Lalu calls for 'Desh bachao, BJP bhagao' rally; urges Sharad to join fight

News has come from various mediums of Sharad Yadav being unhappy with what Nitish Kumar has done

Today's Paper : The Congress Party on Monday welcomed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav's intention to invite Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) co- founder and leader Sharad Yadav to take part in the fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"News has come from various mediums of Sharad Yadav being unhappy with what Nitish Kumar has done. Any self-respected person would be unhappy with the same. Lalu Yadav's statement is worth welcoming. If he (Lalu) has plans to unite different forces against BJP, which has a communal mentality and plays divisive politics then are is welcoming," Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit told ANI.

Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Naresh Agarwal spoke on the same lines, opining that it looked as if there was an attempt by the JD (U) to vanish Sharad Yadav's existence.

The RJD supremo further said that they are going to launch "Desh bachao, BJP bhagao" movement. | READMORE...

Back as CM in 15 hrs: Nitish takes oath as CM, Sushil Modi as Deputy CM

RJD's Tejashwi Yadav has lashed out at Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and called for protests

Today's Paper : Less than a day after resigning as Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar on Thursday took oath as the head of the state's government, which will include BJP and its allies.
BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who had served as the deputy CM in the previous Nitish-NDA government, took oath as the deputy CM again.

Kumar met Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi late on Wednesday with NDA leaders and staked his claim to form a new government with the support of 132 MLAs.

Talking to reporters after meeting the Governor, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said that Nitish Kumar had been invited to take oath at 10 am on Thursday.

ALSO READ: Ghar wapsi for Nitish Kumar

"We gave letters of support of 132 MLAs," he said.

Sushil Modi said that they had requested that the trust vote should take place at the earliest.
Asked if meeting the Governor at such a late hour reflected a fear that some MLAs could leave and join the RJD-Congress alliance, Sushil Modi said: "others may have fear, not us. | Readmore...

RBI stops printing Rs 2,000 notes; Rs 200 note may hit market next month

RBI reportedly already started printing the first batch of 200 rupee note in June to ease out currency availability in the country.

Today's Paper : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has stopped printing the Rs 2,000 currency notes and will not be bringing new notes of that denomination in the current financial year, according to a Livemint report on Tuesday.

Officials of the central bank reportedly told the newspaper that the RBI had also accelerated the process of printing the Rs 200 currency notes. The new notes are expected to start circulating by next month.

"About 3.7 billion Rs 2,000 notes, amounting to Rs 7.4 lakh crore, have been printed; that more than compensates for the 6.3 billion Rs 1,000 notes that were withdrawn after demonetization on 8 November 2016," Livemint said, citing an RBI source.

The RBI has reportedly already started printing the first batch of Rs 200 note in June to ensure easy currency availability in the country.

In fact a report by SBI even says that the introduction of Rs 200 note will fill in the "missing middle" even as the new currency in circulation (CIC) has already reached 84 per cent of the pre-demonetisation level. | readmore...

Presidential Election 2017 Results LIVE: Ram Nath Kovind leads, 'Not upset', says Meira Kumar

Incumbent Pranab Mukherjee's term as President ends on July 25

Today's Paper : On July 17, of the total 4,880 valid voters — 4,109 members of legislative Assemblies (MLAs) and 771 elected members of Parliament (MPs) — 99.49 per cent cast their vote to elect the next President of India. In the fray were the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA's) candidate Ram Nath Kovind, and the Opposition candidate Meira Kumar.

The counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 11 am on Thursday, July 20, but it is believed that Kovind has an edge over Kumar. However, should he win, the margin of his victory will be interesting to note, given that there were reports of many instances where voters from Opposition parties also voting for Kovind in the election.

CATCH ALL THE LIVE UPDATES:  Presidential Election 2017 Results

03:19 PM
Anoop Mishra, Returning officer gives the breakdown of votes:
Ram Nath Kovind got 1,389 out of 4,79,585
Meira Kumar got 576 out of 2,04,594
37 invalid after counting for Parliament & 11 states

03:08 PM

The states where the counting has finished include Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

 02:51 PM

Number of invalid votes: 21

 

02:51 PM

Total votes in Meira Kumar's favour is 225 in value of 1,59,300

 

02:51 PM

Total votes polled in favour of Ram Nath Kovind is 522 in value of 3,69,576

 

02:45 PM

In Bihar, it was a close fight with Kovind getting 22,490 and Meira Kumar 18,867.

(READMORE)

Ganga's plight is no different from that of the 'holy cow'

Pollution load in the river Ganga has increased by nearly four times from 2009 to 2016 in the stretch between Haridwar to Kanpur

Today's Paper : In 1985, the Supreme Court of India issued directions to various authorities to clean up the river Ganga. The Supreme Court's intervention in M C Mehta versus the Union of India was seen as unprecedented at that time. The apex court became the epitome of judicial activism and innovation. The concept of 'continuing mandamus', the 'Polluter Pay Principle' and 'liberal locus standi', led to judgements of the Supreme Court being quoted the world over. Environmental jurisprudence in India was born principally out of the various orders to clean the most polluted, yet, sacred river. The 'Ganga Pollution case' as it is known, is a test case to examine the efficacy of public interest litigation (PIL) as a panacea for environmental problems.
The Supreme Court itself acknowledged the ineffectiveness of its directions in order of October 29, 2014.

"We regret to say that the intervention and sustained effort made by us over the past 30 years notwithstanding no fruitful result has been achieved so far, except shutting down of some of the polluting units. This is largely because while orders have been passed by us, the implementation remains in the hands of statutory authorities including the CPCB and the State PCBs which have done practically nothing to effectuate those orders or to take independent steps that would prevent pollution of the river. A total lack of monitoring by the Statutory bodies has contributed to the current state of affairs".

The above observation reflects the sorry state of implementation of orders and disdain for the orders of even the highest Constitutional court of the country. The court felt that given the necessity of close monitoring of the cleaning of the river, the National Green Tribunal is better placed to adjudicate on the issue and in October 2014, transferred the case to the NGT. | Readmore...

Smriti Irani given additional charge of I&B ministry, Tomar gets urban development min

Naidu resigned as union minister after he was named by BJP as its vice presidential candidate

A day after Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu resigned as a cabinet minister, union minister Smriti Irani was given additional charge of the Information and Broadcast Ministry today, while Narendra Tomar was given the additional responsibility of the Ministry for Urban Development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed the same through a tweet.

M Venkaiah Naidu resigned as union minister last night after he was named by the BJP as its vice presidential candidate against Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the opposition's nominee.

ALSO READ: Modi Cabinet heads for reshuffle as Naidu steps down, 2019 LS polls near

PM Modi also needs to reassign the defence ministry, held by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley since Manohar Parrikar shifted to Goa as Chief Minister earlier this year, and the environment ministry.
Sources said though Naidu was not required to resign, he did so "to set high political standards". |Today's Paper

PM Modi and senior ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj are expected to accompany Mr Naidu when he files his nomination today for the August 5 election. 

Sena questions Gopal Gandhi's VP candidacy, says he opposed Yakub hanging

In July 2015, Gandhi had written to President to reconsider the rejection of Memon's mercy plea

Today's Paper : Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Monday questioned opposition parties for fielding Gopal krishna Gandhi for the vice-presidential election, saying the latter had been opposed to the death sentence of 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts convict Yakub Memon.

Raut said Gandhi was among those who had made appeals to the government to save Memon.
"Gandhi had used all his powers to save Yakub Memon. He even had written to the President. I want to ask (opposition) what kind of mindset is this," he told reporters.

In July 2015, Gandhi had written to President Pranab Mukherjee to "reconsider" the rejection of Memon's mercy plea.

Remember 1962 defeat: Chinese media warns India again amid Sikkim standoff

China has accused Indian troops of transgressing into its territory; stand-off started on June 16

Today's Paper : While we don't know what the Chinese soldiers are up to at the Sikkim border, Chinese state media has found a new, actually old, stick to beat India with — the 1962 Sino-Indian war.

Paraphrasing pieces and editorials run by the People's Daily, Xinhua, and Global Times, the message to India is clear: Remember your defeat in 1962 and accept China's position in the current stand-off at the Sikkim border.

The latest attempt to browbeat India through 'editorial warfare' saw the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, post a picture of a Chinese editorial, titled 'If this can be tolerated, what cannot?', from September 22, 1962 — just short of a month before the 1962 war started.

We couldn't access a direct English translation of the editorial. However, the essence of the editorial was that the "Chinese people would not tolerate the provocation by the Indian Army", according to a People's Daily Online article titled 'People’s Daily to India: Borderline is bottom line'. Back then, the editorial had warned of serious consequences for India if the conflict lingered. Further, it had accused Indian troops of encroaching on Beijing's territory.

"The Indian military's trespass into Chinese territory is a blatant infringement on China's sovereignty, which should be immediately and unconditionally rectified," it said, noting that ever since Indian soldiers "crossed into Chinese territory" and "obstructed work on a road" in the Dokalam area in June, China has lodged a series of protests demanding India pull back its troops immediately.

"India should rectify its mistakes and show sincerity to avoid an even more serious situation creating more significant consequences," the piece said. |readmore...

Fact: Kohli's salary nowhere near that of highest-paid athletes globally

The lone cricketer and Indian, makes around $3 mn beating Tiger Woods, Usain Bolt

Today's Paper : In a succession of announcements, Lionel Messi, Stephen Curry and James Harden landed some of the biggest pay-days in sporting history.

Digging through Forbes’s Highest Paid Athletes list shows us what kind of money professional athletes get paid annually and the financial disparity of being a sportswoman.

The chart below shows athletes in order of salary. Team sports like football, baseball, basketball and American football dominate when it comes to monthly pay checks. Of the 100 sportspeople on the list, 69 came from either the United States’ Major League Baseball, National Football League or the National Basketball Association league.

This is particularly amazing because other than MLB, all other leagues have salary caps. It takes a significant amount of financial juggling by sporting organisations to accommodate such large pay packages.

Virat Kohli ekes in as the lone cricketer and Indian with financial clout. He makes around $3 million in salaried income, beating Usain Bolt and Woods. However, the bulk of their earnings come from endorsements. | READMORE...

Mahatma's grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi is Oppn's pick for Vice-President

Gandhi's name was the only name discussed when 18 opposition parties met today, said sources

Today's Paper : Former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi is the opposition's pick for the post of vice president, sources said today.

Gandhi's name was the only name discussed when 18 Opposition parties met today to decide on their candidate for the vice presidential poll, the sources said.

The JD(U), which had broken ranks with the Opposition over the presidential poll, also attended the meeting which chose Mahatma Gandhi's grandson to be its nominee for vice president.

While Sharad Yadav represented the JD(U), other leaders at the meeting included Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, TMC's Derek O' Brien, CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury, NC's Omar Abdullah, SP's Naresh Agarwal and BSP's Satish Chandra Mishra.

Polling for the vice president's post will take place on August 5 if required. The votes will be counted the same evening.

Sikkim stand-off: India must compel China to vacate the Doklam plateau

India needs its own strategy of 'active defence' in the Indian ocean to counter the Chinese threat

Today's Paper : Recent events on the Doklam plateau near the tri-junction of India, Bhutan, and China have resulted in plenty of discussion among Indian analysts. The better among these have pointed out Doklam’s limited tactical value to China and the latter’s clear contravention of prior agreements to preserve the territorial status quo with Bhutan. Why then have PLA troops and their political masters risked a potential conflict on such weak grounds? As Ajai Shukla notes, “Beijing’s wish to extend the Chumbi Valley southwards is incomprehensible.” Understanding how this episode fits with China’s rise and broader strategy in Asia can shed light on this question, as well as on the most effective Indian response.

Limited data in the public domain show that the number of Chinese troop incursions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India has been increasing, from 228 in 2010 to 411 in 2013 (and 334 by August 2014). Major episodes in the last four years include incursions in Ladakh at Depsang, Burtse, Chumar, and Pangong Lake. This pattern fits with China’s increased assertiveness in Asia since the late 2000s. The Doklam puzzle is tied to the larger question of why Beijing has abandoned its “peaceful rise” approach and adopted a strategy that is likely to alienate neighbors and invite balancing coalitions such as the growing India-Japan partnership.

It is tempting to attribute Chinese assertiveness to non-intentional factors such as rising nationalism, the ruling party’s internal politics, or rogue elements in the military. A more accurate explanation, however, lies in Beijing’s considered response to an altered external environment. In the late 2000s, with the US economy in crisis, Washington’s emerging pivot to Asia, and maritime disputes surfacing with Vietnam and the Philippines, Chinese elites began to question the continued wisdom of Deng Xiaoping’s injunction of hiding capacities and biding time. The ensuing debate, according to Chinese public intellectual Yan Xuetong, led to a shift in China’s strategy from “keeping a low profile” to “striving for achievement,” famously outlined in a speech by Xi Jinping in October 2013. | READMORE

Sikkim issue: India has to pay for border provocations, says China daily

India has expressed deep concern over China constructing a road in the disputed Doka La area

Today's Paper : India has to pay for its provocations, says a Global Times editorial referring to the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doka La region at the Sikkim border. The Global Times is an English-language Chinese newspaper under the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party.

Accusing India of harbouring ambitions of regional "hegemony", the editorial calls upon the Chinese state to "lead the international community in restoring Bhutan's diplomatic and defence sovereignty".

Further, its prescription for chastising India is that Beijing should "reconsider its stance over the Sikkim issue". While China had recognised Sikkim as a part of India before, the editorial goes as far as calling upon Chinese society to support Sikkim's "independence".

The editorial was published on the same day that China, upping the ante on the Sikkim standoff, accused India of "trampling" on the Panchsheel principles and asked New Delhi to "correct its mistakes" as soon as possible by pulling back troops.

India, for its part, has expressed deep concern over China constructing a road in the disputed Doka La area near Sikkim and has conveyed to Beijing that such an action would represent a significant change of status quo with "serious" security implications for India. | read more...

After GST rollout, cleaning up political funding next big reform: Jaitley

Jaitley termed the passage of the GST resolution by the J&K Assembly a victory for consumers

After rolling out goods and services tax, the government will take up "cleansing" of political funding as its top priority, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday.

"In the immediate future, after GST process is complete ...We are looking forward for some major steps to be announced by which we want to cleanse the whole process of political funding," the minister said.

Noting that the current system of political funding, which has prevailed for over 70 years, does not bring any credit to the world's largest democracy, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been insisting on this reform and it will be taken as a "top priority" as there is "strong public support" for it.

In the Budget, Jaitley had announced electoral bonds as a form of making donations to political parties instead of cash. A media report yesterday said government was through with the drafting of the rules in this regard and would begin consultations soon.

The outgoing Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi had, however, raised concern over the move, saying such bonds would have a negative impact on efforts to bring about transparency in political funding.

Meanwhile, Jaitley termed the passage of the GST resolution by the J&K Assembly a victory for consumers despite opposition from separatists elements. | read more...

Leave Sikkim Dokalam area with dignity or be kicked out: Chinese media

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan trijunction

Today's Paper : The Chinese official media on Wednesday stepped up its attack on India with editorials asking Indian troops to move out of Dokalam area in Sikkim sector "with dignity or be kicked out" and describing the situation as "worryingly tense".

While China's nationalistic tabloid Global Times said India should be taught a "bitter lesson", another official newspaper, China Daily, said India should look in the mirror.

The Global Times said in its editorial that India will suffer "greater losses" than in 1962 if it "incites" border clashes with China.

As the standoff in the Dokalam area continued for the third week, it said India should be taught a "bitter lesson".

It also claimed that the Chinese public was infuriated by India's "provocation".

"We believe the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is powerful enough to expel Indian troops out of Chinese territory. The Indian military can choose to return to its territory with dignity, or be kicked out of the area by Chinese soldiers," it said.

"We need to give diplomatic and military authorities full power to handle the issue. We call on Chinese society to maintain high-level unity on the issue. The more unified the Chinese people are, the more sufficient conditions the professionals will have to fight against India and safeguard our interests. This time, we must teach New Delhi a bitter lesson," it said. | read more...

GST impact: Your cooking gas just got costlier by Rs 32 per cylinder

Price of subsidised LPG increased to the highest level in 6 years

Domestic cooking gas (LPG) price has been hiked by up to Rs 32 per cylinder — the steepest increase in six years — following implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Subsidised LPG rates have been increased to Rs 477.46 per 14.2-kg cylinder from Rs 446.65 in Delhi after GST was implemented from July 1.

In the previous indirect tax regime where separate factory-gate duty and sales tax were levied, LPG attracted a zero or nil excise duty all over the country.

VAT or sales tax was nil in Delhi as well as Chandigarh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and some north-eastern states. It ranged from 1 per cent to 5 per cent in other states.

However, under GST, which subsumed more than a dozen central and state levies, a 5 per cent tax was levied on subsidised LPG. This essentially meant that states where VAT was nil or less than 5 per cent, rates have gone up.

Besides Delhi, subsidised LPG price has been hiked by Rs 31.67 per cylinder to Rs 480.32 in Kolkata and Rs 31.41 in Chennai to Rs 465.56, according to information available from oil companies. | read more...

TN theatres shut for 2nd day over 30% entertainment tax even after GST

Speaking on the matter, actor Kamal Haasan said filmmaking has been made difficult deliberately

Theatres across Tamil Nadu will continue to remain shut on Tuesday for the second consecutive day protesting against the state government's decision to levy 30 per cent entertainment tax over and above the 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The double taxation has left the Tamil filmdom in disarray, forcing the Tamil Nadu Film Chamber of Commerce to announce shutdown of theatres on Monday.

Actor Vishal Krishna, president of Tamil Nadu Film Producers Council, said the government has sought another day of extension to sort the matter.

"We met the relevant officials last evening (Monday). They have asked for another day to look into the issue. So the strike will continue on Tuesday. We hope we will arrive at a solution very soon," Vishal told IANS.

Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan on Monday said "filmmaking in the state has been made difficult deliberately".

Reacting on the state of taxation in the state, Haasan said in a statement, "There are further tortures and systemic corruption that the film industry has to endure under this regime."

He pointed out apart from Tamil Nadu, other neighbouring southern states have desisted from levying additional tax on cinema over and above the GST.

"In Kerala, the film industry requested CM Pinarayi Vijayan and he, through his Finance Minister, quickly announced that Kerala will not be levying anymore taxes on the already beleaguered film business," he said.

"Karnataka has gone even further to facilitate the wellbeing of the film industry. Telangana and Andhra are also doing their best for their film industries," he added.

GST will change poor's destiny, will eradicate corruption: Yogi Adityanath

While addressing a gathering in Varanasi, Adityanath said that the GST will eradicate corruption

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) will change the destiny of the poor people of the nation.
While addressing a gathering in Varanasi, Adityanath said that the tax reform will eradicate corruption.
"GST will change the destiny of the poor. Things will become cheaper. We'll do away with corruption. Traders will get freedom from 'Inspector Raj'," said Adityanath.
The GST, rolled out on June 30 midnight, is said to bring the Indian economy under a single tax bracket.
Under the GST, six slabs of taxation have been proposed by the council, ranging from zero percent to 43 percent.
Initially, it was being said that essential commodity and luxury goods will be taxed separately.