March 2020

‘I’m sowing the seeds of service, hope they will bear fruit’: Altaf Bukhari After seven months of an unprecedented security and internet lockdown in the wake of the revocation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir is ushering in a spring marked by a calibrated easing of restrictions and release of political leaders. The latest straw in the wind is an effort to break the political ice. Altaf Bukhari, Kashmir’s leading business tycoon and an expelled senior leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has emerged as the prime mover in efforts to revive the political process. Source: Hindustan Times

‘Don’t celebrate me if you are not going to listen’: Manipuri child climate activist Licypriya Kangujam turns down Modi’s #SheInspiresUs campaign Child environmental activist from Manipur Licypriya Kangujam turned down the offer to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s #SheInspiresUs campaign on International Women’s Day, saying she doesn’t want to be “celebrated” as the prime minister doesn’t “listen” to the young activist’s voice. The government had chosen the eight-year-old environmental activist as one of the women to run Modi’s social media accounts as part of his #SheInspiresUs campaign — dedicated to women “whose life and work will help ignite motivation in millions” on Sunday. Taking to...

Karnal MC seals Dharmendra-inaugurated ‘He-Man’ dhaba The Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) sealed the ‘He-Man’ dhaba here for allegedly not taking change of land use (CLU) certificate, illegal construction and not getting the building plan approved. This dhaba was inaugurated amid much fanfare on February 14 by Bollywood superstar Dharmendra. Local businessmen Sunil Tinna and Gaurav Tinna, who run a hotel along NH-44, gave part of the premises on lease to Vikas Choudhary and Rakesh Garg of Noida to run the dhaba last year. As per information, no CLU certificate was taken from the KMC to run the dhaba. Construction was...

Indigenous Defence Production Key to Make India $5 Trillion Economy by 2024, Says Rajnath Singh New Delhi: The government has set a target of $26 billion turnover in aerospace and military manufacturing in next five years, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, noting that indigenous defence production was key to achieving the country’s aim to be a $5 trillion economy by 2024. He said adequate thrust is being given on enhancing defence exports though the primary aim of indigenous defence production is to cater to the needs of the armed forces. In an address at the ET Global Business Summit, Rajnath Singh...

CBI vs CBI: Major relief for bribery-accused Rakesh Asthana, court accepts clean chit The CBI special court at Rouse Avenue Complex on Saturday accepted the central investigation agency’s clean chit to former special director Rakesh Asthana and DSP Devender Kumar, while taking cognizance of the CBI’s chargesheet against Manoj Prasad. Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal said in his order there wasn’t sufficient material against public servants – Rakesh Asthana and Devender Kumar. The court order is a major relief for Rakesh Asthana, who has claimed since day one that a “fabricated” FIR was filed against him at the behest of...

Enraged at Nirbhaya convicts mocking justice system, need to stop this: Smriti Irani NEW DELHI: Union minister Smriti Irani said on Saturday she was “enraged” that the death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case were making a “mockery of justice” by their delaying tactics and asserted that urgent steps were required to stop it. “We need to go a step forward, especially with regard to the conviction rates… what we saw in the Nirbhaya case and it is happening. “The fact that rapists can throw caution to the winds, the fact that they can laugh in the face of justice...

Bill Clinton Explains Monica Lewinsky Affair as ‘Managing My Anxieties’ Former President Bill Clinton, recalling the sex scandal that led to his impeachment in 1998, says in a new documentary series that his extramarital affair with Monica S. Lewinsky was a way of “managing my anxieties.” The four-part documentary series, “Hillary,” which was released on Friday on Hulu, focuses on Hillary Clinton’s life, her marriage to Mr. Clinton and her unsuccessful campaign for president in 2016. In the series, Mr. Clinton, 73, is asked by the director, Nanette Burstein, why he engaged in an affair with Ms. Lewinsky, then a White...

‘Right talking’ critics hate those doing right things: PM Modi NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hit out at ‘right talking’ critics of his government’s decisions such as the new citizenship law and scrapping of special status for Jammu and Kashmir, saying they have hatred for people who walk the path of ‘doing the right things’ and break the status quo. Speaking at the ET Global Business Summit, he said the global economy has been going through a difficult phase but the fundamentals of the Indian economy are strong and policies are clear that will aid in reaching...

‘Was a political conspiracy’: Nitin Gadkari speaks out on timing of Delhi riots Union Minister Nitin Gadkari says he feels there was a political conspiracy behind the Delhi communal violence to defame India during US President Donald Trump’s two-day visit. He added that an inquiry into the riots was ongoing and the conspirators will be punished by the government after it is complete. “Now things are coming, that there is a conspiracy, political conspiracy, in Delhi riots to defame this country, it is very unfortunate, the probe is going on, the truth will come out and whatever the peoples (sic)...

Manmohan Singh: Former PM says India situation ‘grim and morose’ “The current situation is very grim and morose,” he wrote in a sharply critical op-ed in The Hindu newspaper. The article comes in the wake of the most violent riots to take place in capital, Delhi, in decades. Mr Singh also referred to slowing growth and the possibility of a coronavirus outbreak. More than 50 Indians have died in recent religious riots sparked by clashes over a controversial citizenship law in Delhi. “The India that we know and cherish is slipping away fast. Wilfully stoked communal tensions, gross economic mismanagement and an external...