India

Bengaluru, Jan 20 (IANS) Karnataka BJP on Monday claimed that incidents of attacks on cows by fanatical forces were being planned to provoke and hurt Hindu sentiments in the state.

Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka said on Monday that the Karnataka government must take this issue very seriously and put an end to these heinous acts immediately, else there would be an intense statewide protest.

Ashoka further stated, “Before the furore over the shocking inhuman incident of slashing of the udders of three cows during a festival in Chamarajpet subsided, another heinous act has come to light.

“In Salakoda village of Honnavar taluk, in Karwar district, miscreants have once again indulged in cruelty by slaughtering a pregnant cow, removing the calf from its womb, discarding it, and taking away the meat.”

“Honorable Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, repeated attacks on cows suggest a larger conspiracy at play. It appears to be a major jihadi plot involving fanatical and fundamentalist forces,” Ashoka underlined.

The incident of slashing of udders of three cows had created communal tension in Bengaluru.

Though the police had arrested one person in connection with the incident, the BJP had cried foul play by the government and staged a protest in this regard.

Close on the heels of this slashing of udder of cows, miscreants cutting the tail of a cow and inflicting injuries on the back of the animal had come to light in Nanjangud town of Mysuru district.

The latest incident had taken place in Karwar district when the pregnant cow had gone out to graze.

Commenting on the organisation of centenary celebrations to commemorate the occasion of completion of 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi taking over as the AICC President at Belagavi by the ruling Congress in Karnataka, Ashoka questioned, “Does following Gandhi's ideals mean looting the funds of the Valmiki Development Corporation, which were meant for the welfare of the underprivileged? Or does it mean grabbing Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) sites that were meant for the homeless to build shelter?”

“Does adopting Gandhi's principles mean using the freedom that Gandhi secured to justify anti-national elements shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’? Or does it mean remaining silent when the sacred cow is slaughtered?” Ashoka slammed.

--IANS

mka/rad

Bengaluru, Jan 20 (IANS) A youth attempted suicide by jumping in front of a train in the Jalahalli station of Metro’s Green Line on Monday in Bengaluru. The loco pilot managed to stop the train just in time, and the youth was saved.

According to sources, the youth jumped onto the tracks and lay down there as the Metro train was arriving. The loco pilot after observing the youth on the track managed to stop the train and the youth did not suffer injuries.

Following the incident, the Metro train service on the line was stopped and commuters were severely inconvenienced during the peak hour of the first day of the week.

More details were awaited. The Metro authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.

On January 5, a 23-year-old youth from Kerala attempted suicide by jumping before the Metro train at the Jalahalli station. He suffered grievous head injuries and burns on his chest. The train operations had come to a standstill for 48 minutes during the evening peak hours.

On New Year’s Day, a woman jumped onto the tracks to retrieve her fallen mobile phone and brought the Purple Line train operations to a halt during the evening peak hours.

On September 17, 2024, a 30-year-old man from Bihar attempted suicide by trying to come under the Metro train at Jnanabharathi Metro Station. The metro staff acted swiftly and used the Emergency Trip System (ETS) to rescue the man. No injuries were reported. However, the authorities quickly resumed services on the route after a brief interruption.

On March 21, 2024, a man committed suicide by jumping on the metro railway track and coming under the train in Bengaluru. The incident had taken place at the Attiguppe Metro Station. The man had come under the train and was dragged by the train. His body was charred and stuck under the metro train.

--IANS

mka/dpb

Dehradun, Jan 20 (IANS) The Pushkar Singh Dhami-led Cabinet approved the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) manual during a meeting at the state secretariat on Monday, with the dates for its implementation to be announced soon.

The Cabinet approved the manual after making partial amendments to the rules recently prepared for implementing the UCC. The amended rules, examined by the Law Department, were discussed and finalised during the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Addressing the media post-meeting, CM Dhami emphasised the government's commitment to fulfilling its electoral promise.

"We had promised the people of Uttarakhand during the 2022 elections that the UCC will be implemented as soon as our government is formed. We brought it, the draft committee drafted it and it was passed. The President then approved it and it became an Act. The process of training is also almost complete," Dhami stated.

He further noted the significance of Uttarakhand becoming the first state in India to implement the UCC, saying, "We have completed analysing it and discussed it in the Cabinet today. The dates will be announced soon. Since we are setting a precedent, it is essential to thoroughly examine and prepare for its implementation."

The UCC will create a unified legal framework for all religious communities in areas such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and maintenance. While India has a uniform criminal code, a similar civil law framework does not currently exist.

The law explicitly excludes tribal communities and bans practices like 'halala', 'iddat', and 'talaq', which are part of the Muslim Personal Law.

The UCC, comprising 392 Sections under seven schedules, is based on a detailed 750-page draft spread across four volumes. This draft was prepared by a five-member expert committee formed in June 2022 to examine the introduction of the law in Uttarakhand.

The committee, led by Retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai submitted its draft to the state government on February 2, 2024.

The draft was passed by the State Cabinet on February 4, followed by the Assembly during a special session.

It received the approval of Uttarakhand Governor Lt. Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) on February 28, making it a landmark legislation in Indian legal history.

--IANS

sd/rad

New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS) The ongoing investigation into the stabbing of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has drawn criticism over its handling and the political blamegame surrounding it. Senior NCP (SP) leader Majeed Memon has raised concerns over the lack of confidentiality in the investigation and the subsequent political furore, particularly with parties bickering over accused's Bangladeshi nationality and on how he managed to sneak into the Indian territory.

Memon questioned the conduct of the investigation, emphasizing the need for discretion in handling such a high-profile case.

"The investigation is at a very critical stage. When a police officer investigates a serious and highly publicised case, it is expected that they do so confidentially. If they seek publicity, it is as if they are abandoning their role as a police officer and becoming an actor," he remarked, adding that publicising sensitive details compromises justice.

He warned against politicizing the case, noting that BJP would likely use this incident to attack AAP, alleging that the accused entered India via Delhi.

"The issue of how these Bangladeshis enter the country and engage in such activities needs to be addressed. But mixing politics with governance and justice is unjust," he said.

According to the sources, some reports have surfaced claiming that the accused has confessed to the crime, but Memon dismissed this approach as counterproductive.

"Every hour, news is coming out saying the accused has confessed, but if he has confessed, the case would be closed. This kind of publicity is against justice," he said.

He further added, "It is shameful that such people are continuing their activities in a city like Mumbai without anyone knowing. Now, this person is said to be Bangladeshi. Has it been confirmed whether he is Bangladeshi, Pakistani, or from somewhere else?"

Memon concluded by urging authorities to focus on evidence and judicial processes rather than fueling political narratives. He criticized both ruling and opposition parties for using such incidents to gain political mileage, which he argued undermines the victim’s quest for justice.

Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, the 30-year-old Bangladeshi national arrested for allegedly stabbing actor Saif Ali Khan during a failed robbery attempt, told police that he was a wrestler in Bangladesh before coming to India, sources said.

--IANS

rs/mr

Patna, Jan 20 (IANS) The 85th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday in Patna.

Speaker Om Birla arrived in Patna on Sunday evening to participate in the meeting, that will also be attended by Presiding Officers from 56 legislatures across the country.

This marks the third time Bihar is hosting the conference, with the last event held in 1982, as many as 43 years ago.

The first such conference in Bihar was held on January 6, 1964 in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, under the leadership of the late Lakshmi Narayan Sudhanshu, who was the Speaker of the Assembly at the time.

The history of this conference dates back to 1921 when it was first organised in Shimla.

Bihar’s selection as the host for this prestigious event reflects its importance in the parliamentary tradition of the country.

The 85th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference, highlights the tradition of legislative collaboration and mutual learning within India’s parliamentary system.

This conference facilitates the exchange of ideas, the study of procedural practices, and the adoption of best practices across legislative bodies.

The Parliament and State Legislatures have the constitutional authority to establish their own rules of procedure.

While these rules are broadly similar, there are variations in procedural practices across different states and the Parliament.

The conference is being held in the central hall of the extended building of the Bihar Legislative Assembly.

Group photography is scheduled in the southern part of the portico of the extended building.

The conference is divided into two sessions. The preliminary session is open to the press till 1:30 PM, followed by lunch.

The second session, that is reserved exclusively for presiding officers, begins at 2:30 PM.

This prestigious event underscores Bihar’s contribution to India’s parliamentary history and provides an opportunity to showcase the state’s legislative framework and culture.

--IANS

ajk/rad

Kolkata, Jan 20 (IANS) The West Bengal Police have arrested a contract killer and a sharpshooter from neighbouring Bihar in connection with the brutal murder of Dulal Sarkar a.k.a. Babla, a Trinamool Congress councillor from ward number 22 of English Bazar Municipality in Malda district on January 2.

The man, identified as Md Asrar (22), was arrested late Sunday night from his residence in Purnea district of Bihar. He is the eighth arrest made in the case.

The main brain behind the murder of Sarkar, as identified and arrested by the state police is Narendra Nath Tiwari, Trinamool Congress’ Malda town president and the party’s Hindi cell chief for the entire district.

The arrest of Tiwari revealed the massive factional infighting within Trinamool Congress in different pockets in the state, especially in Malda district.

Chaitali Sarkar, the widow of the deceased ruling party councillor, has continued with her claim that more influential brains are involved in the murder of her husband whose names are yet to surface.

Tiwari had, however, claimed that he had been a victim of conspiracy. However, the chairman of English Bazar Municipality, Krishnendu Narayan Chowdhury had claimed that Tiwari was determined to assassinate Babla for a long time.

“There was some sort of personal rivalry between Babla and Tiwari for a long time. Earlier too, Tiwari had threatened Babla of dire consequences. I doubt that in all probability contract killers were hired by Tiwari to assassinate Babla,” Chowdhury claimed earlier.

On the day of the murder, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held the district police responsible for not being able to prevent the murder of Sarkar. Soon after the news of Sarkar’s murder surfaced on January 2, the Chief Minister said that the tragedy took place due to the lackadaisical approach of the district police superintendent.

“Previously Babla used to get security cover which was later withdrawn. So there are surely lapses on the part of the police. Babla was with me from the beginning,” the Chief Minister said on the day of the murder.

Sarkar was attacked on January 2 morning while standing at a busy crossing in the area. Three helmet-clad assailants arrived on a motorcycle, and one of them opened fire. The first two bullets missed, but the third struck Sarkar in the head. He was immediately rushed to Malda Medical College and Hospital where he died.

--IANS

src/dpb

New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS) World Economic Forum (WEF) president and CEO Borge Brende has forecast a 7 to 8 per cent GDP growth for India on the back of higher investments driven by economic reforms.

In an exclusive interview with NDTV in Switzerland’s Davos, Brende said, "India has a great potential, and it is still growing pretty well, 6 per cent this year. But there is no reason why India cannot pick up again and do 7 per cent, 8 per cent, provided that there are reforms on investments, infrastructure, investing in education and R&D.”

"We do expect that in a few years, India will be 20 per cent of the overall global growth. That is quite incredible. And what works also for India is the enormous strength in startups. There are more than 1,20,000 startups in India. I think there are now more than 120 unicorns. So that ecosystem, I think, is the basis also for future growth," he pointed out.

On whether India's target of becoming a developed nation by 2047 is realistic, Brende said India would be a $10 trillion economy soon, and what also works in the interest of the country is that the economy is now pivoting more towards digital trade and services.

"That's growing three times faster than traditional goods. And these are areas where India is very strong," he remarked.

In answer to a question by NDTV on some of the key challenges or opportunities that come with greater digitalisation of the workforce, Brende said, "It's increased productivity. Productivity is like producing more with less resources. And of course, this will challenge some jobs that are back offices today or other jobs. But if that can lead to people moving into areas where you produce higher up in the value chain, you can pay better, you can produce more. And that's prosperity."

"So, for India, there are of course huge opportunities when it comes to new technologies. But short term, it also creates challenges because one has to upskill and reskill people," the WEF president added.

With the world grappling to stick to the 1.5 degree Celsius or below mark in global warming, the WEF has integrated climate as a primary driver in its processes.

"It's [climate] incredibly important. And I think you just came back from Los Angeles. You saw the wildfires. We have seen droughts. We know that agriculture production and the production of food are being more challenged now because there are areas where you can't just grow what you used to grow.

"So in general, I would say that the cost of inaction far exceeds the cost of action when it comes to climate change. So we need to keep up the momentum. We will need to emit less CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the years to come to even be able to stick to a 2-degree target," Brende told NDTV.

The five-day WEF meeting at Davos beginning Monday will explore how to re-launch growth, harness new technologies and strengthen social and economic resilience. The global meeting will be attended by close to 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries, including 350 governmental leaders.

India is being represented by five Union ministers, three chief ministers, and ministers from several other states at the WEF meeting.

--IANS

sps/dpb

New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS) In an interim order passed on Monday, the Supreme Court directed the halting of trial court proceedings in a defamation case filed by a BJP worker against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over the latter's alleged defamatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

During one of his public speeches in Jharkhand’s Chaibasa before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the senior Congress leader had called Shah a "murder accused".

A bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath took note of the submission advanced on Rahul Gandhi’s behalf that only an aggrieved person and not a proxy third party can institute a criminal defamation complaint.

Staying the defamation proceedings till further orders, the Bench, also comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta, remarked, "If you are not the person aggrieved, how can you have a proxy filing of complaint?"

"Issue notice to the state of Jharkhand and the complainant. All proceedings in the trial shall remain stayed till further orders," ordered the apex court.

In February last year, the Jharkhand High Court dismissed Rahul Gandhi’s plea for quashing the criminal defamation case filed by BJP leader Navin Jha.

Gandhi imputed the BJP leadership to be “liars” who are “drunk with power” and BJP workers will accept a person “accused of murder” as the party president but people will never accept the same in the Congress party.

“The people of this country will accept a lying Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership drunk with power because they know that, what the Bharatiya Janata Party is designed for. [T]hey will, accept a man accused of murder as the President of Bharatiya Janata Party but the people will never accept the same in the Congress Party,” said Rahul Gandhi. The complaint said that Rahul Gandhi’s statement was not only false, rather, it was an insult to all workers, supporters and the leaders who have been working selflessly for the BJP.

In its judgement, a bench of Justice Ambuj Nath of the Jharkhand HC said that the imputation was prima facie defamatory in nature and a prima facie case under sections 499/500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was made out against Rahul Gandhi for imputing the BJP leadership as liars and drunk with power.

--IANS

pds/dpb

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 20 (IANS) A local court in Thiruvananthapuram sentenced 24-year-old Greeshma to death by hanging for murdering her lover, Sharon Raj, by poisoning him with a toxic chemical mixed into ayurvedic medicine on October 14, 2022.

While the sentence was being pronounced, Greeshma remained motionless, but Sharon's parents, present in the courtroom, broke down in tears.

The court remarked that the crime was heinous, and the convict deserved no leniency. Although there were no eyewitnesses in the case, the court praised the police investigation team for conducting a flawless probe.

The court had invited Sharon's parents to witness the sentencing, highlighting the emotional gravity of the case.

The case also involved Greeshma’s uncle, Nirmal Kumar, who was sentenced to three years in prison. However, Greeshma’s mother, the second accused, was acquitted.

Sharon succumbed to poisoning after battling for life for 11 days, passing away on October 25, 2022.

The tragic relationship between Greeshma and Sharon initially started as a close friendship but deteriorated after Greeshma became engaged to another man.

Evidence presented in court revealed that Greeshma sought to end her relationship with Sharon, motivated by an astrological prediction claiming her first husband would die, allowing her to have a peaceful second marriage.

WhatsApp messages between the two showed Greeshma’s belief in this prediction, which Sharon reportedly attempted to challenge and disproved. Relatives claim Sharon had symbolically married Greeshma at Vettukadu Church and even applied 'sindoor' on her forehead.

Sharon’s family accused the Parasala Police of initially attempting to derail the investigation, despite their insistence that the murder was premeditated.

The case took a dramatic turn when Greeshma attempted suicide by consuming disinfectant while in police custody. The attempt, made just before evidence collection, was thwarted by police intervention, saving her life. A separate case was filed against her for this suicide attempt.

During the trial, despite the substantial evidence presented by the police, Greeshma continued to deny any wrongdoing. The case garnered widespread public attention, with many awaiting the verdict as a test of justice in a deeply tragic story.

--IANS

sg/skp

Kolkata, Jan 20 (IANS) Veteran CPI(M) leader and former party legislator Tanmoy Bhattacharya, accused last year of sexual harassment of a woman journalist associated with a local Youtube channel, will remain suspended for another six months.

The decision of the party’s state committee in West Bengal taken last year was endorsed at the two-day central committee meeting that concluded at New Town in the northern outskirts of Kolkata on Sunday evening, confirmed a central committee member on Monday morning.

Bhattacharya had, however, kept himself incommunicado from the media till the time the report was filed and hence his reaction to the matter was not available.

The two-day central committee meeting of the party was presided over by the party’s existing politburo coordinator and the former general secretary Prakash Karat.

The post of CPI(M) general secretary is lying vacant currently because of the sudden and untimely demise of the party’s erstwhile portfolio holder Sitaram Yechury last year.

Yechury’s successor will be announced at CPI(M)’s forthcoming party Congress at Madurai in Tamil Nadu in April.

In October last year, the female reporter attached to an independent YouTube channel on Facebook accused Bhattacharya of making “sexually inappropriate” behaviour with her while she went to his residence to interview him then.

The state committee of the CPI(M) suspended him the same day and also initiated an internal probe against him by the party’s internal complaints committee.

Later, based on the FIR filed by the reporter at Baranagar Police Station, Bhattacharya was summoned by the cops several times for questioning. However, no coercive action was initiated against him by the police administration.

Bhattacharya had been vehemently denying the accusation of sexual harassment. He has also claimed that the charges of sexual harassment against him were a “well-planned plot” to malign his image.

“I am a communist and will continue to remain so till my last breath. If I am proven innocent I will continue as a CPI(M) activist. If I am held guilty by my party and expelled, I will remain a communist till my last day. Even if I cannot continue as a CPI(M) activist, I will continue as a communist,” Bhattacharya had said earlier.

--IANS

src/dpb