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Priyanka : BJP sells strategic assets

Elaborating on the party manifesto, Priyanka alleged that the BJP government has cheated lakhs of poor tea garden workers despite promising to increase the daily wages of 10 lakh tea estate workers to Rs 350 a day…reports Asian Lite News.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed on Monday that the BJP governments in Assam and at the Centre have been selling endangered animals and strategic assets to their close friends for which the saffron party must be voted out of power in the coming Assembly elections in the northeastern state.

Addressing three election rallies at Sarupathar, Kaliabor and Nagaon in central Assam, Priyanka said the BJP has been selling a range of things, from black panthers to ONGC, airports and other public assets, to the friends of party leaders for their benefit, forgetting the interests of the people and the nation.

Last month, the opposition Congress in Assam had strongly condemned the transfer of two black panthers from the state zoo to a private zoo in Gujarat.

The Congress General Secretary said that her party has been opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) across the country as it would split the society and create unrest in the country.

“The BJP leaders, while campaigning in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam, are making contradictory statements about the implementation of CAA,” she claimed.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had released the party’s manifesto for poll-bound Assam on Saturday, in which the mnain promises include restarting the process of National Register of Citizens (NRC), repealing the CAA, Rs 365 daily wage to tea garden workers, 5 lakh jobs in five years, Rs 2,000 per month to housewives and 200 units free electricity per household.

Elaborating on the party manifesto, Priyanka alleged that the BJP government has cheated lakhs of poor tea garden workers despite promising to increase the daily wages of 10 lakh tea estate workers to Rs 350 a day.

Smt Priyanka Gandhi in Assam (Pallav Paliwal)

“The BJP had forged an electoral alliance with the Bodo People’s Front and the Asom Gana Parishad. It came to power in Assam with their help, but then it weakened both the parties by adopting various strategies.”

She also said that no party is concerned about the women, especially those in the rural areas.

“That’s why the Congress promised to give an allowance of Rs 2,000 per month to the housewives of every household. The Congress’ ‘five guarantees’ will be fulfilled after the party forms the government in Assam following the elections.”

Smt Priyanka Gandhi in Assam (Pallav [Paliwal)

Addressing an election rally along with Priyanka in Nagaon, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who is also one of the star campaigners for the Congress, said that his government had waived loans of 18 lakh farmers besides purchasing rice from the farmers at the rate of Rs 2,500 per quintal against Rs 1,000 per quintal in Assam.

“My government is also purchasing cow dung at the rate of Rs 2 per kg, benefiting lakhs of farmers, shepherds and cowherd,” he added.

Priyanka, who arrived in poll-bound Assam for a two-day visit on Sunday, addressed six election rallies during her stay besides visiting the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva in Bordowa Satra.

Smt Priyanka Gandhi in Assam (Pallav Paliwal)

Sankardeva was a 15th-16th century Assamese saint, scholar, poet, playwright, social-religious reformer and a figure of importance in Assam’s cultural and religious history.

The 126-member Assam Assembly will go to the polls in three phase on March 27, April 1 and April 6. The results will be declared on May 2.

Also Read-PICS: Priyanka at ‘Kisan Panchayat’

Read More-Priyanka: Will fight for farmers till last breath

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Kunal, Aamir to unite after 15 years

Aamir has made a special appearance in the film. He is part of the song “Har Funn Maula”…reports Asian Lite News.

Its quite an interesting rejoining of actor Kunal and Aaamir Khan on screen after 15 years. Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan posed for the cameras along with actor Kunal Kapoor after a screening of the upcoming film “Koi Jaane Na”.

Kunal posted a collage of pictures with Aamir on social media on Wednesday afternoon. The photographs also had the other cast members, including actress Amyra Dastur.

“The journey of bringing a film to an audience is always very challenging but it becomes easier when you work with people you admire and enjoy being around. Koi jaane na is set for release soon and I hope the audience will be smiling when they leave the theatre, like we did after the first preview last night,” wrote Kunal, along with the photographs.

Aamir has made a special appearance in the film. He is part of the song “Har Funn Maula”. Kunal and Aamir will be sharing the screen after 15 years. They were seen together in the film Rang De Basanti.

The film is a psychological thriller and has been directed by Amin Hajee, who shot to fame playing Baagha the mute drummer in “Lagaan”. The film is slated to hit the screens on April 2.

Amir khan with kunal Kapoor, Amin Hajee, Amyra Dastur for screening of film koi Jaane Na, Mumbai. (Photos: Pallav Paliwal)

Also Read-Did Aamir distribute money in wheat flour packets?

Read More-Aamir’s son ready for Bollywood debut

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Varun misses childhood memories

Varun Sharma’s horror-comedy “Roohi” is in theatres, getting a mixed response from audience. Varun Sharma on Wednesday took to social media to share a birthday wish for his mother. At the same time, the actor shared that now he has grown up, he misses sitting on his mother’s lap!

Varun shared a childhood photo on Instagram where he can be seen sitting on his mother’s lap. In a more recent photo, the actor hugs his mother.

Sharing the photos, Varun wrote: “Happy happpyy Birthday mamma! You mean Everything to me! Thank you for always being there.. Being all grown up now.. I miss being in your godi.”

Commenting on his post, B-Town colleagues Sonakshi Sinha and Pulkit Samrat and among others extended birthday wishes for Varun’s mother.

On the work front, Varun’s latest release is the horror comedy film “Roohi”, where he features alongside Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor.

According to trade analyst Taran Adarsh, the film has collected Rs 15.19 crores in the first six days of its release.

Varun will next be seen in Rohit Shetty’s “Cirkus” alongside Ranveer Singh, besides “Fukrey 3”.

PICS: Janhvi Kapoor,Varun Sharma and Rajkummar Rao gestures for photographs during promotions of “Roohi”, in Mumbai. (Photo:Pallav Paliwal)

Also Read-‘There is nothing to fear about’

Read More-PICS: Raj Kumar during ‘Roohi’ promotion

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EU nations seek solidarity over migration

The Mediterranean countries called for closer cooperation with transit and origin countries…reports Asian Lite News

Five southern European Union (EU) countries on the frontline of irregular migration flows in recent years urged their EU partners to show more solidarity in addressing the challenge.

During a meeting here on Saturday, Migration and Interior Ministers of Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Spain and Malta discussed the common problems they are facing and issued a joint statement on their proposals for the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum, reports Xinhua news agency.

The draft proposed by the European Commission in September 2020 does not answer their main concerns, they said.

“We still see significant imbalances in proposed legislative texts which are far away from the principle of solidarity and fair burden-sharing,” the Ministers said, according to a release from the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

Also read:EU warns of vaccine export curbs

The five Mediterranean countries called for closer cooperation with transit and origin countries, the establishment of a common European mechanism for the return of those who are not eligible for asylum as well as more to be done among all member states regarding the relocation of asylum seekers.

“In the negotiations on the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, there are still elements of an imbalance between measures of responsibility and measures of solidarity,” Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said at a press conference at the end of the meeting.

EU nations urge solidarity over irregular migration flow(Twitter)

“Solidarity must become reality. Solidarity on the migration issue requires the strong protection of EU’s external borders and also new dynamic agreements with third countries,” European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, who joined the meeting along with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, told the media.

“I think the time has come for Europe to provide a sustainable, effective and realistic solution to the migration crisis. It is not possible for five countries, and in the case of Greece, five Aegean Sea islands, to shoulder the burden for the entire European continent,” Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi said.

Also read:European nations to resume AstraZeneca jabs

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Lite Blogs Music News

‘Saina’ is a special project’

Today, as the biopic of ace shuttler Saina Nehwal is ready for release, Amaal is “nervous and excited at the same time”…writes Samarth Goyal.

Lockdown was surely a period of creativity for most of the artists .Composer-singer Amaal Mallik is thankful for lockdown in a way. It gave him time to create the score of “Saina”, particularly the anthem song “Parinda”.

“Honestly, it was a bit frustrating at times, but it did give me that time to experiment with the music. I wanted to, for example, do something different for ‘Parinda’, since it is the anthem for the film. It was only possible during lockdown, because the film had gotten delayed that I got the time to work on it and that’s when I decided to work with Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra for the film. Overall, the four years didn’t really mean that I had to change the sound a lot,” he says.

The music took four years to be completed. Mallik admits that was “frustrating”, but at the same time was totally worth it “because I got the chance to work with Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra”.

Today, as the biopic of ace shuttler Saina Nehwal is ready for release, Amaal is “nervous and excited at the same time”.

“I am really nervous and excited at the same,” he laughs as he talks over the phone. “It is a special project and everything was really done with a lot of passion. I am really looking forward to seeing how people react to the music in the film,” adds Mallik, who has not only composed the songs in the film, but also created the background score.

This is the first time that the 30-year-old was asked to create a background score for a film. The process, Mallik says, helped him create his songs even better.

“It was a really big deal for me that I got to work on both — the songs and the background score. How it helped me in creating songs was that I knew what kind of music would accompany before and after a particular song. So I knew the exact emotion, the exact soundscape, and that really helped me a lot when it came to the songs,” he says adding that creating background score is not as easy.

Also Read-‘Artistes Tune Inwards To Look For Influence’

“It (background score) is a challenge for sure. I remember learning a lot of things about background music from Salim Merchant sir (of Salim-Suleiman composer duo), and he told me the importance of silences. Sometimes, silence conveys more about a particular situation than music, and understanding that part of background scoring is very important,” he says.

“In a movie like Saina, which is a biopic on one of the biggest athletes in India, there are many highs and lows. The approach, to create music cannot be linear. You have to make music that is not only inspiring and passionate, but also real,” he adds.

Also Read-Interview: Amaal Mallik

Read More-Got tired of sticking to rulebook: Amaal Mallik

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Afghanistan Asia News News

Army chopper crash kills 9 in Afghanistan

According to local officials, the helicopter was en route to evacuate a wounded soldier from the highly-contested province when the incident took place….reports Asian Lite News

An Afghan military helicopter crashed in Wardak province, killing all nine people on board, officials said on Thursday.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence, the Mi-17 helicopter crash landed in Hesa-e-Awal Behsud district, reports dpa news agency.

The statement said the victims comprised four crew members and five security personnel, adding that an investigation was underway.

According to local officials, the helicopter was en route to evacuate a wounded soldier from the highly-contested province when the incident took place.

The incident took place as a high-profile summit with the aim of finding a peaceful solution to the long-running conflict in Afghanistan was set to take place in Moscow on Thursday.

An official delegation from Kabul and the militant Taliban group are also expected to attend the conference in the Russian capital.

Peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government representatives that started in September 2020 in Qatar have stalled in recent months, with no tangible progress.

Also read:‘Security remains grave concern for Afghanistan’

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Asia News Bangladesh News

3 Covid patients die in B’desh hospital fire

The official said that the victims were being treated at the ICU ward of the hospital….reports Asian Lite News

A major fire on Wednesday morning in a hospital here has left three Covid-19 patients dead, said a senior health official.

The official said that the victims were being treated at the ICU ward of the hospital.

Nazmul Haque, Director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, told Xinhua that 14 patients were in the ICU ward when a “high pressure oxygen device” exploded at around 8:00 am (local time).

“Three of the ICU patients died while they were shifted to another ICU unit of the hospital following the fire,” he said.

Haque added that the victims were in critical condition and receiving life-supporting treatment through ventilators.

In May last year, five patients died in a devastating fire incident at the makeshift Covid-19 unit of United Hospital in Dhaka.

Also read:Freedom@50: Indian Navy in B’desh

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‘Major’ a great tribute to Sandeep

On the occasion, the actor announced that the film’s teaser is slated to be launched on March 28.

Major Sandeep’s name and martyrdom is unforgettable to all Indians. Actor Adivi Sesh paid tribute to 26/11 martyr Sandeep Unnikrishnan on the latter’s birth anniversary on Monday. Adivi plays the late real-life hero in the upcoming film “Major”, which is inspired by the braveheart.

On the occasion, the actor announced that the film’s teaser is slated to be launched on March 28.

Adivi posted a small video from the film, sharing its first look. “On the Birthday of #SandeepUnnikrishnan. We REMEMBER.Here is the #MajorGlimpse,” he captioned it.

Talking about posting a look from the film, Adivi said: “We all remember him for his heroic sacrifice and bravery in the 26/11 attacks, but not many people know how he led his life until then. ‘Major’ celebrates the way he lived, and not just his sacrifice. Remembering him as a son, a friend and a soldier, on his birthday, I wanted to celebrate him and his ethos.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M27OdqB7at8

Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan is known for his valiant action during the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. He was consequently awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award.

The film is set to release on July 2, and it also stars Sobhita Dhulipala, Saiee Manjrekar and Prakash Raj. Directed by Sashi Kiran Tikka, the film marks Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu’s debut as a producer.

Also Read-Benegal’s Tribute to ‘Bangabandhu’

Read More-Indian Army Pays Tribute To Its Brave hearts Killed in Pak Firing

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Payal doesn’t want to go with the trend

Payal collaborated with rapper Badshah last year for the song “Genda phool”, which became a viral hit…writes Ahana Bhattacharya.

‘Stay and sing’ trend has gone away from the industry and now singer has changed entirely into a ‘performer’ in all levels. But singer composer Payal Dev feels singers expected to dress and look a certain way as an additional pressure.

“We are expected to look and dress a certain way and I feel it is an added pressure. Like you cannot turn up at an event in normal clothes, looking casual or without makeup. Apart from singing, you have to look good, too,” Payal told.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46TyJXgt7AM

However, she is all praise for Arijit Singh for not adhering to the trend.

“There is one exception, which is Arijit Singh. You will never see him wearing loud makeup and showy clothes, he looks just normal and that’s his style. Every singer has their style. Styling is very important but I feel but music is even more important. At the end of the day it’s your music that will matter and not your look.”

Payal collaborated with rapper Badshah last year for the song “Genda phool”, which became a viral hit. How does it feel? “I grew up listening to ‘Boroloker biti lo’, my mother used to sing it. I never thought I would get an opportunity to sing the song this way and it would be a superhit! It’s a big thing for me,” replied the singer.

However, along with success came the share of controversy because the makers did not initially give credit to veteran folk artiste Ratan Kahar, the original creator of the song. Plagiarism charges came up.

“It (the controversy) didn’t affect me. I’ve grown up listening to this song, as I just mentioned and I’ve always known it as a folk song. We all know that nobody can have a ‘right’ on folk songs. Of course, we would have given him the credit but Ratan Kahar ji’s name is not registered anywhere as the creator of the song. This was a misunderstanding that happened. However, Badshah Bhai has helped Ratan Kahar ji after whatever happened and Sony also released another version of the song with him,” she said.

Payal’s latest association is the music reality show “Indian Pro Music League”. The singer-composer went down memory lane to recall her bitter experience in a music reality show after which she never took part in any. However, Payal is happy to be a part of IPML.

“I’ve never done a reality show ever. I remember my mother once wanted me to be a part of a singing reality show, probably in 2007. I went there and there was a lot of rush and long queues, but my mother insisted that I stick to it. I reached till the final auditions but my experience was not nice. I told my mother that I’m not interested in doing a reality show again. After that I started preparing for playback music,” she recalled.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUVirXO91ss

“Now, Indian Pro Music League has offered me to be a team captain and I’m so happy. It’s a nice platform that brings so many talented artistes together. This is how I wanted to take part in a music reality show!” Payal said, about her experience of working in the Zee TV show.

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Big B’s psycho drama launched

The mystery thriller drama has been directed by Rumy Jafry.

Evergreen superhero Big B is preparing for his next movie to hit on theatres. Amitabh Bachchans solo poster for the upcoming psychological drama Chehre was officially launched on Monday. The trailer of film, also starring Emraan Hashmi, will unveil on March 18 and the film is slated to release on April 9.

Big B has a flamboyant look in film going by the official poster. He wears a stylish cap and spectacles with a solid black frame, and strikes an intense look in the close-up shot. The highlight, however, is his beard, tied neatly below the chin.

Emraan

Both actors took to social media to announce the release date of the trailer. They shared the poster of the film along with the announcement.

“Adaalaton mein justice nahi judgement hota hai, insaaf nahi faisla hota hai. #Chehre trailer out on 18th March! Watch #Chehre in cinemas on 9th April. #FaceTheGame.”

The mystery thriller drama has been directed by Rumy Jafry. Besides Amitabh and Emraan, the film also features Krystle D’Souza, Annu Kapoor, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Raghubir Yadav, and Siddhanth Kapoor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi4RrxDK4mI

The film was earlier supposed to release on April 30 but has been rescheduled for April 9.

Chehre has lately made headlines for Rhea’s disappearance from the posters of the film, leading to speculations of her being ousted from the project.

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