Satya Pal Malik Sworn In As 13th Governor of Jammu And Kashmir

Agencies
August 23, 2018

Srinagar, Aug 23: Satya Pal Malik was sworn in as the 13th governor of Jammu and Kashmir today, ending the five-decade-long practice of retired bureaucrats being appointed to the post.

Mr Malik was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Gita Mittal at the Raj Bhawan in Srinagar.

State Chief secretary BVR Subrahmanyam read the warrant of appointment issued by President Ram Nath Kovind before Mr Malik was administered the oath.

Former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were among over 400 guests present in the ceremony, which also saw the presence of legislators, senior leaders of BJP, PDP, National Conference, Congress and other political parties.

Senior officials of the civil administration, police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and the Army were also present at the ceremony.

Mr Malik, 72, has worked with almost all political hues of the country. He is the first politician to assume the position after Karan Singh, who held the office from 1965 to 1967.

Mr Malik, former governor of Bihar, had arrived in Srinagar yesterday.

Outgoing governor NN Vohra, who was at the helm of affairs in the state for the last 10 years, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a courtesy visit yesterday. He had also met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Mr Vohra, however, could not attend the ceremony as he was not in Srinagar at the time.

Jammu and Kashmir is at present under governor's rule after the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew support from its alliance partner Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in June this year.

Mr Vohra, a 1959-batch Punjab cadre IAS officer, had remained the choice of the central government, irrespective of the party in power due to his knowledge, expertise and negotiation skills.

Just as he saw Jammu and Kashmir through its worst crises, including the Amarnath agitation in 2008, Mr Vohra also witnessed the rise and fall of militancy in Punjab. He had served as the home secretary of Punjab after Operation Blue Star in 1984.

Mr Malik, in contrast, is a career politician who started as a student leader in Meerut University and became an MLA of Charan Singh's Bhartiya Kranti Dal from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh in 1974.

He had joined the Congress in 1984 and became a Rajya Sabha MP, but resigned three years later against the backdrop of the Bofors scam. He switched to the VP Singh-led Janta Dal in 1988 and became an MP from Aligarh in 1989.

In 2004, Mr Malik joined the BJP and unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections, losing to former prime minister Charan Singh's son Ajit Singh.

Before taking oath as Bihar governor on October 4, 2017, he was in-charge of BJP's Kisan Morcha.

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News Network
January 17,2020

Mumbai, Jan 17: A 68-year-old convict of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, Jalees Ansari, went missing on Thursday morning while being on parole, officials said.

Ansari, a resident of Mominpura in Agripada here who is serving a life term, is suspected to be involved in many bomb blast cases across the country, an official said.

He was on parole for 21 days from the Ajmer Central Prison, Rajasthan, and was expected to surrender before prison authorities on Friday, he said.

During the parole period, he was ordered to visit the Agripada Police Station everyday between 10.30 am and 12 pm to mark his attendance, he said.

However, Ansari did not visit the police station on Thursday during the designated time, the official said.

In the afternoon, his 35-year-old son Jaid Ansari approached the police station with a complaint about his “missing” father, he said.

According to the complaint, Jalees Ansari woke up in the early hoursand told family members he is going to offer namaz, but did not return home.

On his complaint, the Agripada Police registered a missing case, he said.

The Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra ATS have launched a massive manhunt to trace him, he said.

Jalees, who is known as Doctor Bomb, was allegedly connected with terror outfits like SIMI and Indian Mujahidin and taught terror groups how to make bombs, he said.

He was also questioned by the NIA in 2011 in connection with the 2008 bomb blast in Mumbai, he said.

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News Network
March 3,2020

Tehran, Mar 3: Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Monday urged Indian authorities to ensure the well-being of all Indians and not let "senseless" violence prevail.

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on Thursday that law enforcement agencies were working on the ground to prevent violence and ensure restoration of confidence and normalcy.

Mr Kumar has urged international bodies not to make irresponsible statements at this sensitive time. "Iran condemns the wave of organised violence against Indian Muslims. For centuries, Iran has been a friend of India. We urge Indian authorities to ensure the wellbeing of ALL Indians & not let senseless thuggery prevail. Path forward lies in peaceful dialogue and rule of law," Zarif tweeted.

The communal violence over the amended citizenship law in Delhi has claimed at least 42 lives. Frenzied mobs have torched houses, shops, vehicles, a petrol pump and pelted stones at police personnel.

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News Network
April 1,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 1: A day after the Kerala Government issued orders to provide special alcohol passes on doctor's prescription to tipplers, who exhibit withdrawal symptoms, the Excise Department received 40 applications from across the state.

Speaking to ANI, a Senior Excise Official said, "Around 40 people approached us with doctor's prescriptions to get liquor passes across the State. We will forward it to Beverages Corporation and they will conduct home delivery of liquor."

Ernakulam topped the list with eight applications, while Kottayam Excise Office received four and Thiruvananthapuram office received three applications.

"As per the notification we received, a maximum of three litre of alcohol can be provided in a week for a person. For availing liquor again they will have to submit fresh application for the liquor pass," the official added.

An order in this regard was issued by the government on Monday night which outlines the necessary steps to be taken by a person with withdrawal symptoms to purchase alcohol.

As per the order, any individual with a prescription from a government doctor or a doctor from a Taluk hospital or government hospital, where the doctor mentions the patient's "Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms" can submit the prescription for alcohol to the nearest Excise Range office.

A form also has been provided which should be duly filled to get the liquor pass. The Excise Department after the scrutiny may allow the person to buy Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from the beverages corporation.

However, the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) came out against the order, saying that doctors affiliated with the organisation will not give a prescription for liquor. Further, in a statement issued they said they are observing a 'black day' on Wednesday in protest against the government move.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) also had termed the direction by the Kerala government 'unscientific' and said doctors had no legal obligation to prescribe alcohol.

After the liquor ban was enforced in view of the lockdown, Kerala has witnessed a number of suicide cases allegedly connected with withdrawal symptoms.

Announcing the decision Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also mentioned that the government was issuing such a direction following reports of people developing suicidal tendencies due to the unavailability of alcohol.

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