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Several Congress leaders raised slogans against the government while on the tarmac
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As per the available statistics, while women’s voting percentage has gone up to 71.52, the percentage for men has remained static at 72.67
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Mr Shah said that issues concerning the development and rights of eastern Nagaland will be addressed after the elections
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This would be the first party-level meeting to be chaired by Shinde, after the EC’s decision on the name and symbol of Shiv Sena
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Boeing and Air India announced an investment in 290 Boeing jets — marking the largest Boeing order in South Asia and historic milestone in their nearly 90-year partnership with Air India — while exhibiting in the USA Partnership Pavilion at Aero India this week in Bengaluru, India. “Air India’s selection of Boeing’s family of passenger […]
The post Boeing Announces Air India Agreement Following Success in the USA Partnership Pavilion at Aero India 2023 appeared first on Asian Military Review.
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Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud
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ED raids multiple locations in Chhattisgarh over mining case
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Shah said Shivaji’s life was all about revolting against atrocities and the fight for ‘swaraj’ started by him continues still today
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Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut
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No new date announced: CBI after Manish Sisodia skips summons in excise policy case
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The home minister said the Kashmir Valley saw about 1.8 crore tourists in one year, which he called a big thing
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Sisodia has not been named as accused in the charge sheet as the investigation against him and other suspects is still going on
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In a big blow to Thackeray, the EC on Friday allotted the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and its poll symbol ‘bow and arrow’ to the group led by CM Shinde
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We will end corruption forever through the BJP’s double-engine government in Meghalaya and at the Centre, says Union Home Minister
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Just weeks after the BBC aired a documentary examining Indian prime minister Narendra Modi‘s role in deadly 2002 sectarian riots, tax inspectors descended on the broadcaster’s offices in India.
Modi’s Hindu nationalist party says the two are not connected. However, rights groups say the raids show the parlous state of press freedom in the world’s biggest democracy. Unfavourable reporting has seen outlets and journalists targeted and harassed.
Lockdown
The lockdown of the BBC‘s offices in New Delhi and Mumbai is the latest of several similar “search and survey” operations against the press. Kunal Majumdar of the Committee to Protect Journalists told Agence France-Presse (AFP):
Unfortunately, this is becoming a trend, there is no shying away from that.
Four Indian outlets that had critically reported on the government were raided by tax officers or financial crimes investigators in the past two years, he said.
As with the BBC raids, those outlets said officials took phones and checked computers used by journalists. Majumdar continued:
When you have authorities trying to go through your material, go through your work, that’s intimidation. The international community ought to wake up and start taking this matter seriously.
Damning documentary
Modi was governor of Gujarat province when extremist riots killed at least 1,000 people in 2002 – most of them minority Muslims. Modi’s party favours an extreme form of Hindu nationalism with fascistic tendencies.
However, major western powers back Modi to the hilt. Accordingly, Rishi Sunak was warmly endorsed by Modi when he was appointed:
Warmest congratulations @RishiSunak! As you become UK PM, I look forward to working closely together on global issues, and implementing Roadmap 2030. Special Diwali wishes to the 'living bridge' of UK Indians, as we transform our historic ties into a modern partnership.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 24, 2022
In fact, the BBC documentary on Modi cited a British foreign ministry report claiming that Modi met senior police officers and “ordered them not to intervene” in anti-Muslim violence. The BBC documentary did not air in India. It did, however provoke a furious response from the government, which dismissed its contents as “hostile propaganda”.
Gaurav Bhatia, a Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson, said this week’s raids on the BBC offices were lawful and the timing had nothing to do with the documentary’s broadcast. Even so, authorities used information technology laws to ban the sharing of links to the programme in an effort to stop its spread on social media. Modi was interviewed in the documentary and was asked whether he could have handled the anti-Muslim atrocity differently. His response was that his main weakness was not knowing “how to handle the media”.
Hartosh Singh Bal, the political editor of India’s Caravan magazine, told AFP:
That’s been something he has been taking care of since. That sums up his attitude.
Freedom in the west?
Journalists have long faced harassment, legal threats and intimidation for their work in India. According to the Free Speech Collective more criminal cases are being lodged against reporters than ever. Criminal complaints were issued against a record 67 journalists in 2020, the latest year for which figures are available, the local civil society group reported. Ten journalists were behind bars in India at the start of the year, according to Reporters Without Borders.
That said, it would be a mistake to suggest attacks on press freedom are an Indian – or ‘developing’ world – issue. The UK itself currently sits at 24th in the Reporters without Borders press freedom index:
Worrisome governmental legislative proposals, extensive restrictions on freedom of information, the prolonged detention of Julian Assange, and threats to the safety of journalists in Northern Ireland have impacted the UK’s press freedom record.
Suppression of press freedom is alive and well across the world. Modi’s attempts to quash free and independent journalism must be resisted at every turn. Here in the UK we’re all too familiar with the very real threat of contempt for public service journalism.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse.
By Joe Glenton
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The survey is being carried out to investigate issues related to international taxation and transfer pricing of BBC subsidiary companies
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The searches are being conducted in connection with last year’s blasts in Coimbatore and Mangaluru
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Key milestone in strategic pact, say Modi, Macron; PM, Biden speak after deal
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The searches come weeks after the BBC released a documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi – ‘India: The Modi Question’
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Varanasi airport director Aryama Sanyal denied allegation that they had refused permission for Gandhi’s plane to land
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Amit Shah has said that it will not be appropriate for him to comment on Adani row as the Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the matter
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‘New India’ of 21st century will neither miss any opportunity nor will there be any shortage in its hard work, Modi said
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Rashtrapati Bhavan announced names for appointment on the post of 12 Governors for states and one Lieutenant Governor in the UT of Ladakh
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PM alleges they betrayed voters in poll-bound state
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This was also the first time when Chin Region witnessed a drone strike which earlier happened in Sagaing region of Myanmar
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The major campaign plank for the ruling party is ‘development; and the ‘advancement of Karnataka’ in various sectors.
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An Asian elephant named Moti has been lying collapsed on the ground since at least 22 January. The 35-year-old elephant is essentially unable to stand up after years working in India as a tourist begging elephant.
Our medical team is on site and providing pain medication, fluids and nutritious food for Moti, a 35 year old bull elephant in critical condition with a torn footpad and severely swollen legs. We need to get him standing to get him to the elephant hospital.
pic.twitter.com/TF7GISibUR— Wildlife SOS (@WildlifeSOS) January 22, 2023
Moti’s dire predicament illustrates why action against unethical tourism, such as elephant rides, is vital. The UK took a step closer to such action on 3 February, when a bill that should ban the promotion and sales of unethical tourism passed its second reading in parliament.
Moti in extremely concerning condition
Indian nonprofit Wildlife SOS has been with Moti since 22 January, when its veterinary team travelled to his location. On its website, the organisation explained that as a begging elephant, Moti would have given “countless rides” to people, i.e. tourists. Now, he’s in a “very poor condition”, including being malnourished. Blood tests have also shown potential liver and kidney issues.
Over the last two weeks, Wildlife SOS has administered treatment on-site because Moti can’t stand up. This is partly due to the fact that one of his foot pads is detached, which must be extremely painful. Moreover, one of his legs is heavily swollen, although this has reduced somewhat with treatment.
Moti update:
What we are seeing is that his foot pad has torn away from the base of his foot and the excruciating pain he was experiencing likely caused him to collapse. However, we are still trying to get x-rays to understand what underlying skeletal issues he is having. pic.twitter.com/MXUEw1NKDO
— Wildlife SOS (@WildlifeSOS) January 23, 2023
Wildlife SOS would ideally like to get Moti to its elephant hospital rather than giving roadside care. But this requires him being able to get to his feet. When the nonprofit attempted to lift him on 2 February with the use of a crane, Moti couldn’t bear weight on any of his legs. It explained that:
An elephant’s movement is critical to circulation and healing, so his continued lack of movement has our team extremely concerned.
The organisation highlighted that his appetite and drinking has improved, which is a good sign. But the longer Moti stays grounded, the more uncertain his future becomes.
Most recently, Wildlife SOS reached out to the army for assistance. The army’s Madras Engineer Group, known as the Madras Sappers, had aided the organisation to rescue a collapsed elephant called Sidda in 2016.
A team of Bengal Sappers arrived at Moti’s location early on 6 February. They’re building a structure, known as a kraal, that Moti can be suspended from, in a bid to get him to his feet.
Wildlife SOS’s co-founder and CEO Kartick Satyanarayan said:
This is such a patriotic effort to help India’s heritage animal and an endangered species. We are also grateful to the Forest Department and the custodian of Moti elephant for their cooperation and support.
Refuse to ride
Wildlife SOS is urging tourists to “refuse to ride” elephants, due to the suffering that individuals like Moti go through as a result:
Moti Update: Moti continues to eat and drink water. The team did not try to turn him today as they wanted to give him more time to regain strength after the last attempt.
Millions of tourists need to know they must #RefusetoRide elephants.
& Share: https://t.co/soP3vCaXWx pic.twitter.com/jU6wCR4yaL— Wildlife SOS (@WildlifeSOS) February 3, 2023
The injuries that tourism elephants can sustain from working in the industry make up only part of their suffering. Abuse is part and parcel of existence for many individuals. Their training for tourism, for example in places like India, can involve being beaten, crushed and starved, among other abuses.
Due to this, a bill is currently making its way through parliament in the UK. The Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill aims to prohibit the advertising and sale of overseas activities that “involve low standards of welfare for animals”.
On 3 February, MPs debated the bill for the first time. Although the session wasn’t well-attended, most MPs present spoke out in support of the bill. As Save the Asian Elephants (STAE) highlighted on Twitter, MPs voted the bill through at that reading:
Huge day for elephants and all abused tourism species in Parliament today as STAE’s Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill sponsored by Angela Richardson MP unanimously voted through Second Reading. Please back STAE’s fight. @MeganMcCubbin @StanleyPJohnson @PeterEgan6 pic.twitter.com/s2l5IODVl4
— Save The Asian Elephants (@stae_elephants) February 3, 2023
The bill will now progress to its committee stage, where it will face examination and possible changes.
Self-regulation isn’t working
As STAE has pointed out, the bill will potentially benefit many species used in tourism, such as big cats, apes, dolphins, and more.
The organisation insists that change will not happen without legislative action, arguing that industry self-regulation has failed. STAE, for example, says that it has identified no less than 1,200 companies operating in the UK market that advertise venues implicated in brutality against elephants.
Moreover, India and Thailand, where elephant-related tourism is common, are popular destinations among UK travellers. And as World Animal Protection’s report, titled ‘Taken for a ride’, highlighted: 36% of Thailand tourists surveyed in 2014 took elephant rides, or planned to, during their visits. In short, the UK’s involvement in elephant-related tourism, both in terms of travellers and tourism companies, is considerable.
For the sake of elephants in and outside of tourist venues – and other captive wild animals – a crackdown on unethical tourism in places like India can’t come soon enough.
Featured image and embedded image via Wildlife SOS
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New York: Pakistani-American Think-tank organized a Kashmir Day event in New York to denounce the continued atrocities and human rights violations of the Indian government in the IOK, and to support the Kashmiris’ struggle for freedom and self-determination.
Tahir Hanafi, a well-known poet from Pakistan, was the chief guest at the event that was held at a local restaurant in Brooklyn.
Addressing the event, Tahir Hanafi said that Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan.
Pakistan-American thinks tank chief Raja Razak said that holding the G-20 conference in the occupied territory is a very wrong move.
While the general secretary of the organization, Farida Bibi, said that Kashmir is a region which is called heaven, but due to Indian persecution, Kashmir is presenting a scene of hell.
Kashmiri leader Sardar Sawar Khan and retired Colonel Maqbool Malik said that February 5th is celebrated all over the world to express solidarity with the Kashmiris and that the 220 million people of Pakistan, their wishes and efforts are with the Kashmiri people.
The Sikh community participating in the event said that during the freedom struggle, Gandhiji, Nehru and other leaders made various promises to the Sikh community and other minority communities but they could not be fulfilled.
The participants of the event expressed their solidarity with the Kashmiri people and described only Pakistan’s efforts regarding Kashmir’s freedom as insufficient, but the whole world should raise their voice regarding atrocities in Kashmir.
The organizers of the event thanked the Chief Guest and other participants for attending the event.
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BJP appoints Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan poll in-charge for Karnataka
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A senior BJP leader said that in order to win more seats in the 2024 elections, the party has already started its preparation
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