minister acknowledged their plight. They expressed that the state government had failed its people, stating, “We have witnessed the blatant incompetence of the government over the past two months. There has been no restoration of peace and normalcy. The hope for a better and once peaceful Manipur seems distant. We must collectively strive to protect our united Manipur from those who seek to divide it. We are prepared to make sacrifices, if necessary, for our state.”
Since the outbreak of violence on May 3, similar protests have occurred in various parts of the state, highlighting the inability of both the state and central governments to control the situation. The violence has claimed the lives of approximately 150 people, reduced thousands of houses to ashes, and left over 50,000 individuals homeless and seeking refuge in relief camps. Amidst the prevailing circumstances, it is imperative to urgently find a solution in order to avert further loss of life and property in Manipur.
