Telangana agitation: TRS MLAs climb legislature building

June 14, 2013

Hyderabad, Jun 14: In high drama, two MLAs belonging to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti climbed the Legislature Party building in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly premises and threatened to jump off if Telangana state was not created immediately.

The other MLAs of the party burnt an effigy of "Seemaandhra government" near the legislators' entrance gate in the Assembly premises.

Holding black flags, the two MLAs - K Sammaiah and D Vinay Bhaskar - climbed the terrace of the G+1 building and also demanded that all the Telanagna protagonists arrested by police in connection with the 'Chalo Assembly' programme today be released immediately.

Assembly marshals brought the two MLAs down after an hour.

The AP Assembly was, meanwhile, adjourned for the day without transacting any real business as TRS, TDP (Telangana Forum), CPI and BJP legislators disrupted the proceedings on the statehood issue.

Two adjournments did not restore order and when the House re-assembled the third time, Speaker Nadendla Manohar asked Finance Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy to move two Bills.

After the formality was completed amid the din, the House was adjourned for the day.

Around 20 TRS, BJP and CPI MLAs, who were sitting at the two gates of the Assembly after it was adjourned, were detained.

Earlier, the Telangana issue stalled the Assembly proceedings which resumed its budget session on Monday, even as Hyderabad city remained "sealed" in view of the 'Chalo Assembly' call given for today by statehood protagonists.

The Assembly proceedings were adjourned twice this morning as TRS and TDP MLAs from the region stormed the Speaker's podium demanding immediate creation of a separate state.

Sporting black T-shirts, TRS MLAs were up on their feet as soon as the day's proceedings began and demanded that Parliament immediately pass a bill for creation of Telangana state.

The TDP legislators from the region joined the issue, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House for 30 minutes.

The BJP and the CPI joined the TRS and the TDP members in the Well of House when it re-assembled after an hour.

With no sign of order even after he made repeated appeals to the protesting members, the Speaker adjourned the House for another half an hour.

The treasury benches wore a deserted look as most members, including Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Deputy CM Damodar Rajanarasimha and ministers, did not enter the House.

Only three ministers could be found inside the House as the Opposition din continued to paralyse the proceedings.

Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu did not attend the session as he was leaving for the US on family work.

Earlier report:

Telangana protest: Hyderabad turned into a fortress, 10000 policemen deployed in view of Chalo Assembly protest

Hyderabad, Jun 14: The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has regulated its services, while the South Central Railway has cancelled or partially cancelled its local trains.

The Andhra Pradesh capital was today turned into a fortress with 10,000 policemen from the state and 2000 Central paramilitary force personnel deployed in view of the 'Chalo Assembly' protest called by pro-Telangana parties.

Police have denied permission for the protest and imposed prohibitory orders in the limits of Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police Commissionerates which will be in force till 6 AM on June 15.

A number of roads leading to the Legislative Assembly in central part of the city have either been closed or traffic diverted. Office-goers and others had a tough time in view of the restrictions.

The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) has regulated its services, while the South Central Railway has cancelled or partially cancelled its local trains. A number of educational institutions have declared a holiday today.

The students of Osmania University sought to march to the Assembly but they were stopped by the security personnel.

Fearing law and order problems, about 10,000 policemen from the state and 20 companies of central para-military forces comprising 2000 personnel deployed for security arrangements.

TRS, BJP and Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), under whose auspices the protest is being organised, have alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government has "unleashed repressive measures to put down the Telangana agitation." Maintaining that they intend to organise the protest peacefully to voice the separate statehood demand, the leaders of TRS, BJP and the JAC had sought permission for the rally from the government.

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Mission Vande Bharat: 310 Indian pilgrims depart from Tehran for New Delhi

Agencies

May 17,2020

Tehran, May 17: As many as 310 Indian pilgrims departed from Tehran, Iran for New Delhi by Mahan Air on Saturday. The group hails from Ladakh and will later go home to Leh by special flights.

"A group of 310 Indian pilgrims, hailing from Ladakh, departed Tehran for New Delhi by Mahan Air tonight (16th May).
Thereafter, they'll go home to Leh by special flights," Embassy of India in Iran wrote on Twitter.

On Saturday, Minister of Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri said that over 13,000 people have returned under the Vande Bharat repatriation mission till date.

"More than 13,000 people have already returned on various flights under Mission Vande Bharat so far. Today, 812 citizens have returned on Air India and AirIndia Express flights from Newark, London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. More flights continue," Puri wrote on Twitter.

Vande Bharat Mission, which started on May 7 to bring back stranded Indian nationals back home from other countries, initiated its second phase of the operation from Saturday (May 16) by sending three Air India flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Under the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission a total of 149 flights, including feeder flights, will be operated to bring back Indians from 40 countries.

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Defectors should be banned from holding public office for 5 years, fighting next poll: Kapil Sibal

Agencies

July 19,2020

New Delhi, Jul 19: Amid the political firestorm in Rajasthan following Sachin Pilot's rebellion, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday called for amending the anti-defection law to ban all defectors from holding public office for five years and fighting the next election.

Sibal also said that the "antibodies" against the "virus of corrupt means" to topple elected governments lie in amending the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution (anti-defection law).

His attack comes in the wake of Pilot's open rebellion against the Ashok Gehlot government, which has been on shaky ground since, with at least 18 legislators backing the rebel leader.

Pilot was sacked as deputy chief minister and the state Congress chief earlier this week.

The Congress has accused the BJP of making efforts to topple the Gehlot government by indulging in horse-trading.

"Need for Vaccine: Virus of 'corrupt means' to topple elected governments has spread through a 'Wuhan like facility' in Delhi," Sibal tweeted, in an apparent swipe at the BJP.

"Its 'antibodies' lie in amending the Tenth Schedule. Ban all defectors from: Holding public office for five years, fighting the next election," he said.

Taking a swipe at Pilot over his claim that he is not joining the BJP, Sibal on Thursday had asked what happens to his "ghar wapsi" and whether Rajasthan's dissident legislators are vacationing in Haryana under the "watchful eye" of the saffron party.

In the house of 200, the Congress has 107 MLAs, including the 19 dissidents who have been issued notices of disqualification by the speaker and they have challenged them in the high court.

The Congress has maintained the claim that the Gehlot government has the support of 109 MLAs, including the two BTP MLAs.

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I FULLY AGREE WITH MR. KAPIL SIBAL. IN FACT, IT IS NEED OF THE HOUR TO SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY.

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India needs to look beyond what rating agencies think, says Raghuram Rajan

Agencies

August 6,2020

Mumbai, Aug 6: Former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan said on Thursday that overly focusing on what sovereign rating agencies think can take one's eyes off what needs to be done for the economy.

"It is also important to convince both domestic and international investors that after the crisis associated with the pandemic is over, we will return to fiscal responsibility over the medium term, and the government should do more to convince them of that," Rajan told the Global Markets Forum.

India was placed under one of the strictest lockdowns in the world in late March for more than two months to stem the spread of the coronavirus, but cases have continued to rise steadily since the government eased restrictions in June, stymieing hopes of an economic recovery.

The government has announced several initiatives to help the poor and small- and medium-size businesses, but actual cash outgo from the government's measures has been estimated at just about 1% of GDP.

Several attribute the fiscal prudence to fear of a downgrade after Moody's cut India's rating and outlook in early June followed closely by a change in outlook from Fitch.

The central bank on its part too has reduced the key lending rate by 115 basis points on top of the 135 bps last year and is widely expected to cut rates by another 25 bps later on Thursday.

"The RBI and government have certainly been cooperating, but it seems like it is elsewhere, the ball is in the government's court to do more," Rajan said.

He said the RBI needs to focus on whether credit is reaching the stressed areas of the economy and also if the viable firms were able to access credit and not the unviable ones.

"And I think that's where it has to focus its attentions, because resources, as you well know, are limited in India today."

Recently analysts, however, have cited the growing possibility the RBI may prefer to pause and cut rates only at its October meeting.

Government officials too have suggested the possibility of any more fiscal stimulus being announced, would only come in the second half of the fiscal year, once a recovery has taken root and coronavirus cases have peaked.

"What India should focus on at this point is protecting its economic capabilities, so that when it has dealt with the virus it can go resume activity in a reasonable way. That should be the focus," Rajan said.

"And if it does that, there is no reason why the rating agencies will not see that as an appropriate policy".

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