THE HEADLINES:
India temporarily suspends visa services including E-visa for Canadian citizens citing security threats.
Discussion underway in Rajya Sabha on Women's Reservation Bill.
Members across party lines in Lok Sabha laud success of Chandrayaan -3 Mission.
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates first Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show in Greater Noida.
Pakistan to hold General Elections in last week of January next.
And in the Asian Games, Indian men's football team beat Bangladesh 1-0 in Hangzhou.
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India has temporarily suspended visa services including E-visa for Canadian citizens. Addressing media in New Delhi today, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi informed that the decision was taken due to the incitement of violence and inaction of Canadian authority and creating an environment that disrupts the functions of the Indian High Commission and Consulates in Canada.
Mr Bagchi also said that Canadian citizens in a third country will not be able to apply for an Indian visa. However, the spokesperson informed that anyone with a valid visa or other documents can travel to India. Replying to a query on the number of Canadian diplomats in India, Mr. Bagchi said that there will be a reduction of diplomats from the Canadian side as India has called for parity in strength in the mutual diplomatic presence.
Briefing on the Hardeep Nijjar row, the spokesperson said that so far Canada has not provided any specific information on the matter whereas India has shared specific evidence with Canada about criminal activities by individuals based on Canadian soil but has not been acted upon. Mr Bagchi also termed the comments made by the Canadian government on the issue as politically driven. He further stated that Canada has become a safe haven for organised terrorism.
The Spokesperson also informed that over the years India has sought extradition of 25 individuals with terrorism charges or assistance from Canada to take action against them but the response has not been helpful.
Responding to a query on Pakistan's statement on the India-Canada row, the spokesperson said that Pakistan should be the last country to comment on credibility and nobody takes it seriously.
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Canadian Member of Parliament Chandra Arya today hit out at Khalistani terrorists and gangsters. In a video message, he condemned the attack on the country's Hindu community by the pro-Khalistani group Sikhs for Justice's president Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Mr Arya said the attack on the Hindu Canadians is further escalating due to the glorification of terrorism in the name of freedom of speech and lack of action against the Khalistani leader. He also urged the Hindu-Canadians to remain calm but vigilant.
The Rajya Sabha is currently discussing the Women's Reservation Bill. The Bill seeks to provide one-third reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eight Amendment) Bill in the House to further amend the Constitution of India in this regard. Yesterday, the Lok Sabha had passed the Bill. The legislation is called Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
Moving the Bill in the House, Mr Meghwal said this legislation will promote women's empowerment in the country. He said, this is also an important step towards making India a developed nation in the Amrit Kaal. Mr Meghwal also appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing welfare schemes like Ujjwala Yojana, Mudra Yojana, and more for the benefit of women. He said, 33 per cent reservation for women belonging to SCs and STs will also be provided within the existing quota, and for this census and delimitation are essential.
Participating in the discussion on the Women's Reservation Bill, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said bringing this Bill shows the government's commitment to the social and economic empowerment of women.
BJP leader J P Nadda expressed confidence that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which was passed in Lok Sabha yesterday, will pass in the Rajya Sabha unanimously.
Supporting the Bill, Congress leader Ranjeet Ranjan said that women’s representation in Parliament should go up. However, she questioned the delay in bringing the Women’s Reservation Bill to Parliament.
Dr Kanimozhi Somu of DMK, Sandeep Kumar Pathak of AAP, Dr K Keshava Rao of BRS and others also favoured te bill. Dola Sen of AITC, Saroj Pandey of the BJP, Pramod Tiwari of Congress, Jaya Bachchan of SP, Mahua Maji of JMM, and Sulata Deo of BJD were among those who participated in the discussion.
A Parliamentary panel has recommended that special attention should be given to jailed pregnant women. It is in line with a Supreme Court judgement in which it was observed that a jail must have adequate facilities for prenatal and postnatal care for female prisoners as well as their children. The Chairman of the panel, Brijlal today tabled the report in Parliament. The Committee said gynaecological examination for female prisoners shall be performed in the District Government Hospital. The report said pregnant women in jail should be able to give birth outside the prison. It added that children should be given adequate care with respect to food, shelter, vaccination, education, recreational space, and physical growth.
Members across party lines in the Lok Sabha today praised the success of the Chandrayaan -3 Mission and other achievements of the nation in the Space sector.
Initiating the discussion, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh said, India has become the first country to reach the southern pole of the Moon. He congratulated the scientists of ISRO especially the women scientists for the success of Chandrayaan.
Participating in the discussion, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, India scripted history by successfully soft landing on the surface of the Moon making the country the fourth one in the world to achieve this feat. A Raja of DMK, Professor Sougata Roy of Trinamool Congress, Supriya Sule of the NCP, Dimple Yadav of Samajwadi Party and others also congratulated the scientists of the ISRO for the remarkable success of Chandrayaan 3.
Union Minister and Apna Dal MP Anupriya Patel, Jayant Sinha and Tejasvi Surya of the BJP also praised ISRO.
Replying to the discussion, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said, India is eagerly waiting for the awakening and establishing communication with its Chandrayaan-3 mission's Vikram lander and Pragyan rover which have landed on the south pole of the Moon. He said, if India is able to do so in a few hours, it will be the first country to achieve this feat.
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the first Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show at India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida today. Speaking on the occasion, the President said Uttar Pradesh will play an important role in making the country the third-largest economy in the world. She said, the State has aimed to become a one trillion dollar economy and hopefully it will achieve the target. Praising the efforts of the State government, the President remarked that more than 400 buyers from around 66 countries across the globe are taking part in the trade show.
Governor of the State Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with other Ministers of State government were also present during the inaugural function. Ambassadors from different countries and many business heads also participated in the event. The trade show will continue till the 25th of September.
The Government today advised television channels to refrain from giving any platform to reports or references about and views and agenda of those persons against whom there are charges of serious crimes or terrorism and they belong to organisations that have been proscribed by law.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said, that while the Government upholds media freedom and respects its rights under the Constitution, the content telecast by TV channels must adhere to the provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.
The Supreme Court has refused to intervene either in favour of Karnataka or Tamil Nadu in the Cauvery water dispute, instead, it relied on the combined expertise of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) to manage the water-sharing between the two neighbouring States.
A three-judge Bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai today said the various factors, including water distress in the Cauvery basin, considered by the CWMA and the CWRC while fixing the daily water flow from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu at 5,000 cusecs were neither extraneous nor irrelevant.
The Centre has issued orders to Traders, Wholesalers, Retailers, Big Chain Retailers, and Processors of sugar for mandatory disclosure of the stock position of sugar every week. They will have to disclose their stock position on the portal esugar.nic.in every Monday. The step has been taken as a proactive measure to combat hoarding and curb unscrupulous speculation in the sugar market.
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution said, the fully digital initiative will facilitate a smooth sugar market with deterrence to commodity hoarders from any speculative transactions.
The Election Commission of Pakistan today announced that the next General Elections would be held in the last week of January next year. It added that the initial list of delimitations will be published next week. As of now, Pakistan has a caretaker government in place, after the Shebhaz Sharif-led government dissolved itself and the National Assembly on the 9th of August. The caretaker government is being led by Anwar ul Haq Kakar as Prime Minister.
In Football, the Indian men's team defeated Bangladesh 1-0 in their 2nd Group match in the Asian Games at the Xiaoshan Sports Centre in Hangzhou. The first-half ended goalless with India missing plenty of chances. In the second-half, India received a penalty in the 85th-minute. Captain Sunil Chhetri stepped up and slotted it in the bottom-left corner as India took a late 1-0 lead. This triumph followed a tough 1-5 defeat against the host nation China just two days earlier. With this victory, India takes a significant step forward in their quest for qualification to the next round. India will next play Myanmar in their final group match on Sunday. Myanmar beat Bangladesh 1-0 on the opening day.
Meanwhile, Indian women's football team put on a tremendous display against higher-ranked Chinese Taipei in a first round match of Group-B at Huanglong Sports Centre but lost in the dying moments 1-2. The next match is scheduled on Sunday between India and Thailand.
In Jammu and Kashmir, officials of Bhaderwah Forest Division claimed to have found the world's largest and perhaps the oldest Cedar tree in Bhalessa area of Doda district. They are projecting it to be declared as a heritage site. The tree because of its gigantic size, also holds religious significance for the locals as they believe it to be pious and offer prayers there. DFO Bhaderwah Chander Shekhar said the Department will refer this tree to the Forest Survey of India to calculate its exact age and it will be projected as a heritage site.
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