The Governor in his customary speech, prepared by the BJP-led government, said people respect and worship cows, considering it a sacred animal…reports Asian Lite News
The BJP government in Assam is contemplating to introduce cow protection bill in the next Assembly session to prohibit transport of the animal outside the state, Governor Jagdish Mukhi said on Saturday, while addressing the second day of the first session of the new state Assembly.
The Governor in his customary speech, prepared by the BJP-led government, said people respect and worship cows, considering it a sacred animal.
Mukhi told the House : “I am happy to inform you that my government plans to introduce the cow protection bill in the next Assembly session. The proposed bill envisages imposition of complete ban on transport of cattle outside the state.”
He said that the state government would adopt a zero-tolerance policy in protecting the cows and stringent punishment would be given to those found ferrying the animal outside Assam.
For a Hindu, cow is a sacred animal. It is a symbol of life and should be protected. Cow is a very generous animal and people consider that a cow gives more to the civilization that what she receives. pic.twitter.com/NnBztCPz0Z
— Prof. Jagdish Mukhi (@jagdishmukhi) May 23, 2021
The Governor said that once the cow protection bill is passed in the assembly, Assam would join other states in the country which have passed similar legislationS.
“Cows nurture people as the animal gives them life-sustaining and nutritious milk,” Mukhi said.
Smuggling of cows and other cattle to Bangladesh is rampant along five Indian states – West Bengal (2216 km), Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram A(318 km) and Assam ( 263 km) shares 4,096-km border with the neighbouring country.
Of the 4,096-km border borders, 1,116 km are of riverine frontiers and a large portion is unfenced and tough terrain.
Nepal President has authenticated the recommendation made by the Cabinet to dissolve the House and declare the snap polls for November 12 and 19, reports Asian Lite News
In a dramatic turn of events, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Friday midnight dissolved the Parliament as per the recommendation of the government and declared to hold midterm elections on November 12 and 19.
As per the constitutional provision, the President has authenticated the recommendation made by the Cabinet to dissolve the House and declare the snap polls for November 12 and 19, a notice issued by the President Office read.
This is for the second time that the House has been dissolved. Earlier, President Bhandari had dissolved the House on December 20 last year but later it was reinstated on February 23. The decision to dissolve the house came hours after a new government formation bid failed.
K P Sharma Oli.
While invalidating both petitions registered by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba staking claim for the post of prime minister, Bhandari has stated that the claims made by the both Oli and Deuba have failed to meet the required provisions and as such, neither Oli or Deuba can form the new government.
On Thursday, President Bhandari had called on to form the new government as per the Article 76-5 of the Constitution. Before the deadline expired, Oli and Deuba claimed the formation of the new government with majority of the signatures.
Later, President Bhandari issued a statement saying that she did not see any reliable reason behind claims made by Oli and Deuba to form the new government and therefore she is not going to appoint a new Prime Minister.
The claim made by both Oli and Deuba was insufficient, a statement by the President Office said, hence the claim made by both leaders could not meet the required numbers. Based on the signatures and claims by the both sides, the President Office said that there is no concrete basis for both the claimants to get a vote of confidence from the Parliament as per the Article 76-5 of the Constitution.
The biggest teething problem facing Vijayan is going to be the way how he tackles the Covid surge and the test positivity rate is hovering around 25 per cent mark for a while now, reports Asian Lite News
Even though a lot has been written about the way Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who single handedly led the ruling Left to a stunning historical win in the April 6 assembly elections, all eyes are on him, who by now through his mannerism and the way he conducts himself has turned into the mould of a ‘headmaster’ of an yesteryear school, where his one word and one look can send shivers down the spine of many.
Such is the stamp of authority, Vijayan has now, as he gets ready to start his second innings on Thursday and given his now hugely increased stature, where everything is decided by himself, it remains to be seen how smooth would his second innings be.
In the CPI-M, Vijayan through his iron grip by being the party secretary from 1997 to 2015 turned the clincher when he was able to get everything he wanted and if one looks into yesteryears, always the Chief Minister of the CPI-M stature is a shade below than the party secretary.
Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath second time as the cm of kerala . (Photo:pallav paliwal)
A media critic on condition of anonymity said it was Vijayan who changed that and that happened because each and everyone in his party is known well to him and through the long years of being the secretary, it’s his handpicked people who are now there at all the various levels of committees.
“Just look when he was the party secretary during V.S. Achuthanandan’s tenure as Chief Minister (2006-11), there was always a clash and Vijayan always won. And now look into the past five years of Vijayan’s tenure as Chief Minister. Here again, he was the final word and even the State Secretary took orders from him. Such is his grip over the party and the government. I doubt, if any Chief Minister in our state ever was in such a sound position,” said the critic.
Vijayan showed his stamp of authority when he handpicked his state cabinet of 20 Ministers and there was not a whimper of protest from any quarters in his party or in the Left, when he decided to drop hugely popular Health Minister K.K. Shailaja.
“Just look at the Ministers from his party this time and in his first innings. In his first tenure, there were seasoned veterans with previous experience in the cabinet like Thomas Isaac, G. Sudhakaran and A.K. Balan and not to mention of E.P. Jayarajan, a towering personality in the party. Look at his team now, barring the soft spoken K. Radhakrishnan, all the remaining 10 from his party are first time Ministers and they will all be wary of the ‘headmaster’ and will dare not to rub Vijayan the wrong way, when they go about in their respective portfolio,” added the critic.
Pinarayi Vijayan takes oath second time as the cm of kerala . (Photo:pallav paliwal)
Incidentally if one looks into his cabinet, he has included his ‘new’ son-in-law P.A. Mohammed Riyaz, a first time legislator, when there are among the party, legislators with more experience.
Riyaz told the media that during the election campaign there were lot of personal attacks on this front.
“I have won the seat with a huge margin and it clearly shows that all negative campaign issues were dismissed by the electorate. It’s the party which decides what each member should do and I have got this,” said Riyaz.
The biggest teething problem facing Vijayan is going to be the way how he tackles the Covid surge and the test positivity rate is hovering around 25 per cent mark for a while now and the total number of active cases has crossed 3 lakhs, as the state is under a lockdown.
Another issue which he will have to surmount is that the per capita debt of every Keralaite stands at Rs 1,05,000 up from Rs 46,075 in 2016.
The public debt when Vijayan took over in 2016 was Rs 1.50 lakh crore and today it has touched Rs 3.20 lakh crore.
However with a few cases which occurred in the last year of his previous term which includes the gold and dollar smuggling are also dangling above his head and it remains to be seen how and what the Centre will do and what happened in West Bengal is also there for all to see.
So all in all, ‘headmaster’ Vijayan has a tough task on hand and one thing is certain that there will be no honeymoon period for him and his confidence is that he has steered the wheel for the past five years, with no issues either from the Congress led Opposition or from his party.
At the meeting held at the AIADMK headquarters on Monday, 61 of the 66 MLA’s threw their weight behind EPS, forcing Panneerselvam to accept the ground reality…reports Asian Lite News
AIADMK coordinator and former Deputy Chief minister O. Panneerselvam (OPS) who was pipped by former Chief minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) for the post of Leader of Opposition, has rejected the party offer of the post of Deputy leader in the Tamil Nadu assembly.
At the meeting held at the AIADMK headquarters on Monday, 61 of the 66 MLA’s threw their weight behind EPS, forcing Panneerselvam to accept the ground reality. A senior leader of the party who is also a legislator, while speaking to IANS said, “OPS had tried to push the name of former Speaker P. Dhanapal for the post of opposition leader but in vain and he left the party headquarters in a huff”.
This rift, which was there in the AIADMK ever since Jayalalithaa passed away and Sasikala was arrested in corruption charges, was settled amicably by the intervention of the central leadership of the BJP with even Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home minister Amit Shah involving directly in talks with the two leaders.
However, with the party out of power and the Thevar community, one of the major support base of the AIADMK in South Tamil Nadu, dividing their votes between AIADMK and AMMK of TTV Dhinakaran, the AIADMK had to bite the dust in South Tamil Nadu.
The rejection of the post of Deputy leader by Panneerselvam is a clear indication that he will not lie low in the party and there are possibilities of a rift.
Political observers feel there could be a realignment of forces with the powerful Thevar community backing their own leader, Panneerselvam. The possibilities of Sasikala and Dhinakaran extending support to Panneerselvam is also not ruled out.
P. Sivakumar, journalist and political observer while speaking to IANS said, “AIADMK is losing its Thevar base in South Tamil Nadu and it was mainly due to the split of votes to AMMK of Dhinakaran. While Dhinakaran lost in Kovilpatti, the split has helped DMK garner victories in these traditional AIADMK bastions. This will trigger the rift and OPS rejecting the post of Deputy leader is an indication that the future is not rosy for the AIADMK and EPS. If caste turns into a factor, then EPS, a Gounder will face stiff opposition from the Thevar community and it has to be seen whether Sasikala and Dhinakaran will support OPS in this fight.”
If the AIADMK was in power, these minor rifts could have been given a go by but with the party out of power and even the selection of opposition leader turning into a bitter experience, days ahead will be tough for EPS.
Meanwhile, the Congress Working Committee has decided to postpone the presidential polls of the party due to the surge in Covid-19 cases…reports Asian Lite News.
Congress has set up a task force on Covid and one of the party’s top dissenting voices, Ghulam Nabi Azad, has been appointed as its Chairman.
Others on the 13-member committee include Ambika Soni, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Mukul Wasnik, Pawan Kumar Bansal, K.C. Venugopal, Randeep Surjewala, and Jairam Ramesh.
The inclusion of Azad comes as a surprise as he raised the issue of elections in the party and demanded more visible leadership.
The task force will oversee relief operations run by the party as control rooms have been set at the central and state level, along with efforts by Youth Congress workers.
In its meeting on Monday, the Congress Working Committee passed a resolution, reading: “The Congress Party commits to fighting the Covid-19 pandemic with its entire might and will support every people-friendly initiative of the government in fighting the pandemic.”
“The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic is nothing short of a grave calamity and a direct consequence of the Modi government’s indifference, insensitivity and incompetence. It is the direct result of the Central government’s willful disregard of scientific advice, its premature declaration of victory over the pandemic (that turned out to be just the first wave), and its unwillingness and inability to plan in advance in spite of warnings sounded not only by public health experts but also by the Standing Committee of Parliament concerned,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Congress Working Committee has decided to postpone the presidential polls of the party due to the surge in Covid-19 cases.
“The CWC considered the election schedule for electing the AICC President as proposed by Central Election Authority of the party.
“In view of the nationwide emergent conditions prevailing on account of unprecedented corona pandemic, the CWC was unanimous that all our energies should be channelised towards saving every life and helping every Covid affected person. The CWC, therefore, unanimously resolved to defer the elections temporarily in the midst of these challenging times,” the Congress’ top decision-making authority said in a resolution.
Party General Secretary Randeep Surjewala, however, clarified that its a temporary deferment due to the present pandemic.
In the CWC meeting held on Monday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot demanded the postponement of the election which was supported by senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was the prime mover in the demand for elections in the organisation in August last year. Digvijaya Singh, meanwhile, demanded Rahul Gandhi be brought back as chief, sources said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
The party’s Central Election Authority headed by Madhusudan Mistry will now draw up a new schedule after the pandemic subsides.
The CWC in January had decided that the party will go for organisational polls after the elections in five states are over.
General Secretary, Organisations, K.C. Venugopal had said on January 22 after a crucial CWC meeting that the Congress will have an “elected” party President by June.
The decision to hold the elections for the party President was taken after group of leaders wrote to Sonia Gandhi and demanded “a more visible and permanent” President for the party after Rahul Gandhi stepped down from the post following the party’s defeat in the 2019 general elections.
The rift in the Congress between the dissenting leaders (G-23) and Team Rahul Gandhi was out in the open since then, and led to the exclusion of the former from the Congress campaigners’ list in the five state elections – where the Congress was again out of the reckoning.
After the Congress Working Committee meeting on Monday, party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said, “The committee will be constituted within 48 hours.”…reports Asian Lite News
Interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi has decided to constitute a fact finding committee to find reasons for the partys defeat in the four states which went to the polls recently.
After the Congress Working Committee meeting on Monday, party General Secretary K.C. Venugopal said, “The committee will be constituted within 48 hours.”
“I intend to set up a small panel to look at every aspect that caused such reverses (in the elections) and report back very quickly. We need to candidly understand why we failed to dislodge the incumbent governments in Kerala and Assam, and we drew a complete blank in West Bengal,” Sonia Gandhi said in the CWC meeting, in which Rahul Gandhi was not present as he is still recovering from Covid-19.
“This CWC meeting has been convened to discuss the results of the recently-held Assembly polls. We have to take note of our serious setbacks. To say that we are deeply disappointed is to make an understatement,” she said.
“These will yield uncomfortable lessons, but if we do not face up to the reality, if we do not look the facts in the face, we will not draw the right lessons.” she added.
During the meeting, all the state in-charges presented their views on the recent poll debacle, with the party’s West Bengal in-charge Jitin Prasada saying the alliance with the Indian Secular Front (ISF), formed by preacher-turned-politician Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui, ruined Congress’ prospects in the state, sources said
Congress leader Digvijay Singh asserted that the alliance with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in Assam was wrong, while Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the party should have committee at the AICC level to deal with the alliances, sources said.
The party’s in-charge for Kerala, Tariq Anwar, told the CWC that Congress became overconfident which led to its defeat in the state, and by the time it realised the same, it was too late, sources said.
The party’s Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh informed that after the late Tarun Gogoi, Congress did not have a big face in the state, while smaller parties like Raijor Dal also dented the party’s vote share.
Sadiq Khan on Monday launched the new campaign “Let’s Do London” to bolster economic recovery…reports Asian Lite News
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has launched a domestic tourism campaign to kick-start the British capital’s economy as restrictions on international travel will likely continue this year, local media reported.
In his signing-in speech for a second term as Mayor, Khan on Monday announced the new “Let’s Do London” campaign to attract domestic visitors to the city and bring its economy back to life, reports Xinhua news agency.
The 50-year-old politician from Britain’s main opposition Labour Party has allocated 6 million pounds ($8 million) to directly support the new campaign.
The campaign and events program will bring together London’s world-leading hospitality, culture, night-life and retail venues to promote all that the city has to offer.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan
“With restrictions on international travel likely to continue this year, Londoners and visitors from the UK have a unique opportunity to experience all the capital has to offer without the queues.
“In doing so you’ll be providing vital support for our world-leading venues as they start to re-open and need our help more than ever.
“My mission over the next three years is to put the dark days of the pandemic behind us and to deliver a better and brighter future for London, creating a fairer, greener and more prosperous city, where everyone gets the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential,” he added.
Khan confirmed that a top priority for his second term will be jobs, standing up for the Londoners who lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic and helping to skill up the city’s residents to get back into work.
He also confirmed he will continue to prioritize the long-standing issues that matter most to Londoners, including safer streets, more affordable housing and action to tackle air pollution and the climate emergency.
During the May 6 local elections, more than 5,000 seats were up for grabs in city hall and town hall elections, with the Mayor of London and 12 provincial mayors along with police and crime commissioners also being elected.
“It is always Himanta for me and our children. I cannot relate to him as the CM. It would take some time for me to feel that he is the executive head of a state,” said Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, a media entrepreneur…reports Asian Lite News.
“Inform your mother, I will be the Chief Minister one day”, new Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, then a student of Cotton College, had told his future wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, in their university days.
After the swearing-in-ceremony at the famous Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, she said that this was the answer the then 22-year-old Sarma gave her when she asked what should she tell her mother about his future career.
“When we first met, he was 22 and I was 17,” a smiling Riniki Bhuyan Sarma said.
They had married on June 7, 2001 when he became the member of the Assam Assembly for the first time.
“He was a Minister for several years, but when I was watching him taking the oath as Chief Minister today (Monday), I could not believe it,” she told the media. She said that even last night, he told her that he is the Chief Minister-designate and “I asked him ‘kun’ (who), he replied ‘moi’ (I am)”.
“It is always Himanta for me and our children. I cannot relate to him as the CM. It would take some time for me to feel that he is the executive head of a state,” said Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, a media entrepreneur.
“A person in public life has to face many odds and challenges but I am confident that he would solve the issues and tasks as he is a person who thinks positively both with his heart and mind besides both sides of the issues,” the CM’s wife said.
The couple have two children – Nandil and Sukanya. Nandil did his schooling at the Doon School and passed his Class 12 in 2020 and Sukanya passed the secondary exam in the same year.
The series will culminate with an address by Bhagwat on May 15. The lecture series will be telecast every day between 4.30 pm and 5 pm on the social media page of Vishwa Samwad Kendra…reports Asian Lite News
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) along with civil society groups have taken the initiative to form a Covid Response Team (CRT) that will host a special online lecture series from May 11 to 15 with the objective to create a positive environment in society as its members combat the deadline Coronavirus pandemic.
RSS (ANI)
Those who will address the series, among others, include RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, noted industrialist Azim Premji, danseuse Sonal Mansingh and spiritual gurus Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Shri Shri Ravi Shankar, Acharya Pramanasagar, Shankaracharya Vijayendra Saraswati, Acharya Vidya Sagar and Sant Gyan Dev Singh.
The series will culminate with an address by Bhagwat on May 15. The lecture series will be telecast every day between 4.30 pm and 5 pm on the social media page of Vishwa Samwad Kendra.
New Delhi: Health workers wearing PPE suits and treatment for COVID-19 positive patient admit in Emergency Covid-19 care center by Delhi Government at Shahnai banquet Hall in front of LNJP hospital in New Delhi on Thursday, April 15th, 2021.(Photo: Wasim Sarvar/IANS)
On the opening day, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and Jain monk Acharya Pramanasagar will speak, followed by Shri Shri Ravi Shankar and Azim Premji on the second day.
In the series, some of the most renowned experts in the country will speak about topics such as spirituality, religion, mental health, and self-help, for more than 30 minutes every day. The idea behind the series is to dispel the emotions of negativity, fear, and hopelessness in the wake of the surge in Covid-19 cases and sparking of self-confidence, positivity, and optimism.
State-owned PSM News reported on Saturday that 21-year-old Mujaz Ahmed and 32-year-old Thahumeen Ahmed were arrested in connection to an attack…reports Asian Lite News
Two suspects have been arrested by the Maldives Police Service (MPS) in investigations into a terrorist attack last week that injured former President and Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed, state media reported.
State-owned PSM News reported on Saturday that 21-year-old Mujaz Ahmed and 32-year-old Thahumeen Ahmed were arrested in connection to an attack that took place outside Nasheed’s residence in Male on May 6, reports Xinhua news agency.
Nasheed was admitted to the ADK Hospital, where he underwent multiple life-saving surgeries.
Doctors said that ball bearings and shrapnel were lodged in Nasheed’s body, injuring his ribs and organs.
The former leader has been placed in the intensive care unit and is currently in critical condition, according to the ADK Hospital.
According to the police, one of the suspects is the owner of a motorcycle that was planted with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and parked next to Nasheed’s car.
Police said that the motorcycle had a fake number plate, but the registered owner was tracked down through investigations.
PSM News quoted Chief of Defence Force Major General Abdulla Shamaa who said that the IED was remotely controlled and more powerful than the explosives used in the Sultan Park bombing in capital Male in 2007 which injured 12 tourists.
Director General of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) Brigadier General Zakariyya Mansoor was quoted as saying that the attack would have a long-term impact on the perception of the Maldives in the international community.
He also raised concerns about locals joining foreign terrorist groups.
Nasheed, 53, became the President in 2008 after winning the country’s first multi-party elections.
He became Parliament Speaker, the second most powerful position in the country, after his party won the elections in April 2019.
