11:50 Ahead of joint presser, Akhilesh-Maya posters dot Lucknow:
Lucknow has been decked up with posters of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party supremo Mayawati, ahead of the crucial joint press conference which will be held later today.
Besides Akhilesh and Mayawati, the posters also feature senior leaders like BSP All India General Secretary Satish Chandra Misra and SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, with a slogan humara kaam bolta hai and Bhajpa ka jhoot bolta hai (Our work speaks, BJP’s lie speaks).SP and BSP have been in talks for weeks with regard to forging of an alliance and a meeting between Yadav and Mayawati recently had triggered a lot of speculation about seat-sharing being firmed up.
The two parties are likely to announce an alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.Earlier on Friday, Akhilesh had said: “Whatever arithmetic we learnt from the BJP, we will implement it.”
To substantiate his point that the alliance between SP and BSP would be beneficial, he cited the example of by-elections held some months back in Gorakhpur Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP was defeated despite it having been represented by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath several times.
There was, however, ambiguity over whether the Congress would be a part of the alliance, amid indications that the SP and BSP were not inclined to include the party.
Meanwhile, Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh said his party will also side with the SP-BSP partnership for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
However, he said there have been no talks of seat-sharing yet.
On whether the Congress would also be a part of the alliance, Ajit said a decision will be taken by Akhilesh and Mayawati.
“We had our meeting with Akhilesh Ji. We are a part of the ‘grand alliance’, but we haven’t discussed seats yet,” the RLD president said.
Earlier, senior SP leader Prof Ram Gopal Yadav had said: “Mayawati and Akhilesh will decide with whom the ‘grand alliance’ has to be formed in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
“Everyone knows that there is going to be a grand alliance. In Uttar Pradesh, SP and BSP are the most important parties,” he added.
Among all the states, Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number of 80 Lok Sabha seats out the 543 and plays a crucial role in government formation in the Centre. — ANI
11:03 US government shutdown enters 22nd day, becoming the longest federal closure in country’s history.
11:02 After BCCI suspension, Pandya loses brand endorsement:
After being suspended from the ongoing Australia tour due to their comments on the TV Show Koffee with Karan, the brand value of Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul is taking a hit.
Pandya, who was at the centre of the storm, was dropped by mens shaving razor Gillette Mach3 Start as its celebrity ambassador after his sexist comments on air. Hardik Pandyas recent comments do not reflect the values of Gillette. We have suspended our association with Hardik until we decide on further course of action, a company spokesperson was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
Pandya bragged about his success with women and made other sexual remarks during the celebrity chat show broadcast last Sunday that sparked outrage on social media. The streaming platform, Hotstar, has also taken down the show and it is no longer available for public viewing.
The 25-year-old Pandya and Rahul apologised for their conduct after the BCCI demanded an explanation but officials unanimously decided to go ahead with an inquiry.
Apart from TV advertisements, Pandya has associations with brands such as Oppo, Gulf Oil, Sin Denim, DFY Sport and EUME on his social media as well, while Rahul endorses Curefit, Royal Stag, Puma and has been seen in a TVC for the Reserve Bank of India as well.
10:33 Harbhajan slams Pandya, Rahul for jeopardising reputation of cricketers:
Ace spinner Harbhajan Singh slammed Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul for their sexist comments on women on a TV show, saying they have put the reputations of cricketers at stake.
The duo appeared on a talk show where their comments – Pandya’s in particular – came in for widespread criticism and raised concerns over the team culture.
As punishment, Pandya and Rahul were suspended by India’s cricket administrators, hours after captain Virat Kohli expressed his strong disapproval.
“We don’t talk about all this even with our friends and they were talking on public television. Now people might think was Harbhajan Singh like this, was Anil Kumble like this and was Sachin Tendulkar…” Harbhajan told ‘India Today’.
On the show, Pandya had boasted about hooking up with multiple women and being open about it with his parents. Rahul was, however, a little more restrained in his responses on relationships and women.
When asked by the host Karan Johar if they had “done it in teammates’ rooms,” both Pandya and Rahul responded in the positive.
“Pandya has been in the team for how long to talk of the team culture in the manner he did.”
“I think this is the way to go,” he responded when asked about the suspension.
“The BCCI did the right thing, and this is also the way forward. This was expected and I am not surprised,” the off-spinner, who has over 400 Test wickets, said.
The under-fire players have been suspended pending an inquiry into their sexist comments, ruling them out of the three-match ODI series against Australia beginning Saturday in Sydney.
— PTI
10:02 No proof of corruption against Alok Verma: Ex-top court judge who monitored probe:
Justice AK Patnaik, a former Supreme Court judge, who was tasked to supervise the alleged corruption investigations by the Central Vigilance Commission, against Alok Verma, has said that there is “no evidence” of corruption against the former CBI chief.
“The removal of Alok Verma by the PM-led panel was a very very hasty decision,” said Justice Patnaik, adding that the “findings of the CVC are not mine.” The probe against Verma was entirely based on the complaint of CBI special director, Rakesh Asthana.
Verma was removed as the CBI chief and transferred as Director General, Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards. He refused to take up the new job and sent his resignation to the government on Friday.
In his resignation letter, Verma said, “Natural justice was scuttled and the entire process was turned upside down in ensuring that the undersigned is removed from the post of the Director.” He called the situation a moment of “collective introspection”.
“As a career bureaucrat, it is the idea of my integrity that has been the driving force for four decades in public service,” Verma had said in his resignation letter.
Congress’s Mallikarjuna Kharge, who was part of the three-member committee led by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had sent a dissent note in the decision to remove Verma from the top post in the CBI. PM Modi and Justice AK Sikri, who was representing Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, had favoured Verma’s removal.
Verma, who was forced to go on leave after alleged corruption charges with his number 2 Rakesh Asthana, was reinstated by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
09:34 Mumbai: 2,000 private buses deployed as BEST strike enters day 5:
In wake of the ongoing strike called by employees of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport, School Bus Owners’ Association has announced that a total of 2,000 private buses will provide service to passengers in Mumbai.
“1000 school buses and 1000 private buses will provide services to passengers in the light of the strike by BEST bus employees,” said Anil Garg of the School Bus Owners’ Association.
Furthermore, Garg said passengers travelling up to 10 km will be charged Rs 20, beyond which BEST rates will be applicable. “Differently abled and senior citizens can travel free of cost. Service is being provided by School Bus Owners’ Association and Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana,” he added.
BEST, the lifeline of Mumbai, has a fleet size of as many as 3200 buses and comprises around 32,000 employees. It is the second largest transport system in the metropolis after local trains. More than 70 lakh people commute via BEST buses on a daily basis.
The indefinite strike is a result of stalled talks with regards to the merger of BEST budget and ‘A’ budget of BMC. Protestors are also seeking resolution of the issue of employee service residences and recruitment.
— ANI
08:59 Mamata questions timing of ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’; says all PMs accidental:
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the timing of the release of the film, “The Accidental Prime Minister”, ahead of the general election and wryly commented that all prime ministers were accidental.
She also claimed that such films were made by twisting facts.
“All are accidental prime ministers”, Banerjee said, without naming anybody.
“The Accidental Prime Minister” is based on a book of the same name written by Sanjaya Baru on Manmohan Singh’s term as prime minister from 2004 to 2014. Baru was Singh’s media adviser when the latter was the prime minister. The film hit the screens on Friday.
In an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Banerjee said if people were making such films, then there would also be films like “The Disastrous PM”.
“I have come to know that some people are staging political plays. Just before the (Lok Sabha) election, they have released a film titled ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’. That way, all are accidental prime ministers. I did not get the meaning of this (accidental PM),” the Trinamool Congress chief said.
She said though she had ideological differences with the Congress, she believed that making such films was “unethical”.
“I do not do politics with the Congress and we have (ideological) differences. I have come out of the Congress and formed the Trinamool Congress with your blessings. But I believe that what is being done by twisting facts is unethical.
“That is why those who are making films like ‘The Accidental PM’ must also watch another film titled ‘The Disastrous PM’. If we can have ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’, then we must have a film on ‘The Disastrous Prime Minister’,” she said.
Without naming Modi, the TMC chief compared him with Sholay’s “Gabbar Singh” and said people would soon teach him a lesson.
She said the common people were scared of him because of his attitude.
— PTI
08:37 Meghalaya govt mulls decision on rescue op for trapped miners:
A month after 15 coal miners were trapped by sudden flooding in an illegal rathole mine at Khloo Ryngksan in Meghalayas East Jaintia Hills district, the state government is now considering ceasing the rescue operation.
On Friday, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said: It is becoming a gargantuan task. Every day, we pump out litres and litres of water, but the very next day, a recharge (of water in the mine) takes place. I have asked Coal India and Kirloskar Brothers to continue operations for at least 15 hours today and, subject to a report, we will take a call. He admitted chances of the trapped miners being still alive are slim.
The CMs comments came on Friday, the 29th day since the mining disaster. On the same day, the Supreme Court asked the Centre and the Meghalaya government to take the help of experts and continue operations.
The judges also asked what the government was doing about persons operating illegal mines and the officials who allowed the subversive activity to go on.
The Centre responded by saying that help from National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee and some other private research institutes including Planys Technology was being taken for the rescue effort.
We have decided to bring in smaller, remotely operated vehicles to get into the rat hole mine but the situation is very difficult, said Sangma.
Given the cost burden in meeting expenses for the rescue operations, the East Jaintia Hills administration has sought an advance of Rs 50 lakh from the state government.
Expenses are very high. Managing so many operational logistics including construction, food, fuel and other logistics required for installing high-powered pumps…. we cant really say how much, but the figures are substantial, Deputy Commissioner FM Dopth said over the phone.
08:11 US Democrat Tulsi Gabbard will run for president in 2020:
Tulsi Gabbard said she will run for US president in 2020.
“I have decided to run and will be making a formal announcement within the next week,” said the Hawaii Democrat.
Gabbard, an Iraq War veteran, currently serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She is the first American Samoan and the first Hindu member of Congress.
“There are a lot of reasons for me to make this decision. There are a lot of challenges that are facing the American people that I’m concerned about and that I want to help solve,” she said, listing health care access, criminal justice reform and climate change as key platform issues.
“There is one main issue that is central to the rest, and that is the issue of war and peace,” Gabbard added. “I look forward to being able to get into this and to talk about it in depth when we make our announcement.”
00:22 Court closes sedition case against Amnesty India:
A court in Bengaluru has closed a sedition case against the Amnesty India, pertaining to a petition filed by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad against the human rights body on August 15, 2016.
The complaint relates to an event the Amnesty India had held as part of a campaign to seek justice for alleged human rights violations in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The first information report in the case mentioned a number of offences, including sedition, unlawful assembly, rioting and promoting enmity.
The 8th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate ordered the closing of the case on January 8 after the sub-inspector of the police station concerned filed a ‘B’ report.
A ‘B’ report pertains to the winding up of the case.
The ACMM also noted that the complainant (ABVP) did not challenge the complaint, though the police had issued a notice to them.
“The complainant had refused to receive the notice. Complainant called out absent. Hence, objection for ‘B’ report taken as not filed.
“B report is accepted. Close the case,” the ACMM noted.
Welcoming the order, the Amnesty International, in a statement, said the ruling vindicated everything the Amnesty India had said from the time this ‘politically-motivated complaint’ was filed.
“This was a case that should never have been registered, given previous Supreme Court rulings on what constitutes sedition.
“It has been a waste of public money and resources, and a distraction from real issues,” Aakar Patel, country head of Amnesty India, said. — PTI
Source: Rediff