India

Jaipur, March 7 (IANS) Rajasthan Tourism will organise the 'Dhulandi' festival on Tuesday at Hotel Khasa Kothi. About 2000 tourists will participate in this festival, which is being organised entirely for foreign tourists.

According to Deputy Director of Tourism Department Upendra Singh Shekhawat, the festival is being organised after three years. The aim of this festival is to make the foreign tourists experience "Holi Ke Rang, Suraksha Ke Sang".

Shekhawat said that foreign tourists will be able to participate in the festival through tour and travel operators. The department will make available special 'gulal' to the tourists to play Holi. The department will also make arrangements for refreshments for dignitaries during the programme which will run from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Artists will perform Kalbeliya dance, Mayur dance, Kachhi Ghodi dance and Langa-Manganiyar during the festival. Tourists will also be able to experience the hospitality of Rajasthan Tourism amid the traditions of Holi festival and folk singing.

--IANS
arc/sha

New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Delhi government to carry out a special recruitment drive to fill up vacancies in various government departments reserved for persons with disabilities (PwDs).

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma passed the order after taking note of 1,351 vacancies available under the PwD direct recruitment quota.

The bench also comprising Justice Subramonium Prasad also noted the positions also include 356 vacant posts for visually impaired people.

The court has directed the concerned Delhi government officials to send the requisition to the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSB) and the Union Public Service Commission (UPBSC) within a month.

The DSSB and UPSC have been directed to issue notification advertisements within 30 days thereafter.

The order read: "The DSSSB/UPSC, as the case may, shall conduct a written test/ interview/ process of selection within 30 days from the last date of receipt of applications by the DSSSB/ UPSCaThe DSSSB/ UPSC, as the case may, shall declare the result and the process of appointment be concluded within a period of 30 days from the date of declaration of result/ interview."

The court demanded a notification outlining the eligible candidates for consideration and the acquisition of Annual Performance Assessment Reports (APAR) or other pertinent information in respect of eligible candidates within a period of 45 days on the subject of vacancies to be filled through promotion.

"Convening of Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC)/ interview by the concerned authority be concluded within 45 days from the date of finalisation of the list of eligible candidates. The order of appointment be issued within 30 days from the date of convening of DPC/ interview, as the case may be," it said.

The court order came after an organisation, National Federation of the Blind, had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition alleging inaction on the part of government officials in filling positions designated for candidates who are blind or have low vision.

It was claimed that despite Supreme Court directives, the government was failing to fill open positions and was not giving candidates with visual impairments any form of reservation.

--IANS
spr/pgh

Patna, March 6 (IANS) Bihar Education Minister Chandra Shekhar Yadav on Monday termed the questioning of former Chief Minister Rabri Devi by the CBI a "conspiracy" of the BJP-lead Central government to harass the Lalu Prasad family.

"When the BJP realised that the party was weakening in Bihar, they asked the CBI to conduct raids on the Lalu family. CBI has not obtained any proof in the past and it will not obtain it in future. As of Monday's raid, it has not obtained anything apart from cow dung, sand, bricks and stones. The CBI had conducted several raids in the past but not obtained anything," he said.

On the arrest of AAP leader Manish Sisodia, Yadav said: "The investigation agency has done absolutely wrong with him. The 'Taripar' leaders are sitting in the BJP but investigating agencies are not doing anything to them. The leaders of BJP trying to create fear among opposition leaders, hence, they are using central agencies like the CBI, the ED, and Income Tax. Such ploy would not help them."

The CBI has summoned 16 persons including Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti and others in the alleged IRCTC land for job scam. The questioning of Rabri Devi was part of this.

--IANS
ajk/vd

Mumbai, March 6 (IANS) Taking a swipe at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, Congress's Maharashtra unit President Nana Patole on Monday said that if changing names of cities can resolve problems of farmers, inflation, unemployment, confronting the country, then it should go ahead with this measure.

"If the government feels that by changing the names of cities, farmers and jobless are benefitted, inflation will reduce and peoples' burning problems will be solved, then by all means change. But the BJP is ignoring the masses' burning needs and instead resorting to diversionary tactics," he said.

"This is leading to increased social-communal tensions, rifts are being created between communities in such issues while the poor become poorer and a handful of the wealthy keep getting richer, as the 'Gujarat pattern' is being pursued to pressurise the Opposition, Patole added.

Claiming that since 2014, the Constitution, laws and democratic systems are being blatantly trampled upon while the central probe agencies are being misused to throttle the voice of the Opposition leaders and people, Patole said the Congress has taken the task to unite all the Opposition parties.

"We shall join together all the parties that are willing to fight the anti-people, anti-farmer and anti-democratic BJP all over the country to save democracy and preserve the Constitution," he said.

His comments came soon after Maha Vikas Aghadi ally Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar said the people of the state are aching for a political change and his sentiments were endorsed by Shiv Sena-UBT MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut.

Patole also seconded senior colleague and ex-CM Ashok Chavan's comments in Nanded that a situation worse than the Emergency was prevailing, freedom of speech is being restricted and those who speak against the government get death threats.

He said that the political atmosphere is "alarming" with the BJP's "interference" having increased in all autonomous institutions, the administration, the justice system is not spared, and the condition of the Election Commission is being witnessed with the Supreme Court having to pay attention.

To a query, Patole alleged that developmental works are not being allowed in the constituencies of the Opposition, when they raise their voice for peoples' issues they face action from the authorities, inquiries are postponed and the work in the constituency is halted, despite court orders.

--IANS
qn/vd

New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) A Delhi court on Monday extended the judicial custody of Sahil Gehlot, the main accused in the Nikki Yadav murder case, and five others by 14 days.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dwarka courts, Samiksha Gupta extended their judicial custody till March 20.

The magistrate also allowed family of co-accused Ashish and Lokesh to meet them in the courtroom.

Appearing for Lokesh, advocate Anirudh Yadav moved an application seeking the marking of the case diary and showed displeasure over manipulation in it.

The judge listed his application for hearing on March 13.

On February 20, Gupta had sent five co-accused to 14 days of judicial custody and two days later, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Archana Beniwal sent Gehlot to 12-day judicial custody.

Four fresh charges were invoked by police under different Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Gehlot's counsel D.S. Kumar had said that while the FIR was initially registered under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) of the IPC, police have now invoked Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 34 (common intention), 202 (intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform), and 212 (harbouring offender).

Gehlot had allegedly strangled 23-year-old Yadav near Kashmiri Gate on February 10 and married another woman on the same day.

Yadav's body was found in a fridge at a dhaba, owned by Gehlot, in Mitraon village on the outskirts of Delhi on February 14.

Gehlot's father Virender Singh; cousins Naveen (a constable in Delhi Police) and Ashish; and friends Lokesh and Amar are accused of hatching a conspiracy to get rid of Yadav, so he could go ahead with his wedding with another woman.

According to a senior police official, Gehlot was interrogated at length during police custody and disclosed that Yadav was trying to stop him from marrying someone else as they had already solemnised their marriage in 2020.

"She was pleading with him not to go ahead with the marriage fixed by his family with another girl on February 10. However, Gehlot along with his father, two cousins, and two friends hatched the conspiracy and planned to remove the deceased from their way," the official had said.

"He executed the plan and murdered her and informed other co-accused persons about it on the same day and then all of them went ahead with the marriage ceremony."

--IANS
spr/vd

New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) With the IMD forecasting extreme heat conditions across the country during the forthcoming summer season this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review preparedness to deal with the situation.

According to official sources, Modi was briefed about the forecast of monsoon, impact on Rabi crops, preparedness of medical infrastructure and preparation for disaster related to heat and other mitigation measures.

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) was asked to ensure optimal storage of grains in extreme weather conditions by the Prime Minister, sources said.

The PM is learnt to have asked for preparation of separate awareness material for different stakeholders, during the meeting.

He instructed the India Meteorological Department to prepare daily weather forecasts in a manner which is easy to interpret and disseminate.

The efforts underway to monitor irrigation water supply, fodder and drinking water were also reviewed in the meeting.

The Prime Minister was briefed about the preparedness of states and hospital infrastructure in terms of availability of required supplies and preparedness for emergencies.

He was also updated on various efforts underway across the country to prepare for disasters related to heat and mitigation measures in place.

Modi said that separate awareness material should be prepared for different stakeholders including citizens, medical professionals, municipal and panchayat authorities, disaster response teams like firefighters etc.

The Prime Minister stressed on the need for detailed fire audits of all hospitals and that mock fire drills be done in all hospitals by firefighters. The need for a coordinated effort to deal with forest fires was also pointed out. It was discussed that systemic changes should be made to support efforts to prevent and tackle forest fires.

The Principal Secretary to the PM, the Cabinet Secretary, the Home Secretary, the Health Secretary, the Agriculture Secretary, Earth Sciences Secretary and officials from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) were present in the meeting.

--IANS
ans/vd

New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS) In a relief to a senior government official who is a bilateral amputee, the Supreme Court has ordered an interim stay on the proceedings against him on charges of molesting and raping a minor girl in Uttarakhand's Almora.

On a petition filed by the accused official -- A.V. Prem Nath -- seeking CBI investigation into the "criminal conspiracy of framing him", a bench comprising justices V. Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal said: "Since the petition raises serious questions, issue notice, returnable in four weeks."

The apex court has issued notice to the Uttarakhand government, the CBI and others.

Senior advocate Dama Sheshadri Naidu, representing the petitioner, drew the apex court's "attention to the report of the medical officer of the government hospital in Ranikhet, which is also counter signed by the remand magistrate of Almorah, recording the fact that the petitioner is a bilateral amputee (100 per cent handicapped by hands)".

The bench noted, "The said report was made when the petitioner was arrested and was medically examined at the time of producing him before the magistrate. It is stated that the final report has been filed on 30.11.2022 and the charges are yet to be framed. Therefore, there shall be an interim stay on further proceedings."

Premnath, who was posted as joint secretary at Delhi Secretariat, moved the apex court seeking a CBI investigation into alleged criminal conspiracy hatched against him. He remained in judicial custody for 74 days till the Uttarakhand High Court granted him bail.

The petitioner claimed that he had been framed in a false case at the behest of some affected "scamsters" after he exposed certain shell companies as part of a Central government drive.

According to the police, the accused molested the minor in a school run by his wife's NGO in Dandakanda village. He had been charged under the POCSO Act and IPC Sections 376 (rape), 511 and 506, and some provisions of the Information Technology Act.

--IANS
ss/arm

New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) A day after completing its three-day "survey operations" at BBC's premises in Delhi and Mumbai, the Income Tax department on Friday said that it was revealed that the "despite substantial consumption of content in various Indian languages (apart from English), the income or profits shown by various group entities is not commensurate with the scale of operations in India".

During the course of the "survey", the department gathered evidence pertaining to the operation of the organisation (BBC) which indicate that tax has not been paid on certain remittances, which have not been disclosed as income in India by foreign entities of the group. it said.

The Income Tax Department's "survey operations" also revealed that services of seconded employees have been utilised, for which reimbursement has been made by the Indian entity to the foreign entity concerned.

"Such remittance was also liable to be subject to withholding tax, which has not been done. Further, the survey has also thrown up several discrepancies and inconsistencies with regard to transfer pricing documentation. Such discrepancies relate to level of relevant function, asset and risk (FAR) analysis, incorrect use of comparables which are applicable to determine the correct arms length price (ALP) and inadequate revenue apportionment, among others," a statement issued by the department said.

The "survey operation" has resulted in unearthing of crucial evidences by way of statement of employees, digital evidence, and documents which will be further examined in due course. It is pertinent to state that statements of only those employees were recorded whose role was crucial including those connected to, primarily, finance, content development, and other production related functions.

As per the statement, even though the department exercised due care to record statements of only key personnel, it was observed that "dilatory tactics" were employed including in the context of producing documents and agreements sought. Despite such a stance of the group, the survey operation was conducted in a manner so as to facilitate continued regular media and channel activity, the Income Tax Department said.

The "survey operation" by the Income Tax Department was conducted in the Delhi and Mumbai offices of BBC between February 14-16. It was carried out under section 133A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, the statement added.

The survey took place just weeks after BBC had released a two-part documentary titled "India - The Modi Question", which focussed on post-Godhra riots in Gujarat when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the state's Chief Minister in 2002.

The documentary had evoked sharp reactions from the government and was been taken down from several social media platforms. The opposition has deplored the government's move, calling it "political vendetta".

--IANS
ans/vd

New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Aiming to check inflationary trend in the food economy, the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) has decided to further reduce reserve price of wheat up to March 31, 2023.

The reserve price under Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) has been fixed at Rs 2150 per quintal (pan India) for wheat and Rs 2125 per quintal (pan India) for wheat (under relaxed specifications) of all crops including Rabi Market Season (RMS) 2023-24 for sale of wheat to private parties.

States may be allowed to purchase wheat from Food Corporation of India (FCI) for their own scheme at above proposed reserve prices without participating in e-auction.

Officials said that reduction in reserve price will help in reducing market price of wheat and wheat products for consumers.

FCI will float third e-auction for sale of wheat at these revised reserve prices on February 17 which will be opened on February 22.

The Committee of Ministers decided to release 30 LMT wheat from FCI stock through Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS). It included 25 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) to be offered through the e-auction route to traders, flour mills, etc as per the usual process followed by FCI.

Bidders can participate in e-auction for a maximum quantity of 3,000 MT per region per auction, two LMT to be offered to State Governments for their schemes at 10,000 MT per state without e-auction and three LMT to be offered to Government PSUs and cooperatives such as Kendriya Bhandar, NCCF, NAFED etc without e-auction.

Subsequently, the Department made allocation of 3 LMT of wheat to Kendriya Bhandar, NAFED and NCCF as per their requisitions. Kendriya Bhandar, NAFED and NCCF were allocated 1.32 LMT, 1 LMT and 0.68 LMT respectively.

Further, the rate of wheat on February 10 has been reduced to Rs 21.50/kg for sale to NCCF, NAFED, Kendriya Bhandar and State governments as well as community kitchen, charitable NGO subject to stipulation that they will convert wheat to atta and sell it to consumers at MRP Rs 27.50/kg.

--IANS
kvm/uk/

New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Union Minister Smriti Irani launched a scathing attack on American billionaire George Soros, saying that foreign forces were trying to destroy India's democracy, and called upon Indians to unitedly respond to 'foreign powers who try to intervene in India's democratic processes'.

Talking to the media here on Friday, Smriti Irani said that the number one target of George Soros is the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and he wants to remove the Modi government from power and bring a government in the country that will protect his interests. He said that George Soros has announced funds to demolish India's democratic structure and it is known to everyone who he funds and to whom he sends money.

Smriti Irani further said that George Soros has announced that he will make Prime Minister Modi the main point of his attack. "Soros has announced that he will create such a system in India under his foreign power which will protect his interests and not India's. George Soros has made the announcement that he will make Modi bow down in India, demolish the democratically elected Government of India."

"He should be given a befitting reply by all the citizens, organisations and political parties of the country as well as every Indian. Let us answer George Soros in unison that under democratic conditions, a democratically elected government and our Prime Minister will not bow down to such evil intentions," the minister said.

In response to a question, the Union Minister said, "The conspiracy to damage Modi's image has been going on for the last several years. But ever since India has become the fifth largest economy in the world, and the US President, the French President and the Prime Minister of England have expressed gratitude to Indians, efforts are being made to destroy India's democratic structure."

She said that India has defeated foreign powers in the past as well and will defeat them in the future as well.

George Soros, while delivering a speech at the 2023 Munich Security Conference on Thursday said that PM Modi will be weakened by the business troubles of Gautam Adani.

--IANS
dr/dpb