New Delhi : The political turmoil in the state is set to deepen inside Parliament with the Congress determined to stall the ratification of President’s Rule in the State.
Top party sources said here on Tuesday that a meeting was held between senior leaders of the party and Chief Minister Nabam Tuki at the residence of former Union Minister Kapil Sibal and both legal and political options to fight the imposition of President’s Rule were discussed.
“A proclamation of President’s Rule needs to be ratified in both Houses of Parliament within two months of notification or whenever the next session of Parliament is held. In this case, the budget session. The party will oppose it tooth and nail and try and build opposition unity around the issue,” said a top source in the party.
On Tuesday evening, the Janata Dal (U) also issued a statement in support of the Congress, appealing to all non-BJP parties to unite in raising the issue in Parliament.
“This decision of the NDA-led Central government is an attempt to sabotage the Constitutional mandate, which is a threat to democracy. This act also shows the BJP’s mindset towards cooperative federalism. The JD(U) calls upon all non-BJP parties including NDA partners Telugu Desam Party, People’s Democratic Party, Shiv Sena and Akali Dal to stand together in the hour of need and raise the issue in the upcoming budget session,” the statement read. The opposition enjoys comfort in numbers in the Rajya Sabha and the imposition of President’s Rule in an Opposition-run state has set the stage for a stormy Budget Session.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the imposition of President’s rule was a “disaster” in the making. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal likened the situation to the Emergency. “President’s rule in Arunachal. Advaniji was right in saying that there are Emergency-like conditions in the country,” he said.
Arunachal Pradesh plunged into a political crisis in June last year after a section of the Congress MLAs (14 of them) was suspended by Speaker Nabam Rebia, along with two Ministers. The Congress retained its majority, but very soon Deputy Speaker T.N. Thongdok cleared an impeachment motion against the Speaker “owing to his personal relationship with Chief Minister Nabam Tuki”.
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The Republic Day commemmorates India’s constitution coming into force on January 26, 1950, declaring India a democratic republic. The date is the anniversary of Purna Swaraj Day held on January 26, 1930.
Military parades are a tradition that inspire patriotism across nations and, in that vein, the Republic Day parade has become an emblem of India’s national pride.
Men in crisp uniforms marching across Rajpath following strict military discipline is an awe-inspiring sight on Republic Day.
Rigorous selection
For the military, it is one of the high points of the year. The selection of personnel is a very rigorous process. The first selection starts in June and the men are trained at the regimental centres. Each regiment’s turn comes once in three years and usually only those in peace locations are involved.
The units are informed beforehand so they start preparation much earlier. They congregate in Delhi by end November. The parade is timed to the last minute and there is thorough coordination with all services.
Huge expense
Apart from the effort and time invested in rolling out the columns and colourful tableau, there is also a huge financial cost involved. According to reports and Right To Information (RTI) reply from the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) the Centre spent Rs. 320 crore on the parade in 2014. In 2001, the expenditure was Rs. 145 crore . Republic day parade is a four -hour show.
Padma Awards, one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.
Shivaji Rao Gaekwad, popularly known as Rajinikanth, is one of the most popular film personalities in India. The superstar who works mostly in Tamil films has also acted in other industries including Hollywood, Hindi, Bengali. He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2000.
Ramoji Rao is a media entrepreneur. He is the owner of Ramoji Group, the world’s largest film production facility Ramoji Film City and film production company Ushakiran Movies.
Former J&K Governor Jagmohan is a recipient of the Padma Shri in 1971 and the Padma Bhushan in 1977. A retired civil servant, he is also a published author.
Ravi Shankar, populary known as Shri Shri Ravi Shankar, is the founder of the Art Of Living Foundation.
She is a renowned Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer.
is an eminent vocalist of the Banaras gharana. She is known to have elevated the profile of thumri.
A former Defence Research and Development Organisation chief , Aatre is also a Padma Bhushan recipient.
The late business tycoon was the founder of Reliance Industries.
is an Indian-American economist and the author of a number of books in economics.
Dr.V. Shanta is a prominent Oncologist and chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai. She is also a Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan recipient.
London : Libya will fall further into chaos if its factions don’t quickly form a unity government, the head of the state oil company Mustafa Sanalla has warned.He noted that the country has already lost some USD 68 billion in oil sales amid political infighting.
Mustafa Sanalla, who is in London to attend a conference and get support from investors, made his comments yesterday just after the internationally recognised parliament in the divided country rejected a plan to move toward a unified government.
The vote underscored the turmoil that continues to wrack Libya.
Sanalla argued that without a single government, there will be “neither security nor stability.”
“This vacuum will permit the other terrorist group and extremist groups to step in,” he told The Associated Press.
The appeal came a week after representatives of Libya’s rival factions announced they would attempt to create a government of unity to stabilise a country engulfed in chaos since the 2011 death of dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
The United Nations is trying to broker a single government featuring the country’s two factions, the Islamist one in the capital, Tripoli, and the internationally backed one in the eastern part of the country.
With each side backed by its own fighters, the Libyans allied with the Islamic State group have gained strength, claiming responsibility for a series of deadly attacks and attacking oil terminals and fields, the sole source of Libya’s wealth.
“This problem in Libya, it is not so sophisticated,” Sanalla said after the first day of the conference at Chatham House.
“We have two factions in Libya. They are not looking (out) for the interests of Libya, unfortunately.”
Aside from the obvious turmoil a dysfunctional government provides, the troubles also mean extremists are gaining strength. Islamic State militants have been attacking Libyan oil facilities since the start of the year.
Sanalla said the group doesn’t want to hold the facilities, but disable them. His 68 billion estimate of lost production and exports since 2013 does not include damage and losses from the fire at the big port of Ras Lanuf last week or to any other facilities.
Instead of blaming Islamic State alone, he leveled his most harsh criticisms at the Petroleum Facilities Guard, the force that is meant to protect oil facilities.
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Kathmandu : India today gifted 40 ambulances and eight buses to different organisations in Nepal on the occasion of its 67th Republic Day.
India’s Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae handed over keys of 33 ambulances and six buses to different charitable organisations and schools during a function held inside the Indian Embassy premises.
The remaining seven ambulances and two buses were gifted by the Consulate General of India in Birgunj to different organisations.
The function was attended by over 2,500 people including diplomats, journalists, social activists, business community leaders and government staff.
The ambassador also gifted books to 52 libraries, schools and training institutes of Nepal.
The widows and dependents of Ex-servicemen and disabled Ex-servicemen were handed over cash incentives and blankets by the Ambassador.
Ambassador Rae after hoisting the Indian national flag read out President Pranab Mukherjee’s address, which stressed that India today is a rising power fast emerging as a global leader in science, technology, innovation and start ups and whose economic success is the envy of the world.
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New Delhi : Indian economy is less vulnerable to external shocks as it is mainly driven by household consumption and government spending, and not dependent on hot money which can move out quickly, Standard & Poor’s Rating Services said today.
The US-based rating agency expects the current account deficit (CAD), which is the difference between inflow and outflow of foreign exchange, to remain at a modest level of 1.4 per cent at the end of current fiscal and would continue at similar level till 2018.
“We see India as having limited vulnerability to external economic or financial shocks. This is because growth in the economy is mainly driven by domestic factors, such as household consumption and government spending.
“At the same time this is a country that has low reliance on external savings to fund its growth. In other words, the banks are mainly deposit funded and don’t rely on wholesale funding to grow their loan books,” S&P Rating Services India Sovereign Analyst Kyran Curry told PTI.
He said India’s capital markets are diversified and deep enough for companies to raise funding.
“Another favourable aspect of India external settings is that it is generally not subject to hot money inflows that can turn into outflows with shifts in investor sentiment. As such we see the external risks for India to be relatively contained,” Curry said.
He said while export growth may be disappointing, the current account deficit likely to be a modest 1.4 per cent in 2015, with similar levels through 2018.
“Our forecasts are partly informed by our view of increased monetary credibility, which dampens the demand for monetary gold imports. In addition, we expect India to fund this deficit mostly with non-debt, creating inflows,” Curry added.
The CAD in the first half of current fiscal stood at 1.4 per cent of GDP, lower than 1.8 per cent in the same period last fiscal. For full 2014-15 fiscal, the CAD stood at 1.3 per cent of GDP.
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New Delhi : Police have set up a Wireless Integrated Public Address (WIPA) system to enhance security at crowded places and popular markets in the city amid a high security alert ahead of the upcoming Republic Day celebrations.
“WIPA is a centralised public address system now installed at 31 crowded places and markets in Delhi, and also in 13 major metro stations.
“Through this system, announcements can be made centrally from the police control room to be heard at all the places simultaneously, or even selectively, with a provision to make announcements if the situation warrants,” a senior Delhi Police official said.
Police have also been conducting a series of mock drills to check their preparedness in dealing with terror situations. This week, two massive drills were conducted jointly with NSG commandos at south Delhi’s Hauz Khas village and Khan Market in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, all police stations, offices of the assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners have been instructed to keep one emergency team in reserve. The teams shall comprise specially trained personnel who shall only act in cases of emergency and not engage in routine law and order affairs till January 26, the official said.
Crime mapping for the entire city was recently conducted by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police, who have been tasked with keeping an eye on criminal elements, especially the ones associated with small-time gangs in Delhi-NCR or with previous involvement in gunrunning, said the official.
Also, the Special Cell has been asked to keep an eye out for operatives of terror outfits and their movements.
The national capital was put on high alert following inputs about the presence of some terrorists after the Pathankot incident.
Delhi police this week arrested four youths with alleged IS links from Haridwar district in Uttarakhand. They had allegedly planned to attack Haridwar-bound trains and strategic locations in the national capital.
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MUMBAI: Nila Vikhe Patil, a person of Indian descent, has been named political advisor in the Swedish Prime Minister’s Office. Ms.Patil, 30, is the daughter of a leading educationist in Maharashtra Ashok Vikhe Patil.
She would be working with Kjell Stefan Lofven, the Prime Minister of Sweden. She holds a Bachelors’ degree and MBA from Gothenburg School of Business, with Economics and Law and also studied MBA in University de Complutense in Madrid.
Nila has been a member of the Board of the Green Party, Swedish Young Greens, Green Party Gothenburg, Green students of Sweden, and also a member of the executive committee of the Green Party Stockholm.
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Kathmandu : Nepals agitating Madhesis today rejected a constitutional amendment passed by the Parliament to resolve the ongoing political crisis and blockade of key trade border points with India, calling it “incomplete” as it did not address their concerns over redrawing federal boundaries.
The amendment, endorsed with a two-thirds majority yesterday, addresses two key demands of the Madhesis – proportionate representation to the minority community largely of Indian-origin and seat allocation in the Parliament on the basis of population.
The lawmakers of the agitating parties had boycotted the voting, saying the amendment was “incomplete”, as it fell short of addressing their concerns, including redrawing of federal boundaries.
Rajendra Shrestha, co-chair of the Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal – one of the constituents of the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM), said that the proposal by Nepali Congress leaders Minendra Rijal and Farmullah Mansoor was progressive than the original bill that was filed in Parliament on December 15.
As many as 24 proposals were filed by more than 100 lawmakers of different parties, seeking to amend the bill, which was endorsed in the House after incorporating the proposal registered by Rijal and Mansoor.
The agitating Madhes-based parties said the revision proposal, in line with which the Constitution Amendment Bill was endorsed, was “incomplete” despite being progressive, The Kathmandu Post reported.
Morcha leaders said that they would make further comments after thoroughly “studying the text”.
“But it will be too early to make any comment, as we are yet to go through the amendment proposal,” Shrestha said, adding that Morchas protests would continue unless “there is an agreement on redrawing federal boundaries”.
Madhesis, who are inhabitants of the Terai region, are opposed to the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland under the seven-province structure and have led an ongoing blockade of key border trade points with India.
The agitating community that shares strong cultural and family bonds with India is demanding demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation, and have launched a protest for months that has claimed at least 55 lives.
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Tolouse, France : A team led by atmospheric scientist Jean Ricard of the National Centre for Meteorological Research in Tolouse, France, has identified twelve rainbow ‘flavors,’ each with its own distinct characteristics.
For a rainbow to form there has to be sunlight and rain. As the white rays of the sun encounter the raindrops, they bend because of a phenomenon called refraction. Since the seven colors that make up white light have different wavelengths, they bend at different rates and disperse, resulting in a rainbow.
The team began by identifying the four characteristics that can encompass all rainbows. There is, of course, the classic rainbow with the red band on top and the blue-violet on the bottom. Then there are the ones with the Supernumerary bows – Bright bands either at the top or bottom. In between some rainbows, you might notice Alexander’s bands, dark areas caused by less light being reflected. And finally on occasion, one may be lucky enough to witness a ‘double rainbow’ – One that features a normal bow and a second, fainter bow above, except with the colors reversed. Armed with this knowledge the team began analyzing hundreds of rainbow photos and grouping them in one of the four categories.
In addition to identifying 12 distinct rainbows, Ricard and his team also stumbled upon another discovery. They found that while the angle and size of raindrops do matter, the biggest determinant of rainbow colors is the sun’s distance from the horizon. If the sun is further up in the sky, the colors will be largely blue and green. If it is closer to the horizon, only the red and orange will be visible.