Author: Samikhsya Bureau

Despite the differences and rivalry, the opposition parties will meet on Monday to chalk out strategies and discuss the possibilities to form a grand alliance, against the BJP- led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), in the coming Lok Sabha polls.
The meeting will be held at 1530 hours in Parliament Annex, just a day before the crucial election results from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram are declared.

(UNI) Federation for People’s Rights (FPR) here on Monday urged the government to introduce “Human Rights Education” in schools in the Union Territory.

Federation Secretary G Sugumaran in a statement here said ‘the students need to understand the rights provided in Constitution and other acts and they should also be made aware of the important judgments by Supreme Court and High Courts in the states’.
He said different organizations had already put forth this demand to the government and an NGO “HOPE” prepared text books on ‘human rights education’ with the help of experts. It also assured to print copies for the government in case of any financial constraints on part of it.
However, the government had failed to take any initiative in this regard, he said.

In a novel way at conserving water about 400 hotels in Pune have devised the way out by serving the guests with half glass of water.However, instructions are in place that unless a guest asks for more water it will not be served.This precaution was taken after a warning by civic authorities that water supply shall be curtailed in hotels.

(UNI) A new free digital platform helps migrant workers compare money transfer costs and locate support organisations. ‘SaverAsia’ makes it easier and more affordable for migrant workers to send money home.
The website has been developed by Developing Markets Associates (DMA) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) through its TRIANGLE in ASEAN programme and supported by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Global Affairs Canada, an ILO statement said on Monday.
The average cost to send remittances within the region ranges from 3 per cent to 20 per cent, depending on the service provider used. Other challenges include difficulties accessing a bank office and low awareness of available financial services. As a result, many migrants depend on a small circle of friends for financial information, use informal channels, and often queue for a long time each month to send money home by cash.
SaverAsia is part of an ILO global strategy to address these challenges. Marja Paavilanen, Senior Programme Officer of TRIANGLE in ASEAN, states, “SaverAsia helps migrant workers save time, save money, and save for their future.”

(UNI) India sealed a memorable victory over Australia by 31 runs to go 1-0 up in the first test of the four-match series here at Adelaide Oval on Monday.

Chasing a record target of 323 runs, the host was bowled out for 291 runs.

The moment KL Rahul took Josh Hazlewood’s catch in the slip cordon, the whole Kohli & Co. went berserk.

India won first Test Down Under after gap of 10 years. The last victory came at Perth under Anil Kumble’s captaincy.

Cheteshwar Pujara named Man of the match for making 194 runs in both the innings.

(UNI) Senior journalist and Public Relations Officer in the Prime Minister Office (PMO) Jagdish Thakkar passed away on Monday wee hours, after prolonged illness.
He was 74.  Mr Thakkar worked as PRO in Gujarat CMO for almost three decades. He moved to PMO after then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014.
The Prime Minister took to Twitter to express condolences.

(UNI) The BJP said on Sunday that the Modi government has been taking a stern steps against the corrupt in the country while the Congress leaders were busy threatening country’s investigating agency by holding press conferences and bullying authorities.

‘Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fulfilled his promise of fighting corruption. However, a connected a person may be, action will be taken against him,’ said BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain in a press conference at party headquarters here.

Jumping to the defence of Robert Vadra, the brother-in- law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party on Saturday has charged the government with misusing agencies to target ‘citizens’ as a panic reaction over the exit polls, which indicated the win for the party in Rajasthan and an edge over the BJP in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

(UNI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi has written to Congress as well as its alliance governments in states to pass a resolution in the next session to reserve one third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies for women.

‘While Indian women have made rapid strides in all spheres, they continue to be severely under-represented in Parliament and state Assemblies.

‘True empowerment entails that adequate number of women are represented in our Legislative bodies,’ he said in a letter written to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh dated December 6.

India ranks 148th out of 193 countries in terms of the percentage in country’s Parliament, he has said, adding that ‘the lack of adequate representation number of women in our polity undermines our democracy and perpetuates existing systemic injustices.’

(UNI) Drawing attention to ‘sad state of affairs of domestic workers’ in the country, Congress on Sunday demanded that a central law be enacted for their protection and social security.
”Domestic Workers all across India will demonstrate before Parliament and their respective state and districts on December 10 to demand a Central Law to protect and promote their employment and social security,” said All India Unorganized Workers Congress (AIUWC) Chairman Arbind Singh while addressing reporters at AICC headquarters.

He said the AIUWC had launched a postcard campaign through domestic workers across India requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi a Central Law for domestic Workers.
More than 20,000 post cards were sent to the Prime Minister from across the nation during the month of July 2018, he said.

The Domestic Workers of Delhi will gather at Jantar Mantar and will march towards Parliament on Monday, demanding enactment of a central law to take care of their harassment and troubles, Mr Singh said, adding that domestic workers rights also have human rights.

(UNI) Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi on Sunday ordered an inspection of all shelter homes in Odisha, a fortnight after an alleged sexual abuse of minor girls in such an accommodation.

Condemning the incident of sexual exploitation of girls at a shelter home in Dhenkanal district, she told reporters, ‘I have ordered an inspection of all shelter homes in Odisha.’

The minister alleged that the state government had failed in providing security to women and children.

On Saturday, in a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has sought the intervention of Mr Singh on a petition submitted by state BJP Mahila Morcha President Pravati Parida seeking action against the persons involved in the crime.

The increasing bitterness in the Congress in Odisha now has spilled off the brim when Srikant Jena once again daring the state leadership in general and Niranjan Patnaik, the PCC chief in particular on the issue of mining scam blur . Jena has made an apparent swipe at the PCC chief by saying about two families ruling the state and alleging their role in the mineral loots.

(UNI) Thousands of people have protested Indian mining giant Adani’s plans to dig a new thermal coal mine in Queensland and have called on state and federal governments as well as the federal opposition to stop it going ahead. On Saturday, protesters marched the streets in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns just a week after upwards of 15,000 school students demonstrated against government inaction on climate change, said an SBS News report.It follows the announcement last month by Adani it would self-fund the controversial project after scaling back its size and scope.

The coal project is being downsized from a 60-million-tonnes a year, $16.5 billion mega-mine to a more manageable 10-to-15 million tonnes a year costing around $2 billion.

“No longer will we sit back and be lectured to by people who are outdated and out of touch,” Thomas Cullen told hundreds of protesters gathered in Brisbane on Saturday.

Was it novel an idea. A man in Ohio whose window blind broke had resorted to using the long bills to replace the blinds. He tweeted it with the picture which in fact went viral in social media. ‘ How much gotta I buy to repair to repair the long ones at my patio door?, the tweet read.

A coaching centre was sued for negligence in teaching by a young doctor who failed the AIIMS entrance for that reason. The doctor took up the matter with the district consumer forum in Hyderabad and the forum ruled asking the coaching centre to return the fee of Rs.45000 and compensation of Rs.32000 to the doctor. Even the syllabus was not covered, the doctor complained.

People in large number were in for pleasant surprise when a bank ATM MP’s Alirajpur kept popping out Rs.500 notes even if asked for Rs.100. With the news went viral people in large number started towards the ATM and within minutes about 98 people got richer almost draining the counter with Rs.1.2 lakh in minutes. Panicked filling agencies rushed to switch off the machine.

Television actress Devoleena Bhattacharjee was detained in a case of murder of a Mumbaoi diamond trader Rajeswar Udani, whose body was found in a forest in Rigad district. The police detained the actress although have not given any official statement on Devoleena’s role in the case. Suspense deepens as Udani was reported missing for last one week.

(UNI) Launching a scathing attack on the BJP led government at the Centre , RJD leader and leader of opposition in the Bihar legislative assembly, Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday said that India is today facing an emergency like situation .

“CBI is fighting CBI, Judges are fighting Judges. Moreover, every constitutional institution is having the same deteriorated condition.” Yadav said during a session on ‘National Vision Vs Regional Aspiration’ at the ‘Jagran forum’ organised by Dainik Jagran on its 75th anniversary.

Attacking the BJP government on their promise to bring back black money, he said,’ instead of bringing black money, the government is busy printing notes in all colours.’

(UNI) Stage is set for the month long winter session of Parliament beginning December 11, Tuesday. This is also being billed as the last full-fledged session under the Narendra Modi-led dispensation before next year’s general elections.

The session will continue till January 8 passing through Christmas and New Year’s eve festive season

amid indications that the BJP-led NDA would table several important draft legislations, including the high-voltage Triple Talaq Bill and the draft personal data protection Bill.

No clear indications have been given yet on how the ruling party proposes to deal with the much talked about Ram Temple issue at Ayodhya on the floor of both the Houses of Parliament.

BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday told a function that “a grand Ram temple should be built immediately and without any delay”. At an event organised by the Dainik Jagran media group in the capital, he said Ram Temple has been a promise made in the party’s manifesto.

He also accused the Congress of trying to create hurdles in the path of temple construction and said there was no basis when Congress leader Kapil Sibal had petitioned the Supreme Court to postpone the hearing of the Ayodhya title suit till the 2019 polls were over.