INDIA THIS WEEK FRIDAY MARCH 18, 2022 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. 30 No: 11 • WASHINGTON D.C • Phone: 301-917-4800; 301-445-0200 • e-mail: indiathisweekads@gmail.com • Friday • March 18, 2022 BJP creates new records as it retains UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa; AAP sweeps Punjab New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained power with impressive victories in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Manipur and is set to retain Goa too as its performance across different parts of the country created new records and gave a big jolt to Congress. In Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) scored a smashing victory by getting over three-fourths seats in a multi-cornered contest. As the counting of votes for five assembly polls began on Thursday, the BJP looked set to retain Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and AAP looked set to create a record in Punjab. The results turned as per the expectations of the party leaders. BJP won Uttarakhand by a twothirds majority and is poised to reach the mark in Uttar Pradesh also with its allies. The BJP is set to win 254 seats in Uttar Pradesh. It has won 251 and is leading on three seats. The Samajwadi Party is leading on seven seats and has won 105. The Congress has been reduced to two seats and Bahujan Samaj Party is leading on one seat. BJP‘s ally Apna Dal (Soneylal) has won 12 seats and NISHAD has won five seats and is leading on one seat. SP’s ally RLD has won eight seats and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party has won six seats. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has won the Gorakhpur Urban seat by over one lakh votes. SP leader Akhilesh Yadav won from Karhal by a margin of over 67,000 votes. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya lost the Sirathu seat by 7,337 votes. Maurya got 98,941 votes with 43.28 per cent vote share. The Samajwadi Party’s winning candidate Pallavi Patel got 1,06,278 votes with 46.49 per cent vote share. Samajwadi Party candidate Swami Prasad Maurya, who was a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government and resigned from BJP weeks ahead of assembly polls, lost in Fazilnagar seat. He lost to BJP‘s Surendra Kumar Kushwaha by 45,014 votes. C o n g r e s s ELECTIONS SEE PAGE 6
March 18, 2022 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK COVID-19 vaccination for 12-14 age group, precaution dose for 60 plus begins today New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): India has expanded its COVID-19 vaccination drive with the inclusion of children in the age group of 12-14 years starting on Wednesday while those aged above 60 years are also eligible now for the precaution dose.The children in the said age group will be administered Corbevax vaccine manufactured by Hyderabad-based Biological E. It is India’s first indigenously developed Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) protein sub-unit vaccine against COVID-19. Meanwhile, the co-morbidity clause for administering precaution doses to those aged 60 years has been removed and all above 60 years of the age can be administered with precaution dose starting today. Earlier, the administration of precaution dose was restricted to those above 60 years of age with comorbidities, 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 frontline workers and healthcare workers. “Taking the COVID19 vaccination campaign of ‘Sabko Vaccine Muft Vaccine’ forward under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the vaccination of children in the age group of 12-14 has started from today. All people of 60 years of age will also be able to get precaution dose from today. Let’s secure the country together, get the vaccine,” Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted (roughly translated from Hindi). India commenced its nationwide COVID vaccination drive on January 16, 2021. Starting initially by inoculating vaccines to healthcare workers, it was then expanded to frontline workers, followed by people above 60 years of age and those above 45 years with comorbidities. Later it was also expanded to all above 45 years of age and then those above 18 years of age. The vaccination drive for those between the age group 15-18 was started on January 3 this year and for administering the precautionary doses to the healthcare workers, frontline workers and sixty plus individuals then commenced on January 10 this year. India’s cumulative vaccination coverage has crossed 180.58 crore, as per government data available till 7 pm yesterday. (ANI) 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 18, 2022 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK Goa elections: Both deputy CMs, big political bigwigs suffer defeats Panaji (Goa) [India], March 10 (ANI): As BJP emerged as the single largest party in Goa winning 20 seats in the 40-member state assembly, the election results also saw some political bigwigs losing their constituencies. Both Deputy Chief Ministers of Goa lost Assembly elections to their nearest Congress rivals. In Margao, BJP after a long see-saw battle, Congress’ Digambar Kamat defeated Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Ajgaonkar Manohar (Babu) by a margin of 7,794 votes. In the last elections, BJP had fielded Ajgaonkar from Margao in South Goa. Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar lost to Congress candidate Altone D’Costa in Quepem by a margin of 3601 votes. Kavlekar had won from Quepem in 2017 on a Congress ticket. He switched to the BJP in 2019. Former minister and BJP candidate Milind Naik tasted defeat in Mormugao against Congress’ Sankalp Amonkar while AAP chief ministerial candidate Amit Palekar, from St Cruz assembly segment, lost to Congress’ Rodolfo Louis Fernandes In Goa‘s Bicholim, Rajesh Patekar, BJP candidate and assembly speaker lost his seat to independent candidate Chandrakant Shetye. Late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s son Utpal Parrikar, who contested independently in the Goa Assembly elections, has lost from the Panaji constituency by 716 votes, the Election Commission has declared. He was up against BJP heavyweight Atanasio Monserrate, who won 6,787 votes to Parrikar’s 6,071. Former Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who contested the Assembly election from Mandrem seat as an Independent candidate lost to Jit Vinayak Arolkar of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP). In Priol, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP) candidate and party president Pandurang Alias Deepak Dhavalikar lost to BJP’s Govind Shepu Gaude. Former Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress candidate from Benaulim, Churchill Alemao was defeated by Aam Aadmi Party’s Venzy Viegas. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which fell one seat short of the majority figure in Goa is set to retain power in the state with the help of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP) and Independent candidates. The BJP emerged as the single largest party in Goa winning 20 seats in the 40-member state assembly. Congress finished second with 11 seats and the Independent candidate bagged three seats. Two seats each went to Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) while Revolutionary Goans Party and Goa Forward Party (GFP) got one seat each. According to Election Commission, BJP got 33.31 per cent vote share followed by Congress (23.46 per cent), MGP (7.60 per cent), Aam Aadmi Party (6.77) and Trinamool Congress (5.21 per cent). Goa election incharge Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday evening said that it will form a full majority government in the coastal state with the support of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP) and three independent MLAs– Antonio Vas, Chandrakant Shetye and Alex Reginald. “We have won 20 seats. MGP has also given us a letter of support. Three independent MLAs have also supported us. So, now we are 20+3+2 =25. There is a possibility that more candidates will join us. So we are forming the government,” Fadnavis said in a press conference here. Accepting defeat in Goa, Congress leader P Chidambaram said that the Congress lost by a ‘very small’ margin. “We accept the verdict of the people of Goa. Our candidates fought bravely, despite several obstacles... People have voted BJP to power and we accept that. In several constituencies, we lost with very small margins,” said Chidambaram while addressing a press conference. “Split in votes among various parties ended up in our numbers being less than what we had hoped for...BJP won by a little over 33 per cent of votes, remaining votes got divided”, he added. In 2017, Congress had emerged as the single largest party in the state, winning 17 seats but the BJP, which won 13 seats, managed to form the government with the support of the Goa Forward Party and the MGP which had won three seats each, and two independents. (ANI)
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March 18, 2022 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK BJP creates new records as it retains UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa; AAP sweeps Punjab ELECTIONS FROM PAGE 1 candidate Asha Singh, the mother of the Unnao rape victim lost in Unnao constituency. BJP‘s Pankaj Gupta won the seat by 31,128 votes. With the BJP-led alliance set for a thumping victory in Uttar Pradesh, it will be the first time in over three decades that an incumbent government will return to power in the electorally crucial state. The party had won 312 seats in the 2017 assembly polls. Bharatiya Janata Party won 47 seats in Uttarakhand. Congress won 18 seats and is leading on one. Independents won two seats, BSP won one and is leading on another seat. The biggest setback for the BJP came in the form of the loss of its chief minister Puskar Singh Dhami to Congress‘ Bhuwan Chandra Kapri by 6,579 votes. Kapri bagged 48,177 votes with a vote share of 51.89 per cent while Dhami got 41,598 votes and 44.8 per cent vote share. Another tall leader who suffered defeat was Congress leader and former chief minister Harish Rawat. He lost to BJP‘s Mohan Singh Bisht by 17,527 votes. Rawat had initially decided to contest from Ramnagar seat in Nainital district. This is the second consecutive defeat of Rawat in two assembly polls. He had lost in Haridwar (Rural) in the 2017 elections. It is the first time that a party has retained power in Uttarakhand. The BJP is poised for a hat-trick in power in Goa. The party, which fell one seat short of the majority figure in the coastal state, is likely to retain power Tripura govt announces hike in wages of tea garden workers by Rs 31 Agartala (Tripura) [India], March 16 (ANI): Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Tuesday announced that the wages of tea garden workers will be increased from the existing Rs 105 to Rs 136, adding that the new payment structure will come into effect from April 2022. Deb said, “The government of Tripura has decided to increase the wages of tea garden workers. The new payment structure will come into play from April 2022. Earlier the daily wages were Rs 105 and now after revision, it will be increased to Rs 136.” He further said, “Over 7,000 families dependent on 54 tea estates spread across Tripura are going to benefit directly through the revised wage plan. This hike is a part of the ‘Mukhyamantri Cha Shramik Kalyan Prakalp’ – a scheme that aims at the welfare of tea garden workers.” Deb made the in the state with the help of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Independent candidates. The BJP won 20 seats in the 40-member state assembly and reduced Congress to 11 seats. Independent candidates bagged three seats while two seats each went to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak (MGP). Revolutionary Goans Party and Goa Forward Party (GFP) got one seat each. BJP got a 33.31 per cent vote share in the state followed by Congress (23.46 per cent), MGP (7.60 per cent), Aam Aadmi Party (6.77) and Trinamool Congress (5.21 per cent). Former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s son Utpal Parrikar, who contested as an independent in the Goa Assembly elections, has lost from the Panaji constituency by 716 votes. He was up against BJP heavyweight Atanasio Monserrate. In Goa’s Bicholim, Rajesh Patnekar, BJP candidate and assembly speaker lost his seat to independent candidate Chandrakant Shetye. AAP registered a historic victory in Punjab polls by winning a threefourths majority with 92 seats – the highest number of seats won by any party in the state in over four decades. It is AAP‘s maiden victory in the state and a vast improvement from its performance in the 2017 elections when it had finished second behind Congress. The ruling Congress managed to secure 18 seats in the 117-member Assembly while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ended up with two seats. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has bagged three seats and Bahujan Samaj Party has won one. Punjab witnessed a multi-cornered contest. From thePoet’sPen INDIA THIS WEEK- DECEMBER 10, AuINDIA THIS WEEK- March 11 2022 2021 A Song: Lying is an occupation By Laetitia Pilkington 1708-1750 announcement while interacting with the representatives of tea garden workers from different parts of the state at his official residence. The various tea garden workers thanked the state government and Chief Minister Deb for this significant project undertaken to improve the living standards of tea workers in the state. The chief minister said that majority of the 54 tea gardens are run privately. “There was a time, the tea gardens were neglected for a long and now the present state government is working hard to improve production and for value addition in Tripura tea,” he added. Lying is an occupation, Used by all who mean to rise; Politicians owe their station, But to well concerted lies. These to lovers give assistance, T ensnare the fair-one’s heart; o And the virgin’s best resistance Yields to this commanding art. Study this superior science, Would you rise in Church or State; Bid to T ruth a bold defiance, ‘Tis the practice of the great. Apart from Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal fought the polls in alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party alliance, and Bharatiya Janata Party in alliance with Punjab Lok Congress and SAD (Sanyukt). AAP leader Bhagwant Mann, who won the polls from Dhuri, will be the next Chief Minister of Punjab. Many senior leaders including Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son Sukhbir Singh Badal and former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh were among the prominent losers from the state. BJP has secured a majority in Manipur, the first time the party has done so, reducing other parties to single digits. It won 32 of 60 seats in Manipur. Congress bagged five seats and the National People’s Party won seven seats. Janata Dal (United) won six seats, the Naga People’s Front (5) The Kuki People’s Alliance (2) and the Independents bagged three seats. BJP secured 37.83 per cent vote share, Congress 16.83 per cent, National People’s Party 17.3 per cent, Janata Dal (United) 10.77 per cent, Naga People’s Front 8.1 per cent and the other parties bagged 7.53 per cent vote share. Chief Minister N Biren Singh won by a margin of 24,814 votes from the Heingang constituency, defeatingCongresscandidate Pangeijam Saratchandra Singh. Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh won by 15,085 votes from the Thoubal constituency seat. He fought against BJP‘s Leitanthem Basanta Singh. (ANI) INDIA THIS WEEK Address: P.O. Box 352Bryans Road, MD 20616 Phone: 301-917-4800; 301-445-0200 301-445-3543; 301-685-1800 www.indiathisweek.online India This Week is published every Friday by ADV Solutions Inc, Views expressed in this paper are solely 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 either by mail to the above address or by e-mail provided below. Publisher: Chief Editor: Contributing Editors: Asst. 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March 18, 2022 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK Sonia Gandhi, Rahul, Priyanka proposed to resign but CWC unanimously rejected this: Sources New Delhi [India], March 13 (ANI): Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra proposed to resign during the Congress Working Committee meeting today but the CWC unanimously rejected this, said sources on Sunday. “Sonia Gandhi in her speech said that if the party feels we all three (herself, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra) are ready to resign, but CWC unanimously rejected this,” said sources. Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that Sonia Gandhi along with her family members Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was ready to scarify their posts for the party, but we all rejected this. “Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi said that she along with her family members Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are ready to scarify their posts for the party, but we all rejected this,” said on CWC meeting. Congress Working Committee called the recent Assembly election results of five states a “cause of serious concern” for the party. Addressing a press conference after around five-hour-long meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), Venugopal said “The CWC unanimously reaffirms its faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and requests the Congress President to lead from the front, address the organizational weaknesses, effect necessary and comprehensive organizational changes in order to take on the political challenges.” Congress will also hold a Chintan Shivir immediately after the Budget Session of Parliament and before that Congress Working Committee will meet again, he added. Sonia Gandhi will immediately take up immediate corrective measures to revamp and restrengthen the organization, informed Venugopal. Congress leader R Surjewala was addressing the press conference along with Venugopal said, “Every single member of CWC wants Sonia Gandhi to guide the party till organizational elections are held.” The results of five assembly polls came as a shock to the Congress which was hoping to do well to revive its prospects for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and to fend off the emerging challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress to replace it as the fulcrum of anti-BJP politics in the country. CWC requested Sonia Gandhi to lead Congress from front The Congress Working Committee on Sunday requested the Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi to lead from the front, address organizational weaknesses, effect necessary and comprehensive organizational changes in order to take on the political challenges. Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said that Sonia Gandhi will continue to remain as party chief. “Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi will lead us and will take future steps. We all have faith in her leadership”, said Mallikarjun Kharge. After the conclusion of the CWC meeting, Indian National Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal said, “The party accepts that due to shortcomings in our strategy, we could not effectively expose the misrule of BJP State Governments in four States and overcome the anti-incumbency in the state of Punjab in a short time after effecting a change of leadership.” “The CWC unanimously reaffirms its faith in the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and requests the Congress President to lead from the front, address the organizational weaknesses, effect necessary and comprehensive organizational changes in order to take on the political challenges,” he added. Venugopal further added that the Congress party represents the “hopes of millions of Indians against political authoritarianism prevailing in the country today and the party is fully conscious of its immense responsibility.”
FRIDAY MARCH 18, 2022 India not violating sanctions, but Russian oil deal could place New Delhi on ‘wrong side of history’: US Washington [US], March 16 (ANI): The United States on Tuesday (local time) said India would not be violating US sanctions by purchasing discounted Russian oil but added that such a move would put the world’s largest democracy on the “wrong side of history”. Asked about the reports of India considering a Russian offer to buy crude oil and other commodities at discount prices a week after the US banned all Russian energy imports, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Joe Biden administration’s message would be for countries to abide by US sanctions. “I don’t believe this would be violating that, but also think about where you want to stand,” Psaki said. “When the history books are written at this moment in time, support for Russia – the Russian leadership – is support for an invasion that obviously is having a devastating impact”. India has not condemned the invasion of Ukraine and has abstained from voting at the United Nations calling out Russia’s aggression. US officials have said in recent weeks they would like India to distance itself from Russia as much as possible, while also recognizing its heavy reliance on Moscow for everything from arms and ammunition to missiles and fighter jets. Last week, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told Indian Petroleum New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday resigned from the post of Punjab Congress chief, a day after Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi sought the resignations of party chiefs of five states in order to facilitate the reorganization of the Pradesh Congress Committees. “As desired by the Congress President I have sent my resignation,” Sidhu said in a tweet as he posted the one-line resignation letter. Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday sought the resignations of state party chiefs of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa, and Manipur to put in their resignations in order to facilitate the reorganization of the Pradesh Congress Committees. Congress high command’s move comes after Congress Working Committee’s met on Sunday. The meeting was held after the party’s crushing defeat in the recently concluded Assembly elections in five states. The results of five assembly polls came as a shock to the Congress which was hoping to do well to revive its prospects for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and to fend off the emerging challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress to replace it as the fulcrum of anti-BJP politics in the country. (ANI) By Reena Bhardwaj Navjot Singh Sidhu resigns from post of Punjab Congress chief Minister Hardeep Puri in a phone call that the country is keen to increase its oil and petroleum product exports to India along with Indian investments in the Russian oil sector, according to a statement issued by Moscow. A Russian government release last week had said that Russia’s oil and petroleum product exports to India have approached USD 1 billion, and there are clear opportunities to increase this figure. “We expect to continue cooperating in the development of peaceful nuclear power, in particular, in building the nuclear power units at Kudankulam,” Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak was quoted as saying in the statement following a phone conversation with Indian Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. According to some media reports on Monday, India‘s largest refiner, Indian Oil Corp, purchased 3 million barrels of Russian crude oil, the first such transaction since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February. India, the world’s third-largest oil consumer and importer and one of the few countries not to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, currently imports 80 per 9 cent of its oil, but only about 2 per cent to 3 per cent of those purchases come from Russia. (ANI)
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