B’deshi national who entered India illegally 10 yrs ago arrested in Rajasthan

Nagpur (Maharashtra), Dec 17 (IANS) Continuing to take potshots at the government, Maharashtra Congress President Nana F. Patole claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA is attempting to ‘murder’ the Indian democratic system through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), here on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media, Patole said that the EVMs used in the Lok Sabha elections were not utilised for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, for which EVMs were allegedly brought here from Gujarat.

“There is a gross misuse of EVMs. BJP members are sitting on the board of directors of the companies manufacturing EVMs. The EVMs deployed during the Lok Sabha polls were not used for the state Assembly polls and for this, the EVMs were sent from Gujarat,” contended Patole.

He again slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) for “failing to exercise its constitutional powers” and alleged that all its operations are conducted at the behest of the BJP, “thus revealing their (ECI’s) mindset” – though the government and ECI have rubbished all anti-EVM allegations.

Taking a swipe at the One Nation-One Election, Patole added that the BJP-RSS’ machinations to end the country’s democracy are evident by the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill brought before Parliament on Tuesday.

Earlier, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) legislators continued their strong protests for the second day against EVMs, the plight of farmers, the custodial death of a Parbhani Dalit man Somnath Vyankat Suryawanshi in judicial custody, and the killing of a Beed Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

The MVA legislators of Congress-Shiv Sena (UBT)-Nationalist Congress Party (SP) raised slogans and carried placards condemning the MahaYuti government, targeted the police for alleged atrocities in Parbhani and protecting the culprits in the Beed case, plus sought action against the officials concerned in both matters.

Amid the growing clamour from the Opposition, the Speaker said that the Parbhani matter would be taken up for discussion on Wednesday by the Assembly.

–IANS

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Kochi, Jan 24 (IANS) Highlighting major challenges to human health amid a series of issues, including climate change and anti-microbial resistance, Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organisation (WHO), on Friday said that most of the emerging viral threats are zoonotic infections transmitted from animals to humans.

She was speaking after the launch of various initiatives undertaken as part of a major research project on water quality assessment of Vembanad Lake and waterborne infectious diseases at ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).

Swaminathan, who is also the former Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), emphasised the critical role of integrated research, including data from weather, climate, health, and environmental sources, to predict and prevent future outbreaks.

Most of the health threats today originate from environmental factors, she said and hence suggested establishing an Environmental Health Regulatory Agency in India. Swaminathan further pointed to dietary risks as the number one health threat in the country.

“Half of Indians cannot afford a nutritionally sufficient healthy diet,” she added.

Kerala and Tamil Nadu are experiencing a concerning rise in obesity and non-communicable diseases, alongside persistent issues like malnutrition, anaemia, and micronutrient deficiencies, all stemming from unhealthy dietary habits, added the top scientist.

Emphasising the potential of marine resources as a healthy diet component to improve nutrition, she said: “We are yet to fully utilise these resources to address critical dietary issues.

She underscored the devastating impact of climate change, saying that India is one of the most vulnerable countries to this challenge.

“Almost the entire population of the country is being exposed to at least one of the climate hazards such as floods, droughts, cyclones, and extreme heat. Heat is most dangerous to both physical and mental health. The weakest section of the society bears the brunt of these hazards,” she said.

“During COVID-19, I believe nobody anticipated the development of vaccines within a year. It was a remarkable achievement facilitated by unprecedented collaboration and data sharing among research institutions and scientists. During my time at the WHO, I witnessed first-hand this extraordinary level of networking and data sharing. Scientists prioritised the rapid dissemination of findings over individual publication which paid off ultimately,” said Swaminathan.

Referring to the challenge of information flooding, she said that in the digital age, misinformation is fast spreading across social media platforms which can hinder scientific progress and public health efforts.

“This was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when everybody disguised as ‘experts’ and offered advice to the people,” she said.

–IANS

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Nashik, Feb 20 (IANS) The Nashik district court on Thursday sentenced Maharashtra Agriculture Minister and NCP leader Manikrao Kokate and his brother Sunil Kokate to two years in prison and also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each in a case of embezzling flats provided under the Chief Minister’s quota by using fake documents during 1995 and 1997.

However, two hours after its verdict, the Nashik District Court granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 15,000 to Agriculture Kokate.

The court has also granted him 30 days to appeal in the Sessions Court. Kokate has indicated that he would approach the Bombay High Court against Nashik District Court’s verdict. He was elected by the Ajit Pawar-led NCP from the Sinnar Assembly segment situated in Nashik district.

Earlier, the Nashik District Court in its verdict sentenced Kokate and his brother Sunil Kokate to two years in prison and also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each in a case of embezzling flats provided under the Chief Minister’s quota by using fake documents during 1995 and 1997. The petition was filed by former minister Tukaram Dighole and the hearing in this case was going on in the Nashik District Court for the past several years.

The petitioner had argued that a flat is provided to a person with a low income from the government from the Chief Minister’s quota at a reduced rate. For this, the person concerned has to submit an affidavit and necessary documents stating that he does not have a flat anywhere in his name.

However, Manikrao Kokate and his brother Sunil Kokate obtained two flats from the Chief Minister’s quota in the Nirman View Apartment in the Canada Corner area of Nashik City by allegedly submitting fake documents during 1995 and 1997. Not only this but the other two flats in this building, which were obtained by others, were also being used by the Kokate brothers.

The then Additional District Collector had investigated and registered a case at the Sarkarwada police station under IPC 420, 465, 471, 47 against Manikrao Kokate, his brother Sunil Kokate and two others total for defrauding the government by obtaining flats on the basis of fake documents.

The hearing of this case was completed on Thursday in the Nashik district court. The government prosecutor, Advocate Poonam Ghodke argued in the court on behalf of the government. Two other accused in the case have been acquitted by the court for want of evidence. The investigation revealed that the flats of the concerned people were also being used by the Kokate brothers.

The verdict had put Kokate’s legislatorship and ministerial post in jeopardy. He would have faced a disqualification as under the stipulated norms if the public representative is sentenced to two or more years he or and may lose the legislatorship and also the ministerial post.

The assembly Apeaker’s role is crucial in taking decision on Kokate’s disqualification based on the district court’s order. However, Kokate has received a sigh of relief after the district court granted him bail.

However, Congress has demanded Kokate’s resignation. The Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should immediately take Kokate’s resignation.

“Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, who called farmers beggars, has been sentenced to 2 years in prison by the court. The Chief Minister should take his resignation. There are so many industrious and bright people in the cabinet of the Grand Alliance government that the government is cutting a sorry figure every day. Allegations are being made, and sentences are being given by the courts. The Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers are themselves giving clean chits to the accused ministers while supporting them,” he said.

The state unit president Harshvardhan Sapkal also demanded that corrupt ministers like Manikrao Kokate be dismissed from the cabinet. He has also sought the dismissal of former agriculture minister Dhananjay Munde, who is currently the minister of food and civil supply, for allegedly committing corruption during his stint as the agriculture minister.

“The BJP-led coalition government has become a gang of corrupt ministers. It has been revealed that former Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde has crossed all limits while committing corruption in the name of farmers. Now the Nashik District Court has sentenced Manikrao Kokate to two years in prison for cheating by preparing fake documents. Both of them should be dismissed from the cabinet,” said Sapkal.

–IANS

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