Top stories on 8 August in a capsule
Maharashtra bandh to be observed today over quota demand
Almost 14 days after the protest by Marathas groups demanding reservation had bought the city of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai to standstill, the group has called in for a protest again today for a statewide bandh. The Maratha Kranti Morcha protestors citing demand of quota in government jobs and colleges said the bandh will be observed from 8am to 6pm in a peaceful way. On Tuesday, the Bombay High Court ordered Maratha groups ‘to refrain from resorting to violence or committing suicide over the demand for reservation.’ In wake of the event, schools and colleges have been asked to declared a holiday tomorrow in Pune.
______________Centre to check 9,000 child care homes within 60 days
In a bid to crackdown the numerable reports of sexual abuse cases, the central government announced that 9,000 child care homes will be investigated within a period of 60 days. The Ministry of Women and Children Development led by Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has directed the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to make a list and submit a report in two months. The minister suggested that there should be a single facility in every state to check the Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that run the shelter homes and fund them under the Nirbhaya Fund. The stringent step from the government after over 30 girls were reportedly sexually abused in a Bihar government funded shelter home in Muzaffarpur and in another case, 24 girls were rescued from a Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh based facility.
______________Tamil Nadu bids final goodbye to DMK chief Karunanidhi
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| Source: News18 |
Tamil Nadu’s veteran politician and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) patriarch, late M Karunanidhi on Wednesday bid his final goodbye to the public, as his mortal remains made way to the burial space in Marina beach. Draped in tricolor and flanked by a cavalcade of armed forces, Karunanidhi’s mortal remains were taken from Rajaji Hall, where political leader including Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to pay their respects. Meanwhile, two people, identified as a 70-year-old man and a woman, were reported dead and 33 were injured as a stampede broke out among the sea of supporters. Karunanidhi now will be laid to rest in Anna Memorial, next to his predecessor and DMK founder Annadurai.
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Massive fire in Mumbai petroleum plant injures 45
Around 45 were injured after a massive fire broke out at Mumbai’s Bharat Petroleum plant on Wednesday evening, plummeting huge clouds of black smoke into the air. The accident broke at Chembur’s Mahul district, burning 72 ton hydrocarbon, which is used for diesel generation, and quickly went on to engulf other plants. The fire which was declared a Level 3 by evening, was fought by the Mumbai fire brigade department with seven fire engines, two foam tenders and two jumbo tankers. Meanwhile, according to a report by the Hindustan Times, locals nearby the plant reported of ‘earthquake like tremors’ as far as 4 kilometres from the spot of the accident.
______________UN urges Myanmar to get ready to house Rohingyas back
Global body promoting international peace, the United Nations on Wednesday called on to the Myanmar government to speed up the process of rehabilitating Rohingyas and grant them citizenship. The UN laid out three areas of immediate attention to create a safe environment for rehabilitation: “granting effective access in Rakhine State; ensuring freedom of movement for all communities; and addressing the root causes of the crisis”. More than 7 lakh Rohingyas has fled Myamar since 2017 after the state military put a crackdown on the community in the name of ‘ethnic cleansing.’ The Myanmar government has not yet put out any comment in response to UN’s request.
______________Muzaffarpur shelter home case: Bihar Minister Manju Verma resigns
Bihar's social welfare minister Manju Verma, whose husband is accused of having links with alleged mastermind in the Muzaffarpur Shelter home rape case Brijesh Thakur resigned on Wednesday. The resignation came a day after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said that he will not spare anyone found involved even if it is minister Verma. The report claimed that the investigators have found 17 call transactions between Verma and Thakur, whose NGO Sewa Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti managed the shelter home where 34 minor inmates were allegedly raped. The shelter home rape case is currently being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The rescued victims are currently in government's custody. Under trauma, most of them are yet to record their statements.
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Begging no more an offense in Delhi, HC rules
In a historic judgment, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday declared that begging will not be considered a criminal offense anymore in the national capital. Giving the order, the bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the Delhi government to bring an alternative law to tackle cases of forced begging. The court gave the order after receiving two petitions asking to provide basic facilities at beggar homes. Saying “the provision which treats begging as an offense or deals with ancillary issues like power of officers to deal with this offense, as extended to Delhi, are unconstitutional and are struck down,” news reports quoted the bench.
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India wins claim over Chota Shakeel gang member in case against Pak
In a big win for the Indian government, a Thailand court has decided to send back a significant member of gangster Chota Shakeel's gang, citing he is an Indian citizen and will be sent to India. The responsibility of the citizenship of Sayyed Muzakkir Muddassar Hussain alias Mohammad Saleem alias Munna Jhingra was being debated over by both India and Pakistan since 2000, after he was arrested by the Bangkok police. During the hearing of the case, Pakistan had staked a claim on him, while India had urged that Jhingra had a family back in Maharashtra’Jogeshwari area. Pakistan now has 30 days to file for an appeal, failing which Jhingra will be deported to India within 90 days. Jhingra was caught while sent on a mission to kill Chota Rajan.
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Soon govt to stop wilful defaulters from traveling abroad
As a plan to stop people looking to flee the country without paying their dues money, the government will soon stop wilful defaulters with loans more than Rs 50 crore from traveling abroad without prior permission. A committee headed by financial services secretary Rajiv Kumar has recommended stopping wilful defaulters with loans exceeding Rs 50 crore from traveling overseas without prior approval. Back in March, Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar disclosed in Parliament that as many as 31 business people facing a CBI investigation have flown the coop so far.
_____________Mahatma Gandhi wanted Jinnah as first PM, but Nehru refused: Dalai Lama
Tibetan leader Dalai Lama on Wednesday said that Mahatma Gandhi was in favor to make Muhammad Ali Jinnah Prime Minister, but Jawaharlal Nehru had a "self-centered attitude" to become India's first PM. He also claimed India's partition would not have happened if Mahatma Gandhi's wish of Jinnah becoming the Prime Minister had materialized. The 83-year-old monk was addressing an event at the Goa Institute of Management in Goa's Sankhalim town. He added that Nehru was a very wise person but everyone makes mistakes.
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