AAP considering withdrawing all aid
Aam Admi Party leader and Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar could lose party support in light of reports suggesting that he may have forged the reply to a Right To Information question regarding his qualifications, said senior party officials on Friday. Tomar, who is currently in police custody, has been accused of lying about his educational qualifications and procuring fake degrees. On Friday, the police confirmed, by taking Tomar to one of his older universities that he had indeed studied and obtained his degree there but suspect his other degree is forged. Senior party officials have said the possibility that the RTI could be a forgery is the last straw since Tomar used it as a means of defence not only outside but also inside the party's own discussions about the matter. The party's internal Lokpal committee has been ordered to investigate the charges against Tomar before any decision is made. Meanwhile, in public statements, AAP members have now asked for the Delhi police to investigate the educational qualifications of Union Minister for Human Resources and Development Smriti Irani as well.
Six dead in ammonia gas leak in Ludhiana
At least six persons died and around 100 others were injured when an ammonia gas tanker leaked early Saturday when a tanker carrying the gas got stuck under a flyover on the Doraha Bypass Road along a canal, about 25 kms from Ludhiana. The residents came out of their houses when the gas from the leaking tanker spread in and around Doraha, leaving some of them dead and many of them injured. Police officials have shifted bodies and affected individuals to various hospitals in the area while residents have been asked to evacuate their homes so as to minimise damage from the spread of gas.
Separatist supporters unfurl Islamic State flag in Srinagar
Suspected separatist sympathisers walked in Srinagar's Nowhatta area on Friday with an unfurled flag that resembled militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's flag, say reports. Meanwhile, in a separate incident, supporters of hardline separatist Syed Ali Geelani, protesting the killing of separatist activist Mohammad Altaf Sheikh shouted pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans in the city's Lal Chowk area. Reports also stated that Pakistani flags were waved at a rally in Kashmir's Kupwara district protesting the same incident. Police have arrested four protesters from Lal Chowk while the IS flag carrying group was disbursed after a brief clash with security forces in the area.
NJAC necessary for judicial accountability, suggests government
Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi continued arguments in Supreme Court in favour of setting up the National Judicial Appointments Commission on Friday, stressing on the need for a public body in the appointment of judges to the higher judiciary. “Such a body would work in a way that it would have a database and devise norms for the appointment process,” said Rohatgi. “These norms could include the years of experience, number of judgements passed etc. of the applicants. They would be definite standards which could be relaxed in certain cases as the need arises. Such information would be in the public domain as the system owes accountability to its citizens, who are the taxpayers,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi visits striking Delhi municipal workers
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi visited Delhi's East corporation sanitation workers, who have been on strike for the past 11 days to "assure the workers support of his party". Rahul addressed hundreds of workers, asking them to show their "shakti" and not step back unless their demands are met by the government. When the strike was called off in the evening, the Congress claimed Rahul's visit had forced the government's hand and led to the release of funds. The Congress is gearing up for Delhi's 2017 municipal elections and Gandhi's interaction with sanitation workers is being seen as the first step in garnering support for their campaign.
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Aam Admi Party leader and Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar could lose party support in light of reports suggesting that he may have forged the reply to a Right To Information question regarding his qualifications, said senior party officials on Friday. Tomar, who is currently in police custody, has been accused of lying about his educational qualifications and procuring fake degrees. On Friday, the police confirmed, by taking Tomar to one of his older universities that he had indeed studied and obtained his degree there but suspect his other degree is forged. Senior party officials have said the possibility that the RTI could be a forgery is the last straw since Tomar used it as a means of defence not only outside but also inside the party's own discussions about the matter. The party's internal Lokpal committee has been ordered to investigate the charges against Tomar before any decision is made. Meanwhile, in public statements, AAP members have now asked for the Delhi police to investigate the educational qualifications of Union Minister for Human Resources and Development Smriti Irani as well.
Six dead in ammonia gas leak in Ludhiana
At least six persons died and around 100 others were injured when an ammonia gas tanker leaked early Saturday when a tanker carrying the gas got stuck under a flyover on the Doraha Bypass Road along a canal, about 25 kms from Ludhiana. The residents came out of their houses when the gas from the leaking tanker spread in and around Doraha, leaving some of them dead and many of them injured. Police officials have shifted bodies and affected individuals to various hospitals in the area while residents have been asked to evacuate their homes so as to minimise damage from the spread of gas.
Separatist supporters unfurl Islamic State flag in Srinagar
Suspected separatist sympathisers walked in Srinagar's Nowhatta area on Friday with an unfurled flag that resembled militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's flag, say reports. Meanwhile, in a separate incident, supporters of hardline separatist Syed Ali Geelani, protesting the killing of separatist activist Mohammad Altaf Sheikh shouted pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans in the city's Lal Chowk area. Reports also stated that Pakistani flags were waved at a rally in Kashmir's Kupwara district protesting the same incident. Police have arrested four protesters from Lal Chowk while the IS flag carrying group was disbursed after a brief clash with security forces in the area.
NJAC necessary for judicial accountability, suggests government
Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi continued arguments in Supreme Court in favour of setting up the National Judicial Appointments Commission on Friday, stressing on the need for a public body in the appointment of judges to the higher judiciary. “Such a body would work in a way that it would have a database and devise norms for the appointment process,” said Rohatgi. “These norms could include the years of experience, number of judgements passed etc. of the applicants. They would be definite standards which could be relaxed in certain cases as the need arises. Such information would be in the public domain as the system owes accountability to its citizens, who are the taxpayers,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi visits striking Delhi municipal workers
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi visited Delhi's East corporation sanitation workers, who have been on strike for the past 11 days to "assure the workers support of his party". Rahul addressed hundreds of workers, asking them to show their "shakti" and not step back unless their demands are met by the government. When the strike was called off in the evening, the Congress claimed Rahul's visit had forced the government's hand and led to the release of funds. The Congress is gearing up for Delhi's 2017 municipal elections and Gandhi's interaction with sanitation workers is being seen as the first step in garnering support for their campaign.