FRIDAY MARCH 1, 2024 INDIA THIS WEEK 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 PM Modi announces names of four-member Gaganyaan team Vol 33 No: 9 WASHINGTON DC • Phone: 301-445-0200 /301-445-3543/301-917-4800 • email: indiathisweekads@gmail.com • Friday March 1, 2024 T h i r u v a n a nthapuram (Kerala) [India], February 27 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday the names of the four astronauts who will be part of India’s first human space flight program, Gaganyaan, slated to be launched in 2024-25. The four chosen Indian Air Force pilots are Group Captain Prashanth Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla. The four astronauts were trained at Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Kerala, reviewed the progress of Gaganyaan mission and bestowed ‘as- tronaut wings’ to the astronaut-designates at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. The Gaganyaan mission is India’s first human space flight program for which extensive preparations are underway at various ISRO centres. “India’s success in the space sector is sowing the seeds of scientific temperament in the country’s Ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas passes away at 72 Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 26 (ANI): Globally renowned Ghazal maestro and Padma Shri recipient Pankaj Udhas passed away on Monday at the age of 72. Taking to Instagram, Pankaj Udhas’ daughter Nayaab shared a statement on Instagram which read, “With a very heavy heart, we are saddened to inform you of the sad demise of Padmashri Pankaj Udhas on 26th February 2024 due to a prolonged illness.” The legendary singer passed away after a prolonged illness. Soon after Nayaab shared the news of the singer’s demise, his fans swamped the comment section and posted their con- Remember: dolences. A fan wrote, “May his soul rest in peace.” I’m so sorry to hear of your loss, stay strong and please accept my condolences,” another user wrote. “Deepest Condolences and Prayers,” another user posted. Among the evergreen ghazals that Pankaj Udhas lent his vocals to were ‘Chit- thi Aayi Hai’, ‘Chandani Raat Mein’, ‘Na Kajre Ki Dhaar’, ‘Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein’, ‘Ek Taraf Uska Ghar’ and ‘Thodi Thodi Piya Karo’. The singer’s demise left the music industry in shock and in grief. “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.” –Proverbs The Voice behind ‘Chitthi Aayee Hai’ Who can forget the magical and intense voice behind ‘Chitthi Aayee Hai‘? Veteran singer Pankaj Udhas is no more but his soulful voice is etched in the hearts of music lovers who will remember him for his timeless melodies. He passed away at the age PANKAJ UDHAS SEE PAGE 11 young generation,” PM Modi said in his address at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. “As India is set to become the top-3 economy of the world, at the same time the country’s Gaganyaan is also going to take our space sector to a new height.” As per ISRO, Ga- Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 23 (ANI): Condolences poured in on Friday from political leaders after the demise of former Maharashtra Chief Minister and former Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi who passed away on Friday early morning at the age of 86 in Mumbai. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that Joshi’s demise has caused a great loss to the political, social and education sectors of Maharashtra. “The cultured leader who fought for the fair rights of Marathi people is lost. His death has caused a great loss to the political, social and education sectors of Maharashtra. He was known as a learned, cultured leader in the political, social and educational arena. He did remarkable work in the field of education through Kohinoor Institute and trained many Marathi youths for industrial opportunities,” Pawar said. Devendra Fadna- vis, the state Deputy CM has also expressed his condolences over the death of Manohar Joshi. Asserting that Joshi was known as a very disciplined, moderate and studious leader, Fadnavis said that the former’s contribution to the political-social, educational field of Maharashtra will never be forgotten. “The news of the death of former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, former Speaker of Lok Sabha Mr Manohar Joshi is very sad. I had a personal relationship with him. He completed all stages in his political life from corporator to mayor, MLA to Chief Minister and MP to Lok Sabha Speaker. He had the honour of being represented in all four houses namely Vidhan Sabha and Legislative Council, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. He was known as a very disciplined, moderate and studious leader...His contribution to the politicalsocial, educational field of Maharashtra will never be forgotten,” he said. BJP leader and ganyaan project envisages demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching crew of three members to an orbit of 400 km for a three days mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters. The pre-requisites for Gaganyaan mission include development of many critical technologies including human rated launch vehicle for carrying crew safely to space, Life Support System to provide an earth like environment to crew in space, crew emergency escape provision and evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery and rehabilitation of GAGANYAAN TEAM SEE PAGE 6 Ex-Maharashtra CM Manohar Joshi passes away former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said that with the demise of Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi, an ‘intelligent and civilized leadership has passed away in Maharashtra politics’. “His (Joshi’s) struggle and long political journey from a Councilor, Mayor, Legislative Council and Assembly MLA, to Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MP, Union Minister, Speaker of the lower house is an inspiration and example,” Chavan said. MANOHAR JOSHI SEE PAGE 9
March 1, 2024 INDIA THIS WEEK Friday Over 40 Years Of Experience 5 FAMILY HAIRCUT $ MEN • WOMEN • CHILDREN ROOT TOUCH-UP FOR MEN 20 & up $ SERVICES • BEARD TRIM $500 $ • SHAMPOO 1000 • BLOW DRY $1000 $ 00 • PERM FROM 20 $ 00 • COLOR FROM 20 • HIGHLIGHTS FROM $3500 • SPA PEDICURE FROM $1700 Beauty & Barber Shop 7311 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003 info@csbarbernschool.com MP Swati Maliwal appeals to EAM Jaishankar for action on death of Indian student in US New Delhi [India], February 23 (ANI): Swati Maliwal, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, on Friday reached out to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, seeking his intervention in the incident of the death of an Indian student in the US. Maliwal, in her communication, underscored the apparent inadequacies of the U.S. judicial system to conduct even a fundamental inquiry into the matter, stating, “The decision by the King County prosecutor’s office to not file criminal charges against the officer involved has profoundly disturbed not just Jaahnavi’s family but the wider Indian diaspora.” MP Maliwal stated that despite the circumstances, the officer implicated in the fatal incident involving the young Indian student faces no legal repercussions, attributed to an alleged insufficiency of evidence. In her letter, also shared on X, MP Maliwal urged the External Affairs Minister to step in and ensure that justice prevails for the victim and her bereaved family. According to reports, 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula was allegedly hit by a police vehicle operated by Officer Dave in Seattle on January 23. Officer Dave, responding to a call about a drug overdose, was allegedly driving at an approximate speed of 120 km/h at the moment of the collision. Further compounding the tragedy, released bodycam footage from the Seattle Police Department captured Officer Daniel Auderer making light of the fatal accident, “Just write a cheque. USD 11,000. She was 26 anyway, she had limited value,” Auderer was heard saying in the video, as per reports. (ANI)
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March 1, 2024 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK “It’s Congress guarantee”: Mallikarjun Kharge announces Indiramma Universal Basic Income Support for Andhra Ananthapuram (Andhra Pradesh) [India], February 26 (ANI): Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday announced Indiramma Universal Basic Income Support of Rs 5,000 per month to every poor family, adding that it is the Congress party’s guarantee for the people of Andhra Pradesh. “Indiramma Universal Basic Income support of Rs 5000 per month to every poor family is Congress party’s guarantee for the people of Andhra Pradesh. We will transfer the amount directly in the bank account of the woman of the families. Our guarantee is not like “Modi Ki Guarantee”, whatever Congress party promises, WE DELIVER !!” Kharge posted on X on Monday. He further attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not fulfilling his guarantees and asked if the people of the country had received 15 lakhs in their bank accounts. “PM Modi always says, “Yeh to Modi ki guarantee hai.” Where is Modi’s guarantee? Have you received 15 lakhs in your bank accounts? Have the farmers‘ incomes doubled? Has he provided 2 crore jobs?” he added. Kharge further said that the grand old party always held poorer sections, small traders, farmers, and other workers. “We are helping poorer sections, small traders, farmers, and other workers. Whom is PM Modi helping? He is helping crony capitalists and rich people; this is PM Modi’s ideology,” he added. Continuing his attack on PM Modi, Kharge questioned why the Prime Minister always attacks the Congress party. “PM Modi always attacks the Congress party. If the Congress party is weak in the country, why are you attacking, abusing, and purchasing our MLAs and MPs? Why are you Columbia, MD, February 25, 2024 — Columbia Union Conference president, Dave Weigley, announced today that he will retire, effective March 1, 2024. “I feel blessed by the incredible opportunity I was given to lead the Columbia Union Conference for nearly 18 years,” Weigley says. “Through God, we have accomplished so much together.“ As many people know, my wife, Becky, is receiving palliative chemotherapy for cancer. I need to be able to put her first and focus all of my time on her care. For nearly five decades, Becky has been a supportive partner in ministry, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to support her during this difficult time,” he adds. “We continue to trust God through this journey and are grateful for the prayers and outreach we have received from around the union and beyond. ”Weigley also acknowledges that departing from Columbia Union leadership at this time will enable him to address legal issues arising from the ongoing investigation of Kettering Health during the latter years he chaired the board.“I don’t wish to be a distraction from the mission of the church and believe it’s in the best interest of the Columbia Union for me to retire at this time,” says Weigley. Weigley, who has 47 years of ministry and service to the Seventhday Adventist Church, has been a champion for evangelism, inviting all members to get involved and “Experience the Mission” together. He also recognized the importance of reaching the Columbia Union’s diverse populations by growing Multilingual Ministries and helping to open doors for women called to the ministry. Dave Weigley earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology, Applied Theology and Greek in 1977 from Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee and MBA from the City University in Bellevue, Washington in 2005. He is now a Doctor of Philosophy candidate at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Dave began his ca- putting our people behind bars? The zero man is ruling the country. He is like a dictator, and it’s our duty to be united and defeat the fascist forces. Only then will our democracy, constitution, people, and fundamental rights be saved. He always attacks Rahul reer as a health educator/ literature evangelist with the Hong Kong Macao Mission (AVSC) in 1975. He served as a pastor and evangelist with the Florida Conference from 1977 to 1988 and the Iowa-Missouri Conference from 1983 to 1985. Beginning as a communication secretary at the Washington Conference in 1988, he became president in 1997. He was then president of the Potomac Conference from 2002 to 2006, where he fa- cilitated the planting of 23 churches. He was appointed president of the Columbia Union Conference in 2006, where he serves today. He also chairs or serves on more than 50 boards and committees, providing administrative leadership for the conferences, college university, and healthcare systems in the eight-state region. Dave and his wife, Becky, have two adult children–Christy and Jon — and two grandchildren, Hailyn and Micah. he added. The Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held across country between April and May this year. (ANI) By Sahil Pandey Dave Weigley Announces Retirement as Columbia Union President Gandhi ji and consistently criticises Indira Gandhi ji. Why? Because he is afraid of Rahul Gandhi ji, Sonia Gandhi ji, and Congress,” ments. As per the WTO, the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Initiative, was originally launched in the spring of 2017 by a group of developing and least-developed WTO members. The IFD initiative aims to develop a global agreement on IFD to improve the investment and business climate and make it easier for investors in all sectors of the economy to invest, conduct their dayto-day business and expand their operations. India calls investment facilitation for a development proposal backed by China at the World Trade Organization (WTO), a non-trade issue. As per the WTO, ministers representing 123 WTO members issued on February 25, a Joint Ministerial Declaration marking the finalisation of the Investment Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement and made it available to the public. “India believes the WTO should deal with issues related to trade, and this (IFD) is a non-trade issue,” the official said. India blocks China’s IFD in WTO, it’s unlikely to feature in final outcome: Sources with plurilateral agree- Abu Dhabi [UAE], February 28 (ANI): India on Wednesday blocked the China-led Investment Facilitation Development Agreement (IFD) in the World Trade Organization (WTO), so the proposal is unlikely to be mentioned in the outcome document of the ministerial conference. “India and South Africa blocked the IFD proposal in WTO. It may not be mentioned in the final outcome document,” official sources said. Along with India, South Africa also joined the WTO to block the Investment Facilitation Development Agreement. The 123member group led by China tried to forward a proposal in the working group meeting on development. Earlier, India maintained IFD as a nontrade issue in the forum. Official sources said the IFD is an agreement among the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries and is led by vested interests.Such pacts come under Annexure 4 of the WTO which deals
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March 1, 2024 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK PM Modi announces names of four-member Gaganyaan team GAGANYAAN TEAM FROM PAGE 1 crew. Various precursor missions are planned for demonstrating the Technology Preparedness Levels before carrying out the actual Human Space Flight mission. These demonstrator missions include Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT), Pad Abort Test (PAT) and Test Vehicle (TV) flights. Safety and reliability of all systems will be proven in unmanned missions preceding manned mission. LVM3 rocket – The well proven and reliable heavy lift launcher of ISRO, is identified as the launch vehicle for Gaganyaan mission. Human safety is of paramount importance in Gaganyaan mission. In order to ensure the same, various new technologies comprising of Engineering systems and Human centric systems are being developed and realised. In 2023, in a stellar display of prowess, India soared to new heights with the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the South Pole of the Moon and the successful launch of Aditya-L1, India’s first solar mission. These milestones not only secured India’s standing in the global space economy but also fueled the engines for the private space sector in India. Among other feats India now aims for setting up ‘Bharatiya Antariksha Sta- From The Poet’s Pen INDIA THIS WEEK- February 23, 2024 A Poison Tree William Blake I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. And I watered it in fears Night and morning with my tears, And I sunned it with smiles And with soft deceitful wiles. And it grew both day and night, Till it bore an apple bright, And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine,-And into my garden stole When the night had veiled the pole; In the morning, glad, I see My foe outstretched beneath the tree. This poem is in the public domain. tion’ by 2035, and sending the first Indian to the Moon by 2040. (ANI) Astronauts on Gaganyaan mission trained at same center in Russia where Rakesh Sharma underwent training The four astro- nauts who will be part of India’s first human space flight program, Gaganyaan, were trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia, the same center where Rakesh Sharma underwent training. Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to go into space in 1984. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Cen- 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 ter (GCTC), at Star City, is about 30 kilometers north of Moscow. It was named for the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin. The center offers high-tech training facilities, including integrated simulators. It also offers survival training for many possible landing situations, including mountains, woodlands, marshes, deserts, in the Arctic and on the sea. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday the names of the four astronauts who will be in Gaganyaan, slated to be launched in 2024-25. The four chosen Indian Air Force pilots are Group Captain Prashanth Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla. The four astronauts were trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Kerala, reviewed the progress of the Gaganyaan mission and bestowed ‘astronaut wings’ on the astronaut-designates at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. The Gaganyaan mission is India’s first human space flight program, for which extensive preparations are underway at various ISRO centres. “India’s success in the space sector is sowing the seeds of scientific temperament in the country’s young generation,” PM Modi said in his address at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. “As India is set to become the top-3 economy in the world, at the same time, the country’s Gaganyaan is also going to take our space sector to a new height,” the PM said. As per ISRO, the Gaganyaan project envisages a demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members into an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission and bringing them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian sea waters. The pre-requisites for the Gaganyaan mission include the development of many critical technologies, including human-rated launch vehicle for carrying crew safely to space, a life support system to provide an Earth like environment to crew in space, crew emergency escape provision, and evolving crew management aspects for training, recovery, and rehabilitation of crew. (ANI) Remember: “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 1, 2024 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK Himachal Pradesh Crisis: “Majority is still with Congress” Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], February 28 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said on Wednesday that the Parliamentary Affairs Minister has filed a petition against the six Congress MLAs who cross voted in the Rajya Sabha polls, adding that the majority is still with the Congress Party. The Congress government in the state faces a crisis after six MLAs crossed sides and are learnt to be in touch with the BJP. The Congress has 40 MLAs, while the BJP has 25 in the 68-member state assembly. The remaining three seats are held by independents. Referring to this, the Speaker said, “The Parliamentary Affairs Minister has filed a petition against the six MLAs of the Congress party because the anti-defection law attracts proceedings against them. When the petition came to me, then I, as a Speaker, had to function like a tribunal. The hearing regarding the same is underway”. “And the majority is still with the Congress Party as even if the number is reduced to six, out of 40, 34 are left, and they (BJP) are 25. If the three independents are added, there are still 28,” he added. Reacting to the suspension of 15 BJP MLAs for alleged misbe- haviour in the House, the speaker said that the MLAs were trying to create an atmosphere where they could attack him. “The proposal was brought by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister. Because what happened yesterday was unexpected. The BJP members were not in their seats. They started raising slogans after the House was adjourned. They were trying to create an atmosphere where they could attack me. I requested that they sit, but they didn’t listen. Everything is on record,” he said. Meanwhile, Vikramaditya Singh, a state minister and the son of the former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, stepped down from his position on Wednesday. “All I would like to say is that under the current circumstances, it is not correct for me to continue as a part of the government. So, I have decided that I am resigning from the Council of Ministers. I am resigning as a minister,” Singh said. Cross-voting by six Himachal Pradesh’s Congress MLAs for the lone Rajya Sabha seat and the resignation of Vikramaditya Singh from the council of ministers have deepened the crisis for the Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government in the hill state. The two backto-back events have once Amid the political turmoil in Himachal Pradesh after cross-voting by six Congress MLAs during polling for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from the state on Tuesday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday said all fellow party leaders were like his younger siblings, adding, significantly, that his party believes in ‘forgiveness’, and not ‘revenge’. Assuring that the Congress government will fulfil the mandate of the people and complete its tenure of five years, CM Sukhu told reporters, “Hum toh sab ko maaf karne wale log hai, hum badle ki bhavna se kaam karne wale log nahi hain (We believe in forgiveness, not revenge.) All fellow members of my party are like my younger brothers and sisters. Our government will complete its full 5-year term.” On state minister Vikramaditya Singh’s resignation, the chief minister said, “Vikramaditya Singh is my younger brother and I have spoken to him.” “They (Congress MLAs who cross-voted for the BJP candidate during polling for the Rajya Sabha seat) should have shown more respect for the party. They may be upset with me but a person like Abhishek Singhvi should have been elected to the Rajya Sabha from Himachal Pradesh. However, they betrayed the whip and did not vote for him. This had never happened before in the history of Himachal politics,” CM Sukhu added. As the Congress lurched into a fresh political crisis in Himachal Pradesh, fighting to stay afloat in the only heartland state it rules, the grand old party appointed observers who reached Shimla on Wednesday. After meeting with party observers, CM Sukhu said, “Discussion was held regarding elections. Our government is safe.” Meanwhile, senior party leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday said that he was hopeful that all differences and discord would be resolved soon. “Our Rajya Sabha candidate from Himachal Pradesh, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, could not win the elections as some of our MLAs cross-voted. The party high command has appointed observers. I hope the matter will be resolved soon,” Pilot said. However, amid fears of a churn at the helm of Himachal a day after 6 Congress MLAs crossvoted for the BJP during polling for the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Himachal, CM earlier in the day claimed that the conspiracy to bring down the Congress government in the state had failed. “They conspired to topple our government in Himachal with the help of the CRPF and Haryana Police, and by sending choppers (to airlift Congress MLAs elsewhere). However, the plot to bring down our government has been defeated. They tried luring some our legislators through monetary inducements and bring them to their side. However, we have brought a disqualification motion against them (Congress MLAs who voted for the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls) and hearing on the same is underway,” Sukhu told reporters on Wednesday. He claimed that one of the dissident MLAs, who cross-voted during the casting of votes for the Rajya Sabha polls on Tuesday, prompting BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan to script a stunning win in a draw of lots, has apologised. “One of the MLAs (who crossvoted for the BJP candidate) has asked for forgiveness for betraying the party and the whip. I don’t want to take his name. He said he erred in his decisionmaking. The hearing on the disqualification case is underway,” CM Sukhu said. “We believe in forgiveness, not revenge”: CM Sukhu takes conciliatory tone amid turmoil again brought to the fore the rift between the Congress and the BJP, which claims to have a majority in the House. The BJP has said that the Rajya Sabha results show that the Sukhu-led Congress government has lost its majority, whereas the CM has claimed to remain in power with a majority. Himachal Pradesh Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur said that the state CM should resign from his post on moral grounds. “Congress does not have a majority and they cannot pass the budget, so they suspended 15 BJP MLAs without any reason. They will now try to pass the budget, but it will be against the rules. If he (CM Sukhu) has even a little bit of morality left, then he should resign,” he said. He said that the action of the Assembly Speaker, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, to suspend 15 BJP MLAs is ‘condemnable’. “We went to meet the Governor in the morning today and I said that since Congress does not have the majority to pass the budget in the Assembly, the Speaker will suspend BJP MLAs. Today, as soon as we entered the Assembly, 15 BJP MLAs were suspended and were taken out of the Assembly by the marshals. This is highly condemnable,” he said. The 15 BJP MLAs who were suspended from the House include Jai Ram Thakur, Vipin Parmar, Randhir Sharma, Hans Raj, Vinod Kumar, Janak Raj, Balbir Verma, Lokinder Kumar, Trilok Jamwal, Surinder Shourie, Puran Chand, Dalip Thakur, Inder Singb Gandhi, Ranbir Nikka and Deep Raj. While Jairam Thakur claimed that Sukhu has resigned from the post, the Himachal CM said that he will fight like a warrior and will not take any steps behind. “This government has lost all the moral rights to stay in power. As far as I have been informed, CM Sukhu has also presented his resignation inside the House. Maybe the high command has asked him, but I am not sure,” Thakur said. Sukhu on Wednesday, however, refuted the reports of him resigning from the post, saying that he has not tendered his resignation and will prove majority in the House. “Neither anyone asked for my resignation nor have I presented my resignation to anyone. We will prove the majority. We will win, the people of Himachal will win... I am not someone who will get scared and I can say this with guarantee that Congress is going to win when the budget is presented. The budget will be passed today. BJP is spreading rumours of my resignation. Congress is united. I am a warrior and will fight like that,” Sukhu said. Though the Congress enjoys an outright majority in the Assembly that should have won Singhvi the seat, the BJP forced an election by nominating former Congress leader Harsh Mahajan as its candidate. In the voting on Tuesday, the BJP, which has just 25 MLAs, managed to secure 9 additional votes. The vote thus ended in a 34-34 tie, with three Independents and six Congress MLAs cross-voting for the BJP. Mahajan ended up winning after the result was decided with a draw of lots. (ANI)
India, Thailand hold 10th Joint Commission Meeting; multiple agreements signed New Delhi [India], February 27 (ANI): India and Thailand signed multiple agreements in the presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Thailand’s Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara in the national capital on Tuesday. Prior to this, EAM Jaishankar and his Thailand counterpart also held the 10th IndiaThailand Joint Commission meeting in the national capital. Earlier in the day, Jaishankar welcomed Nukara and said that the Joint Commission meeting would take forward the partnership between the two nations. Thailand’s Deputy PM, Nukara, is on his first official visit to India. He arrived in New Delhi in the early hours of Monday. During his visit to India, Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara is scheduled to meet Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday. On February 28, he will depart from India after concluding his four-day official visit. The 9th IndiaThailand Joint Commission Meeting was held in Bangkok on August 17, 2022. Earlier in the day, Thailand Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow expressed confidence that bilateral ties with India will grow in strength and move towards a strategic partnership that will boost the partnership between the two countries on a regional and global level. Delivering the lecture on “How Can Thailand and India be Strategic Partners?” organised by the Indian Council of World Affairs, the visiting dignitary noted that there has been a lot of redirection of foreign policy since the Cold War period, when distance between two nations had grown. Phuangketkeow said, “The fact of the matter was that there was some distance in our relationship because of the Cold War. So the view from Bangkok was not the same as the view from New Delhi. But of course, with the end of the Cold War, a lot has changed. And I think we’ve seen a lot of realignment of relations.” “We’ve seen a lot of redirection of foreign policy because of the Cold War. And also, I think it has to do a lot with the changes within India, the reforms in India, the opening up of India. And a lot of it has to do with the changes in my region, the changes in East Asia. And so that has led to closer engagement between India and ASEAN, and India with East Asia,” he added. Both India and Thailand are important regional partners linking South and Southeast Asia. They cooperate closely in the ASEAN, East Asia Summit (EAS) and Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) groupings among others. (ANI) FRIDAY MARCH 1, 2024 9 Ex-Maharashtra CM Manohar Joshi passes away MANOHAR JOSHI FROM PAGE 1 He further said that Manohar Joshi, having a studious and sharp mind, sharp eloquence and a touching nature, had excellent organizational skills. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has also condoled the passing away of Joshi and said that the latter lived like a ‘Shiv sanik’ till his last breath. “The one who created the world from nothing. The one who was extremely proud of Maharashtra. Humble greetings to Manohar Joshi who lived like a Shiv Sainik till his last breath,” Raut said in a post in Marathi. Joshi breathed his last on Friday at around 3 am in Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai. The 86-year-old Joshi was admitted to Hinduja Hospital on February 21 after suffering a cardiac arrest. According to family sources, the funeral will be held later in the day at Dadar Shivaji Park Crematorium, with full state honours. Manohar Joshi served as chief minister from 1995 to 1999 and was the first leader from the undivided Shiv Sena to occupy the top post in the state. He was also elected as a Member of Parliament and was the Lok Sabha Speaker from 2002 to 2004 when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government was in power. He was also a Member of the Rajya Sabha from 2006 to 2012 and Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises from 1999 to 2002. He was a municipal councillor in Mumbai during 1968-70 and Chairman, of the Standing Committee of the Mumbai municipal corporation in 1970. He was the Mayor of Mumbai during 19761977. He was then elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Council in 1972. After serving three terms in the Legislative Council, Joshi was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in 1990 and was the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly during 199091. (ANI)
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