NewsDrum : Latest Postshttps://www.newsdrum.inRSS Feeden-usTue, 19 Mar 2024 08:51:53 +0530<![CDATA[TMC complaints to EC about model code 'violation' over Modi's letter ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/tmc-complaints-to-ec-about-pm-modis-model-code-violation-4366985

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress has complained to the Election Commission alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the BJP candidate from Varanasi, has violated the model code of conduct by using central government funds for campaigning.

In a letter addressed to the chief election commissioner on Monday, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien said a message by the PM highlighting his government's programmes reached the electorate on March 16, after the model code of conduct came into force.

Modi has purportedly written the message in the form of a letter to the voters on March 15, the TMC leader claimed.

"By using the office of the prime minister, the BJP has issued the aforesaid letter at the cost of the public exchequer under the guise of a message seemingly sent by the Government of India. Such mass circulation is nothing but an appeal to the voters in favour of the BJP and Mr Modi and thereby flouting the mandate of the Election Commission of India," O'Brien said in the complaint.

He urged the EC to ensure that appropriate directions are issued to the BJP and its candidate Modi to withhold from future campaigns at the cost of public exchequer, to withdraw the letter...." O'Brien said that the cost of sending the prime minister's letter to the electorate should also be included in the accounts of the BJP and Modi against the head "election expenditure."

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 08:51:53 +053042875654287565
<![CDATA[Ahmedabad East LS seat Congress candidate Rohan Gupta withdraws from poll fray ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/ahmedabad-east-ls-seat-congress-candidate-rohan-gupta-withdraws-from-poll-fray-4366975

Ahmedabad, Mar 19 (PTI) Congress candidate from Gujarat's Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha seat Rohan Gupta has said he has withdrawn from the contest due to his father's serious medical condition.

Gupta is the Congress' national spokesperson and his name was in the list of candidates declared by the party on March 12.

"Due to serious medical condition, my father is admitted in hospital and I am withdrawing my candidature for Ahmedabad east parliament seat as Congress Candidate. I will extend complete support to the new candidate nominated by party," Gupta said in a post on X on Monday.

He also posted an image of his handwritten letter to Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil, informing about his decision to withdraw from the poll fray.

All 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will witness polling in a single phase on May 7 and vote counting will be held on June 4.

The Congress is yet to declare candidates for 19 seats.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has declared 22 candidates in the state so far. PTI PD BNM GK

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 08:40:35 +053042875534287553
<![CDATA[Gujarat University attack incident shows we are not fully aware of our traditions: Kerala Guv ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/gujarat-university-attack-incident-shows-we-are-not-fully-aware-of-our-traditions-kerala-guv-4366933

Gandhinagar, Mar 19 (PTI) Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has said incidents like the attack on foreign students allegedly for offering namaz in the Gujarat University's hostel block indicate people of the country are still not fully aware of its traditions and cultural heritage.

Khan made the remarks while talking to reporters on Monday at the Central University of Gujarat in Gandhinagar where he was invited to speak in a national conference on 'Indian Knowledge Tradition'.

Queried on the attack, he said, "Such incidents indicate we are still not fully aware of our own traditions and cultural heritage. Conferences like this will help us in understanding what our traditions are." In his address, Khan said though people follow different faiths and traditions, they are ultimately united by their soul.

"We all might be having different ways of expressing our devotion. My language, skin colour as well as customs and traditions may also differ from yours. Still, we all are united by our soul, that is what the Indian knowledge tradition teaches us," he said.

On the occasion, Khan recited several slokas and verses from the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita, and told the audience that majority of the scholars India has produced were "saints".

Quoting the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, Khan said a knowledgeable person is one who will always find unity hidden behind the visible diversity in society.

Citing Swami Ranganathananda, Khan said though the Indian civilisation was known for its knowledge system, it became "vulnerable and conquerable" because those with immense knowledge had stopped sharing it with the masses.

Around two dozen people allegedly barged into the government-run Gujarat University's hostel in Ahmedabad on Saturday night and raised an objection to students from foreign countries offering namaz near the facility block where they stayed, according to the police.

Two students - one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan - were hospitalised after the incident, police earlier said.

An FIR was registered against 20-25 unidentified assailants, and nine teams were formed to conduct a probe into the incident.

So far, five persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, police said on Monday. PTI PJT PD BNM GK

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 08:25:35 +053042875134287513
<![CDATA[Indian-origin man pleads guilty in Singapore court to sexually assaulting worker from India ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/international/indian-origin-man-pleads-guilty-in-singapore-court-to-sexually-assaulting-worker-from-india-4366637

Singapore, Mar 19 (PTI) A 20-year-old Indian-origin man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a maintenance worker from India whose identity is protected under court order.

Sree Kanth Murugan, who works in the hospitality industry, sexually violated the worker before running away when the victim woke up.

Another charge of molestation will be taken into consideration for sentencing Sree.

The 34-year-old worker was sleeping at the void deck of a housing block where Sree lived, according to a report by Today newspaper.

District Judge Carol Ling called for probation and reformative training suitability reports before her judgement on May 9.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Ho May Kim has called for a report to assess Sree's suitability for reformative training and told the court that probation would not be a "realistic" sentencing option, considering the "brazen sexual offence" that he had committed.

DPP Ho also argued that probation would have a "limited" effect in deterring Sree from committing such offences, and rehabilitation would be more effective in a structured environment such as reformative training.

Reformative training is a regimented rehabilitative programme offered to young offenders under 21 and offenders need to stay at a training centre to undergo various programmes.

Unlike probation and community sentences, those who are sent for reformative training will have a criminal record.

Sree's defence lawyer Asoka Markandu said that he was "completely flabbergasted" at the prosecution's objection to probation and instead asked for a probation suitability report to be done.

He argued that sending his client for reformative training would be akin to placing him in a "den full of wolves", adding that a probation officer would provide him with sufficient guidance.

Asoka said that sexuality issues are a big concern for young people today since the digital age has made youth more aware of such topics at a younger age, and that his client was "someone screaming for help", which led him to "satisfy his urge" in such a public manner.

In response, DPP Ho said that Sree was already at the "cusp of adulthood" when he committed the offence and that reformative training was an option that already took rehabilitation into consideration.

DPP Ho emphasised that Sree had "preyed" on the victim when he was sleeping and in a vulnerable state, and ran away once he was detected.

District Judge Ling agreed with both the prosecution and the defence that rehabilitation would be the predominant consideration for sentencing and called for both suitability reports.

Around 10:30 pm on October 27 last year, the victim chatted and drank three cans of beer with his relative at a void deck of a public housing block along Kim Keat Avenue.

While waiting for his relative to get ready to give him a ride back to his dormitory, the victim fell asleep on a concrete slab.

Around 30 minutes later, Sree arrived and sat at a table near him. Sree then molested the man before sexually assaulting him.

The victim woke up to find his private parts exposed and Sree sitting at his feet.

Sree ran off and though the foreign worker chased him, he managed to escape to his home, which was nearby. He was later arrested.

Anyone who commits sexual assault involving penetration can be jailed for up to 20 years, and can also be caned or fined. PTI GS DIV DIV

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 07:10:36 +053042872144287214
<![CDATA[Bihar: Former RJD leader Lovely Anand joins JD(U) ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/bihar-former-rjd-leader-lovely-anand-joins-jdu-4363489

Patna: Lovely Anand, former Lok Sabha MP from Bihar's Vaishali, joined Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) here on Monday.

Anand, a former RJD leader, joined the party at a function here in the presence of JD(U)'s former national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan'. Several senior leaders of the party were also present on the occasion.

"For me, it is like a homecoming. Whatever responsibilities the party gives me, I will deliver my best", Anand said soon after joining JD(U).

Anand is the wife of former MP Anand Mohan, who was released from jail last year after serving 15 years of imprisonment in a murder case.

It may be recalled that soon after the formation of the NDA government in Bihar, Anand's son and RJD MLA Chetan had switched sides to the JD(U) camp during the trust vote of the Nitish Kumar government in the assembly.

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 06:48:40 +053042840944284094
<![CDATA[White House to host trilateral summit with Philippines, Japan on April 11 ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/international/white-house-to-host-trilateral-summit-with-philippines-japan-on-april-11-4366509

Washington, Mar 19 (PTI) US President Joe Biden will host a trilateral summit with his Filipino counterpart Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan on April 11 at the White House, a presidential spokesperson has said.

During the first-ever trilateral summit between these countries, the leaders will advance a partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship, robust and growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values, and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

"The leaders will also reaffirm the ironclad alliances between the United States and the Philippines, and the United States and Japan. At the summit, the three leaders will discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world," she said.

"In addition, Biden will host Marcos for a meeting at the White House on April 11 to review the historic momentum in US-Philippines relations and discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties, and human rights and democracy," she said.

"The President will emphasise the US commitment to upholding international law and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific," Jean-Pierre said. PTI LKJ DIV DIV

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 06:45:35 +053042870854287085
<![CDATA[Kejriwal hails jailed Satyendar Jain as hero for all Dilliwallas ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/cm-kejriwal-hails-satyendar-jain-as-hero-for-all-dilliwallas-4364473

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday hailed AAP leader Satyendar Jain as a hero for Delhiites, hours after the Supreme Court rejected the former minister's plea for regular bail in a money-laundering case.

The AAP said it "respectfully disagrees" with the top court's decision but asserted, "We have full faith in our justice system and are sure that eventually justice will be done."

"His health has been very precarious and he has undergone major spine surgeries from which he still has to recover. He is still suffering from severe pain, numbness, tenderness and imbalance. As per the last diagnosis, the degree of pain suffered by him is seven out 10," the party said in a statement.

Due to the imbalance occurring from underlying medical conditions, he also suffered a fall and a fracture, it added.

Jain returned to Tihar jail late on Monday.

In a post on X, Kejriwal said, "He (Jain) is a hero for all Dilliwallas. He made arrangements for providing 24x7 electricity, free electricity, good government hospitals and mohalla clinics. Feel extremely sad for him and his family. God bless him."

Jain held the power and the health portfolios in the Kejriwal government. He tendered his resignation from the Cabinet in February last year.

The AAP said it is "utterly shameful" that the "ED-CBI, on the directions of the BJP, have put Jain in jail for almost two years in a completely fake and fabricated case".

There was no immediate reaction from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the AAP's claims.

"The entire case against Jain is based on statements of some hawala operators who layered some money to buy shareholding in three companies in which his wife had negligible shareholding," the AAP said.

"The hawala operators have provided no proof of Jain's involvement and he has denied any knowledge of these individuals. Instead of putting those hawala operators behind bars, they have been left scot-free but the ED has arrested Jain. Neither he nor his family received any money whatsoever from these three companies," it claimed.

The party also claimed that the ED's allegations regarding Jain's control of those companies or involvement in their affairs is "completely without any substance".

"Jain and his family have no shareholding, directorship and land purchase of these companies. Neither he nor his family were undersigned or authorised signatory in the documents on which the ED has filed this case," the AAP said.

Jain is undergoing physiotherapy and had requested the court to delay the surrender.

He was hospitalised a few months ago and shifted to an intensive care unit after collapsing in the bathroom of Tihar jail, the party said.

The Supreme Court court on January 17 reserved its verdict on Jain's plea for regular bail in the case. It granted the former minister interim bail on May 26, 2023, on medical grounds and it was extended from time to time.

Jain had moved the apex court after the Delhi High Court on April 6, 2023, dismissed his plea for regular bail in the case.

The ED arrested the AAP leader on May 30, 2022, on the charge of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him.

It had arrested Jain on the basis of a CBI FIR registered against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 06:43:29 +053042850434285043
<![CDATA[Satyendar Jain returns to Tihar jail as SC dismisses regular bail plea ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/sc-dismisses-regular-bail-plea-of-aap-leader-satyendar-jain-in-money-laundering-case-4364528

New Delhi: In a setback to senior AAP leader Satyendar Jain, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed his regular bail in a money laundering case, saying there is sufficient material collected by the Enforcement Directorate to show that he along with his two associates are prima facie guilty of the alleged offence.

A bench of justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal asked Jain, who was out on interim bail, to surrender immediately.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's counsel had orally requested the court to allow Satyendar Jain to surrender in a week's time. The requested was rejected.

Following the court's direction, Satyendar Jain surrendered at the Tihar jail here on Monday evening. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Satyendar Jain on May 30, 2022, on the charge of laundering money through four companies allegedly linked to him. It had arrested Jain on the basis of a CBI FIR registered against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The bench said that "... there remains no shadow of doubt that the appellant -- Satyendar Kumar Jain -- had conceptualised the idea of accommodation entries against cash and was responsible for the accommodation entries totalling to Rs 4.81 crores (approx) received through Kolkata-based entry operators" in the bank accounts of the four companies by paying cash.

These companies are "M/s. Akinchan Developers Pvt. Ltd., M/s. Paryas Infosolution Pvt. Ltd., M/s. Indo Metalimpex Pvt. Ltd. and M/s. Mangalayatan Projects Pvt. Ltd." and "the said companies were controlled and owned by him and his family", it said.

The bench said though it is true that a company is a separate legal entity from its shareholders and directors, the lifting of the corporate veil is permissible when such corporate structures have been used for committing frauds or economic offences, or have been used as a facade, or a sham for carrying out illegal activities.

It said it has also been found that appellants Ankush Jain and Vaibhav Jain -- both associates of the AAP leader -- had assisted him by making false declarations under the Income Disclosure Scheme (IDS). Each of them had declared alleged undisclosed income of Rs 8.26 crores in order to protect Satyendar Jain, the court observed.

"Having regard to the totality of the facts and circumstances of the case, we are of the opinion that the appellants have miserably failed to satisfy us that there are reasonable grounds for believing that they are not guilty of the alleged offences. On the contrary, there is sufficient material collected by the respondent -- ED -- to show that they are prima facie guilty of the alleged offences," the bench said.

It added that statements of witnesses in the case had clearly stated that Satyendar Jain was the "conceptualiser, initiator, fund provider and supervisor for the entire operation to procure the accommodation, share capital/premium entries".

With regard to accused Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain, the top court said that both of them have also committed the offence of money laundering as defined under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by being actually involved in and knowingly assisting Satyendar Jain in projecting his proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 4.81 crore (approx) as untainted in the mode and manner stated in the prosecution complaint.

The top court said after discussing the material on record, the Delhi High Court in its April 6, 2023, order had prima facie found the appellants guilty of the alleged offences under the PMLA and the judgment does not suffer from any illegality or infirmity.

It said all the three accused were released on bail for a temporary period after their arrest and Satyendar Jain was released on bail on medical grounds, which has continued till this day.

"He shall now surrender forthwith before the Special Court. It is needless to say that the right to speedy trial and access to justice is a valuable right enshrined in the Constitution of India, and provisions of Section 436A of the CrPC would apply with full force to the cases of money laundering falling under Section 3 of the PMLA, subject to the Provisos and the Explanation contained therein,” it directed.

On January 17, the top court had reserved its verdict on Satyendar Jain and his associates' regular bail plea.

It had granted interim bail to him on May 26 last year on medical grounds and it was extended from time to time.

Satyendar Jain moved the apex court challenging the high court's April 6, 2023, order of dismissing his regular bail application in the case.

Jain, who has denied these allegations, was granted regular bail by a trial court on September 6, 2019, in the case registered by the CBI.

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 06:37:12 +053042850964285096
<![CDATA[Top news headlines of today – 19 March 2024 ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/top-news-headlines/19-march-2024-top-news-headlines-of-today-4366242

Commentary

हिन्दू धर्म में एक शब्द है शक्ति, उस शक्ति से राहुल की लड़ाई | अभी से EVM पर हार का ठीकरा | Electoral bond दूसरा राफेल? लोमड़ी जैसे भागे रहे केजरीवाल?

 

Pak-Afghan war

Afghanistani forces move towards Durand line

Pak airstrikes in Afghanistan: US urges Islamabad to exercise restrain

 

2024 LS polls

Nitish Kumar Narendra Modi

NDA announces Bihar seat-sharing pact: BJP to contest 17, JD(U) 16, Chirag's LJP 5

Former RJD leader Lovely Anand joins JD(U)

 

Arvind Kejriwal

Satyendar Jain Supreme Court

SC dismisses regular bail plea of AAP leader Satyendar Jain in money laundering case

Kejriwal hails Satyendar Jain as 'hero for all Dilliwallas'

 

H1B Visa

h1b visa.jpg

H1B initial registration period to close on March 22

 

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Shailesh KhanduriTue, 19 Mar 2024 06:22:25 +053042869594286959
<![CDATA[Deeply concerned about prospective Israeli operation in Rafah: Biden tells Netanyahu ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/international/deeply-concerned-about-prospective-israeli-operation-in-rafah-biden-tells-netanyahu-4366376

Washington, Mar 19 (PTI) US President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah on the lines of those in Gaza City and Khan Younis, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.

During his telephonic conversation with Biden on Monday, Netanyahu agreed to send an inter-agency team of Israeli officials to Washington to hold discussions on an alternative approach to target key Hamas elements in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion, Sullivan said at his daily press conference on Monday.

This was the first time in a month that the two leaders spoke on phone.

Sullivan said Biden and Netanyahu spoke at length about Rafah.

"The President explained why he is so deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah of the kind it conducted in Gaza City and Khan Younis," the NSA said.

More than a million people have taken refuge in Rafah. They went from Gaza City to Khan Younis and then to Rafah. They have nowhere else to go. Gaza's other major cities have largely been destroyed, he said.

And Israel has not presented the US or the world with a plan on how or where it would safely move those civilians, let alone feed and house them and ensure access to basic things like sanitation, he added.

Sullivan said Rafah is a primary entry point for humanitarian assistance into Gaza from Egypt and a military operation in the city would shut it down.

"Rafah is on the border with Egypt, which has voiced its deep alarm over a major military operation there and has even raised questions about its future relationship with Israel as a result of any impending military operation," he said.

"Now, the President has rejected, and did again today, the strawman that raising questions about Rafah is the same as raising questions about defeating Hamas. That's just nonsense.

"Our position is that Hamas should not be allowed a safe haven in Rafah or anywhere else. But a major ground operation there would be a mistake. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza, and further isolate Israel internationally," he said.

"Most importantly, the key goals Israel wants to achieve in Rafah can be achieved by other means," he said.

During the call, Biden asked Netanyahu to send a senior inter-agency team comprising military, intelligence and humanitarian officials to Washington in the coming days to hear the US' concerns about Israel's plans for Rafah and to lay out an alternative approach that would target key Hamas elements in the city and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion, according to Sullivan.

Netanyahu agreed to send a team.

"Obviously, he has his own point of view on a Rafah operation but he agreed that he would send a team to Washington to have this discussion and have this engagement. And we look forward to those discussions," Sullivan said.

He said the two leaders also discussed the ongoing negotiations for an immediate ceasefire for several weeks in return for the release of hostages currently being held by Hamas and other militants in Gaza.

"We would look to build on that ceasefire into something more enduring and use the space created by a cessation of hostilities to surge humanitarian assistance at a vital moment. So far, this deal has been more elusive than we would have hoped. But we will keep pressing because we regard this as an urgent priority," the NSA said.

Biden emphasised his "bone-deep commitment" to ensuring the long-term security of Israel and affirmed, as he did in the State of the Union address, that Israel has a right to go after Hamas, the perpetrators of the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Sullivan said.

The NSA noted that Israel has made significant progress against Hamas.

"They've broken a significant number of Hamas battalions, killed thousands of Hamas fighters, including senior commanders. Hamas' number three, Marwan Issa, was killed in an Israeli operation last week. The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network and justice will come for them too, and we are helping to ensure that," Sullivan said.

At the same time, more innocent civilians, including thousands of children, have died in this conflict than in all of the wars in Gaza combined. A humanitarian crisis has descended across Gaza and anarchy reigns in areas that Israel's military has cleared but not stabilised, he added.

The President, Sullivan said, has repeatedly made the point that continuing military operations needs to be connected to a clear strategic endgame.

Biden told Netanyahu again that they share the goal of defeating Hamas. "But we just believe you need a coherent and sustainable strategy to make that happen," Sullivan said.

"Now, instead of (a) pause to re-evaluate where things stand in the campaign and what adjustments are needed to achieve long-term success, instead of a focus on stabilising the areas of Gaza that Israel has cleared so that Hamas does not regenerate and retake territory... the Israeli government is now talking about launching a major military operation in Rafah," he said. PTI LKJ DIV DIV

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 06:20:35 +053042869514286951
<![CDATA[Congress's Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha candidate Rohan Gupta withdraws from fray ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/congs-ahmedabad-east-lok-sabha-candidate-rohan-gupta-withdraws-from-fray-4364418

Ahmedabad: Congress candidate from Gujarat's Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha seat Rohan Gupta on Monday said he had withdrawn from the contest due to the serious medical condition of his father.

Gupta is the party's national spokesperson and his name was declared in the list announced by the party on March 12.

"Due to serious medical condition, my father is admitted in hospital and I am withdrawing my candidature for Ahmedabad east parliament seat as Congress Candidate. I will extend complete support to the new candidate nominated by party," Gupta posted on social media platform X.

Gupta also posted an image of his handwritten letter to Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil informing about his withdrawal.

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 06:13:27 +053042869134286913
<![CDATA[H1B initial registration period to close on March 22 ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/international/h1b-initial-registration-period-to-close-on-march-22-4365983

Washington: The initial registration period for the most sought-after H-1B visas for foreign guest workers for fiscal 2025 closes at 12 noon Eastern Time on March 22, a federal agency has said.

During this period, prospective petitioners and legal representatives must use an online account of US Citizenship and Immigration Services to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process and pay the associated registration fee for each beneficiary, US Citizenship and Immigration Services said on Monday.

Online account users will also be able to collaborate on registrations and petitions with enhanced organisational account features in their online accounts, it said.

Form I-129, petition for a non-immigrant worker, for H-1B petitions and Form I-907, request for premium processing service, are now accessible in USCIS online accounts, a media release said.

USCIS will begin accepting online filing of the forms for H-1B cap petitions on April 1. "We will announce when online filing of non-cap H-1B petitions is available," USCIS said.

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 06:12:01 +053042865524286552
<![CDATA[Pak airstrikes in Afghanistan: US urges Islamabad to exercise restrain ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/international/pak-airstrikes-in-afghanistan-us-urges-islamabad-to-exercise-restrain-4365898

Washington: The United States urged Pakistan to exercise restraint in its counter-terrorist offensive in Afghanistan, hours after Islamabad said it carried out airstrikes on Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) affiliated militants in the neighbouring country.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the US also urges the Taliban, which rules Afghanistan, to ensure that Afghan soil is not used for launching terror attacks.

Earlier on Monday, Pakistan said it carried out airstrikes on TTP militants in Afghanistan, amidst a war of words between the two neighbours over a spate of recent terror attacks in restive Pakistani cities.

Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) said that rebels belonging to TTP's Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group were hit after the outfit claimed responsibility for the attack on Saturday at an army outpost that resulted in the killing of seven soldiers, including two officers.

At least eight civilians, including three children, were killed in the airstrikes carried out by Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban said while summoning the charge d'affaires of Pakistan's embassy in Kabul to lodge a strong protest.

Jean-Pierre said Pakistan and Afghanistan should resolve their differences through dialogue.

"We are aware of the reports, obviously, that Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan in response to the attack in Pakistan on Saturday at a military post. We deeply regret the loss of life and injuries sustained during the attack in Pakistan and the loss of civilian lives during the strikes in Afghanistan," she said.

"We urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil. We urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counter-terrorism efforts.

"We urge both sides to address any differences through dialogue. We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States or our other partners or allies," she said.

At a separate news conference, State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel spoke in the same vein.

"We deeply regret the loss of life and injustices sustained during the attack in Pakistan, and the loss of civilian lives during the strike in Afghanistan. We urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil, and we urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counterterrorism efforts. And we urge both sides to address any differences," he said.

"We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States or our partners and allies," Patel said.

The US has been in regular communication with Pakistani leaders to discuss Afghanistan in detail, including through counter-terrorism dialogue and other bilateral consultations, he said.

US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on March 15 to discuss a broad range of bilateral issues, partnering with the Pakistani government on regional security, the US support for continued economic reforms with and through the International Monetary Fund, trade and investment, education, climate change, and other private sector-led economic growth issues, he added.

The airstrikes by Pakistan came a day after President Asif Ali Zardari vowed retaliation following the killing of seven soldiers, including two officers, in Saturday's terrorist attack in North Waziristan.

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 06:08:39 +053042864664286466
<![CDATA[Delhi world's most polluted capital city again: Report ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/delhi-worlds-most-polluted-capital-city-again-report-4366164

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Bihar's Begusarai emerged as the world's most polluted metropolitan area while Delhi was identified as the capital city with the poorest air quality, according to a new report.

With an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre, India had the third worst air quality out of 134 countries in 2023 after Bangladesh (79.9 micrograms per cubic metre) and Pakistan (73.7 micrograms per cubic metre), according to the World Air Quality Report 2023 by Swiss organisation IQAir.

In 2022, India was ranked as the eighth most polluted country with an average PM2.5 concentration of 53.3 micrograms per cubic metre.

Begusarai stood out as the most polluted metropolitan area globally with an average PM2.5 concentration of 118.9 micrograms per cubic metre. The city did not even figure in the 2022 rankings.

Delhi's PM2.5 levels worsened from 89.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2022 to 92.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023.

The national capital was ranked the most polluted capital city in the world four times on the trot starting 2018.

It is estimated that 1.36 billion people in India experience PM2.5 concentrations exceeding the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended annual guideline level of 5 micrograms per cubic metre, the report said.

Also, 1.33 billion people, 96 per cent of the Indian population, experience PM2.5 levels more than seven times the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline. This trend is reflected in city-level data, with more than 66 per cent of the country's cities reporting annual averages greater than 35 micrograms per cubic metre.

IQAir said the data utilised to create this report was aggregated from the global distribution of more than 30,000 regulatory air quality monitoring stations and low-cost air quality sensors operated by research institutions, governmental bodies, universities and educational facilities, non-profit non-governmental organisations, private companies and citizen scientists.

The 2022 World Air Quality Report included data from 7,323 locations in 131 countries, regions and territories. In 2023, those numbers have grown to include 7,812 locations in 134 countries, regions and territories.

Causing an estimated one in every nine deaths worldwide, air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to human health.

According to the WHO, air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide every year.

Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution leads to and exacerbates numerous health conditions, including but not limited to asthma, cancer, stroke and lung disease.

Exposure to elevated levels of fine particles can impair cognitive development in children, lead to mental health issues, and complicate existing illnesses, including diabetes. PTI GVS DIV DIV

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 05:40:35 +053042867354286735
<![CDATA[Indian-American professionals from Silicon Valley hold 'havan' to pray for PM Modi's re-election ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/international/indian-american-professionals-from-silicon-valley-hold-havan-to-pray-for-pm-modis-re-election-4366059

Washington, Mar 19 (PTI) Indian-American technology professionals from Silicon Valley held a special 'havan' at a Hindu temple to pray for the victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Organised by the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP), USA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, the 'havan' was attended by a large number of people. "It was not just a ritual but a collective invocation for the fulfilment of the wishes of the majority of Indians and NRIs," a media release said.

The community came together to pray for a decisive victory for the ruling BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi in the upcoming parliamentary elections, echoing the popular sentiment of "Abki Baar, 400 Paar", the OFBJP said.

"This spiritual gathering is a reflection of the deep-rooted faith in the democratic process and the aspirations for continued progress and governance reforms in India," it said.

Prime Minister Modi has set a target for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to win more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and 370-plus for the BJP alone.

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. The results will be announced on June 4. PTI LKJ DIV DIV

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 05:20:35 +053042866294286629
<![CDATA[Tarot card reader raped in Delhi's Neb Sarai by man known to her ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/tarot-card-reader-raped-in-delhis-neb-sarai-by-man-known-to-her-4364723

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) A 36-year-old female tarot card reader was allegedly raped in south Delhi's Neb Sarai by a man who offered to help her sell a property and later struck a friendship on the pretext of learning astrology from her, police said on Monday.

The woman filed a police complaint alleging she had been raped by an acquaintance on February 11.

According to police, the woman had contacted one Gaurav Aggarwal, a resident of Malviya Nagar, regarding the sale of a property in January 2024.

Aggarwal visited the complainant's house and assured her he would help her sell the property, said a senior police officer.

The accused also came to know that the woman was interested in astrology and started calling under the pretext of learning astrology to get into her good books, the officer said.

On January 24, Aggarwal called the woman and took her to his friend's house in Neb Sarai to finalise the property deal.

There, he allegedly mixed something in her drink that made her unconscious, and then raped her, the officer said.

Police said that Aggarwal, who has been absconding ever since, has been booked under charges of poisoning, criminal intimidation, and rape.

"Efforts are being made to apprehend the alleged perpetrator," police in a statement said.

The FIR, filed on the basis of the victim's complaint, read, "I have known Gaurav for two years now, as both of our children have been studying in the same school. Our families became friendly through this connection. He visited our home in early January to assist with the sale of a plot belonging to someone we know." The woman told police that Aggarwal had feigned interest in astrology only to get close to her and later showed interest in hiring her services for tarot card readings to aid his business.

According to the FIR, lodged at Neb Sarai Police Station, she had also agreed to meet him at a hotel in Saket for this purpose.

"Upon regaining consciousness, I realised I had been raped but felt too ashamed to immediately confide in my husband. Finally, on February 10, I gathered the courage to tell him," the FIR read.

"We confronted the accused at his office in Malviya Nagar, but he denied any wrongdoing and instead verbally abused and threatened both of us," the FIR read.

Several teams have been formed to investigate the case and to nab the accused, police said. PTI BM VN VN

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 00:10:35 +053042852874285287
<![CDATA[Kerala: NDA files poll code violation complaint against CPI candidate in Thrissur ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/kerala-nda-files-poll-code-violation-complaint-against-cpi-candidate-in-thrissur-4364657

Thrissur, Mar 18 (PTI) The BJP-led NDA on Monday filed a complaint with the district collector against VS Sunil Kumar, the CPI candidate from Kerala's Thrissur, for allegedly violating the poll code.

According to the complaint, Kumar violated the poll code by posting a picture with actor Tovino Thomas, who is an ambassador for the Election Commission's Systematic Voter's Education and Electoral Participation programme (SVEEP).

Ravikumar Uppath, the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Thrissur district coordinator, filed the complaint with the district collector, who is also the returning officer for the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, alleging that the Left leader misused the actor's photograph to seek votes and, hence, violated the Model Code of Conduct.

The complaint said the Left candidate and workers used the photograph for poll campaigning and asked the returning officer not to allow Kumar to contest the elections.

Kumar recently met Thomas at a film set.

Thomas later posted on social media, saying he is an ambassador for SVEEP and it is against the law to use his photograph for election campaigning.

"In case somebody is using it, I wish to clarify that it is without my knowledge or consent. Wishing everyone a fair election experience," Thomas said in the post.

Kumar deleted the photograph and told reporters that he was unaware of Thomas' role as an ambassador for the Election Commission.

The Thrissur constituency is witnessing a triangular contest among actor-politician Suresh Gopi, who is contesting on a BJP ticket, senior Congress leader and Vatakara MP K Muraleedharan, and former minister and CPI leader Kumar. PTI RRT SZM

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:35 +053042852214285221
<![CDATA[Defence minister Rajnath Singh and Austin discuss growing momentum in defence ties between India and US ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/international/defence-minister-rajnath-singh-and-austin-discuss-growing-momentum-in-defence-ties-between-india-and-us-4364656

Washington, Mar 18 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday spoke over the phone with his American counterpart Lloyd Austin to discuss on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues amidst a "growing momentum in major defence partnership" between India and the US.

During the call, Austin and Rajnath "lauded progress on bilateral defence initiatives following the 5th annual US-India 2+2 ministerial dialogue in November 2023, including US support for India's military modernisation, initiatives to drive forward the US-India roadmap for defence industrial cooperation, strengthening maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region, and India's support for the rule of law in the Arabian Sea and adjacent waterways,” Pentagon Press Secretary Maj Gen Pat Ryder said.

Austin held the call with Singh to discuss "growing momentum in the major defence partnership between the US and India in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region", he said.

The two leaders also applauded recent announcements accompanying the second India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit in New Delhi in February.

Austin highlighted the cutting-edge defense innovation propelled by the partnership between the US Department of Defence's Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Indian Ministry of Defence's Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX).

Austin and Singh expressed hope to have an opportunity to meet in person soon, Ryder said. PTI LKJ SCY SCY

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NewsDrum DeskTue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:34 +053042852204285220
<![CDATA[UP: Teacher shot dead by constable after altercation, protesters boycott evaluation work ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/up-teacher-shot-dead-by-constable-after-altercation-protesters-boycott-evaluation-work-4364624

Muzaffarnagar (UP), Mar 18 (PTI) A government teacher was shot dead allegedly by an Uttar Pradesh Police head constable following an altercation in the Civil Lines area here, an official said on Monday.

After the incident that took place on Sunday night, angry teachers from different colleges held a protest blocking the circular road. They demanded strict action against the accused and began a boycott of evaluation work of Uttar Pradesh Board exam answer sheets.

The deceased -- Dharmendra Kumar -- was part of a team of the education department from Varanasi that had brought UP Board exam answer sheets to the SD Inter College here, Superintendent of Police (City) Satyanarain Parjapat said.

The group included another teacher and two class-four employees and was accompanied by a police team from Varanasi, Parjapat said.

The team from the education department and Varanasi police were waiting in a vehicle for the college gate to open when the incident took place on Sunday night, he said.

Kumar had an altercation with head constable Chander Prakash while they were in the vehicle, following which the latter shot at the teacher using his service weapon, the officer said.

The injured teacher was rushed to the district hospital where he was declared dead, the SP added.

Reacting to the incident, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that the "arrogance of the BJP rule" has slowly started to affect the administration as well, and demanded that a compensation of Rs 5 crore should be paid to the family members of the deceased teacher.

Meanwhile, teachers from different colleges blocked the circular road in protest over the incident.

According to the protesters, the policeman was under the influence of liquor and the argument broke out between the duo when he demanded tobacco from the teacher.

In a memorandum addressed to the state government, the protesting teachers have demanded at least Rs 10 crore compensation for the deceased's family and job to a family member.

They also warned that their dharna will continue until strict action is taken against the accused and demanded a written assurance by the district authorities.

The teachers have also begun a boycott of the evaluation of answer sheets of UP Board exams.

The teacher's body has been sent for postmortem and a case has been registered against the head constable, SP Parjapat said, adding all others present in the vehicle have been taken into custody for questioning.

Meanwhile, SP chief Yadav, in a post on X in Hindi, said, "The arrogance of the BJP rule has is slowly beginning to affect the administration as well. Earlier also a 'sipahi' had killed people and today again. The BJP government, which organises fake encounters, has even made some people in the police system violent." "A compensation of Rs 5 crore should be given to the family of the deceased teacher and the accused policeman should be punished for his actions. If there is any education minister in Uttar Pradesh, she should also wake up!" he said.

Meanwhile, in Kaushambi district, teachers apparently angry over the Muzaffarnagar incident, boycotted the evaluation work of UP Board exam copies and also blocked the Prayagraj-Chitrakoot road for an hour.

District Inspector of Schools Sachchidanand Yadav said that the work of evaluation of board exam copies was going on in Durga Devi Inter College of Manjhanpur tehsil of the district. The teachers engaged in the evaluation work got angry over the murder of the teacher (in Muzaffarnagar) and boycotted the evaluation of copies, he said.

Manjhanpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate Akash Singh reached the spot and spoke to the protesting teachers.

A memorandum was submitted to the SDM, demanding strong action against head constable Chander Prakash and financial assistance to the family of the deceased teacher and a government job to a family member. PTI COR SAB SNS NAV KVK KVK

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:55:35 +053042851864285186
<![CDATA[MP HC allows 20k students of 'unsuited' nursing colleges to write main exams ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/mp-hc-allows-20k-students-of-unsuited-nursing-colleges-to-write-main-exams-4364474

Jabalpur, Mar 18 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh High Court permitted around 20,000 students of "unsuited" nursing colleges to write their main examinations but said the privilege was a one-time measure and they would not get further benefits if they fail.

Earlier, the HC had stopped students of nursing colleges, which were found to be running without infrastructure facilities or dispensaries across Madhya Pradesh, to write examinations.

The relief from the division bench of Justices Sanjay Dwivedi and AK Paliwal came on applications filed by some students seeking nod to answer the exams.

"The students of unsuited colleges shall also be permitted to participate in the examination, but this arrangement and benefit would be a one-time-measure and if they do not clear the examination, no further benefit shall be given to them", the bench observed.

Law Students Association president and advocate Vishal Baghel told PTI around 20,000 students would be benefited by the order passed on March 11.

The order was uploaded on the MP High Court website on Monday evening, he added.

"The students of unsuited nursing colleges took the plea in their application that they had provided their services in the Government Health Centres during the outbreak of COVID-19, in that, the doctors and permanent staff avoided their obligation in fear of peril to their life and when these students were asked to come out, they without caring to their life, participated in mayhem by discharging duties in the Government Health Centres," the court order read.

They (students of unsuited nursing colleges) want modification of the part of the order dated 08.02.2024, which restrains the students of unsuited colleges from taking part in the examination, it added.

"We are of the opinion that the order dated 08.02.2024 is modified to the extent that students of unsuited colleges shall also be permitted to participate in the examination", the court observed.

"These applications are allowed to the extent that not only the students, who are before this court, but other students of unsuited colleges shall be allowed to participate in the examination as set-forth", the court said.

On issues related to admission in the nursing colleges, the court allowed the suited colleges to start enrolment of students for session 2022-23.

The decision with regard to session 2023-24 shall be taken by this court after the decision is taken by the state government on the proposal made by MPMSU (MP Medical Science University), the order read.

The court took up the students' applications while hearing of a bunch of petitions, including one filed by Law Students Association challenging infrastructure facilities in nursing colleges across Madhya Pradesh. PTI COR LAL BNM

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:30:36 +053042850444285044
<![CDATA[ED working like BJP's political wing, charges against Kejriwal blatant lie: AAP ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/ed-working-like-bjps-political-wing-charges-against-kejriwal-blatant-lie-aap-4364472

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) The AAP on Monday termed the ED a political wing of BJP and dismissed its charges against the party and its national convener Arvind Kejriwal blatant and frivolous lies.

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday said that BRS leader K Kavitha and some others "conspired" with top AAP leaders, including Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, to get favours in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy by paying Rs 100 crore to the political party that rules Delhi.

Kavitha was arrested last week by the ED from Hyderabad.

The Aam Aadmi Party responded to the ED statement by saying its probe was biased.

"On earlier occasions too, ED has released such blatantly false and frivolous statements which show that instead of being a neutral investigative agency, it is working like a political wing of BJP," the party said in a statement.

Delhi minister Atishi alleged that the ED is "planting stories" in the media and has not even a "penny worth" of evidence against Kejriwal.

"ED is showing its true political colour by sending summons after summons to Kejriwal and issuing statements to the media. This whole game of ED-CBI is to stop Kejriwal from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls," she said.

The AAP termed the ED probe a "desperate attempt" to malign the image of Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia by "planting falsehoods and creating a media sensation." "ED's statement, which presents no new fact or evidence, speaks volumes of its frustration since they have not recovered a single rupee or piece of evidence in this case, despite carrying out over 500 raids and questioning thousands of witnesses," the AAP said.

The ED in its statement said that Kavitha, along with others, was found to have conspired with the top leaders of AAP, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, for favours in the Delhi excise policy.

"In exchange for these favours, she was involved in paying Rs 100 crore to the leaders of AAP," the agency said.

The AAP dismissed the allegation and said even the Supreme Court had not found credibility in the claim.

"Even the SC has discarded ED's claim that any money trail of Rs 100 crore exists in this matter. The entire world knows by now that the entire excise case is fake and without an iota of evidence," it said.

The party said the ED for the last two years has been hunting for proceeds of crime in the case and has raided the houses of several AAP leaders, including Sisodia, but failed to find any dirty money.

It also accused the BJP of arm-twisting corporates, almost all of whom, it claimed, were raided by the ED before they donated to the party through electoral bonds. "That means companies accused by ED of money laundering transferred their proceeds of crime to BJP accounts immediately after being raided." The ED and the CBI have alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it.

The policy was scrapped by the Kejriwal government, days after Delhi LG V K Saxena in July 2022 recommended a CBI probe into its formulation and implementation.

Later, a case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act linked to the excise policy case, was registered by the ED. PTI VIT VN VN

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:30:35 +053042850424285042
<![CDATA[Fire guts room in flat in Thane, no one hurt ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/fire-guts-room-in-flat-in-thane-no-one-hurt-4364391

Thane, Mar 18 (PTI) A fire gutted a room in a flat in Kokanipada area of Thane city on Monday, though no one was hurt in the incident, a civic official said.

The blaze broke out in the fourth floor flat of Surya building at 6:30pm, said Thane Municipal Corporation regional disaster management cell chief Yasin Tadvi.

"Two women who were in the flat at the time managed to come out safely. The fire was put out in an hour. Furniture and other items in the hall of the flat were destroyed. Around 300 occupants of the 13 storey building rushed out in time," he said. PTI COR BNM

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:15:36 +053042849634284963
<![CDATA[EC asks WB administration to follow all measures to ensure violence-free polls ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/ec-asks-wb-administration-to-follow-all-measures-to-ensure-violence-free-polls-4364390

Kolkata, Mar 18 (PTI) The Election Commission on Monday asked the West Bengal Police to make a list of those against whom complaints of booth capturing and false voting had been registered during past polls, officials said.

The move is aimed at ensuring violence-free Lok Sabha elections in the state, they said.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ariz Aftab, who held a meeting with district magistrates, district electoral officers and returning officers on Monday, asked them to review the overall poll preparations.

"In Monday's meeting, held virtually, discussions were held on the law and order situation in the state and the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct. The commission wants a report within the next 15 days on the action taken against those who have been accused of breaking the law during previous elections,” an official said.

The poll panel also directed the state administration to continue operations to recover illegal weapons, he added.

The Lok Sabha polls will be held in West Bengal in seven phases between April 19 and June 1. PTI SCH RBT

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:15:36 +053042849624284962
<![CDATA[HC seeks response of Centre, Haryana govt on plea challenging CM Saini's appointment ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/hc-seeks-response-of-centre-haryana-govt-on-plea-challenging-cm-sainis-appointment-4364358

Chandigarh, Mar 18 (PTI) The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre, Haryana government and Election Commission on a plea challenging the appointment of Nayab Singh Saini as the chief minister.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji sought their response in the matter and fixed April 30 as the next date of hearing in the case.

Advocate Jagmohan Singh Bhatti, who has filed the PIL, has alleged that the newly formed government in Haryana led by Saini is "illegal and a fraud on democracy".

Speaking to reporters here, Bhatti said he has submitted that Saini's appointment as Haryana chief minister is "illegal" on various grounds.

The lawyer said he has submitted that the total number of Haryana assembly members is 90.

"By appointing Nayab Singh Saini as chief minister of the state, the number of members in the House has been increased beyond 90 members, which is not in accordance with the constitutional provisions," he told reporters.

Bhatti said he has also submitted that as the chief minister's appointment is "illegal", the appointment of five new cabinet ministers who took oath with Saini -- Mool Chand Sharma, J P Dalal, Kanwar Pal Gurjar, Banwari Lal and Ranjit Singh Chautala -- is also "illegal".

Giving other grounds, he said that there is reasonable assumption that Saini was holding office of profit at the time of taking oath as the chief minister being a sitting MP from Kurukshetra Lok Sabha seat.

He said Saini, under these circumstances, could not have taken oath as chief minister "as there is a constitutional bar".

Bhatti has argued that this is contrary with the Constitutional provisions and the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

On his plea, the high court has issued notices to the Centre, Haryana government, Election Commission and the Haryana Assembly Speaker, he said.

Saini took oath as the new chief minister last week.

The BJP named Saini as Haryana's new chief minister on March 12, hours after the surprise resignation of Manohar Lal Khattar from the post along with his cabinet ministers. PTI SUN VSD KVK KVK

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:10:36 +053042849334284933
<![CDATA[Odisha court awards 18 months jail to temple priest for sexually harassing foreign tourist ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/odisha-court-awards-18-months-jail-to-temple-priest-for-sexually-harassing-foreign-tourist-4364357

Bhubaneswar, Mar 18 (PTI) A court in the Odisha capital on Monday sentenced a 'sevayat' (priest) of Shree Lingaraj Temple here to 18 months of imprisonment for sexually harassing a woman foreign tourist.

The court of the judicial magistrate first class pronounced the judgment within four weeks of the crime.

Kundan Mahapatra, the convict, sexually harassed the Swedish tourist on February 19 when she was roaming alone near the 11th Century Lingaraj temple here.

Following the incident, the victim filed a complaint with the police and the priest was arrested the same day.

The police filed the charge sheet in just four days (February 23) and the trial began on February 26. PTI BBM BBM NN

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:10:36 +053042849314284931
<![CDATA[Criminal arrested after encounter escapes from hospital in UP's Sambhal ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/criminal-arrested-after-encounter-escapes-from-hospital-in-ups-sambhal-4364335

Sambhal (UP), Mar 18 (PTI) A criminal arrested after an encounter in Bahjoi here escaped from hospital on Monday, following which three police personnel were suspended for negligence, officials said.

The criminal, identified as Chand Babu, was arrested in a police encounter late on Sunday. He escaped from the district hospital on Monday and teams have been formed to find him, Circle Officer (Bahjoi) Deepak Tiwari told PTI.

The accused will be caught soon, he added.

Tiwari said Pankaj Malik and Ajay Kumar, both constables in the Uttar Pradesh Police, and Satendra Kumar, a sub-inspector, have been suspended for negligence.

Additional Superintendent of Police Shrish Chandra said Babu, an accused in a robbery case, had opened fire at a police party on Sunday.

He suffered an injury when the police retaliated. A constable was also injured in the encounter, Chandra said. PTI COR NAV SZM

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:05:35 +053042849104284910
<![CDATA[Gram panchayat official nabbed for bribery in Nagpur ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/gram-panchayat-official-nabbed-for-bribery-in-nagpur-4364334

Nagpur, Mar 18 (PTI) A gram panchayat secretary in Nagpur was arrested on Monday for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe, a Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau official said.

Ratnamala Loksingh Hirapure, secretary of the gram panchayat in Khangaon in Soaner tehsil was caught while accepting Rs 12,000 from a contractor, he said.

"The contractor had laid sewer lines and other civil works costing Rs 4 lakh. Hirapure sought 5 per cent as commission to sanction the amount. She has been charged under Prevention of Corruption Act. A case was registered at Kelwad police station," he said. PTI COR BNM

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:05:35 +053042849094284909
<![CDATA[Guj varsity attack incident shows we are not fully aware of our tradition, heritage: Kerala Guv ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/guj-varsity-attack-incident-shows-we-are-not-fully-aware-of-our-tradition-heritage-kerala-guv-4364302

Gandhinagar, Mar 18 (PTI) Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Monday reacted to the attack on some international students allegedly for offering namaz in a hostel block of Gujarat University in Ahmedabad by saying such incidents indicate people of the country are still not fully aware about its traditions and cultural heritage.

Khan made the remarks while talking to reporters at Central University of Gujarat in Gandhinagar where he was invited to speak in a national conference on 'Indian Knowledge Tradition'.

Queried on the attack, he said, "Such incidents indicate we are still not fully aware about our own traditions and cultural heritage. Conferences like this will help us in understanding what our traditions are".

In his address, Khan again stressed that though people follow different faiths and traditions, they are ultimately united by their soul.

"We all might be having different ways of expressing our devotion. My language, skin colour as well as customs and traditions may also differ from yours. Still, we all are united by our soul, that is what the Indian knowledge tradition teaches us" said Khan.

On the occasion, Khan recited several slokas and verses from the Vedas and Bhagwad Gita, and told the audience majority of the scholars India has produced were "saints".

Quoting the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, Khan said a knowledgeable person is one who will always find unity hidden behind visible diversity in society.

Citing Swami Ranganathananda, Khan said though Indian civilisation was known for its knowledge system, it became "vulnerable and conquerable" because those with immense knowledge had stopped sharing it with the masses.

Around two dozen people allegedly barged into the government-run Gujarat University's hostel in Ahmedabad on Saturday night and raised an objection to students from foreign countries offering namaz near the facility block where they stayed, according to the police.

Two students - one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan - were hospitalised after the incident which took place in the A-block hostel, police earlier said.

An FIR was registered against 20-25 unidentified assailants, and nine teams were formed to conduct a probe into the incident. So far, five persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, the police said. PTI PJT PD BNM

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:00:36 +053042848794284879
<![CDATA[Mumbai suburban district has 72.28 lakh voters, 4,632 of them centenarians ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/mumbai-suburban-district-has-7228-lakh-voters-4632-of-them-centenarians-4364301

Mumbai, Mar 18 (PTI) Mumbai suburban district has more than 72 lakh eligible voters and over 4,600 of them are 100 years or above in age, and it has added nearly four lakh electors after the last Lok Sabha polls in 2019, an official said on Monday.

Collector and district election officer Rajendra Kshirsagar, addressing a press conference in Bandra, said Mumbai suburban, which will vote on May 20 in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls, has 72,28,403 eligible lakh, about 4 lakh more compared to the 2019 elections.

Of these voters, 38,94,180 are men, 33,33,422 women and 801 transgender persons. Among the registered electors, 14,113 are persons with disability (PwD) and 1,01,673 are above 85 years of age, including 4,632 who are 100 or older, said the collector.

Separate teams will be formed to look after voters with disability. The Election Commission has decided to provide ballot paper facility at home for PwD voters and those above the age of 85, according to Kshirsagar.

"For those above 85 years of age and for certified handicapped voters, the Election Commission has provided this (ballot paper) facility," he said, adding since last month they have been reaching out to such electors and making them aware of this option available to them.

Whether or not to avail this option will be the sole discretion of such voters, the collector clarified, adding super seniors coming out to exercise their franchise will inspire others.

Kshirsagar said all polling stations in the suburban district will be disabled-friendly and wheelchairs will be provided to elderly and voters with special needs.

Mumbai suburban district has four Lok Sabha constituencies and 26 assembly seats.

Kshirsagar said registration of voters in the 18 to 19 age group in the district was just 0.5 per cent as compared to the national average of 3 per cent.

Last month, officials conducted a special drive to register more voters in the age groups of 19 to 20 and 20 to 21 years, said the collector.

Kshirsagar said he has sent around 4,000 letters with his signature to Bollywood celebrities and prominent figures in the entertainment industry staying in Mumbai suburban district and appealed to them to spread awareness about voting.

According to the collector, veteran actor Jitendra has already responded and appealed to voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers, while they have approached superstar Amir Khan and singer Kailash Kher to issue a similar appeal.

He said the district will have 7,363 polling stations at 1,083 locations, apart from 27 auxiliary booths. Auxiliary polling booths are created where there are more than 1,500 voters.

More than 44,000 polling personnel will be on duty on the voting day, Kshirsagar said, adding the district has more than the required number of EVMs and their first level checking was done in August-September 2023.

He said authorities have set up an integrated control room in the district for Lok Sabha polls and by dialling 1950 and 18002166090, citizens can register their complaints. Voters can also use Cvigil app to lodge their complaints or convey their grievances.

The collector informed that on Monday he held a meeting with representatives of political parties and gave instructions to them about the model code of conduct and other issues related to the upcoming elections.

Their will be a three-level single window system for candidates to get various permissions, said Kshirsagar.

According to the collector, so far 12,290 banners and posters have been removed from various locations in the suburban district.

Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, will vote in five phases starting from April 19. PTI KK RSY

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 23:00:36 +053042848784284878
<![CDATA[2 arrested by Gurugram cyber police for cheating people ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/2-arrested-by-gurugram-cyber-police-for-cheating-people-4364269

Gurugram, Mar 18 (PTI) Two people have been arrested by the Gurugram cyber police for allegedly cheating people across the country to the tune of Rs 15 crore, police said on Monday.

Based on complaints, 215 cases were registered across the country, including 13 in Haryana. Of the cases registered in the state, two were with the Cyber police station, Manesar, police said.

Mohammad Amir and Akram Khan, residents of Haryana's Nuh district, defrauded people by making video calls and forcing them to watch indecent videos. After that, they made phone calls and coerced people to transfer money, they said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber) Siddhant Jain said the duo was arrested on March 5.

Police said that Rs 1.15 lakh cash and two mobile-phones were seized from their possession.

He said after reviewing the data of the mobile-phones and SIM cards seized by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center (I4C), it was found that they had committed fraud of about Rs 15.83 crore. PTI COR ANB ANB

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:55:36 +053042848454284845
<![CDATA[TMC's Abhishek asks BJP to show proof of central fund allocation ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/tmcs-abhishek-asks-bjp-to-show-proof-of-central-fund-allocation-4364268

Kolkata, Mar 18 (PTI) Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday wondered why BJP leaders cannot produce documents before people to back up claims about the release of central funds to West Bengal under the MGNREGA scheme.

Addressing a rally at Balurghat in Dakshin Dinajpur district in favour of TMC Lok Sabha poll candidate and state minister Biplab Mitra, Banerjee asked why should someone already enjoying voting rights, having Aadhaar cards and other valid documents, be asked to prove his citizenship again.

He was referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the government will grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants — Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians — from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

Alluding to reports that as per CAA rules, a person seeking citizenship will have to provide certain documents, the TMC MP said, “Let us ask them (BJP leaders) to show the papers to substantiate claims that the government has released funds to Bengal under MGNREGA and Awas Yojana after the 2021 assembly elections.” “Rest assured they (BJP) won’t. That is why they are shying away from my challenge to enter into an open debate with me on the issue of central allocation so far,” he said referring to his challenge to state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar.

Majumdar is the MP of Balurghat where the TMC meeting was held.

Accusing the BJP MP of doing nothing to safeguard the interest of the poor and the homeless in Bengal after being elected in 2019, Banerjee said TMC’s Arpita Ghosh had worked for the people after her win in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from the constituency.

“In 2014, people had voted for Trinamool’s Arpita Ghosh. Even though Narendra Modi took oath as Prime Minister that year, the Central government was not able to block Bengal’s rightful due because the people had elected a Trinamool leader," he said.

In the past five years, BJP leaders elected by the votes of the people of Bengal only wrote letters to the central government asking it to stop releasing funds due to the state, claimed the TMC leader, considered number two in the party. "The upcoming election is to teach the BJP a lesson. This is not a vote to elect Trinamool leaders but to reject and protest against their (BJP) atrocities,” Banerjee added.

Accusing the BJP of playing the politics of religion while ignoring the basic needs of the people, he said “Today, there is a Ram Mandir at Ayodhya built at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore. But the poor is yet to get a roof over his head”.

Predicting Prime Minister Narendra Modi PM is most likely to visit the Dakshin Dinajpur district before the day of polling on April 26, in the second phase, he said, “I wonder if the PM will come here with a white paper on how much central funds have been released by the Centre.” PTI SUS NN

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:55:35 +053042848444284844
<![CDATA[Three judges transferred, 5 elevated as permanent judges ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/three-judges-transferred-5-elevated-as-permanent-judges-4364267

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) Three judges were on Monday transferred to different high courts while five additional judges were elevated as permanent judges.

According to separate law ministry notifications, Justice Sujoy Paul of the Madhya Pradesh High Court and Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya of the Calcutta High Court stand transferred to the Telangana High Court.

Similarly, Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Kerala High Court has been posted to the Karnataka High Court.

Separately, five additional judges of the Allahabad High Court were elevated as permanent judges.

They are justices Saurabh Srivastava, Om Prakash Shukla, Mohd Azhar Husain Idrisi, Jyotsna Sharma and Surendra Singh-I.

Additional judges are usually appointed for a period of two years before being elevated as judges or what is commonly called permanent judges. PTI NAB ANB ANB

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:55:35 +053042848434284843
<![CDATA[Tata Steel UK announces closure of coke ovens at Welsh steelworks ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/business/tata-steel-uk-announces-closure-of-coke-ovens-at-welsh-steelworks-4364266

London, Mar 18 (PTI) Tata Steel UK on Monday announced the closure of the coke ovens at its Port Talbot, south Wales, site over what it described as “significantly deteriorating operational stability”.

The ovens are used to heat coal to create a hard residue called coke, which is then used to fuel blast furnaces at what is Britain’s largest steelworks. The Indian steel major said “Herculean” efforts had been made to keep the ovens operational but they had worsened to a level that made them “untenable”.

“We regret to announce that we have been forced to make the decision to cease operations at Morfa Coke Ovens from Wednesday 20 March as a result of significantly deteriorating operational stability,” said Tata Steel UK CEO Rajesh Nair.

“The performance of the coke ovens has been deteriorating over many months, despite some Herculean efforts by the teams there. The condition of the ovens has now worsened to a level making continued operation untenable. We will now begin the process of safely closing and purging the coke ovens, and ceasing operations at the adjoining by-products plant,” he said.

The company chief said that trade unions were kept informed of the need to cease operations and work will be undertaken in the coming weeks to understand the needs of the workforce, which aligns with the company’s ongoing wider consultation programme.

“We have been clear in our current restructuring proposals that many of our heavy-end assets in Port Talbot are at their end-of-life capability. As part of our efforts to stem our current losses, and given the condition of the assets, we propose to close the heavy end iron and steelmaking assets at Port Talbot within this calendar year in a phased manner,” said Nair.

“Tata Steel is investing GBP 1.25 billion investment in electric arc furnace-based capacity which will secure steel making in Port Talbot for the long term — and facilitate a transition to low-CO2 steelmaking. Consultation on these aspects is currently ongoing," he added.

The company is the largest steelmaker in the UK with primary steelmaking at Port Talbot in south Wales supporting manufacturing and distribution operations at sites across Wales, England and Northern Ireland as well as Norway, Sweden, France and Germany. It employs more than 8,000 people and has an annual crude steel capacity of 5 million tonnes, supplying high-quality steel products to demanding markets, including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering.

Tata Steel UK has a stated ambition to produce net-zero steel by 2045 and to have reduced 30 per cent of its CO2 emissions by 2030.

Last September, the UK government had confirmed a joint investment package with Tata Steel for the Port Talbot steelworks, including a grant worth up to GBP 500 million. At the time, it was announced that a new electric furnace is to replace the existing coal-powered blast furnaces, which are nearing the end of their effective life. An Electric Arc Furnace uses an electric current to melt scrap steel or iron and produce steel, whereas blast furnaces use coke, a carbon-intensive fuel made from coal to produce steel. PTI AK SCY SCY

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:55:35 +053042848424284842
<![CDATA[Lathmar holi celebrated with fanfare in Mathura's Barsana ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/lathmar-holi-celebrated-with-fanfare-in-mathuras-barsana-4364236

Mathura (UP), Mar 18 (PTI) The famed 'lathmar' holi of Mathura began here on Monday with much fanfare and no case of injuries among men, who get a ritual beating by the women during its course.

According to District Magistrate Shailendra Singh, the lathmar holi was celebrated in Mathura's Barsana under heavy security and ambulances on standby to tend to the wounded.

"No untoward incident took place in spite of the presence of several lakh of pilgrims," the DM said.

Dr Manoj Vashishtha, the in-charge of a local community health centre, said nobody came to the centre for treatment after the festival.

Ritually, men from Nandgaon try to drench the Barsana women, who then reciprocate by attacking the men with sticks, Goswami, one of the revellers, said.

The entire 'mela' area has been divided into five zones and 12 sectors for the week-long celebration, which will culminate with Holi on March 25, officials said.

In order to avoid traffic congestion, 78 barriers and 45 parking slots were set up in Barsana.

Twenty-nine barriers and 12 parking areas were set up in Nandgaon.

Four watchtowers in Barsana and two in Nandgaon were set up to ensure proper movement of traffic, officials said.

The administration had deployed 150 buses to ferry people to Nandgaon or Barsana for the festival.

To prevent drowning, the administration had also barricaded four ponds in Barsana and one in Nandgaon.

According to officials, 12 temporary mini-hospitals, equipped with 13 ambulances, for Barsana and four ambulances for Nandgaon were kept on standby. PTI COR NAV VN VN VN

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:50:36 +053042848124284812
<![CDATA[Narayana Murthy gifts shares worth Rs 240 cr to grandson Ekagrah Rohan Murty ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/business/narayana-murthy-gifts-shares-worth-rs-240-cr-to-grandson-ekagrah-rohan-murty-4364172

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) Infosys founder N R Narayana Murthy has gifted 15 lakh shares to grandson Ekagrah Rohan Murty valued at around Rs 240 crore, according to a regulatory filing.

Murthy has gifted 15 lakh shares, or 0.04 per cent of his equity holding, to Rohan Narayana Murty son Master Ekagrah Rohan Murty --making him the youngest billionaire shareholder of Infosys.

The value of total gifted shares come to around Rs 240 crore as per company's closing share price of Rs 1,602.3 apiece.

Ekagrah is the third grandchild of Narayana Murthy.

His first two grandchildren are daughters of Akshata Murty and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. PTI PRS DRR

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:40:35 +053042847484284748
<![CDATA[Make use of time available to campaign: Jagan tells YSRCP candidates ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/make-use-of-time-available-to-campaign-jagan-tells-ysrcp-candidates-4364148

Amaravati, March 18 (PTI) YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday called on his party’s candidates for the Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha polls to make the best use of the time available to campaign for the May 13 elections.

He advised them to visit all the village and ward secretariats to seek people’s blessings.

“The candidates have got more time now to reach out to people since the elections in our state are scheduled on May 13,” said Reddy in a press release.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said this while addressing the ruling party’s regional coordinators in his camp office, adding that the candidates should plan their schedule in such a way to meet people in their respective constituencies and interact with them.

Reddy suggested that the candidates seek people’s support and directed the regional coordinators to guide them on formulating a road map.

According to the YSRCP supremo, he reshuffled candidates in 81 Assembly and 18 Lok Sabha constituencies and asked the coordinators to ensure good synchronisation between the party leaders and cadres in every constituency for winning ‘all the 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats’.

“You should stand by the candidates and the cadre in all constituencies assessing the situation periodically and guiding them. You should also strive to make the forthcoming bus yatras successful akin to the Siddham (ready) public meetings” he told the coordinators.

The Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the southern state are scheduled on May 13 and the results will be declared on June 4.

PTI STH ROH

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:35:35 +053042847264284726
<![CDATA[Indian Navy's remotely piloted aircraft crashes in Kochi; no casualty ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/indian-navys-remotely-piloted-aircraft-crashes-in-kochi-no-casualty-4364147

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) A remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) of the Indian Navy crashed during a training sortie in Kochi on Monday.

The Navy said the RPA crashed around 5 pm at INS Garuda base and no one was injured in the incident.

"At about 5 PM, one Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA)/ Searcher, during a routine training sortie at INS Garuda, Kochi, crashed about one mile short of the runway," it said in a brief statement.

It said no injuries or damage to property has been reported.

"Responding swiftly, a specialist team was dispatched to the site to ensure the crashed RPA is rendered safe," the Navy said.

"An inquiry to investigate the incident has been ordered," it added. PTI MPB KVK KVK

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:35:35 +053042847254284725
<![CDATA[Barack Obama ‘drops in’ for informal meeting with UK PM Rishi Sunak ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/international/barack-obama-drops-in-for-informal-meeting-with-uk-pm-rishi-sunak-4364146

London, Mar 18 (PTI) Former US President Barack Obama dropped in for an unannounced informal meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at 10 Downing Street in London on Monday.

Obama waved at photographers as he entered the famous black door for what Downing Street officials later described as a “courtesy drop in” for a chat in the UK PM's study. The agenda for the hour-long meeting was not revealed but it is likely the Russian re-election of President Vladimir Putin and the conflict in Ukraine may have featured in their discussions.

"He was making an informal courtesy drop-in as part of his trip to London, where he is conducting work of the Obama Foundation," a Downing Street spokesperson said.

"I think President Obama's team made contact and obviously the Prime Minister was very happy to meet with him and discuss the work of the Obama Foundation," the spokesperson said.

This marks Obama’s first visit to Downing Street since he left the White House after his two terms as US President, between 2009 and 2017. The 62-year-old Democrat founded the Chicago-based Obama Foundation with a mission to "inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world".

The meeting between Obama and Sunak is believed to be the first time the pair have met. Obama was seen leaving Downing Street around an hour later with the US ambassador to the UK, Jane Hartley, and smiled at reporters as he quipped that he was “tempted" when asked to speak. PTI AK SCY SCY

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:35:35 +053042847244284724
<![CDATA[8 killed, 20 injured in bus accident in Nepal ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/international/8-killed-20-injured-in-bus-accident-in-nepal-4364117

Kathmandu, Mar 18 (PTI) Eight people were killed and 20 others injured when a passenger bus fell some 200 metres off a road in Nepal's Baglung district on Monday, police said.

The incident took place along the Mid Hill Highway at Jaulepani of Nisikhola rural municipality.

The bus was en route to Kathmandu from Rukum Purba.

While 20 passengers died, 20 others were injured in the accident and are undergoing treatment at a local hospital, police said. PTI SBP SCY SCY

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:30:36 +053042846974284697
<![CDATA[Bhandari's desertion worst instance of 'opportunist politics', says Congress' Uttarakhand chief ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/bhandaris-desertion-worst-instance-of-opportunist-politics-says-congress-uttarakhand-chief-4364116

Dehradun, Mar 18 (PTI) The Congress' Uttarakhand unit chief Karan Mahara on Monday called the party's Badrinath MLA Rajendra Singh Bhandari's move to the BJP the worst example of "opportunist politics" and said the defection was orchestrated under "Operation Lotus".

He also called every leader quitting the Congress to join the BJP in Uttarakhand recently "traitors" who defected to the saffron party out of "fear or avarice".

In a setback for the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Bhandari joined the BJP on Sunday and said he was impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership that motivated him to take the step.

Bhandari, a three-term Congress legislator who was earlier a minister in the state, joined the BJP in the presence of its senior leaders, including Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

In his first reaction to Bhandari's switch, Mahara said, "They have gone to the BJP in the hope of being cleansed of their blemishes in the saffron party's washing machine." "Many others in the party have also gone to the BJP. They are all traitors who have quit the party either out of fear or avarice. They feel the BJP's washing machine will cleanse them of their blemishes. There is a vigilance inquiry going on against Bhandari's wife," he said.

These are the factors that led Bhandari to quit the Congress and join the BJP, he said.

Bhandari's sudden switch to the BJP took many by surprise as he was aggressively attacking Modi and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at his public meetings until recently.

Badrinath is one of the 14 assembly segments in the Garhwal Lok Sabha constituency from where the BJP's Anil Baluni will contest the parliamentary elections.

The Congress in Uttarakhand looks like a divided house ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, with many important leaders -- including former chief Minister Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri's son Manish, former minister Harak Singh Rawat's daughter-in-law Anukriti Gusain and ex-MLAs Vijaypal Sajwan and Malchand -- leaving the party over the past few days.

Uttarakhand will go to the polls in the first phase on April 19 PTI ALM ALM SZM

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:30:36 +053042846964284696
<![CDATA[Bihar govt removes home department chief following EC directive ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/bihar-govt-removes-home-department-chief-following-ec-directive-4364115

Patna, Mar 18 (PTI) Bihar's Additional Chief Secretary (Home), S Siddharth, was on Monday removed following a directive of the Election Commission of India, an official release said.

According to a notification issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), Siddharth will, however, continue to be in charge of the cabinet secretariat department, besides the additional charge of principal secretary to the chief minister.

As per the order, Pranav Kumar, a 2008-batch IAS officer, posted as secretary in the home department, will officiate as its head till further orders.

Earlier in the day, the EC ordered the removal of home secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The step is a part of the commission's efforts to maintain a level playing field and ensure the integrity of the electoral process. PTI PKD RBT

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:30:35 +053042846954284695
<![CDATA[I am tough guy to handle but KKR would be at better place by the time I leave: Gambhir ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/sports/i-am-tough-guy-to-handle-but-kkr-would-be-at-better-place-by-the-time-i-leave-gambhir-4364114

Kolkata, Mar 18 (PTI) Gautam Gambhir's captaincy had once helped Kolkata Knight Riders carve its own niche with two IPL titles in the last decade and now the self-confessed "tough to handle" guy has once again vowed to bring back smiles in faces of their passionate but somewhat angry fans in days to come.

Turning fortunes of a beleaguered outfit is nothing new for Gambhir, who had taken KKR's charge during the fourth season of IPL in 2011 after the Shah Rukh co-owned team failed to reach the knock-out in first three years. In first year, the team reached knock-outs and then between 2012, 13 and 14, it won two titles.

With KKR's seventh place finishes in the last two seasons, Gambhir's presence is expected to inject fresh vigour and discipline into the squad. It will be interesting to see what kind of bond Gambhir forges with another strong-willed personality in the coaching staff - Chandrakant Pandit.

"Firstly, I want to say one thing -- I'm a very tough guy to handle," the former India opener asserted at the Knights Unplugged event at the team hotel here.

Expressing his gratitude, Gambhir stated, "I have to thank SRK (team principal owner Shah Rukh Khan) and Venky bhai (CEO Venky Mysore) who is here as well... They have taken a lot of my tantrums, stubbornness for such a long period of time." "Kyun ke sach yeh hai ki hum sachchai se ladna jaante hai, hum haar na jaante hai, aur hum jitna bhi jaante hain (Because the truth is that we know how to fight with honesty, we know how to lose, and we know how to win)," he added.

Talking about his initial days with KKR, Gambhir recalled, "He (SRK) only told me the same thing that he had told me when I joined KKR as a player in 2011: 'This is your franchise, make it or break it.' "He told me exactly the same thing. I don't know what's going to happen, but I can assure you that whenever I leave this place, we will be in a much better position." For a man, who always is known to wear heart on his sleeve, Gambhir believes that it is KKR that made him successful and not the other way round.

Acknowledging the trust placed in him, Gambhir added, "So, I have to thank the owner and the CEO for trusting me, and hopefully, we can achieve great success because it's the honesty SRK taught me -- honesty, dignity.

"Fans have all the right to be angry with us, to abuse us. We will fight for your joy and bring smiles to your faces.

"Keep supporting us. You have every right to be angry with us. We will ensure that Kolkata will be smiling in the end," Gambhir said.

Importance of the 'Other Sunny' ==================== When Gambhir took over the reins of KKR in 2011, little did he know that how a young 'mystery spinner' from Trinidad and Tobago will become his trump card in coming days.

Gambhir, the captain had been forever indebted to Sunil Narine, who has played only for one franchise throughout his entire career.

The former captain reflected on the journey of Narine, highlighting how the spinner overcame adversity after being reported for a suspect bowling action to become their trump card in their twin triumphs.

"When I talk about sacrifice, this young shy boy comes to mind. He has endured so much in this jersey --reported, banned, yet he keeps coming back and delivering year after year.

"I have witnessed his insecurities, lived through that with him, and watched him evolve into one of the greatest bowlers in IPL history." PTI TAP SSC KHS KHS

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:30:35 +053042846944284694
<![CDATA[Businesses should not be built on model, but out of passion: Peyush Bansal ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/business/businesses-should-not-be-built-on-model-but-out-of-passion-peyush-bansal-4364085

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) Businesses should not be built on a model or channel but rather out of a problem or passion, Lenskart co-founder and CEO Peyush Bansal said on Monday.

Responding to a question on omnichannel business strategy, the famous Shark Tank investor said that he does not believe in all these buzzwords.

"I feel that industry picks up these things. Now the buzzword is omni channel, when we opened stores, we didn't even know the word omni channel. Now, the buzzword is AI (artificial intelligence), now everybody is talking about AI.

"Now somebody says deep tech…I was trained at Microsoft and they only know customers. Customers don't walk away with a channel, they walk away with a product,” he said at the Startup Mahakumbh 2024.

Know what business you are in, Bansal said, and what is the service that you are providing, telling entrepreneurs to cut out the rest.

One needs to observe what is needed in their product’s category, he added, saying that businesses should not be built from the model, but from a problem, or a passion.

"Ask yourself two simple questions, why are people who are buying, buying? And why are people who are not buying, not buying? Then go ten layers deep into understanding, and then try solutions, then you may build the next buzzword for the next ten years," he further noted.

Channels will change, he said. Entrepreneurs should not become slaves to channels but instead remain in touch with the customer to know what is happening and adapt, he said.

Talking about the zero-to-one journey of building a consumer brand, Bansal said, "The initial journey at least for me particularly was not so much about chasing an ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue)... I didn't go to an MBA school, so my business wasn't driven so much by a business plan, as much it was driven by love for consumers.

The zero-to-one journey, he said, was not so much about hitting a target, but it was about serving the customer.

"The journey was not about: okay, we have to hit this target this month, I think all that corruption happens later, where your mind gets polluted.

Talking about premiumisation and Indian consumers wanting to spend more, Bansal said people want to elevate their quality of life and it's not a new phenomenon. People have aspirations, and aspirations in India are high, thanks to the government.

“We have to understand that a brand is not advertising. A brand is a promise. It's a trust, or it's some proposition of design. A lot of times you feel now that I'm advertising I should be able to charge a premium. But that's not necessary”.

Asked what it takes to succeed in Shark Tank, Bansal said the founder should well articulate the problem that they are solving and the solution. “You should know your business well in terms of economics.

"And you have to be humble enough to listen… it should come across as coachable. Because you have come to Shark Tank not for money, but for someone to help you. If you are demonstrating that you cannot be helped, then there is no point,” he said. PTI ANK MR

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:25:35 +053042846644284664
<![CDATA[Govt notifies resignation of Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/govt-notifies-resignation-of-calcutta-hc-judge-abhijit-gangopadhyay-4364084

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) The government has notified the resignation of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who quit as a judge of the Calcutta High Court earlier this month.

After resigning as judge on March 5, Justice Gangopadhyay had said that he would be joining the BJP as it was the only means to fight a "corrupt" and "goon-infested" Trinamool Congress.

Resignations of Supreme Court and high court judges are accepted immediately but the Union law ministry issues a notification to make it public.

"Shri Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay has tendered his resignation from the office of Judge, Calcutta High Court, in pursuance of proviso (a) to clause (l) of Article 217 of the Constitution, with effect from 05.03.2024 (Forenoon)," the notification issued on Sunday said. PTI NAB TIR TIR

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:25:35 +053042846634284663
<![CDATA[Chhattisgarh: 15 children stung by bees in Korba school; all in stable condition ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/chhattisgarh-15-children-stung-by-bees-in-korba-school-all-in-stable-condition-4364053

Korba, Mar 18 (PTI) Fifteen students were stung by bees in a school in Korba district in Chhattisgarh on Monday, an official said.

The incident took place in government-run Atmananad English Medium School in Kartala at 9am when the children were playing, Principal Trilok Singh said.

"They were rushed to a nearby community health centre. Their condition is said to be stable," he added. PTI COR BNM

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:20:35 +053042846344284634
<![CDATA[UP: Policeman dies after falling from building, officials say all angles being probed ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/up-policeman-dies-after-falling-from-building-officials-say-all-angles-being-probed-4364023

Ayodhya (UP), Mar 18 (PTI) A 38-year-old traffic police constable died after falling from an eight-storeyed building in the Police Lines complex here, an official said on Monday.

The incident occurred late Sunday night and all angles, including whether Devendra Pal fell down accidentally, jumped from the building or was pushed by someone, are being probed, Circle Officer (CO), City, Shailendra Singh said.

Pal, a resident of Agra, was deployed in Ayodhya on special duty. His original place of posting was in Firozabad district, he said.

Since, there were no CCTV cameras installed in the building, other police personnel staying in there are being interrogated separately, Singh said Pal was deployed in Ayodhya since the January 22 consecration ceremony of the Ram temple here, he said.

He was living on the eighth floor of the building in the Reserve Police Lines. Late on Sunday night, his family members were calling him on his mobile-phone, but there was no response, Singh said.

When repeated phone calls went unanswered, his family members called up the officer of the Police Lines, he said and added that during a search, Pal's body was spotted near the building around 11.45 pm.

The body has been sent for postmortem and family members and higher authorities have been informed of the incident, Singh said. PTI COR NAV ANB ANB

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:15:36 +053042846074284607
<![CDATA[Kerala litterateur Prabha Varma awarded Saraswati Samman ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/kerala-litterateur-prabha-varma-awarded-saraswati-samman-4363993

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) Renowned Kerala poet and litterateur Prabha Varma has bagged the 'Saraswati Samman-2023' for his novel 'Roudra Sathwikam', according to a statement.

The award instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in 1991 is recognised as the "most prestigious and the highest literary award in the country", the statement issued by the organisation on Monday said.

'Roudra Sathwikam', a poetic work in Malayalam, was published in 2022 and it has won the 'Saraswati Samman-2023', it said.

The selection for the award was made by a high-level committee -- 'chayan parishad' -- headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri, it said.

"Books published between 2013 and 2022 were intensively discussed by 22 language committees and they recommended one book each from 22 languages to five 'kshetra samities' (regional committees). Of the 22 books, this year, five books were recommended by the 'kshetra samities' to the 'chayan parishad'," the foundation said.

These were 'Aakhri Sawariyaan (Urdu novel) by Syed Mohd Ashraf, Mita-Bhas Samagra (Assamese poetry) by Nagen Saikia, Posra (Santhali novel) by Gangadhar Hansda, Banaras Diary (Gujarati poetry) by Harish Meenashru and Roudra Sathwikam (Malayalam poems) by Varma.

One of the most important voices of contemporary Malayalam literature, 64-year-old Varma's poems reflect a confluence of tradition and modernity, according to the statement.

His novel 'Roudra Sathwikam' in poetic verses probes the conflict between power and politics, individual and state, art and power in a unique manner, it said.

Varma is the recipient of more than 70 awards, including the National Sahitya Akademi Award, 'Rajath Kamal' - the National Film Award and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan congratulated Varma on being chosen for the 'Saraswati Samman'.

"Hearty congratulations to Shri Prabha Varma, renowned Malayalam poet on being chosen for the prestigious Saraswati Samman-2023. The award which recognises his devotion to poetry brings great pride to Malayalam literature. May his sublime poetic works continue to enrich Malayalam and Indian literature," he said on X.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also congratulated the poet on winning the award, saying it is a proud moment for the state.

Varma is the media secretary to the chief minister. PTI ANB TGB ANB ANB

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:10:35 +053042845774284577
<![CDATA[Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC OFS opens on Tue; fixes floor price of Rs 450 cr ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/business/aditya-birla-sun-life-amc-ofs-opens-on-tue-fixes-floor-price-of-rs-450-cr-4363961

New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC on Monday said its promoters propose to sell 7 per cent of their stake for Rs 900 crore.

The promoters, Aditya Birla Capital Ltd and Sun Life (India) AMC Investments Inc, propose to sell up to 2,01,66,293 shares of the company representing 7 per cent of stake by way of an offer-for-sale (OFS) through stock exchange mechanism, a regulatory filing said.

At the base offer, promoters would raise Rs 900 crore, while with the green shoe option they would raise about Rs 1,487 crore.

The two-day OFS opens on Tuesday and closes on Wednesday, it said.

The OFS comes with an option to additionally sell up to 1,28,86,277 shares representing 4.47 per cent, it said.

The base offer size and the oversubscription option will represent 11.47 per cent of the total issued and paid up share capital of the company, that is 3,30,52,570 shares, it said.

The floor price for the offer would be Rs 450 per share, it said.

Shares of Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd closed at Rs 475.35, down 0.75 per cent on the BSE. PTI DP DRR

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:05:36 +053042845444284544
<![CDATA[UP: Man kills wife over delay in lunch, commits suicide ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/up-man-kills-wife-over-delay-in-lunch-commits-suicide-4363960

Sitapur (UP), Mar 18 (PTI) A 30-year-old man allegedly killed his wife using a sharp weapon on Monday after an argument over delay in serving him lunch and then committed suicide by hanging himself in his house in this district, police said.

The incident took place in Kotwalanpurwa village of Thangaon police station area, they said.

The deceased have been identified as Prema Devi (28) and her husband Parasram, Thangaon police station SHO Hanumant Lal Tiwari said.

The angry husband first attacked and killed his wife with a sharp weapon and then, fearing that he would have to go to jail, committed suicide by hanging himself inside the house, the SHO said.

According to police, Parasram returned home after working in the fields on Monday afternoon and asked his wife for food. The lunch was not ready when Parasram reached home, police said.

Due to the delay in getting food, the husband got angry and an argument between the couple took place which escalated to such an extent that he killed his wife by repeatedly attacking her with a sharp weapon, police said.

Villagers said that after the incident, the accused husband locked himself in the room and committed suicide by hanging himself.

The bodies have been sent for postmortem examination, police said. PTI COR NAV KVK KVK

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:05:36 +053042845434284543
<![CDATA[Thane district to have 22 all-women polling booths ]]>https://www.newsdrum.in/national/thane-district-to-have-22-all-women-polling-booths-4363959

Thane, Mar 18 (PTI) In Maharashtra's Thane district, which has three Lok Sabha seats, 22 booths will be managed exclusively by women personnel on polling day on May 20, said an official on Monday.

Thane collector and district election officer Ashok Shingare said the voting percentage of the district was poor at around 50 per cent (in 2019) as against the national average of 67 per cent and efforts are being made to take the turnout to 75 per cent.

Addressing a press conference here, he cited urban apathy for the low turnout in the district and said, "We have set an ambitious target of 75 per cent participation which we are trying to achieve through cooperation of voters." He said the gender ratio of voters -- the number of female electors per 1,000 male voters -- has improved from 848 to 854 in the district located adjoining Mumbai.

Speaking about election preparedness, Shingare said around 40,000 polling staff will be on duty and added that high-value bank transactions, especially withdrawals, are being monitored.

Banners, posters and hoardings have been removed from various spots, said the district collector.

Shingare said the number of voters in the 18-19 age bracket was only 82,327 which should be around 2.5 lakh.

The district will have 22 all-women polling booths, while 18 such facilities will be managed by persons with disability (PwD), and one by young electoral personnel, said the collector.

Of the total 6,592 polling booths, 36 will be located in housing complexes to encourage voter participation, he informed.

Shingare said the three Lok Sabha constituencies in the district -- Thane, Bhiwandi and Kalyan -- have 65,01,671 registered voters, including 29,94315 women and 1,274 transgender persons.

Thane district will vote on May 20 in the fifth phase of polling.

Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, will vote in five phases starting from April 19. PTI COR RSY

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NewsDrum DeskMon, 18 Mar 2024 22:05:36 +053042845424284542