Category: TOP STORIES

Patna, Dec 11 (IANS) JD-U MP Lovely Anand, on Wednesday, hit out at Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav for making controversial remarks about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, calling them “inappropriate and disrespectful to women”.

Anand argued that such statements demean not only the Chief Minister but also the dignity of women.

Anand’s remarks reflect the broader outrage sparked by Lalu Yadav’s statements, with her emphasising that the latter’s words are unbecoming of someone who has held the position of Chief Minister of Bihar.

The JD-U MP also asked Lalu Prasad Yadav to uphold the decorum that is expected from a senior political leader like him.

In addition, the JD-U women’s wing staged a protest march demanding an apology from Lalu Prasad Yadav.

They criticised the RJD supremo’s language and stressed that such behaviour is inappropriate for a seasoned politician when addressing an elected Chief Minister.

This incident highlights heightened political tensions in Bihar, with JD-U leaders rallying to defend Nitish Kumar’s honour and denounce what they see as a breach of political etiquette by Lalu Prasad Yadav.

On the defeat of the JD-U candidate in the Tirhut Graduate MLC by-election, Lovely Anand called for introspection and a collective review to identify the reasons behind the electoral defeat.

Despite this defeat, she emphasised the NDA’s strong performance, noting its victories in the by-elections for four Assembly seats in Bihar.

When asked about her husband and strongman leader Anand Mohan Singh’s remarks regarding Chirag Paswan, Lovely Anand clarified that those comments were made in a spirit of guidance and stressed that there is no discord within the NDA in Bihar.

Anand reaffirmed that the NDA alliance remains united and committed to its objectives, signaling confidence in its stability and collaborative approach.

These statements suggest that Lovely Anand is positioning the NDA as a unified and effective coalition, especially in contrast to perceived divisions within the opposition.

–IANS

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Guwahati, Dec 11 (IANS) Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced that there will be one university and one medical college in every district of Assam.

Addressing the media, Sarma argued that Assam has been developing at a very fast pace.

He said, “It is a tremendous accomplishment that at least 80 lakh people have been lifted out of poverty in recent years. The state administration has prioritised health and education. Many colleges were promoted to universities under the present administration.”

According to the Chief Minister, the government is currently building 23 medical colleges, and work on three more will start in a year.

“There were just three medical colleges for a very long time when Congress was in power. We are now building 23 medical colleges around the state, and we plan to start building three more in the districts of Darang, Hojai, and Hailakandi within the next year,” he said.

According to Sarma, there is at least one university in every district that can be found if one travels the entire length and breadth of Assam.

“We have established universities in Hojai, Nagon, Cachar, Bajali, and Lakhimpur — nearly every district in the state has a university under construction or we could finish establishing one,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that the government is trying to build a bridge across the Brahmaputra in each district.

He stated, “Together with universities and medical colleges, we are constructing bridges across the Brahmaputra River. No one could have predicted that Assam would develop so quickly. We will soon come under one of the developed states in the country.”

Meanwhile, the CM announced that various grants and assistance will be distributed under various government schemes in the next 12 days across the state. The series of programmes was kick-started on Wednesday by him.

Under the microfinance incentive and relief scheme, more than 78,000 borrowers will benefit through the state government’s relief package which will restore their creditworthiness and it will also provide them financial stability.

The CM said, “More than 3.23 lakh bicycles will be distributed in the next 12 days among the school students across the state along with distribution of 48,673 scooters for meritorious students under various schemes.”

Nearly 27,000 top performers in the Class 10 examination will be given cash awards, Sarma said.

Moreover, the state government will distribute Rs 353.67 crore to the 6.86 lakh disaster-affected families for the reconstruction of their houses, meeting their necessary requirements along with essential supplies.

Sarma stated, “6,490 Self Help Groups (SHG) are set to get a support of Rs 21.90 crore for setting up food processing units.”

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday briefed the parliamentary standing committee on the current state of India-Bangladesh ties after his visit to the neighbouring country on Monday, during which he had called on Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus, met with the country’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain and also held Foreign Office Consultations with his counterpart Jashim Uddin.

According to sources, Misri told the gathering of about 21-22 MPs, who attended the detailed briefing, that the interim government in Dhaka has assured action on perpetrators behind attacks on Hindus in the country.

The Foreign Secretary also emphasised that, during his meetings, the Yunus administration didn’t mention about review of any agreement.

MPs across party lines also enquired about Sheikh Hasina’s status in India, sources revealed after the briefing.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who heads the Standing Committee on External Affairs, later told reporters that “a lot of questions were asked” during the “excellent” briefing.

“We had an excellent briefing on Bangladesh and the Foreign Secretary, as you know, has returned only yesterday from Bangladesh. Fresh off the trip, he was able to give us a very thorough briefing. I am not at liberty to go into details but all the important questions that you can imagine were asked by the MPs. There was a good 21-22 MP turnout and a lot of questions were asked. The Foreign Secretary answered comprehensively and candidly. We will in any case be reporting to Parliament on the subject because it’s an official topic of the committee, which would require a report,” said Tharoor.

The briefing took place on a day when a Bangladesh court once again rejected the bail plea of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a Hindu priest and spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote also associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), who has been arrested and jailed by the local authorities on charges of sedition.

India has been reiterating that it hopes that the trial will be held in a “fair and transparent” manner as the arrested Hindus have legal rights that should be respected.

New Delhi has also urged the interim government’s authorities in Dhaka to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression while highlighting that the arrest of Das follows multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh.

“The interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities. We are concerned at the surge of extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggerations. We once again call upon Bangladesh to take all steps for the protection of minorities,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last month.

On Monday, during his visit to Dhaka, Misri had conveyed India’s concerns, especially those related to the safety and welfare of minorities, during his meetings with the Muhammad Yunus, Touhid Hossain and Jashim Uddin.

“We also discussed some regrettable incidents of attacks on cultural, religious, and diplomatic properties. We expect, overall, a constructive approach on all these issues by the Bangladesh authorities, and we look forward to moving the relationship forward in a positive, forward-looking, and constructive direction,” Misri told reporters in Dhaka on December 9 following his meeting with Hossain.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) Former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student and Kashmir-based activist Shehla Rashid, on Wednesday, shared how her views on the Indian Army underwent a significant transformation after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

Speaking to IANS, Rashid, known for her vocal opposition to the Indian government and its policies, reflected on how her perspective of the Army had evolved over time, particularly after the controversial revocation of Article 370, which had granted Jammu and Kashmir special autonomous status.

“Earlier, I used to be a strong opponent of the Army, but my views have changed,” Rashid said.

She further stated, “Before 2019, we would see the Army entering homes, interrogating people. This created a negative image of the Army among the local population, and I was among those who never questioned it. But after the abrogation of Article 370, we began to question, ‘Where is all this starting from?’ It became clear that much of the unrest in Kashmir was being fueled from across the border, with Pakistan sending terrorists into the region.”

Rashid emphasised that the lack of a critical understanding of the broader geopolitical situation had contributed to the initial negative sentiment towards the Indian Army in Kashmir.

“We never asked, nor were we allowed to ask, about the root causes of this tension,” she said, reflecting on the long-standing conflict and the role of external factors.

Drawing attention to the plight of local soldiers, Rashid acknowledged the risks and sacrifices made by the Indian Army in the volatile region.

“We have seen the death of many soldiers and even today, we witness brave young soldiers posted in difficult territories in J&K. The Army has had to enter homes and pick up people for interrogation, but this is not out of malice. It’s a result of the larger geopolitical dynamics and the need to secure our borders from terrorism,” she said.

She also pointed out that while the Indian Army is often associated with militarised actions, it is crucial to understand the context that leads to such measures.

Rashid, who has also written about her experiences and perceptions in her book, reiterated the importance of questioning the root causes of the Kashmir conflict, especially as it relates to Pakistan’s role in promoting anti-India sentiments through terrorism.

“Pakistan has been promoting hatred against India by orchestrating terrorist activities in J&K,” she added.

Shehla Rashid further reacted to the ongoing issue of atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh.

“This is not just an issue for the Opposition to address,” Rashid stated when asked about the silence of political leaders regarding the atrocities in Bangladesh.

“If you ask me specifically, I can’t speak for the entire Opposition parties. However, the Gandhi family should definitely speak up on this issue, as it is part of their legacy.”

She said it was former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who played a pivotal role in the liberation of Bangladesh, a moment that led to the martyrdom of many Indians and Bangladeshis.

“It is my expectation that the Gandhi family will take a stand on this matter,” Rashid said, adding that the legacy of the 1971 war and the creation of Bangladesh should not be forgotten when discussing the current plight of Hindus in the region.

–IANS

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Kollam, Dec 11 (IANS) The Kerala Police on Wednesday arrested two young men, both of whom are history sheeters, for robbing actor-turned-politician and Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi’s ancestral home located within the Eravipuram police station limits.

The arrested people identified as Shiminas and Arun, who are in the age group of 18-20, have previous cases of robberies registered against them, an official from the Kerala Police said on Wednesday.

The two criminals fell into the Kerala Police net after a relative of Minister of State Suresh Gopi arrived at the house to check on it and found the doors of the outhouse left wide open.

Upon checking, the relative found that someone had stolen certain old materials kept in the outhouse of the minister’s home.

The relative of the minister alerted the police who rushed to the crime spot.

After a thorough probe of the area, the cops were able to zero down on the two miscreants after they were spotted in the footage of the CCTV in the neighbouring house.

The ancestoral home of the minister is locked and the relatives of Suresh Gopi at times visit it to ensure its safety.

During the interrogation of the two young men, police found out that they had earlier also decamped with old materials kept at the outhouse as they realised that no one lived there and they found it an easy target.

However, it is not clear yet if they realised that they were robbing the house of Minister of State, Suresh Gopi.

Their arrests have been formally recorded, a police officer said and added that the two criminals will be produced before a local magistrate soon.

Suresh Gopi and his family reside in the state capital city of Thiruvananthapuram and come down to the house rarely now.

–IANS

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