Tag: asks

  • Congress asks if Adani’s business model is 100% ethical, retweets Rahul’s old tweet

    Congress asks if Adani’s business model is 100% ethical, retweets Rahul’s old tweet

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    In light of the revelations of the Hindenburg report, the Congress party on Saturday retweeted party MP Rahul Gandhi’s old tweet from 2020 and said that the country has the right to know what Gautam Adani’s business model is like and if it is 100 percent ethical.

    “Do you remember this tweet? Now, the important question is, how has he managed to multiply his wealth over the years? What is his business model? Is it 100% ethical? India has the right to know,” the grand old party asked.

    Back in 2020, when Adani beat Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in the list of the wealthiest people in the world amassing 16.2 billion dollars to his net worth, Rahul had asked people if their wealth has increased in 2020.

    “How much did your wealth increase in 2020? Zero. You struggle to survive while he makes Rs 12 Lakh Cr and increases his wealth by 50%. Can you tell me why?” he asked.

    What is Hindenburg’s report?

    Hindenburg Research, a well-known short seller in the United States, disclosed short positions in the Adani Group on Wednesday, accusing the conglomerate of the improperly wide use of businesses established in offshore tax havens and expressing worry about excessive debt levels.

    The revelation, which comes just days before Adani Enterprises’ (ADEL.NS) $2.5 billion share sale, sent Adani group businesses’ shares tumbling.

    It also said that seven Adani listed firms had an 85% downside on a fundamental basis because to what it dubbed ‘sky-high valuations’.

    Hindenburg stated key listed firms in the group headed by billionaire Gautam Adani have ‘significant debt’ which had put the entire company on a ‘precarious financial footing’.

    The firm published an investigative document titled ‘Adani Group: How The World’s 3rd Richest Man Is Pulling The Largest Con In Corporate History‘ and revealed findings of their two-year investigation presenting evidence that the Rs 17.8 trillion worth Adani group has engaged in a brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades.

    According to the report, Gautam Adani, the Adani Group’s founder and chairman, has a net worth of about $120 billion, which he has increased by more than $100 billion in the last three years, primarily as a result of stock price growth in the group’s seven most important publicly traded companies, which have increased by an average of 819 percent during that time.

    Adani has frequently downplayed worries about debt. Adani’s Chief Financial Officer Jugeshinder Singh told the media on January 21 that “Nobody has raised debt concerns to us. No single investor has.”

    “Even if you ignore the findings of our investigation and take the financials of Adani Group at face value, its seven key listed companies have 85% downside purely on a fundamental basis owing to sky-high valuations,” said Hindenburg Research in its report.

    The key listed Adani firms have also accrued enormous debt, most notably by pledging shares of their inflated stock as security for loans, putting the group’s entire financial status in jeopardy.

    According to reports, the Adani Group has been the focus of four big government fraud investigations totaling US$ 17 billion, including charges of money laundering, tax evasion, and corruption.

    In its report, Hindenburg Research said that the Adani family members allegedly cooperated to create offshore shell entities in tax-haven jurisdictions like Mauritius, the UAE, and Caribbean Islands, generating forged import/export documentation in an apparent effort to generate fake or illegitimate turnover and siphon money from the listed companies.



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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Centre asks Vodafone Idea to convert Rs 16,000 dues into equity

    Centre asks Vodafone Idea to convert Rs 16,000 dues into equity

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    Delhi: Financially-stressed telecom company Vodafone Idea said on Friday that the government has directed it to convert a portion of its dues worth Rs 16,000 crore it owes to the exchequer into equity in the government’s favour.

    “It is hereby informed that the Ministry of Communications has [directed] the company to convert the NPV of the interest related to deferment of spectrum auction instalments and AGR dues into equity shares to be issued to the government of India,” the company said in a filing.

    The government will take 33 per cent equity in Vodafone Idea after converting all interest related to payments for spectrum and other dues into equity.

    This will make the government the largest shareholder in the telecom company.

    Vodafone Idea will convert dues of Rs 16,133 crore into equity and issue shares for Rs 10 each, the company informed.

    “We had sought a firm commitment that the Aditya Birla Group would run the company and bring necessary investments. The Birlas have agreed and hence we have agreed to convert. We want India to be a three-player market plus BSNL and ensure healthy competition for consumers,” Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a statement.

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    #Centre #asks #Vodafone #Idea #convert #dues #equity

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • 1446 Paramedic Positions: High Court Asks SSB to Make Regular Selections

    1446 Paramedic Positions: High Court Asks SSB to Make Regular Selections

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    SRINAGAR: Dismissing petitions filed by paramedics serving the Health Department on an academic arrangement basis, a division bench of the high court has asked the Services Selection Board (SSB) to go ahead with the selection process of the 1446 positions on a regular basis.

    High Court Srinagar KL Image by Bilal Bahadur
    High Court of Jammu and Kashmir

    In order to manage the staff-deficient department, the government engaged paramedics on an academic arrangement basis for one year. The “service” was extendable up to a maximum of four years on a year-on-year basis.

    Later on September 19, 2013, it was made extendable up to six years. The extension was based on “good performance and conduct” or till selection or promotion was made according to the recruitment rules, whichever was earlier.

    In 2021, the government recruiter, JK Services Selection Board an advertisement notification for filling up the 1446 posts of paramedical staff on regular basis. This led the candidates serving the department for many years to approach the court.

    After many hearings, a number of petitions were clubbed together and the case was decided by a division bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Kumar and M A Chowdhary. The decision admitted that the positions they are holding have been made by a committee, a statutory selection body, so they are not backdoor appointees.

    “Though, there is nothing on record to demonstrate that selection of the writ petitioners was pursuant to a selection process but from a reading of the 2009 Rules, in particular Rule-6, we find that there was a proper committee constituted for making selection and, therefore, we presume that appointment of the writ petitioners is not a backdoor appointment,” the judgement delivered by the division bench reads. “However, the fact remains that if such appointments, which are made purely as a temporary measure, are regularized and the persons selected are substantively appointed against the posts held by them, it would definitely violate Article 14 and 16 of the Constitution.”

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    #Paramedic #Positions #High #Court #Asks #SSB #Regular #Selections

    ( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

  • Hindenburg effect: RBI asks banks for exposure details to Adani Enterprises

    Hindenburg effect: RBI asks banks for exposure details to Adani Enterprises

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    The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked for details from banks on their exposure to the Adani Group, several reports said on Thursday.

    The information being sought by the central bank includes details of collateral being employed to back loans and indirect exposure that banks may have.

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    #Hindenburg #effect #RBI #asks #banks #exposure #details #Adani #Enterprises

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Why not create National Elephant Conservation Authority, SC asks Centre

    Why not create National Elephant Conservation Authority, SC asks Centre

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    New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought reply from Centre on a 2010 ‘Gajah Report’ recommendation on conferring statutory status to a proposed body National Elephant Conservation Authority (NECA) for the preservation of elephant corridors.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said, “In the recommendations submitted in Gajah report, there was a recommendation to the effect that ‘Project Elephant’ be converted into a statutory agency.”

    The top court was hearing a plea by activist Prerna Singh Bindra.

    According to the government, the elephant population has reached 29,964 (as per the census 2017) in India, the elephant habitats are being consolidated across India, and the Elephant Reserves area has been increased.

    The government emphasised that it is deeply committed to protect the safety of the elephants and continued to take various steps to prevent their death including electrocution. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati represented the central government in the apex court.

    The bench, also comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, added that the task force has proposed that the new body may be termed as the ‘National Elephant Conservation Authority’ (NECA). It further suggested that amendments can be introduced to effectuate the conferment of a statutory status on the authority.

    “Since the proposal would envisage requisite legislative amendments, this is something of which would be appropriate for the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change to respond,” it said.

    During the hearing in the matter, the bench also sought a status report on setting up of the central project elephant monitoring committee for the purpose of monitoring and implementation of relevant directions and guidelines in connection with the protection of elephants.

    In a written response, the Central government said: “Continuous efforts have been made to minimise the human elephant conflict and also to ensure the welfare of captive elephants in India.”

    After hearing arguments, the apex court directed the Ministry and the Central Electricity Authority to facilitate an inspection of the protected areas to avoid electrocution of elephants.

    The bench gave Centre four weeks’ time to file a response in a PIL filed by activist Bindra.

    The petitioner had contended that the electrocution is one of the major reasons for deaths of elephants and sought a direction for insulation of high voltage power transmission lines passing through protected areas, elephant reserves, identified elephant corridors and known areas of elephant movement.

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    #create #National #Elephant #Conservation #Authority #asks #Centre

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Why can’t govt provide gender-neutral toilets? asks Madras HC

    Why can’t govt provide gender-neutral toilets? asks Madras HC

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    The Tamil Nadu government was asked by the Madras High Court to respond to a plea seeking the unavailability of gender-neutral toilets for transgender persons in the state.

    The court was hearing a petition filed by a transgender person who demanded the state government be proactive in providing gender-neutral toilets at public places such as bus stops, railway stations, airports etc.

    The petitioner’s counsel argued that while the government has allowed non-binary persons and transgenders to use toilets according to their self-identified gender, the ground reality is they face abuse and harassment.

    When the bench asked why is there no provision as the demand seems to be legitimate, the state counsel replied that constructing such toilets will take time.

    The bench even pointed out that there are no such toilets in the high court premises also and suggested the conversion of existing toilets into gender-neutral ones.

    “We do not have a gender-neutral toilet even in our High Court premises. While such toilets must be constructed, in the meantime, if some of the existing public toilets are reserved to be used only by trans persons, their problem can be solved. There are so many public toilets for the physically disabled that lie unused or locked. Why don’t you reserve some of them for trans persons, and convert them into gender-neutral ones?” the bench said

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    #govt #provide #genderneutral #toilets #asks #Madras

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • US’s National Press Club asks Indian govt to cancel ban on BBC documentary

    US’s National Press Club asks Indian govt to cancel ban on BBC documentary

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    Washington: The National Press Club (NPC), a leading media organisation in Washington, has strongly condemned the Indian government’s move pertaining to the censorship of the BBC Documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’.

    The NPC statement, released here on Tuesday, identifies the Indian government’s suppression of the Modi-critical documentary as part of a larger threat Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses to Indian democracy.

    The organisation said that the government of India should let people decide whether to watch or not.

    “India should be proud that it is the largest democracy in the world, but it cannot hold on to that identity if it continues to erode press freedom, persecute journalists, and suppress news that holds a mirror up to its shortcomings,” said the NPC president Eileen O’Reilly.

    “Since Modi came to power, we have watched with frustration and disappointment as his government time and time again has suppressed the right of its citizens to a free and independent news media,” she said in a press release.

    “The BBC is one of the most respected news sources in the world and is known for its high editorial standards. We also demand in the strongest terms the government stop its persecution of journalists and suppression of press freedom in India,” said the NPC president.

    After the BBC aired a two-part documentary, the Indian government in the past two weeks, used its emergency powers to ban it from being aired in the country.

    The Modi-led government also forced Twitter and YouTube to block the documentary in India under the 2021 information technology law, which the National Press Club has previously criticized.

    The BBC documentary examines PM Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujarat riots when he was chief minister of the western Indian state, of Gujarat.

    During the riots, thousands of predominantly Muslim Indians were killed, many were raped and Muslim establishments were set on fire.

    The Indian Supreme Court exonerated Modi in 2012 of wrongdoing but the documentary notes the British Foreign Office produced an unpublished report claiming Modi was ‘directly responsible’ for enabling the impunity of violence that led to the killings.

    “NPC’s stand against the Modi regime’s brutal censorship campaign joins a chorus of condemnations from the global press and democratic freedom organizations, signalling growing international recognition of the grave threat Modi poses to Muslims, religious minorities, a free press, and democracy itself”, read their press note.

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    #USs #National #Press #Club #asks #Indian #govt #cancel #ban #BBC #documentary

    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Sedition case: HC asks police to inform whether Sharjeel Imam’s bail plea be sent back to trial court

    Sedition case: HC asks police to inform whether Sharjeel Imam’s bail plea be sent back to trial court

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    New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Monday sought to know the stand of the city police as to whether a plea by JNU student Sharjeel Imam seeking bail in connection with a 2020 riots case involving allegations of sedition be remanded back to the trial court for adjudication.

    The high court said there was no ground mentioned in the trial court’s order rejecting Imam’s bail plea.

    A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh granted two-week time to the Delhi Police counsel to take instructions whether the trial court’s order rejecting the bail plea be remanded back. It listed the matter for further hearing on February 20.

    The high court was hearing Imam’s plea challenging the trial court’s January 24, 2022 order, dismissing his bail application in the case.

    Meanwhile, his counsel withdrew Imam’s interim bail plea as the court was taking up his appeal challenging the trial court’s order denying him regular bail in the case.

    The bench said since section 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code has been kept in abeyance following the directions of the Supreme Court, it will have to examine the trial court’s bail rejection order while keeping in mind the other sections framed against Imam.

    Last year, the trial court had ordered the framing of charges against Imam under Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity), l53B (Imputations prejudicial to national integration), 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of IPC and Section 13 (Punishment for Unlawful Activities) of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

    “The other thing you (prosecution) will have to answer is what is the ground on which bail has been rejected?” the bench said.

    As Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad said the ground is that charges have been framed against the accused.

    “So what? That is not a ground. Where is the ground? You have to decide we are hearing appeal or fresh bail plea. There is no ground on the bail in the whole bail order. You seek instructions,” the bench said.

    During the hearing, the bench said that Section 2(1)(o) of the UAPA which defines ‘unlawful activity’ is completely different from Section 124A IPC which defines sedition.

    The high court perused the definitions and said that unlawful activity would be an activity which is committed against India, whereas sedition is committed against the “Government established by law in India”.

    “This is the principle difference. Sedition is against the government established by law in India and it has nothing to do with unlawful activity,” the bench said.

    While advancing arguments on the bail plea, Imam’s counsel said charges have already been framed against the accused and it was a case for grant of regular bail.

    He said it is an admitted position that there was no overt act on behalf of Imam and the speech delivered by him rather than calling for violence, calls for non-violence as he says they will not burn down property.

    He stressed the point that Imam has been in custody for three years now.

    Imam had earlier sought interim release until the top court decides the constitutional validity of offence of sedition. The court was also informed that Imam’s plea challenging the framing of charges in the matter is also pending before it.

    As per the prosecution, Imam had allegedly made speeches at Jamia Millia Islamia on December 13, 2019 and at the Aligarh Muslim University on December 16, 2019 where he threatened to cut off Assam and the rest of the Northeast from India.

    In his petition before the high court, Imam has said the trial court “failed to recognise” that pursuant to the directions of the top court, the basis for dismissal of his earlier bail plea, the charge of sedition, no longer existed and therefore relief must be granted to him.

    On May 11, 2022, the Supreme Court had stayed till further orders the registration of FIRs, probes, and coercive measures for the offence of sedition across the country by the Centre and the states until an appropriate forum of the government re-examines the colonial-era penal law.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Dr Farooq Abdullah Asks Admin To Address Post Snowfall Exigencies

    Dr Farooq Abdullah Asks Admin To Address Post Snowfall Exigencies

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    SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Monday asked the administration to come to the aid of people, whose lives continue to remain out of gear in wake of the heavy snowfall across Jammu and Kashmir.

    Several villages in the upper reaches of Kashmir division remain disconnected from the district headquarters for the second consecutive day after receiving the snowfall, Dr. Farooq said, adding that the electricity distribution system, surface connectivity, water supply has also been badly affected.

    “I have received various SOS calls from North, South and central Kashmir districts, particularly the upper reaches where people continue to face many inconveniences following the snowfall. I was told that the heavy snowfall has thrown life out of gear in the upper reaches of Baramulla, Bandipura, Kupwara, Anantnag, Shopian Pulwama, and Kulgam districts. People in these districts are facing tremendous hardships. The electricity, as well as potable water supply, is disrupted. In case there is any emergency on health grounds, locals are unable to shift the patients to the hospital as authorities have failed to clear snow from roads,” he said.

    Dr Abdullah said resumption of connectivity is the main issue that has to be tackled on priority basis. “The major arterials connecting Dawar, Kanzalwun, Keran, Karna, Gurez, Jumgund and many far flung areas to their district headquarters haven’t been cleared of snow yet. People living in those areas are going through immense difficulties. The situation is no different across the upper reaches of South, Central Kashmir and Chenab region districts. Srinagar city has become a cesspool of slush. SMC and other concerned agencies are not visible on ground,” he said.

    He said that students, elderly and patients are in particular at the receiving end due to the blockage of roads connecting these far-flung areas to district headquarters. “The situation is no different in the snow bound region of Chenab region where the access to all upper hamlets is yet to be restored,” he said.

    “The divisional administrations in Jammu & Kashmir must ensure that flying squads are placed on the grounds to check price rise. The situation has become more precarious in wake of the absence of public representatives,” he said.

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    #Farooq #Abdullah #Asks #Admin #Address #Post #Snowfall #Exigencies

    ( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

  • Watch: Rahul Says China Holds 2000 Sq Km in Ladakh, Asks Home Minister to Attempt Jammu to Kashmir Yatra

    Watch: Rahul Says China Holds 2000 Sq Km in Ladakh, Asks Home Minister to Attempt Jammu to Kashmir Yatra

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    SRINAGAR: Asking Home Minister Amit Shah to opt for a Jammu to Srinagar yatra if the security situation has improved in Jammu and Kashmir, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the Chinese sitting on Indian land must be dealt with by the centre. He was speaking to the media in Srinagar after the conclusion of the 134-day-long yatra during which he addressed 15 news conferences.

    Rahul said a Ladakhi delegation clearly said that 2000 square km of the Indian Territory was taken by the Chinese.

    “Government is under the impression that the Chinese have not taken any land from India. I recently met some ex-army people and even a delegation from Ladakh has clearly said that 2,000 sq km of Indian territory has been taken over by the Chinese,” Rahul said. “They also said that many patrolling points that used to be in India are now firmly in Chinese hands.”

    Terming it “extremely dangerous”, Rahul said: “The approach Government is following by completely denying that the Chinese have taken our land is dangerous and it will give them more confidence to do more aggressive things. We have to deal with the Chinese firmly and tell them they are sitting on our land, won’t be tolerated.”

    Asked about the situation on the ground in Jammu and Kashmir, Rahul Gandhi said he met people and is extremely unhappy.

    “Target killing and bomb blasts are happening in Jammu and Kashmir and if the security situation has improved then the conversation the security personnel are having with me should not have been required,” Rahul said. “If the situation is so good why don’t the BJP people walk from Jammu to Lal Chowk? Why doesn’t Amit Shah walk from Jammu to Kashmir if the situation is so secure? I don’t think that argument holds.”

    Congress has alleged a security lapse during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kashmir. Earlier on Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that police arrangement “completely collapsed” during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir and he had “to cancel” his walk.

    Responding to a volley of several questions about Jammu and Kashmir, Rahul said the restoration of statehood should be the first step.

    “Statehood and restoration of the democratic process is a fundamental and very important first step. The other steps will come later and I do not necessarily have to comment on it here,” he said. “All states have an assembly. The democratic process is the right of the people and it should be restored in Jammu and Kashmir. A solution should be found for the people of Ladakh as well.”

    In response to a question about the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution in 2019, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress Working Committee has already made its stand clear on the issue. Notably, Article 370 granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked by the Modi government on August 5, 2019.

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    #Watch #Rahul #China #Holds #Ladakh #Asks #Home #Minister #Attempt #Jammu #Kashmir #Yatra

    ( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )