Category: Current Affairs

NATIONAL NEWS 

Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Farmers block trains in Punjab, Haryana

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana squatted on rail tracks on Monday morning as part of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s (SKM) six-hour ‘rail roko’ protest demanding the dismissal and arrest of Union Minister Ajay Mishra in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The six-hour ‘rail roko’ protest affected 130 locations in the Northern Railway zone and hindered the running of 50 trains, said its chief public relation officer (CPRO). In the North Western Railway (NWR), rail traffic was affected in some sections in Rajasthan and Haryana with two trains cancelled, 13 partially cancelled, and one diverted due to the protest. Farmers have claimed that Ashish Mishra was in one of the vehicles at the time of violence, an allegation denied by him and Ajay Mishra who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time. Ashish Mishra was arrested in the case on October 9. Protests were held at many places, including Punjab’s Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Moga, Patiala and Ferozepur and Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat, Kurukshetra, Jind, Karnal and Hisar. Protesting farmers, including women, raised slogans against the BJP-led government and demanded the arrest of Ajay Mishra. Security was deployed at railway stations in the wake of the ‘rail roko’ protest. Farmers sat on rail tracks in several sections, including the Ferozepur-Fazilka section in Ferozepur city and the Ferozepur-Ludhiana section at Ajitwal in Moga, officials said. In a statement, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions spearheading the agitation against the Centre’s three agri laws, had said protests will be intensified until justice is secured in the Lakhimpur Kheri case. Meanwhile, the police have arrested one more of the key witnesses/accused, a BJP worker who had escaped from Ashish Mishra’s jeep moments after it mowed down farmers.

No jobs in Bihar, workers forced to face bullets: RJD

Opposition RJD has blamed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the death of the State’s migrant workers in Jammu and Kashmir. Leader of Opposition and party leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday said people were forced to migrate since there were no jobs in the State. Daily wage workers Raja Reshi Dev and Joginder Reshi Dev were killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district, while another migrant, Chunchun Reshi Dev, was grievously injured. A total of 11 civilians have died in targeted shooting in the Union Territory. Kumar has spoken to Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha and announced a compensation of ₹2lakh each to the families of the victims. Double engine government’s double whammy, won’t provide employment in Bihar and if you go out to earn a living you will be killed, Yadav tweeted. The cost of a Bihari’s life, he alleged, was pegged at mere ₹2 lakh. Nitish Kumar and his incompetent government are also equally guilty of the brutal murder of Biharis. If the NDA government had really done anything seriously on employment generation as per their claim of ‘good governance’ in the last 16 years, then crores of Biharis would not have been forced to migrate and die every year, he stated. The RJD has demanded that all the migrant workers from Bihar who are living under distress in J&K should be brought back. They should also be paid ₹ 10,000 a month to compensate them for loss of livelihood. RJD spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Manoj K Jha observed, The Chief Minister’s silence speaks volumes. What stops him from speaking out against the union government. Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) president Chirag Paswan too sought to corner Kumar on the issue. He remarked, My question to Nitish ji is that if there were ample job opportunities in Bihar, would the sons of Bihar be forced to face terrorists’ bullets in Kashmir? The Janata Dal (U) shot back, saying J&K was not under the jurisdiction of Kumar. Party secretary general K.C. Tyagi accused the RJD of politicising a sensitive issue to divert the attention from its own family feud. The Chief Minister has spoken to the Lt Governor. All the migrant workers from Bihar and U.P. have been directly connected to the local police stations. The Bihar government is doing all that it could do within its powers, he added.

Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, 4 others get life term in 19-year-old murder case

A special CBI court on Monday sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and four others to life imprisonment in the 19-year-old murder case of sect manager Ranjit Singh. The court in Panchkula had convicted Ram Rahim and four others — Krishan Lal, Jasbir Singh, Avtar Singh and Sabdil — in the murder case on October 8. The court has sentenced five to life imprisonment, said CBI special prosecutor H.P.S. Verma. Gurmeet Ram Rahim is currently lodged in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail.  Former Dera manager Ranjit Singh, who was also a follower of the sect, was shot dead on July 10, 2002 at Khanpur Kolian village in Haryana’s Kurukshetra. He was murdered for his suspected role in the circulation of an anonymous letter, which narrated how women were allegedly being sexually exploited by the sect head at the Dera headquarters. According to the CBI charge sheet, the Dera chief believed that Ranjit Singh was behind the circulation of the anonymous letter and hatched a conspiracy to kill him. In 2017, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for raping two disciples. He is currently lodged in Rohtak’s Sunaria jail.

Casteist remarks: Yuvraj Singh arrested, released on bail

Cricket Yuvraj Singh was on October 17 arrested by the Haryana Police and released on interim bail as per a High Court order in a case pertaining to offensive remarks against the Scheduled Castes on a social media platform. Confirming the arrest, Nitika Gahlaut, Hansi Superintendent of Police, said that the cricketer was arrested and released on bail as per a High Court order. A First Information Report was registered against Singh on February 14 at Hansi’s City Police Station for allegedly making offensive remarks against the Scheduled Castes on a social media platform during a live video chat with fellow cricket players. The case was registered under Section 3 of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, among others, on the complaint of Rajat Kansal, a Dalit rights activist. Kansal had then told The Hindu that Singh had made unsavoury comments against the Scheduled Castes talking about fellow cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal in June 2020. He said the video went viral on the social media platforms and crores of people across the world watched it. Singh had expressed regret for the comments after the controversy and apologised for unintentionally hurting public sentiments. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed that in case Singh was arrested on joining the probe, he should be released on interim bail on furnishing bail and surety bonds. Kansal, however, alleged that the cricketer was given VIP treatment by the police during interrogation. He said that he had made an appeal before the Supreme Court against the grant of interim bail to the cricketer by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

77% of consumers surveyed want to travel within the next year

The United Airlines said on Monday that its trans-Atlantic bookings for November had surpassed 2019 levels for the first time since the pandemic, following the US government announcement to allow fully vaccinated foreign visitors. This indicates not only a pent-up demand for travel, but the need for simplified travel rules in order to boost demand. A survey conducted by global travel technology company Amadeus among 9,074 consumers across France, Germany, India, Spain, Russia, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and the US showed that nearly 77% of travelers surveyed agreed that they were eager to travel and intended to do so in the next year. As many as 50% of the respondents said they will be traveling for business before the end of the year. Of these, 72% of Indian travelers said they wanted to travel in the next one year. The study also found that 35% of the respondents agreed that the current international restrictions and guidelines around where and how to travel were confusing and unclear, thereby making them less likely to book and travel, and another 27% said they will not be traveling because of these reasons. 37% of travelers in India and 40% of those in Singapore felt the same. But most are likely to travel domestically or to short-haul international destinations, rather than flying to a far-flung country. For example, Spanish (64%), British (56%) and German (62%) respondents said they expect to travel to Europe for leisure. Similarly, Singaporean travelers surveyed were the most likely to travel within Asia (excluding the Middle East) for leisure (55%) in the next year and US travelers surveyed were likely to travel within North America for leisure (53%). Technology and innovation seem to be key in building travel confidence and the recovery of the travel industry, found the survey. Only 3% of respondents said their decision to plan a holiday wouldn’t be influenced by technology. The top five technologies that would boost confidence to travel in the next 12 months included : mobile applications that provide on-trip notifications and alerts (44%), self-service check-in (41%), contactless mobile payments (41%), automated and flexible cancellation policies (40%), and mobile boarding (40%).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell dies of COVID-19 complications

Colin Powell, the first black United States’ Secretary of State and top military officer, died on Monday at the age of 84 from COVID-19 complications, his family said in a statement. He was fully vaccinated, Powell’s family said. As a four-star Army general, he was chairman of the military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H.W. Bush during the 1991 Gulf War in which U.S.-led forces expelled Iraqi troops from neighboring Kuwait. Powell, a moderate Republican and a pragmatist, later served as Secretary of State under President George W. Bush.

Kushinagar airport: Sri Lankan delegation of over 100 people to land first

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Kushinagar International airport, which has been built as part of efforts to connect Buddhist pilgrimage sites. An inaugural flight from Colombo carrying a Sri Lankan delegation of over 100 people, including Buddhist monks and five ministers, and holy Buddha relics will land in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate an international airport there on Wednesday. The airport has been built as part of efforts to connect Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Modi will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of 12 development projects worth over ₹180 crore in the poll-bound state. In a tweet, Modi said, Tomorrow (Wednesday) is a special day for our infrastructure and civil aviation sector. The Kushinagar International Airport will be inaugurated, with the inaugural flight landing from Colombo, whose passengers include a group of respected monks. This airport will benefit UP (Uttar Pradesh) and Bihar. Kushinagar is a sacred Buddhist site where Lord Buddha is believed to have delivered his last sermon and attained salvation or Mahaparinirvana. Modi will also participate in an event marking Abhidhamma Day at the Mahaparinirvana Temple there, pay his respects to the reclining statue of Lord Buddha and plant a Bodhi tree sapling. Abhidhamma Day symbolises the end of three-month rainy retreat—varshavaas or vassa—for the Buddhist monks. The monks stay at one place in vihara and monastery and pray during this period. The highlight of the event is the Exposition of Holy Buddha Relic being brought from Waskaduwa Sri Subuddhi Rajvihara Temple, Sri Lanka by the Mahanayaka of the temple. In 1898, Archaeologists from the Archaeological Survey of India excavated a large mound in the estate of British landowner, William Claxton Peppe in Piprahwa, Sidharthnagar district U.P (Uttar Pradesh). It is 160 km from Kushinagar, a culture ministry statement said.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Global Hunger Index | Only 3.9% children malnourished, says government

The value of a key indicator used in the Global Hunger Index is ‘inflated’ as there are only 3.9% anganwadi children found to be undernourished, the Government said on Sunday. The real time data of beneficiaries registered on the Anganwadi platform include 7.79 crore children aged between 6 months to 6 years as per real-time Poshan Tracker data [as on 16-10-2021]. Corresponding number of undernourished children reported on Poshan Tracker is 30.27 lakh which comes to only 3.9%, according to a reply from the Ministry of Women and Child Development to a report in The Hindu, Global Hunger Index not based on an opinion poll, published on October 17. It said, These beneficiaries are representative of the poorest strata of society and the low levels of undernourishment in them surely reflects that the Indian data is highly inflated due to wrong methodology. The GHI 2021 ranked India at 101 position out of 116 countries. The index is based on four indicators — under-nourishment, wasting, stunting and under-five mortality. Of these, India’s performance is shown to deteriorate only for undernourishment, which is what the Government has challenged. According to FAO’s data, which is used in the Index, the prevalence of undernourishment in India rose from 14% in 2017-2019 to 15.3% in 2018-2020 which the Government has called exaggerated.

Kerala landslide toll touches 18 amid heavy downpour

Torrential rain pummelled southern and central Kerala districts throughout Saturday, triggering landslips and floods which left many dead and wreaked havoc across Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Idukki districts. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who chaired a review meeting in the evening, described the situation as grave and promised all-out efforts to rescue people stranded in cut-off locations. Indications are that the weather situation will not worsen, Vijayan said. Higher education institutions which were slated to function from Monday will reopen only on Wednesday, in view of the rainfall situation, it was decided at the meeting chaired by the Chief Minister. The Sabarimala pilgrimage will be avoided till Tuesday, in view of the forecast that the rain will continue till then. The National Disaster Response Force has deployed 11 teams for search, rescue and relief operations in the state.

Singhu border murder: Three accused sent to police remand 

Three people allegedly involved in the lynching of a labourer at a farmers’ protest site near Singhu border were remanded to six days in police custody on Sunday as the Haryana Police set up two Special Investigation Teams to probe the incident. So far, four people have been arrested in connection with the gruesome killing. Narain Singh, a member of the Sikhs’ Nihang order, was arrested on Saturday from near Amritsar. Two more Nihangs, Govindpreet Singh and Bhagwant Singh from Fatehgarh Sahib, surrendered on the same day before the Sonipat Police in connection with the lynching. The three accused were produced before a court in Sonipat, which remanded them to six days in police custody. The police sought remand of the accused on the ground that they have to reconstruct the scene of the crime, recover weapons and clothes of the accused, besides interrogating them in detail about the entire incident. One SIT headed by IPS officer Mayank Gupta, who is the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Kharkhoda, Sonipat, will investigate the videos of the incident which were circulating on social media. The second SIT led by Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sonipat, Virender Singh will carry out the overall probe into the case. The victim’s family had earlier questioned the attackers’ claim that he committed sacrilege and demanded a high-level probe into the case. The mortal remains of the victim, Lakhbir Singh, were cremated at his native village in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district amid tight security in the presence of his family members on Saturday evening. Sarabjit Singh was the first to be arrested on Friday for the brutal killing of Lakhbir Singh. He was produced before a Sonipat court on Saturday and remanded in police custody for seven days. Hours later, Narain Singh was arrested by the Amritsar Rural police at Amarkot village in Amritsar district, police had said. He was brought to Sonipat by the Haryana Police early Sunday. Narain Singh while talking to the media before his arrest in Amritsar, was unrepentant and said that Lakhbir Singh had been punished for sacrilege. According to the Sonipat police earlier, Sarabjit Singh claimed that a few more people were involved in the killing. The case has sparked outrage and triggered calls for action to clear the protest sites on Delhi’s borders where farmers have been camping since last November to press for the scrapping of the Centre’s three agri laws. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha had, however, issued a statement on Friday distancing itself from the incident and said that it wanted to make it clear that both the parties to the incident, the Nihang group and the victim, have no relation with the Morcha.

Sonia’s firm stand seeks to formalise Rahul’s role

Sonia Gandhi’s assertion of being a full time, hands-on Congress president was, perhaps, aimed at achieving two immediate objectives. First, it was a clear message to the group of 23 (G-23) leaders — the group that is seeking internal reforms and a visible and effective leadership — that she is still the boss. Second, and more importantly, it was meant to convey her endorsement of some of the recent decisions taken by the party that had clear imprints of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Whether it was the elevation of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the Punjab Congress chief or unseating of Amarinder Singh as Punjab Chief Minister or the induction of former JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, several decisions, which are believed to be driven by the Gandhi siblings, have come under scrutiny. In our party, at the moment, there is no president. So, we don’t know who is taking these decisions — senior G-23 leader Kapil Sibal’s comments at a press conference had thrown an open challenge to the Gandhis. Gandhi’s sharp rebuttal at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on October 16 seems to have had the desired effect. Inside the CWC, G-23 leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma reiterated their faith in her leadership and were satisfied with the concession of holding the organisational elections (a key G-23 demand); at a press conference outside, general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal took on journalists who had asked in what capacity Gandhi was trying to resolve the leadership crises in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Punjab. We will take decisions as per our party interests. The entire Congress, its rank and file, support Shri Rahul Gandhi for his commitment and dedication to fight on principles. I want to tell you one more thing. Every single decision of the party is taken by honourable Congress president, Smt. Sonia Gandhi. She is competent, capable and nobody can question her leadership, he told reporters on Saturday. Gandhi’s statement at the CWC sought to formalise the informal arrangement: Gandhi would be central to decision-making whether or not he enjoys any formal position. In fact, on Saturday evening, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who had been delaying if not avoiding an expansion of his Cabinet to accommodate supporters of arch rival Sachin Pilot, called on Mr. Gandhi to discuss the issue.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Liz Truss, Nick Carter to visit India; Afghanistan and Indo-Pacific top agenda 

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and outgoing Chief of Defence Staff General Nick Carter will visit India this week even as the Indo-U.K. naval exercises involving the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) in the Bay of Bengal gets under way from October 21-27, and ahead of a pending visit by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, sources said here. While the strategic purpose of the visits is to discuss the U.K.’s Indo-Pacific strategy and the newly announced Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) alliance, both sides are also expected to focus on the situation in Afghanistan, amidst the perception in Delhi that the British government had played a major role in talks with the Taliban that led to them taking control of the country. The visits, beginning October 22, are also being scheduled ahead of the upcoming Climate Change COP26 summit opening in Glasgow on October 31-November 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is likely to visit Italy for the G-20 summit on October 30-31, is yet to decide on his plans for COP26, said officials. Gen. Carter is expected to meet CDS Gen. Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs. He is also likely to call on NSA Ajit Doval, who as The Hindu had earlier reported, is planning to host a regional conference on Afghanistan in November, and invitations have gone out to several countries, including China and Pakistan for it. New Delhi has been seeking space on events in Afghanistan, given the Taliban control and close links to Pakistan, and discussions with the British military leadership will focus on countering the regional terror threat and terrorism emanating from Afghanistan. Gen. Carter raised eyebrows in Delhi for comments he made in an interview on August 18, just days after the Taliban takeover of Kabul, where he called the militant group country boys. He claimed that the Taliban would recognise the need for an inclusive government, and would allow women to work, particularly in the fields of education, health and government. He later said not just he but everybody had got it wrong on Afghanistan. The comments — and his frequent meetings in Kabul, Islamabad and Doha in the last few months — had been noted by South Block, and Doval and Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla are understood to have raised them with the U.K. officials. In addition to the role in the AUKUS alliance that will enable a fleet of nuclear propelled submarines for the Australian navy, a strategy paper for the Indo-Pacific will also be discussed in Gen. Carter’s meetings with officials, and a roundtable with strategic thinkers.

 

China tested ‘nuclear capable hypersonic missile’, says report

China has denied reports that it tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile earlier this year, insisting instead that it was a routine spacecraft check. The initial report in the Financial Times newspaper prompted concern in Washington, where US intelligence was reportedly caught by surprise. Hypersonic missiles can fly in the upper atmosphere at more than five times the speed of sound. Concern has been growing around China’s nuclear capabilities. On Monday, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing that a routine test had been carried out in July to verify different types of reusable spacecraft technology This was not a missile, this was a spacecraft, he said. This is of great significance for reducing the cost of spacecraft use. Mr. Zhao added that many countries had carried out similar tests in the past. When asked if the Financial Times report was inaccurate, he replied yes. The report on Saturday quoted five unnamed sources who said a hypersonic missile had been launched in the summer. It flew through low-orbit space before cruising down and narrowly missing its target, the report said. The test showed that China had made astounding progress on hypersonic weapons and was far more advanced than US officials realised, the report read. On Monday, US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said the US was very concerned, adding that Washington had held back from pursuing military applications for this technology. However, he said both China and Russia had been very actively pursuing military uses, which meant the US having to respond in kind. We just don’t know how we can defend against that technology, neither does China, neither does Russia, he told reporters in Geneva. Earlier, Mike Gallagher, a Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, had warned that if Washington stuck to its current approach it would lose a new Cold War with China within a decade. Relations between the US and China are tense, with Beijing accusing President Joe Biden’s administration of being hostile. A number of Western countries have also expressed concern at China’s recent displays of military might.

NATIONAL NEWS 

I am a full-time president of the INC: Sonia Gandhi

In a clear message to the Group of 23 letter writers who had sought internal reforms in the Congress, party president, Sonia Gandhi, on Saturday, reminded that she was a full-time, hands-on president and there was no need for colleagues to speak to her through the media. Revival of the organisation required unity, discipline, self- control and keeping party’s interest paramount, she stated. Her comments are being seen as a direct rebuttal of senior leader Kapil Sibal’s remarks that in our party, at the moment, there is no president. Senior G-23 members such as Shashi Tharoor had talked about the need for a permanent president to revive the party. Though it is yet to be officially announced, the party is learnt to have discussed and fixed an election schedule of September 2022 to elect new office-bearers, including a new party chief. I am, if you will allow me to say so, a full-time and hands on Congress president,  Gandhi observed. In the past two years, a large number of young colleagues have taken leadership roles in taking party policies and programmes to the people, she asserted. I have always appreciated frankness. There is no need to speak to me through the media. So let us all have a free and honest discussion. But what should get communicated outside the four walls of this room is the collective decision of the CWC, she noted. Talking about the party’s revival, a key theme raised by the G-23, she said, The entire organisation wants a revival of the Congress. But this requires unity and keeping the Party’s interests paramount. Above all, it requires self-control and discipline. Gandhi said that the party had always stated on its position on a numerous issues from  the farmers’ agitation, relief provision during the pandemic, issues concerning youth and women, atrocities on Dalits, Adivasis and minorities, price rise, and the destruction of the public sector—the party had never shied away from raising issues of public importance. Never have we let issues of public importance and concern go unaddressed. You are aware that I have been taking them up with the Prime Minister as have Dr. Manmohan Singh and Rahul ji. I have been interacting with like-minded political parties regularly. We have issued joint statements on national issues and coordinated our strategy in Parliament as well, she remarked. In her opening remarks, Gandhi also spoke about the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, the farmers’ agitation, inflation, foreign policy and the continuing border stand-off with China, targeted killing in Jammu and Kashmir and the disinvestment process.

Rains in Kerala force Met to issue red alerts

As torrential rains continue to lash Kerala under the influence of a low pressure area over the southeast Arabian Sea, the India Meteorological Department extended the red alert to six districts, namely, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur and Palakkad, as per the latest weather update. Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad are on orange alert for isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall. Northern districts Kannur and Kasaragod are on yellow alert today for isolated heavy rainfall. The Lakshadweep islands also are on yellow alert. Thodupuzha town the administrative capital of Idukki district has gone under water flowing incessant rains. Several districts of Kerala are on yellow alert on Sunday following freak rains. Around 30 houses were damaged in Kollam due to heavy rains and strong winds that lashed across the district during the last 24 hours. Though relief camps have been arranged in all taluks and opened in some; affected people are yet to move in. The district was by and large spared of extreme or heavy rainfall till the evening with light to moderate rain being the norm through the day. A bout of heavy rainfall in Kothamabgalam taluk that lasted all of 15 minutes in the morning was the only such instance to be reported at the emergency operations centre (EOC) being set up at the district collectorate. Neither any casualty nor large scale damage to properties was reported from the district except for partial damage to two houses at Muvattupuzha and North Paravur taluks. However, the real picture about the extent of damage, if any, is likely to emerge later as the authorities giving all their attention to relief and rescue measures as of now.

Rahul Dravid to coach Indian Team

Cricketer Rahul Dravid has agreed to become the coach of the Indian cricket team after  BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah held a meeting and persuaded him to the become the coach of the Indian team. Ending months of speculation on who will coach the Indian team, Dravid’s appointment puts a lid on the speculation. The tenure of the current ccoach Ravi Shastri, comes to an end after the T20 World Cup. While it was widely reported that Dravid remains the frontrunner for the post of interim coach for the upcoming home series with New Zealand, Dravid has confirmed he will be the next head coach of the Indian team. He will be stepping down as head coach of NCA soon, said a top BCCI officialIf media reports are to be believed, there remains the matter of inviting formal applications and Dravid applying for the post. It is also learnt that Dravid will draw a salary of Rs 10 crore and will be given a two-year contract. While Vikram Rathour is likely to continue as the batting coach, former Mumbai pacer Paras Mhambrey will take over from Bharat Arun as the bowling coach.  Mhambrey has been Dravid’s deputy at the NCA and has worked extensively with India A and Under-19 bowlers. A decision is awaited on the fielding coach for the Indian team. The BCCI had always indicated its preference for an experienced player to mentor and several seasoned players, including the Australians, had shown interest in taking up the job. The BCCI had earlier also indicated its preference for Anil Kumble, who was forced to quit over differences with skipper Virat Kohli, to take over the role but the cricketer had recused himself. Kumble is currently the head coach of the IPL franchise Punjab Kings. It may be recalled that iconic former captain Dhoni was last month was brought in as mentor of India’s 15-member T20 World Cup squad by the BCCI, a move that everyone by surprise.

Two people shot at in Kashmir

A gol-gappa hawker from Bihar was shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar today; a carpenter from Uttar Pradesh was also shot at by terrorists, leaving him critically injured, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The attacks are the eighth in the spate of killings that have shaken the Valley. Terrorists fired at two non-local labourers in Srinagar and Pulwama. Arbind Kumar Sah from Banka in Bihar died in Srinagar and Sagir Ahmad from Uttar Pradesh is critically injured in Pulwama. Areas have been sealed and searches are on, the police said in a tweet. The terrorists shot the gol-gappa hawker at point-blank range, sources said. A spate of targeted civilian killings in Kashmir has led to the exodus of several Kashmiri Pandits living in transit camps. Dozens of families – many government employees who returned to the valley after being given jobs under the Prime Minister’s special employment scheme for Kashmiri migrants – have quietly left their accommodations. Strongly condemn the killing of street vendor Arbind Kumar in a terror attack in Srinagar today. This is yet another case of a civilian being targeted like this. All Arbind Kumar did was come to Srinagar in search of earning opportunities and it’s reprehensible that he was murdered, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone tweeted, This is pure terror. Yet again a non-local vendor shot and killed in Idgah. What a shame. How cowardly can it get. The police had launched a massive crackdown and detained some 900 people across Jammu and Kashmir for their suspected links with separatists. The targeted killings have sparked massive outrage and the police are under pressure to prevent these attacks.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

China’s media hail Bhutan deal as ‘breakthrough’ in border talks

Bhutan and China signed the settlement at a videoconference on Thursday. China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao stated the MoU will make a meaningful contribution to speeding up the negotiation on demarcation and promoting the process of establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated in an announcement. The assertion additionally quoted Bhutan Foreign Minister as saying Bhutan will work with China to implement the MoU, unswervingly push forward the negotiation on demarcation, and be committed to strengthening bilateral relations. While Bhutan’s Foreign Ministry issued a quick press launch on the settlement, neither facet has launched particulars on the roadmap. The Chinese state media did, nonetheless, hail the MoU as the primary breakthrough within the border talks, which started in 1984, with 20 rounds held. Wang Shida, a South Asia scholar on the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, a think-tank affiliated to the Ministry of State Security, instructed the party-run Global Times the MoU is a milestone and would help break the deadlock. The boundary issue between China and Bhutan is special because it not only relates to Bhutan but also has become a negative factor for China-India ties, he stated. If China and Bhutan make progress in solving boundary disputes, India will have fewer chances and excuses to make trouble on border areas.

Sri Lanka eyeing green agriculture

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed a task force on ‘green agriculture’, his office said on Saturday, while Sri Lanka’s farmers continue protesting his government’s abrupt ‘organic fertilizer only’ policy shift since May this year. The ‘Presidential Task Force’ will be responsible for looking into the requirement of fertilizers and improving the quality of organic fertilizer produced in the country, a statement from the Presidential Media Division said, listing the panel’s 14 members, a majority of whom are private sector representatives. No farmers’ organisation was part of it. The move comes about five months after the government banned all chemical fertilizers, shifting immediately to organic fertilizers. Agriculture experts have slammed the move as ill-advised and unscientific, while farmers anticipate that the drastic policy change could slash their yield. Paddy farmers anticipate a 25% production slump, while growers of tea, which is a key foreign exchange earner for Sri Lanka, fear a likely 40 – 60% fall in output. The ruling administration sought to justify the decision by citing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s poll pledge in 2019, and an urgent need to bring down the country’s import bill as the economy reels under the impact of the pandemic. Until now, Sri Lanka spent an estimated $300-$400 million annually on fertilizer imports. If the government’s policy shift took the country by shock, the newly appointed panel has drawn attention for its composition. It is striking that even now the task force has no scientists who study and research agriculture, said Saman Dharmakeerthi, Professor of Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya. The danger with the heavy private sector presence is that they might promote anything they produce and insist that farmers use them, he added.

 

NATIONAL NEWS 

Mutilated body of man found near farmer protest site at Singhu border

An unidentified man was on Friday found dead with his wrist severed and body tied to a police barricade near the farmers’ protest site at the Singhu border in Haryana’s Sonipat. The police said a First Information Report was lodged against unidentified men in this connection. Hansraj, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Detective Dept., Sonipat, told reporters that a police officer found the body tied to the barricade around 5 a.m. He said the hands and the legs of the body were chopped off and there were no clothes on it except for an underwear. The spot at Singhu border where a mutilated body of a man was found. The people at the spot were questioned regarding the incident but no concrete information could be gathered. The deceased is unidentified. An FIR has been registered against unknown people, added Hansraj. However, a video that has surfaced shows a group of Nihangs standing over the man as he lies on the ground in deep shock and pain with his wrist cut and bleeding profusely, raising suspicion that the murder could be related to an incident of blasphemy. The Nihangs, surrounding him, could be heard asking his name and native village, but none comes forward to help him. We are looking into this video and many other videos doing the rounds on social media, apparently related to the incident. It is a matter of investigation, said Hansraj. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has condemned the murder and mutilation of the man.  In a statement issued after an emergency meeting of farm union leaders, the SKM said that a Nihang group at the scene has claimed responsibility, saying that the incident took place because of the deceased’s attempt to commit sacrilege with regard to the Sarbaloh Granth. The SKM added that it has been reported that this deceased was staying with the same group of Nihangs for some time. The SKM identified the dead man as Lakhbir Singh, son of Darshan Singh, hailing from Cheema Kala village in Tarn Taran district, part of the Police Station Sarai Amanat Khan. Samyukt Kisan Morcha condemns this gruesome killing and wants to make it clear that both the parties to this incident, the Nihang group and the deceased person, have no relation with Samyukt Kisan Morcha, said the statement. The SKM added that while it is against sacrilege of any religious text or symbol, that does not give anyone the right to take the law into their own hands. The group of farm unions demanded that the culprits be punished according to law after investigating the allegation of murder and conspiracy behind sacrilege. SKM leaders said they would cooperate with the police and administration in any lawful action.

SAD, AAP hit out at Centre for decision to enhance BSF’s powers, call it an attack on federalism 

The Ministry of Home Affairs’ decision to enhance the powers of the Border Security Force (BSF) to arrest, search and seize within 50 km from the international boundary in Punjab has created a furore among political parties in the State. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) accused the Centre of impugning the rights of Punjab and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) termed it a direct attack on the federal structure of the country. SAD leaders and workers on Thursday staged a protest near the Governor House against the decision. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged that the BJP and the Congress have both colluded to hatch the anti-Punjab conspiracy. Badal said this was the second time that the Centre had impinged on the rights of the State in quick succession. The Centre has discriminated against the farmers of the State by bringing in the three farm laws. Now it is effectively taking control over law and order over half of the State by extending the jurisdiction of the BSF, he observed. He termed the move an attack on the federal structure of the State. The SAD will fight to right this wrong as we stand for a genuine federal structure. He charged Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi with selling off the interests of the State and the government of not mounting an effective opposition to the new measure, which was condemnable. Leader of the Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema of the AAP stressed that Channi should convene an all-party meeting on the BSF issue and call for a delegation to meet the representatives of the Central government. He demanded a special session of the Assembly to condemn and pass a resolution seeking a rollback of the decision. An unannounced emergency-like situation had been created by the BJP government. Earlier also, the Union government had enacted agriculture laws without the consent of the states on the issue of agriculture under their jurisdiction, thus robbing them of their rights, Cheema added in a statement.

Family objects to Manmohan Singh being photographed inside AIIMS during Mandaviya’s visit 

The family of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is upset about him being photographed when Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya called on him at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). In a statement on Friday, Dr. Singh’s daughter, Daman Singh, said her mother had objected to the presence of a photographer during the Minister’s visit to the former prime minister’s room but her objections were ignored. My father is being treated for Dengue at AIIMS. His condition is stable but his immunity is low. We have restricted visitors due to the risk of infection. It was nice of the Health Minister to visit and express his concern. However, my parents were in no state to be photographed at the time, she stated. My mother insisted that the photographer should leave the room, but she was completely ignored. She was very upset. My parents are trying to cope in a difficult situation, she added. After calling on Dr. Singh on Thursday, the Minister reportedly posted a few photos of his visit to the former Prime Minister’s hospital cabin in his Twitter handle. However, following a social media backlash, Mandaviya removed the photographs from his handle. But there has been no official statement on the issue, neither from the AIIMS nor the Health Ministry. Following fever and complaints of severe weakness, Dr. Singh, 89, was admitted to the AIIMS on Wednesday. His condition was said to be stable.

Senior Maoist leader RK dead 

The CPI (Maoist) received a major setback as one of their senior most leader and central committee member Akkiraju Hargopal alias Ramakrishna alias RK passed away in the forests of South Bastar on October 14. Confirming the death of one of its members Akkiraju Hara Gopal aka Ramakrishna (RK), CPI (Maoist)’s Central Committee announced on Friday that he died around 6 a.m. on October 14. In this October 20, 2004 photo, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) State secretary, Ramakrishna, (RK) is surrounded by PLGA men before he leaves Manjeera Guest house for historical peace talks with the andhra Pradesh government. The outlawed party’s Central Committee said RK died due to kidney failure and other ailments. He suddenly developed kidney-related complications. Immediately medical treatment was started with dialysis when his kidneys failed, triggering other health complications, a statement in the name of Central Committee’s spokesperson Abhay said. Despite extending ‘good medical treatment’, he could not be saved, it said. Tributes were paid to him by conducting his final rites in the presence of revolutionary cadre, it said, describing his death as an irreparable loss to the party. RK, who joined the Maoist movement in the late 1970s in Kondapalli Seetha Ramaiah’s outfit PWG (People’s War Group), was the chief advisor of the organisation’s Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC). He also had led the peace talks during the time of then Andhra pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy in September 2004. The Maoist leader was from Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. He played a pivotal role in strengthening the base of the CPI (Maoist) in Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) in various positions during his long underground life spanning three to four decades. His son Prithviraj alias Munna was killed in a major exchange of fire with the police at Ramaguda in the AOB area in 2016.

Delhi Police register case after AIIMS doctor alleges she was raped by her senior colleague 

The Delhi Police have lodged a case after a doctor working at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi alleged that she was raped by one of her senior colleagues during a birthday party inside the campus, officials said on Friday. The accused is at large and efforts are on to nab him, they said. The incident took place on September 26 during a birthday party of one of their colleagues, they added. The police received information about the incident on October 11 at the Hauz Khas police station, officials said, adding that the Medico Legal Case (MLC) was also done. According to the police, when their team reached the hospital and met the victim, she told them that on September 26, one of her senior colleagues allegedly raped her after she went to his room for the birthday celebration. Based on her statement, a case was registered under sections 376 (Punishment for rape) and 377 (Unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code at the Hauz Khas police station, said Benita Mary Jaiker, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South). During investigation, the statement of the victim was recorded before a magistrate under section 164 CrPC, and raids are being conducted at some hideouts of the accused. Technical surveillance has also been mounted but the accused is still at large, she said.

One killed, 16 injured after vehicle runs into religious procession in Chhattisgarh 

One person was killed and 16 others were injured when an SUV ran into a religious procession at Pathalgaon in Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh on Friday afternoon, police said. The incident took place when residents of Bazarpara locality had taken out a procession for the immersion of Goddess Durga idols, an official said. The deceased man was identified as Gaurav Agrawal (21). Two occupants of the vehicle, Bablu Vishwakarma (21) and Shishupal Sahu (26), natives of Singrauli in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, were later arrested from the outskirts of the town while the vehicle itself was found burning, he said. Locals claimed that the two were smuggling ganja and set the SUV on fire themselves to destroy evidence as they were being chased. Tension prevailed in the town and a large number of people gathered outside the Pathalgaon police station. Terming the incident as sad and heart-wrenching, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said the accused were immediately arrested and action has also been taken against some police officers who were prima facie found at fault.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

More than 30 killed in deadly suicide attack on Shia mosque in Kandahar 

A suicide bomber attacked a Shia mosque in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar during Friday prayers, Taliban officials said, killing more than 30 people and injuring 74 others. The assault came just a week after a suicide attack on Shia worshippers at a mosque in the northern city of Kunduz, which was claimed by the Islamic State group. There has not yet been any claim of responsibility for the assault in Kandahar, the spiritual heartland of the Taliban. Our initial information shows it was a suicide bomber who blew himself up inside the mosque. We have launched an investigation to find out more, a local Taliban official said. Last Friday, an Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) suicide bomber targeted a Shiia mosque in Kunduz, killing scores of people. The group, a bitter rival of fellow Sunni Islamist movement the Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attacks against Shia worshippers, whom it regards as heretics. Bangladesh PM says culprits behind attacks on Hindu temples won’t be spared  Some Hindu temples in Bangladesh were vandalised by unidentified miscreants during Durga Puja celebrations, prompting the government to deploy paramilitary force in 22 districts after four people were killed and many others injured in riots, media reports said on Thursday, October 14, 2021. According to media reports, three people were killed during clashes between Muslim bigots and the police at Hajiganj sub-district in Chandpur, bordering Cumilla on Wednesday while the fourth one succumbed to his wounds later. Authorities enforced a ban on rallies in Haziganj where officials confirmed the deaths of four people in gunshots, adding that two others were critically injured in the clashes. The police said that a couple of their officials were injured as the mob attacked them and vandalised their and local administrators’ cars. They, however, did not explain if the casualties were caused due to the police actions but media reports said that the police opened fire on a mob of over 500 people. According to the officials, the police were alerted about an alleged blasphemy incident at a Durga Puja pavilion in Cumilla, about 100 kms from here, after which a probe was launched. However, violence erupted as bigots attacked temples in parts of Cumilla, neighbouring Haziganj, northwestern coastal sub districts of Hatia and Banskhali while social media was used largely to instigate the communal tensions. Hindu religious leaders called the violence as part of a plot to upset the Durga Puja celebrations and demanded action against the bigots and protection of Hindu temples and establishments. The police said that they have so far detained 43 people in connection with the violence. People who posted the first video on the Cumilla puja venue on social media were also under custody. Ruling Awami League general secretary and road transport minister Obaidul Qader said that fanatic elements staged attacks on Hindu temples at 10 to 12 places with a political motive. But our government led by (Prime Minister) Sheikh Hasina will not let them proceed with their evil design, he told reporters visiting a Puja pavilion at the Ramkrishna Mission here. The religious affairs ministry issued an emergency notice, urging members of the public not to take the law into their hands as it reiterated calls to maintain communal harmony and peace, it said. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised that the culprits would be brought to book. The incidents in Cumilla are being thoroughly investigated. Nobody will be spared. It doesn’t matter which religion they belong to. They will be hunted down and punished, she said, according to PTI. Hindus make up some 10% of Muslim-majority Bangladesh’s 169 million population. In the past several years, there have been reports of sporadic violence, mostly sparked by rumours spread on social media.

Bhutan, China sign MoU for 3-step process to expedite boundary talks. 

During a meeting held via video on Thursday, China and Bhutan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a Three-Step Roadmap to help speed up boundary talks that have been delayed. The MoU is of historic significance and is the result of years of joint efforts and sincere cooperation between the two sides. The Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Wu Jianghao, and the Foreign Minister of Bhutan, Lyonpo Tandi Dorji, signed the MoU on the Three-Step Roadmap for Expediting the Bhutan-China Boundary Negotiations at the virtual signing ceremony. Wu said China and Bhutan are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers. The traditional friendship between the two peoples goes back to ancient times. It is expected that the MoU will make a meaningful contribution to speed up the negotiation on demarcation and promote the process of establishing diplomatic ties between the two countries, Xinhua News Agency reported.  China will follow Xi Jinping Thought on diplomacy, follow the neighborhood diplomacy featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and be a good neighbor, friend and partner of Bhutan on the principles of equality and peaceful coexistence, Wu said. Foreign Minister of Bhutan, Lyonpo Tandi Dorji said that Bhutan will work with China to implement the MoU, unswervingly push forward the negotiation on demarcation and be committed to strengthening bilateral relations, Xinhua reported. 

NATIONAL NEWS

Global Hunger Index ranks India at 101 out of 116 countries, indicates hunger is a serious problem in India

The Global Hunger Index launched on Thursday ranked India at the 101st position out of a total of 116 countries. India is also among the 31 countries where hunger has been identified as serious. India ranked 94 among 107 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) released last year. Only 15 countries fare worse than India. These include Papua New Guinea (102), Afghanistan (103), Nigeria (103), Congo (105), Mozambique (106), Sierra Leone (106), Timor-Leste (108), Haiti (109), Liberia (110), Madagascar (111), Democratic Republic of Congo (112), Chad (113), Central African Republic (114), Yemen (115) and Somalia (116). India was also behind most of the neighbouring countries. Pakistan was ranked 92, Nepal at 76 and Bangladesh also at 76. Current projections based on the Global Hunger Index (GHI) show that the world as a whole — and 47 countries in particular — will fail to achieve even low hunger by 2030. The Index tracks key indicators used to measure progress toward Zero Hunger by 2030 at national, regional, and global levels. Based on the values of the four indicators —  undernourishment, child wasting, child stunting and child mortality — the GHI determines hunger on a 100-point scale, where 0 is the best possible score (no hunger) and 100 is the worst. Each country’s GHI score is classified by severity, from low to extremely alarming. Somalia has the highest level of hunger according to the 2021 GHI ranking — its GHI score of 50.8 is considered extremely alarming. It is preceded by five countries with levels of hunger that are alarming — Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, and Yemen — and 31 countries that have serious levels of hunger. Although GHI scores show that global hunger has been on the decline since 2000, progress is slowing. While the GHI score for the world fell 4.7 points, from 25.1 to 20.4, between 2006 and 2012, it has fallen just 2.5 points since 2012. After decades of decline, the global prevalence of undernourishment — one of the four indicators used to calculate GHI scores — is increasing. This shift may be a harbinger of reversals in other measures of hunger, says the report.

Lakhimpur Kheri violence: SIT takes Union Minister’s son, 3 others to recreate sequence of events 

The SIT probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on Thursday took Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son and three others arrested in the case to recreate the sequence of events leading to the incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Tikonia village. Amid tight security, the four accused were taken to the site of the incident on the Tikonia-Banbirpur road, around 60 km from District Headquarters, Lakhimpur city, the police said. Eight people died in the October 3 violence and of them, four were farmers, allegedly knocked down by a vehicle carrying BJP workers. The other dead included two BJP workers and their driver. In the incident, a journalist was also killed. Farmers claimed that Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra was in one of the vehicles, an allegation denied by him and his father who say they can produce evidence to prove he was at an event at that time. Ashish Mishra ‘Monu’ was arrested in the case on October 9 after 12 hours of questioning, and a court has accepted his police custody from October 12 to October 15. The other three, Shekhar Bharti was arrested on October 12, and Ankit Das and Latif alias Kale were arrested on October 13. Das, Latif and Bharti are in police custody from October 14 to October 17. On Thursday, investigators reached the District Jail premises in the morning to take Das, Latif and Bharti into police custody. The trio were taken to the crime branch’s office at the Reserve Police Lines, which is near the district jail where main accused Ashish Mishra is lodged. They were taken to Tikonia village by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) amid heavy security for further investigations, the police said.

Tamil Nadu allows play schools, kindergarten to reopen from November 1 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday announced that play schools, kindergarten classes and anganwadis would be allowed to reopen from November 1 across the State. He also announced that all places of worship would be allowed to open on all days of the week with effect from October 14. All employees and workers in play schools and kindergarten classes must have been vaccinated for their reopening [from November 1], Stalin said. With effect from today (October 14), the restriction on not allowing people in places of worship on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays would be lifted, he said. In a statement, Stalin also announced that all shops, restaurants and bakeries would be allowed to remain open for business till 11 pm from today (Oct 14). He also announced that tuition centres and government and private organised employment camps would be allowed from today (Oct 14). From November 1, beaches would be open for the general public on Sundays too. A total of 100 people would be allowed to take part in weddings and related events from next month, he said. A total of 50 people could take part in funerals. However, the restriction against festivals, political, social and cultural events would continue, the Chief Minister clarified. Stalin also reiterated his appeal to the general public to get themselves vaccinated. It may be recalled that Stalin chaired a meeting in the Secretariat on Wednesday to review the COVID-19 scenario and lockdown restrictions in place across the State.

Court to pass order on Aryan Khan’s bail plea on October 20 

A special NDPS court in Mumbai would pronounce its orders on bail applications filed by Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan and two others on October 20 in a case of alleged seizure of drugs from a cruise ship off Mumbai. After hearing extensive arguments of the investigating agency Narcotics Control Bureau and defence lawyers on Thursday, special judge V. V. Patil posted the matter for orders on October 20. Earlier, a magistrate’s court had rejected the bail pleas of Aryan Khan, Munmun Dhamecha and Arbaaz Merchant. The three were among those arrested from the Goa-bound cruise ship on October 3.

Petrol, diesel price hike: Rahul Gandhi accuses the Centre of ‘tax extortion’ 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked the government over the rise in prices of petrol and diesel and accused the Centre of tax extortion. The former Congress president’s attack came after petrol and diesel prices were hiked again by 35 paise per litre, sending retail pump prices to their highest-ever level across the country. There used to be stories of greedy misgovernance under which taxes were collected indiscriminately in old folk tales. At first, the people used to be unhappy but in the end the people used to end that misgovernance. In reality also, the same will happen, Gandhi tweeted in Hindi using the hashtags ‘TaxExtortion’ and ‘FuelPrices’. Along with his tweet, he also tagged a video collage on the rising prices of gas, diesel and petrol with his voiceover. In the voiceover, Gandhi is heard saying that the government has earned ₹23 lakh crore from increasing prices of gas, diesel and petrol in the last seven years, and urges the people of the country to ask where this money is going. The price of petrol in Delhi rose to its highest-ever level of ₹104.79 a litre and ₹110.75 per litre in Mumbai, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. In Mumbai, diesel now comes for ₹101.40 a litre; while in Delhi, it costs ₹93.52.

Motor Vehicles Act a piece of welfare legislation: Punjab and Haryana High Court 

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has held that the Motor Vehicles Act is a piece of welfare legislation and its purpose is to provide prompt compensation to the injured or the next of kin dying in road accidents and a liberal approach is required while dealing with matters under this statute. The court has held that delay in lodging an FIR in such cases is insignificant. While the factor may be relevant during a criminal trial, much weightage cannot be given to it in proceedings for determining compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act, the court held. Justice H. S. Madaan passed these orders on October 5 while disposing of a petition filed by a private insurance company against the compensation awarded by a court in Palwal, Haryana, for the death of a 26-year-old man of Bhiduki village. The man riding a motorcycle rider was killed on October 10, 2015 due to rash and negligent driving by the driver of a car. It has to be kept in mind that Motor Vehicles Act is a piece of welfare legislation and its purpose is to provide prompt compensation to the persons suffering injuries in a motor vehicular accident or to family members of such persons unfortunately dying in such road mishaps. A liberal approach in the matter is required, the HC observed. FIR is often lodged in a hurry and it may not contain the minute and precise details of the incident. The FIR can be registered by a person, who may not be an eye-witness of the same, the court further observed. It is only during investigation of the case that the police can come to know about the culprit/criminal, who had committed the crime. Merely for the reason that accused is not named in the FIR does not result in causing any dent in the prosecution story, the HC observed.

Over 2 crore ITRs filed on new portal, CBDT urges taxpayers to file FY21 returns soon 

The Income Tax department on Thursday said more than 2 crore income tax returns (ITRs) for the financial year 2020-21 have been filed so far and the performance of the new I-T portal has substantially stabilized. Asking taxpayers to file their ITRs for fiscal 2020-21 (April 2020-March 2021) at the earliest, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said all ITRs have been made available for e-filing. More than two crore ITRs for assessment year (AY) 2021-22 have been filed on the portal, of which ITRs 1 and 4 constitute 86%. It is encouraging to note that more than 1.70 crore returns have been e-verified, out of which 1.49 crore are through Aadhaar-based OTP, the CBDT said in a statement. The process of e-verification through Aadhaar OTP and other methods is important for the department to commence processing of the ITR and to issue refunds, if any. Of the verified ITRs 1 and 4, over 1.06 crore ITRs have been processed and over 36.22 lakh refunds for the AY 2021-22 have been issued. Processing of ITRs 2 and 3 will be taken up shortly, it said. The new portal was launched on June 7 and in the initial period, taxpayers had reported glitches and difficulties in the functioning of the portal. A number of technical issues have since been resolved and the performance of the portal has substantially stabilised, the CBDT said, adding that over 13.44 crore unique taxpayers have logged in till October 13 and about 54.70 lakh taxpayers have availed of ‘forgot password’ facility to obtain their passwords.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Bhutan, China sign MoU for 3-step process to expedite boundary talks

In a step towards resolving their boundary disputes, Bhutan and China signed an agreement on a three-Step roadmap to help speed up talks, at a meeting of Foreign Ministers of both countries held via videoconference on Thursday, a development that New Delhi said it has noted. The roadmap for Expediting the Bhutan-China Boundary Negotiations, is expected to kickstart progress on the boundary talks process that has been delayed for five years, first due to the Doklam standoff in 2017, and then by the Covid Pandemic. The timing of the agreement is particularly significant for New Delhi, given India-China border talks on their 17-month old standoff at the Line of Actual Control appear to have hit an impasse this week. The [Bhutan-China] Memorandum of Understanding on the Three-Step Roadmap will provide a fresh impetus to the Boundary Talks. It is expected that the implementation of this Roadmap in a spirit of goodwill, understanding and accommodation will bring the boundary negotiations to a successful conclusion that is acceptable to both sides, said a press release issued by Bhutan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Bhutanese Embassy in Delhi declined to comment on the details of the three steps outlined in the MoU, and sources said that information on the process of negotiations are sensitive and could not be shared at this stage. According to the MFA statement, the three-step roadmap had been finalised during the 10th Expert Group meeting in Kunming in April 2021, and presented for approval to their government in Thimphu and Beijing respectively. Bhutanese Foreign Ministry sources called the three-step Roadmap a positive development that will enable the two sides to have more focused and systematic discussions on the boundary dispute over which they have held 24 rounds of talks and 10 Expert group meetings in the past 37 years. Since 1984, talks between Bhutan and China have largely focused on two separate areas of dispute, including Doklam and other areas in Bhutan’s West, near the India-China-Bhutan trijunction measuring 269 sq. kms, and the Jakarlung and Pasamlung valleys located near Tibet to Bhutan’s North, which measure 495 sq. kms. More recently, China has also laid claims to Bhutan’s Eastern Sakteng region.

U.S .- India ministerial dialogue adds focus on climate finance

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her American counterpart, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, met on Thursday, October 14, 2021 for the eight Ministerial meeting of the U.S.-India Economic and Financial partnership. Also in attendance, were Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das (attended virtually). The Ministerial held a session dedicated to climate finance for the first time, as per a joint statement. In the run up to the UN Climate Change Conference ( COP26) in Glasgow at the end of the month, India has been pushing for rich countries to meet their Paris Accord climate finance commitment of $100 billion per year. The two sides reaffirmed the collective developed country goal to mobilise $100 billion annually for developing countries from public and private sources, in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation, the statement said. Holding such a session, the statement said, reflected the critical role climate finance has to play in achieving global climate goals and the two sides’ commitments to drive urgent progress in combatting climate change. We intend to engage further on addressing climate change between our two ministries, as well as through the Finance Mobilisation pillar of the recently launched Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue (CAFMD) under the U.S.-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership, it said, referring to a partnership launched in April this year, after a visit by U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry to India. India has so far not declared further climate action commitments (beyond its Paris-related goals) and has argued that developing countries need space to grow and that rich countries need to move towards ‘net minus’ commitments in addition to fulfilling their climate finance pledges. 

NATIONAL NEWS 

India rejects China’s opposition to Venkaiah Naidu’s Arunachal trip

Amid continuing tensions between them in Ladakh, India and China on Wednesday exchanged sharp statements on Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh. New Delhi said it rejected a Chinese statement firmly opposing the visit. On Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement in response to a Chinese state media question on the visit, asking India to stop taking actions that would complicate and expand the boundary issue. Naidu, on a tour of the Northeast, was in Arunachal over the weekend. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded that it reject[s] such comments. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral and inalienable part of India, its spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated. Indian leaders routinely travel to the state of Arunachal Pradesh as they do to any other state of India. Objecting to the visit of Indian leaders to a state of India does not stand to reason and understanding of Indian people, he noted. Neither China issuing a statement on an Indian leader visiting Arunachal nor India responding to it was unusual in and of itself; what was new was the sharpness of the exchange, underlining the current state of ties, the lowest since 1988, with an 18 month-long LAC crisis still unresolved. Bagchi also rejected China’s contention that the visit would complicate boundary issues, amid ongoing tensions in Ladakh. As we have mentioned earlier, he said, the current situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas has been caused by unilateral attempts of Chinese side to alter the status quo in violation of the bilateral agreements. Therefore, we expect the Chinese side to work towards early resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols rather than trying to link unrelated issues. China’s statement came days after the latest round of military talks ended in a stalemate. The question to the foreign office on Naidu’s visit was posed by a state media outlet, in this case Xinjiang Television, suggesting the authorities wanted to make a statement on the issue. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in response,The Chinese government never recognises the so-called Arunachal Pradesh established unilaterally and illegally by the Indian side, and is firmly opposed to the Indian leaders’ visits to the area concerned. We urge the Indian side to earnestly respect China’s major concerns, stop taking any action that would complicate and expand the boundary issue, and refrain from undermining mutual trust and bilateral relations. It should instead take real concrete actions to maintain peace and stability in the China-India border areas and help bring the bilateral relations back on to the track of sound and steady development. China claims up to 90,000 sq km in Arunachal in the eastern sector, while India sees China as illegally occupying 38,000 sq km in Aksai Chin in the western sector.

Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Ashish Mishra denied bail 

Ashish Mishra, son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, was denied bail by a court in Lakhimpur Kheri on Wednesday in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Senior prosecution officer (SPO) S.P. Yadav told PTI that Chief Judicial Magistrate Chinta Ram rejected the bail applications of Ashish Mishra and his alleged accomplice Ashish Pandey. Ashish Mishra, who was arrested on October 9 by the special investigation team after 12 hours of questioning, had been sent to three days in police custody from Tuesday. The court also remanded Shekhar Bharti, arrested on Tuesday, in police custody for three days. Police have so far arrested four people in connection with the case — Ashish Mishra, Luvkush, Ashish Pandey and Bharti. One Ankit Das, who is said to be a close friend of Ashish Mishra, appeared before the SIT at the crime branch office in Lakhimpur earlier in the day. The investigators had summoned Ankit Das for questioning in connection with the October 3 violence that had left eight people, including four farmers, dead. Das is the nephew of former Minister Akhilesh Das, and the black SUV which allegedly knocked down the four farmers is said to be owned by him. At around 11 a.m., Das along with a team of lawyers arrived at the crime branch office in the reserved police lines area, the police said. On Tuesday, Ankit Das and one other identified as Latif had moved an application for surrender before the chief judicial magistrate.

Congress demands dismissal of Ajay Mishra in meeting with President 

A Congress delegation, led by former party president Rahul Gandhi, met President Ram Nath Kovind on Wednesday and demanded the dismissal of Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs, Ajay Mishra Teni, over the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, and called for an impartial probe by two sitting judges of the Supreme Court. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was part of the delegation, claimed that President Kovind had assured them that he would talk to the government about it today itself. Though the Congress had written to the President, seeking time for a seven-member delegation, a five-member delegation eventually called on him. The delegation included former Defence Minister A. K. Antony, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, former Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, besides Gandhi and Vadra. They also presented a memorandum of facts about the Lakhimpur Kheri incident to the President. Demanding an inquiry by two sitting Supreme Court judges, Gandhi said, There cannot be an impartial inquiry and justice cannot be given till the time the MoS Home is sacked. This is the voice of not just the families of those killed but of all the farmers and this voice is being suppressed. The families want that the person who committed these murders should be punished, he added. Vadra told reporters that the demands raised by her party reflect what every right-thinking person would want the Central Government to do. The message that this government seems to be sending is that you will not get justice if you are a poor person, Dalit, farmer or a woman. There is no justice or the rule of law for them. And if you are a leader of the ruling party, then the law doesn’t apply on you, she told reporters after meeting the President. In the memorandum, the Congress said, It is important to note that on September 27th, 2021, the day of the Bharat Bandh called by protesting farmers against the three black laws, Shri Ajay Mishra Teni, MoS Home Affairs, in a public function openly threatened the agitating farmers and even boasted about his dubious antecedents. The Congress also noted that given that BJP leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, were making conciliatory statements towards the MoS Home, the situation will not change without intervention. Further, no police official would dare to fairly investigate the son if the father continued in his post as a Minister. In these difficult circumstances, we call upon you as the custodian of our Constitution and the moral compass to this Government to immediately dismiss Union MOS Home Affairs, Sh. Ajay Mishra Teni; to direct an independent judicial investigation by a Commission comprising of two sitting judges of the Supreme Court of India or the High Court, the memorandum said.

Supreme Court notice on plea for mechanism to examine bills of ‘overcharged’ COVID-19 patients

The Supreme Court has decided to intervene in a plea for a mechanism to probe whether private hospitals fleeced desperate COVID-19 patients and their families, dragging them into financial ruin at the time of their dire need for medical care during the pandemic. A Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud has admitted a petition to direct the government to set up a mechanism to examine if private hospitals overcharged COVID-19 patients, preferring profit over public health. The court has issued notice to the Union of India, through the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on a plea by Abhinav Thapar to set up an audit and scrutiny mechanism of the bills of COVID-19 patients who have accused hospitals of swindling them. The issue which has been raised in the petition concerns a wide strata of society consisting of patients and their relatives who have been overcharged during the COVID-19 pandemic and the issue which has been raised would merit serious attention, the Supreme Court underscored in its order. It said the complaints made include those by families of COVID-19 patients who died. We will set up some mechanism, the Bench, also comprising, Justice B.V. Nagarathna orally observed. Noting that the petition was filed in public interest, the court said the specific aspect canvassed in the petition is that during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients had to take recourse to seeking medical facilities in private hospitals as a result of the inadequacy of the public health infrastructure and there were widespread complaints of overcharging of hapless patients. Families, including of those who did not survive the pandemic, have been brought to economic ruin, as a result, the order said. The Bench highlighted Thapar’s reference to how local bodies like the Pune Municipal Corporation have already issued notice to private hospitals for overcharging patients and ensured refund of excess amounts charged. A writ of mandamus is sought to the Centre and the State Governments to set up a mechanism for scrutinising and auditing the bills of COVID-19 patients who have complaints of being overcharged… Issue notice to the Union of India for the present, returnable in four weeks, the court ordered.

Prioritise children who need COVID-19 vaccination the most, says expert

Children are extremely unlikely to develop complications, severe disease or death due to COVID-19, unlike even the youngest adult, and panic created by any bad outcomes in children can in fact be counter-productive for the entire paediatric vaccination process, according to experts. Speaking about balancing benefits and risks of COVID-19 vaccination in children in India, Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, vice chairman, research cell, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Kerala, said age was the most significant risk factor for COVID-19 complications. The important question was, is vaccination of crores of healthy children worth it just to prevent a few asymptomatic and mild infections for the first few months alone? The short period of protection makes paediatric COVID-19 vaccination unattractive – when done for the purpose of preventing infection. The concept of ‘herd immunity’ is not valid any more for the virus, as sterilising immunity does not occur and reinfection/breakthrough infections are common, he stated. It did not make sense to vaccinate enormous numbers of children to prevent one rare complication. We should prioritise children who need vaccines the most. These will be children with comorbidities, who are more likely to develop complications. An additional subgroup will be children who live with people with cancer and immunosuppressed or elderly relatives – these children also may be considered for vaccination on a case by case basis, he noted. There was need to keep a careful watch for any vaccine-related complications that may arise in the sub-group. Vaccines produce different complications in different age groups and we should watch this carefully, he stressed.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India, Iran discuss ways to fight drug trafficking from Afghanistan

Illegal production of drugs in Afghanistan has impacted Iran severely for several decades, the Embassy of Iran has said. The statement came after Indian and Iranian officials held a virtual meeting on Wednesday following the largest seizure of heroin at the Mundra port in Gujarat on September 15. We discussed and examined ways and means of mutual cooperation in fighting drug trafficking which accordingly resulted in some positive outcomes. It is for many decades that narcotic drugs production and organised drug trafficking from Afghanistan has posed a major threat to Iran, our region and to the world, said the Embassy of Iran after the meeting. The discussion is important because of the seizure of around 3,000 kg heroin in the Mundra port managed by the Adani Ports, on September 15. The operation led to the largest drug haul in the history of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). Initial reports had indicated that the containers carrying the substance originated from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. The National Investigation Agency has been probing the incident over the last several days. The drug haul also impacted Iran’s trade as the Adani Group declared that containers from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan will not be handled at the port from November 15. As an immediate neighbour to Afghanistan, Iran has also been significantly impacted by other developments in that country, said the Embassy without elaborating. Analysts and commentators however have pointed out that a large amount of narcotic substances that were with various narcotic producing groups in Afghanistan were made to disappear from the country as the Taliban took control of Kabul on August 15. It is yet to be investigated if the discovered drugs in the Mundra port were part of such a consignment that was sent out by active Afghan syndicates to prevent the Taliban from gaining access to them.

 

Taliban Threatens US, EU With Refugees Influx If Sanctions on Afghanistan Continue

European countries are concerned that if the Afghan economy collapses, large numbers of migrants will set off for the continent. United States and European Union envoys have been warned by Afghanistan’s new Taliban government against attempts to pressure them through sanctions. The new government noted that the sanctions will undermine security and could trigger a wave of economic refugees. According to a statement published on Tuesday, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told Western diplomats at talks in Doha that weakening the Afghan government is not in the interest of anyone because its negative effects will directly affect the world in (the) security sector and economic migration from the country, We urge world countries to end existing sanctions and let banks operate normally so that charity groups, organisations and the government can pay salaries to their staff with their own reserves and international financial assistance, the statement said, as reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP). According to Daily Sabah, the European countries, in particular, are concerned that if the Afghan economy collapses, large numbers of migrants will set off for the continent, piling pressure on neighboring states such as Pakistan and Iran and eventually on EU borders. Washington and the EU have said they are ready to back humanitarian initiatives in Afghanistan, but are wary of providing direct support to the Taliban without guarantees it will respect human rights, in particular women’s rights. Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, on Wednesday told a conference that Taliban government was not currently a priority, but the international engagement was important. There is no clear path for unfreezing Afghan government funds, highlighting the economic challenges Afghanistan faces under its new Taliban rulers. According to Reuters, Al Thani reiterated Qatar’s position that recognizing the Taliban government was not currently a priority, but the international engagement was important. Taliban overthrew Afghanistan’s former US-backed government in August after a two-decade-long conflict, and have declared a new rule under the movement’s hardline interpretation of religious law. But efforts to stabilise the country, still facing attacks from the rival extremist group the Daesh-Khorasan Province (Daesh-K) group, have been undermined by international sanctions; banks are running out of cash and civil servants are going unpaid.