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It’s final Now! ‘Super 30’ to hit the theatres on July 12

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Web Team
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Super 30
Image courtesy: Times of India

The long-awaited “Super 30” starring Hrithik Roshan is all set to arrive in the theatres on July 12. Earlier this month, Hrithik said he was shifting the release date of “Super 30” to save his film from being “desecrated by yet another media circus”. The date was yet to be declared.

Reliance Entertainment which is co-producing the biopic confirmed the news with a tweet: “Arriving early! Super 30 will be releasing on July 12.”

The actor’s statement came after the release of Kangana Ranaut’s “Mental Hai Kya” was shifted to July 26, only to coincide with the then theatrical arrival of “Super 30”, a claim producer Ekta Kapoor dismissed.

The release date of the movie is being postponed for quite a long time now. The movie was earlier scheduled to release in January 2019 before its release date was pushed to July 26. Its original release date was November 23, 2018.

Super 30 is the story of mathematician Anand Kumar. Anand, who is based in Patna, is popular for tutoring IIT aspirants who belong to a less privileged background. While the movie was earlier helmed by Queen director Vikas Bahl but he was replaced by Anurag Kashyap after Bahl was entangled in sexual assault accusation.

Other casts also include Virendra Saxena, Mrunal Thakur, Pankaj Tripathi, and Johnny Lever.

Earlier Hrithik tweeted a post stating he was shifting the release date of “Super 30” to save his film from being “desecrated by yet another media circus”.

Rithik Roshan tweet
Image courtesy: Twitter

 

 

Alka Lamba to quit AAP in 2020

By
Web Team
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Alka Lamba
Image courtesy: Twitter

Dissatisfied Aam Aadmi Party legislator Alka Lamba has stated that she would leave the party next year. In a tweet posted by Alka she mentioned, “My journey started with you in 2013 will end in 2020. My best wishes will be with dedicated revolutionary ground workers of the party, hopefully you will remain a strong alternative in Delhi. The last six years have been memorable and I have learnt a lot from you.”

Lamba has been at loggerheads with the party for sometime now. She had asked AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to be accountable in the aftermath of the party’s defeat in Lok Sabha election. Subsequently, she was removed from the official whatsapp group of the party. AAP had lost all the seven seats in Delhi.

Lamba shared screenshots on twitter where it was mentioned that she was removed by AAP’s North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey from the group. Criticising Kejriwal Lamba asked why she is being held responsible for the party’s poor performance in Delhi.

She stated, “I have always been telling the party what you (Kejriwal) are telling them now. Sometimes I am added to the group and sometimes removed. It would have been better if a meeting was held to introspect, to discuss the failures and move ahead.”

Don’t Muslims want to protect modern and progressive Secularism in India?

By
Hem Raj Jain
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muslims during all india muslim personal law
Image for Representational Purpose. Image Courtesy: IANS

Fielding of Sadhvi Pragya as its candidate from Bhopal is proving BJP is heading towards ‘Hindu Rashtra’. BJP and its allies getting about 2/3 rd majority in Lok Sabha bound to embolden Hindutva forces for demanding Ram Mandir and abolition of Article 370. Even objection by the Supreme Court due to Secular Constitution will be removed by amending Constitution for Theocratic State. Mass scale communal riots and bloodbath bound to follow the said Article 370, Ram Mandir and Hindu Rashtra development due to ISIS, etc. in India’s neighbourhood. Like other most of the Muslim countries, the ‘Qurbani’ liking Islam has succeeded in soon bringing huge bloodshed to India also.

Since the late eighties and especially after the demolition of Babri Mosque in 1992 by Hindutva Forces in the presence of the Observer of Supreme Court of India (SCI), the Indian Muslims have allowed the Secularism to be destroyed in India by their acts of omission. The Muslims could have saved Secularism in India but by not filing six writ petitions in Courts, the Indian Muslims has paved the way for the political ascendency of BJP/Hindutva forces.

With the election results and leads in Lok Sabha 2019 Parliamentary elections, out of 542 the BJP and its allies (NDA) got about 350 and main opposition Congress and its allies (UPA) about 90 remaining above 100 are small parties and independents. The BJP and its allies need 362 members for 2/3 rd majority and they can easily manage it (even under various pressure from Hindutva forces/BJP government and even by offering ministerial positions to small parties and independents).

This 2/3 majority is bound to embolden the Hindutva forces for demanding from BJP the Ram Mandir (which is the real cause of political ascendancy of Hindutva forces including and mainly of BJP) and the abolition of Article 370 of the Constitution of India. On both these issues, Indian Muslims are sensitive. Hindus have every chance of losing their case for Ram Mandir in SCI because Hindus are depending on the main argument that Lord Rama was born at the disputed site of Masjid. However, Muslims have adduced a very powerful and effective argument before the Court that ‘Ram Charit Manas’ (through which majority of Hindus know about the life of Lord Rama) written by Goswami Tulsidas after construction of Babri-Masjid in 16th century, does not have any mention of Lord Rama’s birth place at disputed site.

Hence, the Hindutva forces will demand from BJP to bring legislation for constructing Ram Temple at the disputed site which SCI will not allow as India is a Secular country. Obviously then Hindutva forces will have only one alternative left that is to ask BJP to bring a constitutional amendment to convert India from Secular to Theocratic State, the ‘Hindu Rashtra’. If SCI puts a hurdle in this Constitutional amendment by saying that Secularism is the ‘basic structure of the Constitution’ then SCI can always be ‘disciplined by the threat of or actual impeachment especially when BJP and its allies have a 2/3rd majority in Parliament (separately or through a joint session of Parliament).

As far abolition of Article 370 of the Constitution (which gives special status to the State of J&K) which Hindus want to be repealed (for changing the demography of Muslim majority Kashmir in favour of Hindus, by taking excuse of fighting terrorism), will obviously trigger strong reaction not only in Muslim Kashmir but in Pakistan also. This will result in huge increase in terrorist activities (even by Pak proxies), loss of lives and bloodshed in Muslim majority Kashmir even at the hands of security forces of India. Moreover mass scale communal rights & bloodbath is bound to follow the said Article 370, Ram Mandir and ‘Hindu Rashtra’ development due to one more reason that the militant Jihadis and global terrorists (like ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and various such organizations in Pakistan) are there in India’s neighbourhood (including in Sri Lanka as is evident from last month’s attack on Church by Jihadi terrorists in Sri Lanka in which 258 were killed and above 500 were injured).

If some people have any confusion about the political goal of BJP then the fielding of Sadhvi Pragya (an accused of terrorist blast which has been termed in political discourse as Hindutva/saffron terrorism) as its candidate from Bhopal (where she has won because Muslims are not defending Secularism) is ample prove that BJP is heading towards ‘Hindu Rashtra’. Here it is pertinent to add that in the interest of rule-of-law I have been repeatedly asking Indian Muslims (to move SCI for restoration of Babri Masjid) through national and international media including in a prominent Islamic Indian newspapers but Muslims have not done so which can only be due to one reason that Muslims do not want to protect modern and progressive Secularism in India and instead want India also (like most of the Muslim countries) to become a medieval and oppressive Theocratic State, the ‘Hindu Rashtra’.

Some people may say that why Islam will want the huge loss of lives, blood, and properties of innocent and gullible Indian Muslims, then they do not know anything about Islam. In a nutshell by not filing said six writ petitions (like other most of the Muslim countries from AF-Pak-Kashmir to NAME region where tens of millions of Muslims are bleeding and weeping profusely) the ‘Qurbani’ (martyrdom) liking/preferring Islam has succeeded in bringing huge bloodshed to India too in very near future (especially if Indian Muslims do not wake-up even now and do not file said 6 writ petitions in the Courts).

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Telangana drafts Blockchain policy to offer incentives, lands at subsidised rates to firms and startups

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Web Team
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Blockchain Policy Telangana
Image Courtesy: Agency

Land at subsidised rates, funding of research and regulatory and policy support are among the features of Telangana government’s draft Blockchain Policy aimed at wooing firms and startups in the field to set up shop in the state.

Land will be allotted at subsidised rates to Blockchain companies by Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited,” according to the policy which seeks to position Telangana as the Blockchain capital of the country.

The guidelines specified for regular ICT (Information and Communication Technology) companies in terms of annual revenue, investment promises, employment creation promises would be partially relaxed for Blockchain firms, it said.

Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that stores information across multiple systems securely and such data stored and distributed cannot be copied, hacked or tampered with. Records can only be appended.

The state government has conceptualised the country’s first ‘Blockchain District’, which will be a physical area within Hyderabad, aimed at creating the ecosystem.

It will house all major Blockchain technology companies, a huge incubator and a world-class facility for promoting research, innovation and industry collaboration.

“This one of its kind initiative will aim to put all Blockchain companies based out of Hyderabad at a strategically advantageous position globally,” the draft policy released on May 17 said.

It proposed 25 per cent subsidy on lease rentals up to Rs 5 lakh per annum for the first 3 years of operations. The government will provide office space to house all the Blockchain start-ups, co-working and incubation spaces at highly subsidised prices.

An international liaison office of the Blockchain district will be set up to collaborate with international players to bring in investments and for exchange of knowledge and practices, the policy said.

The government will fund research programs in Blockchain technology by setting up research chairs in select premier institutes and fund research scholars working in the domain.

Quoting market reports, the draft policy said Blockchain in 2030 could generate USD 3 trillion per annum in business value and power 10-20 per cent of the global economic infrastructure by then.

The World Economic Forum anticipates that 10 per cent of global GDP will be stored on the Blockchain by 2025. last year, Telangana had signed an agreement with Tech Mahindra to launch the Blockchain district.

Tech Mahindra as a founding member of the Blockchain district will provide platform and technology assistance to all the incubators and will also empower accelerators to develop and solve market problems across its global customer ecosystem.

Telangana will provide regulatory and policy support to enable and promote Blockchain growth, it added.

Letters to the Editor: 26 May, 2019

By
Web Team
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FEATURE LETTER DIARY 679x400 e1553672678487

Rahul Gandhi’s pre-scripted resignation drama

It refers to post-poll meeting of Congress Working Committee CWC held in New Delhi where happenings were on expected lines that Rahul Gandhi owning responsibility of big poll-defeat would offer to resign to be subsequently rejected by CWC.

It was despite the fact that Rahul Gandhi himself admitted his big fault by succumbing to pressures of its three senior leaders Ashok Gehlot, Kamalnath and P Chidambaram by giving their sons party-tickets. It is noteworthy that out of very few Congress-wins in north India, son of Kamal Nath was able to win. At the same time, Rahul Gandhi overlooked his own case that he himself as Congress President was product of dynastic party-tradition.

Congress has history that its most successful Prime Minister was P V Narsimha Rao who was perhaps the only rare example to run a minority government for full five-year term but was insulted after his death by not allowing his dead body to enter Congress headquarters. Everyone knows that Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee despite being the most capable prime ministerial candidate, was not crowned on the post because party-owner Nehru-Gandhi family did not trust him to be a loyal to the great political family of India. Even Sardar Patel who was not given due respect by his own party, was honoured adequately by BJP.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

 

The govt should start delivering now

As the nation has now given a clear mandate to BJP ruled NDA alliance, it is high time now that this majority party in power puts the country’s focus quickly back on track. The governance and development issues which had taken a back seat for over two months, owing to enforcement of Model Code of Conduct, now needs an immediate attention. The pomp and glory of election victory should immediately subside by giving due importance to further necessary steps to quickly form the new incumbent government.

The steps related to form the new government i.e. mammoth cabinet formation, ministries berth allocation, appointment of key officers to various ministries to spearhead the functioning of various departments and also to fast-track various on-going development programmes/ welfare schemes should be accorded on priority. The nation now has no time to patiently wait for victory speeches, ceremonies and celebrations to get over. A delay in formation of the new government, if it is still under jubilation, may further jeopardize a common voter’s morale on the ground who otherwise expects a speedy day-to-day functioning of the government machinery.(i.e. post elections).

The incumbent government should now set an example of moving to business as usual quickly, which is now an easy task to NDA upon its second successive win. Many core issues now need an immediate attention including working out a strategy on oil import with Iran and sanctions imposed by US, clarifying the stand on distorted unemployment data, impeding agrarian crisis and much more. The much expected quicker government formation move may perhaps lead to get all the newly elected political representatives of Lok Sabha up and running without much delay and ensure that the nation too leaps back to normalcy in a quick succession.

Varun Dambal

 

Better living against all odds

The general elections are over and the newly elected members mostly new comers are gearing up for a fresh innings as member of parliament. Mumbai is the commercial capital and hence the expectations of the people are too many. Mumbaikars are enthusiastic and it is a matter of concern for them to get best transport system with less commuting problems. The local train movements are creating chaos and confusion and the people need better facilities in their daily travel. The coastal road proposal is taking shape and it should touch the corridors of the main city for an easy commute system. The traffic snarls in important pockets needs to be given a free ride with flyovers, under passes and freeways. The population is increasing and it is high time the facilities should also be updated accordingly. Cleanliness is next to godliness and the Mumbaikars need good civic amenities to avoid Cholera, Dengue and Malaria. Again, monsoon season is fast approaching and desliting work is to be done on war footing to avoid water logging in focal points. Hospitals in Mumbai need to have sufficient beds and medicines to face any situation at a short notice. In all we expect best facilities under the new rule and having elected all members from one party it is up to the representatives to work in unison to make the city more amenable to all the basic facilities and to give a face lift for a better living against all odds.

M.R. Jayanthi

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

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Modi is a strongman and people possibly love him — Part II

By
Vinod Dixit
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Modi
Image Courtesy: Bbc.com

For the last five years, the government has launched one scheme after another and initiated many welfare measures. Modi took big and difficult decisions which were both appreciated and criticised. Developments like cleanliness campaign, the building of toilets, surgical air strikes against terrorists in Pakistan’s territory, pro-active approach against terrorism, Jan Dhan Yojana, Good and Services Tax (GST), Demonetisation were the chief hallmarks of the Modi regime. It was rightly said that Modi will be judged on his bold steps in the upcoming election, which may be like a referendum on his policies. Modi is lucky to be blessed with so weak an opposition — a ragtag coalition of parties, led by the Congress, with no agenda other than to defeat him. He gave reservation to economically backward upper-caste families, a measure designed to retain the traditional vote base of his party. Money for farmers, targeted cash transfers to the poor and a budget full of goodies for different sections of society soothed frayed nerves of voters.

He will now continue to be the tallest leader of the country as his charisma has continued to influence a large number of voters now. Modi is the first Indian prime minister to attack Pakistan in its own territory, on its own sovereign soil. It is clear that India’s air strikes on the Balakot region in Pakistan in the aftermath a deadly attack on a military convoy in Pulwama district of Indian-administered Kashmir managed to reverse the downward trend in Modi’s popularity ratings. After the Pulwama attack, however, Modi’s rating shot up to 62 per cent, as he rode on the “revenge” wave that swept through the country. Modi’s bold airstrikes won popular acclaim and boosted his popularity. India had had the most hardworking government ever, which rolled out more than 133 schemes and interacted systematically with the beneficiaries to understand how they had been received and how they could be improved. Though Modi failed to fulfil his 2014 campaign promise in some of the schemes he has launched to bring the “good days ahead” and an era of nation-wide prosperity, he still left his mark on India. He is keeping the nation secure and keeping India’s head high. In his victory speech, Modi has given a good message that “There were only two castes in India now. The poor and those who want to work to bring them out of poverty. We need to empower both.”

Modi had rightly asserted that the BJP-led NDA was coming back to power with a thumping majority and added saying that “These ‘maha-milawati log’ (in reference to Mahagatbandhan leaders) are busy abusing me. The more they abuse me, the more lotus will bloom.”  A government with a full majority has once again come back after remaining in power for five years. The BJP had been making strenuous effort to gain hold in Left-ruled states and has been playing the caste and community cards. The historic victory for Modi is a stepping stone in the Indian political arena. As Lotus blooms once again, one cannot deny the fact the combo of Modi card and Amit Shah’s strategy playing the role at the background for such a historic win.

BJP and Modi got a full majority because every citizen believes that India is safe in PM Modi’s hands. He has made India reach great heights for the Army and the poor people. He has improved India’s image. With farming in crisis, unemployment on the rise and growing fears that India is heading for a recession, the economy will the biggest and challenging issue for BJP.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

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Close aid of Smriti Irani, who campaigned for her in Amethi, shot dead; suspect held

By
Web Team
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BJP Amethi Murder 1
Image Courtesy: Twitter

A former village head, known to be close to the newly elected BJP MP Smriti Irani, was shot dead in Baraulia village in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi district on Sunday.

Surendra Singh was killed by the bike-borne assailants while he was sleeping outside his house.

Singh was taken to the district hospital from where he was referred to Lucknow. He succumbed to his injuries while on his way.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amethi Rajesh Kumar said that some people have been detained in connection with the murder and further investigations are on.

Sources said that Singh had worked for Irani during the recently concluded general elections.

One suspect arrested

Suspects have been detained in connection with the murder of the BJP leader.

“We have detained some suspects in the case. We are getting more information and are acting on it,” Amethi’s Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar told reporters.

The police are looking into all aspects of the killing, including political rivalry.

“Since he had been a village chief, it seems to be a fallout of an old rivalry. We are not ruling out a political rivalry and are looking into all aspects of the case,” the police said.

Centre to soon bring single authority for sanctioning and processing GST refunds

By
Web Team
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GST Refund
Image Courtesy: a2ztaxcorp.com

A single authority for sanctioning and processing GST refunds is in the offing as the Finance Ministry looks to speed up and simplify the process for exporters, an official said.

The current mechanism entails a twin refund sanctioning authority of the central and state tax officers but that could well change by August when the proposed new structure involving a single authority comes in place.

As per the system being worked out by the Revenue Department, the taxpayer will get full refund from his jurisdictional officer once the claim is sanctioned, while at the back-end the Centre and states will apportion the amount to be paid to each other.

Currently, once a taxpayer files refund claim with the jurisdictional tax authority, say the central tax officer, then he would clear 50 per cent of the claims, and the remaining is cleared by the state tax officers after further scrutiny.

A similar system is followed when a taxpayer approaches the state tax officers for Goods and Services Tax (GST) refunds. Thus, the time taken to clear the entire refund amount gets longer, leading to liquidity crunch for exporters — an issue that the proposed single mechanism for refund clearing intends to fix.

Under the proposed ‘single authority mechanism’, once a refund claim is filed with a tax officer, whether Centre or state, the officer will check, assess and sanction full tax refund (both Central GST and State GST portion), thereby removing difficulties faced by the taxpayers. This will later get adjusted/settled amongst the two tax authorities through internal account adjustments.

Currently, the two authorities settling the same refund claims adds to unnecessary complexities and inconvenience for the taxpayers. It has been seen that even after sanction/payment of refund by concerned jurisdictional tax officer, the counterpart tax authority at times tends to delay the GST refund.

As per the formula for division of GST assessees decided by the GST Council, state tax officials administer and control 90 per cent of the assessees below Rs 1.5 crore annual turnover, and the remaining 10 per cent is with the central tax officers.

The Centre and states share control of those assessees with annual turnover of over Rs 1.5 crore in 50:50 ratio.

Commenting on the move, AMRG & Associates Partner Rajat Mohan said: “A single window tax refund in a federal, democratic economy would be a massive jump in ease of doing business. Inter government tax adjustments have to be done on month-on-month basis to avert any possibility of temporary revenue deficit to a particular government.

A day after appointed PM, Narendra Modi calls on Vice President

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Web Team
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Modi Meet Vice President Naidu 1
Source: Twitter

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. According to sources, it was a courtesy call. PM Modi reached the vice president house in New Delhi to meet Naidu this morning.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu tweeted, “Narendra Bhai Modi ji called on me today morning. I greeted him on being elected as the leader of NDA and the next Prime Minister. Over breakfast, we discussed many issues including accelerating development and strengthening Parliamentary institutions.”

PM Modi was unanimously elected NDA parliamentary party leader at a meeting on Saturday. After this, President Ram Nath Kovind appointed him prime minister for a second term. PM Modi asked coalition members of NDA to work without discrimination, stressing on the need to win the trust of minorities. It is remarkable that in the general election, PM Modi led NDA to a landslide victory with the alliance winning 353 seats. His party the BJP alone won 303 seats which is unprecedented.

 

In pictures: Hundreds of Taiwanese same-sex couples wed at a vibrant banquet

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Web Team
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gay couple Shane Lin Marc Yuan
Taiwan’s first gay couple Shane Lin (L) and Marc Yuan kiss outside the Household Registration Office in Shinyi district in Taipei on May 24,2019. Taiwan’s first official same-sex weddings kicked off in a landmark moment for LGBT rights in Asia. Source: Sam YEH / AFP

More than 1,000 people have attended a mass wedding banquet in Taiwan‘s capital to celebrate the marriage of same-sex couples after a landmark decision legalising the unions.

marriage of same sex couples
Attendees pose for photographs during a pro-same-sex marriage party organized by the Taipei City government and Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan in Taipei on Friday. (Image Courtesy: Ashley Pon/Bloomberg News)

Taiwan became the first place in Asia to recognise same-sex marriage last week following a vote by the island’s legislature.

registering for same sex marriage
A couple holding identity cards poses for photographs while registering for marriage at a Household Registration Office. (Image Courtesy: Ashley Pon/Bloomberg News)

LGBT couples clad in flowing white gowns and matching suits gathered in Taipei on Saturday evening to walk down a red carpet flanked by cheering supporters.

Same Sex Same Love
Signs reading “Same Sex, Same Love” are displayed on a table during a pro same-sex marriage party organized by the Taipei City government and Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan. (Image Courtesy: Ashley Pon/Bloomberg)

They were honoured in a gala that featured an emcee who wished them “100 years of happiness.” A drag queen also performed with a group of scantily clad men. Taiwan split with mainland China amid a civil war in 1949. China’s ruling Communist Party considers the island part of its territory.

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