G7 summit: PM proposes 10-pt action plan

HIROSHIMA, MAY 20 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for building an inclusive food system to provide relief to the world’s most vulnerable people as part of his 10-point action plan to address challenges in the area of food, fertilisers and healthcare.

In an address at a session of the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Modi also pitched for checking the “expansionist mentality” occupying the fertiliser resources and strongly batted for the democratisation of technology.

The prime minister’s 10-point action plan included curbing wastage of food, depoliticisation of global fertilizer supply chains, promoting millets, encouraging holistic healthcare, strengthening digital health care and building development models inspired by the needs of developing countries. There is a need to focus on the holistic use of natural resources and the development model inspired by consumerism has to be changed,

Modi said.

The prime minister said efforts should be put to build an inclusive food system that focuses on the world’s most vulnerable people, especially “marginal farmers should be our priority”.

“The global fertiliser supply chains have to be strengthened. Political obstacles in this have to be removed. And the expansionist mentality that is occupying the fertilizer resources has to be stopped. This should be the purpose of our cooperation,” he said.

The prime minister, however, did not name any country.

Modi also emphasised preventing the wastage of food saying it should be “our collective responsibility”.

“It is essential for sustainable global food security,” he said.

The group of seven (G7), comprising the US, France, the UK, Italy, Germany, Canada and Japan, represent the world’s richest democracies. Under its G7 presidency, Japan invited India and seven other countries to the summit.

ED files case against alleged Gujarat conman Kiran Patel; conducts searches

NEW DELHI, MAY 20

(PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday said it has conducted searches at a dozen locations in Gujarat against alleged conman Kiran Patel who is accused of cheating people by impersonating as a PMO official while taking the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a ride.

The searches, carried out on May 19, resulted in seizure of documents related to immovable properties apart from recovery of “highly incriminating” material, the agency said in a statement.

“Further investigation in respect of his activities in J-K and other places is in progress,” it said.

A total of 12 locations in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Morbi and Mehsana in Gujarat in the investigation relating to Kiranbhai

3 Pakistani drones intercepted, 2 downed by BSF along Punjab IB

9.30 pm. Two packets attached to the drone containing 2.6 kg of suspected heroin were also recovered from the UAV that was found in Rattan Khurd villa ge, the spokesperson added.

A third drone was intercepted on Friday night along this front. However, it could not be recovered as it fell on the Pakistani side, he said.

Jagdishbhai Patel and his associates were searched.

The ED alleged Patel, with criminal intention, employed high degree of forged means, impersonated himself as senior government official serving in PMO as ‘Dr Kiran Patel, Additional Director, PMO (Strategies and Campaigns)’. By resorting to cheating, forgery and impersonation, Patel duped gullible people and also intentionally induced people to do and also to omit to do activities, under a well-knit plan for securing monetary as well as material benefits, it said.

Modi also underlined the need for focusing on development, technology and democracy together.

“It is necessary to democratise technology. Technology can become a bridge between development and democracy,” he said.

The prime minister also noted that the model of development should pave the way for welfare and not become a hindrance in the progress of developing countries.

“I am confident that our discussions today will be useful in creating an important link between the agenda of the G20 and the G7. And will be successful in prioritising the hopes and expectations of the Global South,” he said.

The prime minister also highlighted the importance of natural farming.

“We can create a new model of natural farming as an alternative to fertilisers around the world. I believe that we should take the benefit of digital technology to every farmer in the world,” he said.

NEW DELHI, MAY 20 (PTI): Opposition leaders on Saturday attacked the government over the withdrawal of Rs 2000 currency notes from circulation with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee describing it as “Tughlaqi demonetisation drama” and Congress wondering if this was the second “notebandi” exercise.

The BJP rejected this was any sort of demonetisation and instead reminded the Congress that even during the rule of Manmohan Singh, old currency notes were taken off circulation.

RBI on Friday made the surprise announcement but gave the public time till September 30 to either deposit Rs 2000 notes in accounts or exchange them at banks. It said it had asked banks to stop issuing Rs 2000 notes with immediate effect. Banerjee said this move would “hit common people hard once again”.

In a tweet, she said, “Another whimsical and Tughlaqi demonetisation drama of Rs 2,000 notes will hit the common people hard once again by subjecting them to massive harassment…Such misadventure by an oligarchic & authoritarian government will not be forgotten by the people at large at the time of reckoning.”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called for an impartial probe into the entire episode.

In a tweet in Hindi, he said, “You inflicted a deep wound on the economy with the first demonetisation. Due to this, the entire unorganised sector was destroyed, MSMEs were closed down and crores of jobs were lost…”

At a press conference in Patna, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad when asked about the move said, “The RBI has put out a detailed communication clearly explaining how the use of these high denomination notes was dwindling. We would like to remind our Congress friends that even during the rule of Manmohan Singh, old currency notes used to be taken off circulation. Hence they (Congress) must not call it notebandi.” He added, “If these notes were in use for laundering money, scrapping these will hit such networks.”

Independent Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal also attacked the government over the decision and recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks at the time of the 2016 demonetisation that the magnitude of cash in circulation is directly linked to the level of corruption.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said “No civilised nation puts its people under constant fear of cash turning to toilet paper. Why should we stress about our wallets vaporising every few years?” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin claimed the move is a ploy to hide the BJP’s electoral debacle. Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray, Bharat Rashtra Samithi spokesperson Sravan Dasoju also questioned the move.

Drug bust bribery case: CBI questions Wankhede

MUMBAI, MAY 20

(PTI): The CBI on Saturday quizzed former Mumbai NCB chief Sameer Wankhede for more than five hours in a case in which he is accused of demanding a Rs 25 crore bribe from superstar Shah Rukh Khan for not implicating his son Aryan in the Cordelia cruise ‘drug bust’ case, an official said. Wankhede reached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) around 10.15 am.

Talking to media persons while entering the agency office, Wankhede just said “Satyamev Jayate” (truth alone triumphs). He didn’t speak to media per-

Apex Vocational Training Centre

Neurology Camp

sector and 2.6 kg of heroin.

JALANDHAR, MAY 20

(PTI): The Border Security Force (BSF) intercepted three Pakistani drones and shot down two of them along the International Border in Punjab in three different incidents, a spokesperson of the force said on Saturday. The three drones were intercepted by the BSF on Friday night. The first drone, a black quadcopter of “DJI Matrice last night

300 RTK” make, was recovered from Udhar Dhariwal village in Amritsar district, the spokesperson said.

BSF troops intercepted this unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) by firing around 9 pm on Friday, he said.

The second drone, a quadcopter of the same make, was recovered from Rattan Khurd village in Amritsar district after troops fired at it around

Drugs seized from Indian waters: NCB seeks custody of accused

KOCHI,

MAY 20 (PTI):

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which is probing the recent seizure of over 2,500 kilograms of methamphetamine from a vessel in Indian waters in a joint operation with the Navy, on Saturday moved the court seeking custody of the accused.

The agency sought the custody of Pakistan national accused, Zubair Derakshshandeh for five days from May 22. The accused is currently under judicial custody.

“...the court may be pleased to order production of the accused person... before this court on

22-05-2023 and grant the custody to the petitioner for custodial interrogation in the case for 5 days w.e.f 22-05-2023 to 26.05.2023,” the application filed by the agency said.

In the remand report filed by the agency on May 16, it had said that a drug trafficker from Pakistan had offered the accused, “good money” after the work was completed.

The agency had on May 15 said that the actual commercial value of the contraband after its latest evaluation was close to Rs 25,000 crore, because of the high purity of the seized methamphetamine.

CCTV footage showed people collecting this third drone from the Pakistan side, the spokesperson said.

AT OKING HOSPITAL, KOHIMA ON 30th & 31st May 2023 Patients who are suffering from Headache, epilepsy, stroke, sleeping problems, neck pain, back pain, neuropathy difficulty in walking, shaking hands & legs, to & fro nodding of head, frequent falling on ground, slow monotonous voice, difficulty in memorizing can consult Dr. A. R. Baruah, MD (Med), DNB (Neurology). For appointment, contact0370-2290080/ 2290146/ 9366776679.

ALDERVILLE HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

PHEZHU, JOTSOMA

ADMISSION NOTICE FOR CLASS XI – ARTS, 2023

Intake capacity – 60 (Sixty) only Admissions on first come first

• Hostel facilities available for both boys and girls.

• Admission will begin as soon as HSLC Results are declared. Forms can be collected from the School Office during School hours (9:00 am – 1:00 pm)

For further details, kindly contact: 8974028789/ 7005636705

MOUNT SINAI HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL, KOHIMA

An establishment of Chakhesang Baptist Church Ministers’ Hill Kohima ADMISSION NOTICE 2023 FOR

Class XI (Arts & Science)

Admission form is available in the School’s Office on all working days between 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Admission will be on FIRST COME FIRST basis

For any information, please contact +917085191150/0370-2240089 or email us at mountsinaikma@gmail.com sons while leaving the office.

The Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer was given a lunch break for around 30 minutes at around 2 pm. He returned to the CBI office and joined the investigation. He left for the day at around 4:30 pm, the official said.

It was his first appearance before the agency after the case was registered against him, the official said.

The CBI had summoned the former Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director for questioning on Thursday in connection with the case, but he did not appear that day.

The central agency booked Wankhede and four others on May 11 for alleged criminal conspiracy and threat of extortion, besides under provisions pertaining to bribery under the Prevention of Corruption Act on a complaint by the NCB.

On Friday, Wankhede got a relief from the Bombay High Court which directed the CBI not to take any “coercive action”, such as arrest, against him till May 22.

Seeking quashing of FIR, Wankhede alleged before the HC that the “draft complaint” in the 2021 drugs-on-cruise case named Aryan Khan as an accused, but it was later replaced and Aryan’s name was dropped.

Among other things, his petition also provided transcriptions of phone chats with Shah Rukh Khan during the period Aryan was in NCB custody. It cited Khan as pleading with Wankhede to be kind to his son and praising the officer for his “uprightness”

Aryan was arrested by the NCB on October 3, 2021, following the alleged drug seizure on board the Cordelia cruise ship here.

ZION

Dr. AMIT RANJAN BARUAH MBBS MD DNB (Neurologist) GNRC Hospital, Guwahati. Available on 28th May 2023 (Sunday, 3:00 pm onwards) and 29th

Email : zionhospital@zhrc.in Web: www.zhrc.in

J.N. AIER

‘C’

Ideological divide

For as many decades till 2014 India has believed in secularism or a nation which does not recognise the hegemony of any religion but treated all equally in consonance with Article 25 of the constitution that guarantees freedom of conscience and right to profess, practice and propagate religion subject to public order, morality and health. India is home to more than nine-in-ten of the world’s Hindus, and also having one of the largest Muslim populations in the world, as well as millions of Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Christians. Indians tend to see this religious diversity as benefiting their country. Roughly half say diversity benefits India (53%), while about one-quarter say diversity harms the country (24%). Generally, Indians of different ages, educational backgrounds and regions of residence tend to agree that diversity benefits the country. However, a sizable minority (24%) does not take a clear position on the question, saying that diversity “neither benefits nor harms the country,” that they don’t know, or declining to answer the question. However, with the advent of Hindutva ideology that propagates “Hindu-ness”, India under BJP is experiencing a move to unveil a modern political ideology that advocates for Hindu supremacy and seeks to transform India, constitutionally a secular state, into an ethno-religious nation known as the Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nationalism). Hindutva ideology is promoted by an array of vigilante, political, and cultural groups, known collectively as the Sangh Parivar. The RSS, a paramilitary organization based in India, is at the center of the Sangh and sets the priorities and tactics for promoting Hindutva ideology.Ramachandra

Guha, best known for his sweeping biographies of Mahatma Gandhi, described Hindutva and Hindu nationalism as an idea which takes its inspiration from 18th and 19th-century European nations which sought to create national power through identifying a common enemy and by promoting the idea of one language, one culture and one leader. In Manipur a state where communal harmony has more or less been maintained, the recent spate of communal violence has inflicted dangerous divide between the majority meiteis and tribals in the state. After the BJP came to power in 2017, it sought to create a Hindu nationalist identity for the Meitei community. This encouragement to see themselves as part of the Hindu fold has come even as nearly 10 percent of the community practice an indigenous religion known as Sanamahism .Under a BJP government, RSS and other organs have sought to sought to promote Hindu nationalism as the dominant ideology and used the Meitei community to advance their political agenda in the state. Tribal leaders in Manipur believe that the recent violence was religiously motivated. They say that the influence of the Hindutvawadis has led to explosion of anger directed at Christians and burning down of churches especially those churches that exclusively belong to Meitei Christians. The Manipur high court order on the state to recommend according tribal status for Meiteis was only a pretext for mobs to target their own community (Meiteis) who became Christians. The trigger that has set Manipur aflame is most unfortunate as it has created a sectarian divide.

DailyDevotion Taking Possession of Our Own Soul

By your patience possess your souls. —Luke 21:19

When a person is born again, there is a period of time when he does not have the same vitality in his thinking or reasoning that he previously had. We must learn to express this new life within us, which comes by forming the mind of Christ (see Philippians 2:5). Luke 21:19 means that we take possession of our souls through patience. But many of us prefer to stay at the entrance to the Christian life, instead of going on to create and build our soul in accordance with the new life God has placed within us. We fail because we are ignorant of the way God has made us, and we blame things on the devil that are actually the result of our own undisciplined natures. Just think what we could be when we are awakened to the truth!

There are certain things in life that we need not pray about— moods, for instance. We will never get rid of moodiness by praying, but we will by kicking it out of our lives. Moods nearly always are rooted in some physical circumstance, not in our true inner self. It is a continual struggle not to listen to the moods which arise as a result of our physical condition, but we must never submit to them for a second. We have to pick ourselves up by the back of the neck and shake ourselves; then we will find that we can do what we believed we were unable to do. The problem that most of us are cursed with is simply that we won’t. The Christian life is one of spiritual courage and determination lived out in our flesh.

By Oswald Chambers