Kolkata (NVI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Raj Bhawan here.
Modi is here on a two-day visit from today for official engagements.
After the meeting, Banerjee said she met the Prime Minister regarding some financial demands.
She added that during the meeting, she conveyed to the Prime Minister her opposition to CAA, NRC and NPR and demanded their withdrawal.
In a significant step towards India developing its own deck-based fighter jets, a naval variant of light combat aircraft Tejas today landed successfully on the country’s only aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
The aircraft, developed by DRDO did a successful ‘arrested landing’ on INS Vikramaditya at around 10 am today. This is the second successful arrested landing of an LCA after a similar operation at a shore-based test facility in Goa last September.
INS Vikramaditya, which is currently deployed in the Arabian Sea has the naval version of the MiG 29 on board. The carrier has a capacity for 30 aircraft.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO and the Indian Navy after the successful test.
New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condoled the loss of lives due to a road accident in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh. At least 20 people were killed when a bus collided with a truck in the area yesterday.
A massive fire broke out when a collision between a private sleeper bus and a truck near Chiloi village under Chhibramau police station.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also took to Twitter to offer his condolences to the families of the deceased and called it a “horrific accident”.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also send his condolences to the families of the deceased and hoped for a speedy recovery of the injured.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also rushed to the spot on Friday night and sought a report on the incident. The UP CM has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of those who lost their lives and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
Mubashir Bukhari
SRINAGAR (NVI): Former MLC and Peoples Democratic Party senior leader Javed Mirchal on Saturday tendered resignation from the basic membership of the party, two days after PDP expelled nine of its leaders for “anti-party activities”.
In a statement issued here, Mirchal said that PDP has failed to live up to the expectations of people and has betrayed the public mandate brazenly.
“After going through a deep thought process and consensus evolved among my electorate, I have reached to this conclusion that I should part ways from this party which has been unable to mitigate the sufferings of the people,” Mirchal has said in his resignation letter.
Mirchal observed that besides other reasons, he has tendered his resignation also in protest against the way his colleagues were expelled by PDP especially Raja Manzoor Ahmad, former MLA from Karnah, who had met Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu to put forth some of the public demands in the present political circumstances.
The former PDP leader said that the present socio-economic and political situation demands a vibrant leadership that is not only known for its integrity but performance on the ground.
The PDP expelled nine of its leaders after they met the Lieutenant Governor on Tuesday and had submitted a memorandum for taking certain measures to revive political activity in Jammu and Kashmir. Those expelled from the party also included three leaders who met members of a foreign delegation who visited J&K on Thursday.
In further trouble for Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP, four of its leaders yesterday announced their resignation from the party. They included former Rafiabad MLA Yawar Mir, Muntazir Mohiuddin, former president of the party.
New Delhi (NVI): Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane today said professional armies never resort to barbaric acts as he referred to the killing of two unarmed civilians by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir yesterday.
He said the Indian Army will deal with such situations in a military manner.
Addressing his first annual press conference in Delhi, General Naravane said, “Indian Army is a professional Army and conducts itself in the most professional and ethical manner in peace, on LC and in combat. Professional Armies never resort to such barbaric acts.”
On Friday, two Army porters were killed and three others injured when Pakistan army fired mortar bombs at forward posts along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch sector. The Army porters were working in an area along the LoC when the Pakistan Army shells hit them directly.
Gen Naravane said the creation of the office of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is a historic and big step towards integration of forces. “We on our part will make sure that this is a success,” he said.
The Army chief’s press conference comes just four days ahead of the Army Day on January 15.
He also the Indian Army abides by the Constitution and its principles. He also said that training for future will be the Army’s priority. “Quality not quantity will be our mantra,” he said, while asserting that all three forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) will train in an integrated manner to take on future challenges.
On the shortage of personnel in the force, General Naravane said that Army is today prepared for any challenge than before.
New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron today had a telephonic conversation during which they discussed bilateral matters and issues related to regional and global situations.
In the context of bilateral ties, Modi expressed his satisfaction at the steady progress in the multi-faceted relationship and reiterated his commitment to further strengthening the strategic partnership.
They agreed to keep in touch and further enhancing all-round strategic cooperation between the two countries, including in the areas of defence, civil nuclear energy and maritime security, the External Affairs Ministry said.
Mubashir Bukhari
Srinagar (NVI): In further trouble for Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP, four of it’s leaders today announced their resignation from the party, a day after its nine leaders were expelled for “anti-party” activities.
The developments came even as Mehbooba Mufti continues to be under detention since the abolition of the J&K’s special status on August 5 last year.
Those who have resigned from the party are former Rafiabad MLA Yawar Mir, Muntazir Mohiuddin, former president of the party’s youth wing Showkat Gayoor and Dr Mir Samiullah.
Dr Sammiullah, in a statement here, said, “I tender resignation from the basic membership of PDP because the party has failed to rise up to the needs and expectations of masses.”
The statement further reads, “The Party (PDP) has been in complete disarray since last two years and with such disharmony and confusion within party lines, it is impossible for a party to represent common masses.”
He has added: “The hopes with which I had joined the party are completely shattered and I find no reason to continue being in this party. I will continue to serve common masses of Pulwama and the whole state in all the ways I can.”
The four leaders confirmed that they have resigned from the party but did not specify their future plans.
Yawar is the son of Mohammad Dilawar Mir, who was among the nine leaders expelled by the PDP on Thursday.
The expelled leaders have thrown their weight behind former PDP leader Syed Altaf Bukhari and were part of a delegation that met Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu On Tuesday.
They had also met the visiting envoys from 15 countries who arrived here on Thursday on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
Speculation is rife that Bukhari is launching a new political party with the help of disgruntled leaders in the PDP, Congress and other parties.
Amid the row over fee-hike in Jawaharlal Nehru University, Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar today said that all decisions taken earlier at the HRD Ministry about the hostel fee are being fully implemented.
“All decisions taken earlier at the HRD Ministry about hostel fee being implemented in totality,” he said, adding that regular classes will resume in the varsity from January 13.
Kumar also said that the semester registration deadline will be extended further if needed. The JNU VC’s remarks came after the HRD Ministry met with a five-member team from the JNU administration today, including Kumar. The meeting was called to discuss the situation on campus and resolve the standoff between the students and the administration.
HRD secretary Amit Khare, who met some students as well as the varsity panel today, said that JNU has agreed to basic demand of students, and appealed them to call off the agitation.
Jammu (NVI): The Jammu and Kashmir administration today revoked the Public Safety Act against 26 persons who are lodged at various jails in the newly formed Union Territory. The persons were detained under the provisions of Jammu & Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978.
The development is seen as an attempt by the UT administration to ease the situation in the region. This also comes a day after a foreign delegation visit to the Valley to assess the ground situation.
These people were picked up and booked under the PSA after the Centre’s decision on August 5 last year to revoke special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate it into two union territories.
The list included 11 people from North Kashmir, 14 from South Kashmir.
Among the released include former Bar Association president Nazir Ahmad Ronga, who hails from Srinagar. A close aide and legal adviser of Hurriyat forum Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Ronga was taken into custody by the police on August 9 and subsequently booked under the Public Safety Act on August 17.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court directed the J&K administration to review all restrictions, including a ban on internet, imposed in the Union Territory after the abolition of Article 370 in August last year.
New Delhi (NVI): An initiative aimed at accelerated development of eastern region through an integrated steel hub will be inaugurated in Kolkata tomorrow by Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan.
Creation of the steel hub would significantly contribute to Purvodaya by propelling socio-economic development in the Eastern region, an official statement said.
This would also be accompanied by social infrastructure in the form of cities, schools, hospitals, skilling centres etc.
Such development, especially in the most under-developed regions these states, will play a significant role in overall socio-economic growth of Eastern India, thus reducing the disparity between the East and other regions of the country.
Growth of steel industry through such a hub would lead to significant employment opportunities across the entire value chain, creating over 2.5 million jobs in the region.
Creation of world-class logistics and utilities infrastructure would also spur development of other manufacturing industries across sectors, the statement said.
The initiative is in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has highlighted the need for focused
development of the eastern states in order to unleash their untapped potential thereby ensuring the growth of the region as a whole and the country at large, it said.
