Tag: Leaders

Pope, Anglican, Presbyterian leaders denounce anti-gay laws

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South Sudan is one of 67 countries that criminalizes homosexuality, 11 of them with the death penalty. LGBTQ advocates say even where such laws are not applied, they contribute to a climate of harassment, discrimination and violence.
Francis referred his Jan. 24 comments to the AP and repeated that such laws are “unjust.” He also repeated previous comments that parents should never throw their gay children out of the house.
“To condemn someone like this is a sin,” he said. “Criminalizing people with homosexual tendencies is an injustice.”
“People with homosexual tendencies are children of God. God Loves them. God accompanies them,” he added.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, recalled that LGBTQ rights were very much on the current agenda of the Church of England, and said he would quote the pope’s own words when the issue is discussed at the church’s upcoming General Synod.
“I wish I had spoken as eloquently and clearly as the pope. I entirely agree with every word he said,” Welby said.
Recently, the Church of England decided to allow blessings for same-sex civil marriages but said same-sex couples could not marry in its churches. The Vatican forbids both gay marriage and blessings for same-sex unions.
Welby told reporters that the issue of criminalization had been taken up at two previous Lambeth Conferences of the broader Anglican Communion, which includes churches in Africa and the Middle East where such anti-gay laws are most common and often enjoy support by conservative bishops.

The broader Lambeth Conference has come out twice opposing criminalization, “But it has not really changed many people’s minds,” Welby said.
The Rt. Rev. Iain Greenshields, the Presbyterian moderator of the Church of Scotland who also participated in the pilgrimage and news conference, offered an observation.
“There is nowhere in my reading of the four Gospels where I see Jesus turning anyone away,” he said. “There is nowhere in the four Gospels where I see anything other than Jesus expressing love to whomever he meets.
“And as Christians, that is the only expression that we can possibly give to any human being, in any circumstance.”
The Church of Scotland allows same-sex marriages. Catholic teaching holds that gay people must be treated with dignity and respect, but that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.”
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#Pope #Anglican #Presbyterian #leaders #denounce #antigay #laws
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

February 5, 2023
AAP leaders detained in Jammu during ‘dharna’ against anti-encroachment drive

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Jammu: AAP leader Harsh Dev Singh, including two other partyment, were detained on Sunday during a protest outside Raj Bhawan here held against an anti-encroachment drive.
Before they were detained, the three sat on a dharna holding a tricolour flag in front of Raj Bhawan in protest against the drive.
“Though the Lieutenant Governor assured the poor they will not be evicted, the district and tehsil administration were dispossessing only the poor and un-influential while leaving the rich and powerful untouched,” the former minister said.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader said that several ex MLAs had carved out colonies by encroaching the state and other lands and sold them at exorbitant rates, while the poor continue to be harassed, intimidated, and persecuted despite the tall slogans of the LG. He called upon the ex-ministers, MLAs, and bureaucrats to come clean on the issue before initiating eviction proceedings against the poor, villagers, nomads, and other homeless people.
He said that selective action against the poor was not only reprehensible but amounted to a “sin of the highest order.” Singh also accused the LG administration of facilitating the encroachment of palatial mansions and those of state lands, forest lands, lands under the Jammu Development Authority, and municipal lands by ex-ministers, MLAs, and some saffron party leaders.
He alleged that several BJP leaders were reported to have regularised state lands under the Roshni scheme with full impunity.
Singh urged the civil society also to come forward to expose and oppose the authoritarian and dictatorial policies of the present corrupt regime.

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#AAP #leaders #detained #Jammu #dharna #antiencroachment #drive
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 5, 2023
‘We are not at war’: Muslim leaders keen on continuing dialogue with RSS

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New Delhi: The Muslim organisations feel that the dialogue with the RSS should continue and there should be an early resolution of the issues leading to conflict between the two communities.
Jamat e Islami Hind, whose representative met RSS leaders, said, “we are of the opinion that the dialogue should continue with the RSS as they hold influence on the government.”
In his clarification he said: “We are not at war so we hope the dialogue will give positive results.”
Another Muslim intellectual who once met these leaders said on condition of anonymity that on the cow slaughter issue the community should come up with a detailed response as Muslims are not involved in the cases and it has now become a business issue. He said that issue is likely to be discussed at the Sunday meeting of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board in Lucknow.
The response comes after eminent Muslim citizens and religious organizations met RSS leader Indresh Kumar on January 14 at the residence of former Delhi LG Najeeb Jung and discussed the issue of harmony within the communities.
The Muslim side was represented by Jamaat e Islami leader Mohtashim Khan, Jamiat Ulema Hind’s both factions were there in the meeting including Niyaz Faruqui and Fazlurrahman Qasmi, Shahid Siddiqui, SY Qureshi. Najeeb Jung was also at the meeting alongwith eminent persons from the AMU and the representative of Ajmer Dargah, Salman Chisti.
Sources said the Muslim side openly wanted an appeal from the RSS and its affliates against the lynchings and also wanted the government to stop hate propaganda on television daily. The RSS was represented by Indresh Kumar, Krishna Gopal and Ram Lal.
The RSS raised the issue of cow slaughter and the use of the word kafir for the majority in India. The Muslim side said that declare the cow a national animal so that there is a uniform law on the issue and added that they will ask their community not to use the word kafir publicly.

Shahid Siddiqui, one of the participants, told IANS, “there was consensus to continue the talks which both sides accept so that there should be harmony. “
The Muslim side did not respond to the Kashi and Mathura issues and said disputes should be settled in court when the RSS leaders said that they should be handed over to them.
This is an ongoing dialogue since the Sangh leaders met Muslim leaders on August 22. Sources said that Najeeb Jung and other Muslim intellectuals met Arshad Madani prior to this meeting when Madani insisted that the statement should be made public so there is an assurance to the community.
The Muslims raised the issue of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. It was read there in which they accepted that the Sangh leader’s interview was quoted out of context.
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#war #Muslim #leaders #keen #continuing #dialogue #RSS
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 5, 2023
Telangana: Leaders, politicians of Maharashtra meet CM KCR

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Hyderabad: It was a day of rendezvous with chief minister and Bharat Rashtra Party (BRS) supremo K Chandrashekar Rao as former MPs, district chairmen and senior leaders of Maharashtra met him at his residence in Pragathi Bhavan on Saturday.
A statement from the party stated that many agreed with BRS’s ideologies and agreed that there is an utmost need for alternative progressive political leadership in the country’s current political atmosphere. They exuded their confidence in joining BRS.
“Under the leadership of CM KCR, the ministers and various party leaders enquired about Telangana’s Rythu Bandhu scheme, Dalit Bandhu scheme, free electricity to farmers, supporting pensions schemes, as well as Telangana’s rural and urban progress, development in the field of agriculture, industries and other welfare programmes,” the statement said.
Among those who met with the chief minister were the president of National United Front of India Gopal Rishikar Bharti from Chhattisgarh, former Madhya Pradesh Balaghat MP Bodh Singh Bhagat, Maharashtra’s Bandara former MP Kushal Bhopche, Chhattisgarh’s Sarangad former minister Dr Chabbilal Ratre.
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#Telangana #Leaders #politicians #Maharashtra #meet #KCR
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 4, 2023
SP leaders have problem with progress of Muslim youth: UP minister Danish Ansari

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Ballia: Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Minority Welfare Danish Azad Ansari on Friday targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP) and said its leaders have a problem with the progress of the Muslim youth.
Ansari, the only Muslim minister in the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, told reporters in Sikandarpur on Friday afternoon said that the progress of Muslim youths makes SP leaders “uncomfortable” and they are “troubled” by it.
Calling upon the youth of the Muslim community to contribute in the development of the society, Ansari said today it is necessary that they should contribute in the development of the society with promptness.
The minister alleged that the SP has a problem with the development of the minority society of Uttar Pradesh. Expressing his gratitude towards Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Ansari said the CM has given him a place in his Council of Ministers for uplift of society and he will serve the public with all sincerity.
Ansari went on to say that if leaders of the SP were concerned about the society, they would have talked about its progress and the uplift of the youth. “The SP does not want the minorities to progress,” he alleged.
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#leaders #problem #progress #Muslim #youth #minister #Danish #Ansari

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 3, 2023
Hyderabad: Congress leaders stopped from visiting fire-hit secretariat; detained

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Hyderabad: Telangana Congress leaders on Friday were stopped from visiting the fire-hit secretariat and were detained by the police.
The fire broke out in the yet-to-be-inaugurated Secretariat complex of the Telangana government here in the wee hours of Friday.
The new Secretariat complex is set to be inaugurated by chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on February 17, which happens to be his birthday.
The fire, which started on the ground floor around 2.30 a.m., spread to the first and second floors. Fire tenders rushed to the scene and doused the flames after battling the fire for two hours.
A total of 11 fire engines were pressed into service to control the fire, which is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit. The fire is believed to have started from the air conditioning wiring duct and spread to scrap material lying on the ground floor.
Nagi Reddy, director general of the state fire department, personally monitored the firefighting operation.
Details of the damage caused by the fire were awaited. Officials said the cause of the fire was being investigated.
సచివాలయంలో అగ్నిప్రమాదం పై నిజానిజాలను తెలంగాణ ప్రజలకు తెలియజేసేందుకు వెళ్లిన కాంగ్రెస్ నాయకులను అరెస్టు చేయడాన్ని తీవ్రంగా ఖండిస్తున్నాను.
సచివాలయం ఏమైనా కేసీఆర్ ప్రైవేటు ఫాంహౌసా?
అంత రహస్యం వెనుక ఉన్న మర్మం ఏమిటి? అరెస్టు చేసిన కాంగ్రెస్ నేతలను తక్షణం విడుదల చేయాలి. pic.twitter.com/izhcYmBKOt
— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) February 3, 2023
TPCC chief Revanth Reddy condemned the detention and questioned if the government held any secrets in the secretariat. “Is it KCR’s private farm house?” he asked.

The seven-storey structure with a built-up area of 7 lakh square feet and equipped with all modern facilities has been constructed at a cost of nearly Rs 650 crore near Hussain Sagar lake on the same land where the old Secretariats of Telangana and earlier united Andhra Pradesh stood.
The state government has named the new Secretariat complex after Dr B. R. Ambedkar. CM KCR already stated that it reflects the pride of Telangana and would stand as a role model for other states.
As per the schedule announced last week, CM KCR will inaugurate the building between 11.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. on February 17, the auspicious time suggested by Vedic pundits.
The government recently announced that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister andA DMK President M. K. Stalin, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, JD(U) national president Lalan Singh as representative of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Dr B. R Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar and other dignitaries will attend the inaugural event.

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#Hyderabad #Congress #leaders #stopped #visiting #firehit #secretariat #detained
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 3, 2023
Delhi excise scam case: Kavitha, others gave bribes worth Rs 100 cr to AAP leaders, ED alleges

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Hyderabad: BRS MLC Kavitha Kalvakuntla and others who the Enforcement Directorate called the ‘South Group’ gave kickbacks to the AAP leaders to the tune of Rs 100 crore, the 400 page chargesheet filed by the agency said.
“Sh Vijay Nair, on behalf of leaders of AAP has received kickbacks to the tune of Rs. 100 Cr from a group, for convenience, we may call it the South Group (as termed in the statements of various persons recorded during the investigation), whose prominent persons are Sh Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, Sh Raghav Magunta, Sh Sarath Reddy and Ms K Kavitha. The South Group was represented by Sh Abhishek Boinpally, Sh Arun Pillai and Sh Buchi Babu. Sh Abhishek Boinpalli facilitated the transfer of Rs. 100 Cr kickback in connivance and conspiracy with Sh Vijay Nair and his associate Sh Dinesh Arora,” the ED chargesheet read.
(This is a breaking story. Keep refreshing the page for fresher updates).
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#Delhi #excise #scam #case #Kavitha #gave #bribes #worth #AAP #leaders #alleges
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 2, 2023
Hurriyat leader’s ‘illegal’ shoping complex demolished in Anantnag

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Anantnag, Feb 02: The district administration Anantnag demolished an ‘illegal’ shopping complex of Hurriyat leader and former Mirwaiz of South Kashmir, Qazi Yasir on Thursday morning, an official said.
An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Qazi Yasir, who is a Hurriyat leader had illegally raised the shoping complex on a state land near stadium in Anantnag.
He said the complex has been demolished and shops have been sealed.
“The shops will be handed over to the Municipal council Anantnag”, he said—(KNO)
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#Hurriyat #leaders #illegal #shoping #complex #demolished #Anantnag
( With inputs from : roshankashmir.net )

February 2, 2023
Futuristic, growth-oriented: Karnataka BJP leaders on Union Budget 2023

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Bengaluru: Leaders of the ruling BJP, including chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and his cabinet colleagues, on Wednesday, hailed the Union budget 2023-24, while the opposition termed it “promises” to fool the people.
The first budget of Amrit Kaal presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is futuristic, growth-oriented and has laid a strong foundation for India@100 in 2047. It has focused on every sector and will benefit every section of society giving an impetus to the Aatmanibhar Bharat vision, Dr K. Sudhakar, State Minister for Health, said.
“I thank PM Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for central assistance of Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Project.
This will immensely benefit the people of Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Tumkur and Davangere districts by providing irrigation facilities to farmers and recharging the groundwater table to provide -drinking water in drought-prone taluks of these districts,” he said.
“The Economic Survey 2023 tabled in the Parliament on Tuesday showed that the central and state governments’ budgeted expenditure in the health sector reached 2.1% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022-23.
This is in the direction of the vision of National Health Policy – 2017, which has envisaged increasing the government’s health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2025. The share of the government’s health expenditure in total health outlay has increased from 28.6% in 2014 to 40.6% in 2019.
Thanks to Ayushman Bharat, the out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) as a share of total health expenditure has come down to 48.2% in 2019 from 64.2% in 2014,” he said.
The budget proposal to establish 157 new nursing colleges in co-location with the existing 157 medical colleges established since 2014 is a welcome move to address the increasing human resource needs in the healthcare sector, he said.

The special focus on promoting millets will not only ensure better nutrition and health among citizens but will also boost our fight against climate change. This is a great step towards ensuring food and water security for our future generations, Minister Sudhakar stated.
Karnataka Minister for Power, Kannada and Culture V. Sunil Kumar described the Union budget as balanced and prepared keeping the interests of the middle class in mind.
Seven priority zones have been identified as ‘Saptahrshi’ against the backdrop of Azadi Amrit Mahotsav. To ensure a green revolution, the PM Pranam scheme has been announced. The proposal to invest Rs 6,000 crore will play an important role in the development of the coastal region, minister Sunil Kumar explained.
The target set for the state governments to produce five MMT green hydrogen by 2030 and the decision to invest Rs 25,000 is welcome. This has increased the responsibility of the states, he explained.
Meanwhile, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy dubbed the budget as a lure to fool people. “It seems the projects have been announced to fool people in the election year,” he said.
The projects announced would be implemented only after a change of government at the centre. “I had written a letter long ago to consider projects announced in the budgets as national projects. When will the programmes announced in the election year be implemented? Kumaraswamy questioned.
People know how much of the announced fund for the Upper Bhadra project would be given to the state once BJP is defeated in the state.
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#Futuristic #growthoriented #Karnataka #BJP #leaders #Union #Budget
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Sonia attends joint sitting of Parliament as senior Cong leaders stuck in Kashmir

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New Delhi: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi sat alone in her designated front row bench in Parliament’s Central Hall during the president’s address on Tuesday as senior leaders of her party remained stuck in Srinagar due to bad weather, after attending an event to mark the culmination of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
However, a steady stream of leaders from across the aisle approached Sonia Gandhi and exchanged pleasantries.
Before the joint sitting began, BJP MPs were seen congratulating J P Nadda, whose term as party president was extended till June 2024, as he entered the Parliament building.
Gandhi, who is usually flanked by senior party colleagues, was also greeted by both President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was sitting near Sonia Gandhi, was also seen leaning and speaking to her.
Gandhi, however, was seen engaged in a conversation for around half an hour with TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien who was sitting a row behind her.
Incidentally, the TMC had earlier said the party had not been called to join the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra.
O’Brien and Gandhi were seen having a lengthy conversation before Murmu’s speech began.

Putting political rivalries aside, AIADMK leader M Thambi Durai and DMK’s TR Baalu were seen smiling and hugging each other while having a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
After the Economic Survey was presented and the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day, PM Modi also enquired from Chirag Paswan about his mother’s health.
In her first address to the joint sitting of Parliament on the first day of the Budget session, President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday said the country has a government that is “stable, fearless, decisive”, giving thrust to ‘virasat’ (heritage) as well as ‘vikas’ (development) and working for all classes without any discrimination.
Friendly vibes were visible among different party MPs during the joint sitting of Parliament.
A bench, which usually seats five people, was seen being shared by six MPs from three different parties — NCP’s Supriya Sule, DMK’s Kanimozhi, TMC’s Saugata Ray and BJP leaders, Neeraj Shekhar, Shivkumar Udasi and Nishikant Dubey.
During the speech, BJP MPs were seen thumping their desks frequently, which the opposition claimed they were instructed to do so.
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#Sonia #attends #joint #sitting #Parliament #senior #Cong #leaders #stuck #Kashmir
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

January 31, 2023