India

New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced a free healthcare scheme for the city's elderly and for senior citizens, which they can avail at all government as well as private hospitals.

The party supremo, flanked by Delhi CM Atishi and senior Cabinet ministers, made the announcement at a public event and declared that all residents of the city above 60 years of age will get free medical treatment under the ‘Sanjeevani yojana’.

Under the scheme, all the elderly will avail medical treatment for free, however, this can be implemented after the AAP returns to power next year, he said.

The move, dubbed by political rivals as yet another ‘lollipop’, comes just months ahead of Delhi Assembly elections.

While the AAP states that its policies are oriented towards public welfare, the BJP calls it a brazen attempt to woo the electorate with freebies and doles.

Kejriwal also told the gathering that AAP workers will shortly visit the homes of city residents to get their registrations done for the ‘Sanjeevni scheme’.

“Once we come to power after the elections, this will be implemented,” he said.

The AAP’s social media handle also sought to create a buzz over Kejriwal’s pledge of free treatment.

Slogans like ‘Beta ho toh aisa, Kejriwal jaisa (it’s good to have a son like Kejriwal)’ and ‘bina shart milega ilaaj (Free treatment without any condition)’ were shared by the AAP’s social media handle to generate the buzz about the party’s guarantee on free healthcare for the city’s senior residents.

Notably, the 'Sanjeevani scheme’ comes days after Kejriwal announced the launch of Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojna, a scheme devised for women.

Under the yojana, women beneficiaries will receive monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 which would be raised to Rs 2,100 after the elections.

However, this is also a pre-poll promise and would see light of the day, only if the AAP emerges victorious in the upcoming polls.

The AAP is seeking a third-consecutive full term in Delhi, following a landslide victory in 2020, when it won 62 out of 70 seats.

The upcoming elections will be a test of the party's governance model.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) The University Grants Commission (UGC) has prepared guidelines for the introduction of skill-based courses and Micro-credentials in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) and the Standard Operating Procedures for implementation.

UGC Chairman M. Jagadesh Kumar told IANS, "The guidelines are for the introduction of Skill-Based Courses and Micro-Credentials in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), marking an important step in realising the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. These guidelines aim to equip students with practical, industry-relevant skills and help them realise their academic goals in a chosen discipline."

"These guidelines aim to address the job market's changing demands and prepare India's youth to become key contributors to a globally competitive knowledge economy. India's demographic dividend, characterised by its large and youthful population, holds immense potential for economic growth and global influence. However, unlocking this potential requires aligning higher education with the evolving needs of industry and society. NEP 2020 advocates bridging the gap between conventional academic instruction and practical competencies employers seek by introducing skill-based courses and micro-credentials as part of a student's academic journey," Kumar said.

He said by integrating skill courses into the existing educational curriculum, HEIs can offer students exposure to emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, digital marketing, Literary Journalism and Feature Writing, Conflict Resolution and Mediation, Digital Advocacy and Campaigning, Logistics & Supply chain, Sustainable Agriculture, Digital Payments and Banking, Fashion Marketing and E-commerce and sustainable practices.

Kumar added: "Acquiring skills in these and related fields will provide enhanced opportunities to our students to either be self-employed or seize the new job opportunities emerging in a rapidly digitising and environmentally conscious global economy."

According to the UGC, these courses aim to enhance students' employment opportunities, including self-employment, by addressing industry-relevant skill gaps.

The UGC said it will promote the introduction of demand-driven, industry-focused skill-based courses that cater to regional and local employment needs, thereby aligning higher education with regional economic development.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 18 (IANS) Global spiritual leader and humanitarian, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, will guide a live World Meditation on Saturday, following the unanimous adoption of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution declaring 21 December as the World Meditation Day.

This historic event establishes an annual global celebration of meditation, recognising its transformative benefits for mental and physical health, as well as its power to foster peace and unity, an official release by the Art of Living stated on Wednesday.

The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations in New York is marking the first-ever World Meditation Day at the UN headquarters on December 20.

The commemorative event at the UN will feature a keynote address by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. This momentous occasion, themed ‘Meditation for Global Peace and Harmony,’ would mark the First World Meditation Day.

“The recognition of meditation by the United Nations is a profound step forward," said Gurudev. "Meditation nurtures the soul, calms the mind, and offers a solution to modern challenges,” he added.

Gurudev will address global dignitaries, including senior UN leaders, diplomats, and international representatives, underscoring meditation’s critical role in fostering peace and unity.

On December 21, Gurudev will host a worldwide livestream, uniting millions in meditation to mark the Winter Solstice — an auspicious time for reflection and renewal.

The unanimous adoption of World Meditation Day by the UN General Assembly is a bold acknowledgment of meditation’s capacity to address the challenges of modern life — from rising stress and violence to the erosion of trust and connection in society.

Gurudev, who has dedicated 43 years to spreading the benefits of meditation across 180 countries, believes it is the most effective tool to cultivate mental clarity, emotional resilience, and societal harmony.

Gurudev has mediated and progressed peace negotiations in conflict-stricken regions such as Sri Lanka, Iraq, Venezuela, and Colombia, where he is credited with playing a pivotal role in ending the 52-year-long conflict between FARC and the Colombian government, the Art of Living stated on Wednesday.

--IANS

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Nagpur, Dec 18 (IANS) Taking strong umbrage over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on Dr B. R. Ambedkar, Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise for the utterances or quit, here on Wednesday.

Thackeray, a former Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) Chief Minister, played the tapes of Shah’s comments that have sparked a massive political row in Maharashtra and other parts of the country, especially among the Dalit communities.

Shah said that rather than chanting ‘Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, if you invoke the name of God, you will get heaven in seven births’ – that has kicked up a storm among Dalits and Ambedkar followers.

Slamming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Thackeray said that Shah would “not dare to say such a thing unless prodded by the BJP-RSS”, and demanded to know whether Prime Minister Modi and Maharashtra Ministers in the Union Cabinet were in concurrence with it.

“Maharashtra has given two great sons to the world, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr Ambedkar who gave us the Constitution. After ranting ‘Nehru, Nehru’ for years, they are attacking Dr Ambedkar. We will not tolerate any kind of insults to them,” fumed Thackeray.

He said that Modi-Shah must apologise to the nation or quit for the slight to Ambedkar that has shaken the poor and downtrodden masses, warning that they will not forgive the BJP.

Countering Shah, SS (UBT) Deputy Leader Sushma Andhare declared that Ambedkar is indeed a divine personality for millions who worship him daily for his services to the downtrodden, the deprived and the poorest sections of society.

Other MVA leaders like Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) General Secretary Dr Jitendra Awhad, Congress’ state President Nana F. Patole and Dr. Nitin Raut, SS (UBT)’s Priyanka Chaturvedi and Sanjay Raut, and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi President Prakash Ambedkar, also attacked the BJP and Shah for displaying their “utter contempt for Dr. Ambedkar and the Constitution”.

Thackeray contended that the BJP -- which secured a brute majority in the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly polls -- has continued to denigrate the icons like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule.

“A former governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had made objectionable remarks against the legendary Phule couple… The statue of the Chhatrapati (in Sindhudurg) crashed just eight months after it was inaugurated by the PM… And now Shah’s statement in the Parliament,” said Thackeray.

Lashing out at Shah, Thackeray pointedly asked Shah, “whether you will get Heaven by chanting ‘Modi, Modi’ daily”, adding that now the BJP’s attitude against the respected and venerated personalities 'has crossed all tolerable limits' in the past few years.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) Former Union Minister and BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar strongly criticised the Congress for accusing Home Minister Amit Shah of disrespecting Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

Responding to the allegations, the BJP leader told IANS, "The Congress has become desperate," and accused the party of distorting facts to mislead the public and reviving a strategy of lies and drama in the absence of any concrete vision or intent for the nation.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that the Congress during its 65 years in power neglected Dr Ambedkar’s contributions and disrespected the Constitution.

He said, "The recent parliamentary sessions have made it clear to the people how the Congress failed to uphold the principles of the Constitution."

Chandrasekhar accused the party of rehashing old tactics, such as distorting a past video of Amit Shah to falsely claim that he opposed SC/ST reservations, which was thoroughly debunked earlier.

“This is nothing but political theatrics,” he remarked, adding that the Congress is relying on baseless accusations as part of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s flawed political strategy.

"Congress has no concrete ideas or intent to address the nation’s needs, which has driven them to engage in divisive and misleading politics," he claimed.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent post on X against the party, Chandrasekhar said, “PM Modi has rightly pointed out that the Congress has stooped to rotten politics. Under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, the party has no vision or plan for the country. The public knows who disrespected Dr Ambedkar, denied him the Bharat Ratna, and even fielded candidates against him in elections.”

The BJP leader further emphasised that the party, under PM Modi, has always honoured Dr Ambedkar and upheld the principles of the Constitution with the utmost respect. “The public has seen through the Congress’ lies and political drama,” he added.

Earlier in the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp attack on the Congress party, accusing it of indulging in dirty tricks to obliterate the legacy of Dr Ambedkar and also humiliate the SC/ST communities.

"If the Congress and its rotten ecosystem think their malicious lies can hide their misdeeds of several years, especially their insult towards Dr Ambedkar, they are gravely mistaken! The people of India have seen time and again how one party, led by one dynasty, has indulged in every possible dirty trick to obliterate the legacy of Dr Ambedkar and humiliate the SC/ST communities," PM Modi wrote in a post on X.

--IANS

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Bhopal, Dec 18 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said on Wednesday that the Uniform Civil Code's implementation will help to strengthen the country's security in many ways.

The Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre will implement the UCC to ensure the safety of Indian citizens.

He added that UCC would help to identify infiltrators living in different parts of the country.

Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is heading the state's Urban Development Department, said many infiltrators have established themselves in the country with fake IDs and need to be identified.

"Many infiltrators changed their identity by accessing fake ID cards and impersonating Hindus, which is a serious concern. Once the UCC is implemented, people living with fake IDs will be identified," the BJP leader said.

He asserted that infiltrators living in Madhya Pradesh or any other part of the country should be identified and sent back to their countries.

"Several people have accessed fake IDs here in Madhya Pradesh too. They need to be removed from here," the BJP leader added.

Kailash Vijayvargiya's statement came a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the UCC implemented by Uttrakhand is a model law that will be implemented in BJP-ruling states.

UCC refers to a common set of laws that will subsume customary laws across faiths and govern issues such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and maintenance.

The UCC was among the BJP's poll promises in the 2022 Assembly elections.

"We implemented UCC in Uttarakhand, we want to follow the democratic process. It will be analysed constitutionally. There will be discussions on a societal level and religious experts will opine about it," he said.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 18 (IANS) Taking objection to the statements made by the Union Home Minister in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Karnataka Chief Minister on Wednesday stated that had B.R. Ambedkar not been born he (Siddaramaiah) might have been herding cattle in his village and Amit Shah would have been running a scrap business in his hometown.

In his open letter addressed to HM Amit Shah, CM Siddaramaiah stated, “Had Dr. Ambedkar not been born, I wouldn't have had the privilege of becoming the Chief Minister today. I might have been herding cattle in my village.

“Our senior leader, Mallikarjun Kharge Ji, wouldn't have risen to lead the AICC and he might have been working in a factory in Kalaburagi. We owe every step of our progress and dignity to Babasaheb and the Constitution he gave us.”

“Not just me, without Dr Ambedkar's contributions, you (Amit Shah) too wouldn't be the Home Minister today. Instead, you might have been running a scrap business in your hometown.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, your colleague, might still be selling tea at a railway station. Babasaheb’s vision is what elevated us all. Even the Prime Minister might admit this, and so should you,” he underlined.

“First, let me congratulate you for finally speaking the truth by openly revealing the BJP's real opinion about Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.

“Your statement in Parliament (18-12-2024) didn’t surprise us; we already knew your party’s true mindset. But now, the entire country has seen your lack of respect for the architect of the Indian Constitution.

“Standing in the very Parliament that runs under his Constitution and calling his memory a ‘habit’ shows your arrogance. Congratulations, Mr. Shah, for this shameless act,” the CM stated.

“Do not attempt to mislead the nation by saying, ‘I have immense respect for Babasaheb, and my words were twisted.’ We are not gullible. Own up to your words and face the nation,” he charged.

“For us, Ambedkar is not a ‘fashion’ but an eternal inspiration. As long as we breathe, as long as the Sun and Moon shine on this Earth, Ambedkar's legacy will endure.

“The more you try to diminish his memory, the stronger it will rise to guide us forward. While your sycophants might have clapped at your arrogance, remember this: Millions across this country, who have gained equality and dignity because of Babasaheb, are condemning you,” he maintained.

“Your hatred for Ambedkar is not new to those who know history. Why did your ideological parent, the RSS, reject the Constitution written by Babasaheb during his lifetime? Historical records document the statements of RSS leaders like Hedgewar, Golwalkar, and Savarkar against the Constitution.

“You may try to suppress these truths, but they cannot be erased. Your remarks in Parliament are just an extension of that long-standing RSS ideology,” CM Siddaramaiah alleged in his letter.

--IANS

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Beed (Maharashtra), Dec 18 (IANS) Amid a political furore, the Beed Police have arrested a ruling Mahayuti ally, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) activist Vishnu Chate in connection with the December 9 murder of Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Kej village of Massejeog taluka, officials said here on Wednesday.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Beed, Sachin S. Pandkar confirmed the development and said Deshmukh was nabbed on the Beed-Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar highway as he attempted to flee the district.

On the run for the past nearly 10 days, Chate's arrest takes the total number of arrested-accused to four so far, plus three more wanted absconders, and police have formed multiple teams to track them.

Earlier charged in an extortion case of Rs two crore from a windmill company, Chate is now also accused of allegedly masterminding the killing of the Sarpanch that has blown up into a full-scale political controversy.

Police probe so far has pointed at purported links between the extortion case involving a windmill company and the Sarpanch murder case, said an official.

In the previous (extortion) case lodged by the local windmill company, among the accused was one Walmiki Karad - who is said to be close to NCP Minister Dhananjay Munde - plus Chate and some other associates.

The Sarpanch, who was reportedly killed for helping thwart the extortion attempt on the windmill company, was first abducted, brutally tortured and later killed in broad daylight near the windmill company office on December 9 afternoon.

The killing of the village headman has erupted into a major caste-politics ruckus as the deceased was a Maratha while the prime accused (Chate) belongs to the OBC (Vanjari) community – both are currently at loggerheads over the ongoing reservation agitation.

Amid massive protests, demonstrations, and walkouts by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT), the state government has handed over the murder probe to a Special Investigation Team.

SS (UBT)'s Leader of Opposition in the Council Ambadas Danve slammed the Mahayuti regime over the "total collapse" of law and order in Beed and Parbhani (after the desecration of Dr B. R. Ambedkar's statue on December 10), and other incidents.

He alleged that Munde's close aides Walmiki and Chate are directly responsible for the extortion case and the Sarpanch murder, NCP (SP) General Secretary Jitendra Awhad, Congress state President Nana F. Patole and other seniors also targeted the Mahayuti on the issue.

--IANS

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Jammu, Dec 18 (IANS) After seven deaths were initially attributed to food poisoning earlier this month in Jammu & Kashmir’s Rajouri district, authorities have undertaken vigorous surveys to identify the actual medical cause of these deaths.

Seven members of two families died in Badhal area of Rajouri where doctors had initially said that food poisoning had caused these deaths.

“It is not a simple case of food poisoning. It could be contaminated water, petrified food or any lethal chemical that caused these deaths. It is a matter of thorough professional investigation”, official sources said.

In the aftermath of these deaths, J&K health minister, Sakina Itoo and tribal affairs minister, Javed Ahmad Rana visited Kotranka sub-division and chaired meetings of doctors, paramedical staff and the district administration.

Health and Medical Education Secretary Syed Abid Rasheed also attended the meeting wherein measures were discussed to prevent such occurrences in future after identifying the cause of those deaths.

Sakeena Itoo emphasised the urgency of strengthening healthcare systems and enforcing social distancing, expediting results from forensic laboratories and directing the Food & Supplies Department to collect and test additional samples and the Animal Husbandry Department to collect and test milk samples.

A team of doctors are now stationed in Kotranka with an MRI facility to reach the right conclusions.

Tribal Affairs Minister Javed Ahmad Rana directed water quality testing in adjacent areas by the water quality monitoring teams.

In addition, he announced two mobile medical units (MMUs) for Rajouri and Poonch districts, each costing around Rs 1 crore from the Tribal Affairs department.

These MMUs would be provided with staff and equipment by healthcare professionals. These have been designed to provide a range of healthcare services, including preventive care, diagnostics, and treatment of common illnesses.

So far, 3,145 individuals have been surveyed through house-to-house visits and 384 special health camps have been organised in the affected areas.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) The Supreme Court has said that while constitutional courts can lay down the principles governing the grant of bail or anticipatory bail, they cannot lay down the form in which a bail order should be passed by trial courts.

"The constitutional courts can lay down the principles governing the grant of bail or anticipatory bail. However, the constitutional courts cannot interfere with the discretion of our trial courts by laying down the form in which an order should be passed while deciding bail applications," a bench headed by Justice Abhay S. Oka ruled, as it heard the plea of a District and Sessions Judge of the Rajasthan Judicial Service (RJS) to quash the adverse observations issued against him.

After the appellant-judicial offer rejected a bail application, the accused petitioned the Rajasthan High Court. While granting bail, adverse observations were made against the appellant for not complying with directions issued by the Rajasthan HC in the Jugal Kishore vs State of Rajasthan case.

The appellant did not incorporate the details of the antecedents of the accused in the prescribed tabular form in terms of the directions in paragraph 9 of the Jugal Kishore case.

Since the directions issued in the Jugal Kishore case were not complied with, the single-judge bench of the Rajasthan High Court observed that the appellant’s action did not only amount to indiscipline but may also amount to contempt.

At this, the Supreme Court said: "We fail to understand how the appellant committed acts of indiscipline or contempt by not following the suggestion incorporated in paragraph 9 (of the decision in the case of Jugal Kishore)."

It said that the direction of calling for an explanation from a judicial officer by a judicial order was "inappropriate" and an explanation from a judicial officer can be called for only on the administrative side.

Further, the apex court said that it was a "waste of precious judicial time" of the Rajasthan High Court by directing the judicial officer to send a list of the total number of bail applications he disposed of, along with a report on whether directions contained in Jugal Kishore case were followed by him.

"What the High Court has done while deciding a bail petition in a case where bail was denied by the appellant as a Session Judge was completely uncalled for. The entire exercises done by the High Court right from issuing directions in the case of Jugal Kishore and passing orders dated 4th April 2023, 25th April 2023 and the impugned order by which the High Court found fault with the appellant was not only unwarranted but illegal," the Supreme Court ruled.

It added that similar directions which were issued in the case of Jugal Kishore have been set aside by the Supreme Court in the past.

Further, it held that the directions issued by the Rajasthan High Court cannot be said to be binding directions and at the highest, the same could be treated as suggestions.

Non-compliance with those directions by a judicial officer cannot be treated as an act of indiscipline or contempt, ruled the apex court.

In conclusion, the apex court directed expunging "all adverse remarks/observations" against the appellant and clarified that those adverse remarks and observations cannot be the basis for taking any action against the appellant on the administrative side.

"The High Court ought to have shown restraint. The High Court cannot damage the career of a judicial officer by passing such orders. The reason is that he cannot defend himself when such orders are passed on the judicial side," it said.

--IANS

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