Newsletter 6 Feb

Top 5 of the Day

1-   LS Passed Vote of Thanks on President’s Address.
2-   RBI holds steady, seeks to balance growth and inflation risks
3-   Karnataka cabinet expansion: CM BS Yediyurappa’s inducted 10 more MLAs
4-   Pakistan desperate to push terrorists as Army foiled most of infiltration attempts: Army Chief
5-   Rajasthan: ‘Pink City’ Jaipur receives UNESCO World Heritage City certificate
6-   Congress dares Modi govt in Parliament: Take back PoK if you can deal with China, Pakistan together

Tweet of the Day..

National

LS Passed Vote of Thanks on President's Address

After two days of debate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday replied to the debate and the motion was passed by a voice vote.
President Ram Nath Kovind had addressed a joint sitting of Parliament on Jan 31.
PM Modi replied various questions, raised during session, addressed the countrymen on CAA, targeted the Opposition over the CAA protests and accused them of fear-mongering and misleading the country, as well as defended the detention of Political leaders in Jnk.
Cornering the Congress on the CAA issue, the PM quoted India’s first PM, Pt Nehru had also called for “treating Hindu and Muslim refugees differently”.
He also quoted Pt Nehru was in favor of amending the law, if required, to ensure that Hindu refugees are taken care of by India.
He also took on Opposition leaders for sharing stage with the anti-CAA protesters, saying that the nation was watching closely how some leaders were getting their photographs clicked with those who raised slogans to divide India.
India has kept fiscal deficit, price rise in check
Discussion going on in RS, PM said “Anti-corruption bureau set up in JK for first time, says PM Modi, listing steps taken after scrapping of Article 370”.
Rahul Gandhi on PM speech: PM Modi’s style is to distract the country from core issues. He talks of Congress, of Jawaharlal Nehru, of Pakistan, etc but not of core issues.

RBI holds steady, seeks to balance growth and inflation risks

The central bank has its work cut out as the economy is forecast to grow 5% in the year ending in March, its weakest pace in 11 years. A rapidly-spreading coronavirus

outbreak in China has also heightened concerns around the world of a damaging blow to global growth.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected the RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to leave its key repo rate unchanged at 5.15% and reverse repo rate at 4.9%.

All six members of the MPC voted to keep rates steady and retain the accommodative monetary policy stance.

Congress dares Modi govt in Parliament: Take back PoK if you can deal with China, Pakistan together

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Wed challenged the Modi Govt to take back PoK if it can deal with China and Pakistan together.
Chowdhury said that China would intervene if India does anything in PoK.
If you are, why don’t you take PoK back in our possession?”
The Modi government has been saying that it is committed to taking back PoK.
HM Amit Shah recently made his stand clear that his government would take back PoK as it is an integral part of India.

He also referred the Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane’s statement on PoK, Last month, the Army chief while interacting with media had said that the Army would act if there was an order from the government to take back PoK.

MEA in LS about the first phase development: India Building Shahid Behesti Port In Chabahar With Iran, 5 Lakh Tons Cargo Handled

India is participating in the development of the first phase of Port in Chabahar in cooperation with Iran.
Indian company, India Ports Global Ltd, has taken over port operations in Dec 2018 and has successfully handled over 5 lakh tons of cargo.
The U.S. has shown understanding of the importance of the Chabahar Port operations for continued humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan and to provide Afghanistan with economic alternatives.
- This includes exports from Afghanistan through the Chabahar Port which began in Feb 2019.
About the Alternate Indo-Afghan trade route
- The Chabahar Port complex, backed by India, on Iran’s coast along the Gulf of Oman is being developed to provide an alternative trade route between India and Afghanistan.
- In 2018, Iran and India had signed an agreement worth $85 million to develop the Chabahar Port.
- In May 2016, India and Iran signed a bilateral agreement under which India would refurbish one of the berths at Shahid Beheshti Port, and reconstruct a 600-meter long container handling facility at the port.
However, only a portion of the two berths has been finished because of deteriorating relations between the US and Iran after the election of US President Donald Trump in November 2016 that culminated with the reimposition of economic sanctions in 2018.

A total of 183 incidents of drones flying in border areas of the country have been reported, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated on house

The minister, however, did not specify the time period in which these incidents were reported.
Puri also said that all security agencies need to purchase anti-drone technology as per their requirement.
The Indian Air Force is the main airspace control agency and continues to train security agencies and police of all states and union territories on the threat from drones and anti-drone measures, the minister said.
India has an estimated over 6 lakh rogue or unregulated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and security agencies are analysing modern anti-drone weapons like ‘sky fence’ and ‘drone gun’ to counter terror or similar sabotage bids by these aerial platforms, official sources said on Sept 30, 19.
These agencies are now looking at some specific anti-drone techniques like sky fence, drone gun, ATHENA (Advanced Test High Energy Asset), drone catcher and Skywall 100 to intercept and immobilize suspicious and lethal remote-controlled aerial platforms.

As of now, no any established technology has come in effect.

Pakistan desperate to push terrorists as Army foiled most of infiltration attempts: Army Chief

Gen MM Naravane, “There has been an increase in ceasefire violations on Line of Control. It was expected as he (Pakistan) is trying to push terrorists from launch pads and various camps.”
Because of winters he is finding it difficult and resorting to ceasefire violations.
He (Pakistan) has not been successful as most of the infiltration attempts have been foiled. As we have seen, he is getting desperate to push those (terrorists) across.

Militants on Thursday hurled a grenade in the direction of a police station in the city, resulting in injuries to one policeman, officials said.

An explosion was heard near Lal Bazar police station in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. The security forces have cordoned off the area.

As per MEA the President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa will be paying a state visit to India from 13^th -16^th Feb. It will be his first visit to India.

Relations between India and Portugal began amicably in 1947 when the former achieved independence. Relations went into decline after 1950 over Portugal’s refusal to surrender its exclaves of Goa, Daman and Diu on India’s west coast. By 1955, the two nations had cut off diplomatic relations, triggering a crisis which precipitated in the Indian annexation of Portuguese India in 1961. Portugal refused to recognize Indian sovereignty over the annexed territories until 1974 when, following the Carnation Revolution, the new government in Lisbon recognized Indian sovereignty and restored diplomatic relations.

The bilateral Trade in 2017-18, reached a total value of USD 937.47 million. Indian exports stood at USD 747.32 million and Portuguese exports at USD 190.15 million. The trade balance has consistently been in India’s favor. Bilateral trade increased by 125.13 million over the previous year’s figure of 812.34 million, registering an increase of 15.62%.

MEA, S Jaishankar: 6 Indian crew members of the ship ‘Abdul Razzak’ who were detained in Iran for 11 months have been released. Thank Iranian authorities for their assistance. Appreciate efforts of our Embassy in Tehran and our Consulate in Bandar Abbas.

Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan today held delegation level talks with Igor Sechin, CEO Rosneft and witnessed the first-ever Term Contract between IOCL and Rosneft for supply of 2 MMT per annum of Urals grade crude oil to India

Karnataka cabinet expansion: CM BS Yediyurappa's inducted 10 more MLAs

The members inducted in Yediyurappa Cabinet are ST Somashekar, Jarkiholi Ramesh Laxmanrao, Anand Singh, K Sudhakar, BA Basavarja, Arabail Hebbar Shivaram, Basavanagowda Channabasavanagowda Patil, K Gopalaiah, Narayana Gowda, and Shrimant Balasaheb Patil.

The 10 Cabinet Ministers listed are all, in fact, turncoat MLAs.

Diamantaires in Surat say that nCV Outbreak in China and Hong Kong will affect their business, have a negative impact on the diamond industry of India and bring them a loss of around Rs 8,000-10,000 Crores in the next two months.
Dinesh Navadiya, Regional Chairman of Gems and Jewelry Export Promotion Council (GJEPC): India’s polished diamond industry exports 95% of its finished goods, 37% to Hong Kong, and 4% to China – so total 41% of our total exports are sent to these 2, amounting to over Rs 45,000 Cr But due to the month-long vacation declared by Hong Kong govt, Indian businessmen are returning. The exhibition, going to be held in March in Hong Kong, has been cancelled. It used to set our orders for the yr.

Rajasthan: 'Pink City' Jaipur receives UNESCO World Heritage City certificate

UNESCO DG Audrey Azoulay presented the World Heritage Certificate for the walled city of Jaipur, to state’s Urban Development and Housing (UDH) minister Shanti Dhariwal.
“UNESCO is very proud to have since last summer the walled city of Jaipur inscribed on our world heritage list. Of course, Jaipur is an iconic city because of its architecture, forts and palaces. It is in everybody’s imagination,” she added.

DG of Civil Aviation sends directive to airlines over issues concerning sexual harassment of women employees and advises them to ensure compliance of ‘Vishaka Guidelines’.
DGCA said, “We’ve received many complaints from female pilots and cabin crew regarding harassment.”
The Vishaka Guidelines were a set of procedural guidelines for use in India in cases of sexual harassment. They were promulgated by the Indian Supreme Court in 1997 and were superseded in 2013 by the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
Sexual harassment includes such unwelcome sexually determined behavior (whether directly or by implication) as:
- physical contact and advances;
- a demand or request for sexual favors;
- sexually colored remarks;
- showing pornography;
- any other unwelcome physical verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.

CAA Row….

TN: DMK has launched a signature campaign across the state, opposing CAA. Party’s local leaders visited the local markets of Chennai y’day, seeking signatures of people. They say “We’re doing this to show that the entire state is against CAA, NRC and NPR”.

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) women workers held protest against CAA, NRC and NPR.

ED looked into Shaheen Bagh links among PFI, AAP, Congress

As per news flashed in media “The Enforcement Directorate is learnt to have unearthed some crucial evidence linking the Popular Front of India (PFI) to the Shaheen Bagh protests”.

The information, coming ahead of the Delhi assembly polls, also links PFI with some high-

ranking leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress.
The ED has also started investigations into linkages the Bhim Party with the PFI.
ED sources noted that Rs 120.5 crore was credited in 17 different banks to a total of 73 bank accounts of which 27 bank accounts are operated by the PFI, nine bank accounts are operated by Rehab India Foundation (RIF) and 37 accounts are in the names of certain individuals and entities.

While, AAP rejected it by saying it’s all due to upcoming assembly poll. And APP chief said “arrest if Govt has proof but don’t politicize the national security.”

IT Dept yesterday held a search in the case of 4 major players in film industry including a producer, a prominent actor, his distributor and financier based in Tamil Nadu.
Common thread was success of a recent film which was a box office hit collecting around Rs. 300 crore.
Unaccounted cash of about Rs. 77 crore seized from hideouts and secret places located at Chennai and Madurai, purportedly belonging to financier.

Property documents, Promissory notes, post-dated cheques taken as collateral security were recovered during search and have been seized.

International

Afghans hold anti-Pak protest in Kabul, say leave Kashmir alone

The protesters, carrying placards like ‘down with Pakistan’ and ‘Pakistan is enemy’, were demanding the release of Manzoor Pashteen, the chief of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement — a movement for the protection of ethnic Pashtun people in Pakistan.
Pashteen, the 27-year-old activist, was arrested along with 9 supporters in Peshawar on Jan 31^st and sent to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.
The protest dampened the plans of the Pakistan Embassy to hold anti-India events on the occasion of the so-called Kashmir Solidarity Day.
The Intercontinental Hotel where Pakistan was planning to hold the anti-India event in Kabul cancelled the booking of the Pakistan Embassy.
[Remember yesterday’s Pak expressed so much anguishes against Indian PM]

As per media, Anti-Pakistan sentiments in Afghanistan have been rising with Islamabad’s mounting atrocities against the Pashtuns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said that three people had died in hospital after the accident, adding that 179 out of the 183 passengers and crew on the plane were wounded: Reuters

A Pegasus Airlines plane flying into Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport skidded off the end of the wet runway and broke into three pieces after landing on Wednesday, injuring 120 people, Istanbul’s Governor Ali Yerlikaya said: Reuters

Political

Election Commission issues notice to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh for prima facie violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC) with his allegations that BJP is preparing to do ‘bavaal’ on 2nd Feb. EC has given him time till 12 pm 7^th Feb to explain his position.

Delhi: BJP president JP Nadda held a road show in Mundka Assembly constituency. Wrestlers & BJP members Yogeshwar Dutt and Babita Phogat were also present.
While, HM Amit Shah also held road show in Seemapuri area.
The UP CM advocated the right to peaceful protest but said what was happening in Shaheen Bagh was not peaceful and was troubling commuters and residents in the area.
He further added “Muslims did no favor by staying in India, should have opposed Partition”, in an interview to BBC.

States

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah requesting to transfer back to state police the case taken by NIA against Alan Suhaib & Thaha Fazal. The students were arrested for allegedly distributing pro-Maoist pamphlets.

Kerala Assembly passes resolution moved by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to withdraw the proposed amendment to the Section 6 of the Income Tax Act, which according to resolution will adversely affect the Non-Resident Indians, particularly from Kerala.

Thomas Isaac, Kerala Finance Minister: There has been an acceleration in growth, while national GDP growth average was 6.9% from 2016-17 to 2018-19, Kerala’s growth has been at 7.2%. This is a significant upward movement from 4.9% achieved during the 2011-2016 period.

Telangana: K Narayan Reddy, DCP, Yadadri, Rachakonda Commissionerate says, “Srinivas Reddy, an accused in rape and murder of 3 minor girls, has been convicted by court in all the three cases. Quantum of punishment will be delivered later today.

Lucknow: Khagantak air to ground precision guided missile developed by Indian firm JSR Dynamics and can hit targets upto 180 kms. JSR Dynamics Managing Director Air Marshal SB Deo says missile can be replacement for foreign missiles in future Balakot-type aerial strikes

India in International Frame

BBC

Indian man allegedly rapes girl, five, on embassy grounds. A 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping a five-year-old girl on the premises of the US embassy in the Indian capital, Delhi.

Reuters

India’s divisive protests could help Modi’s BJP in Delhi election test