Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the lotus is not just a party symbol but connected to India’s cultural identity.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Amit Shah directs officials to identify 100 ‘infiltrators’ in every State and deport them
Home Minister Amit Shah has asked top intelligence officials to make an example of “infiltrators” by detecting, detaining, and deporting them. At a meeting with the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureaus (SIB) of all States on November 9, Mr. Shah tasked the officials to identify around 100 “illegal migrants” in each State, check their documents, and arrest and deport them, if possible, senior government officials told The Hindu.
Six dead, dozens wounded in Istanbul explosion; Erdogan condemns ‘vile attack’
A strong explosion of unknown origin shook the busy shopping street of Istiklal in Istanbul on November 13, leaving at least six people dead and wounding dozens more, officials said. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the “vile attack”. “The relevant units of our state are working to find the perpetrators… behind this vile attack,” Mr. Erdogan told a televised press conference.
COP27: India thwarts attempt to club it with historical polluters
Supported by other developing countries, India blocked an attempt by rich nations to focus on all top 20 emitters of carbon dioxide during discussions on the ‘Mitigation Work Programme’ at the ongoing U.N. climate summit in Egypt, sources said on Monday. During the first week of the climate talks, developed countries desired that all top 20 emitters, including India and China, discuss intense emission cuts and not just the rich nations which are historically responsible for climate change, they said.
Melania Trump’s lawyer elected Slovenia’s first woman president
Slovenians on November 13 elected a lawyer linked to former U.S. first lady Melania Trump as the country’s first woman president, according to partial results with more than half the votes counted. Natasa Pirc Musar, backed by the centre-left government, beat ex-foreign minister Anze Logar, a veteran of conservative politics, in a presidential run-off in the EU country of two million people.
House Speaker Pelosi says she does not plan to step away from U.S. Congress
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on November 13 that she does not have plans to step away from being a member of Congress, according to an interview on ABC News with the Democratic leader. It could take several days or more before the outcome of enough House races is known to determine which party will control the 435-seat chamber.
Lotus is symbol of India’s cultural identity, says Rajnath dismissing objections to G20 logo
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on November 13 said the lotus is not just a party symbol but connected to India’s cultural identity, as he slammed those creating a controversy over the presence of the flower’s image on the G20 logo. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the logo on November 8. The Opposition Congress had accused the BJP of promoting its poll symbol, a lotus.
Women in the menstrual age group are not allowed into the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala as he is an “eternal celibate” and there is no need to alter or subvert this practice, senior CPI(M) leader G. Sudhakaran, who had supported the previous Pinarayi Vijayan government on entry of women to the hilltop temple, said on Sunday.
Bharat Jodo Yatra will ensure govt. is held accountable on people’s issues: Congress
The Congress on Sunday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra has been successful in achieving its objective of raising people’s issues and going forward it will ensure that the government is held accountable. The Opposition party also asserted that “untruths” spread about Rahul Gandhi to malign his image have been “demolished” by the Yatra and his ‘‘reality” has come to the fore before the country.
POCSO is not meant to criminalise consensual relationships: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has remarked that the intention of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was to protect children below the age of 18 from sexual exploitation and that it was never meant to criminalise consensual romantic relationships between young adults. The observation was made by Justice Jasmeet Singh while granting bail to a young man, who was arrested by the Delhi Police, based on an FIR filed by the father of a minor girl who accused him of raping and kidnapping his 17-year-old daughter with intent to compel her to marriage.
A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court on November 7, in a 3:2 majority decision, upheld the validity of the 103rd Constitutional Amendment which provides 10% reservation in government jobs and educational institutions to the ‘economically weaker sections of the society but excludes the ‘poorest of poor’ among Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) from its scope.
Army chief Manoj Pande leaves for France on four-day visit
Army chief Gen Manoj Pande on November 13 left for France on a four-day visit with an aim to further strengthen the “bonds of trust” between the Indian and French armies amid the fast-evolving security matrix and the geopolitical situation. Gen Pande will hold extensive talks with the top military brass of France including the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Chief of the Army Staff and the Commander of the Land Combat Forces.
Over 75.6% turnout in Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections
Himachal Pradesh registered an approximate polling percentage of 75.6% here on Saturday, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). While 74.6% votes were registered through Electronic Voting Machines, 1% were recorded through postal ballots taking the overall turnout to 75.6% with nearly 2% of the postal ballots are yet to be received.
F1 | Mercedes’ Russell wins Brazilian Grand Prix
Britain’s George Russell took his first Formula One Grand Prix victory on Sunday to end a season-long blank for Mercedes in a one-two finish with seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton in Brazil. Russell led from the start at Sao Paulo’s Interlagos circuit after winning Saturday’s 100km sprint, a race that determined Sunday’s starting grid, to end a run of nine wins in a row by champions Red Bull.
