[Nasheman news] New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the government is ready to debate on all issues and hoped the Budget Session of Parliament will be a fruitful one.

He reminded the members that they would have to go to their respective constituencies after this session so their behaviour in the House would play an important role in the public’s perception. 

Speaking to reporters outside the House, Modi said: “Last time we saw how the Parliament worked. 

“Nowadays there is an awareness among the public. They keep a close watch on the proceedings of the Parliament. People dislike the fact when politicians do not take interest in discussions and debates in the House. 

“I hope that the members will keep this in mind and utilise the Budget Session to the fullest, participating in the debates and discussions for the benefit of the common man, the government and the nation,” he said. 

“We are committed to take everyone along in the development of the country and want their support in the decisions to take the nation forward,” Modi said. 

“We will try our best to have a detailed debate on the all issues. I will welcome the debate with an open heart and mind, so that the House functions properly,” he added. 

[Nasheman news] Jammu No traffic will be allowed on the Jammu-Srinagar highway on Thursday due to fresh snowfall and landslides, officials said.

Roads in Bannihal sector turned slippery following fresh snowfall, while there were some landslides in the Ramban stretch, a Traffic Department official said.

“Priority will be to ensure that no vehicle gets stranded and all vehicles parked or abandoned at various places on the highway are cleared,” he added.

The decision to suspend traffic on the strategic highway was taken after the Met on Wednesday issued advisory of rain and snowfall in the state.

Assessing the weather and road condition, vehicular traffic was suspended early on Thursday.

The highway which is the lifeline of essential supplies for the landlocked Kashmir Valley, has remained closed for over a dozen days in January due to landslides and snowfall along the nearly 300-kilometre long road.

Weather was expected to improve from Friday onwards, the Met said.

[Nasheman news] ShimlaThe hills of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday saw a marginal rise in temperatures due to a dry spell, but the Met has forecast rain and snowfall over the next two days till Friday.

“There are chances of rainfall and snow till February 1,” Meteorological Office Director Manmohan Singh told IANS.

He said the western disturbances — storm systems originating from Caspian Sea and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region — would be active in the region.

Most of the prominent tourist towns like Shimla, Narkanda, Kufri, Manali and Dalhousie — located in mid-hills — might see snowfall, he added.

Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti district was the coldest place in the state with a low of minus 14 degrees Celsius against Tuesday’s minus 16.2 degrees.

The state capital recorded a minimum at 2.2 degrees. It saw a rise of 1.4 degrees from Tuesday.

Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded a low of minus 6.6 degrees Celsius, while it was minus 2.4 degrees in Manali, 3.4 degrees in Kufri, 1.3 degrees in Dalhousie and 2.2 degrees in Dharamsala, where the Dalai Lama lives.

[NASHEMAN NEWS] New Delhi President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday paid their tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary.

“On Martyrs’ Day, we gratefully remember Mahatma Gandhi and the countless freedom fighters who sacrificed their all for our Independence,” the President tweeted. 

Modi said: “We reiterate our commitment to follow the path shown by him and abide by the values he stood for. 

“We salute all the martyrs who laid down their lives for India. The country remains eternally grateful to them for their service and sacrifice.” 

Sharing a quote by the Father of the Nation, Rahul Gandhi paid tributes to the leader of the Indian independence movement, who was assassinated on this day. 

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its weak and vulnerable members are treated,” Gandhi tweeted. 

Besides, Chief Ministers of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal and West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee also paid homage to Gandhi. 

“Let us not forget the fact that it is the hatred bred by the fundamentalist ideology of Sangh that took away Bapu. Let us also not forget the fact that it is the same ideology that is staring at us with its ugliest face yet, now,” Kejriwal tweeted. 

[Nasheman news] New DelhiThe Centre on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking its nod for giving a part of the 67 acres of undisputed land to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and other original owners.

The top court was moved for the modification of its March 31, 2003 order, directing the observance of status quo on the acquired 67 acres of undisputed land.

The Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, which has right over 42 acres of this 67 acres, had moved the government seeking return of those 42 acres.

[Nasheman news] Shimla Congress leader and six-time former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was diagnosed positive for swine flu, doctors said on Tuesday. His condition is stable.

He was admitted to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital in Shimla on Sunday with congestion and breathing trouble. Late on Monday, he was diagnosed with the H1N1 virus.

Forty-four people have so far tested positive for swine flu in the state.

Eighteen patients were reported in Kangra district, followed by 12 in Shimla. Nine lost their lives due to the virus, officials said.

[Nasheman news] New Delhi It was a cold Tuesday morning in the national capital with the minimum temperature recorded at 5.4 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season’s average, the weather office said.

“There was shallow fog in the morning and there will be haze throughout the day,” an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said. 

The maximum temperature is likely to hover around 19 degrees Celsius.

At least 16 Delhi-bound trains were delayed on Tuesday morning due to fog.

At 8.30 a.m., humidity was recorded at 91 per cent while visibility was at 1,000 metres. 

Monday’s maximum and minimum temperature was recorded four notches below the average at 18.9 degrees Celsius and 5.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.

[Nasheman news] New DelhiPresident Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi along with many others from across political lines paid homage to former Union Minister George Fernandes, who died on Tuesday after prolonged illness.

Modi called the 88-year-old long-time socialist a “fiery trade union leader”, who resisted the Emergency “tooth and nail”, while Kovind described him as a “champion of democracy”.

The President said he was distressed to learn of Fernandes’ death, who served India in many capacities, including as the Railway and Defence Minister. 

“He epitomised simple living and high thinking. And was a champion of democracy, during the Emergency and beyond. We will all miss him,” the President’s office tweeted.

Modi said the former Minister represented the best of India’s political leadership. 

“Frank and fearless, forthright and farsighted, he made a valuable contribution to our country. He was among the most effective voices for the rights of the poor and marginalised,” he said in a tweet. “Saddened by his passing away.”

The Prime Minister said the former Samata Party leader fought for justice, and could humble the mightiest of politicians at the hustings; a visionary Railway Minister and a great Defence Minister who made India safe and strong.

He said Fernandes never deviated from his political ideology during his long years in public life.

“He resisted the Emergency tooth and nail. His simplicity and humility were noteworthy. My thoughts are with his family, friends and lakhs of people grieving. May his soul rest in peace,” Modi said.

On Facebook, Gandhi said: “I am sorry to hear about the passing away of former Parliamentarian and Union Minister, George Fernandesji. My condolences to his family and friends in this time of grief.” 

With the demise of Fernandes, India has lost a stalwart of its socialist movement, said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Twitter.

“He led many labour movements and fought against the injustice towards them… May his soul rest in peace,” he said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is the Janata Dal-United chief and has worked closely with Fernandes for three decades, described his death as the “loss of the tallest socialist leader”. 

All official programmes of the Bihar Chief Minister were cancelled for the day. 

Former JD-U chief Sharad Yadav remembered Fernandes as “a rare leader, who fought for working people for years”. 

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee tweeted that she was “very saddened” at Fernandes passing away and recalled him as the “much admired trade unionist”, whom she had known for decades. 

Other senior JD-U leaders K.C. Tayagi, party state president Vashist Narain Singh and former Minister Shayam Razak also condoled the death.

Fernandes was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and had been out of the public eye. He was been bedridden for more than eight years, family sources said.

Fernandes rose to political prominence when he led the Bombay Taxi Unions Association and defeated S.K. Patil, a Congress heavy-weight in the 1967 general election. 

A fire-brand and hardworking Fernandes, only 37 then, campaigned tirelessly, covering large swathes of the constituency with his workers getting a 48.5 per cent of the votes.

Fernandes later joined the Janata Dal. He served as Railway Minister in the V.P. Singh government from 1989 to 1990. He was instrumental in setting up the Konkan Railway project, connecting Mangalore and Bombay.

In 1994, Fernandes formed the Samata Party, which later allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party. 

He was appointed convenor of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and served as the Defence Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government for two terms, between 1998 and 2004. 

His term was eventful as it witnessed the Kargil War and the Pokhran test.