Breaking News HIGHLIGHTS: Former BJP, AAP Leaders Figure In New List Of Congress Candidates For Goa Election
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New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Delhi Gym Association representatives and owners of gyms across the city Thursday staged a protest outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, demanding they be allowed to reopen their fitness centres which have been shut for over 20 days due to the spike in Covid cases.
Gyms were closed in the city during the yellow alert which was sounded by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) when the positivity rate of COVID-19 cases had crossed 0.5% in December last year.
The protesters also carried empty liquor bottles to argue that if liquor vends can remain open gyms can too.
They said that all the other activities are kept open but gyms are always the first ones to be closed. They argued that in the neighbouring states also, gyms are open and no spike in the cases of Covid is seen from the gym.
Delhi Gym Association Vice President Chirag Sethi said it was unfair on the part of the Delhi government and the DDMA to close gyms when everything else, even liquor shops, is open.
In the last 20 months our gyms have been closed for 9 months. How are we going to survive like this? How will we pay rent, fixed electricity and water charges, take care of our family? In evening, if your kid goes out where you want them to go, at a wine shop or to a gym which makes their body and mind healthy, Sethi said.
In Delhi, there are 5500 gyms and over 1 lakh people are dependent on the fitness industry for their livelihood.
Gyms build immunity, it's easy to track people in gyms in case someone is found Covid positive compare to a restaurant or weekly markets. The businesses that promote immunity are asked to shut but wine shops are open, Sethi lamented.
Delhi on Thursday reported 12,306 fresh COVID-19 cases and 43 more fatalities due to the viral disease, while the positivity rate dipped to 21.48 per cent, according to data shared by the city health department.
This is the highest number of deaths reported in a day since June 10, 2021, when 44 fatalities were recorded.
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will on Friday release the party's youth manifesto for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Both leaders will address a special press conference at the party's headquarters.
This is one of the rare occasions when both leaders of the Congress Party will be jointly addressing the media.
The party is going to the polls with youth and women in focus and has announced that it will reserve 40 per cent of tickets for women in Uttar Pradesh.
Abu Dhabi fire | Embassy of India in UAE has completed all formalities for repatriation of mortal remains of the 2 Indians deceased in the Jan 17 incident. Remains will reach Amritsar tomorrow morning: Indian envoy to UAE, Sunjay Sudhir said, as reported by ANI.
"Our central leaders are in touch with Utpal Parrikar. Delhi CM Kejriwal had said different things when Manohar Parrikar was CM and now he is saying different things for political gains. People of Goa understand this & will form BJP govt again": Goa CM Pramod Sawant said, as reported by ANI.
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI) Over 250 former students of prominent institutions across the country, including the IIT-Bombay, the Xavier School of Management (XLRI), the Delhi University (DU) and the National Institute of Design (NID), have written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind, demanding immediate action against the accused in the "Bulli Bai" and "Sulli Deals" apps cases.
They alleged that women in the country have never been more unsafe in online and offline spaces.
Asserting that the "silence of those at the helm" regarding such incidents indicates an apathy towards women's safety and emboldens the perpetrators of these hate crimes, they urged the leaders to take quick steps to ensure justice to the affected women.
The signatories to the letter also requested the government to set up school curricula that engage young girls and boys around issues of positive masculinity, gender and gender socialisation from an early age.
"There is a constriction of the spaces for expression and participation of women, especially from minority groups, Dalit women and girls. The social system and political economy have been historically stacked against women. Growing incidences of intimidation and harassment of women across various spaces indicate a threat to the gains made through these past efforts," the open letter read.
"Women in India have never been more unsafe both in online and offline spaces. From physical harm to sexual violence to outright violation of dignity and rights in online spaces seems to have become commonplace enough for our political leaders to not notice anymore.
"Adding to this is the rising culture of hate and divisiveness in the country, which also affects women disproportionately. Incidents like Sulli Deals and Bulli Bai are manifestations of this culture that targets women, minority women in these cases, for daring to have a voice of their own. Dalit women and girls have also been at the receiving end of violence in many spheres," it added.
The "Sulli Deals" app had triggered widespread outrage as it had put out details of more than 100 prominent Muslim women, allowing users to participate in an "auction" of those women. The accused was arrested by the Delhi Police's Special Cell from Indore in Madhya Pradesh earlier this month.
The "Bulli Bai" app too targeted Muslim women by putting them up for an "auction".
"We are writing this open letter expressing our solidarity with women and girls who have to face this violence. We urge that the makers of these apps be brought to justice, demand condemnation of such hate-driven actions and speeches by the government and urge the current leadership to work with IT and media companies to ensure accountability in keeping such channels safe for women," the letter read.
Former BJP MLA Carlose Almeida and former AAP Goa convener Elvis Gomes featured in Congress' latest list of five candidates for the Goa Assembly elections.
So far the party has announced candidates for 29 out of 40 seats for the February 14 elections.
Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik on Thursday announced the list for Panaji, Shiroda, Vasco, Benaulim, and Curchorem.
Former bureaucrat and AAP Goa convener Elvis Gomes will contest from Panaji while former BJP legislator Carlose Almeida will contest from Vasco.
Tukaram Borkar will contest from Shiroda, Anthony Dias from Benaulim and Amit Patkar from Curchorem.
BJP national president JP Nadda to visit Uttar Pradesh tomorrow, to hold meetings with party officials in Agra & to hold a door-to-door campaign in Bareilly, ANI reported.
A Congress delegation, comprising Randeep Surjewala, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Harish Chaudhary, Devender Yadav, Ganesh Godiyal, Pranav Jha, Aman Panwar & others met the CEC virtually over "politically motivated raids by ED to defame the CM & incumbent Congress Govt in Punjab", ANI reported.
The delegation also reminded the CEC about the Model Code of Conduct violations by the Uttarakhand Government for back- dating and tampering of Government records as also Representation of Peoples Act, 1951, in Uttarakhand, Congress stated.
'Bulli Bai' app case accused Niraj Bishnoi and 'Sulli Deals' app creator Omkareshwar Thakur remanded to police custody till January 27. They were produced before Bandra Court by Cyber Cell of Mumbai Police today.
Mumbai, Jan 20 (PTI) A court here on Thursday rejected bail pleas of three students arrested in connection with a case pertaining to the 'Bulli Bai' app, which targeted Muslim women by putting up their images online for "auction".
The three accused are Vishal Kumar Jha, Shweta Singh and Mayank Rawat. Singh (18) and Rawat (21) were arrested by the Mumbai police's cyber cell from Uttarakhand on January 5, while Jha was nabbed from Bengaluru on January 4.
They were denied bail by a metropolitan magistrate in suburban Bandra. A detailed order was not yet available.
Earlier, the police had opposed their bail claiming the accused use names belonging to the Sikh community for their social media accounts with an intention to breach peace in the society and create animosity among religious groups.
The police have told the court that all the three accused were operating multiple social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Gmail.
The cyber cell has said many of the accounts were deleted or suspended for posting defamatory content and information regarding the same is yet to be procured.
The Mumbai police registered an FIR in the case following complaints made by several women, who were targeted by the 'Bulli Bai' app. The app made public the details of several Muslim women, allowing users to participate in their 'auction'.
Meanwhile, two more persons - Niraj Bishnoi and Omkareshwar Thakur - who had been arrested by the Delhi police, were on Thursday brought to Mumbai by the city police's cyber cell on transit remand for questioning in the case.
Bishnoi had been arrested in another Bulli Bai app case lodged by the Delhi police, while Thakur had been apprehended in the 'Sulli' deals app matter.
The Delhi police's special cell, which nabbed Bishnoi from Assam, has claimed he was the main creator of the Bulli Bai app.
Police have claimed the accused arrested in the Bulli Bai app case were also active in the 'Sulli' deals app which came to light in July 2021. The 'Sulli' deals app had triggered widespread outrage as it had put out details of more than 100 prominent Muslim women, allowing users to participate in their ''auction''.
Bishnoi and Thakur were produced before the Bandra magistrate court, which remanded them in police custody till January 27.
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh says Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has cancelled his scheduled meeting with him to discuss plight of people affected by Tem and Suthalia irrigation projects; warns of staging sit-in before CM's official residence.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will contest elections from Mainpuri's Karhal Assembly constituency, ANI reported sources as saying.
Samajwadi Party to field Shubhavati Shukla against CM Yogi Adityanath in Gorakhpur, Shubhati is wife of late Upendra Dutt Shukla who was a BJP leader.
Home Minister Amit Shah to visit Meerut tomorrow, will hold meeting with BJP officials
Maharashtra's ex-Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's judicial custody extended by another 14 days. He was arrested by ED on November 2nd, 2021 in connection with extortion and money laundering allegations against him, ANI reported. Anil Deshmukh is currently lodged at Arthur Road jail in Mumbai.
One dead, several injured in a blast at Lahore's Anarkali Bazaar area, ANI reported citing local media in Pakistan.
Lucknow, UP | Seema Kushwaha, lawyer of '2012 Nirbhaya gangrape case Delhi', joins Bahujan Samaj Party.
Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane is on a two- day visit to Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, where he will be given an update on operational preparedness. He will also interact with the troops and commanders of the formation: Indian Army
Delhi court sentences five years jail term to Dinesh Yadav, the first person convicted in connection with February 2020 North East Delhi riots.
Former SP MLA Pramod Gupta and former Congress leader Priyanka Maurya join BJP ahead of UP polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the launch of 'Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav se Swarnim Bharat Ki Ore'.
Regarding the incident of missing youth Miram Taron from Arunachal Pradesh, it's informed that on receipt of info, the Indian Army immediately contacted PLA. Assistance from PLA has been sought to locate the individual on their side & return him as per estd protocol: Defence Sources
Kashmiri Hindus on Wednesday observed a 'Black Day' and staged a protest to mark 32 years of their mass exodus following a genocidal campaign initiated by terrorists. The protesters held several placards, which read 'Hang our killers'. They demanded justice for the victims who sacrificed their lives and severe punishment for those responsible for the exodus.
Virji Kachroo, a Kashmiri Pandit expressed his resentments against the Central government and asked why is this government not sending us to back our homes in Kashmir valley. "We voted the Central government twice, thinking of that they will take this issue seriously. We do want to ask the government when will we go back to our home?" Kachroo said to ANI.
About 13 trains running late for today, including Howrah-New Delhi Express, Puri-New Delhi Express, Gorakhpur-New Delhi Express, Mumbai-New Delhi Express, Kanpur -New Delhi Express: CPRO, Northern Railways
India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its latest update said, dense fog is being reported at 8.30 am over Delhi (Palam 50m), Punjab (Amritsar 50m), Haryana (Karnal and Hissar 50m each), UP (Lucknow 50m), northwest MP (Gwalior 50m), Bihar (Patna and Gaya 50m), Sub Himalayan West Bengal (Cooch Behar 50m) and Assam (Dhubri 50m).
BJP IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya, who has been tweeting about the alleged rift between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew, Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, on Wednesday accused the Diamond Harbour MP of running a parallel administration in his Lok Sabha constituency.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh described Malviya's "wild" claim as a desperate bid to deflect people's attention from the "growing feud" within the BJP's state unit.
"Instead of incessantly writing to the PM, Mamata Banerjee must check on the parallel Government being run from Diamond Harbour," the senior BJP leader tweeted.
Malviya, who is also the co-incharge of the state BJP, was apparently referring to the letter written by the CM to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Centre's rejection of the state's tableau from the Republic Day parade in New Delhi.
After IMD forecast a partly cloudy sky for Delhi-NCR for the next six days, low visibility procedures are in progress at Delhi airport due to weather conditions. Delhi International Airport Limited told news agency ANI that all flight operations are presently normal and have not been affected.
Delhi has been reeling under a cold wave spell for seven days in a row since January 13. During this period, there was a layer of moderate fog/low cloud over Delhi NCR, preventing the sunlight to reach the surface.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a keynote address at the national launch ceremony of 'Azadi Ke Amrit Mahotsav se Swarnim Bharat Ke Ore' today at 10:30 AM via video conferencing. The program will unveil yearlong initiatives dedicated to Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav by the Brahma Kumaris.
During the event, PM Modi will also flag off seven initiatives of Brahma Kumaris. These include My India Healthy India, Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Self Reliant Farmers, Women: Flag Bearers of India, Power of Peace Bus Campaign, Andekha Bharat Cycle Rally, United India Motor Bike Campaign, and green initiatives under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
Later in the evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth will jointly inaugurate the India-assisted Social Housing Units project in Mauritius virtually at around 4:30 PM. The two dignitaries will also launch the Civil Service College and 8MW Solar PV Farm projects in Mauritius that are being undertaken under India’s development support.
UP BJP will launch the election campaign today for the assembly election 2022.
The Central Election Committee (CEC) of Congress is meeting today to seal the names of the candidates for the Manipur assembly election 2022. The meeting will be a virtual one and be held today at 5.30 pm. The list of candidates may also be released after the meeting. The screening committee of Congress will also discuss the Uttarakhand assembly poll 2022 candidates. The meeting will be held at 4 pm.
Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen. CP Mohanty will address the five-day conference of GCTC i.e. Global Counter-Terrorism Council today.
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