New Delhi : President Droupadi Murmu will be visiting Hyderabad on July 4 to participate in the 125th birth anniversary celebrations of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.
Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari presided over a high-level coordination meeting and reviewed the arrangements to be made in connection with the visit of the President.
She directed the officials to make elaborate arrangements as per the protocol in close coordination with all the line departments. “Repairs to roads across the route should be taken up immediately. Barricading and adequate bandobast arrangements should be made. Sanitation and cleanliness should be ensured, ” the Chief Secretary told the officials.
The electricity department has been asked to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the visit. Medical team should be kept ready in case of an emergency.
DGP Anjani Kumar, Special Chief Secretaries Sunil Sharma, Arvind Kumar, Principal Secretary Home Jitender, DG Fire Services Nagi Reddy, Hyderabad CP Stephen Ravindra, Secretary GAD Sheshadri, Secretary R&B Srinivas Raju.
Born on July 4, 1897, Alluri Sitarama Raju is remembered for his fight against the British, to safeguard the interests of the tribal communities in the Eastern Ghats region (in Andhra Pradesh).
He had led the Rampa rebellion, which was launched in 1922. He is referred to as ‘Manyam Veerudu’ (Hero of the Jungles) by the local people.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the yearlong 125th birth anniversary celebration of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, on July 4 last year.
The Prime Minister had launched the celebrations with the unveiling of a 30-feet bronze statue of Sitarama Raju.
New Delhi: The national capital witnessed light rainfall on Tuesday, which dipped the minimum temperature to 24.5 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season’s average, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The IMD has predicted a generally cloudy sky with moderate rain in Delhi-NCR and and the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 34 degrees Celsius.
The relative humidity at 8.30 a.m. was recorded at 96 per cent.
Meanwhile, the IMD has also issued a yellow alert for the city as light to moderate showers are likely to occur.
As of 5.30 a.m. on Tuesday morning, the national capital recieved 5.6 mm of rainfall in last 24 hours, according to the IMD.
The monsoon season arrived in the national capital on Sunday, two days earlier than the anticipated onset date.
This brought relief to the residents of Delhi from the intense heat.
According to the IMD, the southwest monsoon covered both Delhi and Mumbai simultaneously on Sunday for the first time since June 21, 1961.
As per reports, the month of June has been recorded coolest in last 13 years with minimum temperature hovering around 25 degrees Celsius.
New Delhi : Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Monday hit out at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying that she has highlighted five achievements of the Modi government, of which three are not true and that if the central government stands tall in some areas, it is because it is standing on the shoulders of the UPA government.
In a tweet, Chidambaram, a former Union Finance Minister, said, “The Finance Minister has penned an article on the achievements of the Modi government. Many examples she has cited are true as would be true of every government that has ruled for 5 or 10 years. The FM has cited 5 examples of the Opposition taking the government to Court and losing the case.”
“She is wrong at least in three: The Supreme Court had declared triple talaq illegal even before Parliament passed a law. The Article 370 case has not yet been heard by the Court. Numerous cases under the GST laws are pending, ” Chidambaram said.
The Congress leader further said that the Finance Minister claims credit for India achieving top ranks in production of milk, honey and fruit and vegetables.
“These ranks were achieved years ago and we retain those ranks. The FM claims credit for Direct Benefit Transfer. She forgets that Aadhaar was conceived, created and rolled out by the UPA government and the first transfers under DBT were done by the UPA government. The Finance Minister boasts about the 11.72 crore toilets built. She should read her own government’s reports on how many of them are unused and unusable because they lack water, ” he said.
“Every government will have achievements to its credit. So does the Modi government. If the Modi government stands tall in some areas, it is because it is standing on the shoulders of the UPA government, ” Chidambaram said.
The Congress has been critical of the government on several issues and has been highlighting the failures of the government which includes faulty implementation of GST, demonetisation and unemployment at 40-year.high among others. Chidambaram even has questioned the government on several policy related issues.
New Delhi : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday termed the border situation with China as a matter of ‘perceptional difference’ but there are agreements and protocols based on which the armies of both the countries carry out patrolling.
Rajnath, while referring to the stand-off in East Ladakh in 2020, said that the Chinese Army ignored the agreed protocols and unilaterally tried to change the status quo along the LAC.
He lauded the valour and dedication of the Indian Army which prevented the attempts by the PLA to change the status quo.
Rajnath Singh reiterated the government’s stand to resolve the border issue through dialogue and in a peaceful manner. He added that talks are continuing at the military and diplomatic levels to resolve the dispute.
He assured the nation that the government will never compromise on India’s border, its honour and self-respect. “We will never let the sanctity of our borders be violated, ” he said.
He touched upon the measures taken by the government to bolster national security, including strengthening border infrastructure and achieving ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence.
He listed a number of steps taken to attain self-reliance, namely notification of positive indigenisation lists and earmarking 75 % of the defence capital procurement budget for domestic industry in the Financial Year 2023-24.
“India does not want to depend on imported weapons. Our national security will only strengthen when we become self-reliant in defence manufacturing. Our aim is to ‘Make in India, Make for the world’.
“Our efforts are bearing fruit. Today, we are manufacturing tanks, aircraft carriers, submarines and various kinds of weapons. Defence exports have crossed Rs 16,000 crore from a meagre Rs 900 crore before 2014. The exports will soon touch the Rs 20,000 crore mark, ” he said.
Rajnath Singh also enumerated the structural reforms undertaken by the government, including the appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff and setting up the Department of Military Affairs.
He added that the government continues to move forward and work is being done to set up theatre commands, which will be another revolutionary reform.
Rajnath Singh underlined the importance of coordination with major world powers, such as the US and Russia, to protect India’s security interests in the globalised world. He stated that India and the US are being seen as natural allies and their strategic partnership is being further cemented.
Rajnath added that India-US defence cooperation has grown rapidly with the expansion of military-to-military engagements, information sharing and cooperation in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, cyber, space and mutual logistics support.
He termed the Prime Minister’s recent visit to the US as a landmark event, which ushered the bilateral defence cooperation in a new era.
Rajnath Singh mentioned about the General Electric (GE) Aerospace-Hindustan Aeronautics Limited deal to co-produce F-414 fighter jet engines in India.
“With this deal, we will become the fourth country to manufacture jet engines. Tejas aircraft will be fitted with these Made in India engines, ” he said.
Rejecting speculative reports on the price and other terms of purchase of MQ-9B drones from the US, Rajnath stated that the Ministry of Defence will compare the acquisition cost of the drones with the best price General Atomics (GA) offered to other countries.
He said that the acquisition will be made only by following the established procurement procedure.
In the highly anticipated all-party meeting held on Saturday evening in Delhi, the Congress party has alleged that its representative, three-time Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, was not given sufficient time to present the party’s perspectives on the ongoing turmoil in the state. Ibobi expressed his disappointment in a press conference following the meeting, stating that he had only been allotted a meager 7-8 minutes to share his views. He further mentioned that he had requested an additional five minutes to express his opinions, but the request was denied.
As the violence persists, a group of courageous women known as Meira Paibis stand watch at night, safeguarding their villages and residents from malicious attackers and acts of arson in Senjam Chirang, Imphal West, Manipur. Tehelka photo by Aribam Bishwajit
The state of Manipur continues to grapple with persistent violence and unrest, as the government’s efforts to restore peace have proven ineffective. Not even the visit of Home Minister Amit Shah could quell the turmoil engulfing the region. With over 50 days of continuous violence, the all-party meeting aimed to address the situation, bringing together prominent leaders from various political parties, including the BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena, Trinamool Congress, Mizo National Front, BJD, AIADMK, DMK, RJD, Samajwadi Party, and AAP.
Echoing Ibobi’s sentiments, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the meeting, dismissing it as a mere formality. Ramesh emphasized that Ibobi was the only leader from Manipur present at the all-party meeting, and he regarded the lack of opportunity to fully express his point of view as an insult not just to the former Chief Minister and the Congress party but also to the people of Manipur.
The Congress party had previously voiced its dissatisfaction with the meeting, deeming it “too little, too late.” Congress leader K.C. Venugopal emphasized, “After 50 days of death and destruction in Manipur, the Home Minister’s call for an all-party meeting is insufficient and belated. The government only took action after Sonia Gandhi ji’s address to the people of Manipur.”
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed frustration with Prime Minister Modi’s silence on the matter. In a tweet, Gandhi pointed out that Manipur had been engulfed in flames for 50 days, yet the Prime Minister remained silent. He further criticized the timing of the all-party meeting, noting that it was called while the Prime Minister was out of the country, suggesting that it was not a priority for him. Despite the conclusion of the meeting, no reports have indicated any fruitful results that could alleviate the prevailing law and order crisis in Manipur.
Manipur has been gripped by a state of turmoil and violence since May 3, following a rally organized by the All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) in protest against a Manipur High Court order. The court had directed the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre regarding the demand to include the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (STs) list. The wave of unrest has resulted in over 100 deaths and the destruction of thousands of homes.
The situation in Manipur calls for immediate attention and prompt action from both the state and central governments. It is crucial for all stakeholders to collaborate and find a lasting solution that restores peace and stability to the region. Comprehensive and inclusive measures must be taken to address the grievances and concerns of all communities, paving the way for peaceful coexistence in Manipur. Only through sincere dialogue and concerted efforts can the state move forward from this tumultuous period and rebuild a harmonious society.
New Delhi : Navrang, the theatre Society of PGDAV College in Delhi University secured First Position in the “Gandhi Darshan Competition’ held at Jawahar Bhawan on 25th June. Aurbindo College and Shivaji College of DU scored second and third position respectively. The theme of the Drama was “Gandhigiri” where many colleges of Delhi University participated.
The competition on Gandhigiri was jointly organized By Nation First Foundation and DU Ahimsa Unit. The Title of the play was “Vichardhara ya Mithya”. The Play was directed by Sourabh Mishra and Soubhagya Kukreja and was written by Sourabh who also played the character of Mahatma Gandhi in the play. After securing the first position, the President of Navrang, Soubhagya said.. “All our team members have worked very hard for this act,” we are looking forward for some more in the future”.
On this occasion Nation First Founder, Devendra yadav appeal to the students to follow the principles of Gandhiji in their lives. The performance of the students was outstanding, Yadav added. The other members of the Navrang theatre group that participated in the play were Mahie, Ayush, Baleshwar Kumar, Vanshika, Anshika, Shubham, Deepanshu, Ankit, Parth, Raghav, Yashika, Aditya raj, Payal ,Aaina,etc.
Navrang has given many outstanding performances in the past also.
India’s biggest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Promotion, Matrix Fight Night (MFN) is returning to the National Capital Region (NCR) once again with MFN 12 set to take place on July 1st at the Indoor Stadium in Noida. The fans of martial arts will get a chance to witness the thrilling MMA action and intense fights. In the main event India’s Angad Bisht will defend his flyweight title against Brazil Hugo Paiva. Bisht defeated Egypt’s Mohamad Gamal for the Flyweight title at MFN on 10th November 2022. MFN is India’s premier Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) property and is the brainchild of Bollywood sensation Tiger Shroff, his mother Ayesha shroff and sister Krishna shroff. The Organization has been a key driving force in shaping MMA in Southasia and Southeast Asia.
Speaking on the upcoming title match, Angad said, “I am ready for the fight as always. I have trained well over the past few months and retaining the prestigious MFN title has been my goal ever since the match-up was announced. I will give my all once again, but it will be a good fight against Brazil’s Hugo Paiva, who is a tremendously skilled fighter as well. But I will have a few tricks up my sleeve.”
On being asked about his opponent, Brazil’s Hugo Paiva said, “I am excited to come to India to win the MFN title. I have a strong opponent to face who has been unbeaten in his past couple of fights. But I have trained well with my team and we are confident that we will make an impact. My aim is not only to win the title, but also to entertain the fans.”
Meanwhile, India’s highest-ranked female MMA fighter Puja Tomar will also defend her Strawweight title against Russia’s Anastasia Feofanova.
Ayesha Shroff, Co-Founder MFN, said, “Absolutely thrilled to share this exciting card with you all! MFN is poised for the next chapter and this is a fantastic step towards that announcement.” Krishna Shroff, Co-Founder MFN, further added, “Being my first time playing Matchmaker, I had a blast with this one. The fight card makes or breaks your show because at the end of the day, your fighters are the stars. They are the main characters people come to see. So there is a lot of expectation and pressure riding on them to put on exciting fights and perform. My job is to make that slightly easier and to help take the show a notch higher by putting together the best matchups between fighters who have the most interesting stylistic matchups, specifically. With 2 championship belts on the line, some huge names from the Indian combat world, and massive international talent from across the globe, MFN 12 promises to be next level.”
New Delhi : “ I Express my condolences to all those people of Manipur who have lost their loved ones. I am deeply saddened to see people forced to flee the only place they call home and leave behind all that they built over a lifetime”, Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi extended condolences to the families killed in Manipur clashes through a video message. Leaders of 10 like-minded opposition parties of Manipur have also submitted the three page memorandum to the Prime Minister’s office seeking appointment to meet the PM, in which they have also questioned PM’s silence. The Congress party demands serious intervention from the Union Government.
Manipur has been under violence from last 50 days now and normalcy does not appear to return soon as the state is still witnessing mob attacks. All opposition parties have been raising questions on Centre and State government inability to normalize the situation in the State. It’s been 50 days of violence and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not uttered a word on Manipur, the leaders of the opposition demand an answer from him. Now an All party meeting has been called by the Home Minister Amit Shah on 24 June, of which senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have raised objections of conducting a meeting when Prime Minister is not in the country. Congress General Secretary K. C Venugopal has also taken a dig saying after 50 days of death and destruction, Home Minister Amit Shah has now called an All Party Meeting. This was after Sonia Gandhi address to the people of Manipur, Venugopal said. The Home Minister has already visited the State and done his exercise now what is the need of All Party meeting… At least Prime Minister should have addressed a meeting, he added.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh who has been slamming the government from last 15 days for” maximum violence and Minimum Governance” in the State also hit out at the RSS for issuing an appeal for peace in Manipur after 45 days and asked whether PM Narendra Modi has outsourced the appeal to the organization that moulded him. Another senior Congress leader P Chidambaram from his twitter handle suggest Prime Minister Modi to make a unscheduled stop at Imphal on the way to Washington, to visit Manipur, he can effectively silence the opposition,” he said.
Around 100 have died 50,000 forced to live in relief camps following the violent clashes in Manipur since 3 May. The State is still witnessing incidents like mob attacks and arson, the State government have extended the ban on the internet till 25 June with immediate effect in an order to prevent further destruction in the state. Violence gripped in Manipur on 3 May, after clashes erupted during a rally organized by All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list. Now the question is When will the North East State Manipur attain normalcy?
New Delhi : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured him to speak to the concerned Union minister over the issue of supply of rice to the state from the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
Speaking to reporters at the Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, Siddaramaiah said that he had requested Amit Shah “not to play politics or carry out politics of hatred with regards to the supply of rice to the poor in Karnataka”.
“The matter of FCI giving a commitment letter to supply rice and the act of cancelling it the very next day has been brought to his notice. Amit Shah has assured that he would speak to the concerned minister, ” Siddaramaiah stated.
Siddaramaiah also said that the state has been provided with two battalions of Indian Reserve Police (IRP) and it has been requested to provide two more battalions.
The Chief Minister also discussed how the policy of the central government was affecting the poor masses and told Amit Shah that the policy of the Centre was against the Food Security Act and it will directly impact the poor
Siddaramaiah had earlier charged that the Centre was carrying out politics in connection with the free rice distribution scheme. “It was agreed to provide 2, 08, 425 metric tonnes of rice to Karnataka. But, they have written a letter on June 13 saying that the states can’t be provided wheat and rice under the Open Market Sales Scheme (OMSS). The central government has taken a political decision deciding not to give rice for Karnataka state only to bring bad name to the Congress government, ” Siddaramaiah had said.
“The centre is carrying out a conspiracy to ensure that the free rice scheme is not implemented in the state, ” Siddaramaiah had charged.
The Congress government in Karnataka is planning to provide 10 kg free rice to all BPL card holders’ families under the Anna Bhagya scheme. It announced the launch of the scheme on July 1. However, due to non-availability of rice, the government is maintaining that the launch of the scheme would be delayed. The issue has taken a political turn as Congress is accusing the Centre of playing politics and BJP warning that if the scheme is not launched on July 1, it is going to protest.
