More on Vande Mataram
Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Monday demanded that Muslims who oppose the singing of Vande Mataram should be treated as "anti-nationals" and "disenfranchised". Protesting against the ruckus inside the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Saturday on the issue of Vande Mataram, the party said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his ire against cow vigilantes (gaurashaks) indulging in violence. Dwelling on the Aurangabad incident, it criticised the manner in which three corporators of the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM—Shaikh Samina, Syed Mateen and Sheikh Zafar—remained seated during the rendition of the Vande Mataram. "Any opposition to it must be considered 'anti-national' and the voting rights of such people should be cancelled," it said.
No more airport meetings
Panaji: The Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday disposed a plea filed against BJP chief Amit Shah's public meeting at the Goa Airport, after the Airport Authority of India said that the July 1 incident was an "isolated occurrence" and such incidents would not be repeated. The petition filed by advocate Aires Rodrigues had sought a thorough probe into the manner in which the meeting was allowed to be conducted on July 1 at the Dabolim Airport, which functions out of an Indian Naval Base, INS Hansa. The BJP, as well as the AAI, had maintained that the meeting was spontaneous in nature and therefore the question of seeking permission did not arise. The court had, however, questioned the presence of a podium, chairs, music system, which it said, was indicative that the July 1 meeting was an organised affair.
Getting back home, to Pak
Jammu: A total of 116 people, who had come from the Pakistan-administered Kashmir and got stranded in Jammu and Kashmir, will return home on Monday through Kaman Post on the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla district. Officials at the Chakan Da Bagh Trade and Travel Facilitation Centre in Poonch district said the 116 people had come to meet their relatives in the Kashmir Valley. There has been no cross-LoC trade or travel through Chakan Da Bagh crossing since July 10 because of heightened tensions between the Indian and Pakistan Armies. "These passengers left Poonch town in several buses for the Valley," an official said. "They will cross the Aman Setu (Peace Bridge) in Uri sector. At the same time, three residents of Jammu and Kashmir will also return home from the other side," an official said.
President presents colours
Leh: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday presented the President's Colours award to the Ladakh Scouts on his first visit outside Delhi after taking charge. Speaking at the event, also attended by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, the president said his visit to Jammu and Kashmir was dedicated to the armed forces. "This is my first trip outside Delhi after taking charge as the president. I chose this beautiful Leh in Jammu and Kashmir for my first visit and I am very happy to be amidst our soldiers." Lauding the Ladakh Scouts, the president recalled their bravery in the conflict of 1947-48, the war with China in 1962, the Pakistan war of 1971 and the Kargil conflict in 1999. President's Colours is one of the greatest honours bestowed upon a unit in recognition of exceptional service rendered to the nation, both during war and in peace. The visit comes days after a scuffle between the Chinese and Indian Armies, when some Chinese soldiers tried to cross the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near Pangong Lake in Ladakh. The army chief will also review security in the area.
Over to social media, or not
Panaji: Social media platforms WhatsApp and Facebook will be misused extensively ahead of the August 23 bypolls to Panaji assembly constituency, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Sunday. The former defence minister's comments come a few days after a fake news report, quoting Parrikar as saying that he would opt to rejoin the defence ministry if he lost the upcoming assembly bypoll, went viral. "Someone created bogus news and quoted it everywhere. I had never spoken to the press. There was no news. A news item was created on the internet, quoting a media (channel) and it was sent to everyone. WhatsApp and Facebook will be misused extensively in the next three days," Parrikar said. The chief minister on Saturday had denied speaking to the media suggesting that he was open to the idea of returning to national politics as defence minister, if he lost the August 23 byelection. Shiv Sena mouth-piece had published an editorial on Friday criticising Parrikar on the basis of this "news".
"No accident, no deaths"
Supaul (Bihar): Supaul's MP and Congress spokesperson Ranjeet Ranjan denied that her convoy crushed three people to death earlier in the day. "First, my convoy vehicle did not hit anyone. Second, not a single person died in the accident which is claimed by the media. It is wrong news being run by channels that my convoy vehicle hit three persons. I'm going to move privilege motion. I was 12 km away from the accident site," Ranjan said. Earlier in the day, it was reported that Ranjan's convoy crushed three people to death and that the incident took place at the Nirmali-Sikarhata Main Road inBihar's Supaul.
