INDIA THIS WEEK FRIDAY MARCH 31, 2023 1 A W e e k l y N e w s p a p e r Fe a t u r i n g N e w s & Tr e n d s f r o m t h e I n d i a n S u b - C o n t i n e n t P u b l i s h e d f r o m t h e U S C a p i t a l Website: www.indiathisweek.online Vol. 31 No 13 • WASHINGTON D.C • Phone: 301-445-0200; 301-917-4800 • e-mail: indiathisweekads@gmail.com • Friday • March 31, 2023 Surat court sentences Rahul Gandhi to two years’ imprisonment over ‘Modi surname’ remark; Congress leaders rally in his support Surat (Gujarat) [India], March 23 (ANI): A Surat court on Thursday sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years imprisonment in a defamation case filed against him over his ‘Modi surname’ remark made in 2019 during an election rally for Lok Sabha elections. The court approved Rahul Gandhi’s bail on a surety and stayed the sentence for 30 days to allow him to approach the higher courts. While the BJP leaders attacked Rahul Gandhi after the verdict saying whatever he speaks it affects the Congress party and the country in a negative way, Congress leaders said that an attempt was being made by the BJP government to suppress the voice of Rahul Gandhi and that he will move the higher courts against the verdict. Congress leaders also alleged that judiciary is under pressure. Some Congress leaders, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge , referred to change of judge in the case. Hours after the verdict, Vineet Jindal, an activist and a Supreme Court lawyer, filed a complaint with Lok Sabha Speaker, seeking disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the House following his conviction for two years. The criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by BJP MLA from Surat West Purnesh Modi. It relates to Rahul Gandhi’s alleged remarks “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname” made in April, 2019, at a Lok Sabha election rally at Kolar in Karnataka. Last week, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma concluded hearing final arguments from both sides and set March 23 to pronounce its judgment in the four-year-old defamation case. Rahul Gandhi, MP from Wayanad, was present inside the courtroom along with Congress leaders. Purnesh Modi, who is a former Gujarat Minister, welcomed the court judgement. “I welcome the judgement of the court,” he said. Ketan Reshamwala, Advocate for Purnesh Modi, said Rahul Gandhi has been convicted under Section 499 and 500 of IPC. “The sentence awarded is for two years and against that sentence, he has plead that he may be released on bail till appeal period and as per law, the Court has granted him bail for 30 days and until appeal, the sentence has been suspended by the Court,” Reshamwala said. Rahul Gandhi had in June last year faced questioning by the Enforcement Directorate over alleged corruption in the National Herald case. Former party chief Sonia Gandhi has also been questioned in the case. The two leaders were in granted bail in case by a Delhi court in December 2015. RAHUL GANDHI SEE PAGE 6 ENDS APRIL 3 RX 500h NX 450h+* RZ Luxury* A“SAVE THE DATE” WORTH SAVING Yeh hai aapka invitation to uncover what makes a Lexus … a Lexus — from thrilling performance and remarkable capability to unmatched experiences. *Limited availability. See your preferred Lexus dealer for details. ©2023 Lexus, a Division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. lexus.com | #Lexus
March 31, 2023 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK Central Railways earns Rs 300 crore from ticketless travellers in 2022-23 M u m b a i (Maharashtra) [India], March 29 (ANI): The Central railways have scored big earns this financial year, surpassing all the zonal railways to reach Rs 300 crore in ticket checking earnings, the official said on Tuesday. “Central Railway has achieved a landmark in ticket checking performance with earnings with over Rs 300 crore by penalizing 46.32 lakh cases in Financial Year 202223. This is the first time that any zonal railway has achieved this milestone,” an official statement said, adding that Mumbai Division alone crossed Rs 100 crore landmark. In the last financial year also Central Railway had earned Rs 214.41 crore and stood first amongst all zonal railways. “Mumbai Division has also crossed the Rs 100 crore landmark and earned Rs 108.25 crore from 19.57 lakh cases. Pune Division has earned Rs 24.27 crore from 3.36 lakh cases,” it added. According to the officials, Nagpur Division has earned Rs 39.70 crore from 6.16 lakh cases and Bhusawal Division has earned Rs 70.02 crore from 9.06 lakh cases. Central Railway also has the distinction of having 20 ticket checkers who have individually made receipts of more than one crore. “To ensure comfortable travel and better services to all bonafide rail users, Central Railway conducts intensive ticket checking in suburban, mail express, passenger services, and special trains across all its divisions to curb ticketless and irregular travel,” the official added. (ANI)
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March 31, 2023 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK Rahul Gandhi disqualified as Lok Sabha MP New Delhi [India], March 24 (ANI): In a major development Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been disqualified as a Member of Lok Sabha (MP) from the date of his conviction in the criminal defamation case over his ‘Modi surname’ remark, March 23. Rahul Gandhi was an MP from the seat of Wayanad in Kerala. This comes after the Surat court on Thursday, sentenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to two years imprisonment in a defamation case over his ‘Modi surname’ remark made in 2019 during an election rally in Karnataka. Rahul Gandhi made the “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname” remark in April 2019, at a Lok Sabha election rally at Kolar in Karnataka. The criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi was filed by BJP MLA from Surat West Purnesh Modi. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday mounted a strong attack on BJP- led government after disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was rattled by questions on Adani issue while the Congress leader was a true patriot who had raised questions on issues of public interest. Priyanka Gandhi, who made a series of tweets, said that the Nehru-Gandhi family has given its blood to the country and fought for truth. She said sycophants of PM Modi had “called the son of a martyr prime minister traitor Mir Jafar”. “One of your Chief Ministers raised the question that who is the father of Rahul Gandhi? Following the custom of Kashmiri Pandits, a son wears a turban after his father’s death, maintaining Now in Ashburn, VA ❖ Accounting and Bookkeeping Service ❖ Audit, Review, Compilation and Attestation Service ❖ Tax Service ❖ IRS Service ❖ Web Hosting ❖ Business Consultancy ❖ Dedicated Service with Smiling Faces ❖ Experienced and Reliable Staff Year Round ❖ Rely on 24 Years of Experience Balagan Arumugaswamy, CPA, LL.M Tel: (301) 931-1040, (301) 931-1042 (301) 595-4331; (703) 723-4488; (703) 723-4458 Fax: (703) 723-1140; (301) 595-4332 E Mail: balagancpa@msn.com Website: www.balaganfinancials.com his family’s tradition. Insulting the whole family and the Kashmiri Pandit community, you asked in Parliament why they don’t keep Nehru name... but no judge gave you a sentence of two years.You were not disqualified from Parliament.... Rahul ji like a true patriot raised questions on Adani. “Raised questions on Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.... Has your friend Gautam Adani become bigger than the country’s parliament and the people of India that you were rattled when his loot was questioned? You call my family dynastic, know, this family has shed blood for India’s democracy...who you are trying to destroy (politically),” the Congress leader said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that NehruGandhi family has raised voice of people and fought for truth. “Those whom you are seeking to destroy (politically), that family has raised voice of people of India and fought for truth for generations. The blood that flows in our veins, a speciality of it is,, it has and will never bow to coward, power-greedy dictator like you. Whatever you may do,” she said. Several Congress leaders strongly condemned the government over Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from Lok Sabha. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in the national capital, Congress leaders Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Jairam Ramesh said the BJP-led government was rattled by Gandhi’s remarks. “The issue before us is political, more than it is legal. It is a political issue because it signifies the systematic, repetitive emasculation of democratic institutions by the ruling party. It signifies the strangulation of democracy itself. We know that defamation is an exception to free speech, but over the last several years, we have had repeated examples of unthinkable assaults on freedom of speech, more importantly, freedom after speech. We all know that Rahul Gandhi has been speaking fearlessly inside and outside Parliament. He is paying a price for it,” Singhvi said. Tax Season is around the corner, are you ready ? Balagan Business & Tax Services Main Office: 12100 Franklin Street Beltsville, MD 20705 Branch Offices: 44335 Premier Plaza Suite#100, Ashburn, VA 20147
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March 31, 2023 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK Surat court sentences Rahul Gandhi to two years’ imprisonment over ‘Modi Emergency. surname’ remark; Congress leaders rally in his support believes in truth and non- Kharge said. RAHUL GANDHI FROM PAGE 1 Rahul Gandhi’s grandmother Indira Gandhi had also faced adverse court verdict and had been debarred from holding any elected post for six years following her conviction by the Allahabad High Court in June, 1975. The verdict is widely believed to have led to imposition of Emergency. While convicting Indira Gandhi of electoral malpractices, Justice Jagmohanlal Sinha disqualified her from Parliament and imposed a six-year ban on her holding any elected post. Following appeal filed by Indira Gandhi, a vacation judge of the Supreme granted a conditional stay on Justice Sinha’s verdict allowing her to continue as Prime Minister. However, she was debarred from taking part in parliamentary proceedings and drawing salary as an MP. The Supreme Court later overturned her conviction in November 1975 during the Rahul Gandhi’s conviction led to a war of words between the BJP and Congress. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Rahul Gandhi damages his own party with his remarks. “I’ll see the details of the order before I say anything. Whatever Rahul Gandhi speaks it always affects Congress party and the entire nation in a negative way. Some Congress MPs told me that because of his attitude, Congress is suffering,” Rijiju said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that there is punishment for irrelevant accusations in the legal system. “Rahul Gandhi should accept this truth. Words are deadlier than weapons. There are provisions of punishment for those who level irrelevant accusations in the legal system. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi should take a lesson from this,” Rajnath Singh said. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said Rahul Gandhi claims that he From The Poet’s Pen INDIA THIS WEEK- March 24, 2023 God Can Heal A Broken Heart by Margaret Cagle Has your heart ever been broken, And you thought it would not heal? Then you looked to God for comfort As you sought to do His divine will. Maybe you lost a precious loved one Through the sad tragedy of death, And tears flowed all night long, As you grieved with every breath. Maybe by chance you lost your job, And the future looked dim and bleak. It seemed you might lose everything, As in vain another job you seek. When the night seems so very long, And it seems that it’ll never end, The light of morning streams through When time in prayer you spend. God can heal that broken heart, So Friend, never ever give up. Keep trusting His mercy and grace While blessings overflow your cup. violence and asked if the Congress leader has right to abuse people. “Rahul Gandhi said that he believes in truth and non-violence. Is insulting people and abusing them truth and non-violence? If Rahul Gandhi has the right to abuse people, then those who are hurt by his abuses also have the right to file a defamation case. The law of India is that if an individual or an organisation has been defamed by defamatory comments, abuses, then he has got the right to seek redress but Congress has an objection to it. They want complete freedom for Rahul Gandhi to utter abuses. There will be a rule of law in the country,” he said. Congress leaders came out in support of Rahul Gandhi, attacked the government and said they will not come under any pressure. “He (Rahul Gandhi) has been granted bail. We knew from the beginning because they kept changing judges. We believe in law, judiciary and we will fight against this as per law,” Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said there is an attempt to suppress the media, “There is an attempt to influence the judiciary. They (the BJPled government) is taking action against the people of different political parties,” he said. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the party has been saying that democracy is in danger as there is pressure on judiciary, Election Commission and Enforcement Directorate. “We keep saying our democracy is in danger as there is pressure on judiciary, ECI, ED & they’re all misused. All decisions are made under influence. Such comments are common... Rahul Gandhi is a courageous man and only he can compete with NDA government,” he said. Rahul Gandhi did not comment on the verdict and made a tweet in Hindi quoting Mahatma Gandhi. “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it- Mahatma INDIA THIS WEEK Address: P.O. Box 352, Bryans Road, MD 20616 Phone: 301-445-0200; 301-917-4800 www.indiathisweek.online India This Week is published every Friday by ADV Solutions Inc, Views expressed in this paper are those of the individual writers and not necessarily of India This Week. India This Week accepts no liability for the errors in advertisements or in any of its reports. For remedial actions any errors should be brought to the attention of the editor by the information provided below. Publisher: Chief Editor: Contributing Editors: Dr. Babu Stephen Rajan George Saju Mathew Isaac George Asst. Editors: Manu Jacob Sherena Panjikkaran Special Business Correspondent Elisha B. Pulivarti Business Coordinators Rajan C. George Jithu Johny Panjikkaran Dr. Renuka Misra, Special Correspondent: Geeta Goindi Community Coordinator: Prof. Vinod Goel India Office Manesh Krishna Columnists: Anadi Naik World Religions Dr. Sam Prasad Jillella Photo Journalist: Mathew Karmel, System Admn. & Maintenance: Rajan C. George Layout & Graphics: Prinston Samuel, Business Affairs: Mrs. Molly George CALL US • 301-445-0200 • 301-917-4800 e-Mails: Advertisements: indiathisweekads@gmail.com Press Releases: indiathisweekpress@yahoo.com Web: www.indiathisweek.online Gandhi,” he said. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said her Rahul Gandhi is not afraid and will keep speaking the truth. “The entire scared machinery of power is trying to suppress the voice of Rahul Gandhi through ‘saam, daam, dand, bhed’. My brother has never been afraid, nor will he ever be. He has lived speaking the truth, will continue to speak the truth,” she said. Congress also held a press conference and said the Surat court judgement was erroneous. As per Section 8 (3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, MP/MLA convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of conviction, stated the complaint. Section 8(3) of the Act defines that any member MP/MLA convicted of any offense and sentenced to imprisonment for two or more years shall be disqualified from the date of conviction, from the definition of the above section of the act. Vineet Jindal, who wrote to Speaker Om Biral, requested him to declare Rahul Gandhi as disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha from immediate effect. Rahul Gandhi faces seven defamation cases across the country. 1. ‘Modi surname’ remark: Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to 2-year imprisonment in the defamation case on March 23, 2023, and was later granted bail on a surety of Rs 15,000. The court stayed the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in the higher courts. 2. National Herald case: Among the well-known cases against Rahul Gandhi is the National Herald case in which he and former Congress president Sonia Remember: Gandhi were granted bail in December 2015. The case was pursued by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. 3. Patna: Rahul Gandhi was granted bail by a Patna court in another defamation case on July 6, 2019. The case was filed by BJP leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi for his “how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname” remark. 4. Ahmedabad: The Congress leader was granted bail by a court in Ahmedabad in a defamation case on July 12, 2019. The case was filed by the Ahmedabad District Cooperative Bank following Gandhi’s allegation that the bank was involved in a scam of swapping banknotes during the demonetisation. 5. Mumbai: Gandhi was granted bail by a Mumbai court on July 4, 2019, in a case filed by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh worker for his alleged remark linking Gauri Lankesh’s killing with the “BJP-RSS ideology”. The court had granted Gandhi bail on a surety amount of Rs 15,000. 6. Maharashtra case: Bhiwandi court in Maharashtra had granted Gandhi bail on November 2016 in a case filed by an RSS worker for allegedly accusing the organisation of killing MK Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi had allegedly said that RSS killed Gandhi. He had made these remarks during a Thane rally in March 2014. He had backtracked his statement in the SC stating that he did not mean to accuse the whole of RSS of assassinating Gandhi. 7. Guwahati case: Guwahati court had granted bail to Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case by RSS in September 2016. The case was filed after Rahul had claimed that he was barred by the RSS from entering the Barpeta temple in Assam in December 2015. (ANI) “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ” JESUS CHRIST
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March 31, 2023 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK India to host SCO-National Security Advisors meeting today; Pakistan, China likely to join virtually New Delhi [India], March 29 (ANI): India, as the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), is set to host a meeting of National Security Advisors (NSA) and top officials in New Delhi on Wednesday. Pakistan and China are likely to attend the SCO-NSA meeting virtually. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will make opening remarks at the meeting. T h e Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization established in 2001 and it comprises eight member states, namely, India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In 2022, India assumed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Chairship for 2023. Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Nikolai Patrushev, will attend the annual meeting of the secretaries of security councils of SCO member states in New Delhi on Wednesday, according to a statement by Russian Security Council, a Russian embassy official confirmed to ANI. India became a full member of SCO on June 9 in 2017. There are four Observer States viz Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia and six dialogue partners – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a major regional powerhouse that was established over two decades ago with the aim of promoting economic, political, and military cooperation among its member nations. The eight-member countries of SCO represent around 42 per cent of the world’s total population and 25 per cent of the global GDP. Earlier this month, Pakistan also attended the meeting of heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism administrations held in Kashi. Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Culture and Sports Yerzhan Yerkinbayev, China‘s Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Lu Ying Chuan, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy Samat Bekturovich Shatmanov and Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Azamov Ulugbek Axmatovich in person attended the meeting of heads of the SCO tourism administrations held in Kashi. Meanwhile, Vladimir Evgenyvich Ilyichev, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economic Development, Russia, Muminzod Kamoliddin, Chairman of the Tourism Development Committee, Tajikistan and Aun Chaudhry, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Tourism and Sports, Pakistan, virtually participated in the SCO meeting held in Kashi earlier this month, according to Tourism Ministry’s press release. While the SCO summit is set to take place in Goa this summer, India is holding a host of events leading up to it. Notably, the next important SCO meeting will be the defence ministers’meeting scheduled to be held in Delhi from April 27-29. (ANI) Kathmandu [Nepal], March 28 (ANI): The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu on Sunday sent a letter to the Department of Immigration requesting them to not let pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh travel to a third country. “As per the request from Indian Embassy in Kathmandu we have included him in the ‘watch list’, Director of Nepal‘s Department of Immigration Jhalakram Adhikari told ANI over the phone. At first, the embassy had requested the Nepal government to enlist him on a watch list and shared the details along with photos with the department, the official added. “They have warned us that he might use a fake passport to enter Nepal and attempt to fly out. He might be hiding somewhere here in Nepal as well. No one is sure about Amritpal whereabouts. But as per the request we have informed all the concerned departments and authorities,” Adhikari added. Asked about the letters, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu did not respond. On March 25, Punjab Police appealed to people not to believe rumours and fake news of the arrest of radical preacher and proKhalistan leader Amritpal Singh, which is being circulated on social media. Speaking at a press briefing on Saturday, Bathinda SSP Gulneet Khurana said, “We urge people not to believe the fake reports of the arrest of Amritpal Singh that are being widely circulated on social media.” “A few people sitting in the UK, US, and Canada are spreading false news on social media that Amritpal is being tortured (in custody),” the SSP said. He added, “BSF companies along with police personnel and 140 security personnel from Bahadurgarh are currently deployed in Bathinda to ensure peace.” On March 18, Punjab Police launched an operation against Amritpal Singh and his aides. The crackdown came almost over three weeks after Amritpal’s supporters clashed with uniformed personnel at the Ajnala police station on February 23, on the outskirts of Amritsar, demanding the release of one of his close aides, Lovepreet Toofan. (ANI Amritpal likely in Nepal, Indian Embassy asks to not allow him to flee to third country
FRIDAY MARCH 31, 2023 9 Sale Ends 4/30/2023 World’s highest railway bridge in J-K set to be operational soon Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], March 26 (ANI): World’s highest railway bridge over the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir is soon to get operational for rail traffic. The much-awaited world’s highest railway bridge spans the Chenab River at a height of 359 m (1,178 ft) above the river, which is 35 meters taller than Paris’ Eiffel Tower. The arch bridge between Bakkal and Kauri in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir is 1,178 feet above the riverbed, forming a crucial link from Katra to Banihal. It is part of the Udhampur-SrinagarBaramulla Railway Link (USBRL), a dream project worth Rs 35000 crore. The bridge has passed all the mandatory tests. However, the chenab-railwaybridge”>Chenab railway bridge is near completion at present as the incumbent regime laid a special focus on the project worth Rs 1400 crore. The people of Jammu and Kashmir will get the bridge after two decades of waiting since the project was approved in 2003 but was delayed shortly due to fears of stability and safety. In the year 2008, the contract for constructing one of the highest railway bridges was awarded by the then government. With the passage of time, the construction of the bridge was started again, however, it missed several deadlines. To make the bridge ready for commissioning, all the mandatory tests have been conducted successfully. Union Minister of Railway, Communications and Electronic and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that all the tests on Chenab Railway Bridge have been conducted and were successful. The tests that have been conducted to check the stability and safety of the world’s highest bridge include high-velocity winds test, extreme temperatures test, earthquake-prone test and hydrological impacts due to water level increase. The Railway Bridge is ready for commissioning; officials said and added that track lane work has been started over the bridge. The Union Minister of Railway, Communications and Electronic and Information Technology, who visited the bridge for an inspection, has said that two more tests are to be conducted tomorrow, which include running a motor trolley and bolero customised rail operation on the bridge. The base of the steel and concrete arch bridge, 42 kilometres from Reasi town, was completed in November 2017, allowing for the start of the construction of the main arch which was done in April 2021. The milestone on the bridge was achieved in August last year when the overarch deck of the bridge was completed with a Golden Joint’, paving way for the laying of the track. As per the officials, the construction work on the bridge started in 2004 but had to be suspended in 200809 to consider the aspect of the safety of rail passengers in view of frequent highvelocity winds in the area. Once completed, the bridge will be able to withstand winds with speeds up to 260 kmph and will have a lifespan of 120 years, the officials said. Besides the highest railway bridge, the USBRL project has many firsts like the longest railway tunnel having an overall length of 12.75 km, the first cable-stayed bridge which when completed will be an engineering marvel of the 21st century. Reportedly, the construction of the highest railway bridge was the biggest civil-engineering challenge faced by any railway project in India in recent history. Over the last three years, engineers have been building the arch with the help of two mammoth cable cranes installed on both banks of the Chenab — the Kauri end and the Bakkal end, report said. (ANI)
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