Mixed response in Kashmir to strike call against Modi visit

October 23, 2014

Srinagar, Oct 23: The strike called by separatist groups against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jammu and Kashmir today evoked a partial response in the Valley.

kashmirAlthough most shops in and around the city centre of Lal Chowk –- the commercial hub of the summer capital here -– were closed, establishments had opened for business in other districts of Kashmir, officials said.

Markets in Lal Chowk are yet to start functioning normally after the devastation wrought by the floods last month in the state with only a few shopkeepers having resumed business there.

Officials said that while public transport was sparse, private cars, cabs and auto-rickshaws plied normally. Educational institutions, government offices and banks are closed on account of the holiday for Diwali.

The prime minister is scheduled to visit the Valley today to celebrate the festival of lights with the flood-affected people.

"Will be in Srinagar on Diwali, 23d October & will spend the day with our sisters & brothers affected by the unfortunate floods," Modi had tweeted on Tuesday.

This will be Modi's fourth visit to the state afer he took over as prime minister in May this year.

The two factions of Hurriyat Conference had called for a general strike and peaceful protests against the visit of the prime minister to the Valley.

"Government of India acted as a mute spectator amidst the worst-ever floods in Kashmir and did nothing to mitigate the sufferings of the affected (people)... We will not allow anyone to rub salt into our wounds," the hardline faction of Hurriyat, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, said in a statement.

It said that when Modi had not felicitated Muslims on Eid, his celebrating Diwali in the Muslim-majority state was "unacceptable".

The Shabir Ahmad Shah-led Hurriyat faction, too, had called for a general strike and asked people to hold peaceful demonstrations against the prime minister's visit.

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News Network
July 4,2020

Pune, Jul 4: Now that wearing mask in public places has become the new normal, a resident of Pimpri-Chinchwad of Pune district, Shankar Kurade has got himself a mask made of gold worth Rs 2.89 lakhs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's a thin mask with minute holes so that there is no difficulty in breathing. I am not sure whether this mask will be effective," said Kurade.

Kurade loves wearing gold ornaments and his hands and neck are loaded with jewellery.

This unique idea struck him soon after he saw a man wearing a silver mask on social media.

"I saw a video on social media of a man in Kolhapur wearing a silver mask and then an idea struck me to have a mask of gold. I talked to a goldsmith and he gave me this five and a half pound gold mask in a week," said Kurade.

"All my family members love gold, if they too demand it, then I will get it designed for them too. I do not know if I will be infected with coronavirus wearing a gold mask or not, but following all the rules of the government can prevent the spread of virus," he added.

Since childhood, Shankar is very fond of gold ornaments, that is the reason he wears gold rings in all the fingers, gold bracelets on his wrist and huge gold chains around his neck.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

Kochi, Jul 30: The Kerala High Court on Thursday refused to grant the extension for the stay of a 74-year-old US citizen, Johnny Paul Pierce, who had earlier said that he felt safer to remain in India than in the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The single-judge bench of Justice CS Dias, which considered the writ petition, observed that the grant or extension of visa to foreign nationals fall exclusively within the domain of the Government of India (GoI) and that judicial review in such matters is minimal.

The power of the GoI to expel foreigners is absolute and unlimited, the bench said.

"In view of the categoric declaration of law by the Supreme Court, the plea of the petitioner to permit him to stay back in India cannot be accepted, as it falls within the purview of the guidelines and the discretion of the Government of India," the order said.

"The petitioner cannot be heard that the guidelines/policies/regulations formulated by the Government of India, that an American national though has been granted a visa having validity of five years has to leave India within 180 days, is irrational or unreasonable," it added.

The High Court, which was hearing a plea to permit the US citizen to stay in India for a further period of six months, said that the petitioner does not have a case that there is an infraction of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

"The petitioner was well aware of the visa conditions when he arrived in India, and it is too late in the day for him to raise a grievance on the visa conditions," the bench said noting that the petitioner's love for India was heartening.

The High Court also directed the Foreigners Registration Officer to consider the petitioner's representation within a period of two weeks in accordance with the applicable guidelines and policies.

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News Network
February 12,2020

New Delhi, Feb 12: Unidentified people opened fire at the convoy of the newly elected Aam Aadmi Party legislator Naresh Yadav in Southwest Delhi when he and his supporters were returning home after visiting a temple after his victory, killing a party volunteer, police and a senior AAP leader said.

The firing incident happened in Kishangarh village late Tuesday night.

Police said they have detained a person for questioning and the incident appears to be a case of personal enmity. Sources said seven rounds were fired at the MLA's convoy.

Another person injured in the incident has been admitted to a hospital.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh identified the dead party volunteer as Ashok Mann.

“Convoy of MLA Naresh Yadav attacked in Mehrauli, Ashok Mann killed. Naresh Yadav was returning home after visiting a temple,” Singh said in a tweet in Hindi.

“At least one volunteer has passed away due to bullet wounds. Another is injured,” AAP tweeted.

Ankit Lal, AAP's social media in-charge, added that miscreants in another car opened fire on the MLA's convoy near Fortis Hospital.

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