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Former union minister and BJP leader Jaswant Singh passed away, PM Modi tweets condolences

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Former union minister and BJP leader Jaswant Singh passed away, PM Modi tweets condolences

Known for his charisma and straightforwardness, former Union Minister Jaswant Singh passed away at 82 on 27th September 2020. He was hospitalised in Army Hospital since 2014 after he fell in his bathroom and suffered a head injury.

Several leaders, including PM Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and others, posted messages remembering the leader.

A close confidante of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Singh played an important role in strengthening BJP’s position in Rajasthan. Singh served as External Affairs Minister and Defence minister during the Vajpayee-led NDA government. He is often remembered for his role in handling relationships with the United States after the 1998 nuclear tests.

In 2009, under fire on Singh’s book eulogising Pakistan’s founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the BJP had expelled him and disassociated from the content of the book. In 2014, he was again expelled for a period of six years after he refused to withdraw his nomination as an independent candidate against BJP’s official nominee in Rajasthan’s Barmer Lok Sabha constituency.

Madhya Pradesh: Daughter registers a complaint against father for ‘cheating’ her in Ludo game

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Madhya Pradesh: Daughter registers a complaint against father for ‘cheating’ her in Ludo game

A game of Ludo has has now caused distress to a family in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh after the 24-year-old daughter reached a family court to file a complaint against her own father for cheating in Ludo, reports ANI.

The young woman approached a family court after she was defeated several times in Ludo games by her father in Bhopal. It all began when the young woman, her two siblings and their father started playing the board game during the coronavirus lockdown.

After losing a game, the young woman developed bitterness against her father. The resentment increased over time after the father defeated her in subsequent games. The family had to undergo counselling sessions to resolve the issue.

“A 24-year-old young woman had come to us and said that when she was playing Ludo with her siblings and father, her father killed her tokens (goti) and she felt it was a breach of trust. She said she had trusted her father a lot and didn’t expect to be defeated by him,” said Sarita Rajani, family court counsellor.

Rajani added, “Nowadays, children are unable to endure defeat which is why such cases come up. They need to learn to accept defeat which is as important as winning”.

The family counsellor added that the 24-year-old girl was counselled four times till now and the situation is improving. We will find a positive solution, she added.

However, Rajani said the girl, who is currently pursuing her studies, did not share her feelings with her family and decided to seek counselling about the matter.

Sarita Rajani revealed that the girl did have a mother and she is the youngest of three siblings.

Here is how senators and Joe Biden reacted to Donald Trump announcing Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court nominee

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Here is how senators and Joe Biden reacted to Donald Trump announcing Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court nominee

Donald Trump announced Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for the Supreme Court seat vacated by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The US Circuit Judge became Trump’s third Supreme Court pick following the nomination of Justice Gorsuch and Justice Brett Kavanaugh who were subsequently confirmed as Justices of the apex federal court by the Republican Senate.

“Today it is my honor to nominate one of our nation’s most brilliant and gifted legal minds to the Supreme Court,” Trump said. “She is a woman of unparalleled achievement, towering intellect, sterling credentials and unyielding loyalty to the Constitution — Judge Amy Coney Barrett.”

Donald Trump also noted that if confirmed, Amy Coney Barrett will become the first mother of school-age children to serve as a Justice in the Supreme Court.

During his speech confirming Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee, Donald Trump urged Democrats to not resort to personal attacks during the nomination process. “I urge all members of the other side of the aisle to provide Judge Barrett with the respect and dignified hearing that she deserves,” he said. The President was probably referring to the partisan mudslinging that arose after Justice Brett Kavanaugh was nominated where the the latter was accused of being a gang rapist and a sexual predator without any credible evidence.

Amy Coney Barrett said that she realises that “this is a momentous decision for a president and if the Senate does me the honor of confirming me, I pledge to discharge the responsibilities of this job to the very best of my ability.” “I love the United States and I love the United States constitution. I am truly humbled by the prospect of serving on the Supreme Court,” she added. Barrett also said that she believes Justices are not lawmakers and she will deliver judgements based on the existing word of the law.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement on the nomination in which he said, “Judge Amy Coney Barrett is an exceptionally impressive jurist and an exceedingly well-qualified nominee to the Supreme Court. A brilliant scholar. An exemplary judge. President Trump could not have made a better decision.”

Statement issued by Mitch McConnell on Amy Coney Barrett nomination

Rand Paul, Republican Senator from Kentucky, said, “Congratulations to Judge Amy Coney Barrett on her nomination to the Supreme Court. I believe she will make an excellent justice that will serve our country and Constitution well, and I look forward to seeing her confirmed soon.” Senator Ted Cruz also confirmed that he intends to confirm her nomination to the Supreme Court.

Senator Mike Rounds from South Dakota, Senator Mike Braun from Indiana and few other Republican senators have already hinted sufficiently that they intend to vote to confirm her as the next Supreme Court Justice. Most significantly, however, Senator Mitt Romney, who has had his differences with Donald Trump, commended Amy Coney Barrett as a “highly-respected jurist with distinguished legal and academic credentials”.

Mitt Romney on Amy Coney Barrett nomination

Democrat Presidential nominee Joe Biden, meanwhile, as expected, opposed the nomination. He said in a statement, “The Senate should not act on this vacancy until after the American people select their next president and the next Congress.” His pick for Vice President, Senator Kamala Harris, too voiced similar sentiments. She said, “Trump’s hand-picked successor to Justice Ginsburg’s seat makes it clear: they intend to destroy the Affordable Care Act & overturn Roe. This selection would move the court further right for a generation & harm millions of Americans.”

Along expected lines, Democrat senators are coming out in vocal condemnation of Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee. The confirmation process is expected to be toughly contested with the votes divided largely along partisan lines. There are a few Republican Senators who could flip and thereby deny Amy Coney Barrett a position in the Supreme Court. While the process is expected to be a pitched battle, Mitch McConnell insists that he has the votes necessary to confirm her to the US Supreme Court. Things will become clear only after the votes are settled in the days to come.

Donald Trump formally announces Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court nominee to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat

OpIndia Staff
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Donald Trump formally announces Amy Coney Barrett as his Supreme Court nominee to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat

Putting all speculations to rest, US President Donald Trump has finally announced Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee to the Supreme Court seat vacated by the demise of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Barrett. who is a circuit judge in the Court of Appeals, will now have to undergo the confirmation process at the Senate to be finally appointed as a justice of the Supreme Court.

Earlier, the US Circuit Judge was spotted leaving for the White House with her family.

Barrett is said to be the favourite of the legal conservatives. After the death of Ginsburg, Trump had said that he would announce his nominee to the Supreme Court much against the wishes of the Democrats and liberals. Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017 by Trump. She had also made it to the list of finalists who were considered by Trump for fill the vacancy in the Supreme Court left by Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Amy Coney Barrett is a conservative Catholic and has been at the target of Democrats and liberals for her views on a number of issues dear to them including abortion, gun-ownership, gay marriage and precedent. The speculations of her nomination to the Supreme Court had created so much stir among the liberals that they had openly called for riots and burning down the country if Trump made a nomination contrary to what they claimed was the dying wish of Ginsburg.

Republicans are believed to have the numbers in the Senate to confirm Amy Coney Barrett as the third Supreme Court justice Donald Trump has picked in his first term as President. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had made it very clear soon after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death that the US President’s nominee will receive a vote at the floor of the Senate. With only weeks remaining for the November presidential elections, the confirmation process is expected to witness a lot of fireworks.

Shiromani Akali Dal quits NDA over farm bills and ‘insensitivity of govt to Punjabi and Sikh issues’

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Shiromani Akali Dal quits NDA over farm bills and ‘insensitivity of govt to Punjabi and Sikh issues’

Long term NDA member Shiromani Akali Dal has announced that it is leaving the BJP led alliance over the farm bill issue. The Akali Dal has been protesting against the three bills reforming the farm sector which were passed by the parliament in the just concluded monsoon session.

After the bills were passed, Akali leader and union food processing minister had resigned from the government in protest against the bills, hinting at possible split in the alliance.

The party said that it is breaking the alliance due to refusal of the govt to “give statutory legislative guarantees to protect assured marketing of crops on MSP and its continued insensitivity to Punjabi and Sikh issues.”

Although despite misinformation spread by opposition, the system of govt procuring of food grains at MSP continues even after the amendment of laws, now the opposition, and the Akalis, are demanding that MSP should be guaranteed even for procurement by private parties. They are also demanding that the amount of MSP should be determined in the relevant act itself.

The three bills passed by the govt are, The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020. These bills end the monopoly of APMCs allowing farmers to sell their produce anywhere the best the price they can get, allows contact farming.

Apart from the farm bills, the Akali Dal is also objecting over the recent amendment of the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill, as Punjabi was not included as an official language of the union territory. The amendment had included Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi to the list official languages of the Jammu and Kashmir. Before this, only Urdu and English were official languages of the former state. SAD was demanding that Punjabi also should be included, considering large Punjabi speaking population in the UT.

Despite the departure of SAD, the Narendra Modi govt faces no danger as BJP alone enjoys majority in the Lok Sabha, while SAD has only two MPs in the house. Akali Dal is the second major NDA to leave the alliance after Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

PM Modi calls for an expanded role of India in the United Nations: Here are the 7 key highlights of his speech at the 75th session of UNGA

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PM Modi calls for an expanded role of India in the United Nations: Here are the 7 key highlights of his speech at the 75th session of UNGA

During his virtual address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday evening, PM Modi congratulated the member countries on the 75th anniversary of the forum. He also said that India is proud of being one of the founding members of the United Nations. PM Modi’s speech touched upon India’s enduring commitment to Vasudev Kutambakam(the world is one family), its contribution towards global peace and tranquillity, and called for a bigger role for India in the working of the United Nations.

Here are the key highlights from PM Modi’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly:

India proud to be among the founding members of the United Nations

India is proud of the fact that India is one of the fouding members of United Nations. On this historic occassion, I have come to share the sentiments of 130 crores on this Global platform. Your excellency, the world of 1945 was definitely different from today’s world. Problems, their solutions, everything is distinctly different.

Reforms in responses, processes, and character of the United Nations is the need of the hour: PM Modi

PM Modi raised questions over the United Nations’ handling of the coronavirus crisis. He noted that the world has changed since 1945, and the United Nations will also have to adapt to the changes to arrive at better solutions for the problems affecting the world. He asked for a thorough introspection of the work of the United Nations.

Referring to the dithering ongoing process of the reforms, PM Modi said that the expeditious changes in the responses, processes and character of the United Nations are the need of the hour.

“If we were to make an objective assessment of the performance of the UN over the last 75 years, we see several stellar achievements. But at the same time, there are also several instances that point to the need for a serious introspection of the work of the United Nations: PM Modi

India aspires for an expanded role in the United Nations

PM Modi stressed on the need for an overhaul in the working of the United Nations. He raised the anxiety of 1.3 billion Indians, approximately 18 per cent of the world population, aspiring for a meaningful role in the intergovernmental organisation.

Highlighting India’s commitment to maintaining peace, PM Modi said that India has participated in 50 peacekeeping missions and has lost the maximum number of its brave soldiers in these missions. He also brought to attention India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and Act East Policy, as well as the idea of security & growth for all in the region, or its views towards the Indo Pacific region, which have always been for the welfare of humankind and not driven by vested interests.

“Indians have been waiting for a long time for the reform of the United Nations. People are worried that if the process could ever reach a logical end. For how long Indians will be kept out of the decision-making structure of the United Nations? A country that is the world’s biggest democracy and inhabits 18 per cent of the world’s population. A country which was a leading global economy for hundreds of years and also one which had endured hundreds of years of foreign rule,” PM Modi emphatically added while making a case for an expanded role of India in the United Nations.

PM Modi assures India will provide coronavirus vaccines for the entire humankind

Amidst growing concerns among poorer nations that vaccines produced to fight coronavirus pandemic might not be available to them, PM Modi assured the world that India will use its production and delivery capacity to help the entire world in fighting the coronavirus crisis.

He added that even during a difficult times such as the ongoing pandemic, India’s pharmaceutical industry has sent essential medicines to more than 150 countries.

“As the largest vaccine producing country in the world, I want to give one more assurance to the global community today. India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity will be used to help all humanity in fighting this crisis,” PM Modi said.

PM Modi reiterates India’s commitment to fighting terrorism, smuggling of illegal weapons, drugs and money-laundering

Speaking on the menace of terrorism, smuggling of illegal weapons, drugs, money-laundering and other such transnational crimes, PM Modi said that India will not hesitate in raising issues regarding the matter on the relevant platforms to bring an end to these enemies of humanity, the human race and human values.

India moving towards the aim of “self-reliance”: PM Modi

PM Modi at the 75th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly outlined the nation’s vision of “self-reliance”. He spoke how India being a self-reliant country would provide a boost to the global economy.

“In the changed circumstances of the post-pandemic era, we are moving forward with the vision of a “Self-reliant India”. A Self-reliant India will also be a force multiplier for the Global Economy. Today, it is also being ensured that there is no discrimination in extending the benefits of all the schemes and initiatives to every citizen of the country,” Prime Minister Modi said.

India is a country where women are provided maternity leaves of 26 weeks: PM Modi

Speaking about the importance of paying more importance to the health of women, PM Modi said that India is the country that grants a maternity leave of 26 weeks to its women workforce. PM Modi also said that India is a country where rights of transgenders have been secured through necessary legal reforms.

Addressing the general debate of 75th United Nations General Assembly, he added, “India is one of those countries where women are provided Paid Maternity Leave of 26 weeks,” further highlighting the progress made in regard to the rights of members belonging to the transgender community. “In India, the rights of transgenders are also being secured through necessary legal reforms.”

Mumbai Police to seize vehicles of media houses chasing celebrities summoned for questioning after more channels join the car chase race

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai Police to seize vehicles of media houses chasing celebrities summoned for questioning after more channels join the car chase race

Over the last few days, almost all the mainstream media channels have been racing against one another to provide ‘exclusive’ updates in relation to the probe being carried out by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the alleged drug angle in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. The NCB has summoned some of the top names of Bollywood after their ‘drug chats’ emerged. This has led to TV news channels chasing on the roads the cars of celebrities reaching the NCB office to answer the summons, or returning after their questioning by NCB.

The chasing cars of celebrities had begun with the CBI probe in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, when the cars of Rhea Chakraborty and others summoned by CBI were chased by some TV channels to give minute by minute updates. Now that CBI is silently probing the case and NCB is questioning big names in the drug angle, the car chase has increased with more channels joining the race, literally.

But now Mumbai Police have decided that enough is enough, and have said that they will no longer allow cars belonging to media houses to chase celebrities called for questioning. Sangram Singh Nishandar, the DCP of Zone 1 of the Mumbai police, announced that they have decided to seize the media vehicles which are found chasing the cars of celebrities, who are summoned by investigating agencies, for endangering the lives of people on the road along with their own lives.

More channels join the car chase race

As the probe in the alleged Bollywood drug syndicate is progressing, the media channels are competing against one another to bring out the ‘first’ or the ‘latest’ updates in the case. Interestingly, some of the media channels like India Today and NDTV, which were earlier condemning the ‘media trial‘ of the celebrities by channels like Time Now and Republic TV, calling that media circus, are now themselves adopting every possible tactic from interviewing the prime accused in the case to chasing cars of celebrities on the roads to catch up with their competitors in the rating game.

Yesterday, NDTV was seen following Rokul Preet Singh in her on her way to NCB for questioning, an act the journalists of the channel were mocking earlier when done by other channels.

Today NDTV was seen reporting live from the NCB where actress Deepika Padukone was called for questioning.

NDTV camera were also present in front of Sara Ali Khan’s house to report when she left to answer NCB questions.

Similarly, India Today has been tracking the movement of the actress since the day she was to leave from Goa for Mumbai after she was summoned. Yesterday, India Today reporters chashed Deepika Padukone on her way to airport in Goa, as seen in the below video posted by the channel.

Interestingly, while the India Today journalists were giving ‘exclusive’ updates of Deepika Padukone reaching Goa airport, they actually ended up chasing a wrong car believing it to be Padukone’s. Later, in the evening they reported that actress whose car they believed they were chasing in the day had not even left from the hotel as yet.

NCB’s questions to actor Deepika Padukone in the Bollywood drug mafia probe accessed by media, was grilled in three phases

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NCB’s questions to actor Deepika Padukone in the Bollywood drug mafia probe accessed by media, was grilled in three phases

Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone was put through the wringer on Saturday by the Narcotics Control Bureau, which has been probing the alleged drug mafia in Bollywood. The Padmavat actor was grilled for over 5 hours today and according to India Today, the interrogation was a three-phased one. At first, the actor was questioned alone. In the second phase, the actor was confronted with the statements given to NCB by her manager Karishma Prakash on Friday and in the third phase, Deepika was reportedly brought face to face with her manager as the NCB questioned her about the chats from 2017.

According to reports, NCB grilled the actor over her manager Karishma and the party at Koko restaurant in Mumbai. India Today, which claims of having access to the questionnaire, said that the Narcotics department essentially asked the film star the following 6 questions:

  • Why did you meet Karishma?
  • Did you ask your manager Karishma to procure drugs?
  • How many times did you ask Karishma to get drugs?
  • Who all attended the party at the Koko club?
  • Were drugs consumed at the Koko club party?
  • It at all drugs were consumed at the Koko club, who all consumed it?

Deepika Padukone and her manager Karishma Prakash confronted with their chats from October 2017

Deepika and Karishma Prakash were confronted with their chats from October 2017, which was retrieved by the NCB, where they were seen discussing drugs. In the chats, Deepika asks, “Maal hai kya?” To which Karishma replies that she has it at her home and currently she is out. She then tells Deepika that she can ask someone else to arrange it for her. Karishma is the employee of the dubious Kwan talent management agency.

The Padmavat actor accepts being part of the Whatsapp group

It may be recalled that earlier, talent manager Jaya Saha and Kwan’s founder partner Dhuv Chitgopekar too were questioned in the case. Jaya Saha, in particular, is being termed as the ‘kingpin’ of the case, and authorities had stumbled upon the above chats during her questioning.

Meanwhile, Karishma Prakash during her first-day interrogation on Friday, accepted that Deepika was the admin of the WhatsApp group.

Today, though Deepika Padukone too, accepted being part of the group, she maintained a stoic silence on the drugs issue. According to reports, the second round of questioning dawns on the duo as Deepika Padukone’s unsatisfactory answers did not please the investigating agency.

Apart from the Padmavat actor, the NCB had also grilled actor Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor who reached the NCB’s zonal office around 12pm to record her statement in the drugs probe linked to Rajput’s death. 

Deepika Padukone confesses to NCB of being a part of drug chats Whatsapp group: Reports

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Deepika Padukone confesses to NCB of being a part of drug chats Whatsapp group: Reports

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has reportedly confessed to being a part of the Whatsapp group, where discussions on drugs took place, for which she was summoned by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Saturday.

As per reports, the NCB is of the belief that both Deepika and her manager Karishma Prakash have come prepared for the interrogation. The suspicion of the investigating officials is premised on the fact that the actress had earlier cited her medical condition to extend the date of the summon to September 25. Reportedly, her manager Karishma was also with her when she had returned to Mumbai from Goa. The legal hassle is likely to increase for the actress after she admitted to having drugs-related conversation with her manager Karishma Prakash.

NCB quizzed the duo on Saturday regarding the ongoing investigation in the drug-scandal case, which had emerged during the probe into the Sushant Singh Rajput death case. However, the investigating officials are not satisfied with their response. NCB had also summoned actresses such as Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan in connection to the case.

NCW believes Deepika Padukone was the admin of the Whatsapp group

As per a Times Now report, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) sources on Saturday revealed that Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone was the admin of the WhatsApp group in which the conversations regarding drugs were found. The Times Now report states that Deepika, Karishma and Jaya Saha were all admins of the group. It stated that two mobile numbers belonging to Deepika were added in the group.

Deepika’s name had emerged in the drug abuse probe earlier this week after her WhatsApp conversations went viral. A series of WhatsApp conversations had gone viral recently where the actress’ was allegedly asking for hash (or hashish, a drug made from cannabis plant) from a certain person named ‘K’, who many believe is her manager, Karishma Prakash.

Clashes erupt between tribal people and local Christians in Chhattisgarh over alleged forest land encroachment

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Clashes erupt between tribal people and local Christians in Chhattisgarh over alleged forest land encroachment

Clashes erupted in some villages of Kondagaon district of Bastar division in Chhattisgarh allegedly over the issue of forest land encroachment. People from one group reportedly plundered the houses of some families belonging to the other group on September 22 and 23 as informed by the police.

According to some reports, some Christian families were attacked by some local tribal people allegedly for not following the local tribal culture. The tribal villagers have reportedly asked the Christian families to worship the native deities if they wished to continue living with them.

The District police, however, said that the clashes happened over the issue of forest land encroachment between two groups in Kakadabeda, Singanpur and Silati villages. The Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said that police force has been deployed in the area to prevent the situation from further escalating.

No FIR has been registered by the police in the matter so far as preliminary investigation is being conducted to ascertain the details of the incidents. He told that there are a few families who have been following Christianity for last 6 years. He added that the tribal community in the villages had some issues with the Christian families who did not follow the local customs.

The IG assured that the police will take all necessary legal action for maintaining peace and order. “After being alerted about the situation, senior officials reached the spot on Wednesday and pacified the villagers. Presently, the situation is peaceful”, he told.

Arun Pannalal, the President of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, claimed that the violence took place in the presence of the police and that the families have run away to Raipur. He said that the villagers were pressurising the Christian families to convert or lose the benefits available to Scheduled Tribes (STs). However, the Kondagaon SP Siddharth Tiwari rejected the claims of the CCF that the violence happened in the presence of the police. He said that this was not a communal conflict but related to the land encroachment.

CCF President Pannalal has demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the Christian families along with a high-level inquiry by a retired High Court judge or district judge.

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