Over 2,300 Muslim women from India will go on Hajj this year without ‘Mehram’ or male companion as all those who applied under this category have been exempted from the lottery system, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Wednesday.
The Modi government had last year allowed women going to Hajj without Mehram which had resulted in about 1,300 Muslim women going for the pilgrimage without any male companion. They had been exempted from the lottery system. While, Naqvi inaugurating the new office space of Haj Division at RK Puram here said that for the first time after the Independence, 2,340 Muslim women have applied to go on Haj in 2019 without Mehram. This year too, on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Minority Affairs Ministry has made arrangement to send these women on Haj without the lottery system.
Women from all states are among the 2,340 that have applied to go on Haj in 2019 without Mehram. More than 2,67,000 applications had been received for Haj this year out of which 1,64,902 applications have been submitted online. A lottery is conducted to select the pilgrims as there is a fixed quota allotted by Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage. A record number of 1,75,025 Muslims, including about 48 per cent women from India performed Haj in 2018 that too was without any subsidy, Naqvi said.
Naqvi further added that, Reduction in GST on Haj pilgrimage will ensure significant decrease in air fare from various embarkation points. Making the Haj process digital has helped in making it transparent and pro-pilgrims. With the Goods and Services Tax on Haj pilgrimage reduced from 18 per cent to 5 per cent, about Rs 113 crore will be saved by Haj pilgrims this year.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs, in cooperation with Saudi Arabia Haj Consulate, Haj Committee of India and other agencies concerned has completed preparations for the pilgrimage three months before the schedule to ensure that the pilgrimage is more comfortable for the pilgrims.
Hospital chain ‘Paras Healthcare’ is investing Rs 500 crore to add 830 beds in 2019, a top company official said on Wednesday.
We are investing Rs 500 crore to add 830 beds in 2019 across our three hospitals. This includes 232 beds in our Panchkula hospital which we have just opened, Paras Healthcare Managing Director Dharminder Nagar told PTI.
The multi speciality hospital in Panchkula is a part of the company’s expansion plan for the year. The company will also be opening a hospital in Ranchi with 350 beds during the year and will be adding 250 beds in another hospital. The hospital in Ranchi is being set up in partnership with Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC), Nagar said without disclosing the location of the hospital.
When asked how the company is funding the expansion, Nagar said: This is mainly through equity which we have raised. The company had raised USD 42 million (around Rs 275 crore) in July 2017 from private equity firm Creador. The rest would be through debt.
The company follows an asset light model and its focus has always been to serve the middle class and to manage the quality and be cost effective. The company has hospitals in Gurugram, Patna, Darbhanga and Panchkula, he added.
The win of Congress in three big states has increased the reputation and significance of Congress is also big, that even in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the BSP alliance is formed with the Congress in the two states If there is unity in Congress in Uttar Pradesh, even political analyst says that if Congress is successful in the states, Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav will not be able to ignore the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, which became the fourth largest power in the Uttar Pradesh, they can become a factor and in Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati and Akhilesh can force the Congress to join this alliance for the kind of union that Congress and Rahul Gandhi played an important role in Bihar; this alliance was defeated by Modi and Amit Shah’s pair and now in the same year in Uttar Pradesh in 2019. Now only we can say that united We stand divided We fall.
Hafiz Muhammad Ilyas
Happy Pongal
Pongal, also referred to as the ‘harvest festival’, is observed by the people of Tamil Nadu, located in the Southern part of India. The idea behind celebrating this day is the gratification of people towards their God — the Sun, for bringing about the season of harvest, which is a boon for them.
A few day before the festival, people particularly the women, cleans and decorates the whole house with flowers. They use swastik and kumkum to embellish big earthen vessels. The pit is filled with water and rice by either the youngest or the oldest member of the family. As per the traditions, it is of paramount importance to add some milk to water in which rice is cooked which is to be offered to the sun. People who get involved in cooking rice for the God have to take utmost care of cleanliness. They are not supposed to step over the rangoli which has been designed for decoration.
Jubel D’Cruz
Historic 10% quota bill cleared
Central government cleared 10 per cent quota bill and it ensures wider canvas for our Youngistan to display their talent and contribute towards India’s transformation in the years to come. Thus, the government’s historic 10 per cent quota bill for economically weaker section cleared in Rajya Sabha with a clear margin and the so called Opposition unity came cropper. It was a master stroke by Modi and that will be in effect once President give his nod it will become a reality. The government termed this legislation as a shot in the arm and the timing was fashioned towards the fag end of its tenure and considered by the ruling partners as a slog over six. The opposition unity came cropper in the end game and the gathbandhan members call it a foul despite approval in Parliament and Rajya Sabha with a clear verdict.
Arati Abhishek
Bus strike paralysed city
BEST bus strike paralysed the city and daily commuters suffered the most. It is not fair on the part of the Public Transport system to make people suffer for their demands. Long queues were witnessed in most part of the city and that gave a bad picture. Both ladies and school going children suffered the most. Senior Citizens and people with health problems stood for a very long time to get a bus or any other transport for going to their destination. The city was caught napping by a near total strike by the BEST drivers and conductors. Lakhs of daily commuters, including students appearing for their exams had to trudge to the nearest Railway Station as the Government failed to provide alternate transport. Thus, BEST strike not only paralysed the city and it almost came stand still as alternate transport was not available and local trains was the only last resort to commute within the city.
Akhilesh Krishnan
Historic Series win
Team India script history and that too in Australian soil with a series win and that too 70 years of test match cricket down under. There is no excuse that the Australian side was weak of just an A team of the Kangaroos. The win by Kohli’s men is counted as an historic win and each and every player contributed to this win. Ashwin, who played only at Adelaide managed 62 runs stand with Pujara in the first test and that paved way for a 31 runs victory to begin with. Ashwin took four vital wickets in the first innings and that put an end to an Australian resurgence in the series. The other two spinners also performed well in the final test to have a firm like grip and an unassailable lead in the series. Both Agarwal and Pujara played to a plan to put up huge score and that neutralised the chances of Australia making a comeback in the series. In all it was team work that made the difference and the Aussies were just push over in a fierce fight.
Kudos to Kohli’s invincible side!
Jayanthi Chitra Rugmini
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Reservation and corruption are stumbling blocks contributing to deprivation of eligible candidates in our system. Representation of minorities should be banned and substitute monopoly of the intelligentsia. When you give a dole to someone you deprive him of his dignity, when you deprive someone of his dignity you rob someone of his destiny. Give infrastructure to live and develop rather than pickpocketing non-reserved classes.
Vote bank politics does not sustain, the example portrayed by the genuflection and decimation of an omnipotent national party into parroting by frail dispensation stammering Rafael in sleep. It is moral. Stop communistic preferences in the delivery of quota. Stop representation of minorities. Enforce monopoly of the intelligentsia. We should progress. National burdens are to be removed and it is time to rehabilitate them in some work-oriented programmes, rather than fielding them in undeserving quarters. Let us strive hard to bring up everybody with good facilities for coaching and opportunities for employment. It is also necessary to increase facilities for skill development. It is time to take care on the reservation.
The need for more reservation only enforces the point that job and economic growth has failed to provide alternate avenues of employment. This will neither increase the number of jobs in government nor address the faulty recruitment processes. With 50 per cent reservation itself the merit is compromised. Now with 60 per cent, that will be compromised more. There can be following ways to deal with this dilemma:-
1) Let the Apex Court review and reconsider its previous approach. There has to be a limit on how long a person can remain in backward class, though he may have been born one.
2) OBC quota is too big at 27 per cent. Instead of raising the reservation to 60 per cent, keep it at 50 per cent like it was and bring the OBC quota at par with other reserved categories, to around 10 per cent and give the additional approx 15 per cent so created to the upper caste poor.
3) Remove caste-based reservations altogether to make India a reservation-free country. But to all the poor, give everything like books and study material free, no fees should be charged to them. But in any case, merit should not be compromised either in admissions to colleges or universities or in jobs.
Earlier it has already been said that reservation cannot be granted on economic terms alone because it will be against the fundamental character of the reservation i.e., forwarding the suppressed castes of past. How can it be allowed now? In India 70 per cent of the population earns around 2 lakh/year, so how come 8 lakhs is economically backward? Either remove the caste reservation at all and convert it into the class reservation for all of 50 per cent or give this reservation only within already 50 per cent reserved. Both cannot be done together. Otherwise, it amounts to a negative reservation or reverse reservation which is illegal.
It is time to abolish all kind of caste-based reservations. Now, the reservation should be given only based on the lesser number of children in a family, ex-servicemen and differently enabled people. Past 71 years of vote bank politics initiated delivery of quota that aggravated communal tensions. Misinterpretation regarding social backwardness and economic deprivation made terrible imbalances between logic and madness.
Thousand years of untouchability is fictitious and it pertains to monarchy followed by colonialism. There was no nation, no citizens. We were mere subjects of some idiotic monarch. We rather our forefathers lived in utter poverty dispossession deprivation subjugation and it all was due to monarchy and colonialism. When 10 years of privilege was purposed regarding quota for tribals, the Congress veterans misused it in all respects, extended to rich, saying social deprivation does not absolve economic development,which impacted the lives of poor of unreserved classes.
The ultimate solution for racial discrimination is to ban quota and corruption so that meritorious can access deserving platforms. Bring monopoly of intelligentsia against representation of minorities. A contrivance to equality of opportunities and breach of consumer right to choose best service goods are fallouts of misinterpretation of secularism and vote bank politics. Social backwardness can be solved when one becomes rich through monopolistic elements swear against it, they want to enjoy undeserving enrichment by accessing platforms regardless of merit.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday demanded that the sedition law be scrapped as those in power are “manipulating” it. He also called for a change in the government to save the country.
Real sedition is when those in power manipulate institutions, misuse the law, breach peace and security by inciting violence. Punish them in 2019. ‘Sarkar badlo Desh bachao’ (change government, save country), Sibal said on Twitter.
His reaction come two days after former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and others were slapped sedition charges in a charge sheet filed in the court.
The “Lost in Translation” team of actor Bill Murray and director Sofia Coppola are reuniting for a new project. Coppola, 47, is set to direct A24 and Apple’s first collaboration “On the Rocks”, sources said.
Murray, 68, will star alongside actor Rashida Jones in the film which is being described as a father and daughter tale. The story follows a young mother who reconnects with her larger than life playboy father on an adventure through New York.
Their maiden collaboration, “Lost in Translation” had fetched Coppola an original screenwriting Oscar while Murray was nominated for best actor. The duo also worked together on 2015 Netflix holiday special “A Very Murray Christmas”.
Coppola will also produce the project along with Youree Henley, while her brother Roman Coppola and Mitch Glazer will serve as executive producers. Production will start in coming months in New York City.
The Shiv Sena on Wednesday said that the BJP has no moral right to criticise student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who has been charged with sedition, after teaming up with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir. The Sena also asked the ruling BJP to refrain from taking political mileage from the sedition case against Kumar, a former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students’ Union.
The BJP committed a “sin” by aligning with People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti, it said, claiming that she considered Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru as a martyr. The BJP was part of the PDP-led government in Jammu and Kashmir but pulled out of the coalition last year.
The Delhi Police had on Monday filed a charge sheet in a court against Kanhaiya Kumar and others, saying that he was leading a procession and supported seditious slogans raised on the JNU campus in February 2016.
The BJP committed the biggest sin of aligning with Mehbooba Mufti, who considers Afzal Guru a freedom fighter and a martyr. Now the BJP, for its own benefit should not try and take political mileage out of the sedition case filed against Kanhaiya. A terrorist like Ajmal Kasab, convicted in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack case was given a chance by court to defend himself, it said, and expressed hope that Kumar would also be given a chance to present his case. If the allegations against him are not true, they will not stand in court, said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, which is an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra.
Kanhaiya Kumar speaks well. Since he represents the harried and unemployed youth, he cannot give slogans hailing Afzal Guru or independence for Kashmir. Anyway, what moral right does the BJP have to condemn Kanhaiya Kumar?” it asked.
The Sena wondered if the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the RSS, was unable to win elections in JNU as voting there was not held through the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Maharashtra BJP minister Girish Mahajan recently claimed that he will show his ‘magic’ wherever he is sent and make sure his party wins polls. We request the BJP to send him to JNU to defeat the anti-nationals there. But tell him that elections in JNU are not held through EVMs,” it said in sarcastic remarks.
Streaming giant Netflix has renewed comedy series “Grace and Frankie” for a sixth season. The show features veteran actors Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as two friends who are brought together after their husbands announce that they are in love with each other and plan to get married.
The series renewal comes days before the fifth season premieres on the streaming giant platform, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The show, which has been created by Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris, started on Netflix in May 2015.
The fifth season will start streaming on Netflix on January 18.
Defending champion Roger Federer reached the Australian Open third round for a 20th straight year on Wednesday but was made to battle hard by Britain’s Dan Evans before winning 7-6 (7/5) 7-6 (7/3) 6-3.
The ageless 20-time Grand Slam champion, who is gunning for a record seventh Melbourne Park title and third in a row, had breezed past Denis Istomin in the first round, but was given a much tougher examination by the world number 189.
“I think if I could have pulled away early in the match it might have been different,” said the 37-year-old Swiss master who needed 2hr 35min to get past his 28-year-old opponent.
Evans, whose ranking plummeted from a career-high 41 after he was slapped with a year-long ban for testing positive to cocaine in April 2017, played almost flawless tennis to stave off a set point on his way to forcing a first set tie-break.
He even had the temerity to lead 5-3 in the breaker before Federer stepped up a gear and reeled off the next four points with a cry of “Come on!” as he secured a hard-fought opening set after exactly one hour.
It was harsh on Evans who had committed only two unforced errors and constantly put the third seed under pressure with his scampering, attacking game and flurry of winners off both wings.
The plucky Evans, who had covered acres of ground and found the lines brilliantly, needed treatment for blisters on both feet before the second set started and immediately was broken.
But he refused to lie down and broke back as Federer served for the set to force another tie-break.
“I thought I might have pulled away midway through the second set,” added Federer.
“But I couldn’t, to his credit. He played well.”
The Swiss star hasn’t often needed luck during his unparallelled career but he took advantage of some in the third set to finally ease the pressure.
Holding break point at 2-1, he barely scooped up a half-volley which grabbed the net cord and toppled over forcing Evans to go long.
A service game to love followed to put Federer 4-1 up and the brave resistance of Evans was finally broken.
The veteran will next play either France’s Gael Monfils, seeded 30, or American Taylor Fritz in the last 32.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear next week a plea by an NGO challenging the January 10 order of the government appointing IPS officer M Nageswara Rao as interim director of the CBI. The matter was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner NGO Common Cause and RTI activist Anjali Bhardwaj, appealed to the bench, also comprising Justices N L Rao and and S K Kaul, to hear the plea this Friday. The CJI told Bhushan that it was “definitely not possible” to hear the matter on Friday and the plea would be heard next week. CBI’s Additional Director Rao was given the charge of interim chief on January 10 till the appointment of a new director after a high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed Alok Kumar Verma as the chief of the probe agency on charges of corruption and dereliction of duty.
