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THE COMMUNITY FIRST
"Whatever It Takes": Uddhav Thackeray Vows Justice For Maratha Community The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed implementation of the 2018 Maratha quota law of the state and referred the petitions challenging the law to a larger constitution bench.
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aharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said his government was firm on giving justice to the Marathas, and the option of issuing an ordinance to restore quota for students from the community has been discussed. The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed implementation of the 2018 Maratha quota law of the state and referred the petitions challenging the law to a larger constitution bench. Speaking at a meeting with representatives of Maratha organisations and a cabinet subcommittee on the issue, MrThackeray said all the stakeholders should refrain from indulging in politics and provoking the members of the community. The CM also said he had spoken to NCP chief Sharad Pawar and discussed the possibility of helping Maratha students through the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research Training and Human Development Institute (Saarthi), or by promulgating
an ordinance. SAARTHI has been established for research, policy advocacy, and training for socio economic and educational development of Marathas. "We will do whatever it takes to give justice to the Maratha community by taking all into confidence. Opposition leaders will also be invited for talks," he said. Legal experts, researchers on the Maratha issue were also present at the meeting through video conference. Mr Thackeray said the Maratha quota bill was passed in the state legislature unanimously and was upheld by the Bombay High Court. The legal team representing the government in the Supreme Court had been appointed by the previous (BJP-led) government, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi would also be requested to intervene to resolve the issue, he added. The Maratha outfits which took part in the meeting extended support to the state government''s efforts and assured cooperation, a statement by the chief minister's office said.
For more stories please visit our online edition : www.hiindia.com - News Update 24/7
ISSUE : NO. 1 | 13th September, 2020 |
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96,551 India's COVID-19 Count Over 45.60 Lakh With
Record New cases
New Delhi: With the highest single-day spike of 96,551 new cases, India's COVID-19 count crossed the 45-lakh mark on Friday. The country's cumulative COVID-19 count now stands at 45, 62,415, according to the government data. The total Coronavirus count included 9,43,480 active cases and 35,42,664 cured, discharged and migrated patients. With 1,209 new deaths reported across the country, the count due to the disease has gone up to 76,271. 60 per cent of the daily new COVID-19 recoveries in India are coming from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, which also account for 57 per cent of the new cases, the Health Ministry informed.
Total COVID-19 recoveries in the country have surged to 35,42,663 with a total 70,880 recoveries being registered in a span of 24 hours of which Maharashtra alone contributed to more than 14,000 and Andhra Pradesh more than 10,000. The government began its phased ‘unlockdown’ from 8 June, with extensive relaxations including opening of religious places, shopping malls and restaurants. Public transport, except metro services, have also resumed operations. While experimental treatments have shown some promise, the world is focused on the results of vaccine trials being conducted in several countries. In India, the ICMR is also working on a human trial for the vaccine it is developing with Bharat Biotech, called Covaxin.
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Congress reshuffle In Sonia rejig, old guard exits AICC, parked in CWC; poll panel named
The announcement, a day before Congress president Sonia Gandhi is expected to leave for the US for her annual medical check-up, also sends a reconciliatory signal of sorts to the 23 letter writers who had asked for sweeping changes. Congress president Sonia Gandhi carried out a reshuffle of the party organisation Friday promoting and bringing in young blood into the AICC secretariat and accommodating the old guard in the reconstituted Congress Working Committee. The announcement, a day before she is expected to leave for the US for her annual medical checkup, also sends a reconciliatory signal of sorts to the 23 letter writers who had asked for sweeping changes. She gave some of them representation in a committee announced to assist her in organisational and operational matters and in one tasked to hold internal elections. By announcing a Central Election Authority, Gandhi signalled organisational elections soon to elect a new president. It was made clear that the special committee, which has A K Antony, Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni, K C Venugopal, Mukul Wasnik and Randeep Singh Surjewala as members, “shall continue to function till the next AICC session.” In other words, it will not be a permanent body. Wasnik was one of those who signed the letter last month that had called for sweeping organisational changes in the party and had underlined its disconnect and drift. The key takeaways of the sweeping overhaul are: dropping of some of the veterans as general secretaries and in charges; elevation or entry of young faces close to former president Rahul Gandhi replacing them in the AICC secretariat; bringing
in many new faces, not necessarily young, as permanent invitees in the Congress Working Committee. Even the reconstituted Central Election Authority has a Rahul stamp. While Rahul loyalist Madhusudan Mistry will head the panel, it has Rajesh Mishra, Krishna Byre Gowda, S Jothimani and Arvinder Singh Lovely. Gowda and Jothimani are considered Rahul loyalists. Lovely was one of the 23. Veterans Ghulam Nabi Azad, Motilal Vora, Ambika Soni, Mallikar jun K harge and Luizinho Faleiro have been dropped as general secretaries. While Azad was general secretary in charge of Haryana, Soni was in charge of Jammu and Kashmir, Kharge of Maharashtra and Faleiro of Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. The 92-year-old Vora was general secretary in charge of administration.
Court Notice To AR Rahman Over Plea Alleging Tax Evasion Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday issued notice to music composer A R Rahman on a petition filed by the Income Tax department alleging that he used a foundation in which he is the managing trustee as a conduit to evade tax and routed ₹ three crore plus income to it. The Income Tax Department moved the High Court challenging the ruling of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal in Chennai that set aside the order of the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax in Chennai. A division bench of justices TS Sivagnanam and V Bhavani Subbaroyan recorded the submissions made by the IT department and issued notice to the music composer. According to senior standing counsel for the Income Tax department T R Senthil Kumar, in the assessment year 2011-12, Mr Rahman received income to the tune of ₹ 3.47 crore in connection with an agreement made with the UK-based Libra Mobiles. The contract was to compose exclusive ringtones for the company and the term of the contract was for three years. As per the contract, Mr Rahman instructed the company to pay his remuneration directly to the foundation managed by him, the department said.
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Mumbai gangster watched the film Satya 18 times to study how to become a real-life villain
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Stop showing Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV,
it ‘insulted’ Uddhav — Sena tells cable operators ‘Won’t tolerate Uddhav saheb’s insult’
Mumbai ka King Kaun?’ ‘Rahul Ramakant Jadhav.’ When Bhiku Mhatre, the iconic ganglord, standing atop a cliff and staring down at the Mumbai skyline, in the 1998 film Satya, shouted, ‘Who’s the king of Mumbai?,’ Rahul yelled back his own name in response. It was almost laughable, that proclamation in a full, dark cinema hall. But the twenty-two-year-old did not care if his declaration made him cut a foolish figure. In that instance, he was consumed with the testosterone running through his veins, feeling as powerful, as alive as the mighty Bhiku himself. After that first time, whenever Rahul watched the film – eighteen times over the next year – he’d watch it academically, learning more from Bhiku’s character than his crimes. The gangster opera, with its dark undertones and noir lighting, covers the ruthlessness and brutality of the Mumbai underworld around the turn of the twenty-first century – when Rahul made his foray into the world of organized crime.
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena has asked cable television operators in Maharashtra to take down Republic TV from their networks after its Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami allegedly insulted Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and for the channel conducting a “media trial”. The party has threatened operators with protests if they fail to comply. A letter dated 10 September was written to all major cable television distribution companies by Shivcable Sena, the party’s cable television operators’ wing. Those that received the letter included operators such as Den Networks, Hathway, InCablenet, GTPL, JPR Network, BRDS Network, UCN City Cable, Rajesh Multichannel, Mauli Cable and Bahuvidh Yantrana Parichalak Cable. “We are giving you a suggestion and warning that if you don’t immediately stop distributing Republic TV you will have to face severe agitation from the Shivcable Sena and many loyal Maharashtrians. Please take note of this,” read the letter, a copy of which was accessed.
My attitude won’t change, no matter how much I wanted to go, says Messi on Barcelona Lionel Messi Friday announced he was not leaving Barcelona after the club said his transfer would cost him 700 million euros. Messi said he had been looking to leave for a year.
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ionel Messi announced Friday that he will stay with Barcelona for the upcoming season. Messi made the announcement in a video interview published by Goal.com. He said he would not get into a legal dispute with the club. The decision ended an impasse over his future that started when he told Barcelona that he wanted to leave the club for free at the end of the season. Barcelona wanted him to finish his contract that runs until June 2021. It claimed that the clause invoked by Messi to leave had expired in June and said that he had to pay the buyout clause of 700 million euros ( 837 million) if he wanted to depart now. The president (Josep Bartomeu) always said that at the
end of the season I could decide if I wanted to go or if I wanted to stay and in the end he did not end up keeping his word, Messi said. There had been no agreement when Messi’s father and Bartomeu met on Wednesday to discuss the player’s future, with Jorge Messi saying his son wanted to leave and Barcelona saying it would not facilitate his transfer. I’ll continue at Barcelona and my attitude won’t change, no matter how much I have wanted to go, Messi said. I told the club and the president that I wanted to go. I’ve been telling him all year. I thought my time in Barcelona was over, sadly I always wanted to finish my career here.” Messi had not made any public statements since the team’s 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League on Aug. 14. It was a very difficult year, I suffered a lot in training, in games and in the dressing room, Messi said.
Vinay Raju Patil, secretary of the Shivcable Sena, said, “Arnab Goswami has on at least two occasions spoken about Uddhav saheb in derogatory terms. The prime minister, president and chief ministers are constitutional authorities. “The chief minister’s post is the most superior in the state, and yet Arnab Goswami refers to him using casual language and openly challenges him. This is against the Indian Constitution. It is not just the Shiv Sainiks, even Maharashtra’s people will not tolerate this.” He added, “Goswami has similarly disrespected State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena leader) and the Mumbai Police and its chief. Why should cable television operators here broadcast such news for the state and rest of Maharashtra?” Patil also said Thackeray has directed all party members to only act when law is on their side. “Here, law is on our side. Republic TV has insulted a constitutional authority.”
AstraZeneca must explain spinal ailment in UK for Covid vaccine trial to resume
Bloomberg: A day after pausing its Covid-19 vaccine trials due to a possible serious neurological problem in one patient, AstraZeneca Plc faced numerous questions about what exactly caused the issue and whether it could be related to the vaccine. On Tuesday, AstraZeneca and its partner, the University of Oxford, confirmed it had stopped giving patients the experimental shot after a person in the U.K. who was participating in one of their studies got sick, triggering a review of safety data. U.S. National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins told a Senate committee Wednesday the trial had been halted due to a “spinal cord problem.” AstraZeneca is one of several drug companies taking part in the U.S. government’s Operation Warp Speed program to accelerate the development of a coronavirus vaccine. AstraZeneca Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot told investors on a conference call Wednesday there had been no final diagnosis in the case and there wouldn’t be one until more tests are done, according to company spokeswoman Michele Meixell.
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Why are Garba administrators not ready? Organizers are reluctant to take the risk
of Gorba due to the growing number of Corona cases and fears of overcrowding. Social distance is not possible in big projects with 5 to 25 thousand players. Even if Garba is played with a mask, it is not suitable according to medical science.
Doctors said- the government should not hold Navratri The Ahmedabad Medical Association
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(AMA) has appealed to the state government to ban the Navratri festival as it had done earlier during other festivals including Rathyatra, Eid, Ganeshotsav and Janmashtami. AMA President Dr. Mona Desai has written a letter to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani saying that the corona infection rate is increasing in the current situation due to the government's policy and commitment to test more and more, although it is a good thing that the death rate has come down. Banning the festival stops the spread of infection when people do not gather. Therefore, we feel that the government should ban Navratri in view of the request of the Ahmedabad Medical Association.
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Garba
is like a suicide bomb in Corona situation...
In Gujarat, 18 out of 20 big Garba organizers said- let's not play Garba this year
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he world famous Gujarati Garba will not be seen this year. In a conversation with Divya Bhaskar, the big Garba organizers of cities including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot made it clear that they could not take any kind of risk because of Corona. For them, the safety of the people is the number one priority. Gujarat's top 20 Garba administrators were asked if they would organize Garba this year. Out of them 18 managers refused the net while 2 managers said we will see, we will think if there is some relief in the guidelines, otherwise we will not plan. Hemant Shah of United Way in Vadodara says that social distance cannot be observed in such a crowd under any circumstances. Manish Shah, chairman of Garba of Rajpath Club in Ahmedabad, said that according to the guidelines, a gathering of 100 to 300 people can take place. However, considering the health of the members, we have decided not to hold Garba this year. Mayank Patel of Navratri Festival said that 120 cases are coming daily. Garba's planning would be similar to suicide. "Even if the government approves, we will not organize the Garba," said Indranil of the Neil City Club in Rajkot. Even if big plans do not happen or if we do not take any risk in them, according to the tradition of Gujarat, the pride of street-society will happen this year. It is also possible to follow the rules and distance. Then with safety we will be able to be a part of this garba, enjoy the traditional garba and also revive the tradition.
Garba organizers like Rajpath of Ahmedabad, Karnavati, Friends, Shanku, United Way of Vadodara, Maa Shakti, Vadodara Navratri Fest, Indore Stadium of Surat, Sarsana Convenience, Sahiyar-Surbhi of Rajkot refused to play Garba. "Public safety is the first priority for us," said Hemant Shah of Vadodara United. There are 50 thousand people in the ground, so many can not be proud with social distance. Mayank Patel of VNF said, "Mother worship can be done through street garba. If the government forcibly makes garba, it will have to arrange thousands of beds."
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Indigenous vaccine hopes Nirav Modi made high, India Biotech claims Indigenous corona vaccine successfully tested on animals
A ‘convenient scapegoat’ cannot get fair trial in India: Markandey Katju to London court
"Is it at least possible, you are something of a self-publicist who will make any outrageous statements for the purpose of courting the press," questioned barrister Helen Malcolm, to which Katju replied "you are entitled to your opinion".
There is good news about the corona vaccine. Bharat Biotech, which is developing the corona's indigenous vaccine 'Covexin' in collaboration with the Indian Council for Medical Research, has reported the success of the animal trial of the vaccine. The company said in a tweet that Bharat Biotech is proud to announce the animal study results of Covexin. This result protects against live viral and strengthens the immune system.
Retired Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju was challenged as a “self-publicist” on behalf of the Indian government on Friday as he gave evidence in the extradition case of fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi via a live videolink from India at Westminster Magistrates’ Court here. On the final day of a five-day hearing, Justice Samuel Goozee heard Katju’s detailed evidence before adjourning the case until November 3, when he will hear arguments on the admissibility
of the evidence provided by the Indian authorities on the charges of fraud and money laundering against the diamond merchant in the USD 2-billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam case. The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian government, sought to counter Katju’s written and oral claims that Modi would not receive a fair trial in India because a majority of the judiciary was corrupt and the investigating agencies subservient to the government.
Victoria Azarenka’s coach Akshay Kumar confident ahead of turns 53 US Open final
Akshay Kumar birthday: Celebrities, friends and fans have flooded social media with birthday wishes for Khiladi Kumar.
Victoria Azarenka came back from a one-set deficit to topple 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams in their semifinal match inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday.
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ictoria Azarenka is in top form and ready to go the distance in her first Grand Slam final in seven years, coach Dorian Descloix said on Friday, a day ahead of her US Open showdown against former champion Naomi Osaka. “Physically she’s ready, to be honest. She worked a lot the last few months,” he said. “She worked every day on fitness. Even on the court we did a lot of long sessions on t he court. Now she’s ready.” The 31-year-old came back from a one-set deficit to topple 23time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams in their semifinal match inside Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday, returning to the sport’s peak from a long road littered with setbacks. Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open winner, stunned a the Western & Southern Open, slaying competitors before winning on a walkthrough after not securing a win of any kind in a year. To topple world number four Osaka, Descloix said she must “play her game.” “(She has) to be relaxed on the court, just to mix a lot. She has a big panel of shots,” he said. “She has to remain exactly the same.” Descloix joined Azarenka in February as a hitting partner, before becoming her coach, as the pair set about mounting her remarkable career comeback. “To be honest, it’s my first experience as a coach,” he said. “Vika is a great player, so for me it was tough for me at the beginning. We talk a lot. I learn every day with Vika.”
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ollywood actor Akshay Kumar is celebrating his 53rd birthday today. Celebrities, friends and fans have flooded social media with wishes for Khiladi Kumar. Good friend and collaborator Ajay Devgn was one of the first stars to wish him on Twitter. Neha Dhupia, Arjun Bijlani, Rakul Preet Singh, Rahul Dholakia and Dabboo Ratnani among others have also wished Akshay. The actor will soon be seen in horror-comedy Laxmmi Bomb, which will premiere on Disney Plus Hotstar. The Raghava Lawrence directorial is the Hindi remake of hit Tamil film Kanchana. He also has Raksha Bandhan, Prithviraj and Atrangi Re in his kitty. Akshay Kumar’s big-ticket film Sooryavanshi, which couldn’t release earlier this year due to the spread of coronavirus, is now expected to have its theatrical release during Diwali this year. The superstar is currently busy shooting for Bell Bottom in Scotland. A spy thriller inspired by true events, the film also stars Vaani Kapoor, Lara Dutta and Huma Qureshi.