India

Puri, Aug 31 (IANS) On the eve of Ganesh puja, renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a sand sculpture of Lord Ganesh using 3,425 sand ladoos at the Puri beach in Odisha.

Sudarsan has created a six-feet-high sand sculpture of Lord Ganesh by using the sand ladoos with two elephants, and with a message "Happy Ganesh Puja". He shows two elephants in his sculpture praying for the environment.

"Every year we do something different in the sand. This year, we try to give a message to save our environment through our sculpture," said the sand artist.

The two-time world champion and Padma awardee artist Sudarsan always tries to spread awareness through his sculptures. His sand arts, created for public awareness, were appreciated by the UN Environment Programme and the World Health Organisation.

He has participated in more than 60 international sand art festivals and championships around the world and won many prizes for the country.

--IANS
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Gurugram, Aug 30 (IANS) Over two-dozen workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including its former president of Gurugram district, Mahesh Yadav (sarpanch), joined the BJP on Tuesday.

The AAP members joined the saffron party at 'Gurukamal' - the BJP's local office - in the presence of state president Om Prakash Dhankhar.

"All these workers, who were angry with the policies of AAP, have joined the BJP and in future, they will work for the BJP and serve the public," Dhankhar told the media.

Dhankhar on Tuesday held an organisational meeting of party officials from Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal, Jhajjar and Nuh districts at Gurukamal.

During the meeting, he gave a target to the officials to include one-third of the families of the state in the BJP family before the 2024 elections.

"While BJP is an organisationally strong party, every worker associated with it should try to make it even more strong," he said.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) A Delhi court has issued a fresh summon to filmmaker Leena Manimekalai in a suit filed against the depiction of Hindu goddess Kaali in the poster of her controversial film by the same name, video and tweet "in a very uncalled way".

Civil Judge Abhishek Kumar of Tis Hazari Courts, in an order dated August 29, noted the submissions of plaintiff Adv Raj Gaurav, in which it was stated that an application filed by him on the previous date is pending for adjudication.

He also sought to serve the notice to the defendants (Manimekalai and others) through e­-mail as well as WhatsApp.

"In view of the submissions, let summons be issued afresh through all modes including service through e-­mail as well as Whatsapp," the judge ordered.

The matter will be next heard on November 1.

Earlier in July, the court had issued summons to Manimekalai.

The plea moved by advocate Raj Gaurav contended that the poster of the film depicts the goddess smoking, which not only hurts the religious sentiments of common Hindus but is also against the basics of morality and decency.

Apart from the filmmaker, notices and summons were also issued to her company, Touring Talkies Media Private Limited.

The controversy had escalated after Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra had said that she had every right as an individual to imagine goddess Kaali as a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting deity, as each person has his or her unique way of offering prayers.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) Congress G-23 leaders Prithviraj Chavan, Anand Sharma and Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday met Ghulam Nabi Azad, who has resigned from the party and is going to hold his first public meeting in Jammu in September's first week.

The G-23 leaders are understood to be planning to contest the Presidential polls of the party which is slated on October 17.

Former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor, who is likely to throw his hat into the ring, however said that: "Let's wait for sometime." Sources say Tharoor and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Chavan are likely candidates who could challenge the Gandhis' candidate.

With Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot emerging as front runner for the Congress President, being seen as choice of interim chief Sonia Gandhi, even as some want the return of Rahul Gandhi - with Gehlot too proposing his name, the G-23 was understood to have made up its mind to field a candidate if no Gandhi stood.

However, it remained to be seen if it would do so as it seemed unlikely as Sonia Gandhi's choice would be challenged.

The last time the election was conducted for the Congress President's post was in 2000 when Jitendra Prasada had challenged Sonia Gandhi but lost.

--IANS
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Kolkata, Aug 30 (IANS) All the primary teachers' recruitments in West Bengal done by the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE), through teacher eligibility test (TET) since 2011, are under the scanner of the central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The ED had sought the documents of all the recruitments done through TET since 2011 from the WBBPE. ED sources said that the documents has been sought from the joint director level officer of the agency. Accordingly, the WBBPE has sought these details from the different district primary education councils and asked them to send the files in this matter latest by September 1.

ED sources said that their sleuths will examine each file of recruitment done through TET since 2011 and identify whether there had been irregularities in the appointments made.

Already the CBI and the ED are conducting parallel probes in the matter following a directive of the Calcutta High Court's single- judge bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay. He also ordered the immediate removal of the Trinamool Congress legislator, Manik Bhattacharya from the chair of WBBPE President.

--IANS
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Udaipur, Aug 30 (IANS) India is no longer weak and has become the most powerful country in the world, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said here on Tuesday.

Speaking after unveiling a statue of Panna Dai, a 16th-century nursemaid, the Defence Minister also said that the Russia-Ukraine war was stopped for a few hours at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hence the government could bring back over 22,000 Indian students from the war-torn region.

"Such an incident will never be repeated in the future," he said after unveiling the 9.6 feet tall statue.

Panna Dai is known sacrificing her son to safeguard the future of Mewar in Rajasthan. When Mewar scion Udai Singh was left in her care after Rani Karnavati committed 'Jauhar' in 1535, he was attacked by his uncle Banvir. It was Panna Dai who sacrificed her own son's life to save Udai Singh.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajnath Singh said, "I consider myself lucky to have unveiled this statue. The story of Panna Dai's sacrifice is known to all. I was also touched by her bravery and valour."

"India has not invaded any country till date, nor has it occupied any place. However, if someone looks at our country with an evil eye, we give a befitting reply," he added.

Speaking about the country's armed forces, the Defnce Minister said, "We will soon stop buying arms and ammunition from other countries, as everything will be manufactured in India. Presently, we are selling weapons worth Rs 13,000 crore. Eight years ago, this figure was only Rs 900 crore. By 2047, it will go up to Rs 2.75 lakh crore."

"'Amrit Kaal' is ending in 2047, which will take another 25 years. By 2047, India will become a 'Vishwaguru'," he added.

Praising Rajasthan, he said the soil of the state tells the story of women with valour, as he remembered the sacrifices made by Panna Dai and Hadi Rani, among others.

Hadi Rani was a brave queen of Rajasthan, who sacrificed her life to motivate her husband to go to a battle.

Remembering Panna Dai, Singh said, "She did not worry about being called a 'kumata', as she sacrificed her own son. She had only one goal -- to safeguard the kingdom of Mewar."

Union Minister of State Krishan Pal Singh Gurjar was also present for the event, which was attended by all the MPs and MLAs from Udaipur district.

The event was originally scheduled to be held in June, but it had to be postponed due to the protests against the Agnipath scheme for short-term recruitment into the armed forces.

--IANS
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Mumbai, Aug 30 (IANS) The Indian rupee ended 51 paise up at 79.45 against the US dollar as heavy short covering was witnessed in capital markets from FIIs, dealers said.

At the interbank foreign exchange market, rupee ended at 79.45 as against 79.96 against US dollar previously.

Indian markets will be closed on Wednesday on account of Ganesh Chaturthi.

"Rupee gained strongly by 0.40 points as heavy short covering was witnessed in capital markets from FIIs. As benchmark rose 2.50 per cent in Indian capital markets, hence rupee time gained more than 0.50 per cent for the first time in the month of August," said Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst at LKP Securities.

Dollar index, which gauges the the strength of greenback against the basket of six major currencies, was at 108.460.

Brent crude oil prices were at $101.49 a barrel by the closing of Indian market hours.

Sensex ended 1,564.45 points, or 2.70 per cent, up at 59,537.07, and Nifty closed 445.40 points, or 2.58 per cent up at 17,759.30. Nifty bank was up sharply 3.29 per cent.

All the 30 stocks on the Sensex ended in green.

"Going ahead, 80.00 will keep acting as strong support for rupee whereas 79.00 will be tested in the coming session," Trivedi added.

--IANS
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Mumbai, Aug 30 (IANS) Benchmark indices ended sharply up on Tuesday after falling sharply on Monday due to delivery-based buying by the FIIs and short covering in the F&O market, dealers said.

At close, Sensex ended 1,564.45 points, or 2.70 per cent, up at 59,537.07, and Nifty closed 445.40 points or 2.58 per cent up at 17,759.30. Nifty bank was up sharply at 3.29 per cent.

All the 30 stocks on the Sensex ended in green.

BSE LargeCap was up 2.59 per cent, BSE MidCap, and BSE SmallCap up 1.97 per cent, and 1.40 per cent, respectively. Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Finance, IndusInd Bank, Tech Mahindra, and ICICI Bank were major gainers on the BSE.

"Today's rebound indicates the domestic economy's resilience in comparison to its global peers. Although the markets are currently at premium valuations, continued support from foreign investors aided domestic stocks to inch higher. Sectors in swing with the progress of the domestic economy should be able to do well compared to the rest," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.

Volumes on the NSE were the highest in more than a week. Among sectors, realty, power, banks, oil and gas, and auto indices rose the most. Broader market underperformed; however the advance decline ratio was sharply positive at 2.96:1.

Global stocks rose on Tuesday as investors sought bargains following two days of declines as Chinese authorities pledged to stimulate the world's second-largest economy. China will step up measures to boost demand and stabilise employment and prices in the second half of the year to optimise economic outcomes, the country's Finance Ministry said on Tuesday, as policymakers strive to prop up faltering growth.

"Nifty has nullified the bearish signals from the downgap created on the previous day and has filled that downgap. It has closed at the highest ever on monthly charts. It will now face resistance at 17965-17992 band while 17522-17623 band could offer support," said Deepak Jasani, Head of Retail Research, HDFC Securities.

--IANS
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By Sanu V. George
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 30 (IANS) There is never a dull moment when Thiruvananthapuram Congress Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor speaks or writes and it was no different this time when he aired his opinion in a vernacular daily on the need for a contest to the top party post.



As soon as the article became public, it gave rise to speculation that he might throw his hat in the ring to contest for the top post, but on Tuesday he clarified to the media saying: "I never said that I will contest, the rest can be discussed later," said Tharoor before driving away.

Meanwhile, one will have to wait a bit to know if Tharoor is actually in the contest as the last date for filing of the nomination to the top post is September 30, according to the notification that has been brought out by AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C.Venugopal.

Things are likely to become clearer in the coming days as Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', will kick off from Kanyakumari on September 7 and reach the Kerala border on September 11. It will cover 43 Assembly constituencies and 12 Lok Sabha and will cover 453 kms in 19 days.

A political analyst on condition of anonymity pointed out Tharoor ever since he contested the Lok sabha election in 2009, he has never been a person who has been liked by a huge section of the front line Congress leaders here.

"And this is seen every time he comes to contest the polls, which he won in 2014 and in 2019. The reason why he wins each time is because of his personality and is able to get a sizable vote from the political voters, the youth and also the women voters. The only time women voters left him was at the 2014 Lok Sabha polls as it was held a few months after his wife Sunanda Pushkar died, when his margin of victory fell down from close to a lakh of votes to around 15,000, but Ain 2019, he again won with a margin of over 90,000 votes," said the analyst.

But the analyst points out that at the moment, even though the Congress party in Kerala continues to be headed by faction leaders, there have been no open defiance against the Gandhi family, even though veterans like P.J.Kurien and now estranged K.V.Thomas have expressed some reservation.

"That should be a bother for Tharoor, as veterans like A.K.Antony, Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala and leaders like K.Sudhakaran (State party president) and Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan are most unlikely to go against the Gandhi family. If at all Tharoor decides to contest, he will have to take on the candidate who will have the full blessings of the Gandhis and hence it's anyone's guess that for Tharoor to get votes from his home state party colleagues will be really tough than getting votes from his constituency voters," added the analyst.

So one will have to wait a while to know if Tharoor is actually going to contest or if this was just his routine tongue-in-cheek remarks, which has seen his stock rising.

--IANS
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Islamabad, Aug 30 (IANS) In view of the skyrocketing prices of vegetables amid the ongoing floods and relentless monsoon rain across Pakistan, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Tuesday demanded the government to give permission for vegetable import from neighbouring India through the Wagah border.

LCCI President Nauman Kabir urged the government to grant permission to import vegetables from India to control its prices, Geo News reported.

"The recent floods have destroyed crops of tomato, onion, potato and other vegetables across the country," he said, adding that the crisis is expected to prevail for the next three months.

The vegetable crisis could further worsen in September, October and November, he added.

It will take a few days to transport vegetables from India to Pakistan via the Wagah border, Geo News reported.

The prices of vegetables skyrocketed as the grocery vendors are charging exorbitant prices from consumers amid the countrywide floods triggered by torrential rains.

The traders are making hefty profits at a time when the death toll from the relentless monsoon rains has exceeded the 1,100 mark and inflicting $10 billion loss on the country's economy.

According to the details, tomato is being sold at 250 PKR per kg in the market while its official price is 190 PKR per kg.

Similarly, the vendors are selling onion at 300 PKR to 320 PKR per kg while the commodity's rate was fixed at 290 PKR by the authorities, Geo News reported.

Potatoes are being sold at 120 PKR to 140 PKR per kg instead of its official rate of 100 PKR per kg.

Ginger's official rate is 360 PKR per kg but it is available for 380 PKR per kg in the market.

Garlic is being sold at 250 PKR per kg while its official rate is 200 PKR per kg.

--IANS
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