Hamid Ansari leads Indian delegation to Saudi king's funeral

January 24, 2015

Hamid Ansari

New Delhi, Jan 24: Vice President Hamid Ansari Saturday will lead the Indian government delegation at the funeral of king Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud who died early Friday.

The government has declared a day's mourning Saturday and flags are being flown at half-mast.

An official statement said "the government and people of India have received with deep sadness and shock" the news of King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud who died of complications from pneumonia early Friday.

"India has maintained close and friendly relations with Saudi Arabia under the leadership of King Abdullah. These bonds have been especially strengthened by the presence of the large expatriate Indian community which has found a home in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," the statement added.

Ansari is a former Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have sent messages of condolences to King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, who has succeeded him.

The president said: "In his passing away, Saudi Arabia had lost a beloved leader, India a close friend and the world, an elder statesman."

"King Abdullah had genuine warmth and affection for India and our people. He was personally committed to improving bilateral ties with India," a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Modi described the Saudi King as a guiding force, and said: "In King Abdullah, we have lost an important voice, who left a lasting impact on his country. I condole his demise.

"Our thoughts are with the people of Saudi Arabia, who have lost a guiding force in King Abdullah, during this hour of grief. A few days ago I spoke to Crown Prince Salman and enquired about King Abdullah's health. News of King Abdullah's passing away is saddening," he added.

India's energy security depends a lot on Saudi Arabia which accounts for 20 percent of the country's oil imports.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy recalled the Saudi King as one who in general was considerate to Indians, particularly to Keralites.

He said he fondly recalls that during the period when Nitaqat (a Saudi government initiative to boost local employment) was in force in the oil-rich kingdom in 2013, it was through the King's intervention that many requests to the Saudi government were accepted

"Over the past many decades, Saudi Arabia has been home to lakhs of Keralites, who earn a living by working there and the departed's vision made this happen," Chandy said in a message.

According to a recent study on the diaspora by the Centre for Development Studies, out of the 2.36 million Kerala diaspora, 25.2 percent are in Saudi Arabia.

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News Network
January 17,2020

New Delhi, Jan 17: Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia does not have any car on his name, according to information shared in the poll affidavit filed by him for Delhi elections.

In the affidavit, it is also shown that while his self-acquired immovable property remained roughly the same as in 2015. His wife's self-acquired immovable property is worth roughly about Rs 65 lakh, as per his latest affidavit.

In the papers submitted during the nomination for 2015 Delhi polls, the senior AAP leader had declared that he owned a Maruti Swift car of make 2013.

However, in his 2020 affidavit, he has mentioned "nil" in the column for motor vehicles and other means of transport.

In the affidavit submitted on Thursday, his moveable assets were declared worth Rs 4,74,888 for 2018-19, as against Rs 4,92,624 for 2013-14.

In 2015, Sisodia had informed in his affidavit that he had bought a property in Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, worth Rs 5.07 lakh in April 2001. The approximate current market value of self-acquired property in 2015 was Rs 12 lakh.

In his current affidavit, the AAP leader has mentioned the same property. However, the approximate current market value of self-acquired property in 2020 has increased to Rs 21 lakh.

In his affidavit for the 2015 polls, Sisodia had also said that his wife had purchased a property in March 2008 costing Rs 8.70 lakh. At that time, the approximate value of her self-acquired property was Rs 20 lakh.

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News Network
January 15,2020

Jammu, Jan 15: Fresh landslides kept the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway shut for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, leaving over 5000 vehicles stranded.

"There were four fresh landslides in Digdol and Panthiyal belts on the highway in Ramban district. The traffic on the highway remained closed for the third day today", a police officer told PTI.

On Monday, heavy rains triggered shooting of stones in Moumpassi, Digdole and Panthiyal areas, forcing a suspension of the traffic, the official said.

Snowfall in Kashmir side of the highway, including Jawahar Tunnel, since Sunday has resulted in blockade of the highway.

"No fresh traffic was allowed from Nagrota in Jammu for Kashmir", he said.

As a result of the blockade of the highway, over 5000 vehicles remained stranded at various places en route from Lakhanpur in Kathua district to Banihal belt of Ramban district and also on the Kashmir side.

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News Network
March 30,2020

New Delhi, Mar 30: The government on Monday said there was no plan to extend the 21-day lockdown which came intro force on Tuesday midnight.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting tweeted, saying Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has denied media reports claiming that the government will extend the lockdown.

"There are rumours & media reports, claiming that the Government will extend the #Lockdown21 when it expires. The Cabinet Secretary has denied these reports, and stated that they are baseless," it said.

The 21-day lockdown is aimed at checking the spread of the coronavirus.

Following the lockdown, there has been a massive exodus of migrant workers from big cities to their villages after being rendered jobless.

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