Junior Digest

New Delhi, July 3,2023: The Manipur Government on Monday told the Supreme Court that the situation in the troubled state is improving, “though slowly”, to which the Top Indian Court directed the State Government to submit a detailed updated status report, and posted the matter for further hearing to July 10.

“The situation in the state is improving though slowly,” Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, senior law officer appearing for Manipur govt, told the Indian Apex Court.

Mehta also said that apart from police and Indian Reserve batallions, 114 columns of CAPF and 118 columns of army have been deployed leading to slow return of peace in the state. “The situation in the state is improving,” Mehta told the Apex Court.

Then, the Supreme Court sought a detailed status report from Manipur government on the measures taken to curb ethnic violence in the State.

It also asked the State to fule a report as to what steps have been taken for rehabilitation camps for homeless and violence-affected people, deployment of forces, and the law and order situation.

A bench of the Supreme Court, led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dr Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud sought a detailed status report from Manipur government by Monday, July 10, when it would take up the matter again for further hearing.

It was hearing a batch of pleas relating to the recent incidents of violence in Manipur. One of the petitions sought directions to the Central and State governments to evacuate Manipuri Tribals who had fled to CRPF camps.

For Kuki groups, Senior advocate, Colin Gonsalves, counsel appearing for the State’s Kuki group, alleged that Meteis were killing Kukis and women were preventing army from taking action against arsonists.

At the same time, Meteis advocate, Luwang told the Apex Court that Kuki militants, mandated to stay in camps, are out of it and using sniper rifles to kill Meteis.

Paris, July 1,2023: The 193 member states of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) approved on Friday during an Extraordinary Session of the General Conference, the proposal submitted by the United States to rejoin the organisation.

After two days of discussions, 132 member states voted in favor and 10 against the return of the U.S. to the organization from which the U.S. has withdrawn twice, causing a negative impact on the organisation’s work.

The U.S. will fund the equivalent of 22 percent of the organisation’s regular budget, according to a press release from UNESCO.

Besides the progressive payment of the arrears, the U.S. will also make voluntary contributions to fund programs including those supporting access to education in Africa and the memory of the Holocaust, UNESCO said.

Speaking to the press after voting, Yang Jin, permanent representative of China to UNESCO, said that the U.S. should contribute to promoting the unity and cooperation of the organisation after its return, instead of engaging in confrontation and division.

“China urges the U.S., following its return to UNESCO, to fulfill its obligations and commitments, pay membership dues in full and on time, and pay off as soon as possible the dues owed to UNESCO for many years,” he said.

Yang also called on the U.S. to adhere to true multilateralism, respect the sovereignty and social systems of all countries, respect and maintain social diversity, refrain from ideological confrontation, and commit to promoting mutual understanding and cooperation among member states.

The United States pulled out of UNESCO twice, in 1984 and 2017. In June this year, the U.S. sent a letter to the director-general of UNESCO, proposing to rejoin the organisation as early as July based on a concrete financial plan, which includes a commitment to repay its estimated arrears of 619 million U.S. dollars.

Washington, July 4,2023: Meta appears ready to launch Threads, a micro-blogging application designed to rival Twitter, on July 6, according to its App Store listing.

Threads appeared for pre-order on Monday in the Apple App Store, where it indicates users will be able to begin downloading on July 6.

“Say more with Threads – Instagram’s text-based conversation app,” the text on the app store says. “Threads is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow. Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favorite creators and others who love the same things – or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions and creativity with the world.”

The move comes the same day Elon Musk’s Twitter announced that all users must be “Verified” to access TweetDeck.

Over the weekend, Musk outraged many Twitter users by imposing limits on the number of posts that can be read per day. In order to address extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation, Musk said verified accounts are limited to reading 6,000 posts per day and unverified accounts 600 posts per day.

June 30,2023:Major cities in France experienced a third night of rioting as President Emmanuel Macron fought to contain growing public anger triggered by the police killing of a 17-year-old teenager of Algerian and Moroccan descent during a traffic stop.

National police said on Thursday night that its forces faced new incidents in the cities of Marseille, Lyon, Pau, Toulouse and Lille including fires and protesters hurling fireworks, as some 40,000 police officers deployed across the country to contain the unrest in the wake of the killing of 17-year-old Nahel M, who was shot dead on Tuesday.

In Nanterre, the western suburb of Paris where the teenager was killed, protesters torched cars, barricaded streets and hurled projectiles at police following a peaceful vigil. Protesters scrawled “Vengeance for Nahel” across buildings and bus shelters and, as night fell, a bank was set on fire before firefighters put it out and stopped flames from spreading to an apartment building above. No one was reported to be hurt.

In central Paris, a Nike shoe store was ransacked and windows were smashed along the Rue de Rivoli shopping street, Paris police said.
Local authorities in Clamart, 8km (5 miles) from central Paris, imposed a nighttime curfew until Monday, and Valerie Pecresse, who heads the greater Paris region, said all bus and tram services would be halted after 9pm (19:00 GMT) local time after some were set alight on Wednesday night.

Fire damaged the town hall in the Paris suburb of L’Ile-Saint-Denis, not far from the country’s national stadium and the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

WASHINGTON, June 29,2023: Scientists on Wednesday unveiled evidence that gravitational waves, the ripples in the fabric of space-time predicted by Albert Einstein more than a century ago, are permeating the universe at low frequencies – creating a cosmic background hum.

The new findings show that space is awash with these gravitational waves, which oscillate over years or longer and appear to originate primarily from pairs of supermassive black holes spiraling together before merging.

“Gravitational waves are created by astronomically dense objects in our universe, usually in orbit around each other. The gravitational waves actually stretch and compress space-time itself as they travel through the universe,” said Oregon State University astrophysicist Jeff Hazboun, a member of the scientific collaboration that conducted the research and lead author of one of the papers describing the findings in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Einstein in 1916 proposed the existence of gravitational waves as an outgrowth of his ground-breaking general theory of relativity, which depicted gravity as the distortion of space and time by matter. Until their detection in 2016, scientists had found only indirect evidence of their existence, beginning in the 1970s.

Objects called pulsars – the extremely dense cores of exploded stars that spin at the speed of kitchen blenders – were crucial in the new research. Sixty-eight pulsars were used in gathering the evidence.

“We see the passage of the gravitational waves as changes in the arrival time of pulses from an array of pulsars in our galaxy,” Hazboun said.
An artistic interpretation of an array of pulsars being affected by gravitational ripples produced by a supermassive black hole binary in a distant galaxy, in this handout image released June 28, 2023. Aurore Simonnet/NANOGrav Collaboration/Handout via REUTERS

The gravitational wave signal was observed in 15 years’ worth of data obtained by the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) Physics Frontiers Center (PFC), a collaboration of more than 190 scientists from the United States and Canada.

The researchers described the universe’s gravitational wave background as the equivalent of hearing the hum of a large group of people talking at a party, without being able to distinguish any individual voice.

Astronomers long have relied upon studying light to learn more about the cosmos, but that approach has limitations because it does not offer insight into many aspects of the universe. Gravitational waves allow for a more robust examination of the universe, as do ghostly subatomic particles called neutrinos.

The discovery was announced seven years after researchers announced that they had first detected the existence of gravitational waves generated by two distant black holes – extraordinarily dense objects with gravity so strong that not even light can escape. The motion of black holes and other massive objects can cause gravitational waves.

That research involved what is called the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

“We have solid evidence for a hum of gravitational waves in a new band of the gravitational wave spectrum. These frequencies are 10-12 orders of magnitude smaller than those detected by LIGO, and have wavelengths light years long,” Hazboun said.

“The most vanilla explanation of these gravitational waves is an ensemble of supermassive black hole binaries (black holes orbiting each other) in our cosmic neighborhood. Other explanations include interesting new physics from near the Big Bang,” Hazboun added, referring to the event that marked the origin of the universe about 13.8 billion years ago.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) , June 29,2023: National Conference (NC) Chief Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that the Centre before bringing the Uniform Civil Code should consider that the country is diverse.
Farooq Abdullah also extended his greetings on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. He got emotional while explaining the significance of the day, which recognises Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice everything, including his son Ismail for Allah.
Meanwhile, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir extended his wishes to the pilgrims embarking on the Amarnath Yatra, commencing on July 1.
“They (Central Government) should consider that the country is diverse. People of all religions, languages, and ideologies live here, and as for Muslims, they have their Shariat laws too. The Government should think about any possible storm that would come if they take a step in this direction (implement UCC)” he said.

SYDNEY, July 3,2023: Thousands rallied in Australia on Sunday to back a campaign to recognise the country’s Indigenous people in the constitution ahead of a referendum later this year, after a recent dip in support for the change.

The referendum, likely to be held between October and December, seeks to amend the constitution and establish an advisory body, called the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a direct say in policies that impact them.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left Labor government backs the change, while the opposition Liberal-National conservatives urge a “No” vote.

On Sunday, an Australian Council of Social Service tweet showed Sydney rally attendees in T-shirts with the words “Vote Yes” and caps with the words “The Uluru Statement”, referring to a key document that calls for an Indigenous Voice.

One rallygoer, Jason Howard, said the event was “a great opportunity for all Australians to get behind something that’s going to make this country better”.

Another attendee, Isabelle Smith, said in her opinion the referendum was the most important issue in Australia.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney during Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia June 19, 2023. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas via REUTERS/File Photo

“It’ll bring Australians together and I think voting ‘Yes’ is the most important thing that people can do,” she said.

Yes23, the group behind more than 25 rallies nationwide, said the crowd in Sydney was around 3,000 and that it expected up to 25,000 people to participate in total.

The day of action comes after support for the referendum appeared to be ebbing, according to a poll last month, which showed “No” ahead for the first time, 51% to 49%.

Opponents, including some Indigenous people, have said the proposal lacks detail and will divide Australians.

“We do not really focus on the polls. What we focus on is the work that is involved in getting out and talking to people, Yes23 director Rachel Perkins told ABC television on Sunday.

Indigenous Australians, who account for 3.8% of the population, face disadvantages including discrimination, poor health and education outcomes and high incarceration rates.

Bengaluru , July 1,2023: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday promised to resume all the programmes designed for minorities.
A delegation of the Central Council of the Minority Muslim Thinkers, Chavadi, of Karnataka State met him on Friday and discussed various issues, said the government.
The Chief Minister said that five guarantees are already being implemented as announced by the government, and more grants will be allotted to minorities starting next year, said the CM office.
Chavadi has been identified with pro-people movements in Karnataka for over a decade. It has been a part of the literary field, the development of Kalyan Karnataka, student and Dalit movements, and other pro-people struggles. Chavadi has emphasised the educational, social, and economic development of the Muslim community. It is also against communalism, as the forum explained, stated the CM office.
For the past five years, the community has been deprived of government schemes, and hence the delegation appealed to the CM to increase grants to the Minority Department and Corporations, hostels, and the establishment of a Minority Polytechnic College in the district, said the government.

June 29,2023:Russian authorities have reportedly detained General Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine, amid a reported purge of military officials following the short-lived rebellion by Wagner mercenary forces, according to sources cited by the Moscow Times newspaper and a Russian military blogger.

Surovikin, nicknamed “General Armageddon” by the Russian media for his reputed ruthlessness, is a veteran of Russia’s wars in Chechnya and Syria who has been decorated by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Citing two sources close to Russia’s Defence Ministry, the Russian-language service of The Moscow Times reported on Wednesday that Surovikin was arrested due to what one of the unnamed sources said was choosing Wagner chief Yevgeny “Prigozhin’s side during the uprising”.

A Russian military blogger, Vladimir Romanov, also reported Surovikin’s arrest on Wednesday, according to the Moscow Times, while the Washington, DC-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported another Russian source as claiming that military “affiliates” of Surovikin had been “accused of complicity in the rebellion”.

Russia’s Defence Ministry has yet to comment on the reports of Surovikin’s detention, the newspaper said.

The ISW reported on Wednesday that a prominent Russian military blogging site had claimed that a “large-scale purge” of the Russian military command was under way following the attempt by Wagner forces to enter Moscow and apprehend the country’s senior military leaders.

Jammu, July 4,2023: Stating that the construction of a 1.08 k long, two-lane Ramban viaduct is completed, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari on Monday said that under visionary Prime Minister Narendra Modi the government is committed in providing exceptional highway infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir.

“in Jammu and Kashmir, we have completed the construction of a 1.08 k long, two-lane Ramban viaduct. This viaduct, built at a cost of ₹140 Crore, is situated on the Udhampur-Ramban section of NH-44,” Gadkari tweeted.

Additionally, he said that another two-Lane viaduct, running parallel to this structure, is nearing completion and will be opened soon.

“Under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, we remain unwavering in our commitment to providing Jammu and Kashmir with exceptional highway infrastructure,” he stated.

The Union Minister further said that this transformative development not only contributes to the region’s economic growth but also enhances its appeal as a premier tourist destination.

“The construction of this 26-span viaduct incorporates various structural arrangements utilizing concrete and steel girders,” he wrote on Twitter further adding that it serves a dual purpose, firstly, t relieves congestion in Ramban Bazar, ensuring smoother movement of vehicles, secondly, it facilitates the seamless passage of vehicles and pilgrim traffic during the annual Amarnath Yatra on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway 44.

Notably, on April 11 this year, during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Gadkari addressing a press conference at Katra had said that though the deadline for the Delhi Amritsar-Katra Green Corridor ExpressWay is December 2024, but efforts will be made to complete the mega project before Parliamentary Elections to be held in May next year so that it can be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February-March next year.

He had said that the executing agency, NHAI has been asked to complete the work before the imposition of Code of Conduct so that it can be inaugurated before Lok Sabha elections.

The 670-kilometre, four-lane Delhi Amritsar-Katra Green Corridor ExpressWay is being constructed at the cost of Rs 40,000 crore.

Gadkari had also said that the developmental works worth Rs 1,30,000 crore are being taken up by MoRTH in Jammu and Kashmir and since 2014, around 500 km of road network has been completed in the region.

“Significant 41 tunnels are being constructed in J&K and Ladakh at a cost of Rs 45,000 crore, 18 ropeways worth Rs 5,000 crore will be constructed in the UT. The journey between Jammu and Srinagar three corridors worth Rs 35,000 crores are being constructed, which will reduce the earlier distance of 320 kms by 70 kms and time travel will be reduced from ten hours to four to five hours,” the Minister had said in the press conference.

Gadkari said, “with the development of state of the art road network across the country through every state and UT, the Kashmir to Kanyakumari will no longer be a dream for the people of India.”

June 30,2023:A British court has ruled that the government’s controversial plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is unlawful as the African nation cannot be considered a safe third country.

In a major setback for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has pledged to deter people from arriving across the Channel in small boats, three Court of Appeal judges on Thursday said the “removal of asylum seekers to Rwanda” would be “unlawful”.

“The deficiencies in the asylum system in Rwanda are such that there are substantial grounds for believing that there is a real risk that persons sent to Rwanda will be returned to their home countries where they face persecution or other inhumane treatment,” judge Ian Burnett said, but added that he, himself, disagreed with the other two judges on this point.

The United Kingdom government has been planning to deport asylum seekers to the East African country as part of a 120 million pound ($148m) deal to deter people from crossing the English Channel from France in small boats.

Asylum Aid director Alison Pickup said many of her clients were breathing a sigh of relief.

“Some of them have experienced torture, they’ve had very traumatic journeys, and have been waiting for over a year to find out if they will be able to make a case in the UK – or if they will be sent to Rwanda, a country they know nothing about,” Pickup told Al Jazeera.

She added that the ruling will “hopefully give them that reassurance of safety”.

The government has said it will appeal against the decision.

The Rwandan government said that while the matter was one for the British courts, it took exception to the judges’ conclusions.

New Delhi, June 28,2023: The Meeting of Startup20 under the India G20 Presidency is slated to take place in Gurugram on July 3, said Chintan Vaishnav, Startup20 India Chair and Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission.
The summit, aptly named “Shikhar,” which translates to “mountain peak” in Sanskrit, symbolizes the pinnacle of achievements in shaping the future of the global startup ecosystem.
It serves as a landmark event for the official release of the final Policy Communique. This comprehensive document represents the collective wisdom and tireless efforts of the Startup20 Engagement Group, comprising distinguished delegates from G20 nations and other invitee countries.
Vaishnav said that the policy Communique will lay the foundation for a transformative and inclusive startup ecosystem, fostering economic growth, innovation, and cross-border collaboration.
Over the course of two insightful days, the summit promises a diverse and engaging program, featuring dynamic discussions, enlightening presentations, and invaluable networking opportunities.
The delegates will have the privilege to connect with industry experts, policymakers, and thought leaders, forging strategic alliances and shaping the trajectory of startups on a global scale.

In addition to the discussion on building a global startup ecosystem, the summit will host a large Startup Conclave, where startups will not only showcase their products and services but will engage in investor pitches, mentoring sessions, and other networking opportunities.
Like other Startup20 events, there will also be a healthy mix of art and culture at the event.
The summit embodies the immense potential of startups in driving economic prosperity and societal impact. By fostering an environment that nurtures innovation and entrepreneurship, the summit aims to unleash the full potential of startups, propelling economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development.
Startup20 Chair Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I think of this final leg of this year’s Startup20 journey as a new beginning. We extend a warm invitation to delegates to join us in Gurugram and collectively celebrate the culmination of months of collaboration, consultation, and unwavering determination.”
“We have built consensus over a first-ever powerful communique that we will harness the power of startups, paving the way for their vibrant and sustainable future,” he added.
The Startup20 Shikhar Summit signifies India’s commitment to fostering an enabling environment for startups and reinforcing its position as a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship. It serves as a significant milestone in the journey towards unlocking the potential of startups to drive economic growth, job creation, and societal progress.
The Startup20 Engagement Group operates under the India G20 Presidency, aiming to shape the future of the global startup ecosystem. Comprising delegates from G20 nations and invitee countries, Startup20 strives to foster innovation, collaboration, and inclusive growth to unleash the full potential of startups for economic prosperity and societal impact.

June 30,2023:The United States Supreme Court has ruled that colleges must stop considering race as a factor in their admission policies, dealing a setback to so-called “affirmative action” efforts aimed at boosting the enrolment of Black and Latino students at top universities.

The top court’s decision on Thursday came in response to lawsuits that challenged the policies of Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC) by claiming race-conscious student admissions programmes discriminate against white and Asian-American applicants.

The ruling is the latest by the conservative-dominated court to advance right-wing political causes, and it could have significant implications for US college enrolment and diversity on campuses across the country.

President Joe Biden decried the court’s decision on Thursday, calling on universities to continue to advance diversity in spite of the ruling, by considering race-related factors like adversity.

“I’ve always believed that the promise of America is big enough for everyone to succeed, and that every generation of Americans – we have benefited by opening the doors of opportunity just a little bit wider to include those who’ve been left behind,” Biden told reporters.

He stressed that the top court bucked precedents – previous rulings that establish legal norms – in its decision on Thursday. “We cannot let this decision be the last word on it,” Biden said.

Asked whether the Supreme Court is “rogue”, Biden said it is not a “normal” court.

The top court ultimately found affirmative action to be in violation of US Constitution provisions that establish equal protection under the law.

“College admissions are zero-sum. A benefit provided to some applicants but not to others necessarily advantages the former group at the expense of the latter,” the Supreme Court said in its decision, embracing the argument that affirmative action benefitting some minority students disadvantages others.
Decision and dissent

The vote was six-to-three in the UNC case and six-to-two in the Harvard case, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recusing herself from the latter because she had been a member of an advisory governing board at the university.
In a dissenting opinion, liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that “indifference to race” does not advance equality, stressing that racial inequality continues to prevail in the US, including at UNC and Harvard.

“Ignoring race will not equalize a society that is racially unequal. What was true in the 1860s, and again in 1954, is true today: Equality requires acknowledgment of inequality,” she said, referring to the US Civil War that ended slavery and the Civil Rights movement, respectively.

The NAACP civil rights advocacy group was quick to denounce the top court’s ruling on Thursday.

“This is a dark day in America,” Wisdom Cole, national director of the group’s youth and college division, said in a statement.

“Affirmative action has been a beacon of hope for generations of Black students. It stood as a powerful force against the insidious poison of racism and sexism, aiming to level the playing field and provide a fair shot at a high-quality education for all.”

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also decried the decision, calling it a “giant roadblock” in the country’s march towards racial justice.
Affirmative action

The Congressional Black Caucus also hit out at the top court. “By delivering a decision on affirmative action so radical as to deny young people seeking an education equal opportunity in our education system, the Supreme Court has thrown into question its own legitimacy,” it said in a statement.

Under affirmative action, some US colleges have considered race among several factors when assessing students’ applications, boosting the chances of Black and other minority students.

Proponents of the practice have argued that it aims to correct some of the historical injustices people of colour faced in the US and level the playing field for all students.

They also have underscored the racial wealth gap, as well as some colleges’ “legacy” admission programmes that favour the children of graduates from the institutions.

Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Thursday that if the Supreme Court is serious about so-called colourblindness, then justices should also abolish legacy admissions, which she called “affirmative action for the privileged”.

Critics of affirmative action have argued affirmative action works against white and some minority students – namely Asian Americans – who also may come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

On Thursday, Republican Senator Tom Cotton called affirmative action “systemic discrimination” and expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court for its ruling.

“Admissions should be decided on merit – not by color of skin,” Cotton wrote on Twitter.

Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader in the US Senate, also welcomed the decision as making clear that “students will get a fair shot at college and the American dream based on merit and not illegal social engineering”.
‘Essential values’

Reporting from Washington, DC, Al Jazeera’s Rosiland Jordan said the Supreme Court’s ruling is “incredibly significant” and will affect US universities’ efforts to bolster diversity.

Affirmative action, Jordan explained, was about “not just trying to redress past discrimination, but it also [helped] the schools achieve what they believe is a laudable goal, which is to expose young people who are just starting out in life to other people of different backgrounds”.

Nine US states have already banned colleges from considering race in applications, and several of them saw a drop in minority student enrolment after the restriction.

For example, at the University of Michigan, Black student enrolment dropped to 4 percent in 2022 from 7 percent when the state ended affirmative action in 2006.

Harvard said on Thursday that it will push to preserve its “essential values” while complying with the Supreme Court’s decision.

“We write today to reaffirm the fundamental principle that deep and transformative teaching, learning, and research depend upon a community comprising people of many backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. That principle is as true and important today as it was yesterday,” the university’s leaders said in a statement.

New Delhi, June 30,2023: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday took a dig at the Centre and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena over the deteriorating law and order condition in the national capital and asked them how long the Delhiites would tolerate the situation.

Kejriwal reiterated his demand that Delhi Police should be handed over to the Delhi government for maintaining better law and order here.

Kejriwal tweeted: “Delhi Police should be handed over to the people of the city. It is not in the capability of LG Sahib and Amit Shah ji. And for how long will the people of Delhi continue to tolerate?.”

His reaction came after a transgender’s body was found in Delhi’s Rohini district. Recently, a broad daylight robbery happened inside a tunnel near Pragati Maidan.

In his second tweet, Kejriwal wrote, “There is such an environment of fear among the people across the national capital. But they have no time, no intention and no plan to provide security to the people of Delhi. After all, how long will people tolerate? You cannot have power without responsibility and accountability.”

Mumbai, July 2,2023: In a sudden political development in Maharashtra, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar – the nephew of party chief Sharad Pawar – on Sunday split the legislative party and joined the state’s NDA ministry with eight other MLAs.

Sixty-three-year-old Ajit Pawar has joined the state’s NDA government for the second time since 2019, when he had a short-lived tryst as deputy CM before returning to the NCP fold in two days.

Ajit Pawar, so long the leader of the opposition, took over as the second Deputy Chief Minister (after BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis) on Sunday as he was administered the oath by state Governor Ramesh Bais at Raj Bhavan here in the presence of NCP veteran Praful Patel – a longtime close confidant of Sharad Pawar.

Although Patel did not take oath as state minister, there is speculation that he may be inducted into the union ministry.

A few other NCP MLAs will be included in the Shinde ministry soon, Pawar told media persons after taking his oath, and said he took the decision for the development of the country and “to solve the problems of the people of Maharashtra.” He showered praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Shinde, who himself became the chief minister a year back by engineering a similar split in the ruling Shiv Sena after rebelling against the then chief minister and party chief Uddhav Thackeray, claimed 35 out of NCP’s 54 MLAs were present in the Raj Bhavan along with Pawar. In all, the new deputy chief minister enjoyed the support of more than 40 NCP legislators, he said.

After Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Valse-Patil, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde, Dharmaraobaba Bhagwantrao Atram, Aditi Tatkare, Sanjay Bansode and Anil Patil also were sworn in as ministers.

Bhujbal is a leading OBC leader in the state.

Profusely praising Ajit Pawar, Shinde said he has always done the politics of development.

The Chief Minister said now his double engine government – BJP and the Shiv Sena (Shinde) – has a triple engine for the development of the state.

Pawar’s joining would give a further boost to the government which was already working for the state’s development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shinde added.

On the other hand, NCP’s Maharashtra Chief Spokesperson Mahesh Tapase termed the developments a part of BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus’ programme..

In a statement, Tapase said all the leaders, workers, district presidents and frontal organisations are with Sharad Pawar.

Over the past couple of months, political circles in the state were agog with speculation about the possibility of Ajit Pawar jumping ship.

Ajit Pawar was said to be unhappy over being sidelined in the party, with Sharad Pawar elevating Supriya Sule and Praful Patel as working presidents.

Recently, Ajit Pawar also wanted to quit as Leader of the Opposition and sought an organisational responsibility, but the party national executive asked him to wait for two months.

Lucknow, Jul 2,2023: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Sunday asserted that her party was not against the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), instead it was against the modalities of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its government in implementing it, as it should not be forced on the people of the country.

Reacting to the UCC, she said, “India has a vast population who follow different religions and have different customs, lifestyles, rules and rituals right from the birth to death.”

She further said that on the other hand, it is thought provoking that if a common law is made applicable to people of all religions, then it will not weaken the country but instead, strengthen it.

“It is also correct that it will create mutual communal harmony and brotherhood among the people and keeping this in mind, an attempt to frame a code that is Uniform Civil Code has been mentioned in the Article 44 of the Indian Constitution,” Mayawati said.

The BSP chief further said, “The provision of imposing it forcibly is not mentioned in the Constitution of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and for this awareness and consensus has been considered the best, but not following it and indulging in politics of narrow interest in its guise is not right in the interest of the country, because Article 44 of the Constitution describes the effort to make a uniform civil code, but not to impose it forcibly.”

She suggested that before taking any step for implementing UCC in the country, BJP should pay special attention to all these aspects.
She said it seems that BJP and its government are blowing the issue of UCC in a bid to conceal its shortcomings and distract attention of the people.

“As I have said my party is not against the UCC, but people of different religions in the country have their own customs from birth to death and whenever a law is framed then their religious traditions and sentiments must be kept into consideration,” she added.