Archives for 2021

LUDHIANA: After chairing a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi announced a special session of Legislative Assembly on November 8 to “repeal” the three farm laws and notification enhancing the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) in the state.

Punjab Chief Minister also demanded to withdraw notification citing the increase in Border Security Force (BSF) range from 15 km to 50 km.

“We also demand the Centre to withdraw notification citing the increase in BSF range from 15 km to 50 km or else we will be forced to stop it by November 8. This will affect Centre-State relations,” said Channi.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa was missing from the meeting.

Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.

Punjab is slated to go to the polls early next year.

NEW DELHI: In its ongoing investigation against the outlawed Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) group in a terror funding case, National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday carried out searches at the residential premises against its cadres in Jammu and Kashmir.

The fresh set of searches is conducted on the premises of JeI cadres and their supporters across Jammu and Kashmir.

These raids are in continuation to the anti-terror agency’s 61 raids conducted by its sleuths on August 8 and August 9 in Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam, Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar and Rajouri districts in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources said that these searches were carried out after the NIA investigator found “some more leads” in connection with the case during last month questioning of over a dozen JeI suspects linked to the banned organisation.

The NIA examined over a dozen JeI suspects for over a week at the agency headquarters here last month.

Those JeI suspects examined by the NIA sleuths belonged to Ganderbal, Srinagar, Kupwara, Bandipora, Rajouri and Doda districts, the sources said.

“We are looking for some more people linked to the JeI case and they will be summoned very soon as the examination is an ongoing process,” said the officials.

The NIA is now engaged in “building up” the case as the suspects being questioned are among those JeI cadres whose residential premises were raided by the NIA sleuths during its August 8 and August 9 raids at the 61 locations in 14 districts in Jammu and Kashmir in the terror funding case.

The NIA along with Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF had conducted searches at 56 locations on August 8 at 14 districts of Jammu and Kashmir. In continuation of the searches, the NIA sleuths further conducted searches at five more locations on August 9.

The searches included the premises of office bearers of the JeI, its members and also offices of trusts purportedly run by the proscribed organisation. Various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the suspects.

JeI is an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) banned the organisation on February 28, 2019.

The case was registered against by NIA on February 5 this year in pursuance of to order from MHA relating to separatist and secessionist activities of JeI even after its proscription.

NIA investigation has so far revealed that the members of JeI have been collecting funds domestically and abroad through donations particularly in the form of Zakat, Mowda and Bait-ul-Mal purportedly to further charity and other welfare activities but these funds are instead being used for violent and secessionist activities.

The funds raised by JeI are also being channelised to proscribed terrorist organisations such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and others through well-organised networks of JeI cadres.

JeI has also been motivating the impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in Jammu and Kashmir to participate in disruptive secessionist activities.

TEL AVIV: Israel’s new Ambassador Naor Gilon presented his Letters of Credence to President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Gilon said it is his privileged to be given this opportunity of taking forward the growing strategic partnership between Israel and India.

On this occasion, Ambassador Naor Gilon said, “I am honoured and privileged to be given this opportunity of taking forward the growing strategic partnership between Israel and India. Our friendship is based on our shared values as prominent ancient civilizations in the past and leading democracies in the present.”

“Next year in January, we will mark 30 years of Diplomatic Relations between our countries. I am sure that our close existing cooperation in different fields will only continue to grow and flourish in the coming years. I look forward to working closely with the people and the Government of India,” he further addedAmbassador Gilon was born in Israel in 1964. He graduated from TeI Aviv University with a BA in Political Science. In addition, he holds an MA in International Relations from Corvinus University of Bud ape

He rose through the ranks of Israel’s diplomatic corps and for over thirty years has played a key role in representing the State of Israel.

His vast experience includes the role of Foreign Policy Advisor to three Prime Ministers. He served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Israel in Hungary (1990-1995), Counselor for Political Affairs at the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (1997- 2000), Head of the Division for Strategic and Military Affairs at the Center for Policy Research (2000- 2002), and Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the Embassy of Israel in Washington DC (2002-2005).

Between 2005 and 2009, Ambassador Gilon was Head of the Bureau for International Affairs at the Center for Policy Research. In 2009, he was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Later he served as Deputy Director-General responsible for Europe, the EU, and NATO (2009- 2011).

Naor Gilon served as Ambassador of Israel to Italy, San Marino and to the international organizations in Rome from 2012 to 2016. In September 2019, he was appointed as Ambassador of Israel to the Netherlands, where he served until his arrival in India. 

NEW DELHI: In a message of unity for party workers and leaders, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said true Congress leaders are not each other’s weakness but their strength.

His remarks came on a day Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in a candid message to top party leaders, said strengthening the organisation must override “personal ambitions” and expressed concern over “lack of clarity and cohesion” on policy issues among state leaders.

In a tweet in Hindi using the hashtag ‘Stay United’, Rahul Gandhi said, “True Congress leaders are not each other’s weakness but their strength.” Chairing a meeting of party leaders to evolve a strategy for elections in five states early next year, Sonia Gandhi emphasised the need for discipline and unity for both collective and individual success and said the party’s messages on key issues facing the nation were not percolating down to grassroot cadre.

“I would like to re-emphasise the paramount need for discipline and unity. What should matter to every one of us is the strengthening of the organisation. This must override personal ambitions. In this lies both collective and individual success,” she said.

DHARWAD: The All-India Executive Council of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will meet for three days from October 28 at the Rashtrotthana Vidya Kendra in Garag here. 

RSS Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar said this will be the first meeting to be held in the open, following the second wave of Covid-19, with as many as 350 pramukhs in attendance.  The Population Control Bill, price rise, and promotions for Make in India are a few other issues that are expected to be discussed at the meeting. 

NEW DELHI: The Civil Aviation Ministry on Tuesday issued draft guidelines for aviation sector stakeholders such as airlines and airports to ensure disabled people can travel at ease.

According to the draft guidelines, airport operators must make special arrangements to facilitate screening of persons with special needs so that the process is carried out efficiently “keeping the dignity and privacy of the passenger in mind”.

During the screening of prosthetics, the airport security — which is handled by the CISF at most of the airports — might use X-ray, explosive trace detection devices or visual checks according to their requirement, it mentioned.

The passenger — who has a prosthetic limb — will first pass through the door frame metal detector and should then be taken to a private screening point and made to sit comfortably, it noted.

This passenger will then receive additional screening including a pat-down, the draft guidelines said.

“A prosthetic appliance which does not have any foam padding cover under which any weapon or explosive can be concealed and in which the steel rod of the appliance is clearly visible may be screened by visual inspection and ETD checks only, without removing it.”

However, in rare cases, where there is sufficient justification including profiling of the passenger, X-ray screening may be resorted to, it stated, adding the justification for subjecting a prosthetic limb to X-ray screening shall be recorded by the screener in a register Prosthetic appliances that are covered in foam padding and in which the steel rod is not visible must undergo X-ray screening, it mentioned.

The draft guidelines also said that passengers who have external devices including insulin pumps, hearing aids, cochlear implants, spinal stimulators, bone growth stimulators and ostomies will not have to disconnect them for X-ray screening.

Under most circumstances, a passenger can conduct a self-pat-down of these devices followed by ETD screening of his or her hands, it added.

Disabled passengers should inform the airline about their complete requirement 48 hours before the scheduled departure so that the carrier can make necessary arrangements, it mentioned.

If a passenger wants to check-in their wheelchair at the airport, the airline must ensure that the wheelchair is duly taxed and sent to the baggage make-up area with a service partner to avoid any damage, it noted.

Passengers should check with the airline on the specific requirements of bringing service animals on flights.

A low floor coach or a ramp should be used for comfortable boarding or debarring of wheelchair users, the draft guidelines mentioned.

“Airlines should ensure that a disability awareness training is conducted for new hires and ensure periodic refreshers are conducted for all staff to reiterate policies and standard operating procedures on customer assistance with different types of disabilities,” it mentioned.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has given three weeks for people to send their comments and suggestions on the draft “Accessibility Standards and Guidelines for Civil Aviation”, after which final guidelines will be issued.

CHANDIGARH: Former Punjab Chief Minister Captain (retired) Amarinder Singh announced on Wednesday that he will soon share the name and symbol of his new party once it is confirmed by the Election Commission.

Amarinder Singh addressed the press conference sharing the details of the achievements of his 4.5 years of government in Punjab.

Earlier, Amarinder Singh media advisor Raveen Thukral had announced through a series of Tweets, former Punjab Chief Minister will launch a party of his own.

In the tweets earlier, Singh had also claimed that his new political outfit might form an alliance with the BJP too if the issues of farmer protest are resolved in the interest of farmers.

Singh resigned last month as the chief minister and had announced that he will be quitting the Congress after months of rift with Congress state chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

He had resigned ahead of Congress legislature party meeting which was called amid unending factional battles in the ruling Congress in the state. Singh was replaced by Charanjit Singh Channi as the chief minister of the state.

TUMAKURU: Former PM and JDS patriarch HD Deve Gowda on Monday expressed suspicion over huge cash flows into the Sindagi Assembly segment by the BJP and Congress in the last three days of campaigning. This may affect the JDS candidate’s prospects, he felt. Bypolls in Sindagi and Hanagal will be held on October 30.

“The JDS has no financial backup like  BJP and Congress. I have covered 25 major villages and received good response from the electorate. I will be there until October 27 and I don’t know what will happen in the last three days,’’ he said. Asked whether he will take it to the notice of the Election Commission, he felt it would not help.

“Rivals may say we have no base in north Karnataka. But why did Congress poach the late M C Managuli’s son, whom we had groomed”, he questioned. “Look at the developments across the country, especially Punjab. The Congress is sinking. If we JDS leaders get united in Karnataka, we can emerge as a strong force,” he said while hinting that the party leadership had persuaded Chamundeshwari MLA G T Deve Gowda not to quit the party. “My grandson and G T Deve Gowda’s son Harish met and dined together. Harish has good prospects in politics. If mistakes have happened, we should set them right and move on,” he said. 

‘Politics is losing its sanctity’
Hassan: Expressing displeasure over the verbal attacks by leaders of different parties during the bypoll campaign, Gowda said they should stop airing nasty statements for cheap publicity. He said that politics is losing its sanctity. He claimed that he had never attack any leader individually under any circumstances. While stating that the party candidates had good public support in Hanagal and Sindagi, he said the outcome of  the bypoll will only impact the Congress.   

NEW DELHI: With an aim to introduce safety measures for child passengers, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed that the speed of a motorcycle, with a child up to age 4 years being carried as a pillion, shall not be more than 40 kmph.

“The speed of the motorcycle with the child up to age 4 years being carried as a pillion, shall not be more than 40 kmph,” according to the draft notification issued by the ministry.

The ministry further said that the driver of a motorcycle shall ensure that for children below four years, safety harness shall be used for attaching the child to the driver of the motorcycle.

A safety harness is a vest to be worn by the child, which shall be adjustable, with a pair of straps attached to the vest and forming shoulder loops to be worn by the driver.

“This way, the upper torso of the child is securely attached to the driver. A feature by which this is achieved is by attaching the straps to the back of the vest and crossing the straps over the vest so that two large crossing-over loops are formed that pass between the legs of the passenger,” the ministry explained.

The MoRTH has also asked for objections and suggestions to these draft rules, if any.