Delhi recorded 1,375 new Covid cases on Wednesday while the positivity rate rose to 7.01 per cent, according to data shared by the health department here. No fatalities were reported due to the infection.
This is the second consecutive day that Delhi has recorded over 1,100 cases in a day. With the new cases reported on Wednesday, Delhi’s tally of COVID-19 cases increased to 19,15,905 and the death toll stood at 26,223, the department said in its latest bulletin.
On Tuesday, Delhi had logged 1,118 cases and two deaths while the positivity rate was at 6.50 per cent. Delhi on Monday reported 614 new COVID-19 cases and zero death due to the disease, while the positivity rate stood at 7.06 per cent.
The city had on Sunday reported 735 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths due to the disease, while the positivity rate was at 4.35 per cent. It had on Saturday reported 795 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 4.11 per cent and zero death.
The protest which started in Bihar on Wednesday has now spread to other states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and others. / Image: PTI
After the farm laws repeal BJP government landed in another mess. This time it is Jawan. Hundreds of protesters blocked National Highway and burned tires demanding the scrapping of the scheme. Hundreds of defence force aspirants lying down on tracks protesting against the centre’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme that seeks to recruit soldiers on a short-term contract. The new policy has drawn criticism and questions from several quarters, including a section of veterans. Critics have argued that a four-year tenure will hit fighting spirit in the ranks and make them risk-averse.
The aspirants demand to increase the service period of new recruits to a min of seven years and make the retention of those keen to serve longer at least 50 per cent. Agnipath, the tour of duty scheme, proposes the recruitment of jawans on a contractual basis for a four-year period followed by compulsory retirement for most without gratuity and pension benefits. The new recruitment plan aims to cut down the government’s massive salary and pension bills and free up funds for arms procurement.
Under the Agnipath scheme, about 45,000 people between the age of 17.5 years and 21 years will be inducted into the services for a four-year tenure. During this period, they will be paid a monthly salary between Rs 30,000-40,000 and allowances. They will also be entitled to medical and insurance benefits.
After four years, only 25 per cent of these soldiers will be retained and they will go on to serve for a full 15 years in non-officer ranks. The remaining will exit the services with a package between Rs 11 lakh – Rs 12 lakh, but won’t be eligible for pension benefits. Under the old system, youths aged between 16.5 and 21 years were selected for a minimum of 15 years of service and used to get a pension after retirement.
The new policy has drawn criticism and questions from several quarters, including a section of veterans. Critics have argued that a four-year tenure will hit fighting spirit in the ranks and make them risk-averse. The protesters said they had applied for some government jobs two to three years ago, but the examinations for the recruitment have not been conducted yet, and they have crossed the minimum eligibility age now.
Modi’s government has not solved unemployment issues in the country but they have forced the youth to go through their illogical schemes. 80 per cent of engineers and MBA students are jobless in-country, already India lacks think tanks and now they are messing up with arms forces.
The central government announced Agnipath’s scheme for the recruitment of soldiers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force on a short-term contractual basis, apparently to cut the ballooning salary and pension bills and carve out a youthful profile of the armed forces. These short-term recruitments are seen as milling of watchmen and guards for corporate houses. Such recruitment and training are done with the hard-earned money of taxpayers.
Police in Haryana’s Palwal town fired shots into the air to disperse hundreds of violent protesters out on the streets on Thursday to demonstrate against the Agnipath scheme for recruitment to defence services. / Image: PTI
Job security and pension are two major issues being cited by protesters. Under the previous system, troops joined for a 17-year period, which could be extended for some personnel, and it resulted in a lifelong pension.
The new scheme, however, envisages just a four-year tenure for most, and the Agniveers will not be eligible for pension benefits. This Agnipath scheme is just a placebo being given to unemployed youth. Even parents would now think twice before sending their sons to the Army just for four years.
Just imagine getting retired just after four years. It is nothing but playing with their emotions in the name of giving them some skills before they retire. Students want the old system back.
The anger is also being fueled by the two-year freeze on Army recruitment due to the pandemic. While recruitment under the Agnipath scheme will begin in 90 days, several aspirants who turned overage during the last two years are now seeking relaxation in age criteria. Bharti does, ya arthi do’, was one of the slogans raised as protests first began in Bihar. There used to be about 60,000 vacancies in the Army and other defence forces till two years ago.
There has been no recruitment for the last two years, and now the short duration of service on offer has angered the students… There are examples when students prepare for such exams for four years. Are they working hard to get a job just for four years and remain unsure about what they would do next?
Also, the Agnipath scheme envisions an “all India, all class” recruitment system.
Apprehensions have been voiced against how the new recruits will be adjusted in the existing system under which most of the Army units are region, caste or class-based.
Of the total annual recruits, only 25 per cent will be allowed to continue for another 15 years under permanent commission.
The new system is only for personnel below officer ranks (those who do not join the forces as commissioned officers). The scheme is not optional as all personnel below officer rank will be hired only through this route from now on. Under the Agnipath scheme, aspirants between the ages of 17.5 years and 21 years will be eligible to apply.
Most of the states in India are considering giving free booster doses to their citizens. These states are geared up with their plans ahead, which would be a state-sponsored event. Maharashtra is yet to consider such a scheme, which may involve spending over Rs 100 crore from its reserves. Booster shot for 18-59 years has been a subtle issue since the Centre decided against offering it free to this age band.
The Centre, while opening the preventive dose for this age group. This made it almost impossible for people residing in districts, where the private sector is not offering any vaccination, to take the third shot. There are ten districts in Maharashtra where no booster shot has been administered to any individual between 18-59 years.
Maharashtra’s fatality rate stands at 1.86 per cent. The active coronavirus caseload stands at 19,261 now. Nandurbar was the only district that did not report any active case. As many as 3,028 patients recovered from coronavirus infection in the last 24 hours, taking the tally of recovered patients to 77,52,304. The recovery rate in the state stands at 97.89 per cent. Mumbai recorded 2,293 fresh coronavirus cases – highest since January 23 when the city recorded 2,250 cases – and one fatality. The other fatality was reported from neighbouring Thane city. New B.A.5 cases were reported from Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Pune, and all four patients were in the age group of 19 to 36 years, the department said.
Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 4,024 new coronavirus cases, a 36 per cent rise over the previous day, and two pandemic-related deaths, the state health department said. Wednesday’s case count was the highest since February 12 when the state had recorded 4,359 cases.
Today, all over India Hindus are being converted in lakhs by the Christians and Muslims. “Even though many states in India already have laws against religious conversions, the conspiracy to openly convert Hindus in large numbers so as to break India into pieces and destroy it, crores of Rupees are flowing to various organisations for the purpose of religious conversions. The issue of religious conversions exists at the National level”, said Sanatan Sanstha in it’s press release.
To stop this, Article 25 of the Constitution needs to be amended and the words ‘Propagate Religion’ removed from it. There should be no obstacles in following one’s own religion Besides, the Goa Government must pass the requisite law in the Assembly and send it to the Central Government. Only then can the illegal conversions be prevented completely. This was spoken by Mr M Nageshwar Rao (Former Director of CBI) at a Press Conference organized on the 3rd day of the 10th ‘Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Rashtra Adhiveshan’, going on at Shri Ramnath Devasthan Ponda, Goa.
Sadguru (Dr) Charudatta Pingale (National Guide, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti), Mrs Esther Dhanaraj (from Telangana, who left the Christian religion to adopt Hindu Dharma), Mr Prabal Pratap Singh Judev (State Vice President, ‘Bharatiya Janata Party’, who helped lakhs of Hindus in the ‘Gharwapasi’ process in Chhattisgarh) and Mr Shankar Kharel (District President of ‘Vishwa Hindu Mahasangh’, Nepal) were also present on the dais.
Sadguru (Dr) Charudatta Pingale said that to prevent religious conversions, it is necessary to create an awakening in and provide Dharma Shikshan to Hindus. Once Hindus are educated on and abide by Dharma, no one will be able to indulge in religious conversions. Mr Pramod Sawant (Chief Minister of Goa) has declared that a law will be passed against religious conversions in Goa. We welcome his decision. The constitution should be amended, including the enactment of an anti-proselytizing law in Goa, to prevent proselytizing in Goa by Dominic and other Christian preachers.
Mr Shankar Kharal from Nepal said, “In Nepal – a country which has a population of 3 crore – already 30 lakhs have been converted. This is a very serious matter. To tackle such conversion, it is necessary to work on poverty, education and other fundamental issues”. Mrs Esther Dhanaraj from Telangana said, “I was a Christian myself; however, when I went to the USA and studied the Bible, I realised that there is no logic in it. Subsequently, upon returning to India I came across the conspiracies of the Missionaries to convert people. I am awakening people against these conspiracies. I am also working towards bringing the converted Hindus back into the Hindu fold and advising the youth.”
The accused arrested by Delhi Police in Ludhiana case of extortion calls, photo for representation (photo credit ANI)
The Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested two persons for allegedly making extortion calls to a Ludhiana-based businessman in the name of Lawrence Bishnoi–Goldy Brar gang.
According to the police, they also threatened the businessman that in case, he failed to pay the ransom money, his fate would be like Sidhu Moose Wala’s.
Sidhu Moose Wala was a Punjab-based singer and Congress leader who was killed by some unknown assailants in Jawaharke village of Punjab’s Mansa district on May 29.
Notably, Lawrence Bishnoi had taken the responsibility behind the singer’s killing and the Punjab Police informed a Delhi court that Bishnoi was the key conspirator in Moose Wala’s murder.
The case–where two persons were arrested for identifying themselves from the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang and threatening him to pay ransom money of Rs 10 Lakhs– was registered with the Ludhiana Cyber Police Station on the complaint of a Punjab-based businessman who alleged that he has been receiving threat calls from unknown international and national mobile numbers since June 4.
“Acting on the information provided by the Punjab Police, the leads were further developed through technical analysis and digital footprints. The user of the alleged mobile phone number was traced in sector 22 of Gurugram, Haryana and was apprehended along with another person,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police, K P S Malhotra, IFSO Special Cell.
According to the police, the alleged persons have been identified as S Singh (29) and A A Khan (24), both the residents of Chattisgarh’s Bilaspur. “The mobile phone used to threaten the complainant was recovered from S Singh and it was found that the alleged mobile phone number was registered in the name of A A Khan.
The police said that the alleged persons had also provided a bank account number to the complainant to transfer the said money, which was when investigated by the Delhi Police helped in tracing the accused persons. The Police also said that, on sustained interrogation, S Singh further disclosed that in January 2022, he met with one Raja from Gopalganj of Bihar who had tasked him to arrange bank accounts and ATM cards, and he had arranged as many as 25 bank accounts to Raja.
“He received Rs 25,000/- for each bank account/ATM card. Apart from delivering the ATM card, he used to withdraw the money from the alleged bank accounts and then further used to deposit/ transfer the money in other accounts provided by Raja,” said the police. It further added that he had also arranged a bank account and an ATM card of the alleged Bank Account involved in the Ludhiana case as well.
The Delhi Police have arrested them under relevant sections of the law and have also informed the Ludhiana Police about the same.
Currently, India is facing criticism from many nations. China has encroached on borders, but the government failed to address the issues, the foreign countries are dominant over several issues. In this drill, Narendra Modi lost his credibility as the strongest leader. To divert attention from embarrassing moments, ED is unleashed against the Gandhi family, the favourite target of the BJP and Modi. Remember what Rahul Gandhi once said in his political rally? He said BJP cannot arrest me under corruption charges, but they can definitely harass or eliminate me. This is happening right now. The Enforcement Directorate might find nothing against Rahul Gandhi or his mother Sonia Gandhi but to divert the attention of the Nation they are playing their role.
There are a series of media trials and live coverage on when Rahul Gandhi left his home, who accompanied him and what he wore to what he looked like. The media is fooling common people by wasting crucial news time in the name of such gossip. Well, Rahul Gandhi gracefully appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the third consecutive day today in an alleged money laundering case linked to the National Herald newspaper. He has been questioned for over 25 hours since Monday but ED could not draw any conclusion. It’s quite similar to what Sameer Wankhede of the NCB was assigned to trap Bollywood actors and investigate them for hours. The end result we all know, the officer had to leave Mumbai on a humiliating note.
Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as his convoy whizzed past police barricades thronged by party supporters. Police detained several Congress workers from outside the party headquarters and the ED office where they held demonstrations and chanted slogans to support Rahul Gandhi. Videos showed some of the Youth Congress and Mahila Congress workers being dragged and taken away in buses. See how BJP has revived the dead party. Delhi police forcefully entered the Congress headquarters.
Rahul Gandhi’s statement was recorded in multiple sessions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the probe agency officials. Congress has maintained that Rahul Gandhi’s questioning by the probe agency is part of the ruling BJP’s “vendetta politics” to silence the voice of opposition. Sonia Gandhi, who has also been summoned for questioning, will depose before the probe agency on June 23. The Congress president was admitted to the hospital on Sunday owing to Covid-related issues.
The case pertains to the ED probe into the alleged financial irregularities between Young Indian and Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), which publishes the National Herald newspaper. As Rahul Gandhi’s interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate entered its third consecutive day, his party, the Congress, has sent a legal notice to the government which alleges that the media is being fed incorrect information to misreport how Rahul Gandhi is handling his questioning.
Rahul Gandhi is the most fearless leader but the media and ruling party leaders successfully created a perception of him. Remember the vein, incompetent, ignorant, entitled and foolish – are five words which were used to describe a Fifty-year-old Man in the year 1924. He was 50 Years old and mocked by everyone in the country. The Times ignored him; the Telegraph mocked him for his imperialist views; the Guardian mocked him for his gaffes on the Boer War and South African history. They ridiculed His speeches. They mocked him for Gallipoli the greatest debacle during World War.
But when he died, – He was the greatest Prime Minister in the History of the United Kingdom. Rising from Obscurity at 66 – in 1940 – when he died – he had almost every leader in the free world writing obituaries in his honour and a Monarch accompanying his funeral – The First time and only time in British History that a Monarch would accompany a Prime Minister’s funeral. Nobody remembers those who mocked him. Everyone Remembers Winston Churchill. In a matter of 15 years from 1940 to 1955 – he changed the world. He still continued to be as racist as ever, as ignorant as ever and continued his gaffes – but he showed mettle and leadership that nobody believed was possible in him even when he was 60 years old. I don’t say Rahul Gandhi will be Churchill. What I am saying is nobody knows what the future holds.
Unfortunately, BJP is very much nervous about the Gandhi family and Congress. Their every action leads to unknown insecurity. So, they say that Rahul Gandhi is nobody but somewhere they all know he can show his eyes to the PM of India and expose the BJP. Rahul Gandhi is much stronger, fearless, honest, and truthful than the current BJP leadership. When Rahul Gandhi started his political career in 2004, the masses accepted him as a youth icon. He had the aura of his father and grandmother. He served the party rather than going for a cabinet ministry. Congress’s top brass was ageing in 2009.
Rahul had the responsibility of carrying the legacy. The opposition found an opportunity to malign him. It took them five long years to spoil his image with help from social media. But despite all that, Rahul might have put down, but not out. He is gaining experience and becoming stronger. And the opposition fears that. Hence, they are severe on him to bring down his morale. But this would be their last attempt.
'Agnipath' scheme will boost youthfulness of army, says, top commander 9
The ‘Agnipath’ scheme for recruitment of youths in the armed forces for four years will boost the youthfulness of the army, South Western Army Commander Lt General Amardeep Singh Bhinder said on Wednesday.
He also said that the defence establishment is not looking at a system of compulsory military duty.
“Agnipath scheme of the Ministry of Defence is a revolutionary reform. The army is looking at the youthfulness profile and this (scheme) will give a boost to the youthfulness of the army,” he said at a press conference here. When asked whether the armed forces are looking for compulsory military training and duty, the commander ruled out the possibility, saying, “We are not looking at a system of compulsory military duty. We are looking at more youthfulness.”
Under the Agnipath scheme announced on Tuesday, the youth selected for the scheme will be called ‘Agniveers’ who will serve for four years on a monthly package with allowances. The army commander said that these Agniveers will get no status of ex-servicemen after the completion of four years. After completion of the four-year tenure of the recruits, the scheme provides for retaining 25 per cent of each specific batch for regular service, based on organisational requirements and policies promulgated by the armed forces from time to time.
Lt General Bhinder said that those (25 per cent) who will be enrolled in regular cadre after completion of a four-year period will get the ex-servicemen status.
When asked about the apprehension over some of Agniveers, who have undergone soldier training, joining anti-national outfits or getting involved in anti-national acts after release from the service, he said that there could be a fear of this but frustration caused by lack of job remains the prime reason for one to join such organisations.
Whereas in this case (scheme), he said, youths are made skilled and employable and therefore there are little chances that anyone would get involved in such acts.
“We hope that if there is any susceptible, he will also remain in the mainstream,” he said, adding that the recruitment will start in 90 days.
Vijay Kumar, IGP Kashmir, photo for representation (photo credit: ANI)
Two terrorists involved in the June 2 killing of a bank manager Vijay Kumar in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir have been killed in the Shopian encounter on Wednesday, the Inspector-General of Kashmir Police, Vijay Kumar informed.
“Bank Manager Vijay Kumar was attacked. When we analysed its CCTV footage, its face matched with Jan Mohd Lone – a Shopian terrorist. His parents were called and they confirmed that he’s their son. In Shopian encounter, both terrorists – Jan Mohd Lone and Tufail Ganai killed,” said the IGP.
During an encounter that broke out in the Kanjiular area of Shopian, the police had identified and killed both the terrorists– Jan Mohd Lone and Tufail Ganai– involved in the killing of the bank manager.
Earlier in the day, the police had informed that they have killed Jan Mohd Lone and Tifail Ganai and also recovered incriminating materials from the site of the encounter. “2nd killed terrorist has been identified as Tufail Ganai. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including one AK 47 rifle and a pistol were recovered from the site of the encounter,” the Kashmir Zone police tweeted.
The banker, Vijay Kumar, was a resident of Hanumangarh in Rajasthan and was working in Kulgam. The banker was shot dead by terrorists in daylight.
According to the police, these terrorists were linked with the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). “ShopianEncounterUpdate: 02 terrorists linked with proscribed #terror outfit LeT killed. Identification being ascertained. Further details shall follow,” tweeted the Kashmir Zone Police.
Jammu and Kashmir police and security forces had jointly conducted the operation.
"I still have an active political inning to play": Sharad Pawar 12
There were speculations in media reports and in political corridors about Pawar being the opposition’s presidential candidate. Sharad Pawar, 81, had earlier shut down guesswork at a meeting with his party leaders, who revealed that the former Union Minister was reluctant to fight “a losing battle”.
At a meeting of opposition parties called by Mamata Banerjee, he officially declared stating he has an active role to play in national politics. Mamata Banerjee, who had met Sharad Pawar last evening, proposed his name for President at the opposition meeting. No other name has been proposed so far. Congress had no name to suggest yet. The presidential elections will take place on July 18 and the results will be declared on July 21. June 29 is the last date for nominations.
Opposition parties discussed a 21 June deadline for naming a presidential candidate and a panel of leaders to hold consultations and identify the nominee. Sharad Pawar had the support of many parties, including Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, Left, the Congress and the Shiv Sena. After his refusal, former Bengal governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi emerged as the choice of the Left. But the first opposition meeting to discuss a joint strategy to take on the BJP and its allies in the Presidential election saw five big absentees.
The Congress, which has turned Rahul Gandhi’s questioning by the Enforcement Directorate in the National Herald case into a show of strength, has chosen to look beyond their animosity with the Trinamool in Bengal and agreed to join the meeting. The Left too has said they will attend the meeting.
Among those who have opted out, the most prominent is the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) led by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, Akali Dal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Jagan Reddy. Mr Rao, who had bonded with Mamata Banerjee over their common goal of defeating the BJP, has raised strong objections to the Congress being invited.
“There is no question of sharing any platform with the Congress,” said the TRS in a pungent note. The party said the Congress had been invited despite its objections and lashed out at its leader Rahul Gandhi. It also accused the Congress of “ganging up with the BJP” in Telangana, especially in the recent by-polls. The TRS also complained against what it called the “method of trying to put up an opposition presidential candidate”.
“Even otherwise, TRS is not in agreement with this method of trying to put up an opposition presidential candidate. In this case, the candidate was already chosen, and the candidate’s opinion was taken, after which the meeting was called. Why was it done this way?” the party fumed. TRS sources said, “many important leaders” were likely to stay away from the meeting.
AAP, also dropping out of the meeting, said it will “consider the matter only after the Presidential candidate is declared”. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is also not expected to show up. The party had been invited in an attempt to bring it over to the opposition’s corner. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi said he was not invited.
“We have not been invited and we would not have attended because the Congress party has been invited,” Owaisi said. Shiromani Akali Dal has also opted out of the meeting due to the presence of the Congress, a party leader said. The YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP, which is in power in Andhra Pradesh, was also a no-show.
Jammu and kashmir: Sopore Encounter, photo for representation (photo credit: India TV)
Two terrorists who had escaped after the Sopore encounter on June 6 were killed by a special team on Monday, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Vijay Kumar told ANI.
Last week, on June 6, a Pakistani terrorist from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), identified as Hanzalla of Lahore, was gunned down in Sopore and two terrorists had fled the city after.
Immediately after their presence was detected in Bemina, some jawans from the Special Operations Group were sent to nab them.
A firing was incited after they were tracked down in a car traveling to South Kashmir, and retaliation by the special team led to their deaths.
Both the terrorists were found to be affiliated with the terror outfit LeT, with one of them belonging to Faisalabad, Pakistan.
One jawan suffered a minor bullet injury, but he is now stable and is recovering.
“Srinagar is the central pass between North and South Kashmir, so when somebody wants to travel to and fro north and south, they have to cross Srinagar. That’s how terrorists keep coming here, but our information network is very strong. Be it human or technological, we are able to utilize it successfully in tackling terrorists,” IGP Vijay Kumar added.
