Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday asked the officials to draft a long-term master plan for providing housing to police personnel.
The chief minister held a meeting to take a stock of police housing schemes in the state during the day.
Police work during testing and challenging times for the safety of people and the government must ensure that they get affordable houses through state agencies such as MHADA, CIDCO, SRA as well cluster development schemes, he told in a media report.
Funds will not be a problem for such projects, Shinde said, adding, “we will consider innovative ways to raise funds.”
Youth Congress workers were detained after they staged a ‘rail roko’ protest at a station here on Wednesday against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), police said.
A group of 10-15 Mumbai Youth Congress workers stopped a Gujarat-bound express train around 10.15 am on platform no. 6 of the Borivali station, officials of the Government Railway Police (GRP) said.
The protesters shouted slogans against the Enforcement Directorate and the Narendra Modi-led central government, as Sonia Gandhi appeared before the ED in Delhi on Wednesday for the third round of questioning in a money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper.
The GRP Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel removed the protesters from the tracks within a few minutes and the train departed for its onward journey, the officials said.
The GRP then detained some of the protesters, they said.
A Western Railway spokesperson said the agitation, which was staged for a few minutes, did not affect train services as the GRP removed the protesters from tracks and detained them.
Sonia Gandhi (75) has been questioned for over eight hours till now by the ED and she has faced 65-70 questions.
The questioning pertains to the charge of alleged financial irregularities in the Congress-promoted Young Indian Private Limited, which owns the National Herald newspaper.
The Congress has slammed the ED’s action against its top leadership and termed it as “political vendetta” and “harassment”.
Telecom service providers are likely to launch 5G mobile service in the current financial year 2022-23, Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan said on Wednesday.
“The Department of Telecommunication vide notification dated June 15, 2022 has already initiated the process of Auction of Spectrum in 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300 MHz, and 26 GHz Bands which includes the Spectrum required for launch of 5G Services,” Chauhan said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Chauhan.
On the first day of the auction on Tuesday, the Department received total bids worth Rs 1.45 lakh crore.
Chauhan said the Department of Telecommunications has amended the guidelines for the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for manufacturing of telecom and networking products to facilitate design-led manufacturing of 5G products in the country.
One of the amendments is related to providing 1 percent higher incentive for products qualifying the design-led criteria. The application window has been opened from June 21, 2022 till August 5, 2022.
In addition to existing PLI beneficiaries, total 26 National/ Multinational companies have shown their interest as on July 21, 2022, the minister said.
Public interest litigation (PIL) was filed on Wednesday in the Bombay High Court challenging the Maharashtra government’s decision to change the name of Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar.
The petition filed by Mohammed Mushtaq Ahmed, Annasaheb Khandare and Rajesh More, all residents of Aurangabad, is likely to be heard by the HC on August 1.
Notably, the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government under Uddhav Thackeray had decided to rename the city Sambhajinagar in its last cabinet meeting on June 29 this year.
The new government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde earlier this month passed a fresh proposal that will see Marathwada’s biggest city being called ‘Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’.
The petition claimed that in 2001, the state government made an attempt to change the name of Aurangabad city but it was aborted.
However, the previous government led by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray unauthorisedly at its fag end raised the issue of changing the name of Aurangabad in the last cabinet meeting for “political considerations”, the plea claimed.
The present government led by CM Eknath Shinde re-affirmed the decision without taking into consideration public sentiments and in complete disregard to provisions of the Constitution, the plea further said.
The city of Aurangabad is part of history and has a rich culture, and political parties like the Shiv Sena have been trying to change the name to gain political mileage, the plea further claimed.
“The purpose behind changing the name of Aurangabad is to spread hatred among the community towards Muslims so as to gain political advantage,” the petition alleged.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met veteran industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata at his residence in Mumbai on Wednesday.
This is apparently Shinde’s courtesy meeting with the business tycoon after his swearing-in as the CM last month. After the meeting, Shinde said that Ratan Tata congratulated him and wished him all the best for his career as chief minister.
टाटा उद्योग समूहाचे सर्वेसर्वा श्री. @RNTata2000 यांची आज त्यांच्या निवासस्थानी सदिच्छा भेट घेतली.
मुख्यमंत्रीपदी निवड झाल्याबद्दल रतन टाटा यांनी माझे मनापासून अभिनंदन केले तसेच मुख्यमंत्रीपदाच्या कारकिर्दीसाठी शुभेच्छा दिल्या. pic.twitter.com/xDmtuLrGiZ
— Eknath Shinde – एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) July 27, 2022
“Ratan Tata heartily congratulated me on being elected as Chief Minister and wished me the best for my career as Chief Minister,” Shinde tweeted in Marathi.
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari administered the oath of office to Shinde at Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai on June 30.
The Indian rupee depreciated 10 paise to 79.88 against the US dollar (21.76 versus the UAE dirham) in opening trade on Wednesday tracking the strength of the greenback in the overseas market and firm crude oil prices.
At the Indian interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 79.83 against the US dollar, then fell to 79.88 against the greenback, registering a decline of 10 paise over the last close.
However, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.16 per cent to 107.02. Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures advanced 0.13 per cent to $104.54 per barrel.
Forex traders said the overnight strength of the dollar, higher oil prices and month-end importers’ demand for the dollar is likely to weigh on the rupee.
“Investors could refrain themselves from taking large positions ahead of monthly expiry and the US Fed decision in the evening,” Sriram Iyer, senior research analyst at Reliance Securities, said.
On the Indian equity market front, the 30-share Sensex was trading 49.34 points or 0.09 per cent lower at 55,219.15 points while the broader NSE Nifty was down 21.90 points or 0.13 per cent to 16,461.95 points.
Foreign institutional investors remained net sellers in the capital market on Tuesday as they offloaded shares worth Rs15.48 billion, as per exchange data.
The Lao government is considering importing fuel from Saudi Arabia and exporting agricultural produce to the oil-rich nation.
According to the local daily Vientiane Times on Wednesday, these issues were raised for discussions when Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saleumxay Kommasith, held talks with Saudi Arabia.
The two ministers said the two countries intended to strengthen economic ties and broaden cooperation in trade and investment, according to the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Specifically, the two ministers discussed the possibility of the sale of fuel from Saudi Arabia to Laos, and the export of Lao agricultural produce to Saudi Arabia.
The Lao government is committed to ensuring that sufficient supplies of fuel are provided to meet public demand and boost economic growth after a countrywide fuel shortage in May and June caused widespread disruption.
During the virtual meeting, Saleumxay spoke highly of growing friendly relations and cooperation between Laos and Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the two sides agreed to support one another in regional and international arenas.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday greeted his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray on his birthday and referring to him as the former chief minister, wished him a long and healthy life.
“Happy Birthday to Hon’ble Shri Uddhavji Thackeray, Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. May he have a long and healthy life, pray at the feet of Mother Jagdamba,” tweeted the Chief Minister in Marathi. Shinde had recently led a revolt of Shiv Sena MLAs and 10 independents that triggered the collapse of the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state.
Shinde recently formed a national executive of his faction, claiming it to be the real Shiv Sena.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction and the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena have each approached the Supreme Court over seeking disqualification of 16 rebel legislators and the claim for the party’s election symbol- the bow and arrow.
The Election Commission has told both the Sena factions to produce documentary evidence by August 8 to prove who represents the Maharashtra party.
The Supreme Court will hear a fresh plea on August 1 with regards to the Uddhav Thackeray-led camp of Shiv Sena seeking a stay on the proceedings before the Election Commission of India on Eknath Shinde group’s claim for recognition as ‘real’ Shiv Sena.
Last week, the Supreme Court 3-judge bench said that some of the issues involved in the Maharashtra political crisis may require to a larger Constitutional bench for consideration A bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justices Krishna Murari, and Hima Kohli while hearing cases related to the political crisis in Maharashtra had observed that important constitutional issues arise in the cases which may require adjudication by a larger bench.
Earlier, the top court had asked the Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Rahul Narwekar not to take any action on the new disqualification notices issued against the members of Shiv Sena.
Uddhav Thackeray-led faction had approached the top court challenging the Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari’s decision to invite Eknath Shinde to form the government and also the Speaker’s election and floor test.
They had also challenged the newly appointed Maharashtra Assembly Speaker’s action recognizing the whip of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde group as the whip of Shiv Sena.
The plea said the newly appointed Speaker has no jurisdiction to recognize whips nominated by Shinde as Uddhav Thackeray is still the head of Shiv Sena’s official party.
Thackeray camp’s Sunil Prabhu had filed a plea seeking suspension from the Maharashtra Assembly of new Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and 15 rebel MLAs against whom disqualification pleas are pending.
Shinde group challenged the disqualification notices issued by the Deputy Speaker to 16 rebel MLAs as well as the appointment of Ajay Choudhary as Shiv Sena Legislature Party leader, is also pending before the apex court.
On June 29, the top court gave a go-ahead to the floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on June 30.
Refusing to stay the Maharashtra Governor’s direction to the then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to prove his majority support on the floor of the House on June 30, the bench had issued notice on Prabhu’s plea against floor test.
After the apex court’s order, Uddhav Thackeray announced his resignation as the Chief Minister and Eknath Shinde was later sworn in as the Chief Minister.
On June 27, the top court had granted interim relief to Shinde and other rebel MLAs to file their reply on disqualification notices issued to them by Deputy Speaker by July 12, 5.30 pm. Earlier, Deputy Speaker had granted them time to file a reply by June 27, 5.30 pm.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday donated 2,400 monkeypox test kits to Uganda to help with the African country’s response to the infectious disease.
WHO Representative to Uganda Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam handed over the kits to Ugandan Minister of Health Ruth Aceng, saying that the WHO is committed to providing assistance to strengthen Uganda’s testing capacity.
Aceng expressed gratitude for the donation, noting that Uganda has so far carried out 70 tests, which all turned out negative.
The WHO declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on July 23.
As Sonia Gandhi appeared before Enforcement Directorate for questioning again, Congress levelled allegations against the Centre for creating “ED terror” in the country and “weaponising” the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
“The ED is creating drama in the country. First, they summoned Rahul Gandhi. He was interrogated for several hours in five days. Sonia Gandhi has been summoned for the third time today. We have no idea how long it would last. The ED has created terror. There should be a timely SC decision on the terror of ED in the country,” Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jairam Ramesh and Anand Sharma, Gehlot further said that ED has become more powerful than CBI despite having a less than 5 percent success rate.
It is pertinent to mention that Gehlot addressed the press conference with G-23 leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma.
Gehlot said that the government is misusing the agency to dislodge elected governments, as we saw in Maharashtra recently.
“The ED is being used to collapse governments as you saw in Maharashtra but ED can’t set the cabinet which is evident from the situation in Maharashtra. You can see where democracy is going,” Gehlot added.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad who said he was not keeping well so he could not participate in the recent protest.
“I was unwell for the past 2 months because of which I was not able to take part in dharnas. Every leader has expressed his opinion on what is happening in the country,” he said.
“I have nothing new to say as to what my party colleagues have said for the past month. The ED had earlier decided to close the case and now it has been reopened. This is beyond comprehension,” said Azad.
Citing the old age and health issues of the Congress president, Azad further said, “I don’t understand why the ED is calling Sonia Gandhi again and again. She is old and has not been keeping well. When the ED has already questioned Rahul Gandhi then what is the need to call Sonia ji. This is not right when all the papers are there with the ED.” Anand Sharma, who was also present, said he endorsed what Azad and Gehlot said.
Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi appeared before the Enforcement Directorate office in the national capital for the third round of questioning in connection with a money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper. Sonia Gandhi reached the ED office accompanied by her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
The 75-year-old had left the agency’s office in central Delhi just before 7 pm on Tuesday after recording her statement.
Officials said that on Tuesday, Sonia Gandhi’s response was sought to around 30 questions regarding her involvement with the National Herald newspaper and Young Indian Pvt Ltd, the company under investigation.
Her questioning at the ED office in central Delhi went on for nearly 2.5 hours beginning at 11 am and continuing after a 90-minute lunch break until 7 pm. Her questioning was conducted by a team led by additional director Monika Sharma.
During her questioning on Tuesday, the Lok Sabha MP from Rae Bareli was asked about the functioning and running of the newspaper, the role of its various office bearers, and her and Rahul Gandhi’s involvement in the affairs of the National Herald and Young Indian.
Officials said the agency would also confirm her statement with that of Rahul Gandhi, as both are majority stakeholders in Young Indian Pvt Ltd.
Last month the ED also questioned Rahul Gandhi for five days in the National Herald case.
The case to investigate alleged financial irregularities under the PMLA was registered about nine months ago after a trial court took cognizance of an Income Tax department probe carried out on the basis of a private criminal complaint filed by former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013.
