India

Chennai, Nov 13 (IANS) The whirlwind visit of Union Home minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah to Chennai and the pep talk he has given to party cadres have boosted the morale of the state unit of the party.

BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai told reporters that Amit Shah had asked the party leaders to focus on strengthening the party in the state.

Amit Shah, according to BJP leaders, told them that after the demise of two towering leaders of the state and former Chief Ministers, M. Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa, the field was open and that BJP had a high chance of gaining ground.

A senior leader of the BJP, who was part of the meeting at party headquarters, Kamalalayam and privy to developments in the state unit, told IANS, "Amit Shah means business. He has a clear roadmap to success and has the blueprint ready. He is a leader who micromanages party affairs and has asked us to build the party from the grassroots level."

The state BJP leader adds, "Amit Shah categorically stated that both the Dravidian parties, DMK and AIADMK are not what they used to be. He had said that DMK was following dynastic politics while AIADMK was almost disintegrated following the group war and other intrinsic issues."

The national BJP will be concentrating more on the state BJP affairs after the Himachal and Gujarat election results and the party is considering Tamil Nadu as a major opportunity for it to explore.

--IANS
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Kolkata, Nov 13 (IANS) Pressure seems to be mounting on the Trinamool Congress over its leader and West Bengal minister, Akhil Giri's derogatory comments concerning the looks of President Droupadi Murmu.

After the state BJP unit in West Bengal on Saturday filed an FIR at the local Nandigram Police station in East Midnapore district, actress- turned- politician and BJP Lok Sabha member from the Hooghly constituency in West Bengal, Locket Chatterjee filed a separate FIR against Giri at a local police station in New Delhi.

According to her, such derogatory comments against the President are not just an insult to women but for the entire tribal community of the country considering that Droupadi Murmu is the first Indian president from that community.

"This is the real culture of Trinamool. Their leaders are ahead in insulting women, especially if that woman hails from the tribal community. They make tall claims about the tribal development in the state. But such derogatory comments from their leader, who is also a minister, reflects the actual mindset of their leaders," Chatterjee said.

Meanwhile, the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly has also become active on the issue. Besides writing to the state governor, La Ganesan to intervene in dismissing Giri as the member of West Bengal legislative Assembly, he is also holding meetings with the party legislators in the state on how the matter can be raised on the floor of Assembly which is heading for its winter session from Monday.

The entire development seems to have put the Trinamool Congress leadership on the backfoot. It has already censured Giri for his comments by issuing a public statement. The point of counter-argument for Trinamool Congress is highlighting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as the symbol of women empowerment in the country.

"Trinamool Congress does not condone the comments made by Akhil Giri about the Indian president. We condemn his comments on behalf of the party. Trinamool Congress under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee firmly believes in women empowerment and women respect. Mamata Banerjee herself is the symbol of women empowerment. That is why women hold important positions both in the state government and within our party," said Trinamool Congress's state general secretary and party spokesman, Kunal Ghosh.

Akhil Giri, the minister of state in-charge of the correctional services department, made the remark at a public meeting at Nandigram on Friday evening.

--IANS
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By Avinash Prabhakar
New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS) After seven years of remaining in power as the main party and ruling the national capital Delhi, the stakes on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are high to end the 15-year rule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the MCD. This is the second time that the party is fighting a full fledged election for the MCD after its formation.


The AAP entered the MCD election fray for the first time in 2017 and managed to win 49 wards. Despite losing the election to the BJP, the party managed to replace the Congress as the main opposition. The Congress had registered victory on only 31 wards in the 2017 civic polls.

However, this time the MCD election has become like the 'Game of Thrones' for both the AAP and the BJP. If the AAP wins the election, the party will rule the MCD for the first time since its formation and the much hyped excuse of a funding crisis can be addressed as the party will be in power in both the assembly and the MCD. If the BJP wins the MCD election, it will create a record of ruling the civic body for the fourth time in a row. So, the stakes for both the AAP and the BJP are high in this MCD election.

The BJP has been able to win the civic body polls three times in a row in 2007, 2012 and 2017 and is ruling the MCD for the last 15 years. Taking a look at the MCD seat sharing, the BJP won 164 seats and took the MCD from the Congress that got only 67 wards in 2007. However, the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) was also in the foray and managed to win 17 wards while others got 24 seats in that election.

In the 2012 MCD election, the BJP managed to win again though the party lost 26 wards and registered victory on only 138 seats. The main opposition Congress gained 10 wards and won a total of 77 seats. And, the others managed to win 57 wards which also included the BSP's 15 seats.

It was the first election after the MCD was divided into three bodies under the UPA 2 regime. The AAP was not in the foray that year.

In the 2017 civic polls, the BJP again came into power with 181 seats, a gain of 43 seats from the 2012 election. However, an important factor that must be underlined here is that after the entry of the AAP into the political landscape of Delhi, the election patterns for the MCD changed drastically. As the MCD used to be bipolar earlier, after the AAP's entry it became tripolar - BJP, Congress and AAP.

In this election, the AAP for the first time won 49 seats and the BJP gained 43 seats. The additional wards of the BJP and the AAP was of course a major blow to the Congress as it lost 46 seats and managed to win only 31 wards, emerging as the third party in the MCD. The AAP replaced Congress both in terms of seats and vote share.

The BSP also lost 12 wards and could manage to win only three wards, two in east Delhi - Gharoli and Seelampur - and one in north Delhi - Rohini C in 2017. However, the BSP seems to be missing after that election in Delhi's political landscape.

Looking at the zone wise performance of both the parties in 2017, the BJP won the highest number of 70 wards in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) with a vote share of 34.87 per cent, while the AAP managed to win only 16 wards with a 26.44 per cent vote share.

In the NDMC, the BJP won 64 wards with 35.63 per cent vote share, the AAP has 21 wards with a 27.88 per cent vote share. The BJP won 47 wards with a 38.61 per cent vote share while the AAP has 12 seats with a 23.40 per cent vote share. The Congress got 16 wards with 21 per cent, 12 wards with 20.29 vote share and 3 wards with 22.84 share respectively in the NDMC, SDMC and EDMC.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS) Delhi BJP on Sunday attacked Aam Adami Party (AAP) by remaking the 'Lootera' movie poster featuring Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia over 'scams'.

Making the best use of social media, Delhi BJP always comes up with a unique idea to attack opposition and connect with people especially the youth.

BJP national spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, said, "In Delhi there is now a film running from a very long period of time from 2013 called 'Lootera' and many sequels have also come about. The film has been directed by Arvind Kejriwal and produced by Sukesh Chandrashekhar, star casts include Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and many other ministers. Many sequels are involved in it, there is lootera involving hawala ghotala, lootera involving bus ghotala, class room ghotala, Delhi Jal Board ghotala, Tihar ke andar ka ghotala. This is a longest running film that is taking place in Delhi from 8-9 years under Arvind Kejriwal because he likes film so much and he sees film everywhere. He sees production films running even in ED and CBI."

"Question is when will action be taken on these lootera of Delhi, Manish Sisodia who was calling for files illegally, when will action be taken on lootera of Delhi, Satyendar Jain who inside the jail is using his official power to extort money from conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar. He is a maha Lootera who is looting even a Maha thug Sukesh. These questions are to be answered by Kejriwal who is playing a victimhood card. There is a new film in process 'Chor Machaye Shor'. This has been presented and has been reflected the sentiments of Delhi BJP social media. Wherever these people from AAP go people are shouting on them you are a lootera, therefore this poster has been unveiled," Poonawalla stated.

Also, to connect with youths, Delhi BJP has come up with an informational reel series on Instagram called 'Kya Aapko Pata Hai'.

Speaking to IANS, the BJP Spokesperson said "This is a social media campaign. There is a social media campaign of calumny, lies, misinformation, propaganda advertisement being done by AAP which is undermining and trying to say that Delhiites have done nothing for themselves in the last 15 years. 'Kya Aapko Pata Hai' is a campaign which tells the Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejirwal that there is a lot of work is being done on 'vyavastha' because you are only interested on 'Vigyapan'. It will tell how MCD has done so much without making noise or advertise it. Whether it is beautification of parks, revolution in health sectors, lightning management etc."

--IANS
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New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS) India, known for its intricate railway network will soon witness a massive transition from conventional railway signalling system as Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has signed an agreement with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (DMRC) to jointly develop an indigenous communication-based train control system (i-CBTC).

i-CBTC, being indigenously developed for the first time in India, will enable unmanned operations of metro and trains. It is a big leap forward in the field of metro and rail automation and will give a boost to the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' mission of the Government of India.

The project is being carried out under the ambit of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India. The MoU aims at leveraging the complementary strengths and capabilities of BEL and DMRC.

India manages the fourth largest national railway system in the world by size, with a total route length of 68,103 km (42,317 mi) as of 31 March 2022. Indian Railways, the premier transport organisation of the country is the largest rail network in Asia and the world's second largest under one management.

i-CBTC is a modern communication based system that uses radio communication to transfer timely and accurate train control information.Taking the big leap forward in the field of automation, the system will enable unmanned operations of metro and trains.

"It is a major step towards the development of an indigenously built signalling system in India and a big step towards achieving self-reliance in Metro Signalling & Train Control Systems. This will facilitate and foster innovation, enhance local skill, reduce deployment cost of Metros and lead to evolution of expertise within the country in the field of train control signalling systems," DMRC mentioned in a communique.

According to News on Air, the conventional railway signalling is based on colour light signals and train detection with the help of track circuits and axle counters. Although this technology is suitable for detection and control of trains, it is still not able to utilize the section capacity to its full advantage. And here comes the indigenous communication-based train control system (i-CBTC) in the picture.

The modern communication based system uses the telecommunications between the train and track equipment for the traffic management and infrastructure control. It helps to track the precise position of a train, which is better than the traditional signalling systems. It results in a more efficient and safe way to manage the railway traffic. Metros (and other railway systems) are able to improve headways while maintaining or even improving safety.

Due to the amalgamation of latest tech, the i-CBTC is the choice of mass-transit railway operators across the globe, with over a hundred systems currently installed worldwide. In India also, the technology is finding applications in Metro railways.

With the increase in population across major cities/towns, the need for mass transit transport and signalling systems need to evolve and adapt to safely meet this increase in demand and traffic capacity. As a result, i-CBTC is being widely adopted for its feature of moving blocks which allows high frequency of trains. Being the latest technology in the field of Metro train signalling, the system promises efficient use of Metro infrastructure providing safe operations as well.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the release of all the six life-term convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case in view of the Tamil Nadu government's recommendation.

In May, the top court had ordered the release of A.G. Perarivalan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment over the 1991 assassination of the former Prime Minister.

A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and B.V. Nagarathna passed the order of releasing the convicts.

It added that court's order pertaining to Perarivalan was applicable to all other convicts in the case and also noted that Tamil Nadu has recommended the release of all convicts in the case.

Convicts S. Nalini and R.P. Ravichandran had moved the apex court challenging the Madras High Court order, which refused to entertain their plea seeking release from the prison.

In response to the petitions, the Tamil Nadu government said both had served over 30 years in jail and it had approved the remitting sentence of all seven convicts over four years ago.

On May 18, the Supreme Court invoked its extraordinary powers to do complete justice under Article 142 of the Constitution, as it ordered the release of Perarivalan.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) The Delhi Police have registered two FIRs in connection with the clashes that took place between two groups on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus, a senior police official said on Friday.

Two students were injured in the clashes that took place on Thursday evening near the Narmada Hostel over a personal issue.

"On the complaint of Nishant Nagar, a JNU student, a case under section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC has been registered. And on the complaint of another student, Kartik, a case under similar sections has also been registered. Both cases have been registered at the Vasant Kunj North police station," said Manoj C, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest).

Sources have said that the clashes were a fallout of a scuffle that unfolded at a birthday party on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, several videos of students and youth carrying sticks were also doing the rounds on social media.

However, there was no political involvement in Thursday's clashes, the police said.

--IANS
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By Dr. Rishi Raj Borah
New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANSlife) There are about 2.2 billion people globally with near or distant vision impairment, according to a 2021 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO). India is the second-most populous country in the world and home to over 20 per cent of the world's blind population. Addressing visual impairment is a major health issue across the globe, and while a number of factors are responsible for poor vision, including age, genetics, and the environment, everyday habits are just as important. There are indications that daily habits can affect a person's eyesight and develop into further complications if not addressed in time.


What are these habits?

Too much screen time: Working for long hours, especially on a computer has become a reality for many people around the world. The pandemic and the work-from-home culture meant that people have to work virtually for long hours every day. Such a lifestyle can inevitably cause significant strain on your eyes and lead to eye-related problems if not properly checked. A condition often associated with this is "screen-sightedness" or computer vision syndrome. The 20-20-20 technique is a simple yet effective way to take frequent breaks to reduce the stress on your due to extended use of digital devices. Spend at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes looking at something 20 feet away.

Eating eye health-deficient diet: Including foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, vitamins C and E, and dark leafy greens, nuts, eggs, oranges, and seafood can help maintain eye health.

Not resting enough: Lack of sleep, especially when it happens on a regular basis, can have many negative effects on our health, both short-term and long-term, including a weakened immune system, weight gain, heart disease, high blood pressure, mood changes, and memory issues. It also affects the health of our eyes significantly. Not resting enough can manifest in bloodshot eyes, dark circles, blurred vision, dry eyes, and other conditions. According to research, the eyes need about 7 to 9 hours of good sleep daily to replenish themselves and function well.

Rubbing your eyes all day can also cause some damage to your sight. Rubbing the eyes can break blood vessels present under your eyelids. When the eyes are irritated, instead of rubbing the eyes, try applying a cold compress instead.

Not wearing sunglasses can also have harmful effects on your eyes. Our eyes are vulnerable to ultraviolet rays and weather elements which can affect the health of our vision in numerous ways. Wearing the right sunglasses on a regular basis can prevent the development of macular degeneration or cataracts. Beyond that, sunglasses also help protect against dry-eye syndrome by blocking the wind and dust that could gain access to your eyes.

Staying dehydrated. Water is essential for the body to help maintain hydration. Our eyes rely on water to help keep them lubricated in the form of tears. It is quite normal for dust, dirt, and other debris present in the air to sneak into our eyes. In the absence of moisture, one may develop dry, red, or puffy eyes. Thus, it is important to stay hydrated by consuming plenty of water every day.

Moreover, regular eye check-ups are essential for the timely identification and treatment of visual ailments.

(Dr. Rishi Raj Borah is a Country Director of India, Orbis)

(IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)

--IANS
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New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) Visiting US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Friday said that India is assuming the G20 presidency at an "uncertain time for the global economy" and that addressing debt distress, promoting climate action, evolving the multilateral development banks as well as embracing and shaping the changing economy would be the main challenges the country will face.

"In three weeks, India will assume the helm of the G20 at an uncertain time for the global economy. We look forward to supporting India's G20 presidency. A successful Indian presidency is indispensable to our global economic recovery and sustained progress on our deepest problems," Yellen said after visiting the Microsoft campus in Noida, soon after her arrival in the national capital.

On debt distress, Yellen said that the G20 must do better to provide debt relief where necessary.

"India's G20 year is a chance to accelerate global coordination on debt restructuring. Two years ago, the G20 established the Common Framework to bring all the major bilateral creditors. The Framework has not delivered on its promise, largely because of lack of cooperation from China. As a consequence, debtor countries in need are hesitant to request Common Framework treatment," Yellen said.

This, she said, needs to change. "All major bilateral creditors, including China, must cooperate constructively to deliver on their G20 commitment to provide meaningful debt relief. We must also improve the speed and predictability of the Common Framework itself. Beyond low-income countries, middle-income countries in distress, such as Sri Lanka, will also need a process for receiving timely and orderly debt relief. We welcome India's leadership in this area, whether through an expansion of the Common Framework or another multilateral framework."

Speaking on challenges related to climate crisis, Yellen said: "As the world's second-and third-largest emitters, we have a shared interest and responsibility to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. The US is taking significant action. At home, we have enacted the Inflation Reduction Act. It's the most aggressive domestic climate action in our history.

"Our investment puts us on a strong path to meet our goal of reducing our emissions to at least half of 2005 levels by the end of this decade.It will also bring down the cost curves of clean energy technologies. This will have positive spillovers for the rest of the world."

Yellen informed that the US is working with countries to strengthen climate resilience for the most vulnerable communities.

"And we are facilitating a just transition for those most affected by the shift to a net-zero economy. President Biden has committed to increasing US international public climate financing to over $11 billion by 2024. In partnership with India, the G7 is marshalling a broad mix of public, private, and philanthropic financing to expedite India's energy transition in line with its ambitious climate goals. We will also advance global climate coordination with India in our role as co-chair of the G20 working group on sustainable finance. A global challenge like climate cannot be solved by any one country. It requires all of us to work together," she said.

On multilateral development bank evolution, the Treasury Secretary said: "our existing multilateral development finance architecture is currently unable to respond to these global challenges with the necessary speed and scale. Last month, ahead of the Annual Meetings, I called for an evolution of the development banks. I said that these institutions must devise new approaches to global challenges, while maintaining their existing focus on poverty reduction and the Sustainable Development Goals.

"I am pleased that the World Bank has committed to developing a work programme by the end of the year to strengthen its role and capacity to respond to evolving needs. As key World Bank shareholders, India and the US are critical to guiding the institution through this evolution. This effort serves as an important part of our overall strategy to mobilize against our global challenges."

Touching upon changing global economy, Yellen said: "The digital revolution has changed the face of communication and commerce in our countries over the past three decades. Today, the digital economy provides massive opportunity and continues to drive economic growth. This is particularly true in India, which has over 560 million Internet subscribers and 1.2 billion mobile phone subscribers. Rapid digital adoption has enabled India to achieve stunning success on its financial inclusion efforts."

However, she said that digital opportunities available to many Indians and Americans today are not readily available for much of the world.

"Over the next five years, the G7 aims to mobilize $600 billion through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. It has identified digital infrastructure as a key priority alongside climate, health, and gender. The US is ready to work with India and other partners to close the global digital gap. As we do so, it is equally important to combat threats to privacy and cybersecurity and attend to emerging problems like illicit finance," she said.

The G20 has set out a roadmap for enhancing cross-border payments.

"We look forward to working with India to deliver on tangible outcomes. This includes reducing frictions to the flow of data. We also look forward to the G20 advancing financial inclusion efforts for the unbanked around the world," she concluded.

--IANS
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Ahmedabad, Nov 11 (IANS) The Congress party has released its second list of 46 candidates for the Gujarat Assembly polls scheduled to be held next month.

As per the schedule, of the 182 seats in the Legislative Assembly, 89 will go to polls in the first phase on December 1, while voting for the remaining 93 seats will take place in the second phase on December 5.

The party has renominated its 21 sitting MLAs, but is undecided about 21 seats. Apparently, in a few seats, the party is waiting for the BJP to announce its candidates to work out its caste equations.

Those repeated MLAs are former Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani, working presidents Lalit Kagagthra, Rutvik Makwana, Amrish Der and senior leader Punja Vansh.

Candidates for Rapar (Kutch), Vadhvan, Dhrangadhra (Surendranagar district) Rajkot - East & West (city seats), Jamnagar (rural), Dwarka, Talala and Kodinar (Gir Somnath), Bhavnagar East, and Gariyadhar are yet to be announced.

According to party sources, the delay is because the party is mulling fielding senior leaders -- former Union Minister Bharatsinh Solanki, GPCC former president Siddharth Patel, Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil and sitting president Jagdish Thakor.

Veteran politician Shankersinh Vaghela is likely to return to Congress on Saturday, during party's national president Mallikarjun Kharge's visit to campaign.

The result of the polls will be announced on December 10.

--IANS
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