India

Lucknow, Nov 17 (IANS) The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition challenging the appointment of Yogi Adityanath as Chief Minister and his election to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly from the Gorakhpur (Urban) seat.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 11,000 on the petitioner.

Petitioner M. Ismail Faruqui had filed the writ petition and appeared before the court in person to argue the case.

A division bench of Justices Attaur Rahman Masoodi and Om Prakash Shukla, observed: "The petitioner has failed to show from records as to how the appointment or the continuation of the respondent (Yogi Adityanath) on the Chief Minister's post is not in accordance with the law."

The court also stated that no litigant had the right to waste its time and public money in order to get his affairs settled in a manner as he wished.

"Easy access to justice should not be misused as a license to file misconceived and frivolous petitions," said the court, adding "for all the aforesaid reason the present petition is dismissed".

The 'exemplary' cost of Rs 11,000 imposed on the petitioner must be paid to State legal Services Authority within four weeks, the court directed.

--IANS
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Los Angeles, Nov 16 (IANS) Actor Andrew Garfield opens up on his experiment with the psychoactive plant ayahuasca. He revealed one experience nearly led to a disaster in the bathroom.

"Dude. I have to tell you. In one of my plant medicine experiences, there was a moment where I was so happy to remember what a toilet seat was. I'm not gonna go into it deeper than that, but there was a purging that I did, and up until that moment, nothing was identifiable," he told the interviewer in the British edition of GQ, reports aceshowbiz.com.

Garfield is said to have "a few very profound experiences" during his purges, but didn't wish to delve any further. He said: "I feel like talking about it in interviews never comes off. In, like, an actor interview. Talking about plant medicine."

"(Pause) I've definitely had a few very profound experiences. It fascinates me, really. Consciousness is like deep space travel - we're never going to know all of it. So I'm all for anything that helps us to reach those doors."

The Academy Award nominee did, however, warn substances are not "for the faint of heart" after he spilled how a friend took a hallucinogenic substance and quickly "became an expert" in astrophysics aka space science.

Andrew said: "I met someone recently who - I won't mention their name - but they developed this thing after smoking DMT, called advanced savant syndrome. They did DMT and they just became an expert in a field that they'd never studied."

"A scientific language. Astrophysics. So this stuff is not for the faint of heart. Like, what an amazing gift he's been given - but also, y'know, that's a lot to contend with."

--IANS
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Aizawl, Nov 16 (IANS) A total of 10 bodies have been recovered as of Wednesday after a large portion of a stone quarry in Mizoram collapsed and fell on 12 workers, officials said.

The number increased after two more bodies were found on Tuesday night.

Hnahthial district's Additional Superintendent of Police Vijoy Gurung said search operations were underway to retrieve two more bodies.

"The search operation team members are confident that they would be able to recover two more bodies by late today (Wednesday). Continuation of the search and rescue operation is very difficult after the evening. Big stone boulders and other challenges are causing difficulties to the rescuers," Gurung told IANS over the phone.

A total of 12 workers, mostly from outside Mizoram, have been confirmed dead in the accident that occurred on Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Bali for the G20 Summit, on Tuesday condoled the deaths.

In a tweet, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said: "Search and rescue operations at quarry landslide, Maudarh village are being carried out tirelessly. My heart goes out to the victims of this unfortunate incident. Our gratitude to the PM Narendra Modi who conveyed his condolences via telephone."

According to a report of the Deputy Commissioner of the Hnahthial district, of the 12 workers, five hailed from West Bengal while three were from Assam and two each from Jharkhand and Mizoram.

According to some locals of the Maudarh village, at least five excavators and other drilling machines have been buried under the debris.

The stone quarry, located about 160 km from state capital Aizawl, has been operational for two-and-a-half years.

The State Disaster Response Force, Mizoram Armed police personnel, Border Security Force and Assam Rifles troopers, as well as volunteers of the Young Mizo Association are participating in the rescue operation.

A private company which is constructing a highway between Hnahthial and Dawn village collects stones from the quarry.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Rishi Sunak will meet on Wednesday at the G20 Summit in Bali during which the two leaders will confirm "a new bespoke, reciprocal route" which will open in early 2023 to give young professionals from both the countries a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in a professional and cultural exchange.

Hours after Sunak and Modi met on the sidelines of the summit on Tuesday, the British Prime Minister announced that 3,000 Indians will be granted visas annually to come to the UK.

Under the new UK-India Young Professionals Scheme, the country will offer 3,000 places annually to 18-30 year-old degree educated Indian nationals to come to the UK to live and work here for up to two years.

According to a statement issued by the UK Prime Minister's Office, India is the first visa-national country to benefit from such a scheme, highlighting the strength of the UK-India Migration and Mobility Partnership agreed last year.

"The Indo-Pacific is increasingly crucial for our security and our prosperity. It is teeming with dynamic and fast-growing economies, and the next decade will be defined by what happens in this region," Sunak said in a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office.

"I know first-hand the incredible value of the deep cultural and historic ties we have with India. I am pleased that even more of India's brightest young people will now have the opportunity to experience all that life in the UK has to offer, and vice-versa, making our economies and societies richer."

The scheme will be reciprocal.

"The launch of the scheme is a significant moment both for the bilateral relationship with India and the UK's wider commitment to forging stronger links with the Indo-Pacific region to strengthen both the economies," the statement added.

Nearly a quarter of all international students in Britain are from India, and Indian investment into the UK supports 95,000 jobs across the UK.

The UK is also negotiating a trade deal with India, which would build on the UK-India trading relationship, already worth 24 billion pounds, and allow the UK to seize the opportunities presented by India's growing economy.

Besides Modi, Sunak is also scheduled will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, becoming the first British Prime Minister to meet the latter in almost five years.

He will be clear on the need for China and the UK, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major global economies, to establish a frank and constructive relationship.

--IANS
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Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 16 (IANS) After ruffling many a feather with his pro-RSS remarks, veteran leader K.Sudhakaran has expressed his willingness to step down as Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president, sources said on Wednesday.

However, the leader denied having written any such letter.

As per the sources, in a letter to former party president Rahul Gandhi, the senior leader offered to quit his post citing lack of support from the Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan.

Another reason that he is understood to have put out in the letter is his failing health, they said.

Sudhakaran, the Kannur strongman and the arch-rival of the CPI-M led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is known for his razor sharp tongue. In the past few days, he has come under severe duress from his own party, especially the faction led by Satheesan.

On the occasion of Children's Day on Monday, Sudhakaran said that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had struck a truce with "communal fascists" for democracy's sake by agreeing to accommodate Jan Sangh founder and RSS leader Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in the Cabinet.

Also, on November 9, he said Congress workers had protected the RSS offices during his heyday at his home town-Kannur, when it came under duress from the Left forces.

On realising that it may spell trouble, he corrected and said it was a slip of his tongue, but a trail of emails from his party men by then had reached the AICC office in Delhi.

Sources close to Sudhakaran said it's been two days since he wrote to Gandhi and what's baffling is when the party has a full fledged elected president, what's the need for Sudhakaran to write to Gandhi.

The main reason why Sudhakaran has written to Gandhi is allies of the Congress party, including the Indian Union Muslim League, has expressed their ire about his utterances and his loose tongue.

Incidentally, in Kerala, never ever have the top leadership moved in unison as has been seen when it began with Karunakaran pitted against Antony, Oommen Chandy Vs Ramesh Chennithala and now with Sudhakaran and Satheesan taking cudgels against each other.

Only time will reveal the reason for Sudhakaran expressing his willingness to Gandhi and not to the newly elected national president Malikarjuna Kharge.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested three persons, including a relative of AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, on charges of allegedly selling Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) ticket for Kamla Nagar Ward (No 69) for Rs 90 lakh.

Those arrested have been identified as Om Singh -- said to be the brother-in-law of AAP MLA Tripathi --, and his associates Shiv Shankar Pandey alias Vishal Pandey, PA of Tripathi, and Prince Raghuvanshi.

They were placed under arrest under section 7/13 of POC Act and 171 (E) of IPC.

"The accused were arrested for accepting bribes for giving the AAP ticket of MCD election to Shobha Khari, wife of the complainant Gopal Khari, for Ward No. 69, Kamla Nagar," said Madhur Verma, the DCP ACB.

On November 14, the complainant Gopal Khari approached anti-corruption branch with the grievance that he was associated with Aam Aadmi Party as an active worker since 2014 and on November 9, he met Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, MLA, Model Town, AAP with the request to secure Councilor ticket from for his wife Shobha Khari.

The complainant further stated that Tripathi demanded a bribe of Rs 90 lakh for the same.

"Khari paid a bribe amount of Rs 35 lakhs to Tripathi and Rs 20 lakhs to Rajesh Gupta (MLA Wazirpur), at his instance. He assured Tripathi that the remaining 35 lakhs will be paid by him after getting the ticket. On November 12, Khari did not find his wife's name in the list of contesting councillors released by the party ticket as it was given to some other person.

"Thereafter, Om Singh contacted the complainant and assured him that the ticket will be given to him in the next elections. He also offered to return his money (bribe amount). Khari also submitted audio and video recordings of his alleged dealings during payment and return of the bribe amount," said the ACB official.

After receiving the complaint, the ACB formed a team of its elite officials to nab the accused. On the intervening night of November 15 and 16, the ACB team laid a trap at the residence of Khari where accused Singh and his associates Pandey and Raghuvanshi were trapped red-handed in the presence of independent witnesses when they came to return the bribe amount of Rs 33 lakhs out of total Rs 35 lakh.

"The bribe amount of Rs 33 lakh has been seized. Further investigation into the case is on," said the official.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed four leaders including Rajya Sabha MP Syed Nasir Hussain as coordinators of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). These leaders will be attached with the office of the party president.

"Congress president has approved the proposal of appointing Syed Nasir Hussain, MP, Pranav Jha, Gurdeep Singh Sappal and Gaurav Pandhi, as AICC coordinators attached to the office of the Congress president with immediate effect," the party said in an official statement.

Significantly, Gurdeep Singh Sappal is the spokesperson of the party, while Pranav Jha has been the secretary of AICC. Apart from this, Gaurav Pandhi has been associated with the party's social media cell.

These are the first appointments of leaders who would be part of the office of the new Congress president.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) A day after the Supreme Court termed forced religious conversion a "very serious" issue, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Surendra Jain urged the Centre to make a central law soon to stop "illegal conversions".

Jain, the VHP's Central Joint General Secretary, said that "various incidents that happened across the country and also the commissions formed on this subject say quite loud and clear that illegal conversion is a threat to the fundamental right to religious freedom and national security".

The Supreme Court on Monday gave a clear warning that if this is not stopped, then a "dangerous situation" will be created for the country.

The apex court has said that religious conversions by means of force, allurement or fraud may "ultimately affect the security of the nation and freedom of religion and conscience of citizens" while directing the Centre to "step in" and clarify what it intends to do to curb compulsory or deceitful religious conversions.

"There may be freedom of religion but there may not be freedom of religion by forced conversion… This is a very serious issue. Everybody has the right to choose their religion, but not by forced conversion or by giving temptation," it added.

Jain asserted that the judiciary had in many cases earlier also stressed the need for a central law on illegal conversions. "It has become clear time and again that conversion done by force, fraud and allurement is illegal, but in the absence of a clear law, the plotters and connivers could not be punished".

The VHP leader also said that "history teaches us the unfortunate lesson that such illegal conversions have already changed the geography of India putting it into geostrategic, geopolitical and geo-cultural disadvantages and still threatening its security, prosperity and territorial integrity. Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh were created because of religious conversions".

"Illegal conversion is also responsible for the plight of Hindus in Kashmir, the North-East, Bengal and many districts of Kerala. Conversion is also the main reason behind the gruesome and barbaric murder of hundreds of girls like Shraddha, Nikita and others," he said.

"For this (illegal conversion), many anti-national forces are active in India with the support of foreign powers. Many a time, conversion mafia, jihadis and crusaders are also reported to have been caught for such converersion... They even use innocent and handicapped children to serve their purposes. Security agencies have expressed apprehension that these children are also used as human bombs by the conversion mafia," Jain asserted.

Jain added that illegal conversion not only poses a threat to national security and territorial integrity but also to social harmony and co-existence. "After independence, all the commissions set up to look into the illegal conversion activities and networks, have expressed a clear opinion that a central law must be made to stop it."

The VHP leader said that at present, laws have been made in eight states to stop illegal conversions.

"...It has become clear from the activities of the X'ian missionaries in the northeastern and the eastern states and the activities of the PFI across the country that national security has been in danger due to religious conversions. Despite this, some political parties oppose an anti-conversion law due to vote bank politics, while earlier the same political parties themselves had brought such laws in the states ruled by them," he said

Jain reiterated that it is the need of the hour that a pan-India comprehensive central law should be brought forthwith to rid the country of illegal religious conversions.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS) The Delhi High Court has restrained Amazon India from selling Pakistan-made Rooh Afza while hearing a trademark infringement suit.

The Hamdard National Foundation and Hamdard Laboratories India (Hamdard Dawakhana) had moved an application before the high court, requesting it restrain Amazon India from selling Pakistan-manufactured Rooh Afza on its platform.

Counsel of Hamdard Dawakhana argued that the Pakistan-manufactured Rooh Afza does not even comply with the provisions of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

After hearing the arguments, the high court passed a permanent injunction in favour of Hamdard National Foundation (India).

"Considering the submissions made and the facts recorded above, the suit shall stand decreed in terms of paragraph 38(a) of the plaint (an order for permanent injunction restraining) against Defendant No.2 as also the sellers mentioned above.

"It means the products that has similar name or the one manufactured in Pakistan cannot be sold on Amazon in India," it said.

Also noting that Rooh Afza was being sold in India for over a century, the court also asked Amazon India to remove other products made in Pakistan.

As per the suit, Rooh Afza was being sold on Amazon but the seller was not revealing their details. The court, hearing this part of the argument, noted that Amazon has an obligation to disclose the names of seller.

Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed introduced Rooh Afza but after Partition, it was being sold in both the countries. While Majeed's elder son stayed in India but his other son decided to migrate and went to Pakistan and started Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) there.

--IANS
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Patna, Nov 15 (IANS) Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday cited the gruesome murder of Shraddha Walker to claim that a large number of girls like her have become victims of "love jihad".

"There is a well-planned conspiracy taking place in the country to target Hindu girls through love jihad. It is the party of Nitish Kumar, party of Lalu Prasad Yadav and the party of Rahul Gandhi that are responsible for it. They have to reply on it," he said while interacting with media persons here.

"In the past, we have seen how Muslim people took away Hindu and Sikh girls from the marriage ceremonies (Mandup) and Gurudwaras in Pakistan. Lakhs of Shraddhas become victims in India too. It is a well-planned conspiracy under which the youths of Muslim community are establishing relationship with Hindu girls and forcing them to change the religion. If Hindu girls are not ready for conversion, they have been killed like Shraddha," Singh alleged.

"The accused of Shraddha has to be punished in the strongest possible manner under the law," he said, adding that the "tukde tukde gang" are silent on the issue and called on Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad, Rahul Gandhi and Asaduddin Owaisi's parties to speak out.

--IANS
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