Tag: Kashmir News

Revanth demands govt to cancel ORR tenders

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Hyderabad: TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday demanded the state government to immediately cancel ORR tenders.
Addressing a press meet, he said any bank would give Rs 15,000 crore as a loan if the state government pledged the ORR project. He asked the state government as to why it was showing haste in selling government properties. He alleged that the state government had ignored the objections of NHAI over the tenders. He asked the state government how a black listed company got the tender.
He asked CM KCR and state minister KTR as to why they were silent on the issue. He said that they would lodge a complaint on the issue with investigative agencies. He said that the loan of Rs 6696 crores obtained by HMDA had expired on March 31, 2022.

He said that the ORR project has Rs 1 lakh crore properties now and added that the state government would get an income of Rs 22,000 crores in a span of 30 years. He said that he was ready to get the loan of Rs 15,000 crores to the HMDA.
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#Revanth #demands #govt #cancel #ORR #tenders
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
Manipur violence: Situation under control, says Indian Army

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Imphal: In the wake of clashes in parts of Manipur, the Indian Army said that the situation in Moreh and Kangpokpi areas was brought under control and is stable.
The Indian Army further said that all efforts are underway to restore normalcy in Imphal and Churachandpur area.
“Situation in Moreh and Kangpokpi brought under control and it is stable. All efforts are underway to restore normalcy in Imphal and Churachandpur.

The precautionary build-up of additional troops in Manipur continued,” said Indian Army officials.
Additional columns were also redeployed from Nagaland, they said.
“In addition, Indian Air Force will be undertaking flying operations to induct additional Indian Army columns commencing tonight from Guwahati and Tezpur,” said Indian Army.
Army and paramilitary forces have been deployed in Manipur and flag marches are being held to control the situation after violence erupted broke out on May 3 during a rally organised by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) Manipur to protest the demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe category.
Earlier on Thursday, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma called an urgent meeting to ensure the safety of students from Meghalaya following reports of violence in Manipur.
In the meeting attended by senior government officials, the CM highlighted that the safety of all students must be ensured. He also directed the officials to come up with a plan for the evacuation of students if the situation arises.

Sangma said that over 200 residents of Meghalaya are studying in Manipur and that the Government is putting in place a helpline for students or family members to reach out to in case of emergencies.
The Army asked people to be careful about fake videos.
“Fake Videos on the security situation in Manipur including a video of an attack on Assam Rifles post being circulated by inimical elements for vested interests. #IndianArmy requests all to rely on content through official & verified sources only,” the Spear Corps, Indian Army said in a tweet.
Violence broke out on May 3 during the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ called by the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in the Torbung area of Churachandpur district to protest the demand of Meiteis, who dominate the Imphal Valley, for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
To tackle the worsening law and order situation after tribal groups took out rallies in several districts of Manipur, the state government has suspended mobile internet for five days. Along with a ban on large gatherings, a night curfew too has been imposed in several districts of the state.
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#Manipur #violence #Situation #control #Indian #Army
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
Key NCP committee to meet today to take a call on Sharad Pawar’s successor

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Mumbai: A committee of the Nationalist Congress Party will meet at 11 am today to decide on who will head the NCP next, days after party chief Sharad Pawar announced that he would be stepping down from the top position.
The committee was set up by 82-year-old Pawar to pick his successor and it includes Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, former Union leader Parful Patel and Bhujbal.
Pawar on Thursday said his decision to step down from the post was taken for the future of the party and to create a new leadership amid continued demand from party workers that he reconsiders his decision.

NCP leaders, on condition of anonymity, said Baramati Lok Sabha MP and Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule is likely to be the party’s national chief while Ajit Pawar will take charge of the Maharashtra unit.
As per party leaders, the mantle of NCP chief is likely to remain within the Pawar family as giving the reins to someone from outside may lead to rifts and power tussles in the outfit formed in 1999.
These leaders asserted Sule, a three-term LS MP, had established herself as an effective parliamentarian and has contacts with leaders of parties across the political spectrum, whereas Ajit Pawar has a good hold over the state unit and is widely acknowledged as an able administrator.
Moreover, these leaders added that Ajit Pawar had recently spoken about his chief ministerial dreams, while Sule has always said national politics interests her.
Incidentally, senior NCP leader and former state minister Chhagan Bhujbal had said Sule should take up the party’s national mantle and Ajit Pawar must head the state unit, though the MLA from Yeola in Nashik was quick to add that this was his personal opinion.

Speaking outside the Y B Chavan Centre in the city, where his supporters have been camping to demand his continuation as the party chief, Pawar said on Thursday he would take a final decision in the next couple of days and the sentiments of party workers will not be ignored.
“I respect your sentiments. I should have discussed my plans with all of you and taken you into confidence. But I know you wouldn’t have allowed me to take the decision (of stepping down as party chief),” the former Union minister told his supporters.
He said some party colleagues from outside Maharashtra will meet him on Friday to discuss the issue. “I will take a final decision in one or two days,” Pawar said.
As emotions ran high among his supporters, Pawar tried to pacify them outside the YB Chavan Centre.
The party cadres gathered at the place urged Pawar to appoint a working president of the party, while he himself should continue in the post.
Some of them said Pawar should helm the party at least till 2024 as the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are due, while others said if he did not reconsider his decision, they would resort to a hunger strike.
Pawar on Tuesday sprang a surprise by announcing his decision to quit as president of the party he founded and headed since 1999 when he left the Congress to chart his own political course.
The announcement, made at an event, stumped leaders and workers of the 24-year-old party.
Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP and one of the stalwarts of the Opposition, had said he was stepping down as NCP chief but was not retiring from public life.
The announcement came amid speculation that Ajit Pawar and some MLAs may join hands with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, though the former deputy chief minister has refuted such talk by claiming he will be with the NCP till he is alive.
According to party sources, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin of the DMK spoke to Sule over phone to enquire about developments in the NCP following Tuesday’s announcement.
While Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Congress have maintained the developments in the NCP will not affect the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which comprises the three parties, political observers said a lot would depend on what Ajit Pawar does after the Supreme Court verdict, likely in a couple of days, on petitions related to the toppling of the Thackeray government in June last year.
These observers also added Ajit Pawar was unlikely to switch sides as developments since Tuesday have shown the NCP was firmly with Sharad Pawar and the former was unlikely to get the numbers to effectively split the party.
Speaking on the future of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, Maharashtra Congress vice president Ratnakar Mahajan said the current situation was “complex and unpredictable”.
“But, all the three constituents of the MVA would stay together in the light of results of recent polls,” Mahajan said.
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#Key #NCP #committee #meet #today #call #Sharad #Pawars #successor
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
Apple set quarterly record in India, country at a tipping point: Tim Cook

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New Delhi: Apple set a quarterly record in the January-March period in India and grew very strong, in double digits year-over-year, said Tim Cook, the company’s CEO who was in India last month to open the first branded retail stores in Mumbai and New Delhi.
Apple reported a record revenue of $94.8 billion for its March quarter which was better than expectations.
“Looking at the business in India, we did set a quarterly record, grew very strong, double digits year-over-year. So it was quite a good quarter for us, taking a step back, India is an incredibly exciting market. It’s a major focus for us. I was just there, and the dynamism in the market, the vibrancy is unbelievable,” Cook told analysts during the earnings call late on Thursday.

Over time, he said, Apple has been expanding operations in India to serve more customers.
“Three years ago, we launched the Apple Store online, and then, we launched two stores just a few weeks ago, and they’re off to a great start, one in Mumbai and one in Delhi,” said Cook.
Apple has got a number of channel partners in the country as well.
“Overall, I couldn’t be more delighted and excited by the enthusiasm I’m seeing for the brand there. There are a lot of people coming into the middle class, and I really feel that India is at a tipping point, and it’s great to be there,” said the Apple CEO.
The company achieved all-time records in Mexico, Indonesia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE, as well as a number of March quarter records, including in Brazil, Malaysia and India.

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#Apple #set #quarterly #record #India #country #tipping #point #Tim #Cook
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
Will never allow NRC in Bengal: Mamata

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Malda: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday maintained that she would “never allow” implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.
“No one has to worry about citizenship. That (NRC) won’t happen here (in West Bengal). I am the guarantor,” Banerjee said at an administrative review meeting here.
The CM had earlier, too, asserted that she would not allow NRC in her state.

Banerjee also advised people to exercise voting rights and ensure that their names appear on the voters’ list.
“You all must make sure to vote I would also advise people to update their Aadhaar card on time and in every 10 years,” she added.
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#NRC #Bengal #Mamata

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
Gunfight Breaks Out In JK

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SRINAGAR: A gunfight broke out between militants and counter-insurgent forces in Kesari area of Kandi hamlet in Rajouri district on Friday.
An official said that a joint team of Police, army’ and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on specific information about the presence of militants in the area.
He said that as the joint teams of forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.
A senior police officer also confirmed the exchange of fire between forces and militants.
As per the sources, two to three militants are believed to be trapped in the area-( KS)

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#Gunfight #Breaks
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

May 5, 2023
Atiq’s family graveyard to be freed from ‘illegal control’

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Prayagraj: Efforts are now being made to free the Kasari-Masari graveyard, said to be the ‘family graveyard’ of slain gangster Atiq Ahmad, from the control of a close relative.
The graveyard’s Mutawalli (caretaker) had made several complaints to authorities at the time but to no avail.
Now, after Atiq’s death and with his gang on the run, the graveyard committee authorities hope that the land will be freed from illegal occupation of his relative.

Sources said that nearly half the graveyard land was grabbed on which Atiq’s relatives are running a construction material business and is even using it as a garage and a shed for labourers.
An investigation is now underway to identify the Waqf properties illegally occupied by Atiq and his associates, said a senior district administrative official.
The graveyard, a portion of which Atiq’s relative has illegally grabbed, is registered as Chhoti Karbala Qabristan (property number I-1657) under the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Board of Waqf, said the graveyard’s present Mutawalli Amir Alvi.
He said: “The committee made its last complaint about the grabbing of graveyard land in 2021 to the Chief Minister and Prayagraj administrative officials. However, no action was taken in this regard. Complaints were also made to local police officials. We also spoke to Atiq’s kin and requested him to vacate the land but he refused.”
However, a senior police official said that no complaint had been received over the issue in the recent past.

“If we get a complaint, we will probe the issue and do the needful,” he added.
Locals said that the graveyard was not encroached upon all at once, but the man first grabbed a small portion of it around 12 years back. He gradually started encroaching upon larger portions of it.
He used to threaten locals and graveyard committee authorities in the name of Atiq Ahmed when they raised objections.
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#Atiqs #family #graveyard #freed #illegal #control
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
US denies any role in Kremlin drone attack

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Washington: The US has denied Russia’s claims that the Washington had a role in the alleged drone attack on the Kremlin.
A day after accusing Ukraine of carrying out the alleged attack aimed at assassinating President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was done with Washington’s support.
Peskov said on Thursday that the US was “undoubtedly” behind the alleged attack, without providing evidence. “Decisions on such attacks are not made in Kiev, but in Washington,” Peskov was quoted as saying by BBC.

Responding to Russian claims, US National Security spokesman John Kirby said: “Peskov is just lying there, pure and simple.”
“The United States has nothing to do with it. We don’t even know exactly what happened here, but I can assure you the United States had no role in it whatsoever.”
The US official said Washington did not encourage or enable Ukraine to strike outside its borders, and did not endorse attacks on individual leaders.
Ukraine has said that the alleged attack was a false flag operation by Moscow, the British news broadcaster reported.
The alleged attack on the Kremlin occurred early on Wednesday. Footage on social media showed smoke rising over the government complex in central Moscow.

Later in the evening, the Kremlin press service claimed that Ukrainian drones had “attempted to strike” at the residence of Putin.
The Kremlin called the so-called attack a “planned terrorist action” and an “assassination attempt on the Russian President”.
In response, Serhii Nykyforov, spokesman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said that Ukraine had no information about the attack on the Kremlin.
“What happened in Moscow was clearly a Russian escalation of the situation,” he added.
Zelensky too denied that his country carried out an alleged drone attack on the Kremlin.
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#denies #role #Kremlin #drone #attack
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
SC declines to hear plea against automatic disqualification of convicted MPs, MLAs

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a plea challenging the validity of the provision mandating “blanket and automatic” disqualification of legislators upon conviction and sentence.
Counsel for petitioner Aabha Muralidharan, contended before Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud that the provision restrains a lawmaker from freely discharging the duties cast upon him/her by the voters of the constituency.
The bench, also comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, told counsel that the court is not inclined to entertain the petition and “let the aggrieved party come before us”.

The bench asked the counsel, “How are you as an individual affected? When you are disqualified due to the provision, then we can look into it” and asked the lawyer to either withdraw your petition or it will dismiss it.
The plea prayed that automatic disqualification under Section 8A(3) of the Representation of People Act, 1951, should be declared as ultra vires of the Constitution, for being arbitrary, illegal, and violative of fundamental right to equality.
The petitioner, a social worker from Kerala’s Malappuram, sought a direction that automatic disqualification did not exist under Section 8A(3) of the Act, while citing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as an MP by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
The plea said: “The grounds for disqualification ought to be specific with the nature of offences as specified under the Code for Criminal Procedure and not in a blanket form, as is currently in force under Section 8(3) of the RP Act”.
The plea contended that interpretation provided by the apex court in Lily Thomas case (2013) requires re-examination, to the effect of adjudicating the provisions of disqualification under Chapter III of the Act. “The operations of Lily Thomas case are being blatantly misused for wreaking personal vengeance against the political parties,” said the plea.

“If the offence under SectionA499 and 500 of the IPC, which just technically has a maximum punishment of 2 years is not removed singularly from the sweeping effect of the judgement in Lily Thomas, it will have a chilling effect on the right of representation of the citizens.”
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#declines #hear #plea #automatic #disqualification #convicted #MPs #MLAs
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
Karnataka polls: Sonia Gandhi to join Rahul, Priyanka to bolster campaign

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Bengaluru: It is a crucial election in Karnataka and it is the first time that three members of the Nehru-Gandhi family have jumped into the election campaign fray in a state as party leaders to woo the voters to bring the party to power in the southern state.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have campaigned extensively in Karnataka and Sonia Gandhi will address a public meeting in Hubbali on Saturday.
Karnataka has a long connection with the Nehru-Gandhi family and has been a “comeback territory” in the past.

Indira Gandhi made a political comeback from Chikmagalur in Karnataka in a bypoll in 1978. Sonia Gandhi also fought from Ballari in the state in her debut election in which she was also in the fray from Amethi.
Karnataka is crucial for Congress as it can mark its revival for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. If BJP is defeated in Karnataka, the party will not be in power in any southern state.
With Rahul Gandhi having been disqualified from Lok Sabha following his conviction in a criminal defamation case and the election debacles Congress faced in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Congress is pinning strong hopes on Karnataka where it has strong state leadership.
The party feels that a win in Karnataka will give it a massive boost to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the 2024 general elections and emerge as a fulcrum of opposition unity.
Rahul Gandhi has so far held 17 rallies and roadshows in Karnataka, while his sister Priyanka Gandhi has done 19 rallies.

The campaign for May 10 polls will continue at the same pace in the next four days as well.
Apart from Rahul-Priyanka’s road shows and rallies, Rahul Gandhi is also likely to hold a press conference.
Sonia Gandhi has not campaigned in any state elections in the recent past.
The former Congress president did the last election rally in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in her parliamentary constituency Rae Bareli.
She gave a speech at the Bharat Bachao rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on December 14, 2019.
The area around Hubballi is seen to a “laboratory of Hindutva politics” in Karnataka and the Congress has chosen this place for Sonia Gandhi’s rally.
Apart from members of the Gandhi family, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who hails from Karnataka, has been campaigning in the state for the last 20 days.
The party’s Karnataka in-charge Randeep Surjewala has been camping there for the past two months with an army of spokespersons.
While Priyanka Gandhi had campaigned in her mother’s and brother’s constituencies in Uttar Pradesh before her formal entry into politics, it is the first time that the three members of Nehru-Gandhi family will be part of the campaign as full-time leaders of the Congress.
The Karnataka assembly elections will be held in a single phase on May 10, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 13.
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#Karnataka #polls #Sonia #Gandhi #join #Rahul #Priyanka #bolster #campaign
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023