Author: Newsdesk

Categories
Economy India News

India’s Wearable Market on the Rise

Smartwatches create a connected lifestyle(IANSLIFE)

The growth was restricted by the high inventory carried over from the festive quarters in the second half (H2) of 2023…reports Asian Lite News

India’s wearable device market increased by 2.1 per cent (year-over-year) in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024 to 25.6 million units after growing by at least double digits consecutively since the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2017, a new report showed on Wednesday.

According to International Data Corporation (IDC), the growth was restricted by the high inventory carried over from the festive quarters in the second half (H2) of 2023.

The average selling price (ASP) for overall wearables dropped by 17.8 per cent in Q1 of this year, from $22.62 to $18.59, a record low.

“Vendors have started focusing on retail expansion via partnerships with large format national and/or regional retail chains and bundling wearables with other product categories like smartphones, laptops, etc,” said Anand Priya Singh, Market Analyst, Smart Wearable Devices, IDC India.

According to the report, smartwatch shipments fell for the first time since Q4 of 2018, by 7.3 per cent (year-over-year) to 9.6 million units. The share of smartwatches within wearables declined to 37.6 per cent from 41.4 per cent in Q1 of 2023.

The earwear category rose by 8.3 per cent (year-over-year), shipping 15.9 million units.

The top five vendors namely boAt, Noise, Fire-Bolt, Boult, and Oppo, remain unchanged from a year ago, however, their collective share dropped from 63.9 per cent to 59.9 per cent, the report mentioned.

Moreover, the report showed that the momentum for the smart ring category continues, with 64,000 smart rings shipping in Q1 of this year at an ASP of $173.06. Ultrahuman resumes to lead the smart ring market in the country with a 43.9 per cent market share.

Commenting on the wearable device market outlook for the year, Vikas Sharma, Senior Market Analyst, Smart Wearable Devices, IDC India, said the smartwatch market is showing early signs of a slowdown in India.

“The vendors are facing challenges in luring customers to upgrade due to limited innovation and freshness in newer models. IDC expects a low double-digit annual shipment decline for smartwatches in 2024,” he said.

ALSO READ: New Leadership Powers Snapchat India

Categories
Economy India News

Global Steel Slump Spares India

The growth in India’s steel production reflects the higher level of economic activity taking place in the economy…reports Asian Lite News

India is the only country among the world’s top steel producing nations to post a growth in steel production during April this year, according to figures compiled by the World Steel Association.  

India, the second-largest steel producer in the world next to China produced 12.1 million tonnes of steel which represented a 3.6 per cent increase over the same month of the previous year.

According to economists, the growth in India’s steel production reflects the higher level of economic activity taking place in the economy.

Large infrastructure projects in the road, rail and ports sectors that are being implemented by the government to push growth and create employment in the country use large quantities of steel as an input.

Similarly, the demand for products such as cars, two-wheelers and commercial vehicles that have been growing in the economy also leads to an increased demand for steel as a raw material.

India has emerged as a bright spot amid the global slowdown and the steel sector is a reflection of this.

The World Steel Association data show that Japan produced 7.1 million tonnes (MT) of steel, down 2.5 per cent.

The US produced 6.7 MT, down 2.8 per cent.

Russia is estimated to have produced 6.2 MT, down 5.7 per cent and South Korea produced 5.1 MT, down 10.4 per cent.

China, which has massive excess capacity in steel and has run into the US tariff barrier for its exports, recorded a 7 per cent decline in production to 85.9 million tonnes.

There is serious concern worldwide that China may now resort to dumping its excess steel at cheap prices in other countries as it has lost the US market.

Meanwhile, ) Government-owned Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has recorded its highest-ever revenue from operations at Rs 105,375 crore during the financial year 2023-24. The company had recorded a revenue of Rs 104,447 crore in 2022-23, according to a company statement.  

“During FY 2023-24, the company has achieved its best-ever performance in production and sales. The crude steel production and sales volume have registered a growth of 5.2 per cent and 5.1 per cent respectively during FY’24 over the previous year,” according to a SAIL statement.

However, the steel giant’s consolidated net profit for the January-March quarter declined by 3 per cent to Rs 1,126 crore from Rs 1,159 crore due to lower steel prices compared to last year.

SAIL’s board of directors has recommended a final dividend of Rs 1 per equity share i.e. 10 per cent of face value for the Financial Year 2023-24, subject to the approval of the shareholders at the AGM. The company had earlier paid an interim dividend of Rs 1 per equity share during the year

ALSO READ: Maharashtra seeks relaxation in poll code due to drought

Categories
INDIA 2024 India News Politics

Swati Maliwal refuses to give up Rajya Sabha seat

New Delhi: AAP MP Swati Maliwal arrives at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence

Maliwal asserted that she is the youngest women Parliamentarian adding that she never showed any “desire” for any position….reports Asian Lite News

Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal on Thursday stated that even if someone wanted her Rajya Sabha seat she would have willingly given it and firmly asserted that “ab chaahe duniya ki koi bhi shakti lag jaye main resign nahi karungi” (even if any power puts pressure on me to resign I won’t do).

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Maliwal asserted that she is the youngest women Parliamentarian adding that she never showed any “desire” for any position.

“Agar meri Rajya Sabha ki seat unhe chahiye thi, woh pyaar se maangte toh main jaan de deti, MP toh bohot choti baat hain. (If they needed my Rajya Sabha seat, they would have asked for it, I would have given my life, it is such a small thing). If you see my whole career I never showed any desire for any position. In 2006, I left my engineering job and joined this when nobody used to know us. Only three people were there and I was one of them. I have been working since then. The way they have beaten me, ‘Ab chaahe duniya ki koi bhi shakti lag jaye main resign nahi karungi’ (I will not resign now). I have been told that this is the reason my character is being assassinated. I will not resign. I am the youngest women Parliamentarian right now and I will work very hard and will become an ideal,” Maliwal said.

When asked why you never realized that some of the members of the parties are becoming powerful, she said that everyone’s ego has increased.

“I have been with them since 2006. When we used to work at that time there was a very different environment. There was next level ‘Josh’ in each one of us. I lived in the slums for 7 years and we all used to work in this manner but when power comes, I think many things come with it and the biggest thing that comes is ego. Slowly and gradually when ego takes over your head, you probably cannot see what is true, what is false, what is right, what is wrong…I never thought that a girl would be beaten first and then she would be isolated with complete character assassination. I think everyone’s ego has increased a lot but I believe that everything begins from the top,” she said.

Earlier in January this year, Maliwal, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member, was elected to Rajya Sabha unopposed.

Following the assault allegations levelled by Aam Aadmi Party MP Swati Maliwal against a former aide of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said that the silence of the AAP chief on this matter shows his stance about the issue of the safety of women.

A case was filed against Bibhav Kumar and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to investigate the case based on Maliwal’s complaint. Bibhav was arrested by the Delhi Police on Sunday, May 19, and is currently in police custody. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Maharashtra seeks relaxation in poll code due to drought

Categories
INDIA 2024 India News Politics

Varun Gandhi campaigns for mom Maneka in Sultanpur

Gandhi expressed reverence for the role of a mother, equating it to divine power, and emphasizing its universal attributes of protection, impartiality, assistance in times of need, and boundless love….reports Asian Lite News

BJP leader Varun Gandhi lent his support to his mother and party candidate, Maneka Gandhi, in the Sultanpur constituency, and spoke of the unique bond between the representative and the electorate.

“In our country, elections are being held in 543 constituencies. In many places, experienced and influential people are contesting, but there is one area in our country where no one calls the Member of Parliament (MP) by their official title instead, everyone calls them ‘Mother’,” Varun Gandhi said.

Gandhi expressed reverence for the role of a mother, equating it to divine power, and emphasizing its universal attributes of protection, impartiality, assistance in times of need, and boundless love.

“A mother is considered to be a divine power, equivalent to God. Because when the whole world may or may not stand by you, a mother never leaves your side. Today, I am not here just to show support for my mother, but I am here to show support for the mother of Sultanpur. The definition of a mother is that she is a power that protects everyone, does not discriminate, helps in times of trouble, and always keeps love in her heart for everyone. A mother’s scolding is also a blessing,” Gandhi said.

“When we first came to Sultanpur 10 years ago to contest elections, people said, ‘Sir, the vibrancy that exists in Amethi, the vibrancy that exists in Raibareli, we want the same vibrancy in Sultanpur too.’ Today, it brings me great joy to say that when Sultanpur’s name is mentioned in the country, it is mentioned in the first line of the mainstream,” he added.

BJP leader Varun Gandhi campaigned for his mother from Sultanpur constituency today.

Earlier in the day, Varun Gandhi’s Mother, BJP Candidate and sitting MP from Sultanpur Maneka Gandhi voiced her desire to see her son, Feroze Varun Gandhi, happy amidst political upheavals.

On being asked about the speculation surrounding Varun Gandhi’s anti-BJP stance since 2019 and his exclusion from the BJP ticket list for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Maneka Gandhi emphasized her primary concern for her son’s well-being. “I just want to see him (Varun Gandhi) happy, and what more can one ask from life,” she said.

Regarding Varun Gandhi’s absence from the Pilibhit constituency race, where he served as MP three times, Maneka Gandhi explained his readiness to support her campaign in Sultanpur.

“When I asked Varun to campaign for me, he agreed to campaign for me. He has come to Sultanpur for this. Whatever has happened is done, now we should talk further,” Maneka said.

“Opportunity comes from ability and it is a misconception in every party that only the MPs run the party. There are more than one crore members in the BJP. There are around 300-400 MPs, so are there no other leaders apart from them in the party? If you have the capability, a way will definitely be made,” she added.

Varun Gandhi was denied a BJP ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on March 24, with the BJP selecting UP public works minister Jitin Prasada for the Pilibhit seat instead.

Addressing concerns about the potential negative impacts of Varun Gandhi’s involvement in her campaign, Maneka Gandhi expressed confidence in the electorate’s judgment. She affirmed that Varun’s participation, which was at her request, would not affect the outcome in Sultanpur.

When asked about Rahul Gandhi and Varun Gandhi, Maneka Gandhi responded, “Everyone has his way and luck. I never speak about anyone’s ability. Everyone has their destiny.”

Maneka Gandhi also mentioned the upcoming voting in Sultanpur on May 25, expressing confidence in a BJP victory.

“The opposition is not winning at least the Sultanpur seat. My entire focus is only on Sultanpur seat and I am not paying attention to any other seat,” Gandhi said.

India Alliance and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav has claimed victory on 79 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, but Maneka Gandhi dismissed these claims, reaffirming her commitment to securing the Sultanpur seat for the BJP.

The Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency is set to witness a tough triangular fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Samajwadi Party (SP), and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

The Sultanpur seat comprises five Assembly segments including Isauli, Sultanpur, Sadar, Lambhua and Kadipur. The constituency is a General seat.

The incumbent BJP candidate is Maneka Gandhi, SP has given a ticket to Rambhual Nishad replacing Bheem Nishad, and BSP has fielded Udraj Verma.

Since Independence, Sultanpur has seen MPs from several parties and no single party has had an outright dominance on the seat. Congress has won eight times in Sultanpur, while BSP has won twice and BJP has secured victory four times.

The BJP is contesting the elections in Uttar Pradesh in alliance with the local parties while Congress and Samajwadi Party are united in the fight as part of the INDIA bloc and BSP is going solo in the elections.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged as the winner by securing the majority of seats available. Of 80 seats, the BJP won 62, followed by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with 10 seats, the Samajwadi Party (SP) with 5 seats, and the Apna Dal with 2 seats.

The counting of the votes for the Lok Sabha polls 2024 will be held on June 4. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Maharashtra seeks relaxation in poll code due to drought

Categories
INDIA 2024 India News Politics

Haryana sees sharp rise in pre-poll seizures

The overall figures have escalated to Rs 75.44 crore….reports Asian Lite News

The high-octane campaigning for the May 25 Lok Sabha elections in Haryana came to an end on Thursday with rallies by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anurag Aggarwal said that various agencies have seized Rs 18.56 crore in cash, along with illicit liquor, drugs, and other valuables worth Rs 56.88 crore, as part of pre-poll seizures.

The overall figures have escalated to Rs 75.44 crore.

In contrast, during the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, the total value of pre-poll seizures amounted to Rs 18.36 crore.

Aggarwal said more than 4.05 lakh liters of illicit liquor worth Rs 13.31 crore have been seized in the state by the police and excise officials.

The agencies have also seized drugs worth Rs 14 crore.

ALSO READ: Maharashtra seeks relaxation in poll code due to drought

Categories
INDIA 2024 India News Politics

Modi govt never waived farm loans: Priyanka

Priyanka Gandhi also said that a UP minister’s son crushed four farmers to death, but to date, the government has not given justice to the victims….reports Asian Lite News

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed on Thursday that the BJP-led Central government never waived the loans of the farmers who were forced to commit suicide due to debt, whereas loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore of 22 billionaires were waived by the same dispensation.

“The Modi government imposed GST (Goods and Services Tax) on farmers and refused to give MSP (Minimum Support Price) to them,” she said at a public meeting in Panipat, Haryana.

Accompanying senior party leaders, including two-time Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda, Haryana Congress President Chaudhary Udaibhan, and Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda, Priyanka said the farmers and farm labourers feed the country by toiling the fields, but the BJP repeatedly uses ‘lathis’, tear gas and bullets on them.

“The farmers waited on the borders of Delhi for more than a year. The entire country was with the farmers, and even Congress MP Deepender Hooda sat with the farmers during the movement. But instead of showing sympathy towards our ‘annadatas’ (farmers), the BJP insulted them by calling them traitors.”

She also said that a UP minister’s son crushed four farmers to death, but to date, the government has not given justice to the victims.

“When we went to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the victims’ families, we were stopped on the way and arrested. This reveals the anti-farmer, anti-worker and anti-poor mentality of the BJP,” she stated.

“Today, unemployment in the country has broken the record of 45 years. If the Congress comes to power, we will provide permanent jobs in 30 lakh posts at the Centre. The Agnipath scheme will be discontinued. Farmers will be given the benefits of MSP and loan waiver. Also, women will be given financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh annually,” she promised.

Addressing the rally, Bhupinder Hooda claimed the Congress will win both the Assembly and Lok Sabha seats in Karnal.

“The enthusiasm of the people makes it certain that the BJP will be wiped out from Haryana, and an INDIA bloc coalition government will be formed at the Centre,” he said.

Polling in all 10 Lok Sabha seats along with the Assembly bypoll in Haryana will be held on May 25.

Haryana’s farmers suffered betrayal: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday slammed the Congress model of governance, saying that the party has converted Haryana into “a machine of loot” by deceiving the state’s farmers and youth.

“Haryana’s farmers have suffered Congress-led betrayal,” said PM Modi while addressing a massive rally in Bhiwani on the last day of the campaigning for the sixth phase of elections on May 25.

He also said that the “inherently unstable” opposition INDI alliance only spreads the politics of communalism, casteism, dynasty and adheres to the ‘five PMs-five year’ formula.

“Your vote will decide our country’s future, not just the PM. INDI alliance promises five PMs in five years, showing instability,” said PM Modi.

“The people of the country have already understood the intentions of the INDI alliance which explains well the alliance’s condition. The INDI alliance bubble has burst in just five phases and you must have seen that after the third phase when they started raising questions on the Election Commission. All anti-India forces are active, but Modi will not bow down to them. Modi still has a lot of work to do to repay your debt,” he added.

Asserting that people now “know the true face of Congress”, PM Modi accused the party of prioritising vote banks and also slammed its INDI Alliance partner TMC for granting OBC reservations to illegal immigrants from the minority community in West Bengal.

“In West Bengal, they have issued OBC certificates to Muslims overnight and that too to infiltrators. The High Court has invalidated all the OBC certificates issued to Muslims in the last 10-12 years,” he said.

The Prime Minister stated that he has come to assure SC-ST-OBCs of Haryana that reservation is their ‘adhikar’ (right) and Modi is its ‘chowkidar’ (guardian).

He also accused the Congress party of developing an anti-Shri Ram stance and opposing the Pran-Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.

Prime Minister Modi emphasised his government’s prioritization of Haryana’s irrigation potential and the MSP (minimum support price) provided for more than 14 products in the state. He also mentioned showcasing Bajra-made products from Haryana to international delegates during the G20 meeting, highlighting the efforts of Haryana’s farmers.

Going down memory lane, PM Modi, recalled spending a lot of time in the state when former CM Manohar Lal Khattar was the party’s general secretary.

“I have eaten a lot of Haryanvi food. The whole world is watching the success of Haryana’s ghee and butter,” he said.

Calling upon all voters to wholeheartedly support the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi acknowledged the contributions made by Chaudhary Bansi Lal to the development of Mahendergarh and Bhiwani.

The Bhiwani-Mahendragarh constituency is set to witness a tough contest between BJP’s sitting MP Dharambir Singh and Congress legislator from Mahendragarh, Rao Dan Singh, who belongs to the Ahir community.

Haryana will go to the polls for 10 parliamentary seats on May 25.

ALSO READ: Maharashtra seeks relaxation in poll code due to drought

Categories
INDIA 2024 India News Politics

Lengthy poll schedule to serve PM’s self-propaganda: Mamata

Banerjee accused the CPI-M of helping the BJP spread its base in West Bengal….reports Asian Lite News

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of deliberately preparing such a long schedule for the Lok Sabha elections to facilitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s self-propaganda.

“The current caretaker Prime Minister will become the former prime Prime Minister after the polls. But I am sorry to say, such a long election schedule was prepared to facilitate PM Modi’s self-propaganda over this extended period of time,” the Chief Minister said while addressing an election meeting in the North Kolkata Lok Sabha constituency in support of Trinamool Congress candidate and sitting MP, Sudip Bandopadhyay.

Banerjee also accused the CPI-M of helping the BJP spread its base in West Bengal.

“The CPI-M is helping the BJP to gain strength in West Bengal. This is the only reason why the CPI-M should not be shown any mercy. They are responsible for destroying the state,” the Chief Minister said.

Banerjee also said that although she is not afraid of the ‘slanderous’ campaigns launched against her by the opposition, she is worried about being misunderstood by the people.

“Throughout my life, I have faced abuse. But I am not bothered about those abuses anymore. I will be sad if I am misunderstood by the people. If such a day comes and the people ask me to leave, I will humbly obey and quit silently,” the Chief Minister said.

Campaigning ends

Campaigning for the eight Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal that will go to the polls in the sixth phase on May 25 concluded on Thursday amid reports of pre-poll violence in Nandigram under the Tamluk parliamentary constituency.

The violence erupted there after a woman BJP worker, Rotibala Ari, was killed and seven other party workers were injured following an attack by unknown assailants allegedly having links with the ruling Trinamool Congress.

The incident triggered widespread protests in Nandigram by the local people, who blocked roads and burnt tyres. Several shops were also set on fire in the area, prompting the police to resort to lathi charge to bring the situation under control.

The eight Lok Sabha seats where polling will be held on Saturday include Bankura, Bishnipur, Purulia, Kanti, Tamluk, Medinipur, Ghatal, and Jhargram.

On the last day of campaigning on Thursday, the leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, called Trinamool’s sitting MP who has been renominated from Ghatal, actor-politician Deepak Adhikari a.k.a. Dev, a beneficiary of the alleged cattle smuggling scam in the state.

Dev later countered the charge and warned Adhikari not to take his courtesy towards the opposition as his weakness.

Barring a roadshow and an election meeting by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, there were no high-profile campaign events scheduled in Bengal on Thursday.

ALSO READ: Maharashtra seeks relaxation in poll code due to drought

Categories
INDIA 2024 India News Politics

Maharashtra seeks relaxation in poll code due to drought

Marathwada faces a severe water crisis, with many villages experiencing water shortages and residents having to travel to find drinking water….reports Asian Lite News

Highlighting the dire situation in drought-affected regions, the Maharashtra Government has written a letter to the Election Commission requesting a relaxation in the code of conduct applied in the state during the Lok Sabha elections.

Notably, this request for drought mitigation comes after the Lok Sabha elections have concluded in the state, to provide immediate relief and relief plans, including relaxation in the code of conduct imposed in the state due to the Lok Sabha elections.

Marathwada faces a severe water crisis, with many villages experiencing water shortages and residents having to travel to find drinking water.

The situation in Maharashtra is so dire, that people of the region are not getting enough water, even after waiting for more than 10 days.

The government in the letter urged the EC to relax the code of conduct and initiate immediate relief measures, including the provision of drinking water and fodder to citizens and animals in affected regions.

Elections in Maharashtra have been held in the last five phases between 19 April and 20 May 2024. The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh known for its political diversity and significant electoral influence, Maharashtra plays a crucial role in shaping national politics.

In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 18 seats.

Fadnavis holds roadshoe

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday held a roadshow in support of BJP candidate from North-East Delhi, Manoj Tiwari.

During the roadshow, he expressed confidence in the BJP’s victory in the Lok Sabha election and stated that Delhi is with BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that the BJP will win all seven seats in Delhi.

“Delhi is with BJP, Modi ji, we will win all seven seats and Manoj Tiwari ji will be elected with record number of votes,” CM Fadnavis told ANI.

BJP candidate from North-East Delhi Manoj Tiwari also expressed confidence in his victory in the Lok Sabha election saying, “The love being shown by people tells us that we might win by a margin of more than 5 Lakh votes… The support in such high temperatures is unprecedented.”

BJP’s Manoj Tiwari will be contesting against Congress’ Kanhaiya Kumar for North-East Delhi Lok Sabha seat.

DCP Election cell of Delhi Police, Sanjay Sehrawat on Thursday said that 33,000 policemen of Delhi Police, 51 paramilitary companies, and 17,500 Home Guards will be deployed in the national capital in view of the Lok Sabha polls to be conducted on May 25.

“Delhi Police has completed its preparations for the elections to be held on May 25. There are 2628 voting centres out of which 429 are highly sensitive. 33,000 policemen of Delhi Police will be deployed at the polling booth and apart from this, 51 paramilitary companies will also be deployed for security and 17,500 Home Guards who have come from Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and MP will also be deployed,” DCP Sehrawat said.

“We have hired drones in very sensitive areas to monitor any illegal activities,” he added.

Sehrawat further informed that a large number of CCTV cameras have been installed on the interstate borders as elections in Delhi and Haryana are on the same day.

Delhi is undergoing voting in a single phase on all seven Lok Sabha seats on May 25, with a fierce contest between the BJP and the INDIA bloc, comprising the AAP and Congress. The counting of votes and declaration of results will be done on June 4.

The Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress are fighting the elections in alliance in the national capital, with the AAP contesting four and the Congress three seats.

The seven parliamentary constituencies in Delhi are Chandni Chowk, East Delhi, New Delhi, North East Delhi, North West Delhi, South Delhi, and West Delhi. (ANI)

ALSO READ: India Abstains in Srebrenica Genocide UN Resolution

Categories
-Top News India News World News

India Abstains in Srebrenica Genocide UN Resolution

Nineteen countries voted against it, while 68 abstained and 22 altogether stayed away….reports Arul Louis

India has abstained on a UN General Assembly resolution to create an annual day to commemorate the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica during the civil war that followed the break-up of Yugoslavia.

The resolution sponsored by Germany and Rwanda was carried on Thursday with only 84 votes in the 193-member Assembly reflecting the deep divisions over it because most such motions are adopted by consensus.

Nineteen countries voted against it, while 68 abstained and 22 altogether stayed away.

India did not explain the reasons for the abstention.

With the passage of the resolution, the UN will commemorate every year on July 11 the killing of about 8,000 Bosnian Muslims by Bosnian Serbs, who were Orthodox Christians, as “The International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica”.

The victims were men and boys separated from the women in the town of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina by ethnic Serb fighters who overran it during the three-and-a-half-year-long civil war when the ethnic communities fought for supremacy in the nascent nation after Yugoslavia splintered.

Germany’s Permanent Representative Antje Leendertse said her country was sponsoring the resolution to prevent a genocide like that perpetrated by German Nazis from recurring.

Six million Jews were killed by Nazis during World War II.

The commemoration was to honour the memory of the victims of the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia and was not directed against Serbs, but only against those who committed the killings, Leendertse added.

Aleksandar Vucic, the President of neighbouring Serbia, questioned the standing of Germany to make such a proposal given its history and said it was introduced for political reasons and to stigmatise the Serbian people.

Those who carried out the massacre have already been tried, convicted, and sentenced to prison, he said.

The resolution was one-sided and was silent on the massacres of Serbians and people of other ethnicities, he added.

Under the 1995 peace accord ending the civil war in Bosnia, it has a tripartite presidency shared by an ethnic Bosnian, a Serb, and a Croat.

The Serb President of Bosnia, Milorad Dodik, and Vucic came to the UN to campaign against the resolution, which they said was directed against the ethnic Serbs.

In the polarised UN, it was viewed through the prism of the confrontation between the West and Russia, making it appear as directed against Serbia, a Moscow ally, and ethnic Serbians in Bosnia, and as a Western attempt to show solidarity with Muslims, who are furious with the Western-backed Israel attacks on Gaza that have killed more than 34,000.

The resolution introduced without a consensus and extensive consultations only ended up showing the rift in the UN.

While most Muslim countries voted with the West on the resolution, they also raised the killings in Gaza.

Egypt’s Permanent Representative Osama Abdel Khalek, for example, while supporting the resolution, criticised the West for not showing the same degree of concern for those killed in Gaza.

Mexico gave a typical reason shared by many who spoke, that it did not contribute to reconciliation in the region.

Mexico’s Permanent Representative Hector Enrique Vasconcelos y Cruz said that “inclusive dialogue among all concerned states and relevant parties of the region is the heart of initiatives such as this one, work towards reconciliation and strengthen efforts to promote the rights of victims to truth, justice and reparations”.

The resolution was “not accompanied by due process of inclusive consultations, especially with countries in the Balkans region,” he added.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)

ALSO READ: ‘US investing $3.8 bn to meet India’s renewable energy, infra goals’

Categories
INDIA 2024 India News Politics

Phase 6: SP, BSP face tough battle in UP

BJP won nine seats in 2019 including Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Basti, Allahabad, Domariyaganj, Sant Kabir Nagar, Bhadohi, and Machhlishahr…reports Asian Lite News

 With the sixth phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh scheduled to take place on May 26, the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) face the onerous task of retaining their seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the state.

BJP won nine seats in 2019 including Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Basti, Allahabad, Domariyaganj, Sant Kabir Nagar, Bhadohi, and Machhlishahr.

The BSP had won four seats – Ambedkar Nagar, Shrawasti, Lalganj and Jaunpur while SP won Azamgarh which it later lost to BJP in a by-election and now face an uphill task to retain this seat in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The constituencies going to polls in the sixth phase include Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Phulpur, Shrawasti, Basti, Jaunpur, Allahabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Domariyaganj, Sant Kabir Nagar, Lalganj, Azamgarh, Bhadohi, and Machhlishahr.

This time, BJP’s Maneka Gandhi is facing Ram Bhual Nishad of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Udraj Varma of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Maneka has successfully steered her campaign towards local developmental issues and is placed comfortably.

In Pratapgarh, the sitting BJP MP Sangam Lal Gupta is taking on the SP’s Shiv Pal Singh Patel and Prathmesh Mishra of BSP.

The prestigious seat of Allahabad is witnessing a close contest between Neeraj Tripathi of the BJP and Ujjwal Rewati Raman Singh of the Congress.

Neeraj is the son of the former Speaker late Kesri Nath Tripathi and Ujjawal is the son of former MP Reoti Raman Singh, both are working overtime to carry forward their father’s political legacy.

In Ambedkar Nagar, two former BSP leaders are challenging each other, albeit from different parties.

Former BSP MP Ritesh Pandey is contesting on a BJP ticket while Lalji Verma, former leader of the BSP legislature party, is the candidate from the Samajwadi Party.

In Domariyaganj, Jagdambika Pal, sitting BJP MP, is locked in a close contest with Bhishma Shankar Tiwari of the SP and Khwaja Shamsuddin of the BSP.

In Basti, sitting BJP MP Harish Dwiwedi is being challenged by Ram Prasad Chaudhary of SP while in Machhlishahr, BJP MP B P Saroj is seeking his third term and is facing Priya Saroj who is the SP candidate and daughter of former MP Tufani Saroj.

Lalganj features Neelam Sonkar from the BJP and Daroga Saroj representing the SP with a young professor Indu Chaudhary of BSP, making the fight triangular.

It is the Azamgarh seat, a stronghold of the SP with a sizeable Muslim-Yadav electorate, that is witnessing a keen contest between Bhojpuri actor Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ of the BJP and former MP Dharmendra Yadav.

All top SP leaders have been campaigning for Dharmendra Yadav and are pulling out all stops to ensure his win. Nirahua is banking on the work of the double-engine government to get a second term.

Jaunpur is another seat that is witnessing an interesting contest between former Maharashtra minister Kripa Shankar Singh of the BJP and Babu Singh Kushwaha of the SP. The sitting MP Shyam Singh Yadav is the BSP candidate again.

Mafia don-turned-politician Dhananjay Singh, whose wife Srikala Reddy Singh was denied a BSP ticket at the last moment, is playing the role of a kingmaker in this constituency.

The Trinamool Congress is making its debut in UP politics in this election. Laliteshpati Tripathi is the TMC candidate in Bhadohi. He is the great-grandson of veteran Congress leader, late Kamlapati Tripathi.

He is being challenged by Vinod Kumar Bind from the BJP and Athar Ansari of BSP.

“We are winning all 14 seats in this phase because the voters have consolidated in favour of BJP,” said BJP spokesman Rakesh Tripathi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has campaigned aggressively in this phase, pushing a UP-centric narrative.

“In the election, our country has two models. Modi’s model is focused on “Santushtikaran” (satisfaction) while the SP, Congress and ‘Ghamandiya’ (selfish) model is based on “Tushtikaran” (appeasement). The playbook of the SP and the Congress is dangerous. These people seek votes here, while in south India, their allies abuse and humiliate the people of UP,” PM Modi said in Jaunpur.

ALSO READ: BJP has weakened Parliament, judiciary, says Priyanka