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Jung wrote to the Home Ministry saying that the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 allows only states and Centre to order a commission of inquiry and Delhi, a union territory can only do so in partnership with Centre. Kejriwal has reacted saying that he objects to the letter leaked to the media.
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<!– /.block –>Hrithik Roshan rings in Christmas by skiing with his boys! <!– /.block –>
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Also ReadIndiaMahesh Sharma clarifies on Air India veg meal plan, says no change in previous systemIndiaFour Naxals held in ChhattisgarhIndiaBJP MLA Sangeet Som receives threatening call from ISISIndia21 AAP leaders, workers join Punjab Congress IndiaDDCA row: BJP must listen to its allies at times, says SenaIndiaFrom New Year’s eve, Air India to only serve veg food in 60-90 mins domestic flights <!– /.block –>
<!– /#sidebar-second –>Bollywood celebs, kin bid adieu to actress Sadhana<!– /.block –> <!– /#content_bottom –>
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Sirajul Haq, chief of right wing Jamaat-i-Islami, said it was unfortunate that Modi was welcomed in Pakistan.
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<!– /.block –>Chennai floods result in losses to 10,000 production units; Global Investment brings in over Rs 2 lakh crore <!– /.block –>
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Also ReadIndiaMahesh Sharma clarifies on Air India veg meal plan, says no change in previous systemIndiaFour Naxals held in ChhattisgarhIndiaBJP MLA Sangeet Som receives threatening call from ISISIndia21 AAP leaders, workers join Punjab Congress IndiaDDCA row: BJP must listen to its allies at times, says SenaIndiaFrom New Year’s eve, Air India to only serve veg food in 60-90 mins domestic flights <!– /.block –>
<!– /#sidebar-second –>Christmas wildfire destroys more than 100 homes in Australia<!– /.block –> <!– /#content_bottom –>
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The agency, which had taken over the case in May, had arrested two hardcore NSCN(K) cadres and has charge sheeted them in connection with the case, the release said.
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<!– /.block –>Kevin Pietersen takes a jibe at South Africa, says Proteas have ‘lot at stake’ against England <!– /.block –>
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Also ReadIndiaThree men from Telangana planning to join ISIS arrested by ATS at Nagpur airportIndiaTortured Indian workers back after harrowing experience in SaudiIndiaKohima terror attack: NSCN(K) cadre arrested from BengaluruIndiaCongress attacks Modi, says nation will have to pay cost of PM’s surprise visit to PakistanIndiaIn yet another life-saving mission, Coast Guard rescues eight crew members from distressed shipIndiaHere’s what the American media said about PM Modi’s Lahore stopover <!– /.block –>
<!– /#sidebar-second –>Newly married Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux share Christmas selfie<!– /.block –> <!– /#content_bottom –>
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A spirit of festivity pervaded across the country as midnight masses, resonance of carols and merriment ushered in Christmas on Friday. As bells tolled, worshipers thronged churches and cathedrals decorated with twinkling lights for the midnight service to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Sparkling Christmas trees and gift items adorned marketplaces that wore a festive look as community feasts, exchange of greetings and colourful processions marked the occasion.Traditional Christmas carols rendered the air festive with gospel bands enthralling the merry-makers with songs like ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Oh Holy Night’ and ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town’. It was a busy day for Santa Claus, the man in red with a flowing white beard, who went from place to place cheering the revellers.Delhi tuned to a celebratory note with the yuletide spirit reflecting in tastefully decked up churches and santa caps dotting busy marketplaces across the national capital. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took part in the festivities by visiting the Sacred Heart Cathedral and wishing the people.The festivity imbibed by non-Christians was expressed through greetings on social media as well participating in X-Mas parties thrown on the day. People used WhatsApp, Facebook and other online means of communication to send Christmas greetings to their families and loved ones.Redemption, rejoicing, feasting and singing marked the occasion in the North-East which has sizeable Christians. Christmas was celebrated throughout Meghalaya with midnight services in churches and tourists and locals exchanging greetings and gifts with friends and relatives.Meghalaya’s capital Shillong was decked up with government and private buildings as well as streets being illuminated and decorated with Christmas trees, banners and festoons. A special programme for the hearing-impaired believers was organised in one of the oldest churches in Shillong at Police Bazaar.While in the Garo Hills region Christmas celebration and preparation for the New Year were going on, Tura town was illuminated with different coloured lights. In Nagaland, believers offered prayers for peace and unity in the Naga society. The rural areas too were illuminated with decorations for the festive season to culminate on the New Year.Midnight masses across all churches in Goa marked the commencement of Christmas celebrations in the state, where one-third of the population is from Catholic faith. Streets leading to the coastal villages were jammed with the vehicles as tourist inflow is also on rise for Christmas and New Year.While tourists were busy partying on the beaches, the local people were seen attending midnight masses, followed by Christmas celebrations in their parish. Traditional dance parties were also organised at various places.Cribs indicating the life of Lord Jesus were set up all across the state in front of the houses. “The biggest crib you will find at Velsao (a beach village 45 kms away from Panaji). Youths are busy getting crib sets of every size. A few of them have a touch of innovation,” said John Rodrigues, a parishioner with Mary Immaculate Conception Church, Panaji.<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>
Can PM Modi follow a similar route in other key areas and stay two steps ahead of his contemporaries, the media and the opposition. It can truly help him to set the agenda of development and firm up a legacy, which not only his cheerleaders but many dispassionate observers would sorely like him to achieve.
Arghya Roy Chowdhury
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<!– /.block –>PM Modi, Jaitley victims of political intolerance: Ramdev <!– /.block –>
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Also ReadIndiaChristmas festivities grip nationIndiaWhy PM Narendra Modi’s ‘impromptu’ Pakistan visit is significant IndiaPM Modi, Jaitley victims of political intolerance: RamdevIndiaEco-sensitive zones to sink by 60% of Western Ghats?IndiaCongress remarks on PM Modi’s Lahore visit unfortunate, BJP hits backIndiaWill Modi’s Pak visit lead to action against terror, Dawood, Saeed: Sena, VHP <!– /.block –>
<!– /#sidebar-second –>Christmas festivities grip nation<!– /.block –> <!– /#content_bottom –>
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The ties between India and Pakistan have witnessed some positive developments, however, after a chill of several months. The two countries recently decided to launch a comprehensive dialogue after Modi and Sharif met in Paris recently. But Tyagi said in the wake of Modi’s surprise move that “nothing is going to improve unless the leaders of Pakistan change their mindset. Pakistan should know that friendship with India on one hand and betrayal on the other cannot go together.”
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PakistanNarendra ModiAfghanistanJammu And KashmirKC TyagiJanata Dal United (JDU)Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP)
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Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk to embark on a new journey in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ <!– /.block –>
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Modi in Pakistan: PM Modi’s Lahore visit ‘step in the right direction’, says J&K CM Mufti Mohammed Sayeed Sayeed hoped that the meeting between the two leaders will provide the much-needed momentum to the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue for peaceful resolution of all issues between the two countries.
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Keep it up: PM Narendra Modi tells ITBP squad at Kabul Embassy in Afghanistan
A Christmas Miracle: Twitter reacts to Narendra Modi’s ‘impromptu’ Pakistan visit!
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Around 500 police personnel were deployed in the Park Street area only, the nerve-centre of Christmas revelry with officers of Deputy Commissioner rank overseeing the situation.
Park Street Christmas decorations (Image credit – Mamata Banerjee’s Twitter account)
Thousands of revellers in the city celebrated Christmas with most churches holding the traditional midnight mass tonight.Kolkata was all decked up with lights, balloons, Christmas trees and other decorations to welcome the occasion and witnessed a huge number of people taking to the streets to soak in the revelry.Starting from Park Street, Allen Park, Bow Barracks, St Paul’s Cathedral and other famous churches in and around the city to other major landmarks, revellers poured out in thousands with the evening slipping into midnight.Kolkata Police have tightened the security measures in the city and till midnight have arrested 50 persons for disorderly conduct, a senior officer of the force told PTI.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Around 500 police personnel were deployed in the Park Street area only, the nerve-centre of Christmas revelry with officers of Deputy Commissioner rank overseeing the situation.
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Citing the ‘Year of Mercy’ declared by Pope Francis, he called for prayers for “more understanding, more mercy, more reconciliation and peace.
Voicing concern over the “increasing dose of intolerance” holding sway over the lives of people, Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Ferrao on Thursday called for better understanding, reconciliation and peace as enshrined in the message of Christmas. “Sadly we find an increasing dose of intolerance holding sway in our lives. Not only people of different creeds and cultures, but people of the same family drift away from each other because of this intolerance and unforgivingness,” Ferrao said in his Christmas message released today. Citing the ‘Year of Mercy’ declared by Pope Francis, he called for prayers for “more understanding, more mercy, more reconciliation and peace.” Spiritual leader of over three lakh Catholics in the coastal state, Ferrao said, “We are in the year of the family and very recently our Pope Francis inaugurated the year of mercy.” “Let us pray for all families as well as for various social and religious communities. Let there be more understanding, more mercy more reconciliation and peace,” he said.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>”If the Holy Babe lies helpless in the crib, we feel encouraged to approach him with the situations of unrest in the world, in our country and in our state… We pray that the Babe of Bethlehem, the Prophet of Peace, may encourage us all to promote dialogue and reconciliation and to sustain our efforts to build peace,” the Archbishop added.
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We make a list of some of the best forwards to be sent to your loved ones this Christmas and New Year
Christmas and New year: Representational Picture
Getty
The time of snow and the chilly winters has arrived. And, people can’t stop painting the town red of how immersed they want to feel in the mood of ‘Christmas’. The most awaited date of December 25, when Lord Jesus was born, is marked on everyone’s calendar. And what adds more flavour to this season is it is the time for all of us to play the much loved ‘Secret Santa’ game, thus trying to distribute gifts and cherish the memory of a mysterious Santa Claus. However, soon after that, we also celebrate with bated breaths, the clock to tick 12 on the night of December 31. With party on our minds and in the presence of our loved ones, we wish to end 2015 on a happy note.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>To express all of these wishes of yours, there are some ‘always used’ messages which can be used to wish your family and friends. To make the task easier, we have made a list of some of the commonly used messages for the seasons. Also, wishing you a Merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous new Year. Take a look:For Christmas1. May all the sweet magic of Christmas conspire to gladden your heart and fill every desire.2. As you relish the goodies, decorate every nook and corner of your home and enjoy the get-togethers… May the joy and festivities continue to radiate in your lives, long after Christmas is gone. Merry Christmas!Happy New Year!3. May the Christmas season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter4. May the peace and blessings of Christmas be yours; And may the coming year be filled with happiness5. May the peace and joy of Christmas be with you today and throughout the New Year6. The gift of love. The gift of peace. The gift of happiness. May all these be yours at Christmas.7. May the Blessings of Christmas be with you today and always.For New Year1. Greetings of the Season and Best Wishes for the New Year!2. Best wishes for the holidays and for health and happiness throughout the coming year3. May the closeness of friends, the comfort of home, and the unity of our nation, renew your spirits this holiday season4. Wishing you and your loved ones peace, health, happiness and prosperity in the coming New Year5. Let the spirit of love gently fill our hearts and homes. In this loveliest of seasons may you find many reasons for happiness.6. Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful Holiday and a Happy New Year. May peace, love and prosperity follow you always7. Whatever is beautiful. Whatever is meaningful. Whatever brings you happiness. May it be yours this holiday season and throughout the coming year.
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Modi spoke to Russian news agency Itar-Taas before leaving for Moscow on a two-day official visit
Narendra Modi
Amid a debate on intolerance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India has an ancient tradition of “openness, respect for diversity of beliefs and cultures”.”India is one of the oldest civilisations in the world, which believes that the world is one family; and, that humanity is an integral part of Nature, not superior or distinct from it,” he told Russian news agency Itar-Taas before leaving for Moscow on a two-day official visit. “This has created an ancient tradition of openness, respect for diversity of beliefs and cultures, and a timeless tradition of living in harmony with nature,” he added.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>There has been a raging controversy in India over incidents of intolerance ever since a man was lynched in Dadri on suspicions of having eaten beef. Noting that India is home to people from all major faiths of the world, 22 official languages and diverse cultures and ethnicity, the Prime Minister said, “Yet, there is a strong sense of unity across our diversity.””India is a garden with many flowers; and, a tapestry of many colours. And, when we are tested the most, we have spoken most strongly in one voice and as one people. Our Constitution both guarantees and nurtures the diversities of our country,” he said in response to a question on how he manages to support and develop ethnic cultures and traditions. Stating that India observes public holidays for important festivals of all major religions such as Holi, Diwali, Id, Christmas, Baisaki and Buddha Purnima, he said that these festivals remind people of the unity of mankind.”It gives people from different faiths in India to come together in celebration. It inculcates in our society a respect for tradition and culture,” he added.
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However, slamming the move, Congress leader Sachin Sawant claimed it proves that the government is not paying heed to the demands of Muslims.
File Photo
Maharashtra government has allowed alcohol shops to remain open from late night till wee hours on Eid-e-Milad, along with Christmas and New Year’s Eve, prompting the Congress and AIMIM to accuse it of disregarding the sentiments of Muslims over demand for liquor ban on that day. A circular issued by the state home department grants relaxation in timings to shops, beer bars and other establishments selling liquor, alcohol, beer, wine and country liquor on December 24 (Eid-e-Milad), December 25 (Christmas) and December 31 (New Year’s Eve). <!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>It allows foreign liquor (FL-II) retail shops to remain open on all three days from 10.30 PM to 1 AM and permit rooms, restaurants and bars (excluding in police commissionerate areas) from 11 PM to 5 AM. In the police commissionerate areas, beer and wine shops will be allowed to remain open between 10.30 PM and 1 AM; hotels, restaurants, canteens and clubs between 10.30 PM and 5 AM; country liquor shops in C-class municipal councils and zilla parishad areas (excluding Cantonment areas) from 10 PM to 1 AM and, in areas other than these, between 11.59 PM to 1 AM, on all three days. However, slamming the move, Congress leader Sachin Sawant claimed it proves that the government is not paying heed to the demands of Muslims. “It can be easily seen that this government is not paying importance to the demands of Muslims and they are being made to feel like secondary citizens, following the ideology of the RSS,” he further charged. AIMIM legislator Imtiyaz Jaleel said that a memorandum seeking a ban on liquor sale was for gauging the attitude of the government towards the sentiments of Muslims. “The request was made with the purpose of seeing the government’s intentions towards our sentiments and whether they respect it. If they could respect the sentiments of Jains by banning meat during ‘Paryushan’, they could have taken cognisance of our request as well,” he said.(Read: Some Muslims don’t want ban on alcohol on December 24)
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Archbishop of Bhopal Father Leo Cornelio urged people to show respect to different views irrespective of the issue and not resort to violence.
File Photo
Ahead of Christmas, Archbishop of Bhopal Father Leo Cornelio on Monday said intolerance has grown since BJP came to power at the Centre, citing the examples of the Aamir Khan episode and the alleged attack on a group of Christians reciting the Bible in Jabalpur. He urged people to show respect to different views irrespective of the issue and not resort to violence.”I think intolerance has grown in the recent times, especially after the new government came at the Centre. Take an example of actor Aamir Khan, who had shared concerns of his wife on the issue, but the way it was protested by those associated with politics was not fair,” the Archbishop said addressing a press conference in Bhopal ahead of Christmas.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>”Everyone has the right to freedom of speech in the country and we should not oppose it just for the sake of opposition,” he said.When asked if as head of the Christian community he had encountered any kind of intolerance in the BJP-ruled state, Cornelio highlighted the incident at Jabalpur where some members of the community reciting Bible were allegedly attacked by right wing forces in March this year.”It was an avoidable incident. If you are not happy with something like loud voice on speaker or getting disturbed by anything, then you can always request them to lower it. You are not supposed to resort to violent means,” he said.Expressing anguish over delay in action to rein in such elements, he said, “The government has not taken any prompt action in the matter. Some people were arrested but still a number of them are not yet apprehended.”On the release of a juvenile offender in the December 16 Delhi gangrape case, Cornelio said, “If a minor is involved in a heinous crime, then he is a threat to the society. Government must take corrective measures in such issues.”Asked about his plans for spreading education in the state, he said, “Sometime back we had given a proposal to the government to handover few government primary-level schools to the missionaries to improve the education standard, as it is very poor at present. By doing so we will demonstrate how things can be improved. Though Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had agreed to it, nothing happened afterwards.”On the MP government’s plan to introduce lessons from the ‘Gita’ in the curriculum, he said, “Gita does have many good things in it. But other religious texts also have many good things, therefore efforts should be made to incorporate best of all religions in the school syllabus.”Condemning violence in the name of religion in Syria, Iraq and Libya, he said no religion has any place for violence in it.On the charges that Christians were involved in religious conversions, he said, “We have never intended to convert anyone. If someone embraces Christianity by getting impressed with our services, then it is his/her individual choice. We never forced anyone.”
Stating that intolerance in the country is on the “rise”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said people must respect each other.
File Photo
dna Research & Archives
Stating that intolerance in the country is on the “rise”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said people must respect each other.”At a time when intolerance is on a rise, I will pray to Jesus Christ to show us the way, to give us the strength to stay united and one. We pray to Jesus for prosperity,” Banerjee said at the inaugural function of the Kolkata Christmas festival on Wednesday.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>”We must have tolerance. Everybody must respect each other… one must not be disrespectful to another,” she said.Wishing everybody a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, 2016 in advance, Banerjee said “India is a vast country with different caste and creed staying together. But, we are one because our unity is our strength.”
The traders all over the area have arranged for various discounts and gift vouchers, all in an attempt to bring back the glory of traditional markets.
MG road in Pune Camp area.
Sankarshan Mukhopadhyay
Wikimedia Commons
Once a popular shopping destination, the camp area of Pune suffered a setback when customers started to opt online shopping websites and malls instead of the traditional shops. To attract customers again, the Pune Camp Merchants Association (PCMA) have started a unique midnight market for three consecutive Saturdays starting December 12.Over 400-500 shop owners have agreed to keep their shops open from 9 pm to midnight, a first-of-its-kind shopping bonanza for the festive season this year. “This initiative was thought by a fellow trader Murtuza Poonawala. We have been working on it since a month and expect customers to come in for this midnight market. We have also urged shop owners to give special discounts to customers during thus period, this would help to attract more number of customers” said Parag Shah, additional chairman (PCMA).<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The traders all over the area have arranged for various discounts and gift vouchers, all in an attempt to bring back the glory of traditional markets. Entertainment for kids through gifts, free popcorn and eatables and cartoon characters walking through the street will make the midnight markets more like a night out for families. “The association has organised some entertainment on the streets to make it a fun shopping event for customers,” Shah said. Horse rides, food stalls, loads of freebies and free parking are some other attractive offers arranged by the association.Applauding the innovative way of bringing customers back to camp, Rajesh Hirdaramani, owner of Maharaja Fashions, a high-end store dealing with jewellery and clothes, said,”We hope for a good footfall in the next three Saturdays. This initiative can help revive traditional markets again. Considering the tough competition due to online markets and malls, we hope such initiatives will make a difference.” He has put up discounts on purchase of more than Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 rupees and gift vouchers.A regular at the Clover Center at MG road, Camp, Sally Fergus said, “I have always shopped for Christmas at MG road. Saturday midnight shopping sounds fun and I am planning to visit with my friends.”For more such hyperlocal stories, visit iamin.in.
Modi obliged almost all those who made their way through the crowd around him to click a photographs, have a word with him or shake hands. However, like last time, he refrained from answering questions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses for a selfie with reporters during ‘Diwali Mangal Milan’ at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday
PTI
Around a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first interaction with the media at the BJP headquarters, not much seemed to have changed. Minutes after he made a brief address and got off the dais to interact with his guests, there was jostling for selfies.Modi obliged almost all those who made their way through the crowd around him to click a photographs, have a word with him or shake hands. However, like last time, he refrained from answering questions.Notwithstanding whatever criticism may have been in the media over recent days, his charisma appeared intact at the “Diwali Milan” lunch hosted for journalists on Saturday. The Prime Minister’s security staff had a difficult time handling the crowds scrambling to get near him for selfies on mobile phones.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Modi’s interaction with the media came on a relaxed afternoon, a day after two hectic days in Parliament, when he attended a debate on the Constitution and BR Ambedkar.On a foggy but pleasant Saturday afternoon, Modi, wearing a white kurta-pyjama and beige shawl arrived at 11, Ashoka Road. In a rare gesture, the office staff was among the party leaders who greeted Modi with bouquets.In his brief address from the dais, he spoke of the importance of festivals in the country and how they symbolised unity and equality. He said that the ‘Diwali Milan’ got postponed because he was busy and added jokingly that if it was delayed further “we would have to wait till Christmas.”He said festivals gave direction and strength to Indian society. “I can’t imagine the number of stories that can be churned if we analyse the social and economic impact of our festivals in our society. If you take the Kumbh Mela for example, a small Europe comes and assembles by the Ganga every day going by the numbers.”Our ancestors gave meaning and strength to festivals in a way that there is no discrimination in them,” he said.Before that, party president Amit Shah referred to the debate in Parliament and said the “parliament unanimously has given a new height to the Constitution.”Besides Shah, finance minister Arun Jaitley, parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu and transport minister Nitin Gadkari shared dais with Modi.This was the second time since he took over as Prime Minister that Modi met media persons at a ‘Diwali Milan’ programme at the party headquarters.
After his brief remarks from the podium, the Prime Minister stepped down to go around freely shaking hands with the assembled journalists, some of whom took selfies with him.
PM Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke of the message of non-discrimination and equality as he reached out to journalists at a ‘Diwali Milan’ at the BJP headquarters in Delhi.Hailing Indian festivals as occasions which give a new inspiration to society, he said “The festival of lights (Deep Parva) is also a part of it. There is no discrimination in it. It also strengthens the value of equality.”Speaking about mass connect of festivals including the Kumbh fair, Modi said “In our society, festivals in themselves are a big strength, which give the society a new momentum, energy and enthusiasm.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>”A number of stories can be generated if its social and economic aspects are analysed. For instance the gathering on the banks of the Ganges during the Kumbh Mela is so huge as if there some small European country there,” he said. After his brief remarks from the podium, the Prime Minister stepped down to go around freely shaking hands with the assembled journalists, some of whom took selfies with him.It was a repeat of the scenes like last year when Modi reached out to journalists on a similar occasion. Again he was was literally mobbed by them during the informal interaction.The Prime Minister said that this year’s Diwali Milan got delayed due to his busy schedule. “Had it not been done now, one may have had to wait till Christmas.”BJP Chief Amit Shah wished a great year for the country’s democratic traditions.Referring to the two-day long debate in Parliament to commemorate the Constitution Day and the 125th birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar, Shah said that Parliament has unanimously placed the supremacy of the Constitution above all.”Our effort will be to take this spirit down the line to people and make even the weakest person in the society aware of the Constitutional rights by next year along with the help of all parties and media,” Shah said.
Schools and colleges in the city are to remain shut on Wednesday as well.
PTI
Many schools in Chennai city and the suburbs are still waterlogged, though there wasn’t much rain on Tuesday. Nearly 200 to 300 schools will remain shut in the city and suburbs for another two days as a result. Schools and colleges in the city are to remain shut on Wednesday as well.A report in Deccan Chronicle quotes A Anitha, Chief Education Officer saying that schools in Villivakkam, Saidapet, Tondiarpet, Vadapalani, Virugambakkam, T Nagar, Egmore, Chetpet, Nungambakam, Amenjikarai, Koyembedu, Adyar and Besant Nagar, are water logged. She added that out of the 1000 schools, about 200 to 300 were waterlogged and flooded. Students can’t enter the school and thus they have decided to remain shut. <!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>The Chennai, Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur district administration has also declared a holiday for schools on Wednesday after speaking to the meteorological department. This was a precautionary measure they took. The regional met department has said there may be heavy showers in the city on Wednesday.Schools are now expected to cut down on the Christmas holidays to make up for the leaves now.
Sanap was arrested from Nashik on March 3 and charged with raping and murdering Esther.
Chandrabhan Sanap
Salman Ansari
dna
39-year-old Chandrabhan Sanap, who was convicted on Tuesday of raping and killing 23-year old software engineer Esther Anuhya in January 2014, has been awarded the death penalty by a Sessions Court in Mumbai on Friday. Special judge Vrushali Joshi who gave the verdict categorised it as a rarest of rare case.Esther Anuhya, who hailed from Vijayawada, had arrived at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Kurla on January 5, 2014, post her Christmas leave to resume work at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). She was then reported missing. Her decomposed body was found dumped in the mangroves near the Eastern Express Highway in Kanjurmarg on January 16, 2014.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>CCTV clips recorded at Kurla terminus from January 5 showed Esther leaving with an unknown man. “The efforts of a special team led us to the accused Sanap, a Kanjurmarg resident, who has a criminal record,” said a police officer.Sanap has around eight cases of bag-lifting and stealing registered at Gamdevi, Nashik, Manmad and Itarsi. The police zeroed in on Sanap after comparing his photos from police records with the face on CCTV. Sanap was arrested from Nashik on March 3 and charged with raping and murdering Esther.Dots were later connected that Sanap, pretending to be a taxi driver, had offered to drive Esther to her hostel in south Mumbai on his motorcycle. He allegedly stopped the bike on a service road on the Eastern Express Highway near Kanjurmarg and dragged Esther into bushes nearby to rape her. When she resisted, he hit her head on a stone and strangled her to death.While the Sessions Court gave its verdict on arguments made by special public prosecutor Raja Thakare, the defence advocate Prakash Salsingekar who had pleaded for life imprisonment has reportedly said that the case will be taken to the High Court as the evidence presented were weak.
The railways, having jumped on to the Suvidha train bandwagon, is now, at least in private, admitting that the earlier avatar of the scheme – the market-controlled dynamic fare premium concept — was ‘illogical’ and ‘extremely passenger-unfriendly’. Started in December 2013 on the Mumbai-Delhi route, Premium trains hit passengers’ pockets deep. Fares often crossed the Rs 10,000-mark. dna gives a break-up of why the concept was the most illogical one. The Premium train loot: Independent class structureSingularly, the most illogical system. Under this structure, all classes — 2AC, 3AC and Sleeper — were considered as separate units while calculating the base price of a particular day or time of booking. Since people prefer lower classes – a hallmark of almost all developing economies – this structure created a situation where 3AC fares exceeded those of 2AC. For example, if 20 people are vying for a 2AC ticket costing Rs 1,500 and 30 people for a 3AC ticket costing Rs 1,000, the computer formula would decide that the demand for 3AC tickets had reached its peak and would promptly increase the price of 3AC tickets to the maximum Rs 3,000 – three times the fare. The same formula would decide that the demand for 2AC tickets are still away from peaking and would set its price at Rs 2,000. So, there will be hundreds of passengers buying 3AC tickets for Rs 3,000 and hundreds of others buying 2AC tickets for Rs 2,000.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –> Absolute secrecy in fare formulaCloaked in absolute secrecy, the fare formula of Premium trains was set in a ‘take it or leave it’ manner on the IRCTC website. Even today, most railways officials are unaware of the nitty-gritty of how the formula for the day’s fare is calculated. Moreover, the railways never informed passengers the rates for different classes at the time of booking. In fact, one of the instructions in the railway commercial circular 33/2015 on Suvidha trains is that ‘information should be displayed to the passenger during booking, in case the fare of the lower class becomes higher than the higher class’. Abuse of monopolyBlatantly abusing its monopoly, the railways decided that there would be no refund, once the ticket was booked, whatever be the reason (except only if the service gets cancelled). No pantry car, yet pay catering chargesThe Premium train fare would include catering charges, despite the fact that several premium trains were overnight ones and some others did not even have pantry cars. The result was that when other trains were running fully packed, with long waiting lists, Premium trains were running at 30 per cent occupancy levels. This left 70 per cent seats to perish, though there were twice that many passengers on the waiting list for other trains. On silent modeIn private, officials admit that the premium fare concept and its lack of logic just showed how incompetent several senior commercial as well as Railway Board officials were when it came to trying to get the railways out of the financial mess it was in. Mails sent to railway minister Suresh Prabhu and messages sent to Kundan Sinha, member (traffic), railway board, did not elicit any response. The Suvidha schemeThe new Suvidha scheme, running since end-July and expected to peak during the forthcoming Diwali-Dussera-Christmas season, appears logical, at least on paper, though it is still early days. The fare system follows the ‘bucket’ format. It means that the entire ticketing is broken up into five parts – or buckets- with a proportionate increase for every bucket. The base fare is fixed at the tatkal fare of the top-most train on the same route. The first 20 per cent tickets will be sold at this price. The next 20 per cent will be 1.5 times the base fare. The third bucket of 20 per cent will be 2 times the base fare, the fourth 2.5 times, and the last 20 per cent 3 times the base fare. The Suvidha system provides for refunds, RAC tickets and non-compulsory catering charges.
Though only a fortnight is left for Ganeshotsav, confusion over allowing five days of holidays for the students during the festival persists.
Though only a fortnight is left for Ganeshotsav, confusion over allowing five days of holidays for the students during the festival persists in Maharashtra.According to reports, the department of state education has requested authorities in the state department to decide on the holidays.Speaking to a leading tabloid, B B Chavan, (in-charge) deputy director of school education said that they have received a request to declare five-day break for all school children during Ganesh festival. However, he added, “Schools will be reminded of the RTE rule that clearly states a set number of days that schools need to be functional every academic year.”<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>According to RTE, classes I to V should be working for 200 days and classes VI to VIII for 220 days. But many schools are flouting the norms, says report. In 2014, when MNS had demanded for holiday during Ganeshotsav, the education department played safe and asked schools to decide whether they wanted Christmas or Ganesh festival holidays.But, this year, the party wants Ganesh festival holidays to be made permanent. If the education department decides on compulsory leave during Ganesh festival, convent schools are most likely to oppose the move.
In keeping with diktats on public holidays, the government has issued an order for Independence Day saying it is mandatory for all government officials in Delhi to be present at the Red Fort when Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoists the National Flag and delivers his address on 15 August.
According to a report in the Hindu, the order which was issued on 20 July tells bureaucrats to caution employees “that a serious view would be taken of their absence on this occasion.” Low attendance is unacceptable since 15 August is of great national importance, the circular added. In other words, the PM wants a full house when he makes his address.
Ever since the Prime Minister came to power a year ago, key bureaucrats and some ministers have started putting in extra hours and sacrificing weekends in a bid to keep up with their “top boss”. Modi who claims to sleep for only four to five hours a day, doesn’t spare weekends either and keeps several political engagements on Sundays. But clearly a six-day week is not enough.
PTI image
The Modi government has issued multiple diktats to get babus to tow the line whether it is working on national holidays, punctuality, compulsory marking of attendance or learning yoga. And the babus were clearly unhappy. As Firstpost has reported earlier, “They were extremely upset that they even had to report to work on Gandhi Jayanti for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cherished Swacch Abhiyan, and also about the rigour some of them had to undergo for his other pet schemes like Jan Dhan Yojna and ensuring that his interaction with children went live on Teachers Day last year.”
Modi’s catch phrase “na sota hoon, na sone deta hoon” (I don’t sleep, nor do I allow others to) may have kept his Cabinet colleagues and subordinates on their toes but his insistence on the PMO being a part of all important policy decisions, as well as having the last word on appointments like even ministers’ personal staff, has made the bureaucracy rather frustrated.
Here’s other diktats that the government has issued so far:
Perform yoga asanas at designated locations on International Yoga Day
On 21 June, which was celebrated as International Day of Yoga, the government had made it compulsory for all officials to attend and even do yoga asanas at designated places.
No speaking to the media
In July, the government cracked down on free movement of journalists in the Union home ministry and issued a gag order on bureaucrats restraining them from sharing information with journalists.The Union home ministry passed an official order on the instructions of Union home secretary LC Goyal curtailing the movement, interaction and access of the media. The order was later softened after journlists protested.
Governors can’t leave states without telling President
In April, the Centre put restrictions on the travel of governors saying they have to stay in their respective states for at least 292 days in a year and can’t stay away from office unless approved by the President. The order came after it was noticed that some of the governors used to stay outside their respective states for a considerable amount of time.
Babus need government nod before accepting gifts of over Rs 5,000
The government issued a directive in April barring bureaucrats from accepting gifts worth over Rs 5000 without obtaining the government’s nod. This included transportation, boarding and lodging, worth more than Rs 5,000. According to the amended all-India services rules, they also need to inform the government if they accept gifts worth over Rs 25,000 from their relatives or friends.
Even foreign trips of officials are under scrutiny
The PMO has made it mandatory for officials going on foreign tours to submit an “outcome report” when they return. Foreign junkets are also being discouraged by the Prime Minister. Moreover, ministers were asked to cut back on expenditure.
Some of the orders under this included:
– Travel Economy Class Air
– Buy No New Cars
– No Meetings in Five Star Hotels.
-Ministers need PMO’s approval for office expenditure exceeding Rs. 1 Lakh
Biometric attendance and surprise inspections.
In 2014, the biometric attendance system was made compulsory and put online. Modi has ensured that the officials report to work at 9.30 am sharp and an analysis of the biometric attendance system now up and running shows that bureaucrats are spending nearly twenty minutes extra in office every day.
In the beginning, several Ministers made surprise inspections to see whether their staff had reported by 9.15 in the morning. Offices of some key ministers would be remain open till nine in the evening or even later.
Compulsory attendance on Gandhi Jayanti, Christmas, Shivratri
Central Government officials attended office on Gandhi Jayanti (2 October) as part of the Swachch Bharat Abhiyan, despite it being Durga Ashatami, in 2014. Christmas Day (25 December) became ‘Good Governance Day’, whereupon officials of the rank of Under Secretary and above had to attend office. Even Shivratri (17 February) was not a gazetted holiday, despite the Prime Minister being a great devotee of Lord Shiva.
PM’s insistence on using Hindi as the official language in correspondence
PM Modi asking officials to use Hindi on social media and in government letters reportedly did not go down well with the ministers and the bureaucracy also. The Home Ministry had in May 2015 ordered all bureaucrats to prioritise Hindi over English on official social media accounts. After a massive uproar, the government softened its stand and said the earlier order was applicable only to Hindi-speaking states.
Don’t appoint officers as personal staff who served in UPA govt
A month after coming to power, the government had asked all its ministers not to appoint officials who had served in key positions in the United Progressive Alliance government as their personal staff.
BMC administration, however, dismissed the allegation saying no water cut has been imposed and issues arose due to a snag in pumping station.
If monsoon fails Mumbai’s catchment areas this month, the Brihanmumbai municipal corporation (BMC) will be forced to take a decision on imposing water cuts in city in the first week of August. City, at present, has a stock of 84 days’ water in its tanks.The issue was discussed in the standing committee of the BMC on Wednesday, when corporators from all parties raised a hue and cry over short supply of water in several areas in city. They expressed doubts that BMC has already imposed an undeclared water cut of 10%, because of which only there is a shortage in water supply.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>BMC administration, however, dismissed the allegation saying no water cut has been imposed and issues arose due to a snag in pumping station.Additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee, in-charge of water department, said, “We have water for 84 days and as of now there is no plan to cut supply. If rains fail in the coming days, we will review the situation in first week of August.”Congress corporator and standing committee member Asif Zakaria said, “BMC has imposed 10% unofficial water cut in Bandra because of which water comes with less pressure. When I asked about it, the department told me it was some issue at the reservoir.””Areas like Appapada, Kranti Nagar in Malad are facing severe water crisis for last 15 days. My repeated queries with the officials have not elicited any satisfactory reply. Tired of water shortage, local citizens even took out a morcha to the ward office,” said another standing committee member Bhomsingh Rathore.Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Korgaonkar said, “Water theft and leakage have added to the crisis. If there is water cut then administration should have informed us. We have no answer to citizens’ questions.”Denying any water cut in city, Mukherjee said, “The low pressure in water supply was due to power failure in Pise Panjarpur pumping station.” ‘No extra water for Eid’Opposing Samajwadi Party’s demand to supply extra water in Muslim-dominated areas in the city, BJP’s Manoj Kotak warned the civic administration against such steps since this will create unequal distribution. “Why should some areas enjoy more water at the cost of others,” he asked.Shiv Sena leader and leader of the house Trushna Vishwasrao said the civic body is not against any religion but as an administration, BMC will have to ensure equitable water supply. “If extra water is released for Eid now, next festival is Ganeshotsav and then Navaratri, followed by Diwali and Christmas. BMC cannot go on releasing water based on such demands,” he said.
Senior Air Force officials are hopeful that the government will quickly wrap up the ongoing negotiations for 36 Rafale jets with France even as they await the Mark 2 version of indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.
Three squadrons of the aging MiG 21 and MiG 27 fighter jets are set to be phased out this year even as Indian Air Force focuses on cannibalization to keep the serviceability rate of its aircraft high.Top defence sources said that while three squadrons, 18 aircraft each, will be pulled out due to the end of their life cyle, an additional squadron of the Su-30 fighter aircraft is expected.The planes – MiG 21s and MiG 27s, were bought from Russia in the 60s and 70s.Senior Air Force officials are hopeful that the government will quickly wrap up the ongoing negotiations for 36 Rafale jets with France even as they await the Mark 2 version of indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.<!– Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>”As we phase out a particular squadron, we need to bring in at least another squadron to keep the current strength. To reach the sanctioned strength, we need to induct more,” the sources said.Air Force currently operates 35 squadron even though the sanctioned strength is 42. The sanctioned strength for a possible two way fight – Pakistan and China combined – is 45.While no one was willing to come on record about whether the force is content with the 36 Rafales instead of the earlier 126, a senior official said “At least in this government we are getting 36. The UPA was there for 10 years and nothing was decided”.The Air Force is hopeful that the government might go in for more Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft than the 36 Rafales that have been decided.Talking about serviceability (aircraft available for operation), the sources said the force was depending on ‘Christmas tree’ to keep it high.Christmas tree is a term used by the Air Force in which parts of one aircraft are used as spare parts to keep the other running, a practice also known as cannibalization.”But even the parts of each aircraft have their own life cycle and service requirements. It is not as simple as one would imagine,” the sources said.
How often have we compared someone’s lethargy or laid-back attitude to the typical lifestyle of a government employee aka babu? But that was before Modi sarkaar. Ever since PM Modi has taken charge, the country’s babus have been given a major image overhaul thanks to strict diktats by the PM. From keeping track of their punctuality with a bio-metric roll call system to a longer work hours, the acchey din for babus are a thing of the past.
Latest in the long list of instructions to the officials is the participation in the first ever International Day for Yoga to be held on 21 June.
The International Day of Yoga is PM Modi’s pet project, after getting the United Nations to sanction it in record time and he is going all out to make sure the maiden celebration will be memorable. Modi himself is expected to perform yoga along with his ministers such as Rajnath Singh at Rajpath in Delhi.
Now it seems that he will make sure the grand event has a sizable turnout. According to a report by The Indian Express, the health ministry has issued a circular asking all officers of the rank of under secretary and above to attend the function starting at 7 am on The International Day of Yoga. Maybe the proposed week-long yoga workshop for Central Government employees will finally be of help. But 21 June being a Sunday, this idea might not generate too much enthusiasm.
This isn’t the first time that the babus have been forced to give up a holiday to take part in a Centre-level event. Last year, the babus were made to work on Gandhi Jayanti to launch the Swachh Bharat campaign, cleaning their offices, including toilets. Needless to say, trading their files for a jhadoo didn’t go down very well with everybody.
After that was the re branding of Christmas vacation with Good Governance Day , effectively ending another confirmed holiday. This was part of Modi’s plan to link 25 December with good governance in honour of BJP leader and former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose birthday falls on the day.
But holidays are not the only things the babus have had to let go. Foreign trips, a huge lure of the job, have also reduced drastically, after it was made it mandatory for bureaucrats to submit an ‘outcome report’ after every foreign trip. And if they still go on any trip, even for a study tour, it has to be in economy class with a small delegation as a part of the government’s austerity drive.
To make matters worse, the daily work life of babus has also been affected due to the the 11-point list charted out to to make them work hard instead of hardly work. Work hours and days are not restrictions for delayed work. Files have to be cleared in days (not weeks like before) and being on leave is no excuse for as one is expected to be accessible on email. Modi himself is in direct touch with several bureaucrats, sharing his number with them as well. And when the PM has you on speed dial, there is no avoiding work. In addition, Modi’s emphasis on the use of Hindi for all official work has troubled many bureaucrats, especially those from south India. So much so that a senior official in the agriculture ministry was sent back to his parent cadre after he failed to take note in Hindi, says this Business Standard report.