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Dr. Nowhera Shaikh meets Dalit leaders, addressess Dalit Sangharsh Samithi gathering

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All India Mahila Empowerment Party’s (MEP) President, Dr. Nowhera Shaikh today met the leaders of the Dalit Sangharsh Samithi and extended support to Dalit rights.

Dr. Nowhera Shaikh said that MEP and Dalit organisations should work together to work for justice and humanity, across the country.

She said that, if all Indians, treat each other as equals, India will surely prosper.

Dr. Shaikh said that MEP is contesting elections to create an impact in people’s lives, and asked for the community’s support in the upcoming assembly elections.

Saudi crown prince meets pro-Israel groups in US

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MBS meets Bloomberg founder and former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg [Anadolu/Saudi Kingdom Council/Handout]

by Al Jazeera

Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, known as MBS, has met leaders from a number of right-wing Jewish organisations during his tour of the United States.

The groups, which have donated millions to illegal settlement building and the fight against BDS (the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement, include officials from AIPAC, Stand Up for Israel (ADL) and the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA).

According to a leaked copy of his itinerary, Haaretz reported that MBS also met with leaders from the Conference of Presidents, B’nai B’rith and the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

AIPAC, ADL and the JFNA have long targeted BDS, a non-violent movement that seeks to economically pressure Israel into providing equal rights and a right of return to Palestinians.

Some of the pro-Israel US groups have spent millions in lobbying for the Combating BDS Act, a bill that seeks to stifle BDS.

Meanwhile, JFNA gave almost $6m to illegal Israeli settlements between 2012 and 2015.

JFNA supports a number of settlements over the Green Line (the border separating pre-1967 Israel from the Occupied Palestinian Territories), and helps families of Jews suspected or convicted of violence against Palestinians.

‘Pro-Israelis guard Washington’
While Saudi Arabia does not officially recognise Israel, analysts have repeatedly said the overtures by MBS overtures signal a warming of ties between the two countries.

Mahjoob Zweiri, the director of the Gulf Studies Programme at Qatar University, said the MBS visit was “a PR campaign aimed to represent a new face of the kingdom to the US, one that was flexible and willing to change”.

“There was an old understanding from Arab leaders that the gates for Washington, DC are guarded by pro-Israeli leaders. This includes business leaders, groups such as AIPAC and others linked to Israel,” Zweiri told Al Jazeera.

“MBS is following that trend, he’s trying to court the US and show them that he supports their plan for Israel-Palestine and their decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

“Another dimension is that when Republicans are in power, it’s widely believed they have closer ties to Israel and the Israeli agenda.

“US President Donald Trump’s ‘deal of the century,’ which recognises Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, could also see a normalising of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and force the Palestinians to agree to Israeli demands.”

As part of his two-week tour, MBS has already met Bill and Hillary Clinton, Senator Chuck Schumer, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

He is expected to meet Oprah Winfrey, a media mogul and major opinion-maker in the US in the coming days.

Other notable media meetings include dinner with Rupert Murdoch, CIA director and soon to be Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Vice President Mike Pence, Defence Secretary James Mattis and Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Two Indian-origin officials from Americas at UNSC ministerial signal diaspora’s influence

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In a sign of the Indian diaspora’s growing influence, two cabinet-level officials of Indian-descent represented the biggest superpower, the US, and its neighbour, Canada, at the UN Security Council’s ministerial-level meeting on peacekeeping on Wednesday.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks at UN headquarters in New York, U.S., January 2, 2018. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo – RC14E6F54740

And they are both Sikhs — US Permanent Representative Nikki Haley, a member of President Donald Trump’s cabinet, and Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan.

They were among the ten ministers and a deputy minister from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas at the meeting presided over by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

But there was no minister from India, which was represented by Tanmaya Lal, the Deputy Permanent Representative.

The changing demographics of Europe was on display, too.

Britain was represented by Tariq Ahmad, the Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the UN, and Sweden by Ibrahim Baylan, the Policy Coordination Minister.

Ahmad is an Ahmadiyya Muslim of Pakistani origin, while Baylan is an Assyrian born in Turkey.

Nikki, or Nimrata Nikki Randhawa, is the daughter of Ajit Singh and Raj Kaur Randhawa, who immigrated from Punjab’s Amritsar district. She was born in South Carolina state and was elected its Governor.

She came to the meeting with the Trump administration’s policy of cutting back on international contributions.

She said the US will not pay more than 25 percent of the peacekeeping budget and there should be a more equitable sharing of the burden.

Peacekeeping was a shared responsibility of all the nations and “One country should not shoulder more than one quarter of the UN peacekeeping budget,” she said.

Washington now foots about 28.5 percent of the $7.3 billion peacekeeping budget.

Haley said that peacekeeping missions need to support political solutions and the mandates set by the Council “must be realistic and achievable”.

“We need to be willing to change mandates when things aren’t working,” she added.

Sajjan, who was born in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur District and immigrated to Canada when he was five years old, spoke on behalf of the Group of Friends of Women, Peace and Security and held more women should be deployed in peacekeeping operations.

Creative thinking was required to meet this challenge and the UN department dealing with peacekeeping should devise a gender strategy.

Cauvery row: As SC deadline approaches, TN CM holds meetings

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With the Supreme Court deadline to set up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) approaching, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the next course of action on the river water sharing issue.

Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and other senior Ministers participated in the meeting held at the Secretariat here.

Later, Palaniswami held another meeting with some ruling AIADMK MPs, who said they were willing to resign if directed by the party high command.

There were reports that the central government was toying with the idea of filing a petition in the Supreme Court for seeking clarification on term ‘scheme’ mentioned in its February 16 order wherein the government was directed to set up the CMB and the CWRC within six weeks.

Asked about AIADMK MP A. Navaneethakrishnan’s remarks in Parliament on Wednesday that his party MPs were ready to commit suicide if the Centre did not set up the CMB and the CWRC, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan said: “If my resignation helps in constitution of the CMB and CWRC, I am ready to do it.”

He said that the coming Assembly polls in Karnataka had nothing to do with the delay in action on the Cauvery issue.

Radhakrishnan also promised the BJP’s full support to the Tamil Nadu government in securing the state’s rights in the Cauvery water issue.

DMK leader and former PWD Minister Duraimurugan said both Palaniswami and Panneerselvam should meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ask him to set up the CMB and the CWRC.

“The AIADMK could have staged a protest outside Modi’s office in Delhi. It is not enough if we just pass resolutions. We have to exert pressure on the central government,” he added.

He questioned why the Chief Minister had convened a high-level meeting on the day the deadline was to end as well as the central government’s action to seek clarificaion on the ‘scheme’ word just before the last date.

Actor Rajinikanth said setting up the CMB and the CWRC alone could help resolve the Cauvery issue.

PMK Founder Dr S. Ramadoss also flayed the Centre for allegedly not abiding by the Supreme Court order and said the Tamil Nadu people will not pardon it for betraying the state’s interests.

“The Union government, instead of filing a clarification plea in the Supreme Court, should set up the CMB and the CWRC as the deadline ends tonight,” he said in a statement.

(IANS)

Anna Hazare ends fast after holding talks with Maharashtra CM

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A week after he went on an indefinite hunger strike demanding anti-graft regulations, social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday broke his fast following negotiations with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister of State for

Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Ramlila Maidan in the national capital.
“The people and the government are not different. It is the government’s job to look after the citizens and its country. It needs to ensure that citizens do not get any reason to hold protests,” Hazare told reporters.

Almost seven years after leading an anti-corruption movement which became one of the main reasons for UPA’s debacle, the 80-year-old activist had once again demanded setting up of the Lokpal at Centre and Lokayuktas in states. This time, however, his main target was the Narendra Modi government for failing to deliver. His 2011 agitation had led to the passing of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013, but the Centre is yet to appoint an ombudsman. This time Hazare was also demanding better Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) to farmers to address agrarian distress.

Unlike the last time, when Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav came together under Hazare’s leadership and a new party, the Aam Aadmi Party, was born, there were no high-profile visitors this year. While farmers of the Bharatiya Kisan Union made up a large number of the crowd, the young and the urban were largely missing, except perhaps for a group of youngsters from Umang theatre in Burari. Leaders of various unions took to the stage to list their demands.

India successfully launches GSAT-6A communication satellite

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India on Thursday successfully launched the GSAT-6A satellite that would provide mobile communication facilities, using its heavy rocket Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F08), in a copy book style.

The GSLV-MkII rocket slung the satellite in a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) from where it would be taken up to its final geostationary orbit by three orbit raising manoeuvres.

ISRO’s scientists at the mission control centre were visibly happy, slapping each others’ backs and hugging each other once the rocket ejected the satellite into the intended orbit.

Precisely at 4.56 p.m., the GSLV rocket ascended into the sky from the second launch pad here at Satish Dhawan Space Centre and the 49.1 metre tall rocket, weighing 415.6 tonne, slung the two tonne satellite into the intended orbit 17.46 minutes into its flight.

The purpose of the satellite is to provide mobile communication applications in S-band in five spot beams and C-band in one beam during its 10-year life span.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said that the GSAT-6A was similar to the GSAT-6 put into orbit in 2015.

The GSLV is a three stage/engine rocket. The core of first stage is fired with solid fuel while the four strap-on motors by liquid fuel. The second stage is the liquid fuel-propelled and the third is the cryogenic engine.

According to ISRO, two improvements — induction of high-thrust Vikas engine and electromechanical actuation system — have been made in the rocket’s second stage this time around.

One of the crucial rocket engines is the cryogenic engine, designed and developed by ISRO, and more efficient than the other two variants as it provides more thrust for every kilogram of propellant burnt.

With this successful launch, India established the performance of its GSLV-MkII rocket which in future may fetch orders from third parties for launching their satellites.

India puts into orbit foreign satellites for a fee using its lighter rocket – the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) as their weight is not much.

Revenue for launching satellites depends on weight of the satellite – higher the weight, higher will be the revenue.

According to the latest Economic Survey, foreign exchange earnings of India from export of satellite launch services increased noticeably in 2015-16 and 2016-17 to Rs 394 crore and Rs 275 crore from Rs 149 crore in 2014-15.

(IANS)

Veerappa Moily’s Son Harsha To not Contest ‘For sake of Congress unity’

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Karnataka Assembly elections 2018: Veerappa Moily said, “…this is my response to those who write that I wanted seat for my son… dynastic…. He will not contest.”

Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said his son Harsha Moily will not contest in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections, days after a row broke out over the selection of candidates.
“I have decided. My son (Harsha) has also decided that he will not contest the election this time…We have decided to work for the victory of Congress party in Karkala and all other places,” he told reporters here yesterday.
He said, “For the sake of the unity of Congress party we have taken this decision.”
Responding to a question, the former union minister said, “…this is my response to those who write that I wanted seat for my son… dynastic…. He will not contest.”
Moily recently tweeted from his unverified handle about money allegedly playing a role in the selection of Congress candidates for the May 12 assembly polls. “INC needs to solve money in politics. We can’t afford to have contractors and their nexus with the state PWD Minister (H C Mahadevappa) determine how candidates are selected for the upcoming assembly elections,” he tweeted.
The tweet was shared by Harsha Moily who tagged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. After the tweet went viral, it was deleted from both the Twitter handles.
Moily had said it was “a mistake” committed by someone else and the Twitter handle was not in his control.
“It’s not (an) appropriate (tweet)….. I’m withdrawing,” he had said.
The tweet row broke out amid reports that Moily, also a former Karnataka chief minister, was unhappy over ‘discouraging’ remarks made by Mahadevappa during a screening panel meeting about giving party ticket to Harsha to contest the assembly polls from Karkala.
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee had recently issued a showcause notice to Harsha Moily seeking an explanation over his controversial tweet.

Salman Khan Black Buck Poaching Case Verdict to be Announce on April 5

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A Jodhpur court will announce on April 5 the verdict in the 1998 black buck poaching case against actor Salman Khan.

The court of the chief judicial magistrate (Jodhpur Rural), where the trial of the case has been in progress for the last 19 years, reserved the judgment today after the final arguments.

Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri reserved the order to be pronounced on April 5 in the presence of Khan and other accused, including a local, Dushyant Singh.

Khan’s counsel H M Saraswat said the final arguments in the case began on September 13 last year with the prosecution counsel citing the statements of the eyewitnesses of the case.

“After the completion of the prosecution’s arguments on October 23, we began our arguments on October 28 last year and completed on February 4,” he said.

After this, the counsels for the co-accused began their arguments, which completed on March 24, he said.

Khan was accused of killing two black bucks on October 2, 1998 in Kankani village in Jodhpur during the shooting of “Hum Saath Saath Hain”.

He was acquitted in two poaching cases by the high court and in a case under Arms Act by the lower court.

20 flights affected in Bengaluru after Indigo aircraft tyre burst

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As many as 20 flights to and from Bengaluru were diverted after an Indigo aircraft suffered a tyre-burst while landing at Hyderabad airport on Wednesday night.
Operations at Hyderabad Airport were affected between 10:28pm on Wednesday and 2:22am on Thursday.
Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) officials said that ten flights were diverted from Hyderabad to Bengaluru. Four other Hyderabad-bound flights returned to Bengaluru.

The cascading effect led to delays in several flights. BIAL officials said four flights from Bengaluru were diverted to Chennai and one each to Mumbai and Coimbatore.
Sources say operations at Bengaluru airport were affected due to additional traffic.

One common reason for Tyre burst during take off or landing, is the presence of pieces of debris fallen on runway from the immediate previous flight.

Several flights from Hyderabad airport were diverted to nearby airports like Bengaluru and Chennai since the Indigo aircraft was stranded on the runway forcing Rajiv Gandhi International Airport authorities to suspend operations.
The Indigo 7117 carrying 77 passengers took off from Tirupati Airport around 8.55 pm and landed at Hyderabad airport at around 10:25 pm on Wednesday. One of the tyres burst during landing, however, airline officials, clarified that all 73 passengers including an infant were evacuated safely.

(Ians)

BJP thriving on divisive politics – AICC spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi

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All India Congress Committee (AICC) national spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi slammed BJP and alleged that the party was playing divisive politics and filling hatred among people.

Addressing media here on Thursday, March 29, Priyanka said, “It is a known fact how BJP misrules and misgoverns the states where they have power. Now they continue doing the same at the Centre. While the Congress government under Siddaramaiah has worked towards creating healthy environment, we have seen how BJP continued to neglect farmers’ issues and challenges that they face. The BJP has created a lot of distress in Dakshina Kannada,”

“Mangaluru is a significant contributor for the GDP in the state. This area is known for social justice, as a hub of education and also as cradle of banking sector,” she added.

“The state government’s various policy initiatives in terms of waiving farmer’s loan, assisting with drift irrigation farming and many more have benefitted thousands of farmers. The policies of the state government have ensured farmers’ benefit and growth in the state,” she informed.

“However, we see total disregard and apathy coming from the Centre for the policies. The Centre’s import policies have been harming rubber plantations in the district. These policies have been drafted at the Centre at the cost of our farmers. They even said that areca is cardiogenic without any study, and evidence to back their claim. They are hurting and hitting out at the farmers of the district,” she said.

“We are constantly talking about development and they do not have any development agenda. The tried and tested politically patented strategy of BJP is about pitting one community against other, creating division in the minds of people in places which are known for peaceful co-existence. BJP wants to grow at any cost and at the cost of peace and harmony of this district,” Chaturvedi charged.

“This agenda of the party does not focus on development, but on creating hatred in the minds of people. We are committed to ensure that law and order prevails and we also see a political party which is hell bent on creating trouble. I am sure that people of Dakshina Kannada will ensure that these divisive policies will not thrive,” she said.

“Election dates have been announced and we can see in the last two days how BJP national president Amit Shah has helped us in campaigning claiming Yeddyurappa government as the number one corrupt government in the country. In another rally, he claimed that Modi’s policies are anti-people and anti-Dalit which is an admission of guilt. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked the centre to resolve Mahadayi issue and to have dialogue with two states, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to answer. The CRPF headquarters which was supposed to come up in Karnataka is now moved away to a state,” she explained.

“In the year 2017, Karnataka faced one of the worst droughts. We were expecting some sympathy or else at least equality in distribution of funds. Karnataka received Rs 1,435.95 crore compared to Rs 8,196 crore to Maharashtra, Rs 3,894 crore to Gujarat, and Rs 2,153 crore to Rajasthan where BJP is ruling. Even the IBPS exam were conducted in English and Hindi, due to which Kannadigas found it difficult to appear as there was no option of Kannada. We questioned the Centre in this regard, but have received no answer,” she said.

“I am expecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to answer all these questions when he comes for campaigning in this area and I am also confident that people will turn their backs on divisive politics,” she concluded.

Chief whip of legislative council Ivan D’Souza, Mayor Bhaskar Moily and others were present.

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