In Himachal Pradesh, where bypolls were necessitated by the resignation of the sitting Independent members, who later joined the BJP, it was a straight contest between the Congress and the BJP…reports Asian Lite News
Bypolls were held in 13 Assembly constituencies across seven states on Wednesday in the first electoral contest since the Lok Sabha polls with the results likely to have an impact on the political fate of the state’s ruling and opposition parties.
The bypolls were held in West Bengal (4 seats), Himachal Pradesh (3 seats), Uttarakhand (2 seats), Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, and Punjab (1 seat each) to fill the seats falling vacant due to the demise or resignation of incumbent members.
In Himachal Pradesh, where bypolls were necessitated by the resignation of the sitting Independent members, who later joined the BJP, it was a straight contest between the Congress and the BJP. The stakes are high for Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu with his wife Kamlesh Thakur making her electoral debut from Dehra in Kangra district.
This constituency was carved out after delimitation in 2010 and the Congress has never won this seat.
The Chief Minister campaigned aggressively in Dehra, compared to two other seats, to ensure victory for Kamlesh Thakur, who is in the fray against BJP nominee Hoshiyar Singh.
Election officials said that Himachal witnessed a voter turnout of over 71 per cent till 7 p.m. and polls were largely peaceful.
As per the Election Commission, the Nalagarh constituency recorded the highest polling of 78 per cent, followed by Hamirpur (67.7 per cent) and Dehra (65.42 per cent).
In Bihar, the Rupauli Assembly segment in Purnea district, where RJD candidate Bima Bharti the only woman among the 11 candidates, registered 52.75 per cent polling till 6 p.m.. Bharti, who had resigned from the Rupauli seat to contest the Lok Sabha elections, faces ruling JD-U’s Kaladhar Mandal (JD-U).
Several incidents of violence were also reported during the day leaving four persons, including an SHO, injured in clashes.
The people allege that the district police forcibly stopped them from polling their votes, leading to a scuffle that escalated into stone-pelting. The district police, however, have denied these allegations.
Another incident was reported in Gorier village, where the wife of independent candidate Shankar Singh accused the police of carrying out a baton charge on voters. She sat on a dharna, but the situation soon stabilised while the voting resumed.
In West Bengal, the bypolls were held for Raiganj, Ranaghat-Dakshin, Bagda, and Maniktala seats amid violence and alleged malpractices.
The polling saw 62.71 per cent voter turnout by 5 p.m. – as per the last available figures. The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office has said that the final polling percentage will be available only on Thursday after the completion of the tabulation of reports coming from different polling booths.
The maximum polling percentage was reported from Raiganj in North Dinajpur district at 67.12 per cent, while the lowest was reported from Maniktala in Kolkata at 51.39 per cent.
Over 51 per cent polling was recorded, till 5 p.m., in Punjab’s Jalandhar West (SC) constituency where Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had made the contest a prestige issue by campaigning extensively for his AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat.
In Madhya Pradesh, 78.38 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the Amarwara Assembly seat in Chhindwara district – the erstwhile bastion of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath – where the bypoll was necessitated by sitting Congress MLA Kamlesh Shah resigning and joining the BJP, which fielded him.
A low of 47.68 per cent turnout was recorded in Uttarakhand’s Badrinath seat, while Manglaur recorded a high of 67.28 per cent.
In Tamil Nadu’s Vikravandi Assembly seat, where the contest is between the state’s ruling DMK and NDA constituent PMK, with the AIADMK not contesting, 77.73 per cent turnout was recorded till 5 p.m.
An election official said that the results for all 13 seats will be declared on July 13.
The police also recovered Rs 27,000 and 15 mobile phones, 95 SIM cards and three laptops used in the crime….reports Asian Lite News
The cyber crime teams of Gurugram Police have arrested 28 cyber criminals including six women who defrauded people in 10,472 complaints worth Rs 38.25 crore, police said.
According to the police, after reviewing the data of mobile phones and SIM cards recovered from the accused by the police from the Indian Cybercrime Coordinate Center (I4C), it was found that the accused were involved in fraud of about Rs 38.25 crore and around 10,472 complaints were registered against them across India.
In connection with this, out of 10,472 complaints, 540 were converted into cases which were registered across India. Out of 540 cases, 26 cases were registered against them in different cyber crime police stations in Gurugram.
“The accused used to defraud people in the name of investing in share market, task-based job, online loans, online ticket booking and offered lucrative offers to the victims and duped them,” Priyanshu Diwan, ACP (South) said.
The police also recovered Rs 27,000 and 15 mobile phones, 95 SIM cards and three laptops used in the crime.
Further action is being taken regularly on the information obtained by examining the devices recovered from the arrested cyber fraudsters by the police, he said.
Meanwhile, two officials of a private bank have been arrested on Tuesday for allegedly duping a man of Rs 25.50 lakh, police said.
Priyanshu Diwan, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cybercrime), said that the arrested accused have been identified as Harpreet Singh and Davender Singh.
The accused were associated with ICICI Bank.
According to the police, a man filed a complaint at the Cyber Crime Police Station Manesar in February that he got duped of Rs 25.50 lakh in the name of investing in the stock market.
During the probe, Inspector Sunil Kumar, SHO of the said police station, arrested the accused.
During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they were employees of ICICI Bank.
The accused used to be in contact with the cyber criminals and provided them with bank accounts to be used for fraud, police said.
So far, the Gurugram police have arrested 16 bank officials within six months who were allegedly involved in cyber fraud.
The elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are due in October….reports Asian Lite News
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Saturday said the party will prepare to contest from all seats in the upcoming state assembly elections but will fight as per the seat sharing agreement with its alliance partners.
Talking to reporters at his Nagpur residence, Patole said it won’t be wrong if the party prepares to contest the elections from all seats as it should have its organisational structure and work everywhere.
The elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are due in October.
“A party should have its organisational structure and work at every place. An alliance will be formed as per the seat sharing on the merits. Preparing for all seats is not wrong, and even our alliance partners are preparing the same way. We will contest the elections as Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA),” the Congress leader said.
The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress, which bagged 30 out of 48 seats in the recently held Look Sabha elections.
Patole further said RJD president Lalu Prasad’s prediction that the Narendra Modi government could fall next month could come true as it is on the back foot, and one can’t be sure how long the allies will stay with the NDA.
“Anything can happen. We can see how the government has come on the back foot after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s speech in the Lok Sabha. We cannot say how long the NDA allies will be with them,” he said.
LoP questions CM’s cash reward for Indian cricket team
Maharashtra Assembly Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar on Saturday raised objections over the announcement of a substantial cash reward to the Indian cricket team by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and said that the prize money should have been better given to distressed farmers.
“In the last four months, 1,068 farmers have committed suicide. It would have been good had they given money to the distressed farmers. They gave such a huge sum to the Indian Cricket Team, what was the need?. Team India played for the country and not themselves, this is why the streets were flooded to welcome them,” Wadettiwar said.
Wadettiwar further said that Maharashtra is already under a debt of Rs 7.92 lakh crore and the future of youth and claimed that the law and order of the state have gone out of control.
“The future of youth is in danger, the farmers are in distress, and they are giving away huge sums of money. Maharashtra is already under a debt of Rs 7.92 lakh crore, and they are going to spend another Rs 1 lakh crore for the Ladli Bahan Yojana. The law and order of the state have gone out of control. The youth have been put at risk because of drugs. They are busy bringing in money and forming governments,” added Wadettiwar.
CM Shinde had announced a substantial cash reward of Rs 11 crore for the victorious Indian cricket team, which recently clinched the T20 World Cup title.
The 72-year-old leader announced his decision at a prayer meeting here on Thursday….reports Archana Sharma
Senior BJP leader Kirodi Lal Meena’s sudden resignation as Rajasthan minister on Thursday in line with his poll-time undertaking to quit if he failed to ensure his party’s victory in any of the seven Lok Sabha seats in eastern Rajasthan that were assigned to him, has evoked shock and surprise and also raised several questions.
The 72-year-old leader announced his decision at a prayer meeting here on Thursday.
Meena, a key leader of the tribal community and a five-time MLA and two-term MP, was assigned the responsibility by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hence, made his vow.
However, the Lok Sabha election results saw the BJP unable to score a hat-trick of sweeping the state like in the 2014 and 2019 polls, losing crucial seats like Dausa, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur and Tonk-Sawai Madhopur – over half of the seats assigned to Meena, triggering speculation as to whether Meena would stick to his word.
However, the senior BJP leader had given hints at stepping down as minister, as he stopped using his official vehicle after the election results were announced.
An MBBS doctor by profession, Meena started his career with the BJP, though he left the party in 2008 over some issues but rejoined in 2018.
He has been a firebrand leader of the Meena community, which has a significant vote share in eastern Rajasthan, leading agitations and being a whistleblower in several alleged scams, including the Jal Jeevan scam that drew raids by central agencies which seemed to have worked for the BJP.
A former Rajya Sabha member, he won the Assembly elections from Sawai Madhopur in 2023, sending a message to the Meena community to ensure the party’s dominance in the eastern region of the state.
However, with his resignation, questions are being raised as to who shall lead from the front in eastern Rajasthan.
State BJP leaders seemed split over his resignation, with some claiming that his decision seems to be a pressure tactic to demand a portfolio of his choice.
Some sources claimed that Meena was considered a CM candidate after the Assembly polls where the BJP unseated the Congress, but was given the agriculture portfolio which he did not like.
Further, he sought a ticket for his brother from Dausa in the Lok Sabha polls, but his request was rejected. Then, he was reportedly unhappy when the state Education Department questioned his decisions on transfers. All this left him displeased with the setup and hence, came his resignation, the sources said.
Now it remains to be seen whether his resignation will be accepted, and if there is a new leader from the area waiting in the wings.
Granting parole to Amritpal Singh to take his oath of office further exemplifies the strength of India’s democratic institutions, writes Dr. Jasneet Bedi
In a remarkable demonstration of the robustness and inclusivity of Indian democracy, two radical leaders, Amritpal Singh and Sheikh Abdul Rashid, are set to be sworn in as Members of Parliament. This development not only underscores the depth of India’s democratic framework but also highlights its capacity to accommodate diverse and even dissenting voices within its constitutional bounds.
Amritpal Singh, a radical preacher elected from Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib constituency, and Sheikh Abdul Rashid, a Kashmiri leader from Baramulla, have both secured their positions as MPs despite being incarcerated. Singh, who leads the ‘Waris Punjab De’ political group, contested the elections from Assam’s Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act and emerged victorious with a significant margin. Similarly, Rashid, implicated in a 2017 terror funding case, has received approval from the National Investigation Agency to take his oath as an MP.
Engineer Rashid. (File Photo: IANS)
The fact that these leaders could contest and win elections from within jail cells is a testament to India’s commitment to democratic principles. It demonstrates that the Indian electoral system remains accessible to all, regardless of their legal predicaments. This inclusivity is a cornerstone of Indian democracy, ensuring that every citizen, regardless of their ideology or legal status, has the opportunity to participate in the democratic process.
Granting parole to Amritpal Singh to take his oath of office further exemplifies the strength of India’s democratic institutions. This decision, facilitated by the Punjab Government and approved by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, illustrates a respect for democratic mandates and the will of the electorate. By allowing Singh to be sworn in, the state upholds the principle that electoral victory bestows a legitimate mandate, which must be respected within the constitutional framework.
Moreover, the parole granted to Singh, with certain conditions, and the subsequent approval for Rashid to take his oath, reflect a nuanced approach to balancing security concerns with democratic rights. These decisions involve coordination between state authorities, judicial bodies, and national security agencies, highlighting the intricate checks and balances that sustain Indian democracy.
Tarsem Singh, father and Balwinder Kaur, mother of jailed pro-Khalistan preacher Amritpal Singh, who won as an independent candidate from Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib constituency address to the media in Amritsar. (IANS)
Critics might argue that allowing individuals with radical or controversial backgrounds to hold office could undermine national security or the sanctity of democratic institutions. However, the Indian democratic framework is robust enough to manage these complexities. It is precisely this ability to incorporate diverse viewpoints and navigate challenging scenarios that strengthen democracy. Including radical voices within the constitutional framework serves as a safety valve, allowing dissent to be expressed within legal and institutional confines rather than through extralegal means.
The swearing-in of Singh and Rashid in the Speaker’s room, albeit under the supervision of concerned agencies, symbolizes a commitment to upholding democratic processes. It sends a powerful message that India values the rule of law and the democratic rights of its citizens, even when they hold dissenting or radical views.
The upcoming oaths of Amritpal Singh and Sheikh Abdul Rashid as MPs reflect the strength and resilience of Indian democracy. By accommodating radical voices within the constitutional framework, India reaffirms its commitment to inclusivity, democratic principles, and the rule of law. This approach not only strengthens the democratic fabric of the nation but also ensures that all voices, regardless of their nature, have a platform within the legal and constitutional boundaries.
(The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author)
Prime Minister Modi’s government will be tested more for its ability to maintain peace at home rather than for advancing the cause of India abroad, writes D.C. Pathak
The results of the recent Parliamentary election do have the effect of strengthening India’s democratic state. They made it possible for a stable coalition government to return to power — in the absence of any single party securing a majority. India badly needed to have that in the current geopolitical environment. With stability is linked to the factor of continuity that would enable people to further evaluate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government’s performance over its past two terms while providing also an opportunity to Prime Minister Modi of making course corrections if any.
Above all, the polls validate the robust character of this country’s electoral democracy built on ‘one man one vote’ and bring out how an active opposition — its strength varying from state to state — helps the citizens in exercising their choices based on the relative appeal of the ruling dispensation compared to those politically opposed to it.
In a vast country of diverse socio-political equations like India, it is not surprising that the degree of opposition unity reached in states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra this time did impact the prospect of the ruling party — which had otherwise gone on to acquire new grounds in states like Orissa, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
State-based parties with caste, communal and regional appeals have been a traditional feature of the Indian political scene which makes it important that the country should have all-India parties working in healthy competition at the national level.
Over the decades after Independence, the Congress once ruled the nation suffered a decline but fortunately, the BJP rapidly rose to become a challenger to the Congress on the strength of its political merit and nationalist appeal.
The recent Parliamentary election saw a natural interplay of the two largest national parties and their state-level allies — its outcome is to be welcomed in terms of the advance of democracy that it represents in India.
The BJP is doing well to go into a systematic examination of what caused its tally to fall short of its expectations in certain states.
It is only appropriate politically that the Prime Minister should choose to draw strength from the victory of the National Democratic Alliance and express his determination to carry forward the national agenda of governance envisaged by the BJP.
It is natural for him to continue with the same Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) as was in existence before and accommodate the allies in the Ministry honourably but without giving in to any pressure from them.
India needs to be governed with strong hands with a sense of accountability and effective execution of policies flowing top-down and the Prime Minister promises to do that — his credibility concerning governance is intact in the eyes of the people and this is his main asset.
His contribution to pushing India up in the comity of nations as the acknowledged voice of reason on issues of global conflicts and also on matters of advancement of humanity is well established and so is his policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and forces threatening national unity and internal security.
New Delhi, Jun 26 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi, LOP Rahul Gandhi and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju accompany newly elected Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla to the chair, at Parliament House in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo/SansadTV)
These are among the major paradigms of successful governance in India and the Prime Minister would be right in pursuing this path undeterred by any other political factors. For him, the legacy of successfully safeguarding national interests during his rule is all that should matter to him at this stage.
He is an astute political combatant, is cognisant of the weaknesses in the opposition camp and is likely to keep NDA rule going as long as this was possible.
The first hurdle faced by PM Modi’s government in the election of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha has been crossed over successfully as amid a noisy backdrop of contest, Om Birla, the candidate of BJP was elected by a voice vote — the strength of NDA demonstratively holding out against the opposition.
However, the fact that there was a contest for Speakership for the first time, reflected the distrust of the opposition in the ruling alliance and the former’s intention of keeping up its pressure on the government.
It is to be seen how the Prime Minister goes ahead with legislation that requires only a simple majority, to keep his agenda of governance on the move.
The course of campaigning in the election, content-wise, was of the type that could produce long-term consequences for the politics of the future in as much as the caste, communal and regional divides in the country might get accentuated in the period ahead.
Anti-India forces abroad in possible collusion with anti-establishment civil society groups inside the country had before the election built narratives designed to run down Indian democracy as a system vulnerable to ‘majoritarianism’, ‘authoritarianism’ and ‘centrifugalism’.
The electioneering revolved around the realpolitik of numbers that convinced the opposition that in a situation of multiple divisions among the Hindu majority of 80 per cent a determined support of the Muslim minority of nearly 20 per cent would prove to be the match-winner.
This aroused an equally strong response from BJP leadership in which it accused the opposition of indulging in ‘minority appeasement’ at the cost of national interests and tried to arouse a Hindu backlash that did not necessarily happen because of the complex Indian polity playing around the Indian phenomenon of ‘caste vs creed’ loyalties.
Divisions of Hindus along Backwards and Dalits showed up in the north in a big way and had a bearing on the poll results.
The caste pulls were accentuated by the environment of economic distress. Further, it is relevant to note that the legacy of Partition had created Hindu-Muslim tensions and riots over the decades in Independent India and kept communal politics alive mainly due to the role of many minority leaders — including the Ulema and the communal elite — who demanded a share in political power based on religion.
The facts of the adoption of universal franchise, grant of absolute freedom of worship and pursuit of policies of development that would not make any community distinction, seemed to have mattered little for these leaders.
The Hindu-Muslim divide became pronounced in the run-up to the just concluded election and this should be a cause for concern.
All parties in a democratic dispensation must subscribe to the concept of nationalism to keep the state strong.
Nationalism is a perfectly secular call that helps to keep national security above politics and provides a shared sense of purpose to all in a country ridden by cultural diversities and differing political viewpoints.
It is not clear why some opposition parties shunned the idea of nationalism and left the credit for its advocacy to the BJP.
Apparently in a country with a historic majority-minority division, the concept of nationalism was deliberately mixed up with Hindu majoritarianism and by a twisted logic projected as an idea that was against the sensitivities of the Muslim minority.
The expressed view of Islamic fundamentalists opposing the mandate of standing up while the singing of the national anthem was on or saluting the national flag, was not discounted.
Some opposition elements have even endorsed the idea that this mandate should be considered optional.
Moreover, Western lobbies hostile to India do not take kindly to a strong nationalistic country asserting its independent stand on issues of war and peace and trying to be self-dependent in the spheres of development and defence.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the G7 summit in Rome, on the invitation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in the middle of Cabinet formation, showed the importance he attached to India’s image abroad and could not therefore be faulted.
His first policy announcements at home indicated that his political will in running the country was intact.
It would do India no good if Prime Minister Modi was looked upon as a leader presiding over a weak government.
In the months ahead political campaigns in the country are likely to get intensified as the opposition continues to find fault with Prime Minister Modi’s government on one count or the other.
The appointment of Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of the Opposition will further add to this trend.
The external threats to internal security can also mount largely because of the covert operations of Pakistan and China working in concert against India.
Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and the North East apart, it is the communal front that would require a close vigil.
The pro-minority politics of many in the opposition makes India more vulnerable to the plans of its adversaries to inject militancy in communal situations and even instigate faith-based terror.
An example of this in the past was the emergence of Indian Mujahideen (IM) as an offshoot of the Students Islamic Movement of India(SIMI) that indulged in terrorist activity some years ago.
The new Penal codes enacted by the Parliament in December last year have to be put into action in an unbiased manner.
Impartial law and order management is an essence of democracy and issues of internal security being kept above party politics is another prerequisite of a democratic dispensation.
Prime Minister Modi is aware of the organised campaign against the ‘arrogant’ style of work attributed to him — which could as well be the impression created by his impatience with mediocrity, high expectations of delivery and notions of leading by example by highlighting the leader’s achievements.
He should not, however, while making any course corrections, allow ‘the sense of drive’ associated with his governance, to get diluted in any manner.
The people of India have that expectation from him as for them this was the prime symbol of stability of any government.
The challenge of safeguarding internal security will likely outweigh the task of bringing about economic development in the times ahead and Prime Minister Modi’s government will be tested more for its ability to maintain peace at home rather than for advancing the cause of India abroad.
The political scene in the months ahead would be keenly watched by strategic analysts.
(The writer is a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau. Views are personal)
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi asked if at least now the accountability be decided…reports Asian Lite News
Amid the ongoing row over NEET-UG 2024, the Congress party urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take responsibility for stopping the paper leaks.
Indian National Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a post on X referred to the cancellation of the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) as a “victory of spirit” of millions of students.
He further said that it was the “defeat of the Modi government’s arrogance.”
“You “discuss exams” a lot, when will you “discuss the NEET exam”? Cancellation of the UGC-NET exam is a victory of the spirit of millions of students. This is the defeat of the arrogance of the Modi government due to which they made a despicable attempt to trample the future of our youth,” Kharge said in the post.
“The Union Education Minister had earlier said that no paper was leaked in NEET. When arrests are made of the education mafia in Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana, the Education Minister accepts that some scam has taken place! When will the NEET exam be cancelled?” he asked.
“Modi Ji, please take the responsibility of stopping your government’s rigging and paper leak in NEET exam too!”
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi asked if at least now the accountability be decided.
“The laxity and corruption of the BJP government is fatal for the youth. After the news of the scam in NEET exam, now the NET exam held on June 18 has also been cancelled due to the fear of irregularities,” Priyanka said in a post on X.
“Will accountability be fixed now? Will the education minister take responsibility for this lax system?,” she said.
The Ministry in a statement on Wednesday said that the issue related to grace marks has already been fully addressed in the matter pertaining to the NEET(UG) -2024.
The Ministry of Education has sought a detailed report from the Economic Offences Unit of the Bihar Police over the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the NEET(UG) examination-2024 in Patna.
It further reiterated that any individual/organization found to be involved in the NEET (UG) Examination 2024 matter, will face the strictest action.
Earlier on June 18, the Supreme Court told the Centre and NTA that if there is any negligence in conducting the NEET-UG, 2024 exam, it should be thoroughly dealt with.
Several petitions were filed in the apex court seeking direction to recall NEET-UG 2024 results and to conduct the examination afresh, alleging paper leakage and malpractices in the test held on May 5. Aspirants have raised the issue of leakage of the question paper, awarding compensatory marks and anomalies in the question of NEET-UG 2024. (ANI)
India is looking to acquire six advanced conventional submarines with AIP system which would allow them to stay underwater for longer periods than the boats of previous generations without this system…reports Asian Lite News
The Indian Navy is going to hold trials in Spain to test the critical equipment for its Project 75 India to get six advanced submarines by the end of this month, Spanish firm Navantia said.
In an exclusive interaction, Spanish shipyard Navantia’s Chairman Ricardo Dominguez Garcia-Baquero said both the Spanish government and the Spanish Navy are very keen for the P75(I) project to progress and are willing to support in all possible ways.
“This includes expeditious export clearance, signing an umbrella agreement with Indian government etc., like in the case of the recent Airbus deal (for supplying C-295 transport aircraft) with an Indian Company (Tata),” he said in an email reply.
On the present status of the field trial being conducted by the Indian Navy, the Navantia Chairman said the field evaluation trials of Air Independent Propulsion by the Indian Navy are planned in the last week of June at our Shipyard in Cartagena.
“Our partner L&T and we are fully geared up for these trials and we look forward to showcase our world class AIP technology to the Indian Navy,” he said.
India is looking to acquire six advanced conventional submarines with AIP system which would allow them to stay underwater for longer periods than the boats of previous generations without this system.
Along with the L&T and Navantia combine, German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Mazagaon Dockyards Limited together are also in the race for the over Rs 60,000 crore project.
Navantia has offered its S80 submarine design for the Indian Navy project, a submarine already commissioned to the Spanish Navy in 2023.
Navantia claimed that the important aspect of S80 design is the fact that it readily meets almost all the technical requirements of P75(I) without the need for any redesign.
“For example, the AIP designed for S80 produces more than 300 kW of power and, therefore, can be directly used for P75(I) without any redesign or scaling up. This would substantially mitigate major risks of Indian Navy with respect to P75(I) project,” the Spanish firm said
The Navantia Chairman stated that the S80 offered to the Indian Navy has the most contemporary features and incorporates latest technologies such as third Generation BEST AIP (Bio-ethanol stealth Technology) and advanced sensor suite.
“L&T and Navantia have tied up with a partner to provide a proven Lithium-ion battery technology for the project. Navantia is fully committed to meet the Transfer of Technology requirements outlined in the Request for Proposal as well as the stipulated Indigenous Content, in-line with India’s strategic goal to progressively achieve self-reliance in Submarine domain,” he stated.
Baquero further said that several top ranking Spanish government officials have met their Indian counterparts over the last few months and expressed their unwavering commitment towards this project.
Navantia Chairman said that the company has been in constant dialogue with their Indian suppliers and has even shared technical requirements of various equipment/systems to ascertain their technical capability.
Our partner L&T is well known as a champion of indigenisation having led the indigenisation efforts across the defence sector over the past three decades,” the firm said adding that they are confident that Navantia and L&T together would be able to comfortably meet the indigenous content requirements.
Praising their partner L&T for work in submarines and other areas, the Navantia Chairman said the idea of the strategic partnership itself is towards developing the Indian Private Sector for manufacturing of major defence platforms and equipment.
“Navantia believes the industrial partnership with L&T will not just meet the industrial requirements and the IN requirements, it opens opportunities to explore beyond submarines,” he said. (ANI)
Rudraprayag, June 15 (ANI): Mangled remains of a tempo traveller after it fell into a deep gorge and at least 10 people got killed, in Rudraprayag on Saturday. (ANI Photo)
The Chief Minister has also given instructions to provide financial assistance of Rs 40,000 each to the seriously injured and Rs 10,000 each to the general injured…reports Asian Lite News
At least 14 people were killed as a tempo traveller carrying 26 passengers fell into a deep gorge in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district on Saturday after which the Uttarakhand government directed an investigation into the accident.
As many as 12 people were also injured, carrying 26 passengers in the tempo traveller. The tempo fell into a deep gorge on the Badrinath Highway in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand on Saturday.
Union Minister Ajay Tamta said that the state government, under the guidance of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dhami has admitted them to Rishikesh AIIMS.
“Some people have lost their lives and some have been injured. Our state government, under the guidance of our Chief Minister, has admitted them to Rishikesh AIIMS. The government is taking care of the injured people. Doctors and the entire administration are engaged and we want them to stay healthy and well,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Dhami has given instructions to provide financial assistance of two lakhs each to the dependents of the deceased in the vehicle accident in Rudraprayag.
The Chief Minister has also given instructions to provide financial assistance of Rs 40,000 each to the seriously injured and Rs 10,000 each to the general injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased who died in the Rudraprayag tempo traveller accident.
“An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” the Prime Minister’s Office stated on X.
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami met the people who were injured in the Rudraprayag Tempo Traveller accident at AIIMS Rishikesh.
“It is very important for the injured to get proper treatment. Their families are being informed, one by one. We have made all the arrangements to make sure that they get all the further required treatments. I have directed an investigation into this (accident),” he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed condolences over the loss of lives in the accident and said that local administration and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are engaged in rescue operations.
“Received the sad news of the road accident in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. My condolences are with the families of those who lost their lives in this accident. The local administration and SDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue work and all possible help is being provided to the injured. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Amit Shah wrote on X.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda also expressed condolences and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured in the accident.
“The news of many people getting killed in a road accident in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, is extremely sad. The local administration is engaged in relief and rescue work with full readiness. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray to Baba Kedarnath Ji to grant speedy recovery to the injured,” Nadda posted on X.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi posted on X, “The news of the death of many people due to a Tempo Traveller full of devotees falling into the Alaknanda river in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand is extremely sad. In this grief, I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. I also hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. There is an appeal to Congress colleagues to help the administration in every possible way in the rescue work.”
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed condolences over the loss of lives in the accident and said the seriously injured passengers are being airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh.
“Instructions have been given to the concerned officials for better treatment of the injured,” he said.
The bus was heading to Rudraprayag from Noida when it fell into the 150-meter-deep gorge.
As per the instructions of Manikant Mishra, Commander SDRF, two teams of 14 members of SDRF from Post Ratuda and Agastyamuni immediately left for the spot with rescue equipment.
The said vehicle, carrying 26 passengers who had come here to visit the Chopta-Tungnath-Chandrashila trip, went out of control and crashed into a ditch about 500 metres below the main road.
SDRF teams led by SI Bhagat Singh Kandari and SI Dharmendra Panwar reached the spot and worked hard in extremely difficult conditions and carried out a joint rescue operation with the local police and people, during which 14 injured were rescued and sent to the District Hospital, Rudraprayag, by ambulance, from where seven seriously injured were airlifted to the higher centre, AIIMS Rishikesh. 12 people had died on the spot, whose bodies were also taken to the main road and handed over to the district police.
A team of SDRF was present at AIIMS, Rishikesh, under the leadership of Inspector Kavindra Sajwan, who took the injured to be airlifted from the helicopter and took them to the hospital. (ANI)
In a dig at the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray questioned who would be their Chief Minister…reports Asian Lite News
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who faced a major political crisis in his party when the Shiv Sena split in 2022, categorically stated that the doors are closed for all his former party colleagues who left his faction and joined his rival Eknath Shinde’s camp.
This statement by Thackeray came after Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) performed well in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls in the state.
“Absolutely not. Those who left me will not be taken back,” Uddhav Thackeray said when he was asked whether he would be taking back those leaders who had left his faction. When Sharad Pawar was asked the same question, he said, “There is no question of taking them back.”
Responding to whether he will be accepting new leaders into his party, Uddhav Thackeray said, “We will move forward with all those people who stayed with us, and struggled with us. If some people want to join us, we will see…”
Buoyed by the Lok Sabha poll results, Uddhav Thackeray also announced that the MVA will contest the upcoming Assembly elections in the state together.
“When three parties come together, it means everyone is together and everyone will fight together,” he said.
In response to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “vote jihad” claim at the Opposition parties, Thackeray said, “What vote jihad they are talking about? PM Modi himself said that Muslims are his friends and often come to his place for food.
“All people from all castes and all sections voted for us,” he asserted.
In a dig at the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray questioned who would be their Chief Minister.
“Who will be the CM face of Mahayuti (BJP,shivsena and NCP)? What face is left of them? Their condition is serious,” he said.
Hitting out at the BJP’s narratives during their electoral campaigns, Thackeray said, “The narrative that they wanted to set about Mangalsutra, achhe din, 15 lakh Rupees, what about those? If we start from 2014, were all these narratives false? What about Modi guarantee?…Were all these false?”
Continuing with his attack on PM Modi, he said, “He had to lose vote share not only due to farmers issues but other factors were involved as well.”
Speaking about the caste census promised by the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, who was also in the joint press conference, said, “This is necessary for our country.”
On the Maratha reservations issue, Pawar said, “The government should stick to the GR that it had released on this issue.”
Pawar also took a dig at the Prime Minister by thanking him for holding roadshows and rallies at places where his party coincidentally won.
“Wherever the Prime Minister’s roadshow and rally took place, we won. That is why I consider it my duty to thank the Prime Minister,” he said.
The BJP dipped to nine seats in Maharashtra against 23 in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The vote share stood at 26.18 per cent. The Congress, on the other hand, marginally improved its seat share by securing 13 seats in the state.The Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won seven and one seats respectively, taking the total tally of the NDA to 17.
The BJP victory tally was much lower than its 2019 tally of 303 and the 282 seats it had won in 2014. The Congress, on the other hand, registered a strong growth, winning 99 seats compared to 52 that it had won in 2019 and 44 seats in 2014. The INDIA bloc crossed the 230 mark, posing stiff competition, and defying all predictions from exit polls. (ANI)
BJP takes jibe at MVA
In response to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the party’s poor performance in the state in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shaina NC said that the BJP and the NDA government do not need the certificate of the ‘Maha Vinash Aghadi’ as people have given their mandate.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party and the NDA government do not need the certificate of the ‘Maha Vinash Aghadi’. The people have given the mandate and the NDA government has received the certificate of the people…,” Shaina NC said in a video statement on Saturday.
Hitting out at the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the opposition coalition in Maharashtra, Shaina said that the undivided Shiv Sena could do away with their ideology for the sake of power.
“These ‘Maha Vinash Aghadi’ people talk big here, perhaps they have forgotten that if they can cancel their ideology for the allure of power, then they should not give us a speech here,” she sad.
Slamming Uddhav Thackeray for his raising apprehensions about the tenure of the NDA government at the Centre, Shaina pointed out that the ruling NDA government has won 300 seats in total and hence he should not be worried.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party has got 240 seats under the leadership of PM Modi and crossed 300 with the NDA. So don’t worry about us. Think about Maharashtra because you are so desperate for power that you can’t make any statement…,” she said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale who is the chief of the Republican Party of India and is in alliance with the BJP, said that the ruling Mahayuti alliance will defeat the Maha Vikas Aghadi in the upcoming Assembly polls.
“Maharashtra will have Assembly polls in a few months now. Uddhav Thackeray is saying that elections are to save the Constitution but our polls will be to remove UBT Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar’s NCP and Rahul Gandhi’s Congress…,” Athawale said.
“We (Mahayuti) have more than 240 MLAs with us…they (MVA) can say whatever they want…we will come again for the next five years…,” he added.
Athawale said that the reason behind the NDA’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls is that the INDIA bloc was successful in spreading the narrative that the BJP will change the Constitution if it wins the poll with an overwhelming majority.
“We got fewer numbers this time (in Lok Sabha elections)…the reason for that is that the INDIA bloc spread rumours like the Constitution will be changed…,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has got only 0.3 per cent more votes than the Mahayuti alliance and should not start “daydreaming”.
“In the Lok Sabha elections, Maha Vikas Aghadi got 0.3 per cent more votes (than the Mahayuti alliance). If we talk about Mumbai we got 2 lakh votes more,” Bawankule said.
In response to Thackeray’s dig at the Mahayuti alliance for questioning who would be their Chief Minister after the Assembly polls, Bawankule said, “There are five contenders for the post of CM in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).
“The Maharashtra BJP chief said that they will fix their shortcomings but after securing only 0.3 per cent more votes the Opposition should refrain from “daydreaming”.”They (MVA) have only got 0.3 per cent more votes. We have accepted that we will correct our mistakes, we will work in those sections where we faltered. We will work among those sections of people where we could not win their trust. But this does not mean that they should not start speaking about Chief Ministership now. People in the Maha Vikas Aghadi have started daydreaming,” Bawankule said.
