Disclose names of people accompanying PM on foreign visits: CIC

Agencies

January 29, 2018

New Delhi, Jan 29: The names of delegation members accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his foreign visits should be disclosed, Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur directed the PMO.

Mathur rejected the objection by PMO in disclosing the information on grounds of "national security".

Deciding two separate cases, Mathur, however, exempted the PMO from disclosing the names of security personnel and people linked to the security details of the prime minister.

"The commission is of the view that the name/list of non-government persons (having no connection with the security) who had accompanied the prime minister on his international visits... should be provided to the appellant," he said.

The cases came before the Central Information Commission - the final appellate authority in matters related to Right to Information - after applicants Neeraj Sharma and Ayub Ali did not receive a proper response to their applications seeking details of delegation members accompanying the prime minister on his foreign visits.

Sharma had sought the list of CEOs of private business, owners or partners, private business officials etc who accompanied Prime Minister Modi on his international visits.

Ali wanted to know the details of monthly expenses of Modi's residence and office; procedure for meeting him; number of meetings held by the prime minister with public at his residence and office; number of electoral public meetings addressed by him and the government expenditure on them.

Sharma filed the RTI application in July, 2017, while Ali's application was filed before the PMO in April, 2016.

In a recent order, Mathur directed the country's top office to provide information within 30 days.

During the hearing, Sharma told Mathur that he has been informed that the list of members of delegation accompanying the prime minister on domestic and foreign tours cannot be disclosed on security grounds as the same is exempted under Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act.

"(Sharma) stated that this same information was available on the website during the tenure of former prime minister Manmohan Singh," Mathur noted.

The PMO stated that details of the PM's visits are available on their website, he pointed out.

However, the names of the delegation members accompanying the prime minister on domestic and foreign visits cannot be disclosed due to security reasons as the threats differ from person to person, it said.

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Low pressure over Arabian sea to intensify into ‘cyclonic storm’ soon, says IMD

Agencies

May 31,2020

New Delhi, May 31: A low pressure area formed over Arabian sea and Lakshadweep is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm and reach coastal states of Maharashtra and Gujarat next week, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

Sunitha Devi, in charge of cyclones at IMD, said, "A low pressure area has formed over southeast and adjoining east central Arabian sea and Lakshadweep area. It is very likely to concentrate into a depression during the next 24 hours and intensify further into a cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours."

She added, "It is likely to move nearly northwards and reach near north Maharashtra and Gujarat coasts by 3rd June."

A low pressure area and a depression are the first two levels on the IMD's eight-category scale used to classify cyclones based on their intensity.

The weather bureau said that the sea condition will be very rough and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea till June 4.

It has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over south coastal Maharashtra for June 2-4, on north coast on June 2-3 and in Gujarat, Daman and Diu and Dadar and Nagar Haveli on June 3-5.

IMD said that under the influence of likely formation of a low pressure system over Arabian Sea, conditions will become favourable from June 1 for onset of monsoon over Kerala.

The arrival date for monsoon in Kerala is around June 1 every year and in Maharashtra around June 10.

On Saturday, a private forecasting agency claimed that monsoon has already hit Kerala, but the assertions were quickly rebutted by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

"The news about monsoon onset over Kerala in Social Media is not correct. Monsoon has not arrived over Kerala. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge a"Stephen Hawking," saidAMadhavan Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of IMD's Regional Weather Forecasting Centre said that the formation of a low pressure system in Arabian sea and its movement towards Gujarat coast will bring moisture to Delhi-NCR and North West India from June 3.

Two storms are forming over the Arabian Sea, one lies off the African coast and is likely to move over Oman and Yemen, while the other is placed close to India.

The development comes almost ten days after 'Amphan' pummeled four districts of Bengal in the fiercest cyclone in the region in a century, that left 86 people dead and rendered ten million people homeless.

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According to IMD alert appeared in some newspapers on 31 May 2020 , a cyclonic storm is brewing in the Arabian Sea , which is likely to reach coastal districts of Gujarat and Maharashtra by 3 June. It is expected that the these States would take more care and appropriate strategy well in time to combat the likely danger to the coastal districts from cyclonic storm designated as ‘Nisarga’. In this context , it may be apt to refer readers to this Vedic astrology writer’s predictive alerts in article - “ Predictions for coming year 2020 by kushal kumar” - published last year 2019 on 10 October at theindiapost.com/articles/predictions-for-coming-year-2020-by-kushal-kumar/. The related text of the predictive alert reads as follows in the said article :-

“ The next three months from April to June 2020 , appears to be a period of time testing ‘patience’ and ‘ perseverance’ , introducing several parts of the country to worrisome concerns. Coastal States of India , particularly those in the southern part , may be called upon to take more care and appropriate strategy against likely cyclones , storms , floods , coming of danger via sea , landslide and damage to crops during April-June in 2020. Such dates of month of May as 6 , 7 , 13 to 16 , 25 and 26 may be watched with care. Similarly , the dates 3 , 4 , 11 to 13 , 21 , 22 and 26 in June 2020 may be watched with care. Coastal States /UTs such as Gujarat , some parts of Maharashtra ……………………………………look to be vulnerable. It may be apt for them to take necessary precautions during May-June , 2020”.

The aforesaid details suggest that the predictive alert of this writer published last year 2019 on 10 October , is coinciding with the alert of IMD appeared near about 31 May , 2020.

Kushal kumar ,

202- GH28 , Mansarovar Apartments ,

Sector 20 , Panchkula -134116 , Haryana.

1 June , 2020.

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President Kovind, PM Modi extend greetings to countrymen on Rakshabandhan

Agencies

August 3,2020

New Delhi, Aug 3: President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended warm greetings and good wishes to the countrymen on the occasion of Rakshabandhan.

The President in his message said, "Greetings on Raksha Bandhan! Rakhi is the sacred thread of love and trust that connects sisters with brothers in a special bond. On this day, let us reiterate our commitment to secure the honour and dignity of women."

"Many wishes to all the countrymen on the auspicious occasion of Rakshabandhan," Prime Minister Modi tweeted in Hindi.

Rakshabandhan, which is being celebrated today, is a celebration of the unique bond between brothers and sisters. Tying of the Rakhi by sisters, symbolises love, affection and mutual trust between brothers and sisters.

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Shaheen Bagh shooter family refutes police claim on AAP membership

News Network

February 5,2020

New Delhi, Feb 5: Kapil Baisala who opened fired at the Shaheen Bagh protest site last week is a member of the Aam Aadmi Party, police said on Tuesday, sparking a war of words between the BJP and the AAP.

While the BJP accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of "playing" with the security of the country, the AAP hit back, stating the saffron party was indulging "dirty politics".

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Rajesh Deo said that Baisala and his father joined the AAP in early 2019.

Baisala's family, however, refuted the police's claim.

Kapil Baisala's uncle Fatesh Singh told PTI, "I have no idea where these photographs are circulating from. My nephew Kapil had no association with any political party nor does any other member from the family. My brother, Gaje Singh, (Baisala's father) fought assembly elections in 2008 on a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket and lost. After that no one from our family had any links with any political party."

Singh added that Baisala also doesn't have friends associated with the AAP or any other political party.

Gaje had also contested the 2012 civic body polls from the BSP, the police said.

The police officer said they seized Baisala's mobile phone and retrieved WhatsApp data.

On Saturday, Baisala fired two rounds in air at Shaheen Bagh. According to eyewitnesses, the man shouted "Hindu Rashtra Zindabad" and fired two rounds.

He was overpowered by the police and later arrested.

In the pictures, it was seen that he and his father joined the party in the presence of Atishi Marlena, Sanjay Singh and other leaders, sources said.

The police said on Thursday, Baisala, along with his friend Sarthak Larolla, went to Shaheen Bagh from his village on a bike.

Through CCTV footage, it was found they took the DND flyover, Maharani Bagh, Sarai Jullena and reached Holy Family hospital, a senior police officer said.

"Baisala was not comfortable on the bike as he had hidden the pistol near his waist. They entered the hospital's parking where he adjusted the pistol, used the washroom and headed towards Shaheen Bagh," the senior official added.

When they reached the protest site, Larolla left the spot with the motorcycle and Baisala's mobile phone. Later, Baisala fired two rounds in the air and was apprehended. The weapon was recovered from near the spot, the police said.

Larolla joined the investigation and the mobile phone was seized from his residence.

Baisala has been remanded to police remand for two days.

He had bought the pistol around seven years ago for his brother's marriage. The source of the weapon from where he procured it is yet to identified, police said.

The sources said Baisala was previously also involved in firing incident but was never caught nor was a case registered against him.

Hitting out at the AAP, BJP president J P Nadda accused Kejriwal of playing with the security of the country and said that the people will give the party a befitting reply.

"I want to make clear to Kejriwal that this country is bigger than any election, any government, and the country will not forgive those who play with its security. The people of Delhi will give a befitting reply," Nadda tweeted.

Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh asked on whose directions was the Delhi Police accusing his party.

"Before the police revealed it (Baisala being an AAP member), how did BJP's Delhi president Manoj Tiwari come to know about it," Singh asked and accused the police of maligning the party.

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