India

Mumbai, Sep 1 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Salman Khan along with his family welcomed Ganpati at his sister Arpita's home and even shared a video of performing aarti.

Salman took to Instagram, where he shared a small clip from the celebrations. In the video, the 'Dabangg' star is seen performing aarti dressed in a white shirt paired with denims.

Soon after him, Arpita and her actor husband Aayush Sharma are seen doing the aarti and praying.

The superstar is a believer in all faiths. His Father Salim Khan's first wife Salma is a Maharashtrian Brahmin and the second, is former Bollywood actress Helen, a Catholic. They celebrate Eid, Ganpati, Diwali and Christmas with full fervour.

On the work front, Salman on completing 34 years in Hindi cinema on August 26, announced that the title of his movie 'Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali' has been re-christened to 'Kisi Ka Bhai.. Kisi Ki Jaan'.

'Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali', which is now titled 'Kisi Ka Bhai.. Kisi Ki Jaan', stars Venkatesh Daggubati, Jagapathi Babu and Pooja Hegde. The film is a remake of the 2014 Tamil movie, 'Veeram'.

--IANS
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Prayagraj, Sep 1 (IANS) In a major development, the Allahabad high court has cancelled three government orders issued between 2016 and 2019 through which 18 sub-castes from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) were notified as Schedule Caste (SC) in Uttar Pradesh.

The Allahabad high court ruled that the Central government alone has the power to include a caste in the list of SC.

Allowing a PIL filed by B.R. Ambedker Granthalaya Evam Jan Kalyan, Gorakhpur and others, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice J.J. Munir quashed the three notifications dated December 21, 2016, December 22, 2016, and June 24, 2019.

The first two notifications were issued by the Samajwadi Party (SP) government while the BJP government issued the third one during its previous tenure.

By these notifications, 18 OBCs were placed in the category of SC. High court had already intervened to stop both the governments from action on these notifications.

The two notifications issued by the SP government were challenged through the above-mentioned PIL on the ground that they were without authority as provided under Article 341 of the Constitution.

Article 341 empowers the President to specify castes, races or tribes that will be classified as 'SC' under the Constitution.

While hearing the PIL, the court had passed an interim order in favour of the petitioner and directed the state government not to issue any caste certificate on the basis of these notifications.

However, during the pendency of the PIL, another notification to the same effect was issued on June 24, 2019, by the Yogi Adityanath government. This notification was also challenged and, in this case, too, an interim order directing the state government not to issue any caste certificate on the basis of the notification was passed.

On Wednesday, after hearing the counsel for the parties, the court was of the view that "it is the Central government which is empowered to bring a caste in the ambit of SC and the state government has no power in this regard".

The detailed verdict is awaited.

The sub-castes which the SP and BJP governments intended to include in the SC category were Majhwar, Kahar, Kashyap, Kevat, Mallah, Nishad, Kumhar, Prajapati, Dheevar, Bind, Bhar, Rajbhar, Dhiman, Batham, Turha, Godia, Manjhi and Machhua.

Among these, sub-castes like Kevat, Mallah, Bind, Nishad and Manjhi broadly come under the Nishad community, which has been demanding SC status for a long time.

Nishad Party, which claims to be representing the community, is part of the NDA alliance since 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, it was an ally of the SP.

Similarly, the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, claiming to have the support of Rajbhars, was an ally of SP in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh elections and prior to this, it was part of the NDA and its leader O.P. Rajbhar was also a Minister in the Yogi government.

The issue of inclusion of certain OBC sub-castes in the SC list has been lingering for the past 18 years. It was in 2004 that the Mulayam Singh Yadav government amended the Uttar Pradesh Public Services Act, 1994, to include as many as 17 OBC sub-castes in the SC category.

The Allahabad high court, however, quashed the decision declaring the move unconstitutional and void as it was taken without the consent of the Central government.

The issue was revived when the SP came to power again in 2012.

"In their OBC outreach bid, both SP and BJP have been trying to take certain sub-castes out of the backward bracket, where the competition for the quota pie is much stiffer, and put them in the SC category where fewer strong sub-castes like Jatavs and Pasi vie for the reservation," says a political analyst.

Attacking the BJP on the HC decision, SP said that the reservation to the 18 most backward communities got cancelled due to ineffective action in court by the BJP government.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 1 (IANS) The Indian and Chinese armies have once again held talks on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It is being told that this conversation has taken place at the Division Commander level.

According to defence sources, an Indian Army and Chinese Army Division Commander level meeting was held on Wednesday to discuss routine matters related to maintaining peace along the Line of Actuality in the Ladakh sector.

Sources familiar with the matter said such meetings are held regularly after every three months at various levels to discuss the issues of maintaining peace and border management.

The meeting comes at a time when it is being claimed that the Chinese PLA is continuing heavy construction activities along the LAC to further upgrade its military infrastructure and connectivity in the region.

During the talks, the Indian and Chinese sides under the leadership of the division commanders discussed issues related to peace in the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector and other areas.

Earlier, India and China held talks in the Chushul sector in the wake of recent airspace violations by the Chinese Air Force, where India warned China against any misadventure.

--IANS
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By Brij Khandelwal
Agra, Aug 31 (IANS) Another attempt to force change the name of the Taj Mahal to "Tejo Mahal" fell flat, after noisy scenes and frayed tempers in a special session of the Agra Municipal Corporation on Wednesday.



A corporator had moved a resolution demanding the name change, on the basis of claimed "historical evidence" that the Taj Mahal was originally a Hindu temple.

But due to the din, and groups of corporators shouting slogans, the matter could not be taken up. Mayor Navin Jain adjourned the house indefinitely, after failing to bring the session to order.

While the Hindutva group was adamant to move the resolution, the BSP and Congress corporators opposed the initiative, claiming that the High Court and the Supreme Court, had already dismissed the plea.

Outside the house, various Hindutva groups continued to shout slogans, as corporation officials tried hard to pacify the agitated members of the house.

Senior BJP corporator Anurag Chaturvedi told IANS that the initiative was legally flawed and could not be pursued. The property belongs to the ASI, therefore only the Union government could take a decision.

The term of the Agra Municipal Corporation ends in November. Ahead of the elections, the parties are trying to raise the pitch.

Meanwhile, the Agra tourism industry has suggested to maintain the status quo. A new tourist season begins from September 27. "Therefore, efforts should be made to maintain peace and harmony," a tourism stakeholder said.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conveyed his condolences to Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on the passing away of her mother Paola Maino.

In a tweet, he said: "Condolences to Sonia Gandhi Ji on the passing away of her mother, Mrs. Paola Maino. May her soul rest in peace. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the entire family."

Gandhi's mother passed away at her home in Italy on Saturday. The funeral took place on Tuesday.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) India's economic growth rose to 13.5 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal (2022-23), a huge jump from 4.1 per cent growth recorded in the final quarter of 2021-22.

This is the first double digit growth in GDP figures in a year, as the last double digit growth was 20.1 per cent recorded in first quarter of 2021-22.

"Real GDP or Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at Constant (2011-12) Prices in Q1 2022-23 is estimated to attain a level of Rs 36.85 lakh crore, as against Rs 32.46 lakh crore in Q1 2021-22, showing a growth of 13.5 percent as compared to 20.1 percent in Q1 2021-22," a statement issued by National Statistical Office (NSO) said.

The 13.5 per cent growth in the first quarter of the current fiscal is below Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) forecast of 16.2 per cent.

Rating agency ICRA had projected a growth of 13 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal.

After recording a 20.1 per cent growth in the first quarter of 2021-22, GDP growth had consistently fell during the entire quarter. In the second quarter of 2021-22, it slid to 8.4 per cent, in the third quarter, it further fell to 5.4 per cent while in the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal, it came down to 4.1 per cent.

The RBI has projected the economy's growth at 7.2 per cent for the current financial year.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi's mother Paola Maino passed away at her home in Italy on Saturday and her funeral took place on Tuesday, party leaders said on Wednesday.

In a tweet, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said: "Smt. Sonia Gandhi's mother, Mrs. Paola Maino passed away at her home in Italy on Saturday the 27th August, 2022. The funeral took place yesterday".

Sonia Gandhi is abroad for her medical check up, and is accompanied by both Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. She was also supposed to visit her ailing mother.

Rahul Gandhi is supposed to return early and address a Congress rally in the national capital on September 4.

--IANS
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Kochi, Aug 31 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reach Kerala on Thursday on a two-day visit during which he will lay the foundation stone of Kochi Metro's second phase and also commission Indian Navy's first indigenously-designed and built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

Modi, on Thursday, will also also inaugurate the Kochi Metro's phase 1A's first stretch from SN junction to Vadakkekotta.

The proposed Phase 2 corridor of Kochi Metro Rail Project will cover 11.2 km and will have 11 stations.

Phase 1 extension is the first stretch of work directly taken up by Kochi Metro Rail Ltd. With the inauguration of Phase 1A, Kochi Metro will cover a distance of 27 km with 24 stations.

It was Modi himself who inaugurated the first phase of the state's first metro here in 2017.

Modi on Thursday will visit Sri Adi Shankara Janma Bhoomi Kshetram, the birth place Adi Shankaracharaya at the Kalady village, near the Cochin airport.

He will spend the night here and on Friday will commission the INS Vikrant.

--IANS
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By Avinash Prabhakar
New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena has decided to take strict legal action against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders who charged Saxena with corruption during his tenure as Chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).


According to LG office source, the action will be taken against AAP leaders - Saurabh Bhardwaj, Atishi, Durgesh Pathak and Jasmine Shah among others for defamatory and false allegations of corruption by them, attributed to his tenure as KVIC Chairman.

These leaders of AAP have recently claimed that LG was involved in a scam during demonetization in 2016 and demanded a CBI inquiry. The source said that the CBI has already inquired into the case at the behest of KVIC itself and has filed the charge sheet as well.

The people on the basis of whose statements these allegations are being manufactured against the LG are the two people who have prima facie been found to be engaged in corruption at KVIC after demonetization by CBI, the source said.

He said further that AAP is using corrupt people to divert attention from their widespread misdeeds that includes massive corruption in education, liquor and PWD amounting to thousands of crores. The LG has taken a serious view of these blatantly false, defamatory and obviously diversionary allegations made by these AAP leaders and has decided to take legal action against them so that the AAP does not get away with its characteristic shoot and scoot, the source said.

What is the case

After the Centre demonetized currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 on November 8, 2016, KVIC issued a circular on November 9, 2016, stating that the "old currency notes of the denomination of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 will not be accepted by any sales outlets and establishments with immediate effect."

Later, it came to notice that certain demonetized notes were deposited in the account of Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan (KGB), New Delhi, on various dates. The matter was referred to the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of KVIC for investigation and action. The CBI was also informed accordingly and on the basis of this information, a joint surprise check was conducted by them on April 6, 2017.

As per a source, after preliminary investigation, the CVO recommended the suspension and transfer of the four officials - AK Garg, Manager, Ajay Gupta, Sales In-charge, Sanjeev Kumar Malik, Salesman-III (Head Cashier), Pradeep Yadav, LDC (Head Cashier) on April 17, 2017. All these officials were suspended and were transferred to different places.

The CVO, in its report, stated that during November 10, 2016 to December 31, 2016, a total amount of Rs 22,17,000 was deposited in the KGB bank account in Delhi in which 2140 notes were of Rs 500 denomination and 1147 notes were of Rs 1000 denomination.

The KVIC on May 29, 2017 informed to the CBI about the preliminary investigation done by CVO and action taken against the four officials.

However, the probe agency found the involvement of only two persons, Sanjeev Malik and Pradeep Yadav, in depositing the demonetized notes and registered an FIR on July 10, 2017 against them. The CBI found that only Rs 17,07,000 was deposited in the form of demonetized currency notes in the account of KGB, New Delhi, instead of Rs 22,17,000 as reported by CVO in its enquiry.

However, the CBI concluded that out of the total cash deposit of Rs 22,17,000 in the denomination of Rs 1000 and Rs 500, a total amount of Rs 5,10,000 was legal tender and not in the form of demonetized currency notes. Hence, the amount was reduced to Rs 17,07,000.

The CBI has already filed charge sheet against the two accused - Sanjeev Kumar Malik and Pradeep Yadav - and the matter is pending in the Rouse Avenue Court, New Delhi, the source said.

The source added that the matter is being falsely touted by the AAP is with regards to just Rs 17.07 lakh as against the claims of Rs 1400 crore which is nothing but an imagination for which they will face the consequences.

--IANS
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