A day after Congress workers were lathicharged in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district, party President Rahul Gandhi attacked the Narendra Modi government saying that dictatorship has become a “profession” and the attack would be remembered as an act of “political atrocity”.

“Under Narendra Modi’s regime, dictatorship has turned into profession. The attack on Congress workers’ fundamental rights by Raman Singh’s government in Bilaspur will be remembered by citizens as an act of political atrocity,” Gandhi said in a tweet attaching the video of the lathicharge on the party workers by Chhattisgarh Police.

Congress workers were lathicharged on Tuesday in Bilaspur district during a protest against state Minister Amar Agarwal.

The Congress workers were beaten by the police after they spilled garbage at Agarwal’s house. Over a dozen Congress workers were injured in the lathicharge by the police including senior party leader Atal Srivastava.

IANS

The government on Wednesday said a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee or Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) cannot be set up to go into the 36 Rafale fighter jet deal to satisfy the ego of a “ill-informed” Congress leaders.

“I don’t think JPC or CAG inquiry is set up to satisfy the ego of an ill-informed leader who repeats lies with alarming regularity,” Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the media here.

The remarks came soon after a Congress delegation headed by senior leader A.K. Antony met the CAG and submitted a memorandum seeking an “urgent probe” into the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets by the Modi government.

Prasad said what struck him more was the presence in the delegation of Antony, who was the Defence Minister for eight years during which nothing was done for modernisation and empowerment of Indian armed forces.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said that Antony was the Minister when the offset rule was framed and who left the HAL in the lurch as far as joint operations were concerned.

“Antony has a lot to answer,” Prasad said, adding that the Indian Air Force badly needed planes as old aircraft were leading to repeated accidents and pilot deaths.

“Should the Congress at least not rise to the occasion for the sake of the country’s safety and security?” he asked.

(IANS)

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed an application seeking direction to the Centre to disclose the formula on the basis of which daily prices of petroleum and diesel are fixed.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao refused to interfere with the government policy on fixing petrol prices.

The court was hearing an application, filed by Delhi-based designer Pooja Mahajan. Her advocate A. Maitri sought direction to call the records from the government, including oil companies to disclose the formula and furnish details on the basis of which the daily fuel prices are fixed.

The petitioner said that people were suffering irreparably because these prices were being enhanced on presumption.

Maitri said that the oil manufacturing companies were selling their old stock of petrol and diesel at enhanced prices while admittedly the said stock was purchased at a cheaper rate.

As per official claims, petrol and diesel prices are fixed on account of increase in international prices. Admittedly, international price of crude oil is fixed on barrel basis, the plea said.

The application was filed on the pending public interest litigation by the petitioner in which she has sought direction to the central government to fix a “fair price” of petrol and diesel as it is a policy matter which involved larger economic issues.

The court has asked the government to consider an earlier representation pending before it on price rise of petrol and diesel.

Mahajan had filed a similar plea in July but the high court had then directed the Centre to treat the PIL as a representation.

The petitioner has sought a directive to the Centre to fix a “fair price” of petrol and diesel in line with the Essential Commodities Act.

(IANS)

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday imposed restrictions in Srinagar city to prevent a Muharram procession.

“Restrictions have been imposed in Kothibagh, Maisuma, Kralkhud, Shaheedgunj, Batmaloo, Karan Nagar, Ram Munshibagh, Shergarhi and Nehru Park,” police said.

These restrictions are preventive in nature and have been imposed to maintain law and order, an officer said.

Srinagar District Magistrate also ordered all schools and colleges in the city to remain closed for the day.

Authorities have not allowed any 8th and 10th Muharram processions in Srinagar since 1989.

Muharram processions are taken out by Shia Muslims throughout the world to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, grandson of the Prophet Mohammad.

(IANS)

All these years the people of Karnataka have been hearing about Vokkaliga-Lingayat dominated political pressure tactics, moves etc. But for the first time, the influential Valmiki (ST) caste leaders are creating ripples.

If sources in both the BJP and the Congress are to be believed then Congress strongman Ramesh Jarkhioli and BJP leader B Sriramulu are likely to join hands together and make a move which will bag the DCM post to either of them.

“The community leaders are trying to strengthen the bond between both the leaders by proposing a marriage between the second son of Ramesh Jarkhiholi and elder daughter of B Sriramulu. In the meantime, the BJP has offered major irrigation portfolio to Ramesh in the event of him switching over to the party. Ramesh wants the DCM post either for him or for Sriramulu.

“All these days Karnataka was witnessing the politics of upper castes. Why not lower caste leader who are numerically significant,” questions a leader from Valmiki community.

PTI

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said that Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu hugging Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa during his recent visit to the neighbouring country was “demoralising”.

“Navjot Sidhu has a lot of admirers and followers. He has been a very popular cricketer… He has his fan following. Somebody of that stature, going (to Pakistan) and then there hugging the chief of the Army…an Army about which in India we have very clear feelings,” Sitharaman said.

“It certainly has an impact on the soldiers and all the people in the (Defence) Ministry. The public response has also been similar that it demoralises,” she added.

“If it demoralises people, I wish Siddhu had avoided. I am not talking about him going (to Pakistan) but more about that singular gesture of hugging the Army chief,” Sitharaman said.

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu had been invited for the swearing-in ceremony of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was also a cricketer.

Sidhu also claimed to have brought up the issue of opening the route to Sikh pilgrimage site Kartarpur Saheb with the Pakistan leadership. However, Sidhu has been facing flak from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for meddling in a bilateral affair.

Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said on Tuesday: “Shockingly, Navjot Singh Sidhu gave the impression to everyone that it is he who has got it (Kartarpur Saheb route) opened with the Pakistan government. I wonder why he made an unannounced visit to Sushmaji’s office yesterday (Monday) when he claims he has already got the corridor opened.”

“Rightly, he was reprimanded by the External Affairs Minister for misusing his personal visit clearance and lowering reputation of India as well as causing diplomatic faux pas.

“I ask Rahul Gandhi that a Minister of your party went to an enemy nation, betrayed our people and played with the sentiments of Sikhs. Was this all done with your blessings? Will you take action against him, or are you hand in glove with him?” she added.

BJP Spokesman Sambit Patra, too, slammed Sidhu for running “parallel diplomacy”.

He said that while giving Sidhu clearance to visit Pakistan, Sushma Swaraj had cautioned him to “not be hyper” and guard against saying or doing anything that “may lower India’s reputation”.

Coming to Sidhu’s defence, Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said the BJP, which Sidhu left two years back, continues to “nurture animosity” against him.

About Sidhu meeting Sushma Swaraj on Monday, Surjewala said that instead of “planting” stories about reprimanding Sidhu, the External Affairs Minister should officially say as to what transpired in the meeting.

“Instead of berating Sidhu, should not the Prime Minister be ensuring that our Sikh brothers and sisters are permitted to have ‘darshan’ of a place which is important for Sikhs (Kartarpur saheb)?

“Sidhu may have an intent but he does not have the authority to open or not open a corridor. The responsibility finally lies at the doorstep of Prime Minister and the MEA,” Surjewala said.

(IANS)

The Delhi government on Thursday cleared a number of proposals, including increasing financial assistance for maintenance of parks, installing CCTVs in government schools and ensuring safety of woman in public spaces.

In one of the decisions, the Cabinet meeting chaired by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, approved the proposal to increase financial assistance from Rs 1 lakh per acre to Rs 2 lakh per acre to parks and gardens registered with the Delhi Parks and Gardens Society, a statement released by Kejriwal’s office said.

The CM’s office said that the objective behind this step is to “enhance green cover of Delhi from 20 per cent to 25 per cent”.

In addition, it said, irrespective of the category of the colony, the Delhi Parks and Gardens Society will contribute 90 per cent of the admissible financial assistance at the rate of Rs 2 lakh per acre while the balance 10 per cent will have to be borne by the concerned RWAs or NGOs.

The Cabinet also passed a provision to provide financial assistance for installation of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) to overcome the problem of water supply.

“The grant of RWAs and NGOs shall additionally include one-time financial assistance towards the cost of STP at the rate of Rs 2 lakh per acre, while the balance if any will have to be borne by the concerned RWAs or NGOs,” the statement said.

Under another project, the Delhi Government will undertake a survey of infrastructural lacunae in Delhi-NCR with a focus on woman safety.

In the wake of rising incident of child abuse in the schools of Delhi-NCR, the Cabinet also decided to install CCTVs in all the Delhi government-run schools.

The cabinet also approved a proposal of the Department of Education to empower School Management Committees (SMCs) by renaming and restructuring Vidyalaya Kalyan Samitis as SMCs.

It also approved another proposal for revision in the rates of remuneration of miscellaneous category of guest teachers.

“The department of education has proposed that the rate of daily remuneration for Miscellaneous Category guest teachers may be brought at per with Trained Graduate Teachers (with CTET qualification) guest teachers, i.e. enhanced from Rs 1,050 to Rs 1,403 per day, prospectively,” the statement said.

The proposal would be submitted for approval of Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, it added.

The Cabinet further approved a Department of Social Welfare proposal to enhance the financial assistance to leprosy-affected persons from Rs 1,800 per month to Rs 3,000 per month under the Rehabilitation Centre for Leprosy-affected Persons (RCL) scheme.

“The proposal is to enhance the maintenance allowance…for 562 RCL beneficiaries with effect from September 2018,” the Chief Minister’s office said.

(IANS)

The 15th Finance Commission headed by N. K. Singh held talks with political parties, trade and industry organisations and local bodies in Maharashtra on Tuesday, while the government and political parties sought a special grant of Rs 50,000 crore for Mumbai’s development, an official said here.

On a three-day visit to the state, the commission comprises Ashok Lahiri, Shaktikanta Das, Anoop Singh and Ramesh Chand.

Leaders and delegations of several political parties expressed concern that the state has been deprived of tax devolution on the pretext that the state has the highest GSDP and successive commissions ignored the challenges of regional inequality within Maharashtra.

They demanded that since Maharashtra has maintained the population replacement rate of 1.8, it should be incentivized for the same.

Raising issues concerning Mumbai, which has been the growth magnet for the country, they discussed the resultant immigration which puts enormous stress on resources and infrastructure.

For this, the parties demanded from the Commission a special grant of Rs.50,000 crore for the city’s development as people from all states in the country live here.

They pointed out that while population is a critical indicator for devolution, due weightage should be given to “in-migration”, sought adequate revenue deficit grants and to pay attention to the farm crises and drought afflicting the state.

Various industry and agriculture groups informed the Commission about the shortage of equity and credit faced by them and requested that Goods & Services Tax (GST) on services used by the centre and state may be borne by the respective governments to spare the MSMEs of the burden of frequent taxation.

The industry groups pointed out that the competitiveness of Indian exporters would improve due to the Rupee depreciation within a range of Rs 72-73 per USD.

They added that the domino effects of insolvency and NCLT is faced by MSMEs and sought relaxation in the rules of the Insolvency Act.

Local civic bodies in the urban and rural areas raised issued of need to devolve funds to the Zilla and Taluka Panchayats, besides village Panchayats, to maintain community assets, capacity building, raising internal resources and cluster-based approach for effective delivery of services like sold waste management.

Representatives from the coastal Konkan demanded special grants for dealing with cleanliness and beautification of sea shores, arresting saline water ingression and hill regions like Panchgani sought funds to provide services to the tourist population and performance-based incentives.

(IANS)

The BJP on Tuesday demanded Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s resignation soon after a court here issued summons to him, his deputy Manish Sisodia and 11 other AAP legislators as accused in an alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash.

“This has happened for the first time when a Chief Minister would be present in the court as an accused. Thus, on moral grounds we demand his resignation,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Delhi unit spokesperson Harish Khurana told IANS.

He said: “We have seen former Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana, who resigned on moral grounds after his name figured in a list of politicians allegedly involved in a hawala scandal in 1995.”

Attacking Kejriwal and his party leaders, Khurana said: “They had claimed that they have come to change the politics. But what they are doing?”

The BJP leader’s remarks came after a court here accepted the Delhi Police charge-sheet and asked all the 13 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders to appear before the court on October 25.

The Delhi Police in August charge-sheeted Kejriwal, Sisodia, Amanatullah Khan, Prakash Jarwal, Nitin Tyagi, Rituraj Govind, Sanjeev Jha, Ajay Dutt, Rajesh Rishi, Rajesh Gupta, Madan Lal, Parveen Kumar and Dinesh Mohania over the alleged assault of the Chief Secretary.

They have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for voluntarily causing hurt and obstructing a public servant to deter him/ her from doing duty, wrongful confinement and assault.

They have also been accused of insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, punishment of abetment and unlawful assembly, among others.

On the other hand, the AAP has called the case a “midnight conspiracy to defame the Delhi Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and 11 MLAs in a false and laughable case”.

Chief Secretary Prakash had in February alleged that he was beaten up by AAP MLAs in the presence of Kejriwal at the Chief Minister’s residence on the night of February 19 where he had been called for a late-night meeting.

The case was filed the next morning and Amanatullah Khan and Prakash Jarwal were arrested and sent to judicial custody. Later, they were released on bail.

(IANS)