BENGALURU: The ghost of the August 2020 Deverajeevanahalli (DJ Halli) riots has returned to haunt Congress MLA from Pulakeshinagar, Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, who in 2018 had won by 81,626 votes, the highest margin in the Assembly polls, against JDS’ B Prasanna Kumar. 

Kumar returned to Congress in 2021 and is being pitted against Murthy, who is awaiting his name to be cleared by the Congress Election Committee (CEC).  The pulakeshinagar seat represented by Murthy is yet to be decided by the CEC as minorities, who are still reeling under the 2020 riots, have reportedly expressed their concern about his candidature. Murthy was with JDS and had joined Congress in 2017 after former CM Siddaramaiah asked him to switch sides.

The posters of Kumar, who returned to Congress in February 2021, are seen along with Kharge and KPCC president DK Shivakumar in the congested Shampura, Tannery Road, DJ Halli, Kavalbyrasanda and on autorickshaws from East Bengaluru.

Both Murthy and Kumar told TNIE they are hopeful of getting the ticket after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Belagavi on March 20. Murthy told TNIE he is confident of getting a ticket from Pulakeshinagar. “I had secured 97,574 votes, the highest in the 2018 elections. I had won by 81,626 votes against Kumar, who got over 15,000 votes. He was the JDS candidate. The people of this constituency know me and the work that I have done. Barring some minority leaders, who are being instigated by others, most of the people are with me,” said Murthy.

He was upset that he didn’t receive enough support from Shivakumar after his house was torched by a mob in the 2020 riots. Meanwhile, Kumar too expressed his confidence and said he is “very hopeful” of getting the ticket from the Pulakeshinagar Assembly constituency.  “I have been working in the constituency after the DJ Halli riots and know people’s pulse. They want a change.

The main issues of congested roads, poor drainage, garbage and water have remained unattended,” said Kumar. He added that he is a four-time Congress MLA, three times from Yelahanka and once from Pulakeshinagar between 2008-’13. Pulakeshinagar has a population of around 2,36,000 people, of which around 50 per cent are Muslims, around 20,000 Christians, and the rest are Hindus and others.

Karjat (Maharashtra): Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Monday claimed 15 to 20 Shiv Sena MLAs who have joined the rebel camp are in touch with him and have urged the party to bring them back to Mumbai from Guwahati, where they are lodged in a hotel along with Cabinet minister Eknath Shinde whose rebellion has pushed the MVA government into a major crisis.

Addressing Shiv Sena workers in Karjat, on outskirts of Mumbai, Thackeray, who has been doing firefighting to save the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, said every party worker is seeing the current situation as an opportunity and not as a problem.

The dirt has gone away. Now we can do something good, Thackeray said, referring to the rebel MLAs.

The Shiv Sena leader, the son of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, said before the June 21 revolt there were murmurs that some developments will take place in the party, which heads the MVA that also comprises of the NCP and the Congress.

A majority of the Sena MLAs, including nine ministers, have rebelled against the party, threatening the existence of the two-and-a-half-year old government.

The Sena has claimed some legislators have been kidnapped or forcibly taken by the rebel camp.

Around 15-20 MLAs are in touch with us. They call me and Shiv Sainiks and urged us to bring them back from Guwahati, he said.

Their situation is like a prisoner, first in Surat (where the rebels landed after leaving Mumbai last week) and then in Guwahati, he said.

Shinde has claimed the support of more than three dozen Sena MLAs out of the total 55.

Slamming the Sena strongman from Thane without taking his name, Thackeray said some leaders were blindly trusted and the sad part is such people were promoted in the organization continuously.

He said the MLAs leaving the parties was like “cleaning the ‘nullahs’ and garbage before the onset of monsoon”.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Friday issued an advisory to Muslim scholars and intellectuals against participating in television debates which intent to make mockery and insult Islam and Muslims.

In a press note, the board added that the decision was taken in consideration with the views of the President, Vice-Presidents and General Secretary of the board.

It was said that participating in such programs they are not able to do any service to Islam and Muslims, instead, they become reason for their own direct insult by involving Muslims and Islam.

“The intention of these programs are not to reach any conclusions through constructive discourse but to ridicule and defame Islam and Muslims” an official press statement added.

“If we boycott such programs and channels not only it will affect their TRP negatively, but they will also fail in achieving their desired outcome through these debates” it further added.

JAKARTA: The foreign ministers of Malaysia and Indonesia expressed concern Monday that Australia’s nuclear-powered submarines may increase the rivalry of major powers in Southeast Asia.

The alliance will see a reshaping of relations in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

Under the arrangement, Australia will build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines using US expertise, while dumping a contract with France for diesel-electric subs.

Experts say the nuclear subs will allow Australia to conduct longer patrols and give the alliance a stronger military presence in the region.

“This situation will certainly not benefit anyone,” Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said after meeting with her Malaysian counterpart Saifuddin Abdullah in the capital, Jakarta.

“We both agreed that efforts to maintain a peaceful and stable region must continue and don’t want the current dynamics to cause tension in the arms race and also in power projection.”

The two ministers told a joint news conference that they agreed to strengthen the unity and centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and urged all ASEAN partners to contribute the stability, security, peace and prosperity of the region and respecting international law.

Saifuddin said having a near-neighbour build new submarines that use nuclear power could entice other countries to come more frequently into Southeast Asian territory.

Saifuddin is visiting Jakarta also to prepare for Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s visit to Indonesia later this year as his first overseas trip since taking office in August.

ASEAN’s members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Brunei is chair of the bloc this year.

ASEAN has formal partnerships with several countries including Australia, China, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea and Pakistan as well as the European Union.

Pramesh Jain

After a widespread criticism against the police brutality was witnessed on the first day of the strict lockdown enforcement as police caned and resorted to harsh punishment on the motorists who were caught moving without valid reasons.

Many social activists and community leaders vent their ire on the police brutality and question the police canning people.

Taking a serious note on the response of the community and members of the general public on social platforms,the City Police Commissioner mellowed down and directed his officials not to use the force but ensure strict enforcement.

Similar directions were issued by the state police chief Praveen Sood to the police across the state as social media was flooded with the video posts about the police canning and plight of the people.

Police resorted to canning motorists violating lockdown in and around KR market on Monday morning.

Police found hundreds of motorists moving despite warning strict action.

Many Autorickshaw drivers were caught and made sit ups as punishment .

City police commissioner Kamal pant along with,BBMP Chief Commissioner, Gaurav Gupta with other senior police officers visited to KR market area to supervise the bandobast.

Commissioner of police Kamal Pant was seen checking the vehicles and inquiring people why they have come out after getting a valid reason he allowed them to go and those with without valid reason came on their vehicles were seized.

Meanwhile DCP Traffic West,Kuldeep Kumar R Jain was also seen checking the vehicles near city Market area and those who came out without valid reason there vehicles were seized by the DCP and his team.

The officers visited old taragupet area where huge public floating will be daily even visited vegetable and fruit market to inspect and what changes to be done to avoid public simply venturing out.

BBMP Chief Commissioner,Gaurav Gupta said today we have visited to city market area and old Taragupet area and even visited to wholesale fruit and vegetable market area we noticed people are coming in large numbers so we will enforce more strictly the lockdown in coming days he added.

Police barricaded major roads and even busy by lanes at the residential areas in and around city market to stop People from  moving.

Despite strict action of caning and seizures of vehicle motorist’s continue to venture citing lame excuses, a police officer, said.

Karnataka sees slight dip in COVID-19 caseload, 39,305 fresh cases; 16,747 in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, the government further tightened the lockdown rules by allowing only essential commodities to be delivered through e-commerce and home delivery portals.The earlier order had said that delivery of all items through e-commerce and home delivery was permitted.

Meanwhile the city police seized as many as 2410 vehicles including 2213 bikes,80 autos and 117 four wheelers for violating lock down rules.

The police also booked 13 cases against shops and commercial establishments under disaster management act for operating during lock down.

City Commissioner reiterated that the public should not venture out during lockdown unnecessarily.

However those who have emergency situations can approach the DCP intelligence,Santosh Babu on 9480801032 or 22942354 for permission to travel or carry or permitted activities. 

Those who go out to get vaccination are allowed provided that they should show the online registration details on their mobiles.However, walk-in vaccinations are not allowed.

The Director General and Inspector General of police,Praveen Sood said in his tweet that people can use vehicles at local level to go to shops and buy groceries and essentials.however these facilities should be used with discretion and not as license for free run.Stay at home for our own safety. 

 Sayan Chatterjee

 Lately Defence minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the 13th edition of Aero India – the marquee aerospace and defence business event – in Bengaluru. The Covid compliant premier air show commenced from 3^rd of Feb till 5^th of Feb 2021 at the Yelahanka AFS.

Ensuing, the biennial event every edition of Aero India enthralls the national and international Defence eminences, Dignitaries, Exhibitors, and Visitors on-ground with a magnificent line-up of air displays on all the days of the event. This year it was no exception to the said ritual all along the skyline of Bengaluru.

As an attendee to the event, gazing at the spectacular displays up above the ground so high a thought evoked in my mind. As in, how much effort and background work does go into the preparation of such impeccable shows (air displays) of human precision (Test/ Display Pilots).

On that note, I thought to seize a few moments of conversation at the tarmac this year with one such meticulous human soul, who relentlessly affirmed that the display or test pilots are a breed apart.

Here are the passages, from my candid conversation with Wng Cdr. Subhash P John, IAF Veteran (VSM) & Deputy Chief Test Pilot (RW) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, India.

The bonhomie with his remarkable maneuvers delineated the efficacy of HAL’s – LCH (Light Combat Helicopter) as a platform at Aero India, 2021. Wng Cdr. John has been participating in the flying display at the Aero India since 2009 and has flown Rudra helicopters (weaponized version of Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), ALH-Dhruv, Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and others.

Our conversation started, while I tried understanding the basic difference between a normal pilot, test pilot and the display pilots from the man himself.  Wng Cdr. John subtly explained it to me, that the Test & the Display pilots are two different types altogether. And the factors that he finds extremely crucial for a Display pilots is – Discipline. However, there are many other common grounds that stand the same for all the three types, which I shall cover as you move ahead reading this conversation.

Discipline

Describing on the Discipline bit, Wng Cdr. John said, “We (Display Pilots) are given the freedom to do a lot of things. So, we try to stay within the physical limits of our aircrafts. We as display pilots always go beyond the typical limits that a normal test or fighter pilot undertakes. We go beyond that”

Sheer Focus

“It is imperative for us to have a lot of focus. It is in a very short span on time up in the air, one thing moves to the next. There is no time for us to think, and then act” he added.

Flying Skills

As expressed, by Wng Cdr. John another key aspect that he believes extremely crucial for a Display pilot is the flying skills of oneself. He said, “Almost all of us have the same level. So, these are the three things that goes into selection process of a Display pilot as a participant to any show”  

As we further moved deep into our conversation, Wng Cdr. John expressed, “Now, once a pilot is selected for a display, he or she needs to build a routine, the routine in the sense that, the maneuvers have been planned in such a way that somebody who is witnessing it enjoys it, that is supposed to grab their attention, they have to be safe that is always the utmost requirement and they should flow into one another. So, as you have seen the displacements executed by all of us here, it is not an individual’s act, it is a collective act which encapsulates as one, in form of a display for the spectators”  

The synchronization amongst the pilots has often been a delight among the spectators who descend at the Air Force Station biennially to watch the grit, discipline, and daredevil stunts of the air warriors.

If Synchronization & Trust are two important facets in the life of a Test / Display pilot ?

Wng Cdr. John underlines on this front while expressing his chain of thoughts, “True. Yes, they absolutely stand significant for our lives. Perhaps, that is why you would usually find us, the pilots sticking around together very often. Because, when our life depends on the other person’s actions, it is critical for us to establish the bonds of brotherhood amongst ourselves. Especially as teams when we initiate to execute an air display”

Emphasizing further on it, he added, “Possibly most of the things that we do, we all listen and discuss amongst ourselves. So that, it builds up a lot of human relations, in fact most of the time we know what the other person is thinking. The bond is that strong. Human relations help, for instance most of the time we know another person under the pilot would react necessarily to any surface aggression. That is important, but there is not much time for us to discuss. It must be an immediate instinctive reaction in favor to resolve any such adverse situations”

‘Brotherhood’ is an integral factor among the aviators that develops this bond and stitches them together during any air displays. Test pilots volunteer for the services and only a few can make it through the course. It involves risk as the aircrafts and helicopters are pushed through envelopes to ensure that the machine is safe before being put for the operational purpose into any Defence mechanism.

Is it too taxing to undertake multiple sorties on a single day at any aero show as a Display pilot ?

Out of curiosity when I asked him this, Wng Cdr. John, helped me with his cordial explanation, “ When we have a display scheduled, we generally keep all the other activities before the display. Even if we do something like that, usually about half an hour before the display we take a pause and strategize what and how we would execute it up in the air”

If I talk about myself, I still sit for 20 minutes to revise before every act of air display. As I have been doing it for so many years, the time is less. Otherwise, a new pilot would take at least a month to prepare for a flying display. And a lot of us do the same for their respective actions of how they going to execute it, so we all go through that.

As you see there is no time to think it must be very set. It is advanced, it is like a dance performance, and must go from one step to the other, there is no way you can stop. It is a balance in motion.

Whilst understanding the nuances from him, I inquired as in how many display sorties does, he prefers to undertake as a Display pilot. Wng Cdr. John was humble enough to throw some light on that front as well in context to Aero India, 2021, “I do not do many, because morning I do the display. And after that I do all the ground demonstrations for the customers, but I do not stretch myself do another display by afternoon”

“There is a certain limit of anything, you should not over do the fatigue. The display is for 6 minutes, 20 minutes. I prepare for it, 15 minutes to walk, start-up, Take-off another 6 minutes to 4 minutes. So, it is about 45 minutes approximately in total”

This 45 minute I cycle mentally, and not supposed to be in my normal senses. The reactions are faster. So, it is a tough, elevated level of 45 minutes. So, you cannot repeat too often. The most I can think of is if I am not doing anything one in the morning followed by another one by noon. But if I have some other commitments at work just one in the morning.

Ensuing, the engrossing discussions we concluded our conversation on a lighter note, talking about the food habits that the test and display pilots follow and how sleep time is extremely important for the pilots to push themselves beyond their limits to prove themselves flawless. Every time and always.

We have always stood for peaceful protests and will continue to defend the rights of peaceful protestors in India,” he had said in an online interaction with the Sikh community on Monday.

NEW DELHI:  Taking a note of comments made by Canadian premier Justin Trudeau and other leaders on the farmers’ protests, India summoned the Canadian High Commissioner on Friday and warned that such actions could have a seriously damaging impact on bilateral ties.

“The Canadian High Commissioner was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs today and informed that comments by the Canadian Prime Minister, some Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament on issues relating to Indian farmers constitute an unacceptable interference in our internal affairs. Such actions,  if continued, would have a seriously damaging impact on ties between India and Canada,” the MEA said in a statement. Trudeau was the first international leader to comment on the farmers’ protest.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t start by recognising the news coming from India about the protest by farmers. The situation is concerning. We are all very worried about family and friends. We have always stood for peaceful protests and will continue to defend the rights of peaceful protestors in India,” he had said in an online interaction with the Sikh community on Monday.

The MEA statement added that such comments encouraged gatherings of extremist activities in front of Indian High Commission and Consulates in Canada and raise issues of safety and security.

“Such actions, if continued, would have a seriously damaging impact on ties between India and Canada,” the ministry asserted.

“We expect the Canadian Government to ensure the fullest security of Indian diplomatic personnel and its political leaders to refrain from pronouncements that legitimize extremist activism,” it asserted. 

India on Tuesday too had lashed out at Trudeau saying that his comments were ill-informed and unwarranted. MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that the Canadian Prime Minister’s comments on India’s internal affairs were unwarranted. 

Canadian prime minister Trudeau, backing the agitating farmers in India, had said that Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protests, and had expressed concern over the situation.

“We expect the Canadian government to ensure the fullest security of Indian diplomatic personnel and its political leaders to refrain from pronouncements that legitimize extremist activism,” the MEA said.

On Tuesday, the ministry had reacted very strongly to the comments made by Trudeau and some other Canadian leaders, terming them as “unwarranted”.

“We have seen some ill-informed comments by Canadian leaders relating to farmers in India. Such comments are unwarranted, especially when pertaining to the internal affairs of a democratic country. It is also best that diplomatic conversations are not misrepresented for political purposes,” the MEA had said.

When asked by a journalist about India’s reaction, Trudeau said in Ottawa, “Canada will always stand up for the right to peaceful protest anywhere around the world. We are pleased to see moves towards deescalation and dialogue.”

On whether his comments would damage ties with India, he reiterated: “Canada will always stand up for the right of peaceful protests and human rights around the world.”

Canada has a significant number of Indians and most of them are from Punjab.

Canada’s Indian-origin Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan too had expressed concerns over reports of the “peaceful protesters being brutalised in India”.

“The reports of peaceful protesters being brutalized in India are very troubling. Many of my constituents have family there and are worried about the safety of their loved ones. Healthy democracies allow peaceful protest. I urge those involved to uphold this fundamental right,” he tweeted on Sunday.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and several other states have been protesting for the last nine days at the borders of Delhi against three farm laws.

Dubbing these laws as “anti-farmer”, these farmers claim that the newly enacted legislations would pave the way for dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporations.

However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, launched the 750 MW solar project in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh through video-conferencing.

Rahul Gandhi targetted PM Modi for calling Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa solar project “Asia’s largest”New Delhi: 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his assertion that the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar project in Madhya Pradesh is the largest in Asia.

Prime Minister Modi, on Friday, launched the 750 MW solar project in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh through video-conferencing.

“Asatyagrahi” (which roughly translates to ‘one who does not believe in the struggle for truth’), Rahul Gandhi wrote in Hindi on Twitter, tagging a tweet by the Prime Minister’s Office which quoted PM Modi as saying that Rewa has been identified with Narmada and white tigers, but now the name of Asia’s largest solar power project has also been added to it.

DK Shivakumar, the Congress’s Karnataka unit chief and a former energy minister in the state, had on Friday said, “Union Power Minister must answer as to how the Central government can claim that the Rewa Solar Park (750 MW) opened today is Asia’s largest when clearly the Pavagada Park in Karnataka is much larger (2,000 MW) and was opened two years back!”