Panaji, As Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar was in favour of buying Sukhoi SU-30MK1, which were cheaper and as good as French Rafale jets, then why did Prime Minister Narendra Modi strike an expensive deal for the latter aircraft, Goa Congress spokesperson Ramakant Khalap said on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference at the state Congress headquarters here, Khalap also said that the mystery of Rafale deal was embedded in a geographic triangle of Paris, Delhi and Goa, and said now that the ailing Chief Minister was on his feet, he should be answering queries related to the controversial deal.
“In Rajya Sabha in July 2015, he had said that the agreement for 126 aircraft is being withdrawn and negotiations for 36 aircraft will be started. Prior to that in February 2014, he had said that instead of Rafale, Sukhoi SU-30MK1 be purchased because they are as good as Rafale and cheaper than Rafale. This was the view expressed by Manohar Parrikar in his capacity as Defence Minister of India,” Khalap said.
“This is to Mr. Parrikar… Now that he is moving around, the press would be fully justified in asking for a personal meet-up with him. He can throw more light on the issue,” the former Union Minister of State for Law said.
Khalap, while accusing the Central government of lying to the Supreme Court of India, said that the key to the Rafale mystery lay in three geographical regions.
“So we have Delhi, we have Paris and we have Goa. A triangle, which perhaps holds the mystery of this Rafale aircraft. If no JPC (joint parliamentary committee) is formed (for probe into Rafale deal), the future of the present NDA will be written in perhaps French letters, in the French language,” Khalap said.
India second-most spammed country in 2018: Truecaller
Bengaluru, Brazil surpassed India to become the most spammed country in the world in 2018, according to a report from popular communication app Truecaller on Tuesday.
More than six per cent of overall calls received by Indian users in 2018 were spam calls. However, the average number of spam calls received in India dropped to 22.3 calls per user/month – 1.5 per cent less than last year, the findings showed.
On an average, a Truecaller user in Brazil received 37.5 spam calls per month – an 81 per cent increase of spam calls in a year, said the “Truecaller Insight Special Report”.
Chile, South Africa and Mexico are the three other countries among the list of top five countries affected by spam calls this year.
With regard to spam call categorisation, operators and telecom service providers continue to be the top spammers in India with 91 per cent user calls received for the upselling of various offers and balance reminders, Truecaller said in a statement.
This is followed by scam callers and telemarketers who garnered seven per cent and two per cent of such calls respectively.
Truecaller said it identified and blocked 17.7 billion spam calls globally, where every fourth call that users received was a spam call.
FIR registered against Sharif’s security guards for assaulting cameraman
Islamabad, An FIR was lodged here on Tuesday against five persons, including the security guards of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, for violently assaulting a TV cameraman a day earlier.
Footage on Monday showed Syed Wajid Ali, the cameraman of Samaa TV, lying on the ground outside the parliament building after a security guard allegedly shoved him for coming in Sharif’s way while recording him, reports Dawn news.
Another guard was then seen rushing towards the cameraman and kicking him in the face.
The guard, as per the footage, then escapes the scene in one of the vehicles of protocol.
The cameraman, who lost consciousness due to the kick, was shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
According to doctors, Ali had sustained injuries on his lip, where he was administered three stitches, and on his head.
Sharif, while speaking to the media, described the incident as unfortunate and assured that “every measure will be taken in accordance with the law”, Dawn said.
The former leader regretted the incident but claimed that the assaulted cameraman had first hit his guard with his camera.
“That is no way (to behave),” Sharif said. “(But) the cameraman had hit the guard on his forehead with his equipment.”
5 killed by elephants in Jharkhand
Ranchi, A herd of rampaging elephants have killed five people in the last one week in Jharkhand’s Pakur, Jamtara and Dumka districts, forest officials said on Tuesday.
The fifth person was trampled to death late on Monday in Pakur by the herd that has 22 elephants.
According to forest department officials, Amanuwal Hembrom, 30, a resident of Khhassa village was one of the members in a group that had been trying to chase the elephants away.
A mob on Tuesday blocked the national highway in Pakur demanding action and compensation.
The herd has been rampaging through the Santhal Pargana region.
They had first entered Jamtara district and trampled three people to death on different days. Later the herd entered Dumka where one person was trampled to death.
The herd also includes baby elephants, who have wrecked havoc — standing crops and houses have been damaged by the herd, a forest official said.
In Jharkhand more than 700 people have been killed by elephant herds since the states creation in 2000.
New ‘all women’ political party launched
New Delhi, A “National Women’s Party” was launched here on Tuesday with the aim of ensuring 50 per cent representation for women in Parliament and other places.
Announcing the launch, the party’s national President Swetha Shetty said: “In a male-dominated political system, an all women’s party is important. Women and their issues are only raised during the mother’s day, the women’s day or during the election time. NWP will be a platform for women to raise their voices.”
The party, which started its ground work in 2012, was launched with the aim of getting 50 per cent reservation for women candidates in the Lok Sabha Election, she said adding they have applied for registration with the Election Commission.
With no prominent names to mention, the party claimed it has the support of 1.45 lakh women members of Hyderabad-based Telangana Mahila Samiti, “and their numbers are persistently increasing across India”.
“Even in 2018, women rights are avoided. I invite all the women, who feel the party can be a platform to improve the condition of women in present time, to join it,” Shetty said.
A doctor by profession, 36-year-old Shetty also heads an NGO in Telangana where she realised “the acute need to be a part of the system to bring the change”.
“We won’t be quiet until we see that women are represented equally in the Parliament.
“My initial aim will be to ensure 50 per cent reservations inside the parliament and slowly in all walks of life,” she said.
She also said the party will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and will support and seek backing from like-minded parties.
She said that the party also welcomes political support from men, “if they agree with our ideology”.
Sajjan Kumar quits Congress
New Delhi, A day after being convicted and sentenced to life-imprisonment in an 1984 anti-Sikh riot case, Sajjan Kumar on Tuesday resigned from the primary membership of the Congress.
The former Lok Sabha member in a letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi said he was resigning from the party with immediate effect, said party sources.
Elected thrice to the Lok Sabha from the Outer Delhi constituency, the latest being 2004, Kumar had being sidelined by the party since 2009 when he was denied ticket to contest the general elections following allegations of his involvement in the riots which the High Court on Monday described as “crime against humanity”.
While Kumar on the day refused to interact with the media, his lawyers said they were in process of approaching the Supreme Court against the conviction by the Delhi High Court.
Meanwhile, Gandhi who is said to have accepted Kumar’s resignation, refused to comment on the convicted leader.
Addressing the media in Parliament complex, Gandhi said his press conference was about the Narendra Modi government and farmers loans issue.
“I have made my position on the riots very clear, this press conference is about the farmers,” replied Gandhi when asked to comment about Kumar.
Barring Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who welcomed Kumar’s conviction, Congress leaders mostly have refrained from commenting on the issue saying the conviction should not be “politicised”.
Facing intense attacks from the Centre’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and ally Shiromani Akali Dal, the Congress also raked up the 2002 Gujarat riots to target the saffron party and Modi who was then the Gujarat Chief Minister.
10 Indian media outlets among 87 selected for YouTube funding
New Delhi, Ten media outlets from India have been selected for receiving YouTube innovation funding as part of the Google News Initiative (GNI) to help newsrooms and publishers strengthen their online video capabilities and experiment with new formats for video journalism.
These 10 news organisations – Asianet News Media and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., Bharatiya Digital Party (BhaDiPa), FACTLY, Gaon Connection, India Today Group, Live Data Visualisation Pvt. Ltd., NDTV, NYOOOZ, ShepHertz and Video Volunteers — are among the 87 selected from 23 countries.
“Today’s announcement reinforces our commitment to supporting a strong future for news video,” Timothy Katz, Director of News Partnerships, YouTube, said in a blog post on Tuesday.
“Hailing from 23 countries around the world, they represent a diverse array of broadcasters, traditional and digital publishers, local media, agencies and creators, but all share a commitment to quality journalism and a spirit of innovation,” Katz added.
As part of the launch of Google News Initiative in March, YouTube committed $25 million funding to support the future of news.
Many of the projects selected for the innovation funding are focused on expanding newsroom video operations and trying out new ways of reporting news through video — from reaching younger audiences online to exploring live and fact-checking formats.
Other projects look at the sustainability of news organisations, including work on new business models and programmes to support a healthy news ecosystem.
“Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing insights gained from the projects and giving newsrooms the opportunity to benefit from the learnings,” Katz added.
K’taka cabinet expansion unlikely to postpone’
Several senior Congress leaders that media spoke to said that many legislators in the JD(S) would not agree to the expansion on December 22 due to superstitious beliefs.
While the much awaited Karnataka cabinet expansion was slated to take place on December 22, leaders in the Congress party say that it is likely to be pushed for a later date. Congress insiders say that Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy will not be attending the Congress legislative party meeting slated to be held on December 22 in Belagavi.
This comes just days after Congress Legislative Party chief and former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the date of the expansion.
Several senior Congress leaders that media spoke to said that many legislators in the JD(S) would not agree to the expansion on December 22 due to superstitious beliefs.
“Currently shunya maasa (a month in the hindu lunar calendar, which is considered inauspicious) is prevailing. Most of the legislators in the JD(S) and a few in the Congress are against expanding the cabinet now. They feel it will bring bad luck and lead to the collapse of the coalition,” a senior Congress leader told media.
According to Hindu mythology, every year, roughly from December 15 to the day before Shankranti, shunya maasa is observed.
While superstition may push the date of any announcement, there is hectic lobbying from within congress and JD(S) to stop any expansion. A top Congress leader told media that Kumaraswamy may fill the six vacancies in the cabinet. He is also likely to change two ministers and induct two others in their place.
Sources also said that a few Congress leaders in the party were apprehensive of expanding the cabinet ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
“There is going to be a lot of lobbying and competition. The party leaders are wary because those who feel neglected may cause more damage to the party during the general election. I have a feeling that they will push it to January 15, later they will say after April,” another Congress leader told media.
“The expansion is likely not going to happen. Most of the MLAs know that. The Congress MLAs are having a lot of trouble regarding allocation of funds for their constituencies. There is a lot of problems being created because of the transfer of bureaucrats. Only constituencies where JD(S) MLAs have been elected are getting grants quickly. This will be the first thing that will be discussed,” a Congress leader said.
On December 6, Siddaramaiah had told the media that the cabinet expansion will take place on December 22 after the CLP meeting. “We have arrived at a decision to expand the cabinet on December 22, after the state legislature’s winter session from December 10 at Belagavi,” Siddaramaiah had said.
The leaders will also decide who will be named as the chairpersons of 30 state-run boards and corporations.
After eating hostel food nearly 80 college students fall sick
Most of the students have been discharged, while around 20 remain hospitalised for food poisoning.
Nearly 80 students of the Veterinary Science Diploma College in Tiptur taluk of Tumkur district, fell sick after eating breakfast served at the college mess. On Sunday morning, students had gone to the mess for breakfast, where idli, sambar and chutney were served to them. At around 11am, several of the students began experiencing severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
They were subsequently taken to the government hospital in Tiptur and diagnosed with food poisoning and were treated. Most were treated on an outpatient basis and sent home, while a few have been admitted and are undergoing treatment at present.
“Around 80 students in the hostel had eaten breakfast in the mess. They’d had some idli, sambar, and chutney. Within an hour they all presented with stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting,” said Dr Chandrika, Tumkur District Health Officer (DHO), speaking to media. “Most were given supportive treatment and were discharged yesterday itself, however around 20 to 23 students are still in the in-patient wards, getting treatment for the same.”
Food samples were sent to a lab for testing, it has yet to be determined what caused so many students to fall ill at once. The students have alleged that the warden of the hostel, Rudraswamy, would not visit the premises or ensure that hygiene was maintained in the mess. It was reported that the warden was out of town during the time of this incident as well.
In a similar incident last month in Telangana, around 40 girls from a hostel in Suryapet area came down with food poisoning after eating dinner at their hostel mess. Doctors began treating them immediately and all of them recovered subsequently. Following this, district health officials conducted medical camps to spread awareness about food poisoning.
BMTC bus with faulty brakes rams into Two teens
The cash-strapped Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is in a fix. Several of its buses are old and in need of serious repairs. But the transport agency’s laxity in repairing faulty brakes in buses may have once again resulted in the death of two teenage boys in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Two pre-university college students were killed on Tuesday morning after being hit by a BMTC bus on Mysuru Road. The incident occurred at 8 am in the morning when Chandrakanta (16) and Yadu Kumar SY (15), students of BBMP Kasturba PU College, KB Nagar on Mysuru Road were waiting near the KSRTC Satellite bus stand trying to cross the road.
A BMTC bus travelling from Mysuru Road to Kempegowda Bus Stand in Majestic rammed into two boys after a reported brake failure. The incident took place close to Gopalan Mall on Mysuru Road.
Chandrakanth was a first year pre-university student while Yadu Kumar was a second year pre-university student and both were pursuing commerce. While Chandrakanth worked part- time at the Gopalan wall, his mother works as a domestic help. Yadu Kumar meanwhile delivered newspapers in the morning before attending college.
“They were standing on the footpath waiting to cross the road when the bus lost control and hit them,” said a police official at Byatarayanapura. Police officials at the station are investigating the case and an FIR will be registered after a preliminary probe, police said.
Students of BBMP Kasturba College staged a protest on Mysuru Road along with the families of the victims demanding that action should be taken on those who caused the accident.
Speaking to media, BMTC PRO Deepak said that the transport agency was looking into the incident. He said that the bus in question had travelled close to 5 lakh km.
“A week ago, the bus driver had entered in the drivers’ log book that the bus’s brakes need to be replaced. BMTC always tell the drivers that they do not have money for repairs. The brakes were just cleaned and not changed. When he complained that it was risky, he was asked to drive slowly,” said Nagaraj, a BMTC driver, who is also a member of the All India Trade Union Congress.
Sources in the BMTC say that 40% of the buses have travelled 4 to 6 lakh kilometers and are in dire need of repairs and spare parts.
“This year, the government gave the BMTC Rs 100 crore. This money was used to pay off the gratuity of employees who retired two to three years ago. Still, many retired personnel need to be paid their gratuity and insurance money. We had asked for a Rs 3,000 crore grant from the government. There is no money to buy spare parts, let alone get buses repaired,” a senior BMTC official said.
The bodies of the students were shifted to Victoria Hospital. BBMP Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun has announced a compensation of Rs. 10 lakhs for both families of victims.
ccording to a study by Underwriters Laboratories and World Resources Institute, from 2010 to 2017— a total of 306 fatal accidents had occurred involving BMTC buses. But majority of the accidents (91%) had occurred while passengers were getting on and off the bus.