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Tue, 19 September 2023
US 'deeply concerned' by Trudeau's allegations
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23:36 US 'deeply concerned' by Trudeau's allegations
The United States on Tuesday said it is 'deeply concerned' about the allegations made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on India's involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Surrey, and urged New Delhi to 'cooperate' with Canberra in the investigation of the incident.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and one of India's most-wanted terrorists who carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in the western Canadian province of British Columbia on June 18.
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau on Monday alleged the involvement of 'agents of the Indian government' in the killing, claims rejected outright by New Delhi as 'absurd' and 'motivated'.
We are deeply concerned about the allegations referenced by PM Trudeau yesterday. We remain in regular contact with our Canadian partners, a State Department spokesperson told PTI.
"It is critical that Canada's investigation proceed and the perpetrators be brought to justice. We urge the Indian government to cooperate in the Canadian investigation and ensure that those responsible are held to account," the spokesperson said in response to a question.
"Over the past number of weeks, Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar," Trudeau said Monday in a speech to the House of Commons. -- PTI
21:54 boAt pulls out of Canadian-Punjabi singer's tour
Consumer electronics company boAt on Tuesday said it has decided to withdraw the sponsorship of Canada-based Punjabi singer Shubh's upcoming tour to India over certain remarks he made earlier this year.
"At boAt, while our commitment to the incredible music community runs deep, we are first and foremost a true Indian brand. Therefore, when we became aware of the remarks made by artist Shubh earlier this year, we chose to withdraw our sponsorship from the tour," the company said in a post on social media platform X.
Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha has raised objections claiming that Shubh allegedly showed support for Khalistanis by posting a distorted map of Kashmir.
Shubhneet Singh, popularly known as Shubh, is scheduled to perform during the Cruise Control 4.0 event in Mumbai from September 23-25.
Cricketer Virat Kohli had recently unfollowed Shubh on Instagram.
The announcement by boAt came on a day when tensions between Canada and India flared up after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the involvement of "agents of the Indian government" in the killing of a prominent Sikh separatist leader in Surrey in June, a claim outright rejected by New Delhi as "absurd" and "motivated".
Canada and India have expelled a senior diplomat each amid the escalation of the tensions.
21:44 Scindia, Sonia chat in old Parliament building
Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who quit the Congress three years ago, on Tuesday was seen having an animated chat with former president of the party Sonia Gandhi and sitting next to her at a function held in the Central Hall of the old Parliament building.
Gandhi was sitting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party's Leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in the front row when Scindia stopped by and spoke to them.
He then sat next to Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur.
After some time, Scindia moved to sit near Gandhi as Kharge and Chowdhury left their seats to share the dais with Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Leader of the Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi at the event.
Scindia had quit the Congress along with 22 MLAs, leading to the fall of the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh in 2020.
21:25 Amid Canada row, UK says trade talks with India on
The United Kingdom government said on Tuesday that the 'serious allegations' over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada will not impact its own ongoing trade negotiations with India.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson at 10 Downing Street in London was asked about the impact the India-Canada diplomatic row may have on India-UK bilateral relations, after a government spokesperson said the UK remains in 'close touch' with the Canadian authorities over the issue.
India and the UK have been negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) since last year, completing 12 rounds towards a pact aimed at significantly enhancing the estimated GBP 36-billion bilateral trade partnership.
"Work on the trade negotiations will continue as before," Sunak's spokesperson told reporters.
The Canadian authorities will conduct their work which we're not going to pre-empt, the spokesperson said.
Asked whether it was appropriate to pursue a trade deal given the allegations, the PM's spokesperson said 'it's important not to get ahead of the work that our Canadian partners are doing in regard to this allegation'.
"India have put out their own statement on this. For our part, when we have concerns with countries we're negotiating trade deals with, we'll raise them directly," the spokesperson said, adding that the UK was not looking to conflate these issues.
It follows Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's statement in Parliament on Monday that the authorities are 'actively pursuing credible allegations' related to Indian government involvement in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Chief of Khalistan Tiger Force and a designated terrorist, in British Columbia in June. -- PTI
Pic: iamsrk/X
21:10 SRK brings Ganpati Bappa home
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan welcomed Lord Ganesha at his residence Mannat in Mumbai on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on Tuesday.
Sharing a picture of the Ganesha idol, SRK took to Instagram and expressed his festive greetings to all.
"Welcome home Ganpati Bappa Ji. Wishing you and your family a wonderful day honoring Lord Ganesha. May Lord Ganesha bless all of us with happiness, wisdom, good health and lots of Modak to eat!!!" he wrote.
20:35 9 separatist outfits have bases in Canada: Officials
At least nine separatist organisations supporting terror groups have their bases in Canada and despite multiple deportation requests Ottawa has taken no action against those involved in heinous crimes including the killing of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, officials here said on Tuesday.
They said that pro-Khalistani outfits such as the World Sikh Organisation (WSO), Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) working at the behest of Pakistan have been allegedly operating freely form the Canadian soil.
They said allegations levelled against India by the Canadian authorities and politicians in relation to the murder of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani terrorist, are incorrect and based on unsubstantiated assumptions.
The issue of deportations of wanted terrorists and gangsters have been raised by Indian authorities at multiple diplomatic and security talks but the Canadian authorities remained non-committal and brazen in support of these terror elements, the officials said.
Multiple sets of dossier have been handed over to the Canadian side but India's deportation requests have gone unaddressed, they said, adding at least nine separatist organisations supporting terror groups have found their bases in Canada.
Eight individuals involved in terror activities and as many gangsters, who have been conspiring with Pakistan's ISI, have found a safe haven in Canada, the officials said.
They said that deportation requests for these people -- including Gurwant Singh who was involved in terrorist activities in early 1990s -- have been pending with the Canadian authorities for years now.
An Interpol Red Corner Notice is also pending against him.
The officials said Indian authorities had requested for the deportation of Gurpreet Singh, who is also involved in terror cases, and provided his Canadian address but no action was taken.
They said the request for deportation of dreaded gangsters including Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dalla, wanted in 16 criminal cases, Satinderjit Singh Brar alias Goldy Brar, who took responsibility for killing of famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, had been submitted with evidence against them but no action was taken by the Canadian government.
The separatist organisation were openly issuing assassination threats, fuelling separatists' agenda and carrying out targeted killings in India, they said.
They pointed out that high profile assassination of popular singer Sidhu Moosewala by the Canada-based gangster with affiliations to pro-Khalistan elements 'is a classic example of this'.
Other Canada-based wanted terrorists are Gurwant Singh Bath of the Dashmesh regiment of Khalistan, Bhagat Singh Brar (who is son of Pakistan-based terrorist Lakhbeer Singh Rhode), Moninder Singh Bual, Satinder Pal Singh Gill, they said. -- PTI
20:19 Security outside Canadian high commission beefed up
Amid a diplomatic dust-up between India and Canada, officials said security was increased outside the high commission of Canada on Tuesday in central Delhi as a "precautionary measure".
Canada and India have expelled a senior diplomat each after a row erupted over the killing of a Khalistani terrorist in June in Canada, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleging the involvement of "agents of the Indian government" and New Delhi outrightly rejecting the charge as "absurd" and "motivated".
A senior police officer said, "The personnel of Delhi police, along with the paramilitary, have been deployed as a precautionary measure outside the High Commission."
Canadian High Commissioner to India Cameron MacKay was summoned and informed about the decision to expel the senior official, with the ministry of external affairs (MEA) saying the move reflects New Delhi's growing concern at the "interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters and their involvement in anti-India activities."
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and one of India's most-wanted terrorists who carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen outside a gurdwara in Surrey in the western Canadian province of British Columbia on June 18.
20:00 Not looking to 'provoke' India, but...: Trudeau
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday said he was not looking to 'provoke' India or 'escalate' tensions, but urged New Delhi to take the killing of a Sikh separatist leader with the 'utmost seriousness'.
Trudeau's comments came hours after Canada and India expelled a senior diplomat each following his allegations about the involvement of 'agents of the Indian government' in the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.
He said the Indian government needs to 'take this matter with the utmost seriousness'.
"We are doing that. We are not looking to provoke or escalate," he told reporters.
"We want to work with the government of India to lay everything clear and to ensure there are proper processes."
Nijjar, 45, the chief of the banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and one of India's most-wanted terrorists who carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen outside a Gurdwara in Surrey in the western Canadian province of British Columbia on June 18. -- PTI
Rajinikanth with Jay Shah. Pic: BCCI/X
19:53 Rajini gets 'golden ticket' for ICC World Cup
Superstar Rajinikanth will "grace' next month's ICC World Cup as a "distinguished guest," the BCCI said on Tuesday, while extending him the Golden Ticket that allows unhindered access during the multi-country tournament.
BCCI Honorary Secretary Jay Shah presented the Golden Ticket to the top star, BCCI said on its X handle, sharing a photo of the two.
"The Phenomenon Beyond Cinema! The BCCI Honorary Secretary @JayShah presented the golden ticket to Shri @rajinikanth, the true embodiment of charisma and cinematic brilliance.
The legendary actor has left an indelible mark on the hearts of millions, transcending language and culture," it said.
"We are thrilled to announce that Thalaiva will grace the @ICC @cricketworldcup 2023 as our distinguished guest and will light up the biggest cricketing spectacle with his presence. #GoldenTicket," BCCI added.
The marquee tournament will kick off in Ahmedabad on October 5, with the 2019 edition finalists -- England and New Zealand -- facing off in the inaugural tie.
The golden tickets are a promotional strategy used by the BCCI for the showpiece event it is hosting, with the recipients granted VIP treatment during World Cup matches.
Maywati
19:37 Will back women's quota bill even without SC/ST/OBC provision: Maya
BSP supremo Mayawati on Tuesday said her party will support any bill that allows reservation for women in Parliament and other legislatures, even if the party's demand for a quota for the SC, ST and OBC within that quota is not met.
Her remarks to the media came on a day the government introduced a constitutional amendment bill to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, reviving a bill pending for 27 years for want of consensus among parties.
The Dalit leader said her party will welcome a bill even if it provides 50 per cent reservation for women, and the government should consider this.
"We believe that after discussion the women reservation bill will be passed this time which had been pending since long," Mayawati said.
The Bahujan Samaj Party leader said her party wanted women from the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes to get a separate quota in the draft legislation.
Making a strong push for a quota within the quota, she said women from the SC, ST and OBC will not get proper representation if this is not done.
"There is a talk that they should be given quota in the reservation that SC/ST are already getting in Lok Sabha and Assembly but our party is not in favour of this," she said.
"Women of these sections should get reservation in the 33 per cent quota that is being given now, otherwise there will be a lot of injustice to these classes," she said, alleging that the casteist parties from the beginning do not want to see these classes progressing in any field.
Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, the BSP chief said, "If separate reservation arrangements are not made for women of these categories in the women's reservation bill, our party will assume that in this matter also the casteist mentality of the BJP and Congress party has not changed yet."
Emphasising on transparency, Mayawati said, "Whatever criteria is set to determine their seats in this bill, there should not be any kind of politics in it. There should be a complete transparency and this bill should also be implemented."
But, she made it clear that the BSP will support the bill even if her party's demand is not met.
"Even if our demands on the women's reservation bill are not implemented, our party will support the bill and will fully help get it passed in Parliament.
"There has been a lot of talk in the country about the safety, respect and necessary improvement in the condition of women of all sections of society, but instead of working on it with honesty and clear intentions, they are completely ignored," she said.
Mayawati alleged that a game is going on to make the reservation for SC, ST and OBC communities inactive and ineffective which has been provided as the humanitarian and welfare objectives of the Constitution.
19:22 Canadian action will impact ties: Ex-RAW chief
Former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief A S Dulat Tuesday said Canada expelling an Indian diplomat after claiming that New Delhi was potentially linked to the killing of a Khalistani extremist will have a bearing on bilateral relations.
"This kind of expulsion or terming a diplomat persona non grata keeps happening. It is strange that the Canadian Prime Minister announced this in the Parliament..." Dulat told PTI video.
"We don't do these things. We do not go around assassinating people let me make this very clear," said Dulat, a seasoned intelligence officer who spent his career in the Intelligence Bureau and later became the head of RAW.
He expressed concern over Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau making a statement in their Parliament that 'Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar'.
Immediately after Trudeau made the statement, his Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced a senior Indian diplomat in Canada has been expelled as a consequence.
Hours later, New Delhi expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat action. Dulat said India also expels diplomats but 'we have never announced it in Parliament'.
"Normally, the concerned person is sent back home quietly. If there was a problem our officer could have been sent home," he said and added that this move will affect bilateral relations with Canada.
Dulat said the Canadian prime minister visited India twice but neither of his visits has been successful.
"The impression is that he does not listen to us. Our concern is that Khalistani are there. There are people who support Khalistan in Canada, North America and the United Kingdom," he said.
The former RAW chief said if Canadians wanted one of the diplomats out, it could have been done very quietly and at best the same could have been conveyed by Trudeau 'to our prime minister' that the activities of a diplomat were not compatible.
"I don't know what provoked this announcement in Parliament. Immediately, it will have an impact on mutual relationship but I am sure better sense will prevail and Canadians will understand," he said.
Dulat did not agree that this move was going to affect immigration of people for employment.
"In next few months, if Canada does not welcome Indian immigrants they will go to America. There are lots of places to go. Sikhs are now going to Australia and New Zealand," he said.
Nijjar was gunned down on June 18 outside a Sikh cultural center in Surrey in British Columbia, Canada. -- PTI
18:45 Why Prez not invited to old Parliament building function: TMC
The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday questioned why President Draupadi Murmu was not invited to the function held here to mark the move to the new Parliament building.
The event held in the historic Central Hall of the old building was presided over by Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar.
"Where was the President of India during today's event at the Central Hall (of the old Parliament building)? Was she invited? Why was she ignored?" TMC leader Derek O'Brien said.
Members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had gathered at the Central Hall of the old Parliament building for the event.
Opposition parties had earlier objected to the President not being invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament building in May.
At least 21 opposition parties had boycotted the inauguration, contending that President Murmu should inaugurate the new building and not Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The sessions of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are summoned and prorogued by the President on the advice of the government. -- PTI
18:37 Pak begging for money while India reached moon: Nawaz Sharif
Pakistan's self-exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said that his country is begging money from the world while India has reached the moon and hosted the G20 summit, blaming the country's former generals and judges for its economic woes.
Pakistan's economy has been in a free fall mode for the last many years, bringing untold pressure on the poor masses in the form of unchecked double-digit inflation.
"Today Pakistan's prime minister goes country to country to beg for funds while India has reached the moon and is holding G20 meetings. Why Pakistan couldn't achieve the feats India did. Who is responsible for this here?" Sharif asked while addressing a party meeting in Lahore from London via video link on Monday evening.
The 73-year-old supreme leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party further said that India had followed the economic reforms initiated by his government in 1990.
"When Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the prime minister of India, it had only a billion dollars in kitty but now India's foreign exchange reserves have risen up to $600 billion," he said and questioned where India has reached today and where Pakistan is left behind begging the world for some bucks.
In July, the IMF transferred $1.2 billion to cash-strapped Pakistan, part of the $3 billion bailout programme for nine months to support the government's efforts to stabilise the country's ailing economy.
Sharif has for the first time announced his return to the country on October 21 to lead the party's political campaign in the upcoming elections, ending his over four years of self-imposed exile in the UK.
In November 2019, Sharif, serving a seven-year jail term in AlAzizia Mills corruption case, was helped by the then army chief Gen Bajwa to leave the country on medical grounds.
The PML-N says it will secure a protective bail for him before his arrival to Lahore next month.
His party has planned a historic welcome on his return. Sharif lashed out at the military and judicial establishment of 2017 whom he termed responsible for sending him home from the office of the prime minister.
"The man (Nawaz) who rid the country of power load shedding was sent home by four judges," Sharif said in his emotional speech.
He added that then-army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and then Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief General Faiz Hamid were behind his ouster.
"(Former) chief justices Saqib Nisar and Asif Saeed Khosa were tools of [the former army chief and his spy chief]. Their crime is bigger than a murder offence. Giving them pardons will be an injustice to the nation. They don't deserve pardon," Sharif said, vowing to hold them accountable.
These characters' who unleashed economic misery on the people of Pakistan will have to face accountability, he pledged.
Sharif also declared that his party will win in upcoming general elections. -- PTI
17:34 Consider age bar on social media: HC to Centre
The high court of Karnataka on Tuesday observed that it would be suitable if an age limit was introduced for using social media akin to the legal age for drinking alcohol.
A division bench of Justices G Narendar and Vijaykumar A Patil made the observation while hearing an appeal by X Corp (formerly Twitter) challenging the single judge order of June 30 which had dismissed its plea to the takedown orders issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY).
MeiTY had under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act between February 2, 2021 and February 28, 2022 issued 10 Government Orders directing it to block 1,474 accounts, 175 Tweets, 256 URLs and one hashtag.
Twitter challenged the orders related to 39 of these URLs.
"Ban social media. I will tell you a lot of good will come. Today's school going children are so addicted to it. I think there should be an age limit such as in Excise rules," Justice G Narendar noted.
The court further observed that 'children may be 17 or 18. But do they have the maturity to judge what is or is not in the interest of the nation? Not only on social media, even on the Internet things should be removed, it corrupts the mind. Government should consider bringing in an age limit for the use of social media'.
The court had also imposed a cost of Rs 50 lakh on X Corp.
X Corp's counsel argued that MeiTY had not informed the users about blocking their tweets and accounts and even the company was forbidden from informing them.
The HC asked the government, "You do not release the order. He is not permitted to reveal the order. How is he going to defend himself? The HC suggested that the government may have to tweak the rules a bit as it is at the government's discretion that X Corp is blocking the accounts of users and the company cannot be left high and dry."
However, the HC said, "When it comes to national security, everybody has to be on the same page."
When the counsel for the company argued that it had informed which order of MeiTY it can comply with and which it could not, the bench said X Corp cannot be the judge.
The court said the X Corp 'cannot be given the right to judge the content. If the content says 'Apple a day keeps the doctor away', you will interpret that as being against the doctor and the interest of the nation?'
The hearing of the case was adjourned to Wednesday when the HC will decide on the interim relief sought by X Corp. The hearing of the appeal will be heard after that, the HC said. -- PTI
16:52 Modi's remarks in Parliament insult to Telangana: Rahul
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's alleged disrespectful remarks in Parliament on Telangana martyrs and their sacrifices are nothing but insulting the state's existence and self-respect, All India Congress Committee leader Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday.
In a message posted on X (formerly twitter) in Telugu, Gandhi said, Prime Minister Modi's disrespecting speech on the martyrs of Telangana and their sacrifices is an insult to Telangana's existence and self-respect.
During his address in Parliament on Monday, Modi lamented that Telangana being carved out of Andhra Pradesh only led to bitterness and bloodshed in both the states.
Taking exceptions to PM's remarks, Telangana Minister and Bharata Rashtra Samiti working president K T Rama Rao had described it as disparaging and said they reflect the PM's utter disregard for historical facts. -- PTI
16:43 Suicide prank goes wrong, teen dies in UP
A suicide prank by a 13-year-old boy in Jalaun went too far when he was playing with a noose which accidentally got tightened, leading to his death, police said on Tuesday.
The teenager's mother, who is blind, was unable to come to his rescue, they added.
The incident took place on Sunday in Kanshiram colony of the Orai area in Jalaun when Jayesh (13) was playing along with his younger sisters Mahak and Aastha, police outpost in-charge of Kanshiram colony Mohammad Arif said.
According to Arif, Jayesh, while playing had put a piece of cloth over his eyes and then put a noose using a rope around his neck.
The rope was tied to a window. The boy was sitting on a small table and fell down when the table accidentally got pushed while playing. As a result, the noose got tightened around Jayesh's neck and he died, Arif added.
According to the local residents and police, the children's mother Sangita was heard saying that had she been able to see, her son would not have died. -- PTI
Congress' Jairam Ramesh
16:10 Election jumla, Congress says of women's quota bill
The Congress on Tuesday termed as "election jumla" and "huge betrayal of hopes of women" the women's reservation bill brought by the government, noting that the Centre has stated that the reservation will be effective only after a Census and delimitation exercise is conducted post-enactment of the bill.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh wondered whether the census and delimitation will be done before the 2024 elections, pointing out that the Narendra Modi government has not yet conducted the 2021 decadal census.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "In a season of election jumlas, this one is the biggest of them all! A huge betrayal of the hopes of crores of Indian women and girls."
"As we had pointed out earlier, Modi government has not yet conducted the 2021 decadal census making India the only country in G20 that has failed to carry out the Census. Now it says that the reservation for women will come into effect only following the first decadal census conducted AFTER the Women's Reservation Bill has become an Act. When will this census take place?" Ramesh said.
The bill also says the reservation comes into effect only after the publication of the next census and the subsequent delimitation exercise thereafter, he pointed out.
"Basically the Bill gets the headlines today with a very vague promise of its implementation date. This is nothing but EVM - Event Management," he said.
The government on Tuesday introduced a constitutional amendment bill to reserve one-third of seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women. Making it the first bill to be introduced in the new Parliament building, the government said it will enable greater participation of women in policy-making at the state and national levels and help achieve the goal of making India a developed country by 2047.
Atishi
15:47 It's a bill to befool women, says AAP's Atishi
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi on Tuesday alleged that the Women's Reservation Bill is a bill to befool women ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The government on Tuesday introduced a constitutional amendment bill to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, reviving a bill pending for 27 years for want of consensus among parties.
Addressing a press conference, Atishi alleged that the BJP is not interested in the wellbeing and welfare of women.
"A closer reading of the provisions of the bill shows that it is 'Mahila Bewakoof Banao' bill," she said.
According to the bill, the reservation will come into effect after a delimitation exercise is undertaken and will continue for 15 years. Seats reserved for women will be rotated after each delimitation exercise.
"Why have the provisions of delimitation and census been included? This means that women reservation won't be implemented ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. We demand that the provisions of delimitation and census be done way with and the women's reservation be implemented for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," said Atishi, a minister in the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi.
Maneka Gandhi
15:36 So much to learn: Varun Gandhi on his mother's Parl address
"I am proud to be a part of this moment when government under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has undertaken to repair the deep rooted asymmetry, and to give an equal share in the future of India to all us women," Maneka Gandhi, BJP member of Parliament from Sultanpur, said at a function held on Tuesday in the Central Hall to commemorate the rich legacy of the Parliament of India.
Her son Varun Gandhi, BJP MP from Pilibhit, was clearly even more proud of his mother.
"There is so much to learn from this graceful and dignified address by my mother Smt @manekagandhibjp ji, as she opens the special session as the senior-most elected Member of Parliament in the country," he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
J-K ADGP Vijay Kumar
15:31 Anantnag gunfight over, LeT's Uzair Khan killed
Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) commander Uzair Khan was among the two terrorists killed in a gunfight in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district that ended after seven days, Additional Director General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said on Tuesday.
Four security personnel, including two army officers and a police officer, lost their lives in the gunfight, which Kumar said is over.
"Till now, LeT commander Uzair Khan's body has been recovered. The dead body of another terrorist is visible, but it has not been possible to retrieve it yet," the ADGP told reporters in Anantnag.
He said the gunfight, which began in the Gadole forest area of the south Kashmir district on Wednesday last week, is over, but the search operation will continue.
"There is a huge area that remains to be searched. There can be a lot of unexploded shells which will be recovered and destroyed. We appeal to the people not to go to the area," he added.
The ADGP said security forces had reports that two to three terrorists were there. "There is a possibility that the third dead body may be somewhere. It will be known after the search is complete," Kumar said.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar
15:24 Who was Nijjar, whose murder has roiled Indo-Canadian ties?
Hardeep Singh Nijjar came to Canada in 1997, Global News reported, and claimed refugee status, having used a false passport to enter the country. His refugee claim was rejected, but 11 days after that he married a woman who sponsored him for immigration. That, too, was rejected, although Nijjar called himself a Canadian citizen, and Justin Trudeau referred to him as such in the House of Commons on Monday, says a profile of the man on nationalpost.com.
It quotes Jatinder Singh Grewal, an organiser with Sikhs for Justice, as saying: "Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a role model, prominent personality in the community and for the advocacy of a separate Sikh state of Khalistan through a democratic process of referendum He was a pillar in our community."
However, Indian authorities alleged in 2016 that he was linked to a 2007 bombing in Punjab, and the CBI issued a warrant for his arrest, with the Interpol issuing a notice for him.
After Nijjar was killed in June 2023 in a temple parking lot, speculation about India's role in it rose, but the police did not buy into it, saying they will only follow the evidence.
Clearly something has changed since then, as Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed on Monday that he now had credible information that India was involved in the murder.
You can read nationalpost.com's article on Nijjar here.
15:14 Lok Sabha adjourns till September 20
Lok Sabha has been adjourned till September 20 after Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the new Women's Reservation Bill.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the bill in the first sitting of Lok Sabha in the new Parliament building.
The bill has been named 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam'.
Introducing the bill in the house the minister said, "This bill is in relation to women empowerment. By amending Article 239AA of the Constitution, 33% of seats will be reserved for women in the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. Article 330A reservations of seats for SC/ST in the House of people."
Meghwal said that once the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam is passed, the number of seats for women in Lok Sabha will increase to 181.
Discussion for passing of the Bill in the House will be taken up on Wednesday, September 20.
The Bill will be taken up in Rajya Sabha on September 21 government sources said. -- ANI
14:23 Women's quota bill tabled in Lok Sabha
In the Lok Sabha of the new Parliament building, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal tables the Women's Reservation Bill. -- ANI
14:11 In new Parl, Modi announces women's quota bill
As Lok Sabha convened in the new Parliament building for the first time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the Union Cabinet gave approval to women's reservation bill on Monday.
"The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' will ensure more women become members
of Parliament, assemblies," said Modi on women's reservation bill.
"We want that more and more women join the development process of the country. The world has recognised the women-led development process in country. The world is witnessing contribution made by Indian women in different aspects of life from sports to startups," Modi said. -- PTI
13:52 Country's interests paramount: Cong on Canada row
The Congress on Tuesday said the country's interests and concerns must be kept paramount and its fight against terrorism has to be uncompromising, amid a row between India and Canada over the killing of a Khalistani separatist leader in that country.
India announced the expulsion of a Canadian diplomat on Thursday hours after Canada asked an Indian official to leave that country, citing a 'potential' Indian link to the killing of the separatist leader in June.
'The Indian National Congress has always believed that our country's fight against terrorism has to be uncompromising, especially when terrorism threatens India's sovereignty, unity and integrity,' Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.
'Our country's interests and concerns must be kept paramount at all times,' he added.
India has rejected outright as 'baseless' and 'motivated' Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's claim of a 'potential link' between Indian government agents and the killing of a Khalistani separatist leader and sought prompt legal action against anti-India elements operating from Canada.
After Trudeau made the comments in the Canadian Parliament, his Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced that a top Indian diplomat had been expelled from Canada.
Joly's office said the diplomat is Pavan Kumar Rai, the head of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), according to Canadian broadcaster CBC News. -- PTI
13:33 Proud of the moment when women get equal share in India's future: Maneka
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday said she is proud to be part of the moment when the government will be giving women 'an equal share in future of India'.
Maneka Gandhi, who has served as minister for women and child development in past, talked about the power of the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' slogan of the government, and social schemes like Jan Dhan and Ujjwala Yojana.
"I am proud to be a part of this moment when government under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has undertaken to repair the deep rooted asymmetry, and to give an equal share in the future of India to all us women," Maneka Gandhi said at a function held in the Central Hall to commemorate the rich legacy of the Parliament of India.
She said Prime Minister Modi did not see people as mere statistics, but in light of their needs.
"Opening bank accounts, giving dignity in form of toilets, home water tap, building houses for the poor, gas cylinders, giving young people loans, skilling them, protecting them through the pandemic... " she said.
The senior Parliamentarian said she entered Parliament at age of 32, nine years after her husband Sanjay Gandhi's death, and has spent most of her adult life in this Parliament building.
"I have seen seven prime ministers and shaping of grand history," she said.
Members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Tuesday gathered in the historic Central Hall of the old Parliament building for a function to commemorate the rich legacy of the Parliament of India. -- PTI
12:52 PM: Old Parliament building to be now known as...
JUST IN: Members of Parliament are now moving from the old building to the new building.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others left the Central Hall of the old parliament building.
Modi made a suggestion that the old building should now be known as 'Samvidhan Sadan'. -- ANI
12:48 Day 7: Security forces comb through Anantnag forest
Security forces sieved through the dense forests of Gadole in Kashmir Valley's Anantnag district for the seventh day on Tuesday, one of Jammu and Kashmir's longest anti-militancy operations that has claimed the lives of three officers and a soldier.
Two bodies were found from the forest area on Monday.
One was identified as Pradeep, the soldier killed by terrorists last week Wednesday.
The identity of the other is yet to be ascertained, officials said.
Police officials have maintained silence on the operation for the last four days.
They believe two to three terrorists are trapped in the forest area.
The operation started on Wednesday when Colonel Manpreet Singh, commanding officer, 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Ashish Dhonchak and Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat were killed by terrorists.
Pradeep went missing on the first day of the encounter and was believed to have been killed.
Officials had said earlier that drone footage showed a charred body near one of the terrorist hideouts destroyed during the operation.
Security forces are using drones and helicopters to survey the dense forest area with several cave-like hideouts where terrorists are believed to have been holed up since Wednesday.
On Sunday, the security cordon was extended to the neighbouring Posh Kreeri area as a precautionary measure to ensure the terrorists don't slip into civilian areas.
Addressing a function here late on Sunday evening, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said every drop of blood of the slain security personnel will be avenged and the terrorist handlers will have to pay a heavy price.
"We have complete faith in our soldiers.... The entire nation stands in solidarity with the jawans," Sinha said.
Top officials of the security grid in Kashmir, including the director general of police (DGP) and general officer commanding (GOC) of the Army's 15 Corps, have been monitoring the operation. -- PTI
12:39 Pak rejects reports of selling arms to Ukraine
Secret Pakistani arms sales to the United States to be used by Ukraine helped
cash-strapped Islamabad secure a crucial IMF bailout earlier this year, a
report cited internal Pakistani and American government documents as
confirming.
The arms sales were made for the purpose of supplying the
Ukrainian military marking Pakistani involvement in a conflict it had
faced US pressure to take sides on, the Intercept, an online
investigative website has reported.
Pakistan's Foreign Office
Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Monday, however, rejected as
baseless and fabricated the American non-profit news organisation's
report, saying that the cash-strapped country provided arms to the US to
get its support to clinch the $3 billion deal with the IMF towards
the end of June to avoid default.
Pakistan has struggled to maintain a
balance in ties with the Kremlin and Washington since the
Russia-Ukraine crisis began earlier last year.
The IMF Standby
Arrangement for Pakistan was successfully negotiated between Pakistan
and the IMF to implement difficult but essential economic reforms.
Giving any other colour to these negotiations is disingenuous, Dawn News
quoted Baloch as saying.
Baloch said Pakistan maintained a policy of
strict neutrality in the dispute between the two countries and did not
provide them any arms or ammunition in that context.
Pakistan's
defence exports are always accompanied by strict end-user requirements,
she said.
During a visit to Pakistan in July, Ukrainian Foreign
Minister Dmytro Kuleba had rejected similar reports that Islamabad was
supplying arms to Ukraine to support its military during the ongoing
conflict with Russia, according to Dawn.
He had clarified that the two
nations had no deal for the supply of arms and ammunition.
Former
foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had also expressed similar
views, maintaining that Pakistan had not signed any agreement with
Ukraine for military supplies since the war began.
An earlier report
had also claimed Pakistan set up a defence trading firm in Warsaw to
smoothen the process of arms supplies to Ukraine.
In April in an
interview with BBC, a Ukrainian commander had talked about receiving
rockets from other countries including Pakistan. But officials
strongly reject claims of providing any ammunition to Ukraine insisting
the country maintained a policy of strict neutrality.
An official,
however, had said if a third party supplied weapons purchased from
Pakistan to another country, it was their responsibility.
The
revelation is a window into the kind of behind-the-scenes manoeuvring
between financial and political elites that rarely are exposed to the
public, even as the public pays the price, the Intercept report said.
The Russia-Ukraine crisis began last year when President Vladimir Putin
ordered the latter's invasion on February 24.
In July, the IMF
transferred $1.2 billion to cash-strapped Pakistan, part of the $3
billion bailout programme for nine months to support the government's
efforts to stabilise the country's ailing economy. -- PTI
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11:31 Women's quota bill to be introduced in LS today
The Women's Reservation Bill will be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, said sources.
Discussion for passing of the Bill in the House will be taken up on Wednesday.
The Bill will be taken up in Rajya Sabha on September 21, said the sources. -- ANI
Actor Vijay Antony
11:13 Actor Vijay Antony's daughter found hanging in Chennai home
The teenaged daughter of popular actor and music director Vijay Antony died on Tuesday allegedly by suicide at her residence in Chennai, said the police.
The 16-year-old was found hanging in her Teynampet residence in the small hours and was rushed to a city hospital where she was declared brought dead' by the doctors. She is among the two daughters of Antony and was studying in Class 12 at a private school in Chennai.
A case of unnatural death was registered, and investigation is on, they said.
Reacting to her demise, veteran actor R Sarathkumar said, "The news of the untimely and unfortunate demise of the daughter of @vijayantony and Fatima is shocking beyond imaginations. No amount of consoling and condolences can replace the everlasting grief of Vijay Antony and Fatima." -- PTI
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11:09 Nine trains cancelled, eight diverted due to Kurmi stir in Jharkhand
Nine express trains were cancelled and eight others diverted in the Ranchi railway division of South Eastern Railways in view of an indefinite rail blockade called by Kurmi organisations from Wednesday, an official said.
Several Kurmi bodies have called for an indefinite railway blockade at nine railway stations in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha from September 20 to press for their demand of Scheduled Tribe status for the community and inclusion of Kurmali language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.
A senior railway official said that the trains that were supposed to depart from their respective stations on Tuesday and enter Ranchi rail division the next day, have either been cancelled or diverted as a precautionary measure.
Sheetal Ohdar, the president of Totemik Kurmi Vikas Morcha, a leading Kurmi body in Jharkhand, said that several organisations including Adivasi Kurmi Samaj of West Bengal and Kurmi Sena of Odisha will participate in the stir.
"The indefinite blockade of railway tracks will take place at Muri, Gomoh, Nimdih, Ghagra stations in Jharkhand, Khemasuli and Kustaur in West Bengal, and Harichandanpur, Jaraikela and Dhanpur in Odisha from September 20," he told reporters in Ranchi. -- PTI
11:07 Tit-for-tat as India expels Canadian diplomat
India has decided to expel a senior Canadian diplomat said officials on Tuesday.
The ministry of external affairs has asked Canadian diplomat to leave India within next five days.
"The decision to expel Canadian diplomat reflects India's growing concern at interference of Canadian diplomats in our internal matters,' said the MEA. -- PTI
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10:40 Normal life hit in Imphal Valley as Meira Paibi, local clubs call for 48-hr bandh
Normal life was affected in Imphal Valley districts on Tuesday as Meira Paibi, a collective of Meitei women, and five local clubs called for a 48-hour bandh from midnight demanding the release of five youths who were arrested for carrying firearms and sporting camouflage uniforms, officials said.
Markets and commercial establishments remained closed and few vehicles plied the roads on Tuesday morning.
On Monday, Meira Paibis blocked several important roads at Khurai and Kongba in Imphal East district, Kakwa in Imphal West district, Nambol in Bishnupur district and parts of Thoubal district demanding the release of the youths.
Manipur Police had arrested five persons on Saturday for carrying sophisticated weapons and donning camouflage uniforms.
In a statement, police said the five had been produced before the judicial magistrate and remanded to police custody.
Yumnam Hitler, president of All Langthabal Kendra United Clubs Coordinating Committee, said, "The five arrested youths are civilians and village volunteers who have been guarding their respective villages from attacks by Kuki Zo militants as security forces have failed to do their job properly. We want them to be released unconditionally."
"The agitation will intensify if the government fails to release them," Yumnam added. -- PTI
Sonia Gandhi arrives at Parliament for special session/ANI
10:29 It is ours: Sonia Gandhi on women's reservation bill
The Congress' parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said the women's reservation bill "is ours", amid speculation that the bill may be tabled in Parliament.
The Congress on Monday said it welcomed the reported move as the party has been raising the demand for long. Asked about the bill when she was entering Parliament on Tuesday, Gandhi said, "It is ours, apna hai."
In a post on 'X' a day back, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "We welcome the reported decision of the Union Cabinet and await the details of the Bill."
"This could have very well been discussed in the all-party meeting before the Special Session, and consensus could have been built instead of operating under a veil of secrecy," he said. -- PTI
10:19 Karnataka releases 5000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu
The Karnataka government on Tuesday released five thousand cusecs of water from Krishna Raja Sagara dam in the Mandya district to Tamil Nadu for next 15 days.
"The water release started on Monday night," officials said.
This came following the order of Cauvery Water Management Authority asking Karnataka to continue supply of 5000 cusecs for next 15 days with effect from September 13.
This was decided at the meeting of the CWMA, held in the national capital on Monday.
"Karnataka releases 5,000 cusecs of water from KRS dam to Tamil Nadu following an order by CWMA," officials said.
After the meeting, CWMA, in a press note said, "Taking note of the severity of the drought in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka, which has been increasing and enlarging putting at a greater risk even the drinking water needs and minimum needs of irrigation, Karnataka made submissions that it is not in a position to release the water unless the inflows into the reservoirs improves."
In turn, Tamil Nadu urged for releasing a total 12,500 cusecs of water (which is inclusive of backlog of 6,500 cusecs) for next 15 days.
Finally, CWMA duly upholding the recommendations of CWRC has ordered that Karnataka has to ensure 5000 cusecs realisation at Biligundlu for the next 15 days as indicated by CWRC, effective from September 13, it added. -- ANI
10:13 BJP MP Narhari Amin faints during group photo session
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Narhari Amin has fainted during the group photo session of Parliamentarians in New Delhi, on Tuesday.
He has now recovered and is a part of the photo session. --ANI
10:09 New building designated as Parliament House
The new building of Parliament will be hereon designated as the Parliament House of India, stated a Gazette notification issued on Tuesday.
"The Speaker, Lok Sabha, is pleased to notify the new building of Parliament situated in the precincts of Parliament House on plot number 118, New Delhi, east of the existing Parliament House with Raisina Road to the south, and Red Cross Road to the north, to be hereon, designated as the Parliament House of India," said the statement.
10:06 RS, LS members gather for group photograph
Members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha gathered at the inner courtyard of the old Parliament House on Tuesday for a group photograph, hours before legislative proceedings shift to the new Parliament building.
According to a Lok Sabha bulletin, first, a joint photograph will be taken of members of the Rajya Sabha and the 17th Lok Sabha.
It will be followed by a group photograph of Rajya Sabha MPs and later, a group photograph of Lok Sabha members will be clicked.
Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha deputy Chairman Harivansh and former prime ministers Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda will be seated in the first row.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Cabinet ministers, leaders of parties having strengths of eight and above in the Lok Sabha and five and above in the Rajya Sabha, senior members, the oldest member, BJP president J P Nadda and the secretary-general of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha will also be seated in the front row, another bulletin said.
After a function in the central hall of the old building, proceedings will shift to the new building.
While Lok Sabha will meet at the new building at 1.15 pm, Rajya Sabha proceedings in its new chamber will commence at 2.15 pm. -- PTI
09:54 PM Modi arrives at Parliament for special session
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived at Parliament for special session on Tuesday.
09:31 PM Modi greets people on Ganesh Chaturthi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday greeted people on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and wished that the festival brings good luck, success and prosperity in the lives of all.
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated across the country to mark the birth of the god of wisdom, who is worshipped before beginning anything new.
"Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to my family members across the country. May this holy festival associated with the worship of 'Vighnaharta-Vinayak' bring good luck, success and prosperity in the lives of all of you. Ganpati Bappa Morya!" Modi said in a post on X. -- PTI
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09:20 Stock exchanges to remain shut for Ganesh Chaturthi
India's stock exchanges are closed on Tuesday for trading on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Normal trading will resume on Wednesday.
The next stock market holiday is on October 2 -- Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti.
On Monday, Indian stock indices closed in the red, with the benchmarks largely witnessing profit booking. Investors may have taken some money off the table after the indices hit their fresh highs last week.
Indian stock indices touched fresh highs on Friday, largely due to strong cues from US markets and consistent fund inflows by foreign portfolio investors.
On Thursday too, they tasted fresh highs.
Going ahead later this week, investors are likely to tread carefully as the US.
Federal Reserve's meeting scheduled Tuesday-Wednesday, its outcome, will be closely monitored.
The US central bank in its July meeting raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points, the highest in the past 22 years at 5.25-5.5 per cent, in its fight against soaring inflation and bringing it back to 2 per cent target. -- ANI
Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar
09:01 India rejects Canada charges on Khalistani's killing
India on Tuesday rejected the allegations by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the Indian government's involvement in the fatal shooting of Khalistan Tiger Force chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
In a statement the ministry of external affairs termed the allegations 'absurd 'and 'motivated'.
"We have seen and reject the statement of the Canadian Prime Minister in their Parliament, as also the statement by their Foreign Minister' said the MEA in an official statement.
"Allegations of the Indian government's "involvement in any act of violence in Canada are absurd and motivated' the release added.
"Similar allegations were made by the Canadian Prime Minister to our Prime Minister and were completely rejected," said the official release.
The release said India is a democratic polity with a strong commitment to the rule of law.
"Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists and extremists, who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The inaction of the Canadian Government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern," it added.
The release states that Canadian political figures have openly expressed sympathy for such elementsand that remain a matter of deep concern. -- ANI
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08:48 Cheetahs Vayu and Agni shifted to soft release enclsoure in Kuno National Park
Male cheetahs Vayu and Agni were shifted to a soft release 'boma' (enclosure) in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district, officials said.
The ambitious cheetah reintroduction project completed one year on Sunday, which also saw male cheetahs Gaurav and Shourya being shifted to the soft release boma from the quarantine enclosure.
"Vayu and Agni were released in soft release boma on Monday following protocols after completion of their health checkup. Both cheetahs are healthy. Both were in the quarantine boma since June 27. The process of release was completed successfully by the team of veterinary officers in the presence of senior officers," an official release said on Monday.
Under the cheetah reintroduction project, eight Namibian cheetahs, comprising five females and three males, were released into enclosures at KNP on September 17 last year.
In February this year, 12 more cheetahs arrived at KNP from South Africa. -- ANI
08:39 Indian-origin Singaporean jailed for coughing at colleagues while he was Covid-infected
A 64-year-old Singaporean of Indian origin was sentenced to two weeks' jail on Monday on pleading guilty to one count of breaching a COVID-19 regulation by failing to wear a mask that covered his nose and mouth while outside his home in 2021.
Despite knowing that he had just tested positive for COVID-19, Tamilselvam Ramaiya deliberately coughed at his colleagues, lowering his mask to do so on one occasion.
Another two charges were taken into consideration during sentencing, according to a Channel News Asia report.
The court heard that Tamilselvam was working as a cleaner for Leong Hup Singapore at the time.
After reporting for work at 6 Senoko Way on the morning of Oct 18, 2021, he told the assistant logistics manager that he was feeling unwell.
He was told to take an antigen rapid test.
A colleague administered the test on Tamilselvam, and he tested positive for COVID-19.
Given the result, he was instructed to return home and to tell the assistant logistics manager about the result.
The assistant logistics manager, who learnt of the positive test result from someone else, told his other colleagues about it.
However, Tamilselvam did not head home immediately.
Instead, he went to the company's logistics office to inform the assistant logistics manager about his COVID-19 test result.
Tamilselvam entered the office with a company driver who did not know about the positive test result.
The first victim, a 40-year-old logistics supervisor, told the driver not to go near Tamilselvam. The supervisor also asked Tamilselvam to leave the office and made a gesture mimicking kicking him out. -- PTI
08:32 Aditya spacecraft begins new trajectory to Sun
Aditya L1 spacecraft, India's first space-based mission to study the Sun, got a "send-off" from the Earth after orbiting it since its September 2 launch as it underwent a key manoeuvre in the early hours of Tuesday, ISRO said.
The Trans-Lagrangian Point 1 Insertion manoeuvre marks the beginning of the spacecraft's about 110-day trajectory to the destination around the L1 Lagrange point, a balanced gravitational location between the Earth and the Sun.
"Off to Sun-Earth L1 point! The Trans-Lagrangian Point 1 Insertion (TL1I) manoeuvre is performed successfully. The spacecraft is now on a trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth L1 point. It will be injected into an orbit around L1 through a maneuver after about 110 days," ISRO said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
This is the fifth consecutive time the Indian Space Research Organisation has successfully transferred an object on a trajectory toward another celestial body or location in space, the country's space agency said.
Aditya-L1 is the first Indian space-based observatory to study the Sun from a halo orbit around first Sun-Earth Lagrangian point (L1), located roughly 1.5 million km from earth, which is about one per cent of the Earth-Sun distance.
The Sun is a giant sphere of gas, and Aditya-L1 would study the outer atmosphere of the Sun.
It will neither land on the Sun nor approach the Sun any closer. -- PTI
08:22 Differently-abled woman killed for refusing to marry man, body hanged from tree in Raj
A differently-abled woman was allegedly killed and her body hanged from a tree in the Pratapgarh district of Rajasthan by a man for refusing to marry him, the police said on Monday.
The body of the girl was found hanging from a tree in a forested area near Khuntgarh village in Devgarh, they said.
Superintendent of police Amit Kumar said the police have arrested accused Kuldeep Gehlot.
The SP said that on Friday, the deceased's maternal uncle reported to the Dhamotar police station that his differently-abled niece had gone somewhere without informing anyone at home.
Meanwhile, the body of a girl was found hanging from a tree the next day. Bhanwarlal identified it as that of his niece, police said.
The SP said a special team was formed by the police which with the technical support of the cyber cell and after initial interrogation arrested Kuldeep Gehlot.
He said the accused had taken the woman to the forest area and pressured her to get married to him.
But she refused, following which they had a fight and Gehlot allegedly strangulated her to death and and hanged the body on a tree with the help of her scarf. -- PTI
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08:17 Mumbai police issue traffic advisory for Ganeshotsav, curbs on heavy vehicles
Ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, also known as Ganeshotsav, the Mumbai police on Sunday said it has made special traffic arrangements to avoid congestion and logjams on roads during the festivities from September 19 to 29.
The Mumbai police released a press note sharing details of elaborate arrangements to keep traffic moving during the festivities, including diversions, no-entry points and alternate routes.
A total of 13,726 police personnel will be deployed across Mumbai during the Ganesh festival, police informed.
Further, according to the media release issued by the police, a complete ban will be enforced on the movement of all types of heavy commercial vehicles and private buses in South Mumbai.
Meanwhile, with just a day left for the Ganesh Chaturthi, there was an air of celebration and festive fervour not just in Maharashtra but across the country, on Monday.
Across Ganesh pandals or mandals in Maharashtra, devotees are eagerly awaiting the arrival of 'Gajanana'.
Locals are also busy decorating their homes with flowers and rangoli designs while also bringing idols of Lord Ganesha into their homes. -- ANI
Wanted Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar/Twitter
08:06 Canada expels Indian envoy over Khalistani's killing
Signalling a further souring of bilateral ties, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on Monday said an Indian diplomat in the country had been expelled, Al Jazeera reported.
The expulsion comes in light of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's statement alleging an Indian hand in the killing of wanted Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Joly said the Canadian government had expelled an Indian diplomat over allegations of the country's involvement in the killing of the Khalistani leader, according to Al Jazeera.
However, she did not provide any further details on the diplomat's name or the place from where he was expelled, according to the report.
"We see this possible breach of sovereignty as completely unacceptable, and so, that is also why we're coming (out) with this information (of the expulsion of the Indian diplomat) today,' Joly said at a news conference, Al Jazeera reported.
Earlier, on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of being behind the fatal shooting of the wanted Khalistani leader, CBC News reported. Nijjar was gunned down outside a gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada's Surrey, BC on June 18.
According to CBC News, Canada, Trudeau said his country's national security officials had reasons to believe that "agents of the Indian government" carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who also served as the president of Surrey's Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.
"Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between agents of the government of India and the killing of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar," Trudeau said. -- ANI
01:22 Mumbai gears up for Ganesh Chaturthi festivities
A total of 2,729 'sarvajanik Ganeshotsav mandals' have been given permission for organising public Ganesh festivities from Tuesday by erecting 'pandals'.
These are from the 3,767 applications its had received from various outfits till September 18, a release from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation informed on Monday.
Of these, 373 were rejected after inspection, comprising 330 at the level of assistant engineers, 26 by the traffic police, 11 by the local police stations and six by assistant commissioners, it said.
Apart from these, 665 applications were found to be duplicate, it added.
The release said preparations for the festival have been completed by conducting a special drive that included checking pandal premises, idol immersion routes and spots.
Every pandal has been given two bins for segregation of wet and dry waste, while 191 artificial and 69 natural lakes have been earmarked for immersion, it added.
Work on filling potholes, pruning of trees, cleaning of areas, as well as deployment of medical, 'nirmalya' and life guard teams have been completed, the civic body said.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation further said a special cleanliness drive was undertaken in Mumbai on Sunday as a part of the Union government's 'Indian Cleanliness League 2.0', an intercity cleanliness competition.
Ganesh festivities are the most patronised in Mumbai, with thousands of people visiting pandals and also keeping idols at home.
From the launch of Chandrayaan-3 to Ayodhya's Ram Mandir, Ganesh mandals in Mumbai have gone all out with the themes for their pandals for the Ganpati festival, which begins on September 19 and culminates on September 28.
Mumbaikars have been thronging the popular shopping spots of the city at Dadar, Crawford Market, and Lohar Chawl, to buy decor items, flowers, and puja materials among other festival paraphernalia.
People are in for a visual treat this year, as the city's Ganpati mandals have come up with fascinating thematic decorations for their pandals.
Pandal-hoppers will get to see themes of the Chandrayaan-3 launch, Ayodhya Ram Temple, and the 350th anniversary of the coronation of warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, showcased by big mandals in the city.
While a majority of the big mandals have already brought their idols to the pandals in grand processions over the last few weeks, household 'bappas' will make their way home to the beat of drums and happy chants on Tuesday.
A large number of devotees are expected to visit Lalbaug in central Mumbai to catch a glimpse of Lalbaugcha Raja, one of the most celebrated Ganeshas of the city, followed by GSB Seva Mandal's Ganpati in Matunga, which is considered the richest and known for its grandeur.
Other famous Ganesh mandals are in Chinchpokli, Ganesh Gully and Tejukaya.
Apart from these, people will also get to see the city's tallest Ganesha at 45 feet in the Khetwadi area of Girgaum. -- PTI
IMAGE: An idol of Lord Ganesha is placed on the Mumbaicha Raja pandal for the upcoming 11 day celebration of the 'Ganesh Chaturthi' festival, in Mumbai. Photograph: ANI Photo
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