QBullet: Modi to Begin Campaign for Gujarat; Hafiz Saeed Released
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1. Modi Set for Rash of Rallies
Top BJP leaders, including senior central ministers and chief ministers, will visit Gujarat on Sunday to prepare the ground for Narendra Modi to kick off his rally and road show blitzkrieg for the December polls.
The Prime Minister will begin his campaign with eight rallies on Monday and Wednesday. The BJP plans to storm the election-bound state with Modi's rallies in a desperate attempt to turn the political tide that appears unfavourable at the moment.
Modi, who has already visited Gujarat several times before the elections were announced, will start the campaign for the first phase of polling on 9 December with four rallies on Monday.
Source: The Telegraph
2. Hafiz Saeed Release: India Says Pakistan 'Mainstreaming' Proscribed Terrorists
The External Affairs Ministry on Thursday expressed outrage over the release of 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, who is also a UN-designated terrorist, stating that his release confirms Pakistan’s lack of seriousness in bringing perpetrators of terror to justice.
“India is outraged that a self-confessed and UN-proscribed terrorist has been allowed to walk free,” said External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.
The MEA also dubbed Hafiz Saeed’s release as an attempt by Pakistan to “mainstream” proscribed terrorists.
Source: The Indian Express
3. Himanta Biswa Sarma Apologises for Cancer Remark
A day after his remarks on people suffering from cancer sparked a political slugfest, Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Thursday claimed he was quoted out of context in a bid to sensationalise his speech at an event in Guwahati, and offered an “unconditional apology” for any pain caused.
Himanta claimed his remarks were made “in the context of helping poor students of Government schools and request to teachers not to neglect them”.
He alleged that a section of media and few leaders in the Congress have been “playing the story”.
Source: The Indian Express
4. 'Two Leaves' Symbol Goes to Unified AIADMK
The Election Commission on Thursday allotted the AIADMK's "two leaves" symbol to the Panneerselvam-Palaniswami combine, holding that it enjoyed majority in the party's legislative and organisational wings.
Putting an end to almost an year-long dispute between warring factions, the Commission said it was of the view that "the petitioners group led by E Madhusudhanan, O Panneerselvam and S Semmalai, and also supported presently by the impleading applicant EK Palaniswami, the present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, enjoys support of majority members in the legislative and organisational wings."
Source: The Hindu
5. Vyapam Scam: CBI Files Chargesheet Against 592 Accused
The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a chargesheet against 592 accused persons, including chairmen of four private medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh, in connection with the Vyapam scam involving alleged irregularities in the 2012 pre-medical test.
Among the accused named in the chargesheet are JN Choksey, chairman of LN Medical College; SN Vijaywargiya of People’s Medical College; Ajay Goenka of Chirayu Medical College and Suresh Singh Bhadoriya of Index Medical College, apart from 22 other officials of the colleges, said the agency on Thursday.
Source: The Hindu
6. More Seats for Sikkim Assembly
The Home Ministry has proposed an increase in the number of seats in the Sikkim Assembly from 32 to 40. The expansion will be the first since the State merged with India in 1975.
The seats are being increased to accommodate people from the Limboo and Tamang communities, notified as the Scheduled Tribes in Sikkim in January 2003. Of the eight seats proposed to be increased, five will be reserved for Limboo and Tamangs. Now, Sikkim has 12 seats reserved for Bhutias and Lepchas, two for the Scheduled Castes, one seat for the Sanghas and 17 general seats. As per constitutional provisions, the total number of seats for STs should be in proportion to the population.
Source: The Hindu
7. Ryan School Murder Case: Tied Me up, Gave Electric Shocks, Says Bus Conductor
In the 48 hours after the murder of seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur, bus conductor Ashok Kumar – initially arrested for the crime – claimed he was tied up, slapped, beaten, brutally tortured, and threatened by Gurgaon Police personnel.
Responding to the allegations, Sandeep Khirwar, Commissioner of Police, said, “We will take appropriate action in the matter at the appropriate juncture.”
Recounting the events that transpired on 8 September, when Thakur was killed inside a ground floor bathroom of Ryan International School, Bhondsi, Kumar claimed: “I left home at 5:30 am for duty, and reached the school at 6:10 am. Then, I did a round on the bus… I only found out about the murder after the gardener called me, claiming that one of the teachers had asked for me.”
Source: The Indian Express
8. President Ratifies Move to Bar Defaulters From Bidding for Stressed Assets
President Ram Nath Kovind approved on Thursday an ordinance that will bar the country’s biggest defaulters from bidding for stressed assets that are part of bankruptcy proceedings.
The ordinance, issued by the government a day earlier, amends the new Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to tighten rules around who would qualify to participate in auctions to recover dues from failing companies.
The executive order has to be ratified by Parliament within six months. It bars wilful defaulters, borrowers with non-performing assets for a year and more, and habitually non-compliant ones from bidding for such assets.
Source: Hindustan Times
9. Save Country: Gujarat Bishop
The Archbishop of Gandhinagar has called for prayers to ensure the election of people "who would remain faithful to our Indian Constitution and respect every human being without any sort of discrimination" and "save our country from nationalist forces".
Making a specific reference to the Gujarat polls, Archbishop Thomas Macwan said: "The results of this election are significant and it will have its repercussion and reverberation throughout our beloved nation. It will influence the future course of our country. We are aware that the secular and democratic fabric of our country is at stake."
The Archbishop's communique to the clergy added that "nationalist forces are on the verge of taking over the country. The election results of the Gujarat State Assembly can make a difference".
Source: The Telegraph
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