The Gujarat government has demolished 108 Mazars in the state, the Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi informed the Assembly on Wednesday (22nd February). Sanghvi added that the Bhupendra Patel-led government will continue the anti-encroachment drive against any encroachment that crops up as “part of a conspiracy”.
The Minister was speaking during the discussion on the budgetary demands of the Home and Transport departments.
During the address, Sanghavi referred to an earlier speech of BJP MLA Amit Shah, who had spoken about the relocation of idols from a Jain temple at Jamalpur in Ahmedabad when Congress was in power in the state.
“Today, the point mentioned by Amitbhai…he said that a derasar was removed in Jamalpur. Now, Dada’s (Bhupendra Patel) bulldozer is moving around in every nook and corner of the state so that no temple or devasthan can be removed while hatching a conspiracy. Nobody knows where will it (bulldozer) go,” Sanghavi said.
The minister questioned the sudden cropping up of the mazars in Uparkot. “In Uparkot, it was not known where (and when) all mazars were built. How can it be built suddenly?” Sanghavi said.
He added that in all, 108 mazars have been demolished and the state’s properties have been opened. “The encroachment around Somnath has been removed. This bulldozer of Dada can enter a 20-ft wide street and an 80-m wide road,” he said adding that the bulldozer is ready to demolish any encroachment which is part of a conspiracy.
Inaugurated by the Gujarat CM in September 2023, the government has restored the historic Uparkot fort for Rs 74 crore. Moreover, the CM said that the anti-encroachment drive that started from Dwarka has reached Porbandar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pavagadh, Gir Somnath and Jamnagar.
The Kannada and Culture Department, which had previously prohibited private schools from singing the state anthem during assemblies, stated in a new government decree on Wednesday (21st February) that all schools must do so. This is after the opposition party raised the issue in the state assembly criticizing the state.
Kannada and Culture Minister, Shivaraj Tangadagi described the error as a “printing mistake”.
In a bizarre incident reported on Wednesday (21st February), the government of Karnataka issued an order on 16th February sparking controversy. The order exempted the state’s private schools from singing the state anthem while the rule still applied to all the public schools.
The matter escalated further as the order clearly stated that only the government schools would be mandatorily required to follow the rule of singing the state anthem- ‘Jaya Bharatha Jananiya Thanujathe’, written by Kuvempu during the school assemblies.
Image source- Republic TV
However, Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi called the mix-up a printing mistake and said that the order would be rectified to direct all the schools including the private ones to sing the state anthem mandatorily during the school assemblies.
This probably happened after Leader of Opposition R Ashoka raised the issue in the State Assembly and questioned the government for issuing such an order. “What was the intention behind this? Do these private schools not come under the purview of the education department? What kind of madness is this? Why are officials issuing such orders…? I explained it to Minister Tangadagi, who said it would be rectified. Why doesn’t he have any hold on the officials,” he was quoted as questioning.
Meanwhile, BJP state president BY Vijayendra opined that the state was trying to insult the poet by issuing such an order. “The state government should apologize,” he demanded.
However, Tangadagi said that it was a small error and that the old order would be rectified. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao also happened to back the Kannada and Culture Minister saying that in the original note, it was mentioned “all schools”, but while preparing the government order, it had changed, leading to confusion. “It is a printing mistake. We have rectified it,” he added.
Law Minister HK Patil further stated that there was a lapse and that those who prepared the order copy would face consequences. The most recent GO published by the department included all schools, including government, private, aided, and unaided.
West Bengal’s Governor CV Ananda Bose opened a ‘Peace Home‘ at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Monday (19th February) to temporarily refuge the aggrieved women of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. The governor’s move has received praise across political parties in the state. Two TMC MPs have come to laude this action amid delayed FIRs in this case.
The top leadership of TMC, however, is involved in politics over the alleged ‘Khalistani’ slur against IPS officer Jagmeet Singh affiliated to the West Bengal police, ignoring the real victims of the Sandeshkhali incident. Notably, no such effort from the state machinery run by the TMC government in West Bengal was seen.
Bharatiya Janata Party shared a video on 22nd February explaining the whole ordeal of the women in Sandeshkhali. BJP wrote in the X post, “A truth that’ll shock us. A truth that’ll pain us. A truth that’ll shake our conscience. The Truth of Sandeshkhali that Mamata Banerjee is trying to hide.”
On Monday, the Governor visited Sandeshkhali to meet the victims of the mass rapes of Hindu women by TMC leader Sheikh Shahajahan and his accomplices. According to a statement by the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Governor CV Ananda Bose, Sandip Rajput, it was after this visit that the Governor decided to open the ‘Peace Home’.
He said, “The governor recently visited Sandeshkhali. He had issued a helpline number, so we received several calls. A peace home has been opened in Raj Bhavan in Kolkata to accommodate the victims of Sandeshkhali. The food and water will be made available for free. Many people have expressed their desire to come and Raj Bhawan is ready to accommodate them. We have provided the transportation services. We are fully prepared.”
In a press release from the Raj Bhavan on Monday, Governor CV Ananda Bose said, “I appeal to the law-abiding citizenry, civil society leaders, opinion makers and all political parties to unite in a ‘peace visit’ to Sandeshkhali, to go around the streets there that have been witnessing distrust, scepticism and lawlessness and stand by the law-abiding citizens, and more specifically, the aggrieved women there and tell them the entire country is with them.”
He added, “To my aggrieved sisters of Sandeshkhali, I give my assurance that we are all with you. You need not be afraid. Your rightful place in society shall be secured and you shall be meaningfully empowered to guide your families and society.”
While the Bharatiya Janata Party being the prime opposition party in the state had been raising the issue for a fortnight, fewer voices supporting the victims were heard from the ruling party Trinamool Congress. The prime accused in this case is a TMC leader. Even the West Bengal police did not register any FIR until the NCW chairperson visited Sandeshkhali. However, two TMC MPs expressed their support to West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose’s decision to open the doors of Raj Bhavan for the victim women.
#WATCH | West Bengal: NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma says, "The women of Sandeshkhali have been harassed… They are scared and the situation here is bad. Women are crying in front of me. I don't think anything will happen here without the President's rule…Today I have copies of… pic.twitter.com/UkkUiKzGWD
Contai MP Sisir Adhikari and his younger son, Tamluk MP Dibyendu, have commended the governor for acknowledging the plight of the distressed women in Sandeshkhali, located in the North 24 Parganas district. Sisir Adhikari said, “It’s great thinking. The governor must be praised for this. It reminds me how I had organised accommodation for several people from Nandigram during the agitation days to protect them from the goons of the CPI(M).”
Dibyendu Adhikari said, “It’s an unimaginable step you have taken to provide shelter to tortured women from Sandeshkhali on Raj Bhavan premises. I shall be obliged if you please allow me to stand by your side for any support to the victimised women.”
Notably, Sisir Adhikari is the father of West Bengal’s leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Suvendu Adhikari also visited Sandeshkhali on Tuesday along with other BJP leaders and party workers. He was stopped from visiting the interiors of the disturbed area by the West Bengal police. During this altercation, IPS officer Jagmeet Singh deployed on the spot alleged that the BJP leader called him a ‘Khalistani’ because the Sikh officer was wearing a turban. A video of the incident also went viral. However, it could not be ascertained as to who exactly made these remarks against the officer.
West Bengal police declared from their X handle that they will investigate this case. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari challenged the allegations and asked the West Bengal police to prove their allegation within a day. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee attacked BJP before the veracity of the incident was confirmed. She tweeted, “Today, the BJP’s divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per BJP, every person wearing a TURBAN is a KHALISTANI. I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS & SISTERS, revered for their SACRIFICES and UNWAVERING DETERMINATION of our nation. We stand firm in protecting Bengal’s social harmony and will take stern lawful measures to prevent any attempts to disrupt it.”
Today, the BJP's divisive politics has shamelessly overstepped constitutional boundaries. As per @BJP4India every person wearing a TURBAN is a KHALISTANI.
I VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN this audacious attempt to undermine the reputation of our SIKH BROTHERS & SISTERS, revered for their… pic.twitter.com/toYs8LhiuU
However, she did not reflect on West Bengal police’s initial inaction in this case where they refused to file any FIR and denied any rape atrocities in Sandeshkhali. Since the Sandeshkhali issue surfaced, the West Bengal police have repeatedly kept replies to their X posts restricted or invisible. This is because the state police machinery has faced heavy criticism from X users all over the country for their inaction against the main accused Sheikh Shahajahan. It was also stated in the Governor’s report that the state police are hand-in-glove with the accused.
However, the West Bengal police have been prompt in arresting journalists reporting this case on the ground. Shantu Pan of Republic Bangla was arrested by the West Bengal police. An FIR against Suman De of the ABP Ananda was also filed in this series of police harassment of journalists reporting Sandeshkhali. BJP state present Dr Sukanta Majumdar posted from his X handle, “Atrocities against Bengal media is on full swing, after Shantu Pan of Republic Bangla, now an FIR is launched against Suman De of ABP Ananda TV. It seems the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government is exercising an undeclared emergency in West Bengal at the moment.”
Not only this, the arrested journalist of Republic Bangla TV Santu Pan was moved from Sandeskhali police station to an undisclosed location on 21st February late in the night. The men escorting him had covered faces and their uniforms had no insignia.
In a midnight operation, Republic Bangla journalist Santu Pan is moved from Sandeskhali police station to an undisclosed location. The men escorting him have covered faces and their uniforms have no insignia. If anything happens to Pan, Mamata Banerjee alone would be responsible. pic.twitter.com/AVuHftLQV8
Meanwhile, a 3-member team of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes reached Sandeshkhali on Wednesday to probe the sexual exploitation of the tribal women in the Sandeshkhali incident that took place in the North24 Pargana district of West Bengal.
The background of the controversy
On 8th February this year, hundreds of women in Sandeshkhali took to the streets to protest against land grabbing, non-payment of wages and sexual violence committed by Trinamool Congress goon Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.
The women attacked Shahjahan’s illicitly obtained properties and set fire to a poultry farm owned by Shiba Prasad Hazra. They also surrounded the Sandeshkali police station and demanded the immediate arrest of the trio. The agitation in the village lasted for 3 days.
On Friday (17th February), the police arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali. The primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan, is still on the run from the law enforcement authorities.
On Tuesday (20th February), Ruby Franke, a YouTuber who ran a parenting-related channel ‘8 Passengers’ was sentenced to up to 60 years in prison in a child abuse case. The vlogger was accused of keeping two of her children in a ‘concentration camp-like setting’. The children were 9 and 11 years old.
Ruby Franke received four consecutive sentences of one to fifteen years for four counts of child abuse. Meanwhile, her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt received the same sentence for her role in the child abuse.
During the sentencing on Tuesday, Eric Clarke, the Washington County attorney said that the vlogger denied her children adequate food, water, entertainment and beds, and isolated them from others. Moreover, she also forced her children to do physical tasks in extreme heat, without shoes, socks or water. The attorney stated that they were beaten and constantly shackled by their hands and feet while made to stand on hot concrete in the summer heat for hours if not days. The children’s injuries were severe enough that they were required to be hospitalised.
“Had the older of the children not had the courage to run away and ask a neighbour to call the police, heaven only knows how much longer he could have survived in that situation,” Attorney Clarke said.
Meanwhile, the YouTuber-turned tormentor of her children Ruby Franke said, “I am humbled and willing to serve a prison sentence for as long as I need. I am committed to unlearning my toxic behaviour. For the past four years, I’ve chosen to follow counsel and guidance that has led me into a dark delusion.”
Franke and her husband, Kevin Franke, built a sizable online following after starting their YouTube channel ‘8 Passengers’ in 2015, where they documented the experiences of raising six children.
Franke later collaborated with Hildebrandt’s counselling company, ConneXions Classroom, to provide parenting seminars, start another YouTube channel, and produce content on their Instagram account, “Moms of Truth”.
“Dark was light, right was wrong”
During the hearing Ruby Franke apologised for the crime she committed as she said, “I … believed dark was light and right was wrong,” she said, “I would do anything in this world for you. I took from you all that was soft, and safe and good.”
“To my babies, my six little chicks. You are part of me. I was the mama duck who was consistently waddling you to safety. I can see now that over the past four years, I was in a deep undercurrent that led us to danger,” Franke said while apologising to her children.
She also admitted to having a “distorted version of reality” and said that it went unchecked since she would isolate herself from anyone who “challenged” her.
In December 2023, Franke and Hildebrandt pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree aggravated child abuse, after initially facing six counts of felony child abuse. Franke had already volunteered to testify against Hildebrandt in exchange for the county attorney’s neutrality in future proceedings before the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.
Both of them were arrested in August 2023 after police discovered one of Franke’s children starving, with open wounds and restrained with duct tape around his wrist and ankles. Franke’s 12-year-old son had fled Hildebrandt’s home and reached a neighbour’s home. One of Franke’s daughters was also found malnourished in Hildebrandt’s home.
Convict Ruby Franke, who has over 2.5 million followers, then admitted to forcing her child to work outside all day in the blazing hot sun while depriving him of water and food as punishment. To keep him from fleeing, she chained his arms and legs. She also admitted to assaulting her 9-year-old daughter using similar cruel methods.
The 12-year-old child informed investigators that his mother would bound him with ropes. When the handcuffs cut him, he stated that she would heal the wounds with cayenne pepper.
Franke also ‘disciplined’ one of her boys by removing him from his bedroom and forcing him to sleep on a living room beanbag for several months. The mother allegedly cancelled Christmas one year and threatened to decapitate her daughter’s stuffed animals as a form of control.
After the partner’s guilty plea, Franke’s attorney attempted to shift the blame to Hildebrandt, claiming that the therapist “systematically isolated” the mother from her family and pushed her towards abuse. However, Franke decided to apologise to her children.
Following the arrest, Franke’s husband Kevin filed for divorce, expressing hope that both his wife and Hildebrandt would receive the maximum punishment. He claimed to have been unaware of his wife’s torture treatment of her children as he stayed away from home for a year before her arrest.
Although Frakne told the court that she would not argue for a shorter sentence, she and Hildebrandt have 30 days to appeal their sentences.
In a mega boost for the Indian Navy, the Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared the acquisition of over 200 BrahMos extended-range supersonic cruise missiles for deployment on its warships.
The deal worth around Rs 19,000 crore was cleared in a meeting held on Wednesday evening, top government sources told ANI.
The contract is set to be signed in the first week of March between the BrahMos Aerospace and Ministry of Defence.
The BrahMos is the main weapon for anti-ship and attack operations for the Indian navy warships which have been regularly firing the weapon system.
The BrahMos Aerospace is a joint venture of India and Russia and produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
The BrahMos missile has been indigenised in a big way by the BrahMos corporation and more parts are being indigenised.
The BrahMos missile is also set to be exported soon to the Philippines which is its first global customer.
Many countries in the Southeast Asian region have started showing serious interest in the missile system for deployment in multiple ways.
Brahmos Aerospace, headed by Atul Rane, is also working towards achieving the USD 5 billion export target set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BrahMos Chairman had stated that after the first export deal with the Philippines at 375 million dollars, his team was targeting USD 5 billion by 2025.
The Indo-Russian joint venture company had conducted test firings of the missile with a high level of indigenous content, and the missile is being equipped with an indigenous seeker.
The BrahMos missile system sale to the partner countries is also set to open many more windows for other successful weapon systems like the Akash, ATAGS howitzers and other equipment from the Indian industry.
This Indian defence industry is also working on improving its hardware quality to match global competition and achieve success in export markets.
Indian systems are also being showcased in foreign countries and some of the public sector units have also opened up offices in prospective markets for sales and support.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 19th February, Rozana Times, a YouTube-based Punjabi news channel, published an interview of a “farmer” protesting at the Shambhu border, recorded last week. In the interview, when the farmer was asked for comments on Haryana CM’s request to take trains to reach Delhi, the farmer asked why wealthy farmers with AC tractors and VIP rooms on trolleys would take trains. Furthermore, he called actor-turned-leader Deep Sidhu “Bhindranwale without Kesh”. Deep Sidhu, a prominent leader of Farmer Protests 1.0, died in a road accident in February 2022.
The ‘farmer’ accepted that the number of protesters is far less during farmer protests 2.0 compared to the previous protests. He blamed farmer leaders for ending the protests in 2021, and asserted people are not coming forward to participate in the protests.
BJP government attacked farmers as they have no ground for elections
The “farmer” further claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has lost ground for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He asserted the action taken against the farmers was because no one was following PM Modi, Haryana CM Khattar, and UP CM Yogi Adityanath. “They do not have any ground. That is why they are getting under the skins of the farmers,” he said. He then claimed that if voting for the Lok Sabha takes place on ballot papers instead of EVMs, PM Modi will not get a single vote.
Don’t mess with Punjabis as they hold grudges
The farmer said that the central government should not mess with the Punjabis as they hold grudges. He cited an example of an alleged conversation between the then-Governor of Punjab and then-Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. He said, “The governor had warned Indira not to mess with the Punjabis as they hold grudges. Even if they return after 50 years, they will take revenge.” He then warned the central and Haryana governments not to mess with the “peaceful” protesters.
I will be booked if I say anything about the Punjab government
The farmer initially refused to say anything about the role of the Punjab government in ongoing farmer protests. He asserted that if he said anything, he would be booked, and then police would reach his place.
Citing actor-turned-leader Deep Sidhu, he claimed that the central and Punjab governments are no different. He used the idiom “Together like Ghee Khichdi” and called the AAP-led state government B-Team of BJP. He questioned how AAP forms government in states where people are educated, and BJP forms government in states where people are illiterate. He asserted that BJP fields AAP to lead in states where people are educated and lead those states where people are not educated.
He expressed dismay over the defeat of Lakha Sadhana, a gangster-turned-politician. He said, “Thousands of people gathered for Bhaana Sidhu. Lakha Sidhana was the ‘Guru’ of Sidhu. Then, explain how Lakha Sidhana was defeated [in the Assembly elections]. How was elder Badal defeated?”
For the unaware, Sadhana contested the Punjab Assembly Elections 2022 as an independent, where he secured 28,091 votes but lost the election to Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate, Sukhveer Singh Maiserkhana, who secured 63,099 votes. As per an affidavit filed by Sidhana during the Assembly Elections, there were 14 pending cases against him, and in two cases, he was convicted. Sidhana also tried his hands in politics in the 2012 elections but failed. Recently, he was seen instigating farmers to join the protests.
He added, “If AAP was not the B-Team of BJP, the Chief Minister of Punjab would have come to the border and taken stock of our situation. He would have warned the Haryana government not to touch the farmers; otherwise, he would have asked us to counter.”
Wealthy farmers don’t take train
The reporter asked the farmer about the request made by the Chief Minister of Haryana to use public transport like trains to reach Delhi instead of using heavy vehicles. He said, “Why should we go by train? We are Jatt Zamindars. We have land, cars and 15 lakh worth of AC tractors. We have built VIP AC rooms on our trolleys. Sardar rule here. This is not Bengal. Why should we take trains where ‘Bhaiyye’ [people from UP and Bihar] spit and have no toilets?”
Deep Sidhu was Bhindranwale without Kesh
The farmer spoke volumes of Deep Sidhu, and called him “Bhindranwale without Kesh and turban”. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was a Khalistani terrorist who the Indian Army neutralised during Operation Blue Star. Bhindranwale was responsible for the Punjab insurgency from the late 1970s to the late 1990s.
Deep Sidhu was a pro-Khalistani leader. He was actively involved in farmer protests 1.0 and played a vital role in hoisting an alien flag at Red Fort on Republic Day in 2021. He formed an organisation ‘Waris Punjab De‘ which was later taken over by pro-Khalistani Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh after Sidhu’s death.
Why are farmers protesting
The farmers are protesting to get their demands fulfilled by the Union Government, including a legal guarantee of MSP, implementation of Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and labourers, debt waiver, no hike in electricity traffic, withdrawal of police cases, reinstatement of Land Acquisition Act, 2012, compensation for the families of farmers who allegedly died during 2020-21 farmer protests and more.
On Wednesday (February 21st), the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI) submitted a report to the United Nations detailing the sadistic and systematic extent of the sexual violence committed by Hamas terrorists during the terror group’s brutal October 7 onslaught on southern Israel. The report stated that in many cases the Hamas terrorists shoved knives in the victim’s genitals.
“Many of the bodies of the sexual crime victims were found bound and shackled. The genitals of both women and men were brutally mutilated, and sometimes weapons were inserted into them. The terrorists did not stop at shooting; they also cut and mutilated sexual organs and other body parts with knives,” the report states adding that these practices were designed to destroy and inflict sadistic terror.
Terrorists “hunted young women and men who fled the Nova festival” and “dragged them by their hair amid screams,” the ARCCI report said.
The report further revealed that the victims of sexual assault were killed “after or during the rape”. The Hamas terrorists raped women in front of an audience including the victim’s family members, partners or friends to further humiliate them.
Relying on its information and analysis, the report emphasises “that sexual abuse was not an isolated incident or sporadic cases but rather a clear operational strategy.”
A Nova music festival victim informed ARCCI that they witnessed an “apocalypse of bodies, girls without clothes, some missing their upper, some their lower parts.”
Gad Liberson, another Nova survivor, said that he heard the women crying. “It sounded like they were being raped. “They take them to the pickup trucks, they cry, they scream. They shoot them. I heard men’s voices screaming and when I heard shots, they immediately stopped screaming. I heard the girls for a long time.”
“There were girls there whose pelvises were simply broken from being raped so much,” another witness told ARCCI.
The report states that there is “a clear picture of identical patterns of action repeated in each of the attack zones” – the Nova festival, kibbutzim and villages along the Gaza border, as well as Israeli military bases.
Rescuers who retrieved the bodies from the event grounds also told ARCCI that they saw “many bodies arriving partially clothed or unclothed” with “heavy bleeding from the pelvic area and mutilation of genital organs.”
Furthermore, the ARCCI report says that the rescuers found evidence of sexual assault within surrounding kibbutzes, with numerous women and girls’ bodies found raped in their bedrooms while partially dressed in pyjamas, knives in their genitals, and signs of semen.
Other than knives, weapons found in women’s genitals included nails and grenades, and some bodies were “booby-trapped,” according to the report.
According to testimonies from authors Dr Carmit Klar-Chalamish and Noga Berger, in around 90% of cases, victims were gang raped in front of others, including family members. ARCCI also reported that Israelis were sexually abused and shot in the genitals on military bases.
Israel Hamas War
On 7th October last year, around 3000 Hamas terrorists landed in Israel from land, sea, and air and killed over 1,200 Israelis including babies and foreign nationals, brutally assaulted, raped, and paraded women, and kidnapped over 230 Israeli and foreign nationals. In response, Israel has been carrying out ground operations in Gaza to “dismantle” the terror infrastructure of Hamas.
In a significant move, the Modi government has announced 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the space sector. This decision was announced following a key meeting chaired by PM Modi on Thursday (21st February).
The move is aimed at attracting potential investors to invest in Indian companies in the space sector and integrate Indian companies into global value chains further providing an impetus to ‘Make In India (MII)’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives.
The Union Cabinet approved the amendment in the FDI policy on the space sector dividing the satellites sub-sector into three different activities with defined limits for foreign investment in each such sector.
The Centre stated that the proposed reforms will liberalize the FDI policy provisions in the space sector by prescribing liberalized entry routes and providing clarity for FDI in Satellites, Launch Vehicles and associated systems or subsystems, Creation of Spaceports for launching and receiving Spacecraft and manufacturing of space-related components and systems.
“The Indian Space Policy 2023 was notified as an overarching, composite and dynamic framework to implement the vision for unlocking India’s potential in the space sector through enhanced private participation. The said policy aims to augment space capabilities; develop a flourishing commercial presence in space; use space as a driver of technology development and derived benefits in allied areas; pursue international relations and create an ecosystem for effective implementation of space applications among all stakeholders,” the Centre stated.
It added that as per the existing FDI policy, FDI is permitted in the establishment and operation of Satellites through the Government approval route only.
“Now, in line with the vision and strategy under the Indian Space Policy 2023, the Union Cabinet has eased the FDI policy on the Space sector by prescribing liberalized FDI thresholds for various sub-sectors/activities,” the government announced.
The Centre said that the increased private sector participation would help to generate employment, enable modern technology absorption and make the sector self-reliant.
In a surprise late-night briefing on Thursday (21st February), the Centre announced a slew of incentives for sugarcane farmers following a key meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
At the briefing held by Union Minister Anurag Thakur, the Centre announced the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane for Sugar Season 2024-25 at Rs 340 per quintal at the sugar recovery rate of 10.25%.
“This is historic price of sugarcane which is about 8% higher than FRP of sugarcane for current season 2023-24. The revised FRP will be applicable w.e.f. 01 Oct 2024,” the government stated.
The government pointed out that India is This is historic price of sugarcane which is about 8% higher than FRP of sugarcane for current season 2023-24. The revised FRP will be applicable w.e.f. 01 Oct 2024.
It added that the decision is going to benefit more than 5 crore sugarcane farmers (including family members) and lakhs of other persons involved in the sugar sector.
Elaborating further on the implications of the decision, the Centre stated that sugar mills will now pay FRP of sugarcane at Rs 340 per quintal at a recovery of 10.25%.
“With each increase of recovery by 0.1%, farmers will get an additional price of Rs 3.32 while the same amount will be deducted on reduction of recovery by 0.1%,” the government said.
It added that however, Rs 315.10/quintal is the minimum price of sugarcane which is at a recovery of 9.5%. “Even if sugar recovery is lesser, farmers are assured of FRP at Rs 315.10/quintal,” the Centre stated.
On Wednesday (21st February), Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee head Swarn Singh Pandher announced that the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march of the Punjab farmers has been suspended for two days – 22nd and 23rd of February. He added that a decision would be taken after analysing what transpired in the Khanauri incident and they would disclose their next strategy, and future course of action on Friday evening.
“We will have discussions over the incident that took place in Khanauri. There will be a two-day stay on our march towards Delhi. We will clarify the entire situation later as to what our further movement will be,” he was quoted saying by news agency ANI.
Notably, a farmer protestor named Shubh Karan Singh reportedly died after he was injured during a clash with police at Khanauri border. He was rushed to Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, where an injury on his head was found. While protestors have claimed that he was shot by police, the police have denied firing on protestors. Reportedly, doctors said that Singh was hit by a rubber bullet.
However, Haryana Police have denied the report of the death, saying that no farmer has died.
#WATCH | Shambhu border: Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher says, "…We will have discussions over the incident that took place in Khanauri. There will be a two-day stay on our march towards Delhi. We will clarify the entire situation later as to what our further movement will… pic.twitter.com/Wb3XnftBtH
Meanwhile, the Haryana government has extended the suspension of internet services till February 23 keeping in view the tensions at the Haryana-Punjab border.
The development came after the farmer protest took a violent turn on the resumption of the Delhi Chalo march on February 21, after a brief halt. Notably, clashes broke out between protesting farmers trying to break barricades and create tear gas of their own, and security forces deployed at the Punjab-Haryana border, particularly the Khanauri border.
As per Haryana police, three police personnel have died at the farmer protest sites. The farmer protestors today mixed chilli with stubble and burnt it, creating their own tear gas smoke. They then attacked the police with sharp weapons and resorted to heavy stone pelting. 12 policemen were seriously injured in the attack.
Jind police said that using the cover of smoke, the protestors took out their swords and attacked the police. Some protestors also used spears and machetes. To control the situation, police used tear gas to disperse the farmers.
AIG, (Administration) and Spokesperson of the Haryana Police, Manisha Chaudhary stated that the Police personnel were surrounded at the Data Singh-Khanori border by the protesting farmers’ who poured chili powder mixed in the stubble and set it on fire. They also attacked the policemen using sticks and sharp weapons as well as pelted stones. Around 12 policemen sustained serious injuries in the attack.
Additionally, the Haryana Police denied reports of abducting a protestor describing it as fake news. It added that the said protestor was admitted to hospital but he is out of danger.
The Haryana Police post read, “The fake news of the abduction of one farmer named Preet s/o Davinder Singh r/oVillage Nawa Gao Dist Sangrur by Haryana Police at Khanauri border is strongly denied. He is admitted in PGI Rohtak by Haryana police for treatment and is completely out of danger.”
Other key developments of Farmers’ protest
It is pertinent to note that earlier in the day, Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda had invited the protesting farmers to hold a fifth round of talks. He added that the government is ready to have discussions on all issues including MSP, stubble burnings, and crop diversification.
The protesting farmers in the Punjab-Haryana border began their march today donning gas masks and fortified gear to face the police. This is a week after the farmers failed to cross the border given the heavy police presence.
Amid the farmers’ protest, the Punjab DGP had issued orders stopping the movement of JCBs, Poclaines, Tippers, Hydras and other heavy earthmoving equipment towards the Punjab-Haryana Border at Khanauri and Shambu. The order was issued after a written request for the same by DGP Haryana.
Notably, the Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled that tractor-trolleys cannot run on highways as per the Motor Vehicles Act. The court also reminded the farmers to follow constitutional duties regardless of everyone knowing their fundamental rights.
The protesting farmers demanding Centre to enact laws ensuring MSP among other hosts of demands have been camped at the Shambhu and Khanauri border posts in Punjab and Haryana since their march was halted by security forces on 13th February.
