At least 51 people were arrested, and three cases registered so far in connection with the violent protests that broke out in Maharashtra's Parbhani city over vandalising of a replica of the Constitution, police said on Friday, reported the PTI. The Parbhani violence erupted in the central Maharashtra after a glass-enclosed replica of the Constitution near Dr B R Ambedkar's statue outside the Parbhani railway station was vandalised on the evening of December 10. A bandh to protest the vandalism took a violent turn on Wednesday when a mob indulged in arson and vandalised shops, vehicles and even the district collector's office. "We have so far registered three cases in connection with the violence, and 51 people have been arrested. The number can go up as the investigation is underway, and we are going through some videos," the official said, according to the PTI. The police have not deployed any teams to find persons involved in the violence, he said. The official said the city is peaceful now, and no new incidents of violence have been reported. Prohibitory orders banning gathering of more than five persons continue in the city, police said. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Jadhav slammed the BJP, questioning where leaders of the saffron party were when the violence erupted in Parbhani. Speaking to reporters, Jadhav said, "The incident in Parbhani is unfortunate. Finding the person who orchestrated the incident is also a part of the investigation. There were so many people on the road at the time. How could someone vandalise the replica (of the Constitution? The administration should help those who suffered losses in the violence during the protest, he said," as per the PTI. "Where did the BJP people go when violence erupted in Parbhani and rioting started? Merely giving speeches and gaining political mileage is easy. But the consequences are tough to handle. When vehicles were being vandalised, where did these leaders go?" Jadhav said. He further criticised BJP leaders for demanding a case against him. "I was in Delhi and was not involved in any incident. Responsible public representatives should not talk in such a manner," the Sena (UBT) leader said. (with PTI inputs)
13 December,2024 06:48 PM IST | Parbhani | mid-day online correspondentThe Supreme Court on Friday said that the plea concerning the verification of electronic voting machines (EVMs) should be directed to the same bench that issued a key ruling in April, which rejected calls to revert to traditional paper ballots, reported news agency PTI. When the plea on EVMs came up for hearing, Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale told petitioner's counsel senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, "Why don't this matter go before the same bench?" Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the petitioners, said that the April judgment dealt with various concerns about EVMs. Justice Nath reiterated the need for continuity by stating, “That is what I am saying. It (plea) should go before the same bench.” The bench further said, "To our understanding, the reliefs claimed by means of this petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India would require interpretation/modification/implementation of the directions issued by this court vide judgement dated April 26, 2024 ..." In its April 26, 2024 ruling, the Supreme Court dismissed allegations of EVM manipulation as "unfounded." The court confirmed that EVMs were “secured” and eliminated issues such as booth capturing and false voting. Nonetheless, the court did allow candidates who finished second and third in elections to request the verification of microcontroller chips in five percent of EVMs within their assembly constituencies, contingent upon a written request and payment to the Election Commission. The new petition, filed by former Haryana minister Karan Singh Dalal and five-time MLA Lakhan Kumar Singla, seeks compliance with the directives issued in the April 26 judgment related to the case of ‘Association for Democratic Reforms versus Union of India.’ Both petitioners finished with the second-highest votes in their respective constituencies, and they are asking the Election Commission to establish a clear protocol for examining the original "burnt memory" or microcontroller of various EVM components, including the control unit, ballot unit, VVPAT, and symbol loading unit. It asked the apex court registry to place the papers of the case before Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna for passing appropriate orders on whether the petition would be listed before the same bench or another bench, stated PTI. The petitioners argue that the Election Commission has not implemented any policy for verifying the burnt memory, which has left the verification process ambiguous. They noted that the existing standard operating procedures only involve basic diagnostic tests and mock polls, without addressing potential tampering of the burnt memory. The petitioners are not contesting the election results directly but are advocating for a more stringent verification mechanism for EVMs. Separate election petitions challenging the results are pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, PTI stated. The petitioners have requested the Supreme Court to mandate the Election Commission to complete the verification process within eight weeks. The backdrop of this plea follows the recent Haryana assembly elections, in which the BJP secured 48 out of 90 seats. (With inputs from PTI)
13 December,2024 02:21 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentCongress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said had it not been for the Lok Sabha election results, in which the BJP scraped through to victory, the government would have started work on changing the Constitution, reported news agency PTI. Participating in a debate on the Constitution in the Lok Sabha, she said the Constitution was a protective shield of justice, unity and freedom of expression but the government made every effort to break it during the past 10 years. "This government is working to weaken the reservation policy through lateral entry and privatisation. Had the Lok Sabha election results not come as they have, the government would have started the work on changing the Constitution," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, reported PTI. "The truth is that they are chanting 'Constitution' because they realised that the people of this country will keep the Constitution alive," said the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad. She said the people were demanding a caste-based census and even the ruling party was talking about it because of the election results. "When the entire opposition called for a caste-based census, they talked about cattle and 'mangalsutra' getting stolen," the Congress MP said in an apparent reference to the Lok Sabha election campaign, reported PTI. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. The BJP won 240 seats on its own against the halfway mark of 272. Rajnath Singh slams Congress, says it tried to destroy Constitution's basic principles Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Friday said the Congress could never tolerate independence and autonomy of institutions and always tried to destroy the basic principles of the Constitution. Initiating a debate in the Lok Sabha as the House took up a two-day "Discussion on the Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India", the defence minister said the contribution of several leaders in the making of the Constitution was deliberately ignored and hit out at the Congress, asserting that "a particular party" always tried to "hijack and appropriate" the framing of the Constitution. "On many occasions, the Congress has disrespected the Constitution and its spirit. It could not tolerate the independence and autonomy of institutions. It always tried to destroy the basic principles of the Constitution," he alleged. "Talk of protection of the Constitution does not seem appropriate coming from it. These days, I see many opposition leaders keep the Constitution in their pockets. Actually, this is what they have learnt from childhood, they have seen their families keep the Constitution in their pockets for generations," he said. But the BJP always bows before the Constitution and has never played with the independence and autonomy of institutions, Singh asserted. (With inputs from PTI)
13 December,2024 02:20 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentMore than six prominent Delhi schools in received bomb threats via email on Friday morning, triggering immediate security protocols, reported news agency ANI. According to ANI, the schools that received the threats included the Bhatnagar Public School in Paschim Vihar, Cambridge School in Srinivaspuri, Delhi Public School in East of Kailash, Delhi Public School in Defence Colony, Delhi Police Public School in Safdarjung Enclave and Venkatesh Public School in Rohini. The bomb threat email received by the schools said, "This email is to inform you that there are many explosives in your school premises and I am sure that you all do not check your student's bags frequently when they enter the school premises. A secret dark web group is involved in this activity and many red rooms also. The bombs are powerful enough to destroy the buildings and harm people." "It is confidential that the bombs will be blasted on the 13th of December or the 14th of December. But, surely, the bombs are planted right now. But it is super confidential that it will blast on 13th December or 14th December. We're pretty sure that you don't check your students' backs while they enter your school premises to start their school day, and you all schools have similar school timings. Reply back to this email for our demands, otherwise, the bombs will be detonated," said the mail, reported ANI. The Delhi Fire Brigade and police teams swiftly responded to the alerts, conducting thorough checks of the Delhi schools to ensure the safety of students and staff. After a meticulous search, authorities confirmed that no suspicious items were found, reported ANI. Over 40 Delhi schools receive bomb threats, ransom demand of USD 30,000 On December 9, over 40 schools across Delhi received bomb threats via email, with the sender demanding a ransom of USD 30,000. The threat warned of bombs hidden inside several school buildings and claimed that if the ransom was not paid, the bombs would detonate, causing injuries to those present. According to Delhi Police, the email, which was sent at approximately 11:38 pm on December 8, stated: “I planted multiple bombs (lead azide, explosive compound used in detonators) inside the building. I planted multiple bombs inside the building. The bombs are small and hidden very well. It will not cause much damage to the building, but many people will be injured when the bombs detonate. You all deserve to suffer and lose limbs. If I do not receive USD 30,000, I will detonate the bombs.” The schools that received the threats were Mother Mary's School, the British School, Salwan Public School, and Cambridge School. Mother Mary's School confirmed receiving the email on the morning of December 9, prompting the immediate dispersal of students as a safety precaution. The school management advised parents to collect their children from their respective bus stops or directly from the school. The school also assured parents they would be updated on the situation through the bus route in-charges. Earlier on November 19, the Delhi High Court instructed the Delhi Government and Delhi Police to develop a comprehensive action plan, including a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to address bomb threats and related emergencies.The court has set a deadline of eight weeks for the completion of these directives. (With inputs from PTI)
13 December,2024 02:08 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentSenior BJP leader Rajnath Singh on Friday said the Congress could never tolerate independence and autonomy of institutions and always tried to destroy the basic principles of the Constitution, reported news agency PTI. Initiating a Constitution debate in the Lok Sabha as the House took up a two-day "Discussion on the Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India", the defence minister said the contribution of several leaders in the making of the Constitution was deliberately ignored and hit out at the Congress, asserting that "a particular party" always tried to "hijack and appropriate" the framing of the Constitution, reported PTI. "On many occasions, the Congress has disrespected the Constitution and its spirit. It could not tolerate the independence and autonomy of institutions. It always tried to destroy the basic principles of the Constitution," he alleged, reported PTI. "Talk of protection of the Constitution does not seem appropriate coming from it. These days, I see many opposition leaders keep the Constitution in their pockets. Actually, this is what they have learnt from childhood, they have seen their families keep the Constitution in their pockets for generations," he said during the Constitution debate, reported PTI. But the BJP always bows before the Constitution and has never played with the independence and autonomy of institutions, Singh asserted. He pointed out that the Constitution talked about religious freedom and it had been specified that the state would not have a religion but be secular. "This was stated by those who were dubbed communal by people of the Congress," he said, reported PTI. The Constitution is an expression of the general will of the people, Singh said. "Our Constitution touches upon social, economic, political, cultural life and shows the way for nation building. It is a roadmap for giving India its place on the world stage... It is the outcome of a series of historical events," he said, reported PTI. "We must also remember those who were not part of the Constituent Assembly but their ideas are part of it (Constitution) and they played an important role. We must remember Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Veer Savarkar and several other such icons whose ideas strengthened the Constitution," Singh said, reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
13 December,2024 01:41 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAmid ongoing Farmers’ protest, the Supreme Court on Friday expressed concern over the deteriorating health of Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast-unto-death protest at the Khanauri border for over 17 days, reported news agency PTI. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the Centre and Punjab government representatives to immediately meet Dallewal and provide him medical help and persuade him to break his fast-unto-death protest saying his life was precious. The bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Punjab and advocate general Gurminder Singh to ensure that no force was used against Dallewal to break his fast-unto-death protest, unless it was imperative to save his life, reported PTI. "You both look into this issue immediately and ensure that it is resolved," the bench told Mehta and Singh, while advising that Dallewal could be shifted to PGI Chandigarh or nearby Patiala city for urgent medical intervention, if need arises, reported PTI. It asked the agitating farmers to adopt the Gandhian way of protests and temporarily suspend it or shift from the highways and instructed the high-powered panel constituted by it to meet the farmers. Dallewal has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 to press the Centre into accepting the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of MSP on crops. Farmers under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by the security forces. A "jatha" (group) of 101 farmers made two attempts to enter Delhi on foot on December 6 and December 8. They were not allowed to proceed by security personnel in Haryana. The protesting farmers would make another attempt to march on December 14. In a video message, Dallewal said this was a fight for MSP. "This is a fight for saving the future of Punjab and its water. It is important to win this fight," he said and appealed to people to join the agitation in large numbers. "The government will agree for talks when it gets to know that their agitation cannot be lifted and farmer leaders cannot be removed from the protest site," Dallewal said. Besides a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops, the farmers are demanding a debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in the electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands. (With inputs from PTI)
13 December,2024 01:24 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentUnion Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced on Friday that the government is undertaking a comprehensive project worth ₹65,000 crore to address two major challenges in the national capital: pollution and traffic congestion. Speaking at the Times Network’s India Economic Conclave, Gadkari highlighted the multifaceted approach being implemented to create a cleaner and more efficient Delhi. According to ANI, Gadkari admitted that the Transport Ministry itself contributes significantly—around 40%—to the city's pollution levels. "The Transport Ministry is responsible for a large portion of air pollution," he stated. However, he assured that measures are being taken to tackle these issues effectively. Gadkari elaborated on initiatives aimed at reducing stubble burning, a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi and its neighbouring states. Highlighting a significant project in Panipat, Haryana, he said, "We are using stubble from rice fields to produce ethanol, bio-aviation fuel, and bio-vitamins. This project alone will generate 1 lakh litres of ethanol, 150 tonnes of bio-vitamins, and 88,000 tonnes of bio-aviation fuel annually." ANI reports that the government has implemented 400 projects so far, with 40 already completed. These initiatives have utilised approximately 60 lakh tonnes of stubble, which has significantly reduced pollution caused by crop residue burning. Gadkari revealed that the government is encouraging the purchase of stubble at ₹2,500 per tonne, turning waste into a resource and providing financial benefits to farmers. The Minister expressed optimism that stubble burning, a recurring issue in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, would be largely resolved within the next two years due to these efforts. As per ANI, Gadkari stressed the importance of promoting alternative fuels and electric vehicles to address pollution caused by fossil fuels. "The import of fossil fuels costs ₹22 lakh crore annually. Reducing this by even ₹10 lakh crore would bring a significant decrease in pollution levels," he said. He pointed out the rapid advancements in electric vehicle technology and battery costs. "The cost of lithium-ion batteries has dropped from $150 to $110 per kilowatt-hour. Once it reaches $100 per kilowatt-hour, the cost of vehicles running on electricity, petrol, and diesel will be equivalent," he noted, adding that this shift will revolutionise the industry and significantly contribute to economic development. Gadkari also highlighted the role of the automobile sector in generating Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue, reinforcing its importance to the national economy.
13 December,2024 01:24 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentCongress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Friday criticised the Union Cabinet's approval of the 'One Nation, One Election' proposal, describing it as an "attack on federalism", reported news agency ANI. This initiative aims to unify elections at multiple levels in India, including Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, along with urban body and panchayat polls, within a span of 100 days. "The Congress party has already cleared its stand as One Nation One Election is an attack on federalism and there should be a discussion on the election process in the parliament," Gogoi said. The 'One Nation One Election' bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on Thursday paving the way for its introduction in Parliament. However, before its introduction in the Parliament, the bill initiated debate between the ruling and opposition parties, stated ANI. The INDIA alliance parties view the 'One Nation, One Election' policy as undermining the federal structure of governance in India. In contrast, parties within the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have welcomed the bill. They argue that unifying elections will streamline the electoral process, save time, and facilitate a more unified approach to governance. However, JD (U), one of the alliance parties members of the BJP-led NDA raised doubts on the technicalities involved with it like the constitutional amendments, but said that there is nothing wrong with implementing One Nation, One Election, stated ANI. Bihar Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary acknowledged the technical complexities but expressed general support for the initiative. "...There are a lot of technicalities involved with it like the constitutional amendments (for implementing One Nation, One Election). It should be implemented...The opposition has an issue with everything. There is nothing wrong with implementing One Nation, One Election," he said. The proposal, which was approved by the Union Cabinet earlier in September under the guidance of a high-level committee led by former President Ram Nath Kovind, is positioned as a significant reform intended to enhance the effectiveness of India's democratic processes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the decision, asserting that it marks a vital step toward a more vibrant and participatory democracy. The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 18, 2024 "The Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections. I compliment our former President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji, for spearheading this effort and consulting a wide range of stakeholders. This is an important step towards making our democracy even more vibrant and participative," PM Modi posted on X. (With inputs from ANI)
13 December,2024 01:17 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA four-member team of Bengaluru Police, including a female police officer, arrived in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur, the residence of the wife of Atul Subhash, the tech professional who tragically died by suicide. The police team pasted a notice at the residence, directing her to cooperate in the ongoing investigation. The notice reads: "There are reasonable grounds to interrogate you to ascertain the facts and circumstances. You are directed to appear before the investigating officer at Bengaluru within three days," according to ANI. Atul Subhash, 34, who worked as the deputy general manager of a private firm, was found dead in his Bengaluru apartment on Monday. In his 24-page suicide note, Subhash alleged harassment by his wife and her relatives. He also claimed that a judge had demanded ₹5 lakh to "settle" a case involving him. Speaking to ANI, Subhash's father, Pawan Kumar, who resides in Samastipur, Bihar, revealed that his son was "broken from inside" due to the multiple legal cases filed against him and his family by his wife. Kumar stated, "My son used to say that there is a lot of corruption, but he would fight as he believed in the truth. However, he was deeply affected and didn’t share his struggles with anyone." The ordeal reportedly began in January 2021, when Subhash's wife filed a series of cases against him and his family. "She started filing cases since January 2021... My son thought she had gone to her maternal uncle's home with their one-year-old son after the pandemic. Instead, she began legal proceedings against our entire family," Kumar explained. As per ANI reports, Subhash’s suicide note disclosed that his wife had accused him under various sections, including charges of murder, sexual misconduct, harassment for money, domestic violence, and dowry demands—nine cases in total. He wrote the phrase “Justice is due” on each page of the note, highlighting his despair. The tragic case has drawn attention to the misuse of legal provisions. On 11 December, the Supreme Court, while quashing a separate Section 498A case, expressed concern about its misuse, calling it a tool for personal vendetta. A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh noted that such cases often lead to undue harassment of husbands and their families. (With inputs from ANI)
13 December,2024 12:37 PM IST | JaunpurThe Directorate of Enforcement (ED) conducted search operations at 19 locations in Mumbai, Delhi and Gurgaon as part of an ongoing probe in Summaya-Dentsu case, the agency said. According to the agency, they conducted the searches on December 10 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). During the search operations, ED found seized Indian currency of Rs 46 Lakh, foreign currency equivalent to Rs 4 Lakh and gold bars amounting to Rs 3.4 Crore. "Other incriminating documents related to immovable property transactions, digital devices have been found and seized during the search proceedings," read a statement by ED. The agency initiated its investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by Worli Police Station against Dentsu Communications India Private Limited, Suumaya Industries Ltd and its promoters including others. "They are accused of conspiring together and embezzling the funds to the tune of Rs. 137 Crore under the guise of promising future 'Need to Feed program' advantages," the agency said. The investigations till now have shown, "Trade financing was secured from NBFCs under the pretext of 'Need to Feed' program of the Government of Haryana to supply Agro products. Accused persons have not received any contract from Government and there was no such program ever in existence either." The agency said that the accused had not supplied any agro-product materials for any such program, but did create "fake records including fake lorry receipts and invoices." "In order to create fake impression that it is supplying Agro products, the accused persons in this case connived and created fake records including fake lorry receipts and fake invoices," read the statement. According to ED, after the search operations, it was revealed that listed entities of Suumaya group entered into transactions worth Rs 5000 Crore, wherein only 10 per cent of the transactions were genuine. "These transactions were done in a circular pattern that led to increase in turnover of involved entities including Dentsu India. Investors of the listed group entities of Suumaya group were misrepresented to show such artificially inflated transactions leading to huge spike in share prices. Turnover of Suumaya Industries Ltd increased from Rs. 210 Crore to Rs. 6700 Crore in a span of two years from FY 2019-20 to FY 2021-22," read the statement. This, in turn also affected the share price from Rs 19 per scrip to go up to Rs 736. The agency's statement added, "The circular transactions also led to an exponential increase in turnover of entities bidding for Government contract, startups for valuation purposes and others. Investigations has revealed that this was done in connivance with stock brokers, and merchant bankers wherein amounts were paid in cash for commodities contracts on NCDEX and acquisition of companies, which were later listed on a stock exchange." Further investigation into the case is ongoing.
13 December,2024 11:55 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIThe rain continued to batter several districts across Tamil Nadu on Friday and the Thamirabarani river was in spate due to continuous downpours in the southern districts, reported news agency PTI. The Thoothukudi district administration has issued a flood warning in the Srivaikuntam and Eral areas owing to the heavy inflows into the Thamirabarani river. People in low-lying areas have been advised to shift to safe places. In Chennai, the Public Works Department (PWD) has issued the first flood warning for the areas near the Redhills and Chembarambakkam reservoirs, among the chief sources of drinking water for the city, following the dangerous increase in water levels due to incessant rain in the catchment areas. The quantum of surplus water being discharged from the Poondi dam in the city suburb has been increased to 12,000 cusecs this morning from 5,000 cusecs on Thursday evening. Due to a heavy downpour upstream of Thamirabarani, a flood warning was issued to all villages and towns situated on the banks of the river, the administration said, reported PTI. The revenue officials have been instructed to evacuate the people from all vulnerable places in Srivaikundam and Eral. Police and Fire and rescue services personnel have asked people to shift to safer areas. In Maduranthakam in neighbouring Chengalpattu district, a private bus that got stranded in rainwater had to be towed to safety by the police and public. None of the passengers in the bus or its crew were injured. While a house collapsed in Suthamalli in Tirunelveli district and a Primary Health Centre in Vadakarai in Tenkasi district was inundated following overnight rain, rainwater entered the Sankaranarayana temple in Sankarankoil, reported PTI. In spite of the rain, the administration of the renowned Sri Arunachaleswar temple in Thiruvannamalai began the preparation for lighting the Maha Deepam atop the hill this evening, marking the conclusion of the grand ten-day festival at the shrine. The IMD has forecast heavy rain in 14 districts due to a well-marked low-pressure area over the Southwest Bay of Bengal off Sri Lanka coast, which lay over the Gulf of Mannar and neighbourhood. The system is very likely to continue to move west-northwestwards towards South Tamil Nadu and weaken gradually into a low-pressure area during the next 12 hours, the IMD said. (With inputs from PTI)
13 December,2024 11:40 AM IST | Chennai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
