Union Budget 2021: Five points to know

-

January 31, 2021

The Indian team, created history by defeating Australia on their home soil, is going to compete with England starting February 5. The four-Test series between the two teams is starting from February 5. Meanwhile, England’s fast bowler Stuart Broad has Team India and captain Virat Kohli in his column of Daily mail.

“This is not an easy place to tour, and India’s confidence will be sky high from winning at the Gabba to complete a series victory in Australia earlier this month. I can tell you that they had supporters within this England team throughout that decisive match in Brisbane,” Broad wrote in his latest column on Daily Mail.

IND vs ENG Stuert Broad says Virat Kohli is the best batsman he has seen till now

“The togetherness, the character, spirit and willingness they showed was phenomenal. Any team in the world would have been proud of what India achieved despite being depleted by injuries. They are the World Test Championship leaders for good reason. But we have moved from being admirers to their enemy within a couple of weeks and what we cannot do is build India up in our minds. They are not impregnable,” he added.

Last time when the English team visited India that was in 2016 where India won the series by 4-0 and Virat and his company totally outplayed the Alaister Cook’s brigade. That series was the series of numbers and records the young Karun Nair also scored a triple century in the series but he never got much chances after that.

Moeen Ali: Virat Kohli will be more motivated after his team’s win in Australia

By

-

January 31, 2021

England players are gearing up for the mega four-match Test series against the Indian team in the Indian soil starting February 5.

English spinner Moeen Ali has praised Indian captain Virat Kohli and said that the captain will be now more motivated and play fearlessly after a spectacular performance of his team against Australia.

“He’s very motivated to do well and I’m sure he’ll be even more motivated after they did well in Australia and he had to leave for the birth of his child,” Ali said in an interaction with England’s media.

The left-handed batsman, has troubked India with his off-spin too in the previous tour and he was one of the leading wicket taker when England visted India in 2016.

“I don’t know how we’re going to get him out (specifically) because I don’t think he has any sort of weakness but we have a good bowling attack, some pace in the line-up,” added Ali.

Ali has in total 181 wickets in 60 Tests matches he played while he 218 runs short of 3,000 Test runs. His last Test century incidentally back in 2016 and that too in Chennai. Chennai will be the spot for the first two Tests of the forthcoming series next month.

“That is my biggest motivation really. I still feel I’ve got wickets and runs in me and match-winning performances within me. I have little targets I want to achieve first. I am not too far away from getting 200 wickets,” said Ali.

“I know people say they don’t look at these things but it would be something I would look at. Then I would set another target after that.”

Ali has not played any Test match since Ashes 2019 where he was dropped from the team after his poor form. He officially announced a break from the format.

Sasikala released from hospital, may return to Chennai on Feb 5

By

-

January 31, 2021

Expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala has been discharged from Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru after recovering from COVID-19.

Sasikala was serving a four-year term in Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru and she was officially released on January 27.

Despite restrictions, more than 500 of her supporters were present at the exit gate at Victoria Hospital and welcomed her with flower petals.

Sasikala waved her hand to a supporter from inside the car and moreover, the remarkable thing was that she was being driven on a car with an AIADMK flag. There are many speculations that she may join AIADMK and come back to politics before the mega election in Tamil Nadu this year.

Rakesh Tikait: We won’t make any agreement under pressure

By

-

January 31, 2021

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has condemned the Republic Day violence at the Red Fort and said Delhi Police should take immediate action against the rule violators.

Meanwhile, he also demanded the release of the arrested farmers and said that he is thankful to the Prime Minister for his initiative to resolve the problem of farmers.

“There won’t be any agreement under pressure. We will hold discussions on the issue, Prime Minister is ours also, we are thankful for his initiative, we will respect it. We want our people to be released,” said Rakesh Tikait.

The farmers agitation is going for more than two months now and the protest is getting violent day-by-day. On Police had given an ultimatum to vacate the protesting spot. After that farmer leaders called for ‘Kisan Maha-Panchayat’ in Ghazipur and Mathura.

IAF to focus on ₹1.3 lakh crore deal for 114 fighter jets

By

-

January 31, 2021

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is now looking to acquire 114 combat aircraft in a deal expected to cost over Rs 1.3 lakh crore.

The IAF has already issued the Request for Information for the tender. Very soon, a proposal would be made to get the Acceptance of Necessity before the Rajnath Singh-led Ministry Defence for the project.

The Air Force had been undertaking one fighter aircraft project at a time and now its 83 LCA Mark 1A fighters have been cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ₹50,000 crore deal is set to be signed in Bengaluru during Aero India.

“The 83 LCA Tejas would be replacing the four squadrons of the MiG-21 fighter jets which are set to be phased out in near future. The focus would now be on the 114 fighter jets project,” government sources told ANI.

The Request for Information (RFI) has been responded to by several global players including fighter jet manufacturers from the US, France, Russia and Sweden.

While the Americans are offering from the F-15 Strike Eagle, F-18 Super Hornet and an F-16 variant by the name of F-21, the Russians are likely to offer the MiG-35 and a Sukhoi fighter.

Sweden’s Saab is looking to pitch in with its Gripen fighter aircraft which it says is far more advanced than the one which was offered in 2007 to the Indian Air Force. France would be participating in the tender with the Rafale fighter jets.

Recently, Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria had termed the Rafale as one of the strong contenders for the 114 fighter acquisition project.

Amarinder Singh calls an all-party meeting to show solidarity with Punjab farmers

By

-

January 31, 2021

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has called for an all-party meeting on Tuesday to show unity and evolve a consensus on the way forward on the three contentious agriculture related laws, while alleging that Punjab’s farmers are being beaten by the police and assaulted by goons at the protest site on Delhi borders, PTI reported.

As per the report, the meeting will be held at 11 am at Punjab Bhawan. “This is not the time to stand on ego but to come together to save our state and our people,” the chief minister told all the parties.

The meeting will have discussions related to the development that has taken during more than two months of farmers’ protests at Singhu and Tikri borders.

The meetings will also have a detailed conversation regarding the violence that took place on Republic Day and the Singhu border attack on Farmers on Saturday.

“Only through collective efforts of all Punjabis, and all the political parties of the state, can the crisis be tackled effectively and the farmers’ interests be protected,” the chief minister said.

“Our farmers are dying out there at the Delhi borders for more than two months now. They are being beaten up by the police and assaulted by goons. They are being harassed by being deprived of basic amenities,” he added.

Singh has hoped for all the political parties to put their political differences aside and come under the same umbrella to solve farmers’ crisis who have been adamant in their demands of repealing the three farm laws.

Here are the Highlights on PM Modi’s Mann Ki Baat

By

-

January 31, 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the country was saddened to witness the insult of the national flag in Delhi on the occasion of Republic Day on January 26 as he addressed the nation through the first episode of this year’s Mann Ki Baat.

“The nation was shocked to witness the insult of the Tricolour on January 26. We have to fill the coming days with hope and novelty,” Modi said.

Prime Minister’s comments came in the aftermath of the violence on January 26 when farmers protesting against farm laws broke barricades to enter Delhi, clashed with police and vandalised property. They also entered the Red Fort and unfurled their flags from its ramparts.

Here are the Highlights on PM Modi’s Mann Ki Baat:

– PM Modi urges every citizen to keep in mind the goals with with India has eneterd the new decade and keep working for it.

– India in celebrating Road Safety Month, the Prime Minister urges everyone to be safe. He invites road safety slogans to spread awareness.

– Prime minister talks about engineer working towards furthering Pattachitra art of Odisha.

– The Government is committed to modernising farming and is taking many steps and it will continue with its efforts.

– From January 18 to February 17, our country is observing Road Safety Month; road accidents are a matter of concern not just in our country but also the world over, says the PM.

– There are more than 30 Yoga schools in Santiago, the capital of Chile; the Chilean Congress, that is their Parliament, has declared 4th November as National Yoga Day, says the Prime Minister.

– We are not only running the world’s biggest vaccination drive but we are also the fastest in vaccinating our citizens, said Prime Minister.

– Modi said India developed ‘Aatmanirbharta’ during the coronavirus crisis is self-reliant about ensuring vaccine for every citizen of the country.

Covid-19 update: India logs in 13,052 new cases

By

-

January 31, 2021

India has logged in 13,052 new Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the overall tally to 1,07,46,183, health officials said on Sunday.

For the past 24 days, the country has been recording less than 20,000 daily new infections. Also, the death toll remained below the 300-mark for the past 34 days.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday said there were 127 fresh deaths taking the overall toll to 1,54,274.

As per the Ministry’s data, 1,04,23,125 people have so far been discharged, and currently, there are 1,68,784 active cases. The recovery rate has increased to 96.99 per cent, while the fatality rate is down to 1.44 per cent.

The nationwide immunisation drive began across the country on January 16 after the approval of the two Covid vaccines.

More than 37 lakh beneficiaries have received the first dose of Covid vaccine in the first phase so far.

Meanwhile, Serum Institute of on Saturday announced to launch Covavax, developed in partnership with Novavax, by June. “Our partnership for a COVID-19 vaccine with @Novavax has also published excellent efficacy results. We have also applied to start trials in India. Hope to launch #COVOVAX by June 2021!” Adar Poonawalla tweeted this afternoon,” SII CEO Poonawalla said in a tweet.

Here’re more updates:

*Around 3 crore and 40 lakh children will be administered polio drops across Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, officials said.

*EU officials confessed on Saturday to a “blunder” in invoking Northern Ireland Brexit emergency powers during a showdown with Britain over vaccines, and London said it expected its supply of COVID-19 shots would not be interrupted.

*Hungary authorized the use of China’s Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, Hungarian Chief Medical Officer Cecilia Muller said.

*Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reiterated the necessity for people to abide by health protocols, or the country would face another wave of COVID-19 within the next two months, official news agency IRNA reported.

*Another 23,275 people in Britain have tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 3,796,088, according to official figures released.

*Russia registered 19,032 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking its total to 3,832,080, the country’s Covid-19 response center said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the total number of global coronavirus cases has topped 102.5 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 2.21 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurates Pulse Polio Programme 2021

By

-

January 31, 2021

President Ramnath Kovind on Saturday launched the pulse polio programme for 2021. The event saw president himself administering polio drops to children below the age of five years at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

On the eve of the Polio National Immunization Day, the President and First Lady Savita Kovind conducted an event wherein polio drops were administered to several kids ahead of the Polio Ravivar.

“Around 17 crore children of less than 5 years of age will be given polio drops as part of the drive of Government of India to sustain polio free status of the country. The countrywide drive will be supported by about 24 lakh volunteers, 1.5 lakh supervisors and many Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), WHO, UNICEF, Rotary etc,” the health ministry said in a statement.

“Healthcare workers will be visiting as many as 2 crore households to ensure that no child is left without the protection of the polio vaccine,” the statement said.

The event also saw the presence of Health Minister Harsh Vardhan who highlighted the mitigation measures taken by the government to strengthen the routine immunization by the government.

“While we are making efforts to protect our children from more and more diseases, it is important that all vaccines under the programme reach every last child of our country,” Mr Vardhan said.

“The lessons learnt from polio programme are being implemented to strengthen routine immunization by carrying out Mission Indradhanush, Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, Extended Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and Intensified Mission Indradhanush I and II — a drive toward 90 per cent full immunization coverage of India by year 2018 and to sustain it thereafter,” he said.

The health minister further said, “In order to close gaps that might have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, another phase of Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI 3.0) has been planned in 250 high risk districts of the country during February and March 2021. In addition to this, guidance for conduction of Sub-National Immunization days for polio and sensitive surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases during pandemic has also been issued to States.”

BJP planned Republic Day violence, Singhu border ruckus: AAP leader

By

-

January 31, 2021

The Aam Aadmi Party has claimed that the violence that took place on January 26 was pre-planned by the Bharatiya Janata Party along with Delhi Police in a bid to discredit and defame the farmers’ agitation that has being carried out against the Centre’s newly introduces farm laws.

Briefing a press conference on Saturday, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said that BJP leaders are the ‘greatest anti-nationals’, while demanding an NIA probe and sedition cases against them.

As of now, the BJP has not reacted to the claims.

“Police and BJP together scripted the violence of January 26 and the days after. This script was prepared by the BJP with the help of Delhi Police to defame and discredit the farmers’ movement,” the AAP leader claimed.

He further added that on Republic Day, BJP agent Deep Sidhu, who has been actively participating in farmers’ movement, was allowed by the Delhi Police to start his march to enter the National Capital much before the farmers. While Farmers kept fighting with the police to enter Delhi. Deep Sidhu was already strolling out and about in the city.

“On BJP’s instructions, the Delhi police allowed this person to reach and vandalise the Red Fort. The BJP and the Delhi police also allowed this person to hoist a flag of Nishan Sahib at the Red Fort and to create a ruckus,” Bhardwaj added.

After permission from the state police, the farmers were allowed to conduct a peaceful tractor march in Delhi on January 26. However, the protest turned violent when Deep Sidhu, a Punjabi actor and activist, entered the Red Fort to hoist the flag. His provocative speech at the historical monument was also condemned by many. This led many farmers’ unions to disassociate themselves with Sidhu.

Meanwhile, the AAP spokesperson also claimed that it was BJP Goons and not local resident who attacked farmers at the Tikri and Singhu borders on Saturday.

“To push their divisive agenda, the BJP set up this script. Immediately after the event, if you see the chronolgy, you will understand how the events unfolded.”

“Suddenly some people arrive and talk about some panchayat where a decision was taken to push these protestors out of the borders. I am from Delhi but I have not heard about any such panchayat from the local people who want the farmers to leave the borders,” he said.

The APP leader further added that assaulting farmers at Singhu and Tikri border was all pat of the plans otherwise how could these people reach the protest venue amid the heavy security deployed by Delhi police.

R-Day violence: 38 FIRs filed, 84 arrested

By

-

January 31, 2021

As many as 84 people have been arrested and 38 FIRs registered so far in connection with the violence that broke out during the farmers’ tractor rally on Republic Day, the Delhi police said.

Nine of these 22 FIRs were transferred to the crime branch of the Delhi Police for investigation.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police conducted raids at various locations in Punjab’s Jalandhar in connection with vandalism at the Red Fort during the tractor rally in protest against the three controversial farm laws.

On Friday, the Delhi Police had issued an appeal in leading newspapers asking people to share any evidence or information about the violence.

Acting upon the information that two persons identified as Jugraj Singh and Navpreet Singh of Tarn Taran had hoisted the Nishan Sahib from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asked why a judicial inquiry was not being conducted into the incident, reported ANI. “Those [farmers] who were protesting peacefully for around 70 days can’t do something like this,” he claimed. “Impartial probe must be done.”

Gehlot also condemned Tuesday’s violence and said that some “anti-social elements” caused the Red Fort incident, where protestors stormed the historical structure and hoisted flags atop one of the minarets.

“A team from the National Forensic Sciences University has been called to analyse the videos,” said Joint commissioner (Crime) BK Singh.

Singh also said that Delhi Police were examining dump data of mobile calls from the areas where violence took place. This will help police identify the protesters where violent incidents were reported. He added that the registration numbers of tractors and other private vehicles that entered Delhi, particularly at Red Fort, have also been obtained to reach out to their owners for further investigation.

JP Nadda makes official announcement of party’s alliance

By

-

January 31, 2021

BJP national president JP Nadda made the official announcement of the party’s alliance with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for the upcoming Assembly elections, due in April-May.

JP Nadda affirmed the party’s alliance with AIADMK while addressing a public rally in Madurai.

This was earlier confirmed by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam in November 2020, at an event when Home Minister Amit Shah had visited Chennai.

The AIADMK leaders had emphasized that their alliance would retain majority seats in the assembly.

Earlier in the day, the BJP chief chaired BJP Tamil Nadu’s Core committee meeting in Madurai and also addressed the social media volunteers meet.

The AIADMK is aiming for a consecutive third term after winning back-to-back polls under Jayalalithaa’s leadership before she passed away while in office in December 2016.

With Jayalalithaa’s close aide and expelled leader VK Sasikala set to return to Chennai, Palaniswami-led AIADMK has been firm that she won’t be taken back into the party and is appropriating the MGR-Jayalalithaa legacy in a series of actions.

Besides campaigning on their legacy, the AIADMK is hopeful based on their performance in tackling Covid-19, its welfare schemes and reservation measures.

After statement “Skin to skin contact” on POCSO Act – SC withdraws recommendation of permanent judge of justice Ganediwala

By

Neha Kumari

-

January 30, 2021

The Collegium of the Supreme Court has withdrawn the Bombay High Court’s approval of the motion to appoint Additional Judge Justice Pushpa Virendra Ganediwala as a permanent judge. The collegium has taken this step following her recent controversial decisions in some cases. A source said that the decision has been taken after criticisms over her interpretation of sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. Justice Ganediwala had earlier acquitted the accused accused of touching a particular part of a 12-year-old girl and said that the accused had not made skin-to-skin contact.

A few days earlier, she had arranged that holding the hand of a five-year-old girl and opening a zip of trousers is not a sexual offense under the POCSO law.

Sources said, “There is nothing personal against Justice Pushpa Ganediwala. She needs exposure and may not have dealt with such cases when she was a lawyer. The judge needs training.”

Actually, one of the decisions of Justice Ganediwala, Judge of Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court was stayed by the Supreme Court. The Center has appealed against this decision. In this decision, a person has been given relief under the stringent POCSO law, saying that there is no skin to skin contact, hence a section cannot be imposed under POCSO and it is not the same as sexual assault.

Justice Pushpa Ganediwal, while giving the verdict, said that “touching a person’s breast, without exposing a minor, cannot be termed as sexual assault.” The Supreme Court has stayed his decision. A three-member collegium of the apex court headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde recommended Justice Ganediwal as a permanent judge of the Bombay High Court, but later quashed the motion.

Public criticism had begun against Justice Ganediwal’s order of skin-to-skin contact. People said that this shows the insensitivity of the judge towards the girl in the case of sexual harassment. Supreme Court justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud held their opinion against the closing of doors to make Ganediwal a High Court judge. The two also opposed making her an additional judge of the Bombay High Court in February 2019.

The Supreme Court has reportedly withdrawn its recommendation to make Justice Pushpa v. Ganediwal a permanent judge of the Bombay High Court due to her controversial orders on two sexual harassment cases.

A three-member collegium of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde had recommended Justice Ganediwal as a permanent judge of the Bombay High Court, according to a Bar and Bench report, but later quashed the motion. .

Lux’s new film shows Kareena Kapoor Khan finding her true glow

By