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Kanhaiya Kumar to contest from Begusarai for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls

OpIndia Staff
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Kanhaiya Kumar to contest from Begusarai for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls

Kanhaiya Kumar, the controversial JNU student leader is all set to contest the next Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai of Bihar. As per reports, he will be contesting from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) as a part of ‘mahagathbandhan’ which comprises of RJD, Congress, NCP, Jitan Ram Manjhi-led HAM(S), Loktantrik Janta Dal of Sharad Yadav and all left parties. Kanhaiya Kumar comes from the Bihat Panchayat under Barauni block of Begusarai district.

Reportedly, Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD have agreed to let Kanhaiya Kumar contest from the Begusarai seat, which is considered to be a Communist stronghold. It is reported that Kanhaiya Kumar will be contesting on a CPM ticket and will be endorsed as a common candidate by the grand alliance.

CPM leader Satyanarayan Singh said that Kanhaiya would be contesting from Begusarai seat. He said even Kanhaiya Kumar had given his consent to the contest from that constituency. Reportedly, there is yet to be formal talks on the issue of seat sharing. “During an informal talk, Lalu Ji himself told us to offer Begursarai seat to Kanhaiya”, Singh said.

Recently, Kanhaiya Kumar had been part of another controversy, as his close aide had accused him of being a ‘liar’ and ‘casteist’. Jayant Jigyasu, a ‘close friend’ and aide of Kanhaiya, had given a detailed account of how his concerns over the rights of backwards were sidelined and ridiculed by Kanhaiya Kumar over the years.

We had earlier reported that how Kanhaiya Kumar had used a disreputable journal, which is blacklisted internationally, to get his article published for PhD thesis submission.

Pentagon to cancel $300 million aid to Pakistan for its failure to curb Islamist terror

OpIndia Staff
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Pentagon to cancel $300 million aid to Pakistan for its failure to curb Islamist terror

In yet another setback for Pakistan, the Pentagon has sought the US Congress to reprogram $300 million of its Coalition Support Fund (CSF) for Pakistan because of Pakistan’s failure to act decisively in support of the US South Asia Strategy.

The United States has been pushing Pakistan for a long time now, to crack down on safe havens for terrorists operating inside the country. It had also announced a freeze on the aid at the beginning of the year, which is reported to be worth almost $2 billion.

The US believes that Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and other terrorist groups have been influential in the region. The White House believes that ISI has been providing support through the supply of arms and funds to terrorists not only for ideological reasons, but also to counter the rising Indian influence in Afghanistan.

Jim Mattis, the Defence Secretary has refused to give any necessary certification to the Congress for authorisation of these funds, as the US believes that Pakistan has failed to take any concrete measures against terrorist groups like Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

“Due to a lack of Pakistani decisive actions in support of the South Asia Strategy, the remaining $300 million (actually $323.6 million to include non-Pakistan funds) was reprogrammed by DoD in the June/July 2018 time frame for other urgent priorities before the funds expire on September 30, 2018,” Pentagon Spokesman Kone Faulkner told PTI.

“This is not a new decision or a new announcement. In 2018, the DoD Appropriations Act, published on March 23, 2018, you can find the verbiage detailing $500M was rescinded by Congress upon the 2018 DoD Appropriations Act’s passage which is all public,” he said. He further added that the United States would continue to press Pakistan to indiscriminately target all terrorist groups, including the Haqqani Network and LET in the region.

Since Donald Trump took over as the President of the United States, it has been more aggressive in its approach towards South Asia, especially Pakistan. The Trump administration has started substantially cutting down the aid Pakistan used to receive under its Coalition Support Fund (CSF). Earlier in August, the Trump administration had suspended more than a decade-long military training programme of Pakistani personnel at US institutions.

Reportedly, Pakistan has received more than $33 billion as assistance from the United States since 2002, of which it has received $14 billion alone in the form of CSF, a US Defence Department to reimburse allies who have supported the US in counterinsurgency operations.

FIR filed against Robert Vadra in the Gurugram land deal case

OpIndia Staff
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FIR filed against Robert Vadra in the Gurugram land deal case

A fresh FIR has been lodged against Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s brother in law Robert Vadra, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and others for alleged irregularities in the land deals in Gurugram. The case was filed after a resident of Rathiwas village in Gurugram, one Surendra Sharma, filed a complaint alleging huge losses to the exchequer because of the deal. Sharma has alleged that Vadra’s company Sky Light Hospitality, with a registered capital of Rs. 1 lakh in 2007 and 2008, bought 3.5 acres of land in Shikohpur village (now sector 83) from Onkareshwar Properties for Rs. 7.5 crore.

Vadra has been under the cloud of controversy since the shady land deals in Haryana and Rajasthan have emerged. Earlier, Rajasthan government had ordered probe in the land deals and had even recommended a CBI probe in the controversial land deals executed by a company allegedly owned by Vadra.

In December last year, the ED had arrested two people in the Bikaner land scam case involving Vadra under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED had registered a criminal complaint regarding the matter in 2015 after taking cognisance of state police’s FIR based on local tehseel’s allegations of a forgery in the Skylight’s purchase of 275 Bigha land in Bikaner’s Kolayat area. Earlier this year, the ED had attached land of one Jaiprakash Bagarwa, who is believed to be a close aide of Vadra.

Meanwhile, Robert Vadra has defended himself by claiming the FIR against him is because of ‘election season’ and it is to divert the attention from increasing oil prices by bringing in a ‘decade old’ case.


The case has been registered under various sections like IPC 120-B (Criminal Conspiracy) , 420 (Cheating), 467 (Forgery), 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating) , 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and Section 13 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Criminal Misconduct by a public servant) in Khedki Daula police station of Haryana.

India signs agreement with Nepal to help build Kathmandu-Raxaul railway link

OpIndia Staff
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India signs agreement with Nepal to help build Kathmandu-Raxaul railway link

India has agreed to build a rail link between Nepal’s capital Kathmandu and Bihar’s Raxaul, which is close to Nepal’s border. According to reports, this move is to facilitate smoother passenger and cargo movement between the two countries.

On Friday an agreement was signed between Manjeev Singh Puri and secretary of Nepal’s physical infrastructure ministry. The MoU was signed in presence of PM Modi and his Nepalese conterpart KP Sharma Oli. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit. This was the third meeting between PM Modi and KP Oli in 2018.


 

India’s Konkan railways corporation Ltd will conduct the preliminary engineering and traffic survey of the planned 130 km line. The Indian embassy in Nepal reportedly informed in a released statement that The planned line will connect Indian border town of Raxaul, Eastern Bihar to Nepal’s capital Kathmandu.  The planned rail track when completed will become the second rail track within the landlocked country. The only existing rail track is one 35 km stretch in its southern plains. It is notable here that nepal is land-locked and has a difficult himalayan terrain. China is also reportedly trying to lure Nepal with a rail link project.

The funding and the construction plans of the proposed rail line will be finalized after the Konkan railways submit their survey report. Two-third of the all the trade from Nepal is reportedly routed through Raxaul and for cargo, trucks are mostly used. The proposed rail link is expected to not only facilitate trade and trasport between the two neighbors but also  help to further cement healthy bilateral relationships.

In his last visit to Nepal in may, PM Modi had announced a special bus service from Janakpur to Ayodhya. He had also announced that India will link the Janakpur dham temple, which is revered as the birthplace of Sita to its list of tourism plan under the Ramayana circuit.

 

Congress leader Navjot Sidhu’s claims discredited by Pakistan

Jhankar Mohta
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Congress leader Navjot Sidhu’s claims discredited by Pakistan

Congress leader and a minister in Punjab government Navjot Singh Sidhu who had stirred up controversy from the moment he showed a keen interest in attending Imran Khan’s swearing-in ceremony in Pakistan is on the news yet again as Pakistan has contradicted his claims.


The leader claimed that the sacred Kartarpur corridor, a religious road to Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara would be opened by Pakistan, indicating that it shows Pakistan’s commitment towards honouring Sikh sentiments as many Indians seek to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the occasion of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary. Giving justification for the much ‘controversial hug’ he extended towards General Bajwa, which was highly criticised by many, the Congress leader said that he had asked General Bajwa to open the Kartarpur route, claiming that general Bajwa agreeing to it got him emotional and so he hugged him.

Now when Pakistan openly denies Sidhu’s claim, saying that there is a wide gulf between India and Pakistan that the authorities are trying to narrow down and the Kartarpur corridor issue cannot be considered in isolation, the Congress who had all this while defended Sidhu’s ‘controversial hug’ saying that it was done in ‘sportsman spirit’ and even had gone ahead to criticise PM Modi writing a congratulatory letter to Imran Khan, is yet to clarify on the issue. It is notable here that Punjab Congress Sunil Jakhar had asserted that as Sidhu has got General Bajwa’s remark on the issue, the ball is now in the court of the Indian ministry of external affairs to take the matter forward.

Akali Dal, who has long been at loggerheads with the Congress party in Punjab, lambasted at the Congress leader claiming that Sidhu to save himself from the embarrassment has given the entire episode a religious twist. After the Pakistan government, today denied claims made by Sidhu, Akali Dal alleged that Sidhu lied blatantly in order to save his skin.

Pakistan of today is at a very risky juncture. In the recently concluded elections, it saw terrorist organisations gaining political legitimacy. Hafiz Sayeed’s organisation contested elections, a terrorist group named Tehrik-e-Labbaik even managed to gather two million votes. The legitimisation of radicalised terror organisations who openly declare India as their enemy puts the already strained bilateral relationship at a much more delicate state. Sidhu can claim that he had the nation’s best interests at heart but any keen observer would refrain from taking issues with Pakistan lightly, especially the ones that have religious implications and can be used (or rather misused) by combative elements in a fragile nation like Pakistan to further complicate its ties with India.

OBC data to be collected for the first time in Independent India: Home ministry

OpIndia Staff
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OBC data to be collected for the first time in Independent India: Home ministry

The central government is all set to collect data on other backward classes in the 2021 census for the first time since 1931. It is believed that this data will aid the central government in deciding the need and the quantum of providing reservations to various Backward classes, which till date are defined as a group rather than separate communities.

Mandal commission recommended such move and the commission’s recommendations were accepted by the V.P.Singh government. The 27% reservation was implemented by the Narshima Rao government later. The Supreme Court had earlier inquired about the scientific basis of reserving 27% of the reservations to the OBC. This data can be useful in answering that very question.

The government already possesses raw data on castes collected through the Social Economic and Caste Census (SECC), 2011. A former Registrar-General of India officer told a news outlet on conditions of anonymity that all citizens were covered by declared caste names in the SECC and all that was required was to collate the information to get a fair idea on different aspects of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBCs.

The issue with the current disposition is one of the varied lists of castes in different states. Each state has their own list, thus it has been noticed that it is very much of a possibility that a person belonging in one state’s OBC list might not be able to avail the benefits of it in another state. The government had earlier formed a five-member commission to examine the issues of the central OBC list and the sub-categorisation of it.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh recently chaired a review meeting to discuss the road ahead for undertaking Census 2021. According to the official statement from the Home ministry on Friday, the meeting envisaged collecting data on OBC for the first time in Independent India. The Home Minister also emphasised improvements made on technological and design in the Census, which he believes will aid the target of finalising the data within 3 years.

The Centre released the socio-economic profile generated through SECC in 2015, but the data on caste percentage was held back despite the opposition’s demand to make it public.

Here is why SC has stayed construction in some states and union territories

OpIndia Staff
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Here is why SC has stayed construction in some states and union territories

The Supreme Court of India on Friday stayed construction activities in several States and Union Territories (UT) until they frame of a Policy under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. This strongly worded order was issued by a bench of Justice MB Lokur and Justice S. Abdul Nazeer after they slammed the states and UTs for their “pathetic attitude” in delaying the formulation of the policy even after two years.

The order read:

It is unfortunate that some States and Union Territories have not yet framed any Policy under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.

In case the States have the interest of the people in mind and cleanliness and sanitation, they should frame a Policy in terms of the Solid Waste Management Rules so that the States remain clean.

The attitude of the States/Union Territories in not yet framing a Policy even after two years is pathetic, to say the least.

Further constructions in the States/Union Territories are stayed until the Policy is framed.

The court also imposed a fine of ₹5,00,000 and ₹3,00,000 on Andhra Pradesh and Chandigarh, for not framing the policy yet, and also for not being present in court. While Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Uttarakhand were fined ₹3,00,000 each for not framing a policy or not complying with court order.

This case was taken up by the court on the basis of the news report titled “Outrage as parents end life after child’s dengue death” published in the Times of India dated 13th September 2015. After publication of the report, Chief Justice of India had passed an order on 16th September 2015 to treat it as a Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation. All the states and Union Territories of India are listed as respondents in this case.

Income Tax Tribunal upholds tax penalty imposed on Congress’ Young Indian: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Income Tax Tribunal upholds tax penalty imposed on Congress’ Young Indian: Reports

The Delhi bench of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) has upheld the penalty imposed by the I-T department on Young Indian, the organisation involved in the National Herald scam. As per a report in the Times of India, the ITAT has upheld the penalty levied on Young Indian on the grounds that it did not submit the information sought by the Income Tax Department.

According to the report, the bench remarked that the conduct of the assessee is not at all bonafide. The Young Indian had argued in its defence that the information which the IT department is seeking is similar to the points made BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in his PIL, which is currently pending before the Delhi High Court. It also argued further that any adjudication made by the IT court in the matter might further impact to the case which is pending before the Delhi high court. The ITAT, however, reportedly rejected te argument.

The investigations of the Income Tax department are giving the Congress party plenty of causes for worry. We had reported earlier that the IT Department suspected that Rahul Gandhi had failed to declare a significant portion of his income as he had hidden the fact that he was a director of Young India. Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia had also approached the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the Rs 249.15 crore income tax proceedings against it. They had also pleased the Court to gag the media from reporting on the matter, a request that was declined.

It is pertinent to mention that Young India is at the heart of the National Herald case. The crux of the National Herald case revolves around the allegation that the Gandhis acquired property worth millions of rupees after Young India acquired Associate Journals Limited (AJL), which published the Congress mouthpiece, National Herald, via suspicious means of ownership transfer.

High Courts grant bail to litigants on the condition of contributing towards Kerala Flood relief

OpIndia Staff
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High Courts grant bail to litigants on the condition of contributing towards Kerala Flood relief

The Judiciary has invented an innovative way of collecting funds for the flood victims in Kerala. The Judges of the Court are now granting bails to accused on the condition that they contribute to the Kerala Flood Relief Fund. As per LiveLaw, “Justice Ananda Sen of the Jharkhand High Court has allowed more than 20 such bail applications since 27 August, with the amount directed to be deposited ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 75,000. A total amount of more than Rs. 4 lakhs has been ordered to be deposited to the fund.”

In a case involving alleged contempt of court by former RJD MLA Bhola Yadav concerning his comments made on the Fodder Scam verdict, the Jharkhand HC reportedly dropped contempt proceedings against him on the condition that he pay Rs. 2.5 lakh as a contribution towards the Kerala flood relief. A division bench comprising of Justices Aparesh Kumar Singh and Ratnakar Bhengra said in an order passed on the 21st of August, “We are of the opinion that his unconditional and unqualified apology can be accepted, subject to payment of the cost of Rs 2.5 lakh. The cost be paid towards Kerala Relief Fund in the designated account.”

In other instances, anticipatory bail was granted to one Utpal Ray in a cheating and forgery case and bail applications of Dhaneswar Mandal and Sambhu Mandal accused of fraud was granted on the condition that they make contributions of Rs. 5000 each. In another case, Delhi High Court agreed to squash an FIR against one Tarun Singh accused of sexual harassment, stalking, and criminal intimidation, after the complainant confirmed the accused’s claim that the allegations were a consequence of a misunderstanding between them, However, the court also included that a sum of Rs. 15,000 towards the cost of proceedings be deposited in the  Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund for the State of Kerala within two weeks.

Hemant Kumar Sikarwar, the general secretary of the Jharkhand High Court Advocate Association has reportedly claimed that High Courts in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka have also been issuing similar directions to litigants. It is notable here that after the devastating floods hit Kerala in the month of August, the central government, various state governments and private organisations had come forward to offer aid to the southern state. The Indian armed forces were deployed in large numbers to carry out rescue and relief operations on an unprecedented scale.

Look East : Prime Minister Modi gives priority to Northastern India in BIMSTEC Summit

Raju Das
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Look East : Prime Minister Modi gives priority to Northastern India in BIMSTEC Summit

The Fourth summit of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) was held at Nepal capital Kathmandu on 30th and 31th August 2018. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi attended the summit, along with heads of other member countries.

In his address in the summit, Modi emphasised connectivity and greater “cooperation and coordination” among member states. All speakers in the event resolved to enhance cooperation among the nations. In the side-line of the summit, the Indian PM also held bilateral talks with regional leaders.

An important aspect of India’s participation in this summit was the emphasis given on north-eastern region of India by PM Modi. Speaking at the summit meeting, Modi said that the north-eastern part of India will have an important role in enhancing connectivity with BIMSTEC member nations. He mentioned that the government of India has proposed to extend the “Science and Technology interventions in the northeastern region”, a program for development of northeast India, to BIMSTEC members.

Similarly, the government will provide 24 scholarships to researchers, students and professors from BIMSTEC countries in the North Eastern Space Application Centre. North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) was established as a joint initiative of Department of Space (DOS) and the North Eastern Council (NEC) and it is located at Umiam, Meghalaya.

The northeastern region shares borders with four-member states — Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal, and increased cooperation with BIMSTEC could play a key role overall development of North East India. This also goes along with Indian government’s Look East policy. The government of India plans to integrate the remote northeastern states with neighbouring countries with better connectivity, increased trade networks and enhanced cultural exchange. The Modi government is also working with these nations for seamless road transport across borders. Better cooperation with neighbouring countries is also important in combating insurgency in the north-eastern region.

PM’s emphasize on north-east was reflected on gifts he presented to other BIMSTEC members. The gifts comprised stoles and shawls depicting traditional motifs from the north-eastern states and the Kantha embroidery of West Bengal. The shawls were made from Assam’s famed golden Muga and Eri silk, besides cotton. Muga silk is exclusive to Assam and it has got Geographical Indication (GI) registration for it. Eri silk is also primarily produced in Assam though some other states also make it.

Not only that, a cultural evening was organised at the summit, and India’s contribution to the event was a beautiful presentation of Bihu folk dance from Assam. Official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs posted a clip of the dance on Twitter, commenting on the performance “left the audience spellbound”.

[tweet https://twitter.com/MEAIndia/status/1035185822667026432]

After decades of neglect by successive govts, the current central government has given greater importance to the development of the north-eastern region. States without rail connectivity for more than half century are being added to the rail network, highways are being built at fast speed, river transport facilities being developed. With this enhanced connectivity with neighbouring countries under BIMSTEC umbrella and also with Look East Policy, it is expected that development of the region will finally catch up with other regions of the nation.

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