Nasheman

India's largest selling Urdu weekly, now also in English

You are here: Home / Archives for News & Politics / India

Sohrabuddin case: PIL against CBI for not challenging Amit Shah’s discharge

by

Mumbai: A city-based lawyers’ association today filed a public interest litigation in the Bombay High Court against the CBI decision not to challenge a lower court order discharging BJP president Amit Shah in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh fake encounter case.

In the PIL, the Bombay Lawyers Association has urged the High Court to issue a direction to the CBI to file revision application challenging the sessions court order discharging Shah.

The petitioner’s lawyer Ahmad Abidi said the plea would be mentioned before a division bench of justices S C Dharmadhikari and Bharti Dangre on January 22.

“The CBI is a premier investigating agency. It has public duty to observe the rule of law in its action which it has miserably failed,” the petition said.

It submitted that the trial court had similarly discharged two Rajasthan Police Sub Inspectors Himanshu Singh and Shyam Singh Charan and senior Gujarat Police officer N K Amin.

“The petitioner has learnt that the CBI has challenged their discharge before the high court. This act of the CBI in challenging discharge of the accused persons on selective basis is arbitrary and unreasonable, rather malafide,” it alleged.

The petition claimed that the Supreme Court, while transferring the trial in the case from Gujarat to Mumbai, had ordered that it to be concluded expeditiously.

“The Supreme Court had said the Administrative Committee of the high court would assign the case to a court where the trial may be concluded judiciously, in accordance with the law, and without any delay. The Administrative Committee would also ensure that the trial should be conducted from beginning to end by the same officer, the apex court had said in its order,” it said.

Sohrabuddin Shaikh, alleged to be a terrorist, was killed in an alleged fake encounter by the Gujarat and Rajasthan police along with his wife Kauser Bi and his associate Tulsi Prajapati in 2005.

(PTI)

23RD NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CATALYSIS AT BENGALURU

by

SABIC DEMONSTRATES ITS COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION THROUGH PARTICIPATION AND SPONSORSHIP AT THE 23RD NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CATALYSIS AT BENGALURU

(From left to right) (3rd from left) Dr. Anand B Halgeri, President, Catalysis Society of India, Padma Shri Dr. G.D Yadav, Padma Vibhushan Dr M.M.Sharma, Mr. Janardhanan Ramanujalu, VP, SABIC South Asia ANZ, Dr. Rajeshwar Dongara, Convener CATSYMP-23, Dr. Kishan Gurram, Director, T&I, SABIC South Asia and STC-Bengaluru with other organizing committee members.

Bengaluru: SABIC, a global leader in diversified chemicals, displayed its commitment to innovation through participation and sponsorship at the 23rd National symposium on ‘Applied Catalysis in Emerging Technology in Chemicals’ held in Bengaluru from January 17-19. Janardhanan Ramanujalu, Vice President & Regional Head, SABIC South Asia & ANZ was the Guest of Honor and delivered the keynote address at the conference along with distinguished scientists of the country including Padma Vibhushan Dr. M.M. Sharma, Padma Shri Dr. G.D. Yadav and Dr. Anand. B. Halgeri, President, Catalysis Society of India.

Janardhanan Ramanujalu, in his keynote speech, shared his insights on sustainable development through catalysis, emphasizing on the need for cutting-edge research to find and create new catalysts. He highlighted the role of catalysis and catalyst’s role in developing, supporting the newer model of circular economy as well as SABIC’s strategic partnerships in India in the area of research. He remarked, “At SABIC, our goal is to collaborate with companies, as well as government and academia, to develop advanced materials and product solutions that can address regional and global challenges. In India, we have built strong relationships between industry and academia with various strategic collaborations including our collaboration with Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) and with premier technology institutes in India to jointly work and support academic research done by PHD students in the chemical industry.”

Over 50 senior scientists from across SABIC including India, KSA and USA participated in the event, presented research papers, delivered plenary sessions on catalysis and newer technologies and participated in panel discussions on the future research in applied catalysis. Discussions included initiatives, progress and the path forward for development of catalysts and catalytic processes. Dr. Kishan Gurram, Director, T&I, SABIC South Asia and Dr. Rajeshwar Dongara, Sr. Manager, SABIC were also the key committee member for the symposium.

Dr. Fahad Al-Sherehy, Vice President, SABIC Corporate Technology and Innovation said,” At SABIC, we believe technology and innovation play a significant role in creating new solutions for the pressing issues in the world. Catalysis forms a major component of our research, contributing to our ongoing efforts to meet regional and global needs. We are pleased to participate in conferences like CATSYMP-23, which have provided a great platform for scientists, industry and academia to pool expertise to facilitate research in applied catalysis.”

Eminent scientists from leading chemical companies including SABIC, Reliance Industries, Shell, UOP, Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum, BPCL, ONGC, Tata Chemicals, KAUST- KSA, top Indian research institutes such as Indian Institutes of Technology, CSIR labs (NCL, IICT, IIP), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, ICT, Indian Institute of Science, international universities including Cardiff University, United Kingdom, Monash University, Australia, Universitat Leipzig, Germany and Inha University, South Korea participated in the symposium. Over 500 research students in the field of catalysis also participated in the symposium.

Catalysis Society of India organizes the national symposium on catalysis once in every two years and the present symposium was the 23rd in the series (CATSYMP-23) held in Bengaluru.

ABOUT SABIC

SABIC is a global leader in diversified chemicals headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We manufacture on a global scale in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, making distinctly different kinds of products: chemicals, commodity and high performance plastics, agri-nutrients and metals.

We support our customers by identifying and developing opportunities in key end markets such as construction, medical devices, packaging, agri-nutrients, electrical and electronics, transportation and clean energy.

SABIC recorded a net profit of SR 17.8 billion (US$ 4.8 billion) in 2016. Sales revenues for 2016 totaled SR 132.8 billion (US$ 35.4 billion). Total assets stood at SR 316.9 billion (US$ 84.5 billion) at the end of 2016. Production in 2016 stood at 72.7 million metric tons.

SABIC has more than 35,000 employees worldwide and operates in more than 50 countries. Fostering innovation and a spirit of ingenuity, we have 12,191 global patent filings, and have significant research resources with innovation hubs in five key geographies – USA, Europe, Middle East, South Asia and North Asia.

The Saudi Arabian government owns 70 percent of SABIC shares with the remaining 30 percent publicly traded on the Saudi stock exchange.

ABOUT SABIC IN ASIA

Established in the 1980s, SABIC has over 40 offices and close to 3,000 employees across the region. With 10 manufacturing and compounding sites in China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore and Thailand, SABIC constantly strives to better serve our customers in the Asian region. A leading global organization in research and technology, we have two Application Centers in Moka, Japan and Sungnam, Republic of Korea and four Technology Centers in Bengaluru, India, Shanghai, China, and Suwon and Daejeon, Republic of Korea.

Why Only Hajj Subsidy Cancellation? Why Not Others?, asks SDPI

by

Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba at the Grand mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia September 8, 2016. REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

The Central BJP government decision to abolish the subsidy given to Hajj pilgrimage is purely communal in nature, said Elyas Muhammad, national general secretary of Social Democratic Party of India. He said, subsidy is not only being given to Hajj pilgrimage but to lots of other Hindu pilgrimages too.

Elyas said that the subsidy being given to Hajj pilgrimage is nothing but an eyewash. While Hajj pilgrims compel to pay an exhorbitant airfare which is actually double overcharge than the normal airfare during out of Hajj season. This excess amount of airfare charged by the airlines were actually compensated by the government in the form subsidy. Hence, the subsidy from the government was not actually beneficial for Hajj pilgrims but yielded major profits only to Air India. Charging excess airfare from the pilgrims and ripping off the excess charges to Air India in the form of subsidy which is a well scripted drama which was both benefitted politically to BJP by so called metaphor ‘minority appeasement’ and ‘helping Muslims’ by Congress.

Elyas reiterated that, the citizens of this country should know the reality of this ‘Subsidy politics’ of the BJP government. In 2012, the subsidy amount was Rs.837 crores which has been decreased every year and in 2016-17 the centre had only allocated Rs.450 crores for Hajj of which major portion of this amount benefitted only Air India. At the same time the centre and state governments have been providing thousands of crores of rupees to Hindu pilgrimage.

The central government spent Rs.1,150 crores on Allahabad Kumbh Mela and Maharashtra governmet spent Rs.2,500 crores for Nashik Kumbh Mela in 2014. The Union culture ministry had allocated Rs.100 crores to Madhya Pradesh government for ‘Simhastha Mahakumbh’ in Ujjain. MP government spent nearly Rs.3,400 crores on the even in 2016 and this is expected to rise to Rs.5,000 crores. The previous UP government started giving a grant of 50,000 to every pilgrims from the state to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, China. Present Yogi government raised this amount to Rs.1 lakh. Yogi government granted Rs.10,000 subsidy to every pilgrims from the state to Sidhu Darshan in Ladakh. The state governments in Chathisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand also provides financial supports to Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims. The central government too spends major amounts on Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, Amarnath Yatra, Ganesh Chathurthi, Chhath Puja.

Elyas reiterated, if Hajj subsidy can be abolished by the central government, why can’t it abolish the subsidies and financial aides to Hindu pilgrimages which runs several thousand crores every year? This will save thousands of crores of Rupees to government exchequer which can be used for the developmental works of poor women and children of this country. Central BJP government is always thinking communally to suppress the voice and dignity of the Muslims in many ways, now in the name of Hajj subsidy. He said, Muslims doesn’t need government’s dramatic subsidy through hiking airfare and ripping off to airlines. Elyas said, the monopoly given to Air India to carry Hajj pilgrims must be abolished by allowing other airliners to provide services which enables cheaper airfare to Hajj pilgrims.

India successfully test-fires Agni-5 ballistic missile

by

Balasore (Odisha): India today successfully test-fired its nuclear capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5 – the most advanced missile in the Agni series with a strike range of over 5000 kms — from a test range off Odisha coast.

The user associate test-flight of the missile has further boosted indigenous missile capabilities and deterrence strength of the country. All radars, tracking systems and range stations monitored the flight performance, defence sources said.

Describing the trial as “fully successful”, the sources said, the sophisticated missile travelled for 19 minutes and covered 4,900 km. The sleek missile was test-fired from a canister launcher, mounted on a mobile platform, at about 9.54 am from No. 4 launch pad of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Abdul Kalam Island, earlier known as Wheeler Island, they said.

(PTI)

SC refuses to entertain plea to restrict media from reporting judges’ row

by

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a plea seeking to restrain the media from publishing, discussing and politicising issues raised by four seniormost judges in the January 12 press conference. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said it will look into the matter only after the apex court registry takes the petition on record and lists it for hearing.

The plea, which mentioned urgent listing and hearing, sought to restrain “the printing, discussion, politicisation and debate on the subject matter of the press conference dated January 12 with immediate effect to control further damage to the institution”.

Four senior-most judges- Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph – had in an unprecedented presser on January 12 raised a litany of problems, including the assigning of cases in the apex court, and said there were certain issues afflicting the country’s highest court.

(PTI)

Two JD(S) leaders from Raichur resign

by

Bengaluru: Two JD(S) members from Raichur have reportedly resigned as MLA’s.

It is alleged that the two are set to join the BJP party prior to the upcoming assembly elections.

They submitted their resignation letters to Legislative Assembly Secretary (in charge) S Murthy, as Speaker K B Koliwad was not present in his office.

Addressing the media they told that they felt sidelined by JD(S) leadership.

“We were not taken into confidence on many occasions. The party refused to address our grouses. Hence we were forced to exit the party and join the BJP,” they said.

(Agencies)

Assembly polls in three northeast states on Feb 18, 27

by

New Delhi: Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland will go to polls in February to elect new assemblies, the Election Commission announced on Thursday, setting the stage for the first round of elections in 2018 ahead of the battle in Karnataka and later in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

Announcing the poll schedule, Chief Election Commissioner A.K Joti said while the date of polling in Tripura will be February 18, it will be February 27 in Nagaland and Meghalaya. It will be a single day polling in all the states.

Counting of votes for all the three states, which have 60-member assemblies each, will be done on March 3.

The CPI-M runs the government in Tripura while the Congress rules Meghalaya. The Nagaland People’s Front is in power in Nagaland.

Joti also announced the Model Code of Conduct with immediate effect to provide a level playing field.

He said electronic voting machines and VVPATs (voter verifiable paper audit trail) will be used in all the three states to enhance transparency and credibility of the election process.

Photographs of the candidates will be available on EVM ballot unit for easy identification of candidates. Based on the assessment of ground situation, central armed police forces and state armed police drawn from other states will be deployed to ensure smooth conduct of the polls.

The Election Commission will deploy general observers to keep a close watch on every stage of the electoral process to ensure free and fair elections.

In Tripura, filing of nomination will open on January 24 and the last day for this will be January 31. Scrutiny of nominations will be done on February 1 and the last day for withdrawal is February 3.

In Meghalaya and Nagaland, nominations open on January 31 and close on February 7. Scrutiny will be done on on February 8 and the last day for withdrawals is February 12.

(IANS)

Modi, Sushma misled nation on Doklam: Congress

by

New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj of “misleading” the nation over Chinese troops occupying Doklam plateau, saying that India’s security and strategic interests have been compromised.

“The satellite imagery and media reports suggest that China has set up military establishments in Doklam near the Indian border which indicates that India’s security and strategic interests have been compromised,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surhewala told the media here.

“It seems that the government was snoozing while the Chinese troops occupied the Doklam plateau as suggested by satellite images. And it seems China is planning a Doklam 2.0 like retreat near the Indian border.”

In a jibe, the Congress spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister has mastered the art of electoral rhetoric as he has failed miserably to ensure the protection of our borders.”

Showing the satellite images, Surjewala said China had constructed a two-storey watch tower, seven helipads and several military establishments in Doklam.

“What is the government doing as China has occupied the entire Doklam plateau? Are the government, Prime Minister and Defence Minister aware about these constructions?”

Slamming Sushma Swaraj, Surjewala said the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement in August, saying the troops of both the countries were doing expeditious disengagement.

“Even Sushma Swarajji said (this) in Parliament. And when we asked about the details, she said the troops of both countries were returning to their posts. At that point, there was no reason to question her statement,” he said.

He said after the tensions at Doklam were resolved, the Chinese Foreign Ministry had said that while it had withdrawn the troops, it would keep on patrolling the area.

The Congress leader demanded to know how the issue of tri-junction at Doklam would be decided in future when China had occupied the entire plateau.

Surjewala said: “In October, Modiji announced at a public rally the Doklam issue as a victory. However, the satellite imagery released in media reports suggest that Chinese troops have constructed military establishments.”

He said ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Modi had made several insinuations at the Congress party and spoken about showing red eyes to China.

“Now the number of faceoffs with the Chinese on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) shot up by 48 per cent last year,” he said.

“There were 415 transgressions by Chinese soldiers into the Indian side of the LAC in 2017 as against 271 in 2016.

“What does it say about Modi’s empty rhetoric at election rallies?” he questioned.

Surjewala said the Congress party would always press for disengagement of conflict in Doklam between India-China-Bhutan through “diplomatic means” in a manner that protects India’s strategic interests in toto and avoid unwarranted provocation of conflict.

Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a face-off at Doklam for over three months last year.

Asked about the number of ceasefire violations and deaths of Indian Army soldiers in the cross-border firings along the border with Pakistan, the Congress leader said, “Even Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat has said that the soldiers are protecting the borders and are dying.

“He (Rawat) also said that the army is doing its job, but also asked when the political intervention will take place to stop infiltration at the international border,” he added.

(IANS)

Veteran Kannada actor Kashinath passes away

by

Veteran actor and director, Kashinath, breathed his last at Shree Shankara Cancer Hospital here on Thursday January 18. Kashinath, who was ill since some days, had been admitted into the hospital two days back.

Kashinath has left behind his son, actor Alok Kashinath, and daugher, Amruthavarshini Kashinath.

The senior actor had carved a niche for himself in the genre of comedy. He has not only acted but also directed and produced several Kannada films. Kashinath was recently seen in Chowka, released last year.

The veteran actor has at least 40 films to his credit, spanning over a career of more than three decades.

SC stays ban on ‘Padmaavat’ release in 3 states

by

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday paved the way for an all-India release for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Padmaavat” on January 25 by staying the operation of orders banning the release of the film by the Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana governments. The film industry hailed the decision.

Staying the “notifications and orders” banning the release of the controversial film by the three states, Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilklar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said the remaining states will not ban the screening of the film.

Referring to its earlier judgement, the court said it was incumbent upon the state governments to ensure law and order.

The court order came on a plea by “Padmaavat” producers — Bhansali Productions and Viacom18 Motion Pictures — challenging the ban on the screening of the film by the three states that didn’t want it to be screened over alleged distortion of historical facts.

Rajput outfit Shree Rajput Karni Sena, which is at the forefront of the protests against the movie, has chalked out its next strategy.

A leader of the group told IANS that they it reach out to cinema hall owners across the country asking them to not show the movie or face consequences.

Film fraternity members Shyam Benegal, Manish Mundra, Madhur Bhandarkar and Ashoke Pandit were among those who lauded the Supreme Court decision.

Benegal told IANS that it’s “quite clearly a victory of freedom of expression” while filmmaker Pandit said: “It’s a very big success for the film industry.”

“This judgement has broken the arrogance of the political parties who banned the film thinking they can do it,” Pandit told IANS.

Producer Mundra tweeted: “Banning the film ‘Padmaavat’ even after CBFC certification was a cowardly act by the states. Were trying to do vote bank politics and or shying away from their responsibilities of managing law and order.”

Trade expert Komal Nahta said the judgement was “a tight slap on the faces of the states which banned the film”. “Red letter day … the film industry and lovers of cinema all over.”

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana hailed it as the “best news of the day which restores faith in our democracy”. Filmmaker Bhandarkar welcomed the decision for the movie, which features Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor.

Author Chetan Bhagat said it’s a “great decision” as “every story can’t be told how bullies want it”.

Filmmaker Rohit Shetty hoped the movie gets a “great release”.

“Padmaavat”, which was earlier scheduled to release as “Padmavati” on December 1, is hitting the screens after facing multiple hurdles.

Bhansali was first assaulted on the film’s set in Jaipur last year, after which the film’s set in Kolhapur was vandalised.

Rajput outfits and some groups backed by the BJP have been actively protesting its release, contending that it plays with Rajput pride – something that the makers have repeatedly denied.

Bhansali has said the film is inspired by 16th century poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s poem “Padmavat” and that it’s a film Indians will be proud of.

(IANS)

KNOW US

GET INVOLVED

PROMOTE

Archives