Hyderabad

Survey results stir discontent among Congress leaders ahead of elections

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What surprised many was that even before a candidate had joined the party and assured a ticket from a constituency, the survey results indicated that he would win with a bumper majority.

Published Date – 05:59 PM, Fri – 29 September 23


Survey results stir discontent among Congress leaders ahead of elections



Hyderabad: As political parties are brainstorming over candidates for the ensuing elections, a few poll survey agencies are apparently building up a narrative, taking even the parties that hired them by surprise with their results. This was evident at a Congress Screening Committee meeting held here recently.

Citing the results of a survey conducted by Sunil Kanugolu, a poll strategist hired by the party, a few senior leaders in the party were insisting on issuing tickets to their followers, which eventually led to internecine clashes within the party.

What surprised many was that even before a candidate had joined the party and assured a ticket from a constituency, the survey results indicated that he would win with a bumper majority.

Irked over the State Congress leaders’ demands, especially pointing to Kanugolu’s survey results, a senior AICC leader, who was part of the Screening Committee, was very upset with the survey and its results.

He even said that if candidates were to be finalized based on the findings of surveys conducted by individuals or agencies, what was the purpose of constituting the Screening Committee, according to a senior leader from Telangana Congress.

It is not just Telangana Congress even Karnataka Congress leaders were miffed with the poll analyst stating that in many constituencies, his findings failed to reflect the true picture of the voters’ mood, the senior leader said. While this was the case of a particular analyst, a few others were going a step ahead and even suggesting names of candidates to be fielded from a particular constituency.

On September 14, Partha Das of Chanakya Political Consultancy tweeted: “As per our survey, if Congress declares TPCC president A Revanth Reddy as Chief Minister candidate, it will help Congress in the elections. As per our survey, he should contest from Uppal constituency. He will win the seat and it will help Congress in neighbouring seats…”

Business

Nifty faces profit booking after strong start-Telangana Today

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Nifty witnessed minor profit booking and fell more than 100 points from day’s high of 19726.

Published Date – 05:45 PM, Fri – 29 September 23


Nifty faces profit booking after strong start



New Delhi: On the first day of the October series, Indian markets started strong and continued to build on the gains through the session, barring last 45 minutes of trade, where Nifty witnessed minor profit booking and fell more than 100 points from day’s high of 19726, says Devarsh Vakil – Deputy Head Retail Research, HDFC Securities.

Smaller stocks represented by Nifty Mid and small cap 100 Index outperformed the Nifty where they gained 1.08 per cent and 0.99 per cent respectively as against 0.59 per cent rise in the Nifty.

Advancing shares outnumbered the declining shares as advance decline ratio stood at 1.85 levels on BSE, highest since 14-September. Cash market volumes were lower as compared to recent averages, he said.

All the sectoral Indices ended in the green except Nifty IT.

IT stocks were impacted as Accenture, the IT services giant reported its Q4 revenue numbers within its targeted range but fell short of estimates.

The company forecasted the first-quarter revenue below the Wall Street targets signaling that high inflation and interest rates pressures will hurt demand through next year, he said.

Amongst the sectors, Nifty Pharma, Healthcare, Media and Nifty PSU Banks were major gainers, he added.

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On Reducing Age Of Consent, Law Panel's Report To Centre Urges Caution

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'Not Advisable To Tinker With Age Of Consent': Law Commission To Centre

The recommendations of the Law Commission are not binding.

New Delhi:

The Law Commission has advised the Centre against lowering the age of consent from 18 to 16 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, arguing that doing so will have a negative impact on the fight against child marriage and child trafficking.

The panel has, however, said it considers it necessary to bring about amendments in the Act to “remedy the situation” in cases in which there is tacit approval from children aged between 16 and 18. It said “guided judicial discretion” can be applied in such cases.

In December last year, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud had urged parliament to address growing concerns related to the age of consent under the POCSO Act. 

In its report to the Law Ministry, the 22nd Law Commission of India has said, “After a careful review of existing child protection laws, various judgements and considering the maladies of child abuse, child trafficking and child prostitution that plague our society, the Commission is of the measured view that it is not advisable to tinker with the existing age of consent under the POCSO Act.” 

The panel, which is headed by Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, former chief justice of the Karnataka High Court, said it had considered all the views and suggestions given in connection with cases involving those between the ages of 16 and 18.

“The Commission considers it necessary that certain amendments need to be brought in the POCSO Act to remedy the situation in cases wherein there is tacit approval in fact though not consent in law on part of the child aged between 16 to 18 years,” the report said. 

The panel said it was of the considered opinion that such cases do not merit being dealt with the same severity as cases that “were ideally imagined to fall under” the POCSO Act.

“The Commission, therefore, deems it fit to introduce guided judicial discretion in the matter of sentencing in such cases. This will ensure that the law is balanced, thus safeguarding the best interests of the child,” it added.

The recommendations of the Law Commission are not binding, and will be studied and taken into consideration by the government, which will take a final call. 

‘Poses Difficult Questions’

Speaking at an event in December last year, Chief Justice Chandrachud had spoken about judgments of the POCSO courts in ‘romantic cases’ – involving consenting adolescents engaging in sexual activity.

“As you are no doubt aware, the POCSO Act criminalises all sexual activity for those under the age of 18 regardless of whether consent is factually present between the two minors in a particular case. In my time as a judge, I have observed that this category of cases poses difficult questions for judges across the spectrum. There is growing concern surrounding this issue, which must be considered by the Legislature in light of reliable research by experts in adolescent healthcare,” said the CJI.

He had said there is a culture of silence around sexual abuse of children and the state must encourage families to report abuse even where the perpetrator is a family member.

Hyderabad

Congress feels heat in Medak following the joining of Mynampally Hanumantha Rao

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Sasidhar Reddy had won from Medak in 2004 but lost to Mynampally Hanumantha Rao, who contested on Telugu Desam Party ticket in 2009. However, he could not get the chance to contest in 2014 and 2018 for various reasons.

Updated On – 05:36 PM, Fri – 29 September 23


Congress feels heat in Medak following the joining of Mynampally Hanumantha Rao



Medak: Differences of opinion have cropped up in the Congress after Myanapally Hanumantha Rao and his son Myanampally Rohit joined the party. As Mynampally Hanumantha Rao has announced that the Congress high command had assured them to give Medak and Malkajigiri Assembly constituency tickets to his son and himself respectively, party leaders in Medak were expressing their disappointment.

District Congress President Kantareddy Tirupathi Reddy has openly declared that he would be in the fray for the Medak seat. Another senior leader and former Congress MLA Patlolla Sasidhar Reddy, who won from Medak earlier on a Congress ticket, had rejoined Congress as Party President A Revanth Reddy had assured him of giving the party ticket. However, the joining of the Mynampally changed the political landscape in Medak.

Sasidhar Reddy had won from Medak in 2004 but lost to Mynampally Hanumantha Rao, who contested on Telugu Desam Party ticket in 2009. However, he could not get the chance to contest in 2014 and 2018 for various reasons. Disappointed over the party’s attitude, Sashidhar Reddy had joined the BJP. But, Revanth Reddy had persuaded him to rejoin Congress, offering the Medak seat.

Apart from these two leaders, PCC member Myadam Balakrishna, Suprabatha Rao and others were aspiring to contest on Congress ticket from Medak. A Congress leader has said that Mynampally had won from Ramayampet in a 2008 by-election and from Medak in the 2009 general election as a TDP candidate.

“We have always seen him as a leader from the Opposition Party” a Congress leader said. Since the formation of Telangana, Mynampally remained with Bharata Rashtra Samithi (BRS) which the Congress cadre would consider as their main opponent post-2014.

The Congress leaders opined that Mynampally may not get the acceptance of the party workers in the constituency. Apart from that, Mynamplly Rohit is just 26-years-old while most of the key leaders in Congress in Medak were aged about 50 years. “How Rohit will treat the senior leaders will be a key thing to his political future.

World

Four killed, 12 injured as blast rips through mosque in Pakistan

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At least four people died and 12 others were injured in a suicide blast which ripped through a mosque during the Juma prayers in Pakistan.

Published Date – 05:51 PM, Fri – 29 September 23


Four killed, 12 injured as blast rips through mosque in Pakistan



Peshawar: At least four people died and 12 others were injured in a suicide blast which ripped through a mosque during the Juma prayers in Pakistan‘s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, police said.

The blast occurred near the mosque close to the Doaba police station in Hangu district.

According to police, five terrorists had entered the Daoba police station but were immediately engaged by the law enforcement forces in a firing. While one terrorist was killed in the firing, the other blew himself near the mosque building causing its roof to collapse.

Three terrorists fled the scene, police said.

There were 30 to 40 worshippers in the mosque at the time of the blast, police said.

Four people were killed and 12 others injured in the blast, both Deputy Commissioner Fazle Akbar and IGP Akhtar Hayat Gandapur have confirmed in separate statements.

The Hangu mosque rescue operation is completed, they said.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s caretaker information minister Barrister Feroz Jamal Shah also confirmed four deaths in the blast.

The blast came a few hours after at least 52 people were killed and over 50 injured in a suicide blast near Madina Mosque on Al Falah Road in restive Balochistan province’s Mastung district.

For the past year now, Pakistan has been gripped by a spate of terror attacks, with Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa particularly being under the radar of militants targeting security forces and civilians.

Sports

Telangana’s Nikhat Zareen assured of medal at Asia Games

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With this win, Nikhat has also confirmed her quota for the upcoming Paris Olympics which are scheduled to be held in 2024

Updated On – 05:43 PM, Fri – 29 September 23


Telangana’s Nikhat Zareen assured of medal at Asia Games

Nikhat Zareen

Hyderabad: Two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen from Telangana is all set to do India proud again as she has secured India’s first Boxing medal at Asian Games 2023 with a win over Hanan Nassar in the 50Kg quarterfinal on Friday.

With this win, Nikhat has also confirmed her quota for the upcoming Paris Olympics which are scheduled to be held in 2024.

Fighting her third bout of the tournament, Nikhat notched a RSC (referee stops contest) win in less than three minutes to advance to the semifinals.

Business

Metal, pharma stocks top performers in trade-Telangana Today

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He said that the metal prices have been rising optimistically over the past few weeks, which was one of the factors driving the metal sector.

Published Date – 05:45 PM, Fri – 29 September 23


Metal, pharma stocks top performers in trade



New Delhi: The top performers on the Nifty were Nifty Metal and Nifty Pharma, which gained 2.66 per cent and 1.9 per cent, respectively, said Vaibhav Vidwani, Research Analyst, Bonanza Portfolio.

He said that the metal prices have been rising optimistically over the past few weeks, which was one of the factors driving the metal sector.

Hindalco Industries, NTPC, Hero MotoCorp, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Divis Lab, were among the top gainers while losers include Adani Enterprises, LTIMindtree, HCL Technologies, Tech Mahindra and Power Grid.

Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services said the Indian market witnessed a rebound as positive GDP data from Britain instilled confidence among its global peers.

However, the market is facing stiff resistance at higher levels due to insipid liquidity and a lack of triggers to overcome the bears.

The upside risk to domestic inflation may recede with the return of a good monsoon in September. This, in turn, could provide the RBI with leeway to maintain a pause in the upcoming policy meeting next week, he said.

Top News

'Ramesh Bidhuri Used Inappropriate Language Against You': Danish Ali To PM

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'Ramesh Bidhuri Used Inappropriate Language Against You': Danish Ali To PM

Kunwar Danish Ali is the Bahujan Samaj Party MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha (File).

New Delhi:

Bahujan Samaj Party MP Kunwar Danish Ali – the target of an Islamophobic rant in Parliament last week by the BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri – wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday asking him to “break his silence” and take steps towards “upholding and protecting parliamentary decorum”. He also inverted claims by another BJP MP – Nishikant Dubey – who said Mr Bidhuri’s use of communal slurs was due to his (Mr Ali) use of casteist terms against the PM. Mr Ali said it was the BJP MP who used “inappropriate language when referring to you (the PM)” and that he had “raised an objection to the use of such language…”

“It is evident from House proceedings that none of the members of the ruling party objected to my stance against the use of unparliamentary language against you. However, when I rose and pointed out Shri Bidhuri’s use of unparliamentary language towards you, he got rattled and reacted strongly, possible realising his mistake,” Danish Ali wrote.

“… world is watching India more closely,” Mr Ali told Prime Minister Modi, who has not spoken on the row and whose party has, so far, not disciplined its member. “In your capacity as Leader of the House and Prime Minister of our great nation, I trust you would find it deeply concerning Shri Ramesh Bidhuri Hon’ble MP, resorted to unparliamentary and abusive language.”

READ | “How Can This Be Allowed?” Danish Ali Releases Video After BJP MP’s Attack

In a three-page letter, he asked the PM for a statement “condemning such behaviour” and to remind all members to maintain the “highest standards of decorum and conduct”. “… whole world looks on us as torchbearer of democracy,” he wrote.

Mr Ali also asked for Mr Bidhuri to be held accountable “(for his) reprehensible conduct” and that he be punished. Finally, the BSP lawmaker also asked for strengthened security arrangements given the “barrage of threats from various sources”.

The BSP member also claimed a “continuous effort to damage my reputation”; Mr Ali, in response to accusations by Mr Dubey and another BJP MP, Ravi Kisan Shukla, had earlier said he feared a “narrative for (his) physical lynching” was being created.

READ | “Creating Narrative For My Lynching”: MP Danish Ali On BJP Leader’s Letter

Mr Ali further claimed that unknown individuals had sent him “threatening and menacing messages” after the confrontation in Parliament and he attached screenshots of these texts.

Ramesh Bidhuri hasn’t commented on this row, except to leave its resolution to his party and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who has received complaints from opposition leaders. Mr Birla had only warned of “strict action” on repeat of such behaviour.

BJP, Opposition Trade Complaints

On Thursday the BJP and the opposition each filed complaints with Parliament’s Privileges Committee. Mr Dubey and Mr Kisan sent in notices for the BJP after Mr Ali and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Kanimozhi sent in theirs.

READ | BJP, Opposition Trade Parliament Panel Complaints Over BSP MP Attack: 10 Points

Opposition anger over Mr Bidhuri’s slurs escalated after it emerged the BJP had sent him to Rajasthan’s Tonk to lead the party’s campaign in the district for the November election. The BJP’s move – seen by many as an attempt to remove Mr Bidhuri from the spotlight till the fury dies down – was slammed as “reward for hate” by the opposition.

Mr Ali, speaking to NDTV after the outburst, said the incident had “shamed the country” and, in a moment of prescience, said, “We will see if his party will take action or promote him.” The BSP leader also said he had been left traumatised by the attack.

The BJP MP met party boss JP Nadda in Delhi this week. That was two days before he was re-deployed to Rajasthan. 

The face-off between Ramesh Bidhuri and Danish Ali in Lok Sabha was during a discussion on the success of India’s Chandrayaan-3 Moon mission.

Hyderabad

Mahabubabad court awards ‘death penalty’ to youth for murder of 9-year-old boy

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The district sessions court found 25-year-old man, an automobile mechanic, guilty of murder and awarded him capital punishment

Published Date – 05:38 PM, Fri – 29 September 23


Mahabubabad court awards ‘death penalty’ to youth for murder of 9-year-old boy

Representational Image

Hyderabad: A court in Telangana‘s Mahabubabad district on Friday sentenced a youth to death for kidnapping and murdering a nine-year-old boy nearly two years ago.

The district sessions court found Manga Sagar, an automobile mechanic, guilty of murder and awarded him capital punishment. Sagar, 25, had kidnapped Kusuma Deekshith Reddy for ransom on October 19, 2020 and murdered him a few hours later.

Sagar had throttled the victim to death and later set the body on fire to destroy the evidence. Deekshith Reddy, son of Ranjith Reddy, a vernacular media scribe, was kidnapped from outside his house in Mahabubabad town.

According to police, since Sagar was acquaintance with Ranjith Reddy, the boy went up to Sagar after the accused called him. After making the boy sit on his bike, Sagar took him to a hillock. Three hours later he killed the boy, fearing that he would disclose his identity, if he was released.

Even after killing the boy, the accused had made VOIP calls to the victim’s family demanding Rs.45 lakh ransom to mislead the investigators.

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Women's Reservation Bill Gets President's Assent Days After Historic Vote, Becomes Law

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Women's Reservation Bill Gets President's Assent Days After Historic Vote, Becomes Law

The women’s quota bill was passed in a historic vote (File)

New Delhi:

President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Women’s Reservation Bill, days after a historic vote, has become a law.

The new law provides 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar earlier today signed the women’s reservation bill before it was presented to President Murmu for her assent.

The Constitution amendment bill was passed by the Lok Sabha with near unanimity and the Rajya Sabha with unanimity during a special session of parliament earlier this month.

The new law will take some time before being implemented as the next census and the subsequent delimitation (redrawing Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies) exercise will check the seats being kept aside for women candidates.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that without appropriate participation of women in politics, one cannot talk about inclusive society and democratic integration.

Addressing a BJP event after unveiling a statue of its ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary on September 26 in Delhi, PM Modi said the passage of the women’s reservation bill in Parliament is not only a win for democracy but also for the party’s ideology.