17:46 10% quota for economically weaker section to come into force in Guj from Jan 14:
The Gujarat government said on Sunday that it will implement the 10 per cent reservations in government jobs and higher education for the economically backward sections in the general category from January 14.
The Constitutional amendment to provide the 10 per cent quota received assent of President Ram Nath Kovind Saturday.
“The economically weaker sections from the general category will get 10 per cent reservation in admissions to higher education and government jobs starting Uttarayan on January 14,” the state government said in a release.
The new quota will also be implemented in admissions and jobs which were advertised before January 14 but for which the actual process has not started, it said.
In such cases, fresh announcement about the admission process or jobs will have to be made, it added.
However, if the recruitment or admission process — tests or interviews — has started before January 14, the 10 per cent quota would not apply, the release added.
— PTI
17:06 Kejriwal to not contest Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi:
The Aam Aadmi Party said its convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not be contesting from Varanasi in the coming Lok Sabha elections, but the party will field a strong candidate for the seat.
“Kejriwal will not contest the Lok Sabha polls, as he wants to give special focus to his state. The AAP will contest on all the Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Goa. The party will contest on some seats in UP, and final modalities will be worked out by February. Apart from Varanai, the party will contest from seats in eastern and western UP, where the organisation is strong,” said AAP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh.
Singh said in Delhi his party is working on education, health, farmers, power and providing drinking water. “If we foray into national politics, then our issues will be education for all, free education to economically weaker sections of the society, ending unemployment and implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission,” Singh said.
On a recent statement made by Kejriwal to not vote for the Congress in the coming Lok Sabha elections, Singh said, “Kejriwal was quoted out of context. He had said that in a meeting in the national capital that if you want to defeat the BJP, then do not waste your vote by casting it in favour of the Congress. His statement was in the context of Delhi, from where the AAP is contesting on all the seats.”
— PTI
16:49 They want to build their empire, we want to empower people: Modi’s dig at opposition:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday derided opposition efforts to cobble up a grand alliance against the BJP and pitched for his party’s re-election in the coming parliamentary election, saying these “opportunistic” alliance and “dynastic” parties “want to build their own empire while we want to empower people”.
During an interaction with booth-level BJP workers from five parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu via video-conference, Modi said, “Unlike other parties, we are not in politics for divide and rule or building vote banks. We are here to serve the country in every possible way.”
“On one hand, we have our development agenda and on the other, there are opportunistic alliance and dynastic parties. This election is an opportunity for us to take the agenda of development to new heights. On one hand we have our development agenda and the vision of sabka saath sabka vikas. On the other hand, there are opportunistic alliance and dynasty parties,” he said.
Such parties, the prime minister charged, “want to build their own empire while we want to empower people”.
Modi’s comments came a day after the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party announced their alliance for the coming Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh in a bid to counter the saffron party.
Billing his party as one that recognised the cultural diversity of the country, he also patted his party workers and exuded confidence they will once again ensure its victory in the coming elections.
— PTI
16:28 169 complaints of sexual harassment at workplace in private industries, says govt:
A total of 169 complaints of sexual harassment at workplace have been received in private industries since 2017, the women and child development ministry has said.
The complaints were received through ‘SHe-box’, an online system for filing complaints by women, working in both government and private sectors, related to sexual harassment at the workplace.
A senior ministry official said 169 complaints have been received through ‘SHe-box’ since 2017. The highest number of complaints have been received from Maharashtra (33), followed by Delhi 23.
Central ministries have received as many as 141 sexual harassment complaints since last year, out of which 45 have been disposed of, the WCD Ministry said.
The highest number of complaints were received by the finance ministry (21), followed by the ministry of communications and the ministry of defence at 16, the ministry said.
15:49 ‘BJP workers want to join SP, BSP’: Akhilesh Yadav tweets after tie-up:
A day after announcing the SP-BSP alliance, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday tweeted the alliance has unnerved the BJP so much that the party’s demoralised and desperate leaders and workers are now getting restive and want to join the SP and BSP.
On Saturday, Akhilesh and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, announced their alliance in Uttar Pradesh with an equal share of 38 seats to each party, leaving two for Congress (Amethi and Rae Bareli) and two others for prospective partners. The two leaders had been working towards this alliance since March last year.
In his tweet on Sunday morning, after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other BJP leaders’ reactions to the alliance, said, “The BSP-SP alliance has made the top leadership of BJP and its entire organisation lose hope. Now, BJP’s booth level workers are saying ‘Mera booth chaknachoor (now my BJP booth is shattered)’. Such demoralised and desperate leaders and workers are restive about joining the SP and BSP.”
This is Akhilesh’s first reaction to BJP’s reactions on the alliance.
At Saturday’s joint press conference, Akhilesh made it amply clear that it was he who initiated the SP-BSP alliance idea which the BSP supremo accepted.
15:34 Senior BJP MLA Gulab Chand Kataria chosen as Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan assembly.
15:05 Rayudu reported for suspect bowling action:
Indian batsman and part time off-spinner Ambati Rayudu has been reported with a suspect bowling action during the first ODI against Australia in Sydney, the ICC said on Sunday.
Rayudu bowled only two overs in the game on Saturday, conceding 13 runs.
“The match officials’ report, which was handed over to the India team management, cited concerns about the legality of the 33-year-old off-spinner’s bowling action,” said the ICC in a statement.
However, Rayudu can still bowl if the need arises.
“Rayudu’s bowling action will now be scrutinised further under the ICC process relating to suspected illegal bowling actions reported in Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
“He is required to undergo testing within 14 days, and, during this period, Rayudu is permitted to continue bowling in international cricket until the results of the testing are known,” the statement added.
Rayudu has only bowled 20.1 overs in his 46-ODI old career, taking three wickets at an average of 41.33 and economy rate of 6.14. He has not bowled in the six T20s he has featured in.
— PTI
14:26 Congress to contest all 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh:
Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Raj Babbar on Sunday held a press conference in Lucknow on partys Uttar Pradesh strategy for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, a day after BSP chief Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav announced their Uttar Pradesh alliance for 2019 polls, leaving no space for the Congress.
At the party headquarters in Lucknow, Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Congress party contest all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. The Opposition leader said preparations for 2019 polls has begun now as Parliaments winter session has ended.
Nabi further said the Congress party welcomes anti-BJP alliances for 2019 polls, however, 2019 polls will be a direct contest between the Congress and BJP.
Congress has always tried to uplift the deprived sections and minorities, he said, adding that Congress doesnt make false promises as the BJP does. Congress has always seen that all people, irrespective of their religion, are respected and allowed to practice faith, the Congress leader said. Congress played a pivotal role in Indias independence and the party gave India its first prime minister, he said. Nabi said India is a free country due to the Congress party.
However, the SP-BSP alliance will field their candidates in Amethi and Rae Bareli, the traditions seats of Gandhi family and currently held by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi.
Addressing a press conference in Dubai on Saturday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said his party will fight the 2019 polls in Uttar Pradesh and country with full force. Congress is planning to hold 13 rallies by its president Rahul Gandhi in 13 zones of Uttar Pradesh in February to strengthen the party ahead of crucial Lok Sabha elections.
13:52 Amending Constitution for quota ‘harmful’, says Sharad Pawar:
Amending the Constitution to increase the reservation limit is “harmful” to its basic principles according to experts, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Sunday, days after parliament cleared a bill to provide 10 per cent quota to economically backward sections among the general category.
He said last-minute decisions by the Narendra Modi government with an eye on polls will not be helpful in swaying the mood of the electorates.
Pawar further said political films like ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’, based on former PM Manmohan Singh, and ‘Thackeray’, a biopic on Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, won’t have an impact on voters.
“According to the opinion of experts, amendment in Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution to allow reservations above 50 per cent will be harmful to the basic principles of the Constitution,” Pawar said here, replying to queries on the Centre’s move to grant reservation to poor among the general category.
“The Supreme Court cleared its stand on the policy of reservations more than two times. The SC decisions state that reservations cannot be above the limit of fifty per cent,” he added.
Speaking about films based on political personalities, Pawar said, “People will not change their opinions after seeing these films. I don’t think these films will play any crucial role in the coming elections. People will vote on the basis of their experiences.”
He claimed the Centre planned to have an extended Budget session of Parliament in order to pass some more bills with an eye on forthcoming general polls.
“The Modi government is trying to take some decisions in a hurry after sensing the mood of people. But people are well aware about such decisions taken after four-and-half years. People will see these decisions as jumlas (poll rhetoric),” he claimed.
— PTI
13:36 Triple talaq ordinance re-promulgated:
The government has re-promulgated the ordinance banning the practice of instant triple talaq.
Under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2019, issued on Saturday, divorcing through instant triple talaq will be illegal, void and would attract a jail term of three years for the husband.
A Bill to convert the earlier ordinance, issued in September, 2018, was cleared by Lok Sabha in December and was pending in Rajya Sabha.
Since the Bill could not get the parliamentary approval, the fresh ordinance was issued. The Union Cabinet had last week approved reissuance of the ordinance.
Seeking to allay fears that the proposed law could be misused, the government has included certain safeguards in it such as adding a provision of bail for the accused before trial
These amendments were cleared by the Cabinet on August 29, 2018.
While the ordinance makes it a “non-bailable” offence, an accused can approach a magistrate even before trial to seek bail.
In a non-bailable offence, bail cannot be granted by police at the police station itself.
A provision has been added to allow the magistrate to grant bail “after hearing the wife”, the government had said.
The magistrate would ensure that bail is granted only after the husband agrees to grant compensation to the wife as provided in the bill
The police would lodge an FIR only if approached by the victim (wife), her blood relations or people who become her relatives by virtue of her marriage.
Neighbours and others cannot lodge a complaint under the ordinance.
The offence of instant triple talaq will be “compoundable”. A magistrate can use his powers to settle the dispute between a husband and his wife. This will happen only when the wife approaches the court
Under a compoundable offence, both parties have the liberty of withdrawing the case.
The proposed law would only be applicable on instant triple talaq or ‘talaq-e-biddat’ and it would give power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking “subsistence allowance” for herself and minor children.
A woman can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate who will take a final call on the issue.
— PTI
13:11 Month after mishap, NGT asks Meghalaya police to crack whip on illegal mining:
A month after 15 miners were trapped in a coal mine, search operations for which is still underway, a three-member committee of the National Green Tribunal has asked the Meghalaya Police to investigate into nearly 1200 cases of illegal quarrying across the state.
The green tribunal had imposed a blanket ban on coal mining and transportation in Meghalaya in 2014, citing unscientific methods and absence of safety measures.
The three-member NGT committee, constituted in August last year, is currently studying the environmental aspects of rat-hole mining in the state.
An official said the police have been told that their probe should reach a logical conclusion after taking into account all 1200 cases of illegal rat-hole mining in East Garo Hills, South-West Khasi Hills and West and East Jaintia Hills districts.
Rat-hole mining involves digging of narrow tunnels, usually 3-4 feet high, for workers to enter and extract coal. The horizontal tunnels are often termed “rat-holes”, as each just about fits one person.
On December 13, water from nearby Lytein river flooded a network of tunnels in a coal mine in Lumthari village of East Jaintia Hills, trapping 15 men and prompting a rescue attempt that has failed to yield any result so far.
That mining goes on unabated in the state can be gauged from the fact that heaps of freshly dug coal is dumped on both sides of the road that approaches Lumthari from Khliehriat, the district headquarters of East Jaintia Hills.
Meanwhile, official sources said the NGT committee, which has sought police investigation into the registered cases of illegal mining, is set to visit the state by January-end.
— PTI
12:46 Would have said same thing if defence minister was a man: Rahul on mahila remark:
Rahul Gandhi reiterated his controversial remarks of last week against Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Rafale deal and insisted that he would have made similar comments even if the defence minister had been a man.
He insisted that the PM should have defended himself in Parliament on the Rafale deal instead of deputing Sitharaman.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has helped Anil Ambani steal Rs 30,000 crore and the House of the people Lok Sabha is where he should have defended himself but he chose to send another person and that person happened to be a woman, he said when asked about his remarks about Sitharaman on which the National Commission for Women has issued a notice to him.
Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of helping Anil Ambanis firm get an offset contract from Rafale manufacturer Dassault Aviation. The allegation has been denied by the Indian and French government as well as the two firms, Reliance Defence and Dassault Aviation.
I would have made a very similar comment if it had been a man. Do not impose your sexism on me. I am very clear that the prime minister should have delivered that defence but he did not have the guts.
He said the Congress has not yet got the answer whether defence ministry officials objected to the Prime Minister bypassing it on the Rafale deal. Sitharaman had spoken on behalf of the Prime Minister and defended the Rafale deal in the Lok Sabha.
Rahul Gandhi had made his remarks against Nirmala Sitharaman at a rally in Jaipur and had accused Prime Minister Modi of hiding behind a woman defence minister.
On Rafale, when we raised questions in the Lok Sabha, we asked the PM to answer some questions. The PM didnt come to the Lok Sabha for even a minute. Nirmala Sitharaman spoke for two and a half hours, but couldnt answer our questions. We demolished her arguments. But the PM couldnt show his face in Lok Sabha even for one minute, Rahul said.
He asked a woman to defend him, and you saw how for two and a half hours, she couldnt defend him, he said.
12:24 ‘Will kidnap, harm your daughter’: Kejriwal receives email threat:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals office on Wednesday received an anonymous e-mail that threatened that the CMs daughter will be kidnapped and harmed, following which the Delhi Police reportedly provided a security cover to her.
A constable has been temporarily deployed for the security of Kejriwals daughter and will shadow her whenever she goes out, a senior police official, on condition of anonymity, said.
A Delhi Police spokesperson, who asked not to be named, confirmed that threat emails had been received and said that the matter is being probed by the cyber cell unit of Delhi Polices special cell. No case had been registered in connection to the case till Saturday evening. Kejriwals daughter works in a multinational company in Gurugram.
A senior police officer said that the chief ministers office received two-three emails on January 9 (Wednesday). The anonymous sender of the emails threatened to kidnap Kejriwals daughter. In the email, the unknown sender has claimed that they will harm the chief ministers daughter and have challenged him to do whatever he can do to protect her, the officer said.
11:50 Ivanka Trump, Nikki Haley in the race to replace World Bank president:
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and US President Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka are among possible US candidates to replace outgoing World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, The Financial Times reported.
Kim abruptly announced Monday he was cutting short his tenure as the bank’s president more than three years before his second term was due to end.
In addition to Trump and Haley, who stepped down as US Ambassador to the United Nations last month, other names being floated include Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs David Malpass and Mark Green, head of the US Agency for International Development, the newspaper reported.
Ivanka Trump in 2017 was the driving force behind a $1 billion, Saudi-supported World Bank fund to promote entrepreneurship by women. The Treasury Department told AFP on Friday that it had no comment in potential candidates.
Under an unwritten agreement, the United States, which is the bank’s largest shareholder, has always chosen its leader since the institution was founded following World War II. But the success of a US candidate no longer appears completely assured.
11:04 Mortal remains of Major V Nair brought to his hometown:
The mortal remains of Major Shashi Dharan V Nair, who was killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Nowshera on Friday, were brought to his home in Pune in Khadakwasla on Sunday.
The Army bid an emotional adieu to the courageous officer and paid tributes to him, remembering his sacrifices for the nation.
A soldier Rifleman Jivan Gurung was also killed in the similar attack that took place along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri.
According to the Army PRO, Nair and Gurung, who got grievously injured, were immediately provided medical aid after the incident on Friday.
However, the duo later succumbed to their injuries.
The IED attack was planted by the Border Action Team of the Pakistan army with the aid from terrorists on the LoC. — ANI
10:56 Vijay Shankar to replace Pandya in Aus, Gill for NZ tour:
Tamil Nadu all-rounder Vijay Shankar will replace suspended Hardik Pandya for India’s ongoing ODI series in Australia while rookie Punjab opener Shubman Gill will be joining the national team during the limited over series in New Zealand.
“Initially, the selectors had picked Mayank Agarwal for K L Rahul and Vijay Shankar for Pandya but it has been learnt that Agarwal is nursing a niggle.
“That is why the team management has asked for only one replacement in Australia and that is Shankar. And Gill is being rewarded for his good show in Ranji Trophy and A-tours,” a source close to the selection committee told PTI.
Pandya and Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry into their sexist comments on a TV show, ruling them out of the three-match ODI series against Australia.
They have already return home from Australia as the BCCI suspended them on Friday for their outrage-evoking comments on women, hours after the duo’s on-field leader Virat Kohli expressed his disapproval.
The 27-year-old Shankar is a middle-order batsman from Tamil Nadu who can also bowl medium pace. He has played in five T20s. — PTI
10:21 Citizenship Bill: Cong offers support to Assam CM for new govt if he quits BJP:
Congress leader Debabrata Saikia on Saturday asked Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to quit the Bharatiya Janata Party and form a new government with his party’s support, while the Asom Gana Parishad said it may restore its alliance with the saffron party if the Citizenship Amendment Bill is scrapped.
Saikia, the leader of Opposition in Assam assembly, talking to a local TV news channel in Guwahati said, “In view of the current situation in the state following the Citizenship Amendment Bill giving rise to protests here, Sarbananda Sonowal should leave BJP and come out with even just 40 of his MLAs.”
“We will have Sonowal only as the chief minister of Assam again. We have 25 legislators in the 126-member House. We can take support from AGP and other parties to form the new state government,” said the Congress leader.
The current 14th Assembly has 61 Bharatiya Janata Party, 25 Congress, 14 AGP, 13 All India United Democratic Front, 12 Bodoland Peoples Front and one independent MLA.
Meanwhile, the AGP, which had snapped ties with the two-and-a-half-year-old Sonowal government on January 7 over the Centre introducing and passing the Bill in Lok Sabha, indicated before reporters in Golaghat that it may restore its ties with BJP in the state.
Asked if his party would renew its alliance with the saffron party, AGP president Atul Bora said, “If the government scraps the bill giving rise to the need to discuss the issue in our party forum and depending on the need of the political situation…we may reconsider our alliance with BJP”. “Cannot say anything now till the Bill is dropped. We will observe their activities and as of now take a wait and watch stand”. — PTI
09:03 Zeenat-ul-Islam, one of the most dreaded terrorists, killed in J&K:
Two terrorists, including the one of the dreaded and oldest Zeenat-ul-Islam, were killed on Saturday in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district, police said.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Katpora area in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district last evening after receiving specific information about the presence of terrorists there, a police official said.
As the forces were conducting the searches, the terrorists fired upon them.
The forces retaliated, ensuing an encounter in which two terrorists were killed, he said.
Arms and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site, the official said, adding that no collateral damage has been reported.
One of them was identified as dreaded terrorist Zeenat-ul-Islam, who was associated with the terror group Al Badr, the official said, adding that the identity of the second terrorist is being ascertained.
Zeenat, considered as an improvised explosive device (IED) expert, was earlier associated with another terror group Hizbul Mujahideen, the official said. — PTI
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Source: Rediff