India

‘Save Constitution’: I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders raise slogans in Parliament complex

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Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, TR Baalu assemble at the spot where Gandhi statue once stood

Updated On – 24 June 2024, 01:10 PM


‘Save Constitution’: I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders raise slogans in Parliament complex

Samajwadi Party MPs Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Awadhesh Prasad and others at the Parliament House complex on the first day of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, in New Delhi on Monday. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: I.N.D.I.A bloc MPs gathered in the Parliament complex on Monday in a show of strength on the first day of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, holding copies of the Constitution and raising slogans on “saving democracy”.

Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress’ Sudip Bandyopadhyay, DMK’s TR Baalu, among others assembled at the spot where the Gandhi statue once stood in the Parliament complex. Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi also joined the MPs.

Holding copies of the Constitution in their hands, they raised slogans such as “long live Constitution”, “we will save Constitution”, “save our democracy”.

Rahul Gandhi said they would not allow the Constitution to be “attacked” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. “This attack is not acceptable to us and that is why we held the Constitution and took oath,” he said. “Our message is reaching the public and no power can touch the Constitution of India and we will protect it,” Gandhi added.

Congress leader KC Venugopal said the I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders entered the 18th Lok Sabha with Mahatma Gandhi’s blessings.

“The I.N.D.I.A alliance enters the 18th Lok Sabha with Bapu’s blessings and with a fresh resolve to give voice to people’s issues, challenges, hopes and aspirations in Parliament and keep the government in check every single minute,” he said in a post on X. “We are the guardians of democracy. We are committed to protecting and upholding the Constitution. We are united in our resolve to fight against injustice,” Venugopal said.

The Gandhi statue, which was a popular protest site for MPs, was recently relocated along with 14 other statues that dotted the complex to a new spot named Prerna Sthal.

Several opposition parties have claimed that the mandate of 2024 Lok Sabha elections was against the ruling BJP, even though it was able to form the government with support of other parties.

The I.N.D.I.A bloc has also claimed that the results show that the people have backed the opposition parties to “save the Constitution”.

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began Monday morning. The newly elected members will be sworn in as members of the Lower House on Monday and Tuesday.

The Lok Sabha Speaker will be elected on June 26 and President Droupadi Murmu’s address to joint sitting of both the Houses is scheduled for June 27.

The debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address will begin on June 28. The prime minister is expected to respond to the debate on July 2 or 3.

India

20-year-old killed in altercation at friend’s home in Delhi

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The victim, Raj Kapoor was killed after an altercation during a drinking session with friends at a residence in Khajan Basti, Mayapuri.

Updated On – 24 June 2024, 04:26 PM


20-year-old killed in altercation at friend’s home in Delhi


New Delhi: In an incident that occurred on a Sunday evening, a 20-year-old man named Raj Kapoor was killed after an altercation during a drinking session with friends at a residence in Khajan Basti, Mayapuri.

According to police reports, a PCR call was received reporting a murder in the area.

Local police responded promptly and found the crime scene covered in blood with Raj Kapoor dead on the spot.

The Crime Team and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) were called in to investigate.

The initial investigation revealed that Raj had gone to his friend Kishan’s rented place, where two other friends, Bablu and Prahlad, were also present.

The group began drinking, which led to a quarrel. Kishan managed to stop the argument and went to take a bath. Upon returning, he found Raj dead in a pool of blood.Following the incident, a case has been registered at Mayapuri Police Station.

Prahlad has been apprehended and teams have been formed to locate Bablu.

The exact sequence of events is still under investigation.

In a similar incident, on June 11, three people had been arrested for allegedly killing a man in Delhi’s Shastri Park area, police said.

Jouhar Abbas, a 25-year-old cab driver, was stabbed to death at Shastri Park on May 30.

Abbas had no record of rivalry.

According to police, on May 30, the information was received at Shastri Park Police Station that one person was attacked by a blade in the vicinity of Wahid Masjid, Shastri Park, Delhi.

Jouhar Abbas was rushed to GTB Hospital with several incised wounds on his body and was declared dead.

A case under Section 302 of the IPC was registered.

A dedicated team was formed to investigate the matter and the arrests were made on June 11.

India

“These are all just gimmicks”: HD Kumaraswamy slams INDIA bloc

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Union Minister, HD Kumaraswamy on Monday slammed the INDIA bloc for holding a protest by carrying copies of the Constitution to the Parliament, amid the row over the appointment of the pro-tem speaker.

Updated On – 24 June 2024, 05:06 PM


“These are all just gimmicks”: HD Kumaraswamy slams INDIA bloc

File photo: Union Minister, HDKumaraswamy

New Delhi: Amid the row over the appointment of the pro-tem speaker, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday slammed the INDIA bloc for holding a protest by carrying copies of the Constitution to the Parliament in the national capital. “These are all just gimmicks…” said HD Kumaraswamy.

Speaking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark on the Emergency, the Union Minister called him “right”, adding to that he said, “He remembered what happened at that time.” Meanwhile, Congress MP Manickam Tagore launched a scathing attack against the PM Modi-led centre and said, “Everyday democracy is facing threat in India. For the past 10 years, every activity of Mr Modi has been against democratic forces. Even the statues of Gandhi ji and Babasaheb Ambedkar in Parliament have been removed and kept somewhere else…This is the way they want to run this country and they are lecturing us about democracy. This is very ridiculous for the Prime Minister, Mr Modi. ” Tagore further stated that PM Modi has lost the confidence of the people. “His party is reduced from 303 to 240. So, he will repeat these kinds of things again and again,” he added further.

Speaking on the protest carried out by the INDIA bloc leaders he said that it was an attempt to remind the government that Constitution is everything for this country. “We wanted to show that we stand for the Constitution and we wanted to remind the Government that the Constitution is everything for this country and any step to disturb or change the Constitution won’t be tolerated,” he added.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi lashed out at the opposition over the emergency while addressing media persons outside the new Parliament building before taking oath as a Member of Parliament.

Recalling the 21-month period of emergency that was implemented in the country on June 25, 1975, PM Modi said the new generation of India will never forget that time when the country was turned into a prison, adding that they will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy so that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again.

“Tomorrow is 25th June. 25th June marks 50 years since the blot that was put on the democracy of India. The new generation of India will never forget that the Constitution of India was completely rejected, every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, and democracy was completely suppressed,” he said.

“While protecting our Constitution, while protecting the democracy of India and the democratic traditions, the countrymen will take a resolution that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again, which was done 50 years ago. We will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy. We will take a resolution to fulfil the dreams of the common people as per the directions of the Constitution of India,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister concluded his address by stating that the country hopes and expects the opposition to maintain the dignity of democracy, adding that the people want substance, not slogans.

India

NDA is “National Disastrous Alliance”, says KTR

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KTR criticises Centre following the postponement of NEET-PG, says the move can shatter students’ career.

Updated On – 24 June 2024, 05:38 PM


NDA is “National Disastrous Alliance”, says KTR


Hyderabad: Questioning the logic behind the union government postponing different national level exams at the last minute, BRS working president KT Rama Rao stated that the Centre’s incompetence was proving to be disastrous for students.

“National Disastrous Alliance for a reason,” he said, coining a new name for NDA, in a post on social media. In response to the Centre’s recent decisions to cancel UGC-NET as well as postpone the CSIR-UGC-NET and NEET-PGT, he termed them as unfortunate events for students and called them moves that shattered their academic careers.

Rama Rao said the BJP-led NDA government’s decisions had no rhyme nor reason. He stated that despite having proof that the NEET-UG question paper was leaked in advance, the Modi government was proceeding with the counselling on July 6. “But much to the frustration of students, the NEET-PG exam was postponed just hours before it was set to begin, without giving specific reasons,” he added.

India

Haryana: Woman held for killing mother and brother in Yamunanagar

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A 22-year-old woman, kajal, has been arrested for allegedly murdering her mother and brother at their house.

Published Date – 24 June 2024, 06:20 PM


Haryana: Woman held for killing mother and brother in Yamunanagar


Yamunanagar: A 22-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly murdering her mother and brother at their house here, police said on Monday.

According to the police, the bodies of the victims — 45-year-old Meena and her 24-year-old Rahul — were found at their house in a residential locality here on Sunday.
Their neighbours alerted the police about the incident.

While Meena was found lying dead on a bed, Rahul’s body lay on the ground, the police said.

They said the accused, Kajal, strangled her mother and brother in connivance with a cousin brother, who remains at large.

During interrogation, Kajal confessed to first strangling her mother Meena when her brother Rahul was away from home, Yamunanagar police station in-charge Jagdish Chandra said.

Upon Rahul’s return, he was struck on the head and fell down, after which Kajal’s cousin strangled him while she held his legs, Chandra said.

Following the murders, Kajal allegedly fabricated a story, claiming she was not at home during the incident and when she returned, she discovered a theft had taken place and that someone had killed her mother and brother, the police officer said.

According to Chandra, the accused woman used to often fight with her mother and brother. Last year, she had even left home after an altercation, but her mother persuaded her to return, he said.
Similarly, Kajal’s cousin brother had been embroiled in a property dispute with his own family and was unhappy with them and, therefore, together they committed the murders, the police officer said.

Meanwhile, multiple police teams have been deployed to locate Kajal’s cousin brother, he said.

India

Atishi hospitalised as blood sugar drops due to hunger strike

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Her health deteriorated due to her indefinite fast to demand water for the national capital, says AAP

Published Date – 25 June 2024, 09:19 AM


Atishi hospitalised as blood sugar drops due to hunger strike

Officials examine Delhi Minister Atishi during her indefinite hunger strike at Bhogal over the ongoing water crisis in the national capital, in New Delhi. — Photo:PTI

New Delhi: Delhi Water Minister Atishi was hospitalised early Tuesday after her health deteriorated due to her indefinite fast to demand water for the national capital amid its ongoing crisis, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party said here. It said in a post on X that the minister was admitted to the emergency ICU at the Lok Nayak Hospital.

“Water Minister Atishi’s health deteriorates. Her blood sugar level dropped to 43 at midnight and to 36 at 3 am, after which LNJP Hospital doctors advised immediate hospitalisation,” the party said.

 

“She has not eaten anything for the last five days and is on an indefinite hunger strike demanding Haryana government to release Delhi’s share of water. She’s been admitted in the emergency ICU at LNJP. We pray for her speedy recovery,” it said.

Atishi began her hunger strike on June 21.

India

Lok Sabha Speaker: NDA candidate likely to file nomination, election on June 26

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If the I.N.D.I.A bloc announces its candidate for the post, it will be the first time that elections will be held for the Speaker of the lower house

Published Date – 25 June 2024, 09:47 AM


Lok Sabha Speaker: NDA candidate likely to file nomination, election on June 26

New Parliament building

New Delhi: With the deadline to file the nomination for the post of Lok Sabha speaker being 12 pm Tuesday, the battle between the NDA and the opposition has drawn out. If the I.N.D.I.A bloc announces its candidate for the post, it will be the first time that elections will be held for the Speaker of the lower house.

Since Independence, the Lok Sabha speaker and deputy speaker have been elected by consensus between the ruling party and the opposition. Although the BJP leaders remained tight-lipped about their nominee for the post, there are speculations that Om Birla, the speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha, could also be in the race again.

However, Bhartruhari Mahtab, the current pro-term speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha, is also being seen as a contender for the post. The nomination process is likely to be held on Tuesday and the elections will be held on Wednesday, i.e., on June 26.

Amid the row over the appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab as pro-tem speaker, I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders on Monday carried out a protest holding copies of the Constitution inside the Parliament premises in the national capital.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party leader Rahul Gandhi, and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge took part in the protest. The position of Deputy Speaker that remained vacant in the last term is traditionally given to the Opposition. The BJP offered the post to its ally, AIADMK’s Thambi Dhurai, in 2014.

It will be interesting to see if the I.N.D.I.A bloc, which is short of numbers in the lower house, will assert itself for the Deputy Speaker’s post in the 18th Lok Sabha. The Revolutionary Socialist Party’s Lok Sabha MP, NK Premachandran, said that the I.N.D.I.A bloc will field candidates for the Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker elections.

“Definitely, we will contest the Speaker post as well as the Deputy Speaker post. Let the government come out with their opinion on whether they are going to discuss with the opposition parties so as to have a consensus on the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, and then we will think of it. Otherwise, we will definitely contest,” Premchandran said.

India

It’s ‘Keralam’ not ‘Kerala’, Pinarayi govt urges Centre to consider name change

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Kerala Assembly unanimously passes resolution to change name of State

Published Date – 25 June 2024, 10:02 AM


It’s ‘Keralam’ not ‘Kerala’, Pinarayi govt urges Centre to consider name change

Kerala Assembly

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan moved the resolution with amendments, which was passed by the State Assembly unanimously on August 9, 2023, demanding that the Central government take immediate action to change the name of the State to ‘Keralam’, which was recorded as Kerala in the 1st and 8th schedule of the Constitution.

The resolution was sent to the central government and the Home Department has informed the State that the change is required only in the 1st schedule of the constitution. On the basis of that, the Chief Minister presented the resolution with amendments, and the Assembly passed the resolution.

The resolution read that there was a demand for the formation of a state for the Malayalam-speaking people from the time of the national freedom struggle.

When the State was formed on the basis of language on November 1 1956, it was recorded as Kerala in the 1st schedule of the Constitution.

The name of the State in Malayalam is ‘Keralam’, and the State Assembly unanimously requested that the Central government make the necessary amendments under Article 3 of the constitution to change the name of the State to ‘Keralam’. All members supported the resolution and speaker declared that the resolution has been passed unanimously.

Earlier, on August 9, 2023, the Kerala Legislative Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution urging the Central government to officially change the name of the State from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam.’

CM Vijayan who moved the resolution in the Assembly, said, “In our Malayalam language, it is ‘Keralam’ while in other languages it is called Kerala.” “This Assembly unanimously requests the Union Government to take immediate steps to amend it as ‘Keralam’ under Article 3 of the Constitution and it be renamed as ‘Keralam’ in all the languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution,” the Chief Minister further said.

India

‘Emergency’ mindset very much alive in the party which imposed it: Modi

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Hitting out at main opposition party, Prime Minister says those who imposed the Emergency have no right to profess their love for Constitution

Published Date – 25 June 2024, 10:21 AM


‘Emergency’ mindset very much alive in the party which imposed it: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi: On the 49th anniversary of Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that its dark days are a reminder of how the Congress subverted basic freedoms and trampled over the Constitution which every Indian respects greatly.

Hitting out at the main opposition party, he said in posts on X that those who imposed the Emergency have no right to profess their love for our Constitution.

Modi said, “These are the same people who have imposed Article 356 on innumerable occasions, got a Bill to destroy press freedom, destroyed federalism and violated every aspect of the Constitution.”

“The mindset which led to the imposition of the Emergency is very much alive among the same Party which imposed it. They hide their disdain for the Constitution through their tokenism but the people of India have seen through their antics and that is why they have rejected them time and again,” he said.

 

Just to cling on to power, the then Congress Government disregarded every democratic principle and turned the nation into a jail,” Modi said, adding that any person who disagreed with the party was tortured and harassed.

“Socially regressive policies were unleashed to target the weakest sections,” he said. On June 25, 1975, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, a Congress stalwart, imposed Emergency in the country, suspending civil liberties, jailing opposition leaders and dissidents and effecting press censorship.

The Prime Minister said the anniversary on Tuesday is a day to pay homage to all those great men and women who resisted the Emergency. The first day of the 18th Lok Sabha on Monday witnessed a war of words between Prime Minister Modi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge over the imposition of Emergency.

India

BCI bars these law colleges from taking admissions, two colleges in Andhra Pradesh

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Among seven that law colleges that have been barred from taking admissions, two colleges are in Andhra Pradesh.

Updated On – 25 June 2024, 02:12 PM


BCI bars these law colleges from taking admissions, two colleges in Andhra Pradesh

Representational Image

Hyderabad: The Bar Council of India (BCI) has recently notified a list of law colleges that have been prohibited from taking admissions to law degree courses for the academic year 2024-25 and subsequent years until further notice. Among seven that law colleges that have been barred from taking admissions, two colleges are in Andhra Pradesh. However, no law college from the State figured in the list issued by BCI secretary Srimanto Sen. Here is the list:

– HS Law College, Agra Road, Uttar Pradesh

– Master Somnath Law College, Agra Road, Uttar Pradesh

– Shri Krishna College of Law, Baghpat-Meerut Road, Uttar Pradesh

– Sri Eshwar Reddy College of Law, Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh

– Sri Shirdi Sai Vidya Parishad, Sri Shirdi Sai Law College, Anakapalli, Andhra Pradesh

– SS College of Law, Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh

– Teju Singh Memorial Law College, Uttar Pradesh