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Anna Hazare to refrain from protesting against farmer empowerment laws

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The Commune
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Anna Hazare, who was slated to join the ‘farmer’ protestors at the NCR to protest against the farmer empowerment laws has now come out and withdrawn from the same. This information was published to the press by Anna Hazare’s office. “It was decided in today’s meeting that a committee comprising members from Agriculture Ministry, NITI Aayog & some members recommended by Anna Hazare will make a proposal in next 6 months to implement/fulfil Anna Hazare’s demands related to farmers,” the statement said.

Notably, Maharashtra’s Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis, along with the MoS Agriculture Kailash Choudhary had met with Hazare at his hometown Ralegaon Siddhi to convince him to not start protesting, following which he had issued this statement.

Anna Hazare had earlier announced that he would be sitting on an indefinite fast at his hometown Ralegaon Siddhi in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra from January 30. “I have been agitating for important demands of farmers for the last four years. It seems like the government is not taking proper decision on the issue of farmers. The government is not sensitive towards the farmers,” he had said in a press statement.

Following this, the former CM of Maharashtra had met with him and promised that the Central Government would be working on resolving the issue, following which he had withdrawn the protests.

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UP to become manufacturing hub for electric vehicles

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The Commune
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Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been introducing various initiatives and schemes to develop industries in the state of Uttar Pradesh. In another move, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the state government to take steps to encourage the production of eco-friendly vehicles in the state. He has envisioned to transform the state of Uttar Pradesh into an industrial hub for manufacturing electric vehicles (EVs).

A spokesperson for the government said that the state government was also trying to make it an excellent centre for providing research, certification and testing for the manufacture of electric vehicles.

“Projects have been received from various international automobile companies to set up electric vehicle manufacturing centres in the state. We will do all we can to help them develop industries in the state,” Adityanath said. He added that this would play a key role in improving the country’s economy.

He also spoke about the road tax exemption and registration fee exemption for EVs to encourage people to go for  electric vehicles. He also stressed on the need for e-rickshaws and the need for training e-rickshaw drivers, following the rules of the road and paving the way properly.

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Biden approves Boeing’s offer of 114 F-15EX fighters to India

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The Commune
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Feature Image Credits: Boeing

Aerospace and defence major Boeing has received the licence from President Joseph Biden to offer its F-15EX fighter jet to India, reports Times of India. By approving the offer, Biden gives Boeing a huge opportunity to bag a $18 billion deal by selling 114 fighter jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

By giving Boeing the licence, the company can directly engage with the IAF about the fighter jet’s capabilities. According to Ankur Kanaglekar, director of India Fighters Lead, Boeing Defence, Space & Security, the company has already begun to do that in a small way. Discussions over the F-15EX have also taken place between the two governments earlier, Kanaglekar added.

The procurement of 114 advanced fighters for the IAF is being called the “mother of all arms deals”. Another US-based defence and aerospace major, Lockheed Martin, has also jumped into the race by offering its F-21 fighter jet to the IAF. Lockheed Martin has gone one step further by proposing to build the plane in India, which some defence experts believe would lead to India to develop its indigenous defence capability.

However, French aerospace major Dassault, which makes the Rafale fighter jets recently inducted by India into its air force, is also in the fray along with Swedish defence major SAAB. The latter is offering up its Gripen fighter jet in a bid to win the deal for 114 fighter jets estimated to be worth more than $18 billion.

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Italy stalls sale of missiles to UAE and Saudi Arabia

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The Commune
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Pictured: Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio

Italy has halted the sale of thousands of missiles to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Friday. He also said that Italy is committed to restoring peace in war-ravaged Yemen and protecting human rights in the region.

“This is an act that we considered necessary, a clear message of peace coming from our country. For us, the respect of human rights is an unbreakable commitment,” Di Maio said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are part of an Arab coalition that has been engaged in a drawn-out military conflict with the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The war, which has been fought since 2015, is seen as a proxy war between Riyadh and Tehran. According to the United Nations, Yemen is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with 80% of its people in need of aid.

The Italian Network for Peace and Disarmament said that Rome’s decision would block the sale of around 12,700 missiles to Saudi Arabia.

The stalled sales were part of a total allotment of 20,000 missiles agreed in 2016 under a centre-left government led by Matteo Renzi, the disarmament group said. The sales were worth more than €400 million, or $485 million.

Renzi triggered a government collapse in Italy this week by pulling his Italia Viva party out of the coalition. He is facing fire for recently visiting Saudi Arabia, where he reportedly told the Saudi crown prince that he saw Saudi Arabia as the site of a “New Renaissance”.

The new U.S. administration under President Joe Biden has also halted some pending arms sales. This move could potentially affect Washington’s allies in the Middle East.

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Israel treating bomb blast near its embassy in Delhi as terrorism

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The Commune
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Featured Image: Israel embassy in Delhi | Credits: IANS

Israel is treating Friday’s bomb blast near its embassy as an act of terrorism, an Israeli official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The explosion, caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), on Friday evening did not injure anyone. Window-panes and windscreens of a few cars in the vicinity were damaged in the incident. The embassy or any other buildings were not damaged either.

“Initial impressions suggest a mischievous attempt to create a sensation”, according to the Delhi police.

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar, who spoke with his Israeli counterpart about the blast, has said that India is taking the incident seriously. No effort will be spared to find the culprits, he added.

“Spoke just now to Israeli FM @Gabi_Ashkenazi about the explosion outside the Israeli Embassy. We take this very seriously. Assured him of the fullest protection for the Embassy and Israeli diplomats. Matter is under investigation and no effort will be spared to find the culprits”, Jaishankar tweeted.

An alert has been issued at all airports, important installations and government buildings in view of Friday’s blast. Enhanced security measures have been put in place. According to sources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been briefed by Director, IB and CP, Delhi.

The Indian capital is also on a security alert because of the farmers’ protests and this week’s related riots against the government’s agricultural reforms.

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Indian Naval Fast Attack Craft (IN FAC) T-81 decommisioned

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The Commune
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Indian Naval Fast Attack Craft (IN FAC) T-81 of the Super Dvora MK II class, was decommissioned on 28 Jan 21 at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai after having served the nation successfully for more than 20 years. Rear Admiral V Srinivas, Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area was the Chief Guest on the occasion.

The 25 meters long vessel with 60 tonnes displacement was built at Goa Shipyard Ltd. In collaboration with M/s Ramta of Israel. She was commissioned into the Navy on 05 Jun 1999 by the then Governor of Goa, Lt Gen JFR Jacob (Retd).

The ship, specially designed for shallow waters, could achieve speeds up to 45 knots and had the capability of day/night surveillance and reconnaissance, Search & Rescue, beach insertion, extraction of Marine Commandoes and high speed interception of intruder craft.

(Published from PIB)

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BARC evolves design of 1st PPP Research Reactor for production of Nuclear Medicines

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The Commune
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Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has evolved a design for the first PPP Research Reactor for production of Nuclear Medicines. The premier research organization of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is ready to share the technology of production of a variety of nuclear medicines. In the proposed partnership, the private entities will get exclusive rights to process and market the isotopes produced in the research reactor, in lieu of investing in the reactor and processing facilities. In this context, it may be stated that on 16th May 2020, Union Finance Minister announced establishment of a Research Reactor in PPP mode for production of medical isotopes as a part of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat initiatives for DAE.

DAE has initiated discussion with potential Indian and global investors regarding this project to seek their inputs. Going forward, investor’s road shows are planned starting from 1st quarter of 2021, followed by a formal tender process for selection of private partner(s). The proposed reactor is expected to come online within five years of the beginning of the construction. The construction is planned to start after obtaining all requisite permissions.

Shri K.N. Vyas, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, DAE, said, “In line with the ‘Make In India’ vision of the Government, this project will be a major step towards making India self-reliant in key radio isotopes used in medical and industrial applications. As a result, it will increase availability of effective and affordable treatments for cancer. At the same time, the large scale and the technology being deployed for the planned research reactor will enable India to not only become a significant global player in the growing nuclear medicine market, but also have one of the most modern research reactors anywhere in the world.

Dr. A.K. Mohanty, Director, BARC, said, “BARC is the premier research institute for research in radio-isotopes for medical, industrial and research purposes for more than 60 years. BARC’s research has resulted in developing and processing many new radio-isotopes, reducing import dependency as well as making the life-saving isotopes available to the country’s poorest of the poor at a most reasonable cost.”

Globally, nuclear medicine is a USD 6 Billion market and is expected to grow rapidly to reach USD 30 Billion by 2030. India produces all major isotopes in the country under the aegis of BARC. It also imports some of the isotopes to fulfil the growing demand of the country from Europe, Australia and other Asian countries. The planned PPP has an opportunity to completely transform India’s stature in the global nuclear medicine industry.

(Published from PIB)

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Offering namaz or donating money to new mosque at Ayodhya is ‘haram’: AIMIM’s Owaisi

By
The Commune
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Feature Image Credits: maharashtradesha.com

Leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen Asaduddin Owaisi has courted trouble by stating that the planned Ayodhya mosque on the five-acre land is ‘haram’ or un-Islamic.

Owaisi’s statement immediately drew a rejoinder from the Mosque Trust on Thursday 28 January, which characterised his remarks as part of his political agenda, reports News18.

Owaisi was speaking at an event in Bidar in Karnataka, when he said that the Ayodhya mosque undergoing construction on the five-acre land allotted by the Supreme Court was ‘haram’ or un-Islamic. He went on to say that even offering prayers or donating for its construction is against the Islamic tenets.

Athar Husain, secretary of the Ayodhya Mosque Trust and Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF), criticized Owaisi and said that no piece of land where prayer was offered to the Almighty Allah could be ‘haram’.

“It’s possible his [Owaisi’s] ancestors never took part in the 1856 revolt against the British. We are from Awadh, which was the crucible of revolution, and are dedicating the IICF centre in Ayodhya in the memory of one of our greatest freedom fighters, Ahmadullah Shah, who liberated Faizabad from the British for at least a year,” Athar Husain said.

The Ayodhya mosque project was formally launched on Tuesday (26 January) with the unfurling of the tricolour and a tree plantation drive at Dhannipur, which is located around 24 km from the Ram Janmabhoomi.

The mosque’s trust, named as Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation, was constituted following the Supreme Court verdict in 2019 which ruled for the construction of a temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya.

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Delhi: Blast near Israel embassy, no casualties reported

By
The Commune
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Featured Image: Israel embassy in Delhi | Credits: IANS

Reports have confirmed an explosion near the embassy of Israel in New Delhi on Friday evening.

According to the police, the blast happened near a pavement, causing damage to the windscreen and window panes of a few cars nearby. No casualties have been reported. Firefighters are already at the site of the explosion.

The explosion is believed to have been caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

The area in which the blast took place has been cordoned off. Investigations by police and intelligence officials are underway.

The blast comes mere days after violent riots by protesting farmers rocked the nation’s capital on January 26, Republic Day.

(This is a developing story)

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Foul-mouthed ‘Periyarist’ troll with verified Twitter handle calls President of India, a Dalit as ‘slave dog’

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The Commune
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Savukku Shankar, an online troll masquerading as an ‘investigative journalist’, who is known for his abusive tweets, called President of India Ram Nath Kovind a ‘slave dog’.

Tweeting a picture that quoted President Ram Nath Kovind which also had an image showing the bruised back of a Sikh man, Savukku Shankar said “Is this the gratitude? You slave dog”.

Image

Savukku Shankar had indirectly implied that the Sikh man was beaten up during the siege that happened on Republic Day. However, this picture of a Sikh man with bruises on his back was was found out to be an on old one. A user named Sikh Sagarsh had in June 2019 tweeted a Sikh auto driver along with his son were allegedly beaten in Mukherjee Nagar.

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This tweet of Savukku Shankar, who has a verified Twitter handle, is now being called out for two reasons – for disrespecting the President of India and for peddling fake news.

It is to be noted that the foul mouthed ‘journalist’ has made derogatory remarks on President Ram Nath Kovind, who is of Dalit origin, hence inviting action under Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

This is not the first that the foul mouthed ‘journalist’ who identifies himself as a ‘Periyarist’ has made derogatory references to a person in office.

Earlier, he had called Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as ‘Oorgai Maami’, a casteist and a sexist reference to her Brahmin and woman identity.

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TheCommune
The Commune is a news and views portal focusing on social and political issues of the southern part of India with a focus on Tamil Nadu.
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