Regional

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has joined the meeting virtually from Jaipur.

Sources said that Pilot's rank and file might be elevated post this meeting. It is going to be decided what Sachin Pilot is going to get in the Congress, who had raised his voice against his own government.

CM Gehlot's recent announcement of tabling a bill proposing life term for paper leak accused is also being seen as accepting Pilot's demands, who had sought strict action in the paper leak cases.

Will Pilot, who made rebellion a weapon against the government, be active in state politics or else become a national leader in the Congress is the million-dollar question being discussed here.

After the victory of Congress in Karnataka, the spirits of the party leadership are high. In such a situation, it is believed that the leadership can take a decision without any pressure on Pilot. The questions being discussed are what will be the role of Pilot in Congress? Will he become Chief Minister... Will he become Deputy Chief Minister or will he get some other responsibility.

The politics of the state is mainly dominated by four castes and then the equation of these castes turns the state elections into victory and defeat every five years.

As per social dynamics, Jats are the strongest comprising 9 per cent of the population in the state followed by Meena which is 7 per cent, Rajput has 6 per cent and Gujjar is 5 per cent.

Most of the MLAs come from these castes, and going with their strength these castes have the power to make a candidate or a party win or lose in their respective areas. Sachin Pilot comes from the Gujjar community. He rebelled against party leadership in 2020 but failed in his efforts. The Congress won in Rajasthan in the 2018 elections. It was expected that the party would make him the CM but the party made Ashok Gehlot the CM and Pilot became the Deputy CM. Since then, there has been a rift between the Gehlot and Pilot camp.

--IANS

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Police informed that a raid was conducted on Wednesday at Vagator, following which the girls were rescued.

“The girls were procured by the accused person for the purpose of prostitution and was supplying them to customers in the vicinity,” Crime Branch Police said, adding they are yet to arrest the accused person identified as John.

Police said that the accused person was living on the earnings earned through prostitution.

The offense has been registered under section 370, 370 (3) IPC & Sec 4 and 5 of Immoral Traffic ( Prevention) Act.

--IANS

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The Ramnagar District Sessions Court had given the ruling in this regard against the disciples Shivavallabhaneni and Jamuna Rani.

They are named as accused number three and six in the rape case registered against Nithyananda.

The order was passed on Wednesday.

The court issued the order after verifying all rulings in connection with the case by the Karnataka High Court.

It gave the order considering the failure of the accused persons to appear before the court.

The next hearing will take place on August 5.

Nithyananda fled the country following the registration of rape case against him in 2019.

Presently, he is operating from a remote location and claims to have established an ancient enlightened Hindu civilizational nation.

His disciple Vijayapriya Nithyananda, along with five other woman represented his country "Kailasa" at a UN conference earlier this year.

--IANS

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With the state witnessing dry spell due to deficit rainfall, CM KCR on Sunday held a high level meeting with officials on rainfall, availability of water in the rivers like Pranahita, water storage in reservoirs and electricity demand. He wanted the officials to take action to prevent shortage of drinking water and irrigation needs in the state.

Senior officials of the respective departments explained the project wise details of water availability to CM KCR.

The Chief Minister advised the officials to give priority to the supply of drinking water and to continuously monitor water reserves in the reservoirs under the Godavari and Krishna. The Irrigation Department and Energy Departments have been asked to work in coordination and preserve every drop of water for future needs.

CM KCR said that water reaching through Pranahita should be lifted through Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla projects and fill the Mid Manair. From there, half of the water will be lifted to lower Manair Dam and the remaining half to the SRSP through the revived Flood Canal. This will ensure that the last ayacut of Kaleshwaram till Suryapet and the SRSP ayacut get irrigation water.

CM KCR ordered the agriculture department officials to prepare a contingency plan to supply seeds and fertilizers to the farmers who already sowed cotton and other crop seeds and were waiting to go for another round of sowing activity due to dry spell.

The officials have been asked to submit a minute to minute report every morning to the CMO. Based on the reports submitted by Irrigation, Agriculture, Energy and Panchayat Raj Departments regarding the distribution of drinking water and irrigation water, the CM's office will give orders and alerts to the ministers and public representatives of the respective areas from time to time. The CM said that the CMO will resolve every issue by coordinating all wings.

“Now, the value of Kaleshwaram will be known in difficult times to everyone. It is the testing time for the Irrigation department. Irrigation, Agriculture and Energy wings have the responsibility to ensure adequate supply of drinking and irrigation water by lifting water from Pranahita and Godavari. It is a crucial time for all of us,” he said.

“It is not the past Telangana and we should not think like earlier. We built projects to address the water crisis. Abundant water is available for drinking and irrigation needs. We should prove our potentiality when the state encounters difficult situations,” he added.

--IANS

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Officials in Imphal said that with the reopening of the NH-2 (via Nagaland), the lifeline of Manipur, the supply of essentials, food grains, transport fuels and life saving drugs would be easier in all the 16 districts of the northeastern state.

After the blockade of the NH-2 since early last month, Manipur was fully dependent on the Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37) through southern Assam in procuring essentials, food grains, transport fuels, life-saving drugs and other materials from other states of the country.

The United People's Front (UPF) and the Kuki National Organisation (KNO), in a joint statement, said that they decided to lift the blockade of the national highway passing through Kangpokpi district to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential commodities in Manipur.

The development comes, notwithstanding the anger and anguish of the Kuki-Zo community people, keeping in view Union Home Minister Amit Shah's concern to restore peace and harmony in the state and alleviate the plight of people in general.

The joint statement signed by UPF spokesperson Aaron Kipgen and KNO spokesperson Seilen Haokip said that the decision to lift the blockade was taken after wide-ranging consultations with various civil society organisations, village chiefs, youths and women leaders on several occasions.

It highlighted that Manipur has been witnessing ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki Zo communities since May 3 and recurring violence has led to loss of precious lives and destruction of property besides hundreds being injured and thousands being displaced.

The ongoing conflict has disturbed the traditional communal harmony in the state, the statement said, claiming that the Kuki-Zo people have suffered immensely in continued offensives by miscreants and have urged the authorities to protect their lives and properties.

The Kuki Zo organisations had earlier met the Union Home Minister and requested him to provide security in the vulnerable villages in the bordering and foothill areas, the statement said.

Appreciating that central forces have been deployed in most of these areas as assured and the process is in progress, it said: "Once the deployment of central forces is completed in all vulnerable areas, we will ensure that our volunteers are withdrawn from these areas to help restore peace and tranquillity."

It is expected that the concerned authorities will take every measure to maintain peace and ensure supply of essential commodities to the needy, particularly in the hill districts, the statement added.

The statement also appealed to all peace-loving organisations and citizens of Manipur to reciprocate their gesture and take steps towards peace and communal harmony in the state.

--IANS

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Inspired by KCR’s call for a ‘Parivartan Bharat’ to bring a qualitative change with a slogan of ‘Ab Ki Bar Kisan Sarkar’, ex-servicemen came forward to join hands with him.

Leaders of ex-military associations and ex-servicemen from various parts of Maharashtra joined the BRS. KCR welcomed them into the party by offering pink scarves.

Speaking on this occasion, CM KCR asserted a qualitative change will be achieved only by ‘Parivartan Bharat’ (India transformation). The BRS supremo called for a radical change in the traditional decade old existing governance and administrative system and move forward with the goal of the welfare, development and upliftment of the all sections.

CM KCR said that it is a remarkable occasion that the soldiers of the country are coming forward to establish the “farmers’ regime” on a call of Ab Ki Bar Kisan Sarkar. It is also a clear indication of qualitative change in national politics.

The Chief Minister welcomed the ex-army officers from all the districts of Maharashtra. BRS Chief explained about the various development and welfare schemes which were being implemented in Telangana state.

He called upon the ex-servicemen that the time has come to rededicate themselves and continue their duty as heroic soldiers to bring a qualitative change in the lives of the people in Maharashtra.

Noted ex-soldier and secretary of ‘Fauji Janata Party’ from Nashik district Bapurao Pagare joined the BRS. Along with him, ex-servicemen, ex-colonels, ex-lieutenants and many ex-soldiers who have served in various ranks in the Indian Army joined the BRS.

They included Praveen Anand Thoke from Malegaon, Sagar Magre (Nashik), Tukaram Dafad ( Pune) Sunil Andhare (Solapur), Baban Pawar (Shirur), Sandeep Lagad (Dond), Rajendra Kapre (Beed), Haridas Shinde (Darashiv), Shivaji Naik (Sangli), Dinkar Dhode ( Jalna). , Amul Mapari ( Washim), Suraj Namdev Raut, Ajinkia Raut, Nanda Kumar Kadse, Mahesh Chauhan from Akola, Umesh Hande from Ahmednagar, Narayan Tope from Hadapsar, Nagnath Gorpade, Ramesh Saheb from Sangli and Zainak Saheb from Dond.

--IANS

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The IMD reported that the monsoon's progression and coverage was ahead of schedule -six days earlier than the normal date of July 8.

However, the country still experiences a rainfall deficiency of 13 per cent at 136.5 mm since June 1.

Some states have received excess rainfall, while others have experienced deficient rainfall.

The month of June saw normal rainfall in 12 states, while 14 states recorded deficient rainfall, with two states facing a significant deficiency.

The presence of cyclonic circulations in the central parts of the south Bay of Bengal and the north Andaman Sea has led the IMD to issue warnings for south, west, east, and northeastern India. Heavy to heavy rainfall is expected in various regions, including south interior Karnataka, coastal Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Kerala, Mahe, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalaseema, Telangana, north interior Karnataka, and Lakshadweep on different days.

Additionally, light to moderate rainfall is predicted in Konkan, Goa, Ghat areas of central Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

"Bihar will experience fairly widespread to widespread light or moderate rains until Wednesday, while Assam, Meghalaya, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, and Sikkim may face extremely heavy falls until Monday. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely in Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha on specific days. The rest of the country is not expected to undergo any significant weather changes," it said.

--IANS

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Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly, V.D. Satheeshan said that Congress has never discussed such a subject.

He also said that the MP had moved the bill without consulting the party and added that the party had asked him withdraw the bill.

After Eden moved the private member's bill in parliament, the Union Home Ministry sought the opinion of the Kerala government.

However the state government rejected the demand, with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan noting in the file that the demand was impractical and hence, was being rejected.

Satheeshan, while speaking to media persons at Kochi, said: “Hibi is like my younger brother and when I noticed the news, I had immediately contacted him and told him about the party’s dissatisfaction on this. This is not the decision of the party. He has moved a private member's bill and party has asked him to withdraw the bill with immediate effect.”

He said that he was also from Kochi but never had the urge to make it the capital city and added that Thiruvananthapuram was a good capital city for Kerala.

Thiruvananthapuram MP and senior Congress leader Dr. Shashi Tharoor also told media persons that there was no need for such a demand.

Vadakara MP K. Muraleedharan said that the demand of Eden has to be rejected outright, and reiterated that Thiruvananthapuram was a good place to be the capital of the state.

He asked whether he could demand Vadakara as the capital of Kerala, adding that these were all immature suggestions.

Several other senior state Congress leaders came out strongly against the demand of Eden.

Meanwhile, Kerala Industries Minister P. Rajeev told media persons that the demand of Eden is an indication that he was the candidate for Ernakulam Lok Sabha seat again.

--IANS

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Rahul Gandhi unveiled the promise at the mammoth public meeting ‘Telangana Jana Garjana’ organised here Sunday evening.

He recalled that the party had already announced farmers’ declaration at Warangal and youth declaration at Hyderabad.

“Today we are announcing another historic step. Senior citizens and widows will get Rs.4,000 each as pension every month,” he said.

The BRS government currently provides Rs.2,016 per month as the pension for senior citizens and widows under Aasara Pension Scheme.

He also promised that if voted to power, the Congress will return Podu lands to tribals. He said all those lands taken away by KCR government from farmers and Dalits will also be returned to them.

Welcoming former Khammam MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy into the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi said he accepted the ideology of the party. Srinivasa Reddy was recently suspended from Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) for anti-party activities.

The Congress leader noted that Khammam is a stronghold of the Congress party. He told people that they always supported Congress and the ideology of the Congress party is in their heart and blood.

Rahul Gandhi also declared that the doors of the Congress party are open for all those who quit Congress party in the past. “For all those who agree with our ideology, our doors are open. We have nothing to do with those who support the ideology of BJP and BRS,” he said.

He reiterated that the Congress party’s ideology is to unite the country while on the other side there is the ideology of hate and violence. He said during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, the entire country supported the Congress ideology and vowed that they will not allow hate and violence to spread.

As the public meeting also marked the culmination of 1,360 km long padyatra of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Rahul Gandhi felicitated him.

He thanked Bhatti for undertaking the yatra and raising the issues of people and weaker sections.

Terming Congress workers as the lions of the party, he said they did not leave the party even in testing times and despite the repression by the BRS.

--IANS

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