Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Gujarat | Image: Agencies
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to the tribals who were massacred by the British army in 1913 in Mangarh in Rajasthan.
Modi, who will address a gathering of Bhil adivasis and members of other tribes at the Mangarh Dham in Banswara district, has also declared the memorial a national monument.
At the event, the prime minister shared the dais with Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat chief ministers Ashok Gehlot, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Bhupendra Patel.
Prime Minister Modi has declared the dham a national monument, according to a government statement issued on Tuesday. ”PM @narendramodi declares Mangarh Dham as National Monument, #Rajasthan,” the Press Information Bureau (PIB) tweeted.
Addressing the event Gujarat Chief Minister Patel claimed that the massacre of tribals at Mangarh in 1913 was more gruesome than that at Jallianwala Bagh in Punjab, while his Rajasthan counterpart Gehlot said Modi gets respect in the world because he is the prime minister of a country where the roots of democracy have been strong. ‘
‘When Modi goes abroad, he gets so much respect. Why he gets the respect, he gets the respect because Modi is the prime minister of a country that is the country of Gandhi, roots of democracy are deeper and even after 70 years, democracy is alive. People know this and give respect,” Gehlot said.
The dham, a memorial for around 1,500 tribals massacred by the British army in 1913, is located in the district on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border, a region with a large tribal population. The gathering of tribals and forest dwellers in 1913 in Mangarh against the British Raj was being led by social reformer Govind G
Former Tata Steel MD Jamshed J Irani who was widely known as the “Steel Man of India” passed away late on Monday in Jamshedpur’s Tata Main Hospital.
He was 86 and is survived by his wife Daisy and three children. “We are deeply saddened at the demise of Padma Bhushan Dr Jamshed J Irani, fondly known as the Steel Man of India. Tata Steel family offers its deepest condolences to his family and loved ones,” Tata Steel tweeted.
Irani, 83, retired from the board of Tata Steel back in June 2011.
Irani had contributed tremendously to the Indian Industry, the steel business and the Tatas for over four decades. He began his career in 1963 as a senior scientific officer at the British Iron and Steel Research Association, Sheffield. On his return to India in 1968, he joined Tata Steel as assistant to the director (R&D).
In 1979, he was appointed General Manager and President in 1985. He became the Managing Director in 1992, a position he held till July 2001.
An M.Sc in Geology from Nagpur University, Irani has a doctorate certificate from the University of Sheffield, UK. Irani was also conferred upon Padma Bhushan – the third-highest civilian award. “Received the sad news of the passing of Dr JJ Irani, former MD of Tata Steel, I have a close relationship with him, he will always be remembered as an able administrator and a great leader, may God bless the departed soul and give peace to the family members. Give courage, peace,” Banna Gupta, health minister of Jharkhand expressed his condolences on Irani’s demise through a tweet.
Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra, Chief Minister | Image: Twitter
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde has announced a compensation of Rs 5 Lakh to the deceased families of people who were killed at SUV car hit case on Monday around evening.
People at Solapur district near sangole town of Maharashtra where speeding SUV hit a group of 32 warkari (Pilgrims) in which seven people were killed and five others are injured.
As per the report the injured people were rushed to the hospital. SUV was being driven by a 75-year-old man whose car met the accident. The car had lost control hit the people who were walking at roadside.
Solapur Superintendent of Police Shirish Sardespande stated that “ The incident took place around morning were pilgrims at the roadside were walking towards lord Vitthal temple at Pandharpur”.
Women, Aghanistan, Protest,, Kabul | Image: Agencies/Representative
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August last year, restrictions on the basic rights of women have become a global concern as a result of which a group of women staged a protest in Kabul to express their concerns about the continued effective ban on female students over 6th grade and on female employment, TOLO News reported.
The women protesters called on the Taliban to work for women and to allow girls above grade six to learn as the organization’s rule has only added to the poverty in the country.
“We call on the United Nations and the international community to pay attention to us and save women from these violations of their rights,” said Marghalare, a former employee of the Ministry of Interior.
Due to a lack of employment and Taliban atrocities women in Afghanistan have become tragic sufferers as there are limitations on education. The women protesters held a protest and showed their educational documents as a sign of protest, and asked the government for jobs and education.
“The document that we have in our hands is useless because all of us are at home and do not have any jobs,” said Shokorya, a protester, TOLO news reported.
After the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, they immediately began rolling back the rights of women and girls.
Women began to protest on the streets since Taliban’s first week in power, despite the grave risks they faced in doing so.
According to Human Rights Watch, the Taliban response was brutal from the beginning, beating protesters, disrupting protests, and detaining and torturing journalists covering the demonstrations.
The Taliban also banned unauthorized protests. Over time, the Taliban’s abusive responses escalated, with a particularly brutal response to a protest on January 16 in Kabul, when Taliban members threatened, intimidated, and physically assaulted protesters, using pepper spray and electric shock devices.
Notably, the situation of human rights in Afghanistan has worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s return to power in August last year.
Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated, especially against women and minorities.
Besides this, the continuously soaring prices of food products in the country have emerged as a new challenge for Afghans. In a span of one year, food prices have almost doubled, reported Khaama Press
The Maharashtra government has decided to continue the Y plus security cover to all the 41 MLAs and 10 MPs belonging to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s camp even three months after the new government was formed, an official said on Monday.
This decision was taken based on inputs given by the intelligence department. A review meeting was held by the state police last week which decided to continue the security to these legislators.
“The state home department has decided to continue providing Y+ security to all the 41 MLAs of chief minister Eknath Shinde’s camp as well as to 10 MPs. The decision was taken based on inputs given by the intelligence department,” the police official said.
Under Y+ security, four security personnel will guide the protectee in two shifts along with a security vehicle. The Maharashtra government recently removed the “categorised” security cover of 25 leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.
Those who lost security cover include several former Cabinet ministers.
The security cover of Uddhav Thackeray, the previous chief minister, and his family has been retained.
The security cover of Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar and his family including his daughter and Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule too has been retained, but that of some other NCP leaders including Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal and jailed Anil Deshmukh has been removed.
They have been home ministers in the past. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajit Pawar (NCP) and fellow NCP leader Dilip Walse- Patil, who was home minister in the previous MVA government, too have been given ‘Y-plus-escort’ cover. The other leaders who lost categorised security cover included Nawab Malik (NCP), Vijay Wadettiwar, Balasaheb Thorat, Nana Patole, Satej Patil (all Congress), Bhaskar Jadhav (Shiv Sena), Dhanajay Munde (NCP), Sunil Kedare (Congress), Narhari Zirwal (NCP) and Varun Sardesai (Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Eknath Khadse (NCP), Anil Parab and Sanjay Raut (both Shiv Sena UBT). Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Prithviraj Chavan, both former chief ministers, have been provided ‘Y category’ security, officials had said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said he had asked Independent MLA Bacchu Kadu to support the June rebellion of Eknath Shinde. Shinde’s rebellion led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government on June 29.
Shinde was sworn in as chief minister the next day with Bharatiya Janata Party’s Fadnavis as his deputy. Incidentally, the BJP’s top brass, including Fadnavis and then state unit chief Chandrakant Patil, have, so far, been maintaining the rebellion was caused by internal strife in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena and that it had done nothing to precipitate matters.
Responding to a question related to the war of words between Kadu and Independent MLA Ravi Rana over bribery allegations, Fadnavis said, “Independent MLA Bacchu Kadu had gone to Guwahati with Eknath Shinde on my phone call. I called him and told him we need your support and participation in the formation of the new government. Thus, he went there and joined.” Kadu, a junior minister in Thackeray’s government, had joined Shinde in Surat and later flew to Guwahati. Rana has alleged Kadu, who heads the Prahar Janshakti Party, accepted money to join the Shinde group.
The Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government came into being after the Shiv Sena and BJP bickered over the sharing of the chief ministerial tenure and parted ways.
Thackeray then joined hands with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party to form government in the state.
The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern about the ‘two-fingers test’ on the rape survivors and said that anyone conducting such tests on the victims shall be held guilty of misconduct.
The order came from a bench of justices DY Chandrachud and Hima Kohli, who restored the conviction of an accused.
The court in its judgment said that the evidence of a victim’s sexual history is not material to the case.
The bench further expressed concern about the two-fingers test stating that it is “regrettable” that it (two-finger test) is still continued today. The top court further remarked that any such test is based on an incorrect assumption that a sexually active woman cannot be raped. More details are awaited.
Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Monday assured that the state would develop more and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have already given assurances for that. “Prime Minister and Home Minister have given assurance that big projects will come to Maharashtra. The state will further develop,” Shinde said addressing a gathering after unveiling a special cover of the Indian Postal Department on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on National Unity Day.
He termed the Birla House a “historic place” and said that today is a special day as it happened first time that any chief minister has visited here. “Today we are here at this Historic place at the Birla House where Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Mahatama Gandhi used to stay. It is a special day today as it has happened for the first time that a chief minister has visited the place where Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took his last breath,” Shinde said underscoring that Patel had made a great contribution to India’s freedom.
He said that the “blueprints” for India’s independence were drawn from the Birla House and termed it his fortune to be present here for the event. Further in the address, CM Shinde also talked about the Statue of Unity in Gujarat which remarks the glory of the Iron Man of India.
He further assured that his “coalition government” in Maharashtra shall do all-round development and expressed his desire for an “industrialist like Birla” to contribute to the state’s prosperity. “Everything was stopped due to the Covid pandemic, but now the coalition government will do all-round development of Maharashtra…but we want industrialists like Birla to play role in Maharashtra’s prosperity,” he said.
He further said that the government belongs to everyone and the state should move forward. Since October 31, 2014, the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is celebrated as National Unity Day to celebrate his efforts and contributions in convincing several princely states to align with the Indian Union.
Iranian students clashed with security forces at universities across Iran on Sunday, according to the country’s activist and human rights groups. Sunday’s violence came as nationwide protests gripped the country despite threats from the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, reported CNN.
The Guard’s chief, Hossein Salami had warned young Iranians that Saturday would be the last day of the protests first sparked by the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police. On Saturday Salami called on Iranian young people specifically to desist from protesting, reported CNN. “Today is the last day of the riots. Do not come to the streets again. What do you want from this nation?” Salami said.
In a video obtained by CNN via the pro-reform activist outlet Iran Wire, two uniformed officers can be seen in what appears to be an attempt to arrest a protester. The video is said to be recorded at Sanandaj Technical College in northwestern Iran.
In the capital Tehran, activist groups claimed clashes broke out between protesters, members of the Basij militia and police officers in plain clothes at Azad University but CNN cannot independently verify whether those in the clashes are security forces.
Protests have swept through the Islamic Republic for weeks following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died on September 16 after being detained by “morality police” and taken to a “re-education center,” allegedly for not abiding by the country’s conservative dress code.
In a video posted by activist group 1500 tasvir, a large crowd of protesters can be seen, with some holding sticks. Tear gas appears to be thrown across the crowd but it’s unclear who it is thrown by.
In another video obtained by CNN via the pro-reform activist outlet IranWire, students at another university in the capital, the University of Tehran can be seen marching and chanting: “It’s not the time for mourning. It’s time for anger.” Official state news agency IRNA reported a “large gathering” of students and professors at the University of Tehran “in response to the recent events and terrorist attack on the shrine of “Shahcheragh,” which took place in the southern city of Shiraz on Wednesday.
Also, in Sanandaj, gunshots can be heard in a video posted by Kurdish rights group Hengaw, said to be recorded near the University of Kurdistan.
Activist group 1500 Tasvir also posted a video showing security forces outside another educational facility in the province, the Sanandaj Technical College for Girls on Sunday. Iran Human Right (IHRNGO), an NGO based in Norway, condemned “the encroachment of university campuses by armed plainclothes forces and the violent crackdown on peaceful student protests,” in a statement Sunday. “With the continuation of nationwide protests, Islamic Republic armed plainclothes forces have entered university campuses to violently crush and arrest protesting students,” IHRNGO said.
IHRNGO Director and University of Oslo Professor, Mahmoud Amiry-Moghaddam, called on “universities and academic institutions around the world to support student demands and condemn the outrageous violation of university campuses by Islamic Republic forces.”
The death toll in Morbi suspension bridge collapse rose to 132 on Monday, Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said, adding rescue personnel are looking for two persons believed missing.
“The rescue operation is in its last stage in the Machchhu river. It will be over soon,” the minister told reporters. “As per the latest information, 132 people lost their lives in the tragedy and two are still missing,” the minister said.
The state information department said that five teams of NDRF, six platoons of SDRF, a team of Air Force, two columns of Army, and two teams of Indian Navy apart from local rescue teams were involved in the operation that continued through the night.
The over a century-old bridge, which had reopened five days ago after extensive repairs and renovation, was crammed with people when it collapsed around 6.30 pm on Sunday.
Sanghavi told reporters at Morbi, around 300 km from the state capital, that the state government has formed a committee to probe the collapse. Eyewitnesses said there were several women and children on the British era “hanging bridge” when it snapped, plunging them into the water below.
Some people were seen jumping on the bridge and pulling its big wires, an eyewitness said, adding the bridge may have collapsed due to the “huge crowd” on it.
After the collapse, all that remained of the bridge was part of the metal carriageway hanging down from one end into the dark water, its thick cables snapped in places.
At the local hospital people formed a human chain to hold back crowds and keep the road clear for ambulances which brought those rescued. Sanghavi said a five-member high-powered committee has been formed to probe the bridge collapse.
It includes Roads and Buildings department secretary Sandeep Vasava and four other senior officers. An FIR was lodged in the bridge collapse under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (intentional act causing death) and 114 (abettor present when offence committed), against whoever is found responsible, Sanghavi said.
Due to the Diwali vacation and being a Sunday, there was a rush of tourists on the bridge, a major tourist attraction.
A private operator had carried out the repair work of the bridge for nearly six months before it was reopened to the public on the Gujarati New Year Day on October 26.
It was opened to the public after the completion of the renovation work. But the local municipality had not yet issued any fitness certificate (after the renovation work), an official said. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reached the accident site late in the night and also met those injured at the civil hospital.
The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
The National Disaster Response Force rushed three teams to Morbi district. Following the accident, Modi has cancelled his road show, scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad Monday ahead of the state Assembly polls, BJP sources said.
A “page committee sammelan”, scheduled to be held on Tuesday in Modi’s virtual presence, has been put off, they added. Congress said its Parivartan Sankalp Yatra that was to be taken out from five zones across the state on Monday has been postponed by a day following the bridge collapse.
