Security has been beefed up in the curfew-bound summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the Independence Day celebrations tomorrow.
Security personnel have been deployed in large numbers across Srinagar as Bakshi Stadium, the venue of the Independence Day celebration event in the state, has been turned into a virtual fortress.
“All the roads leading to Bakshi stadium have been sealed and heavy deployment of security forces has been carried out enroute to ensure peaceful celebrations tomorrow,” a police official said.
Although there were no inputs about the possibility of militant attacks to disrupt the celebrations, the security grid is not taking any chances, he said.
“The usual security drill is being followed but some extra measures have been put in place to ensure no mob violence takes place around the venues in Srinagar or elsewhere in the Valley,” he added.
Due to the ongoing unrest in Kashmir that began on July 9 following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, mobile telephone and internet services have already been snapped.
In the past, the mobile phone and mobile internet services used to be disabled for few hours during the Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations as a precautionary measure to prevent militants from using these devices to trigger explosions.PTI
Controversial Independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rasheed was today detained as police foiled his proposed 72-hour-long sit-in to protest the “insensitivity” of the Centre towards Kashmir.
Rasheed was detained along with many of his supporters, a spokesman of his Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) said.
Police swung into action as soon as Rasheed and his supporters started the sit-in at Press Colony here.
He was taken to police station Kothi Bagh, the spokesman said.
The controversial MLA had announced he will hold the 72-hour sit-in against the “insensitivity” of Union government towards Kashmir.
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan was detained at the Los Angeles airport for questioning by the US immigration department.
“I fully understand & respect security with the way the world is, but to be detained at US immigration every damn time really really sucks,” Khan tweeted.
Khan, 50, in another tweet said, “The brighter side is while waiting caught some really nice Pokemons.”
The State Department could not immediately make any comment on why the Indian super star was detained at the Los Angeles airport.
This is not the first time that Khan has been detained at a US airport.
Khan was detained at New York airport for over two hours by immigration officials in 2012. The US customs and border protection authorities had expressed “profound” apologies for the Shah Rukh Khan’s detention then.
In 2009 also, Khan was also detained by US immigration officials at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey because his name came up on a computer alert list.
The productivity of the Lok Sabha was higher than the Rajya Sabha in the Monsoon session which ended today but its performance was less than what it had achieved in the Budget session.
Terming the performance of the two Houses as “good”, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said while the productivity of the Lok Sabh was recorded at 110.84 per cent, that of the Rajya Sabha was 99.54 per cent.
But according to data compiled by PRS Legislative, the productivity of the lower house in the Budget session was 121 per cent. The Rajya Sabha had recorded a productivity of 91 per cent, lower than what it achieved in the latest session.
The highlights of the Monsoon session were passage of the GST bill and unanimous resolutions in both Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Kashmir, he said.
“Each week, there was one discussion,” he said adding that Lok Sabha took up four discussions — on situation in Kashmir Valley, price rise, atrocities on Dalits and Sustainable Development Goals.
The Rajya Sabha, he said, took up six short duration discussions on situation in the Kashmir Valley, price rise, atrocities on Dalits, status of implementation of the AP Reorganisation Act, developments in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh leading to change in governments and the draft National Education Policy.
While 14 bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha, 15 were passed. The Rajya Sabha passed 14 bills, while one — The Maternity Benefit (amendment) Bill, 201 was introduced.
Parliament passed a total of 15 bills, including the one on GST.
While two bills which replaced as many ordinances on the common medical entrance exam were passed, the one which sought to replace an ordinance on amendments to the Enemy Property Act could not be cleared. The ordinance is set to lapse in the coming days.
A 65-year-old man was today killed when his two-wheeler was allegedly hit by a car in which Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia was travelling near here, police said.
The accident occurred at Puthiyakavu on the Kochi-Allapuzha stretch of a national highway when Scindia was going in a chauffeur-driven car to attend a function at Cherthala after arriving at Kochi from New Delhi, they said.
After the incident, the Congress leader in a tweet said “Devastated – sad loss of life – unfortunate accident betw Cochin-Allepy. Arranged for hospital immediately – on way to meet bereaved family!”.
Police identified the deceased as Sasi, a resident of Puthiyakavu locality.
Though Sasi was rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to injuries, police said.
After handing over the car to the police, Scindia left in another car, K C Venugopal, Congress MP from Alappuzha, said adding his colleague would later call on the bereaved family.
Besides the former union minister, three other Congress workers were in the car when the mishap occurred, Venugopal said.PTI
Curfew in many parts and separatist-sponsored strike disrupted normal life for the 30th straight day Sunday in Kashmir Valley where violence has so far left 54 persons dead and more than 6,000 others injured.
The violence in the Valley began on 9 July, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Curfew remains in force in six police station areas of Srinagar—Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal, Maharajgunj and Batamaloo Sunday as precautionary measure to maintain law and order, a police official said.
He said curfew was also in force in two towns of Budgam district Chadoora and Khansahib, two towns of Kupwara Handwara and Langate and Anantnag town.
The official, however, said restrictions will remain in force in other areas of the Valley. Restrictions on the assembly of four or more people continue to remain in effect in rest of the Valley, he said.
Normal life in the Valley remained affected for the 30th consecutive day due to the curbs imposed by the authorities and separatist sponsored strike against the killing of civilians in the security forces action during clashes which erupted in the wake of Wani’s killing.
Mobile internet services continued to remain snapped in the entire Valley where the outgoing facility on prepaid connections is also barred.
The separatist camp has extended the shutdown call in Kashmir till 12 August and has asked the people to organize sanitation drive in their localities and hospitals..PTI
Sachin Tendulkar has met International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on the sidelines of the Rio Olympics here, which the Indian cricket icon termed as “wonderful”.
Tendulkar, who is here as a goodwill ambassador for the Indian contingent, sat alongside Bach as the two watched the opening day of rugby sevens, which has made an Olympic return after a 92-year-absence.
“Wonderful spending time with Mr Thomas Bach, IOC president at #Rio2016 @olympics,” tweeted Tendulkar after meeting the IOC chief yesterday.
Tendulkar is keenly tracking the performance of the Indian athletes in Rio and was seen supporting tennis players Sania Mirza and Prarthna Thombare from the stands.
He watched the women’s doubles match alongside Leander Paes, who had lost his men’s doubles first round match partnering Rohan Bopanna yesterday.PTI
The shift in monetary policy stance to target inflation is “credit positive” for India’s sovereign rating as it will help keep price rise pressures under check, Moody’s Investors Service said today.
The government, in consultation with the Reserve Bank, has notified the 5-year inflation target at 4 per cent, with an upper and lower tolerance limit of 2 per cent.
Moody s Investors Service Senior VP Marie Diron said the inflation target is a credit positive re-affirmation of the commitment to keeping inflation at moderate levels.
“The changes to the monetary policy regime of the last two years mark a step towards greater policy transparency and predictability, both of which should help in policy transmission and hence monetary policy effectiveness,” she said.
Diron said an explicit inflation target can help anchor inflation expectations and hence actual inflation at moderate levels.
“At a time when large increases in wages are implemented in the public sector, moderate inflation expectations could help prevent spillovers to wage and price settings in other, sectors,” she added.
The government has already notified the 2.57-time hike in basic salary of one crore government employees and pensioners as per the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. The pay hike has been made effective from January 1, 2016.
Also, the arrears arising from implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations will be paid in their August salaries.
Based on the notified inflation target, the proposed interest rate setting panel or Monetary Policy Committee would take its monetary policy decisions going forward.
“Sustained moderate inflation would contribute to macroeconomic stability and help prevent a repetition of the short marked cycles of the past,” Diron said.
MPC will set interest rates by majority, with a casting vote for the central bank governor in the event of a tie.
Out of six members of MPC, three will be from RBI — the Governor, who will be the ex-officio Chairperson, a deputy governor and an executive director.
The other three members will be appointed by the central government on the recommendations of a search-cum-selection committee, which will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary.PTI
Enforcement Directorate has identified assets worth over Rs 6,000 crore which it plans to attach as part of its fresh action against liquor baron Vijay Mallya in connection with a money laundering probe against him and others in an alleged bank loan fraud case.
The agency is preparing to initiate the second round of attachments under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after the embattled businessman recently skipped appearance before a special PMLA court here under a proclamation order issued under sections of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
The agency, sources said, has identified some pledged shares, associated immovable and movable assets of Mallya and his family members that would be seized and frozen as part of its action plan to widen probe in the case.
“Similar action can be initiated against few others named in the case apart from Mallya,” they said.
They said the agency has already written to banks and other financial institutions to obtain details in this regard.
The agency, meanwhile, is also in the process of getting a ‘proclaimed person’ order issued from the special court which will be further sent to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in order to execute the India-UK MLAT to bring Mallya back to India to join investigations.
ED, in June, had sought the proclamation notice to be issued against Mallya as it said he had “multiple” arrest warrants pending against him, including a non-bailable warrant (NBW) under the PMLA, and that the agency wants him to join the probe “in person”.
ED has already attached his properties worth about Rs 1,411 crore under PMLA in this case few months back.
The agency has been wanting Mallya to join investigations “in person” in its PMLA probe against him and others in the Rs 900 crore alleged loan fraud of IDBI bank and has virtually exhausted all legal remedies like seeking an Interpol arrest warrant and getting his passport revoked.
The business baron and others are alleged to have diverted a part of the loan to some of their offshore businesses.
ED had already sought to invoke the India-United Kingdom Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) to have Mallya extradited from Britain.
He had left India on March 2 this year using his diplomatic passport.The agency has registered a money laundering case against Mallya and others based on an FIR registered last year by the CBI.
A Delhi court had only yesterday issued a non-bailable warrant against him in a 2012 cheque bounce case, saying coercive steps were required to ensure Mallya’s appearance in the court.PTI
Rajya Sabha today witnessed a face-off between Opposition and government over dismissal of Congress dispensations in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, bringing into close scrutiny the role of governors.
The main opposition party alleged “trampling” of democracy by the BJP-led government which hit back by reminding that Congress had “butchered” democracy by misusing Article 356 about 100 times.
Congress pressed for a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, since he talks of “cooperative federalism”.
The clash took place as the House took up a discussion on ‘Developments in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh leading to change in governments there and the role of Governors in the respective States’.
What happened in the two states was a “brazen violation of Constitution” and “insult to democracy”, said Deputy Leader of Congress Anand Sharma while initiating the debate.
“What happened in Arunachal late last year followed by Uttarakhand in Janauary this year shocked the country and invited censure of the Supreme Court and High Court of Uttarakhand,” he said.
Questioning the role of Governors, the former minister said he or she is “not supposed to interfere in day-to-day functioning…take unilateral decisions… Constitution was not respected…It is insult to peoples mandate.”
Citing the developments in both the states, he said Governors do not meddle in politics or undermine elected governments but “brazen violation of constitution” occured in both the states.
He alleged that the Governors in both the states “willingly became tools to pursue nefarious agenda of the ruling party”.
Citing the Supreme Court orders on the dismissal of governments in these two states, Sharma asked why no action was taken against Uttarakhand Governor.
“Sack that Governor. Remove him. If he continues to hold the post you are insulting constitution,” Sharma said.
“What happened was shameful. The government conduct was outrageous… Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks of constitutional federalism…At the same time ruling party president talks of Congress-mukt Bharat…that is the official position of the ruling party and its national executive…this is insult to democracy and misuse of authority to destabilise elected governments,” Sharma charged.
Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu intervened to say that it is “the Devil quoting the scriptures”.
This was objected to by the Congress after which Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said he will examine whether it fell under unparliamentary language.
Naidu said, “Issue is …does the Congress party have any moral right to raise this. It has misused Article 356 at least 90 to 100 times…Such party is giving sermons.PTI
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