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Opposition unity ‘impossible’ without Congress: Shiv Sena

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Despite having low numbers in Parliament and losing power in many states, the Congress is still the only party which enjoys national acceptance and no opposition unity is possible without it, the Shiv Sena said on Monday.

Commenting on the ongoing unity efforts among major opposition parties in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Sena said all the opposition parties were essentially regional forces, unlike the Congress which remains a “national force” by all reckoning.

“The real problem before the opposition parties is whether to accept Rahul Gandhi’s leadership or not as there are many aspirants for the post of Prime Minister among opposition leaders,” the Sena said in edits in its mouthpieces “Saamana” and “Dopahar Ka Saamana”.

Dwelling on the current political scenario, it said the secret of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s success was that it enjoyed a majority in Parliament, had huge wealth at its command, could “buy” anything with the added advantage of disunity in the opposition.

“In spite of all this, BJP’s failures are evident and there is anger among the people. All allies have abandoned it and now it has dawned on BJP that only the regional parties can help it sail through the 2019 elections,” the Sena said.

Asserting that “there is no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi within the BJP”, which also suffers from a “trust” deficit, the Sena noted that the party had so far benefited only from the disarray in opposition ranks.

“In this scenario, if the BJP’s tally falls by over 100 seats, then will it get MPs from Vladimir Putin or Donald Trump or the UAE?

“In the past four years, people (in India) have gone against the BJP, but it has secured friendship of Putin and Trump… But how will this help in the elections?” the Sena wondered.

Criticising NCP President Sharad Pawar’s observations that an “opposition front may not be possible before the next elections”, the Sena said it appeared a part of “Pawar Pattern” to create scepticism and everyone was left speculating whether the “disciple” was speaking through the “guru” – a reference to Modi’s statement a few years ago in Pune that he considered Pawar his “political guru”.

Among the opposition parties, there were several contenders for the post of Prime Minister — Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav, M.K. Stalin, N. Chandrababu Naidu, Naveen Patnaik, K. Chandrashekhar Rao and even the 85-year old former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda.

“The chariot is ready, and though the wheels are missing, several horses are already in the saddle… It is not even clear yet whether it will be named a Third Front or a Fourth Front,” said the Sena, which has decided to go it alone in all future elections.

However, what they (opposition) cannot ignore is the scare Rahul Gandhi gave to the BJP in both Gujarat and Karnataka Assembly elections. But now all the opposition parties also were in a quandary whether to accept his (Rahul’s) leadership or not.

“A strong opposition is essential for a powerful democracy… In the interest of democracy, the opposition parties must concede as soon as possible to Rahul Gandhi who has scared the BJP… And the BJP is known for breaking the opposition to grab power,” the Sena cautioned.

One held, JD-U leader detained after RTI activist’s murder.

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A village panchayat head was arrested on Monday while a JD-U leader and two others were detained after a RTI activist and his friend were shot dead by criminals in Bihar’s Jamui district, police said.

Hundreds of angry residents blocked a road, burnt tyres and shouted slogans against the state government to denounce the killings, disrupting traffic on National Highway 333.

Valmiki Yadav and his friend Karu Yadav were attacked by motorcycle-borne assailants near Bichwe village on Sunday evening.

Panchayat head Krishna Ravidas was arrested and Janata Dal-United block president Suresh Mahto and two others were detained for interrogation, said police officer Rampukar Singh.

“Prima facie, it seems to be a pre-planned conspiracy,” he said.

Valmiki Yadav is said to have exposed several rackets and financial irregularities in the public welfare schemes and developmental works in the district.

This is the third such crime in the last three months. A Right to Information (RTI) activist was shot dead in Vaishali district in April whereas another RTI activist was shot dead in East Champaran district last month.

Debt-ridden MP farmer commits suicide

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Mounting debt and crop losses led a farmer in Madhya Pradesh to commit suicide, officials said.

Brijmohan Patel, 40, from Gadaghat village in Hoshangabad district, drank pesticides on Sunday night, police told IANS. He was admitted to a hospital where he died late at night.

According to his relatives, Patel was troubled because he failed to repay the Rs 4 lakh loan he had taken due to poor yields.

Education should not be religion based: Dalai Lama

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Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Monday said the education system in the world should be based on common sense and scientific knowledge and not on religion.

The Dalai Lama was here to inaugurate the Happiness Curriculum of the Delhi government along with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

“What we need in the world today is an education of values, not based on any religion, but based on common sense and scientific knowledge,” he said.

Stressing that India is the only country that can bring together modern education and ancient Indian knowledge, the Dalai Lama said: “This is needed to deal with the destructive emotions in the world. So what is being started in Delhi schools can have an impact on the whole world.”

The curriculum, with a focus on meditation and mental exercise, is designed with the aim to make students not only good humans who will spread happiness but also relaxed professionals who will not indulge in corruption.

The daily Happiness Class of 45 minutes will include mindfulness practice, gratitude, morals and value-based stories and activities.

The curriculum has been launched for over 1,000 government schools and will help improve the lives of about eight lakh students studying between Nursery and Class 8.

Sisodia, who is also in-charge of the Education Department, said the levels of happiness and well being are going down while stress, anxiety and depression are increasing.

“It is going to be the most important development in the education system with focus on good mental health, character and resilience. It will address the ever-growing concern levels of happiness and well being.

“A child’s mental well being is important. Happier children learn more, cope better and are much more likely to make the most of their potential,” he added.

Kejriwal called it a “landmark day” which will “completely transform the modern education system”.

“This should have been done 100-150 years ago. We forgot the real meaning of education. Our education system only generates clerks and failed in making kids better humans,” he said.

CBI books MLA, two others in Tripura journalist’s killing

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The CBI has booked three tribal leaders, including an MLA, for the murder of television journalist Santanu Bhowmik in 2017, an official said.

The official said that the three were Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) legislator Dhirendra Debbarma and party leaders Balram Debbarma and Amit Debbarma along with 300-500 IPFT members.

The IPFT is a tribal party and an ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It has eight MLAs in the 60-member Tripura Assembly and two Cabinet ministers in the BJP-led ministry led by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

Miscreants allegedly owing allegiance to the IPFT had on September 20, 2017, murdered Bhowmik at Mandwai, 25 km from Agartala. Santanu, 27, was attacked with sharp weapons while covering a road blockade by the IPFT, which is demanding a separate tribal state.

IPFT Vice President Ananta Debbarma told IANS that the party will comment later.

A newspaper journalist, Sudip Dutta, was also shot dead inside the Tripura State Rifles 2nd Battalion headquarters at Ramchandra Nagar in West Tripura district on November 21.

The then Left Front government had set up two SITs to probe the two killings.

The SIT arrested four TSR personnel — including TSR 2nd Battalion Commandant Tapan Debbarma, who is a senior Tripura Police Service (TPS) officer and was waiting for IPS nomination regarding Dutta’s killing.

The trial in the Dutta murder case started last month in the West Tripura District Additional District and Session Judge’s court but it was stopped following orders by the Tripura High Court.

The BJP-led government told the High Court in May that it had referred the matter to the CBI.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi throws open challenge to PM Narendra Modi and Congress to contest in Hyderbad and win that seat.

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Hyderabad MP and leader of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Asaduddin Owaisi has lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party BJP over a host of issues, including mob lynching, surgical strikes and the upcoming elections.

The AIMIM leader also threw an open challenge to PM Modi, his party and BJP and its chief Amit Shah to contest from Hyderabad and win that seat.

Everyone want s to snatch the Hyderabad seat from us. I challenge anyone to fight All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen from Hyderabad. I challenge PM Modi or Amit Shah to contest a seat from here.”

The firebrand AIMIM leader also challenged Rahul Gandhi-led Congress to contest from the Hyderabad seat.

”I also challenge Congress to contest from Hyderabad. Even if both these parties contest together, they still won’t be able to defeat us.” Asaduddin Owaisi roared while addressing a massive rally of his supporters in Hyderabad.

Challenge anyone to fight All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen(AIMIM) from Hyderabad. I challenge PM Modi or Amit Shah to contest a seat from here. I also challenge Congress. Even if both these parties contest together, they still won’t be able to defeat us: Asaduddin Owaisi

A video of his speech during which he can be seen challenging the ruling BJP dispensation over a host of issues has also resurfaced on the social media.

Owaisi, who is extremely critical about the Modi government’s functioning, had sometimes back compared the Prime Minister to legendary magician PC Sorcar.

”Soon he (PM Modi) will come on TV and remove a rabbit from his hat. His magic shows on TV would also get good TRPs,” he said taking a dig at the PM.

Owaisi had attacked the BJP, which recently observed a Black Day on June 25 – the day when Emergency was imposed in the country – and said that people should not forget that many earth-shaking events like Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, Babri Masjid demolition, Gujarat riots and anti-Sikh riots all took place in independent India.

The AIMIM leader also dared the PM and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to invite the kith and kin of those (minority community members) killed in several mob lynching incidents across the country to their residence and console them.

The hardline AIMIMM leader also accused the ruling BJP of executing the RSS’ agenda and its alleged discriminatory attitude towards the minority community members.

The Hyderabad MP had earlier attacked the PM for the fast that BJP parliamentarians undertook on April 12.

He asked why the PM didn’t fast for ‘his false promises, atrocities being committed against Dalits or not being able to provide employment.’

“Why doesn’t the Prime Minister sit on a fast to atone for his false promises? Will he sit on fast for farmers who lost their lives, for atrocities on Dalits and for not being able to provide employment?” he had asked.

Vijay Mallya’s Response After Probe Agency Dismisses His “Plea Bargain”

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Fugitive business tycoon Vijay Mallya today dismissed the statement made by an Enforcement Directorate official claiming that he is attempting a “plea bargain”. The official had said that Vijay Mallya’s recent offer, to pay all his dues if his seized assets were freed, is not an option.
Refuting the Enforcement Directorate official, Mr Mallya tweeted, “Media reports quote an ED official stating that I am attempting a plea bargain. Would respectfully suggest that the official read the ED charge sheet first.”

According to the Economic Times, the ED official had dismissed Mr Mallya’s offer calling it “an attempt at plea bargaining and a bid to bolster his case against extradition to India from Britain.”

In his tweet this morning, Mr Mallya also wrote “I would invite the ED to advance the same plea bargain theory in Court in front of whom I have placed my assets.”

Media reports quote an ED official stating that I am attempting a plea bargain. Would respectfully suggest that the official read the ED charge sheet first. I would invite the ED to advance the same plea bargain theory in Court in front of whom I have placed my assets.

According to the report, Mr Mallya, in an e-mail to the Economic Times, claimed that some of the assets that had been seized by the investigating agency predated the establishment of his now-defunct company Kingfisher Airlines.

“The ED allegations and attachment of assets are solely based on funds loaned to Kingfisher Airlines by PSU banks…The assets attached were acquired well before Kingfisher Airlines even started and cannot be considered proceeds of crime to legally justify the attachments,” Mr Mallya stated in his e-mail.

To this, the Enforcement Directorate official said, “All the assets of an accused are seized in such cases, regardless of their provenance.” He went on to say that the notion of plea bargaining – a deal made by the accused in exchange for concessions by the prosecution – did not apply.

According to the report, the ED official said, “Vijay Mallya is offering a plea bargain, which will not work in our country, by trying to say he intends to repay banks and that he should be allowed to sell his assets…As an absconder, he can no longer dictate terms in India, and the assets are no longer in his name to sell.”

Mr Mallya had released a statement recently that he had sought approvals from a court in Karnataka to sell assets worth Rs. 13,900 crore to repay creditors including banks. He also released a letter to PM Modi in an attempt “to put things in the right perspective.”

The official claimed that the Enforcement Directorate had not received any copy of the affidavit filed by Mr Mallya before the Karnataka High Court last week, contrary to the businessman’s claims.

Less than a week ago, Mr Mallya broke his silence over the controversy surrounding him of defaulting on bank loans to the tune of Rs. 9,000 crores. The fugitive liquor baron, in a series of tweets, claimed that he had been falsely framed as the “poster boy of Bank default and a lightning rod of public anger”.

He also reiterated that he is making every effort, in good faith to settle dues with the banks, “but if politically-motivated factors interfere, there is nothing he can do.”

Syria opposition ‘in talks with Russia’ over Deraa peace deal

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Syrian opposition figures have begun negotiations with Russian officers about an agreement to restore state sovereignty over rebel-held parts of the southern Deraa province, rebel negotiators said.

Insurgent negotiators and a spokesman said on Saturday a six-member civilian and military committee of the southern rebels held a preliminary meeting along the administrative borders of neighboring Sweida province.

The government’s offensive this month in southwest Syria has taken much of the eastern part of Deraa province from rebels, backed by a bombardment that the United Nations says has pushed 160,000 people out of their homes.

“The committee held its first meeting with Russian officers who presented their demands,” said Ibrahim Jabawi, a spokesman of the central operations room set up by the main Free Syrian Army groups in southern Syria.

A second round of talks is expected later on Saturday.

The deal being discussed does not include rebel territory in adjacent Quneitra province, bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the spokesman said.

Jordan, which borders Deraa province, has been facilitating talks between rebel factions and Moscow over a deal that would end the violence in exchange for the return of state rule there.

Russian negotiators have demanded rebels accept terms like those agreed for eastern Ghouta, where insurgents either left for opposition territory in the northwest along with their families or accepted the return of state rule, Jabawi said.

The southwest rebels did not accept this, and were instead proposing the return of civilian state institutions in the opposition areas and the entry of Russian military police rather than Syrian government forces.

However, the army has already captured large parts of the eastern zone of rebel-held territory in Deraa province in less than two weeks of fighting, and several more towns still held by the insurgents have reportedly agreed to settle with Assad.

On Saturday, state television said the town of al-Ghariya al-Sharqiya had accepted a “reconciliation” agreement with the government, and the national flag had been raised there.

It said on Friday that four other towns nearby had agreed to surrender their arms and accept state rule. The army had gained control over the towns of al-Harak, Ibta and Rakham, it said, and a rebel said opposition lines in one area had collapsed.

UN condemnation
On Friday, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the UN’s high Commissioner for human rights, said in a statement that there was a “grave risk that intensified fighting will see many civilians trapped”, condemning “[how] civilians in Syria continue to be used as pawns by the various parties”.

Launched on June 19, the Syrian government’s military push is intended to recapture the southern provinces of Deraa, Quneitra and parts of Sweida, still mostly held by opposition fighters.

UN warns of ‘catastrophe’ as 160,000 flee southern Syria push
With backing by Russian air support, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have retaken territory and continue to progress southwards where the last pockets of opposition remain.

Earlier on Friday, a temporary truce in Deraa between government forces and the rebel group Free Syrian Army (FSA), brokered by Russia and Jordan, ended at noon local time.

Later in the day, a Jordanian official told Reuters news agency that a new ceasefire had been agreed upon by the Syrian government and rebels, but did not offer further details.

However, a US Department of State official said Washington could neither confirm nor deny the truce report and described the situation in southern Syria as “grim”, with Syrian government forces and Russia continuing to bomb the area.

Golan Heights
Also on Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a new call for “an immediate cessation” to military operations in southwest Syria.

Guterres was “deeply alarmed by the military offensive in southwestern Syria and its devastating toll on civilians,” according to a statement from his spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

“The secretary-general recalls that the southwest area of Syria is part of a de-escalation agreement agreed between Jordan, Russia and the United States,” the statement said.

Guterres “calls on all parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law, protect civilians and facilitate safe, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access”.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council on Friday unanimously renewed for six months its mission to observe the ceasefire in the Golan Heights, calling for armed groups to leave the area separating Syrian and Israeli forces.

UNDOF, which comprises nearly a thousand personnel, was created in 1974 after an agreement on the departure of Israeli and Syrian forces from Golan.

In 1981, Israel annexed part of Golan in a move unrecognized by the international community, while a smaller part of the area is under Syrian control.

“There should be no military forces in the area of separation other than those of UNDOF,” reads the resolution drafted by the US and Russia.

The text condemns “the continued fighting in the area of separation” and calls on “all parties to the Syrian domestic conflict to cease military actions in the UNDOF area of operations”.

It “stresses the obligation on both parties to scrupulously and fully respect the terms of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement”.

“There should be no military activity of any kind in the area of separation,” either by the Syrian military or opposition forces, it said.

 

Aljazeera

Several leaders from JD(S) and Congress willing to join BJP says B S Yediyurappa

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Amid discontent among some of the ruling coalition members in Karnataka, state BJP President BS Yeddyurappa today claimed several leaders from both Congress and JDS were ready to join his party.

Addressing the BJP state executive meet in Bengaluru, the leader of opposition in the assembly also termed the JDS-Congress partnership an “unholy coalition” and the budget scheduled to be presented by it on July 5 as a “minority budget”.

He asked his party men to work towards ensuring the BJP wins 25 of the state’s 28 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 national elections.

“Several Congress and JDS leaders are ready to join the BJP in the current political situation. I appeal to leaders to work towards strengthening the party by bringing in honest and capable people without thinking that new inductees would affect their own chances,” he said.

“Those who are ready to come to the BJP, we have to go to them personally, to their houses and talk to them and bring them to the party fold and strengthen the party for Lok Sabha polls,” he said.

Earlier too, when there was widespread dissatisfaction in both Congress and JDS following the cabinet expansion, Mr Yeddyurappa had claimed that several “disgruntled” leaders from the ruling coalition were eager to join his party.

Mr Yeddyurappa’s recent Ahmedabad trip to meet party national president Amit Shah had fuelled speculation that several dissatisfied Congress MLAs were in touch with him and ready to switch over, which might again try its hand to form a government in the state.

However, he himself had sought to end the speculation, saying he had gone to invite Mr Shah for today’s state unit executive meeting.

Mr Yeddyurappa had resigned as chief minister without facing a vote of confidence in the assembly last month as the BJP lacked the numbers for a majority.

The BJP today held its first state executive meeting after the assembly elections in the state in May this year.

It was attended by party General Secretary Muralidhar Rao, Union Ministers Ananth Kumar, Ramesh Jigajinagi, and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, among others.

Explaining the circumstances under which he had to resign as Chief Minister that led to the formation of Congress-JDS coalition government, Mr Yeddyurappa said although legislators from different political parties were ready to join BJP, “because of paucity of time, we had to face the setback”.

He accused Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of making “false” promises in the JDS manifesto.

Listing out pre-poll promises of the JDS, including the farm loan waiver among others, he called on BJP leaders and workers to go to people with Congress and JDS manifestos and inform them that both parties have not walked the talk.

Terming the the budget to be presented on July 5 as “budget of 37 MLAs” and “minority budget”, Mr Yeddyurappa pointed out that the Congress Legislature Party Leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah has opposed the budget.

“There is confusion between Congress and JDS, so the budget they will present will not have any sanctity,” he claimed.

He said, “This is the budget with the support of just 37 (JDS) MLAs. There is no Congress support to it…there is no sanctity to it. Let’s wait and watch what stand the Congress takes in the assembly,” he added.

Discordant voices have emerged from the Congress and the JDS on a host of issues, including presentation of the budget, as Siddaramaiah, who held finance portfolio in the previous government, had recently said there was no need for a fresh budget and insisted that a supplementary budget would suffice.

Speaking about differences between the Congress and JDS, Mr Yeddyurappa told his partymen that the two parties were fighting among themselves and their government was likely to fall.

“…(Hence) let us not take sides. There are no signs of this unholy coalition government continuing. So as a responsible opposition both inside and outside the assembly, we will have to continue our fight for the cause of people,” he said.

He also termed as “irresponsible” Mr Kumaraswamy’s statement that he was not at the mercy of people of Karnataka, but of the Congress party.

Noting that BJP and its workers had worked with confidence of winning 130-135 seats in the May 12 assembly elections, Mr Yeddyurappa said, “Even when there was pro-BJP wave across the state, because of our own mistakes, we could not win 130-135 seats. This is a painful matter.”

7 ministers face criminal cases including CM kumarswamy

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The Two election watchdogs in a report here on Friday said that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, including seven ministers face criminal charges on different cases, said

The other six ministers include Venkatrao Nadagouda, B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, D.K. Shivakumar, D.C. Thammanna, N. Mahesh and Ramesh L. Jarkiholi.

The report by the Karnataka Election Watch and Delhi-based Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) was based only analysis of the poll affidavits belonging to 26 of 27 cabinet ministers, save Women and Child Development Minister Jayamala, the lone woman minister, whose affidavit was not available, ADR said.

It has been reported that seven out of the 26 ministers including Kumaraswamy have declared criminal cases against them, while four ministers, including him, face serious criminal charges.

Kumaraswamy faces several criminal charges, including forgery for the purpose of cheating, causing the disappearance of evidence and other charges relating to criminal breach of trust.

Twenty-five of the 26 ministers are crorepatis, as per the asset declarations in their poll affidavits, with Shivakumar being the richest with total assets worth Rs 840 crore.

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