13:46 Power like oxygen for some people, they can’t live without it: PM: Power is like oxygen for “some people” with restlessness setting in if they are out of it for even “two or five years”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday while taking a jibe at the opposition but without naming anybody or any party.
Releasing a Rs 100 commemorative coin in the memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the eve of his 94th birth anniversary, Modi said the late premier spent most of his political life in the opposition benches but always thought of the country and its people.
“Today’s political landscape is such that if someone has to stay out of power even for two or five years, they become restless,” he told the gathering. Vajpayee, he added, committed every second of his life for the welfare of the people. “For some people, power is oxygen…they can’t live without it. A long part of Atal-ji’s career was spent in the opposition benches but he spoke about national interest and never compromised on the ideology of the party,” the Prime Minister’s Office added on Twitter while quoting the prime minister’s speech.
Vajpayee’s long-time associate and BJP veteran L K Advani, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were also present at the event. Discussing Vajpayee’s political journey, Modi said he always kept the nation and democracy before himself and the party. — PTI
12:44 23 ministers take oath of office in Rajasthan: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expanded his council of ministers on Monday with 23 ministers, including one from Congress ally Rashtriya Lok Dal, being sworn in at the Raj Bhavan in Jaipur.
Of the 23, 13 are cabinet ministers and 10 ministers of state. Governor Kalyan Singh administrated the oath of office to the new ministers at an event attended by Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and senior Congress leaders. The ministers took oath in Hindi. — PTI
12:26 50 vehicle pile-up in Haryana: Seven people have been killed in a 50-vehicle pileup on the Rohtak-Rewari highway in Haryana due to dense fog.
12:25 BJP moves SC for rath yatra permission in Bengal : As expected, the BJP has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court division bench order refusing permission for the BJP’s rath yatra in the state.
The saffron party’s ambitious roadshow in West Bengal had hit a roadblock again on Friday, with a division bench of the Calcutta High Court quashing a single bench order that had given a go-ahead to the event.
“We have decided to move the Supreme court. We have full faith in the judiciary, and will fight till the end. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) government is trying to ensure that our ‘rath yatra’ programme doesn’t take place,” West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said.
The TMC government is trying to stop the BJP event on the basis of only assumptions that it might create problems, Ghosh said.
According to BJP sources, the party will for now organise rallies in various parts of the state against the government’s decision to disallow the yatra.
11:59 Now, a Rs 100 commemorative coin in Vajpayee’s memory :
On the eve of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s 94th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday released a Rs 100 commemorative coin in the memory of the former premier. Vajpayee’s long-time associate and BJP veteran LK Advani, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were also present at the event in New Delhi.
The former prime minister died at the AIIMS in the national capital in August at the age of 93 following prolonged illness.
Addressing the gathering, Modi said he would go to Vajpayee’s memorial on Tuesday to reiterate his commitment to the ideology and path shown by the statesman. “AtalJi wanted democracy to be supreme. He built the Jana Sangh. But, when the time came to rescue our democracy he and others went to Janata Party. Likewise, when the choice was between remaining in power or comprising on ideology, he left Janata Party and formed the BJP,” the prime minister said.
He said while for some, power is oxygen and they cannot live without it, Vajpayee spent a long part of his career in the opposition benches raising issues of national interest. The late prime minister never compromised on the ideology of the party, Modi said. He said, the party, which “Atalji built brick by brick” has become among the largest political parties.
Prime Minister Modi said Vajpayee as a speaker was unparalleled. “When he spoke, the nation spoke… when he spoke the nation listened,” he said. The mind is not ready to believe that Vajpayee is no longer alive. Though he was away from public glare for nearly a decade due to ill health, the way people gave him a farewell on his demise showed the mark he had created in people’s minds, Modi said. — PTI
11:57 Trump pushes for border wall amid partial government shutdown : US President Donald Trump has again pushed for a wall in its Southern border with Mexico despite a partial government shutdown in the country which may continue till 2019.
The shutdown was triggered by a lack of consensus between lawmakers and the US President on the funding for the wall which was one of Trump’s electoral promises.
“The most important way to stop gangs, drugs, human trafficking and massive crime is at our Southern Border. We need Border Security, and as EVERYONE knows, you can’t have Border Security without a Wall. The Drones & Technology are just bells and whistles. Safety for America!” Trump tweeted on Sunday (local time).
Meanwhile, Trump’s next acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney told Fox News, “It is very possible that the shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress.”
The US Constitution mandates the Congress to convene in the new year on January 3, unless a different day has been designated by law by the preceding Congress. — ANI
11:36 Sabarimala retreat: Women devotees head home : The two women devotees being brought back to the Pampa base camp following protests. They were stopped by protesters at Appachimedu, two kilometres away from the Sabarimala Temple.
11:33 Ayyappa devotees protest outside woman devotee’s home : Intimidation tactics at work here. Lord Ayyappa devotees hold a protest in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram, outside the residence of Bindu, a woman devotee who began the trek to Sabarimala Temple this morning. She is being brought back to Pampa base camp now following protests against her entry to the temple.
11:03 Pak troops target forward posts, villages in Rajouri: Pakistani troops Monday opened fire and shelled forward posts and villages along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. The firing and shelling from across the border started in Keri, Lam, Pukharni and Peer Badaser areas of Noushera sector around 9.30 am, a police officer said.
Army personnel guarding the LoC retaliated and the cross-border firing between the two sides was going on when last reports came in. There was no immediate report of any casualty, the officer said. PTI
Image: In 2016, incessant firing by Pakistani troops on civilian villages in Jammu left several dead and injured and around 60 cattle dead. Scores of houses and other structures along the IB in Jammu district are riddled with holes from shelling across the border.
10:49 Muzaffarnagar riots accused found dead: An accused in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots was found dead under mysterious circumstances at Sikheda village in Muzaffarnagar, police said Monday. Sodan Singh’s body was found Sunday evening hanging from the ceiling of a room, which housed a tube well, they said.
The body was sent for postmortem and the matter is being investigated, police said. Singh’s son has lodged a complaint at the local police station and alleged that his 60-year-old father was murdered, they said. Based on the complaint, a case was registered against Anup, Rajesh, Sunil Kumar and Ramgopal, police said.
Communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas in August and September 2013 had claimed more than 60 lives while over 40,000 people were displaced. Singh was also named as an accused in a sexual harassment case. — PTI
10:28 Not annoyed, relished going head-to-head with Kohli: Paine: Australia skipper Tim Paine said Monday he is “relishing going head-to-head” with his Indian counterpart Virat Kohli in a Test series and looked forward to “intense, hard” cricket in the Boxing Day game at Melbourne.
The pair had heated exchanges in the second Test at Perth, prompting the umpire to intervene. Australia won the game to level the four-match series at 1-1. Paine said he understands that Kohli never liked to lose.
“A lot was made of my battle with Virat in the second Test, and for the past few years when I haven’t been playing international cricket, he was one guy I loved watching,” he said in a column for ‘Herald Sun’.
“Now to be out in the middle going head-to-head with him in a Test series is something I’m really relishing.” Paine said he was not annoyed “in the slightest” by Kohli.
“Virat is someone who is prepared to wear his heart on his sleeve and like all professional athletes, hates to lose,” he said. “I like the way Virat plays. I don’t know him personally but I’ve always admired — not only his obvious skill as a player — but the passion and aggression he plays with. People like to see that and he gets fans through the gates.” — PTI
10:25 Hard work will be rewarded, hardliners punished: Rahul: Congress President Rahul Gandhi gave the party members a message stating that while hard workers will be rewarded, hardliners will be dealt with strictly.
After multiple meetings with Rajasthan leaders and observers, Rahul Gandhi gave the final nod to team Gehlot in Rajasthan. As many as 23 MLAs are going to take oath on Monday including an MLA from alliance partner Rashtriya Lokdal. However, five ministerial berths will reportedly remain vacant.
While deciding the Rajasthan cabinet, AICC general secretary in charge of Rajasthan, Avinash Pandey and Congress observer for the state on government formation, KC Venugopal was involved in the process.
“Congress President intends to focus on having a cabinet with a majority being fresh faces. The cabinet can be summarised into a blend of the old guards with new energetic leaders from the state guard this will give governance a good shape,” the Congress leader said.Rahul Gandhi intends to send a message to his party men that any harm to the party will not be ignored.
Cabinet has been finalised for Rajasthan and for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh meetings are underway with the state leaders, stated a source.
Karnataka Cabinet Expansion is a clear example of Rahul’s actions, where two ministers, including Ramesh Jarkiholi, were shunned by Congress from the Cabinet. Jarkiholi was dropped for his alleged hobnobbing with opposition leaders and by missing the Cabinet meetings and party assignments.
The message from Gandhi was loud and clear that anti-party activities wouldn’t be tolerated, the sources added.
The source said Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are likely to follow Rajasthan Formula. A senior Congress leader involved in the process told ANI, “Rahul Gandhi was of the opinion that those who have tried to harm the party or have ignored the party’s agenda must not be let off.” — PTI
10:20 Sensex, Nifty choppy amid weak global cues: The benchmark BSE Sensex opened on a volatile note early Monday on short-covering by investors amid weakness in Asian markets. Buying activity in pharma, technology, banking auto and FMCG stocks, influenced market sentiment.
The benchmark BSE Sensex was trading 28.05 points, 0.08 per cent, lower at 35,714.02, after swinging over 200 points between highs and lows of 35,910.67 and 35,675.02, respectively. The gauge had plunged 572.04 points on Friday. NSE Nifty was trading lower 25.25 points, or 0.23 per cent, at 10,728.75.
Top losers were Hero MotoCorp, Vedanta, Bajaj Auto, Bajaj Finance, Asian Paint and HDFC Bank fell up to 3 per cent. — PTI
09:58 Indian-American Democratic Congressman supports Trump on troops withdrawal: Indian-American Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, a fierce critic of Donald Trump, has come out in support of the President’s decision to pullout US troops from Syria and Afghanistan, saying his party colleagues should not pile on without offering an alternative vision.
The 42-year-old Congressman, who represents Silicon valley, has surprised many by coming out in strong support of president’s decision to withdraw American troops from Syria and his reported plans to bring back nearly half of the 15,000 of his troops from war-ravaged Afghanistan.
Khanna said that he is doing so in the national interest. “A few days ago, I was with Trump as he signed one of my bills. I said Mr President, China has not been in a war since 1979. If we want to win the race against them, we should not get bogged down in war. He nodded and then observed that they have enriched themselves without firing a shot,” Khanna wrote in an op-ed published in The Washington Post.
Khanna, who is on the Armed Services Committee, was re-elected for the second term in the November mid-term elections. — PTI
File pic: Ro Khanna with former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
09:53 Two women stopped en route to Sabarimala temple : The two women devotees, who were on their way to the Sabarimala temple were stopped by protesters at Appachimedu, just two kilometers away from the Lord Ayyappa’s shrine in the early hours today.
Earlier on Sunday, a group of 11 women devotees who had arrived in Pamba to visit the Lord Ayyappa temple had to return without paying obeisance at the hill shrine after several people, including women, staged a protest opposing their entry.
The Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas witnessed a string of protests after the Supreme Court lifted the ban on entry of women of menstrual age (10-50 years) inside the temple in September this year. However, till now, no woman of the previously-forbidden age group has been able to enter the temple due to widespread protests. — ANI
Image: The 11 women devotees who attempted to enter the Sabarimala temple on Sunday were refused permission.
09:37 Pak court to deliver judgment in 2 corruption cases against Sharif:
An anti-corruption court in Pakistan will deliver its judgment on Monday in two remaining corruption cases against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik of Islamabad-based accountability court last week reserved the judgment after completion of hearing in the Flagship Investment and Al-Azizia cases against 68-year-old Sharif.
The Supreme Court set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former prime minister.
If found guilty, Sharif can be sentenced up to 14 years in jail.
Sharif arrived in Islamabad from Lahore on Sunday, a day ahead of the verdict. He is expected to hear the judgement in the courtroom.
Entry to the accountability court has been restricted. No one will be allowed to attend proceedings on Monday except those having permission of the registrar, the Dawn reported.
PML-N workers have gathered outside the court premises to show their support for the party’s supreme leader.
Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017.
In July, 2018 Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September.
His two sons – Hassan and Hussain – were also co-accused in all three cases but they were declared absconders for failing to appear before the court even for a single time.
The court decided to hear their cases separately once they returned back.
The three-time former prime minister and his family have denied any wrongdoing.
— PTI
09:10 Rajasthan cabinet to be expanded; 23 ministers to take oath today:
As many as 23 newly elected legislators – 22 Congress and one RLD – will take oath as ministers in the Rajasthan-cabinet
formation on Monday.
The names of council of ministers have been finalised by the state Congress leaders including Gehlot and Pilot after rounds of discussion with Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders, sources said.
The swearing in ceremony is expected to be held in Jaipur at 11.30 am on Monday, they said.
Mamta Bhupesh, Arjun Singh Bamaniya, Bhanwar Singh Bhati, Sukhram Vishnoi, Ashok Chandna, Tikaram Jully, Bhajanlal Jatav, Rajendra Singh Yadav and RLD’s Subhash Garg are also likely to take oath.
— PTI
08:42 2 women begin climb to Sabarimala temple amid protests:
Two women below 50 are trekking up towards the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, a day after a group of 11 women aborted their attempt to go to the hilltop shrine of Lord Ayyappa nestled in the Western Ghats.
The two women are being escorted by a large police team. Some protesters tried to stop them, but they were quickly removed by the police, sources at the base camp Pamba said.
The women are facing stiff resistance from the protesters on the 5-km uphill climb to the temple, sources said.
On Sunday, 11 women who were waiting at Pamba to attempt the 5-km trek were evicted from the base camp by the Kerala police following a huge face-off with protesters. The police have denied the accusation.
The group was expected to be the first of several planning to attempt the trek in December — three months after a Supreme Court order that opened the temple doors to women of all ages.
On Sunday, protests intensified at Pamba against the women only three hours after they gathered at the base camp at dawn. The women’s group said that the protesters “snatched” their “irumudi” or offerings kit that devotees carry on their heads.
08:40 High time Imran Khan learns about minority rights from India: Owaisi:
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi gave strong-worded advice to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan over the latter’s recent comments on minority rights in India.
Owaisi asked Khan to borrow some leaves of wisdom from India, specifically about “inclusive politics and minority rights”.
Taking to Twitter, Owaisi stated, “According to the Pakistani Constitution, only a Muslim is qualified to be president. India has seen multiple Presidents from oppressed communities. It’s high time Khan Sahab learns something from us about inclusive politics and minority rights.”
Khan on Saturday has said that giving equal rights to the religious minorities is cornerstone of the vision of Pakistan’s founding father and that the country will show the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi how to treat these groups, the Express Tribune reported.
— ANI
08:19 NDA ministers’ foreign trip bill amounts to Rs 239.05 crore, reveals RTI:
The central government spent Rs 239.05 crore on official foreign trips by the NDA Council of Ministers over the last four years, with the bill dipping each year, data obtained by The Indian Express under the RTI Act show.
Responding to an RTI application, the Pay & Accounts Office, Cabinet Affairs, stated that Rs 225.30 crore was spent on official foreign trips by the Cabinet Ministers and Rs 13.75 crore on Ministers of State from April 1, 2014, till March 31, 2018. The Council of Ministers currently comprises 25 Cabinet Ministers and 45 Ministers of State, including 11 with independent charge.
Incidentally, in a reply dated December 13 to the Rajya Sabha, MoS, External Affairs, V K Singh placed on record that a total of Rs 2,021.58 crore was spent on the prime ministers 48 official trips abroad so far, including for aircraft maintenance, chartered flights and a secure hotline.
07:58 Death toll from Indonesia tsunami rises to 281:
A volcano-triggered tsunami has left 281 people dead and hundreds more injured after slamming without warning into beaches around Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, officials said Sunday, voicing fears that the toll would rise further.
Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit the coast of southern Sumatra and the western tip of Java, on Saturday after a volcano known as the “child” of Krakatoa erupted, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
Tsunamis triggered by volcanic eruptions are relatively rare, caused by the sudden displacement of water or “slope failure,” according to the International Tsunami Information Centre.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the “powerful waves” reached a height of 30-90 centimetres (1-3 feet).
US President Donald Trump was among world leaders to offer messages of support after the “unthinkable devastation” of Saturday’s tsunami.
“We are praying for recovery and healing,” he tweeted. “America is with you!” The UN and European Union both pledged to mobilise humanitarian support if requested by Jakarta.
“The United Nations stands ready to support the ongoing government-led rescue and relief efforts,” a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.
Anak Krakatoa, which forms a small island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, emerged around 1928 in the crater left by Krakatoa, whose massive eruption in 1883 killed at least 36,000 people and affected global weather patterns for years.
Source: Rediff