BJP denies allegations
The Congress on Monday accused Rajasthan Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vasundhara Raje of forcibly and illegally occupying a government-owned heritage site. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the Dholpur Palace had been converted into a “high-end luxury hotel” by a company owned by Raje and fugitive businessman Lalit Modi, as well Raje’s son Dushyant Singh and her daughter-in-law, Niharika. Ramesh added that Raje in her 2013 assembly poll affidavit had admitted to owning shares of the firm. The BJP denied Ramesh’s claims and said that the previous owner of the palace had lawfully handed over custody to Dushyant Singh.
NIA captures key NSCN (K) member
The National Investigation Agency on Monday arrested a senior leader of the banned Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), which planned and carried out an ambush that killed 18 soldiers in Manipur earlier this month. Officials from the NIA said that Abi Anal, a regional commander of the NSCN(K), was part of the conspiracy that was hatched to carry out the attack on June 4. “His interrogation may lead to more arrests in the coming days,” an NIA official said.
Land Bill Panel seeks to extend deadline
The Parliamentary panel examining the Land Acquisition Bill will likely seek a week's extension to complete its report on the controversial legislation. The panel was mandated to submit its report on the first day of the Monsoon session. But officials said that the committee was need more time because the chief secretaries of various states had not replied to the Central government on issues the panel had raised.
Police verification of journalists necessary every year
The Union Home Ministry on Monday announced that all journalists accredited with the Press Information Bureau would have to submit police verification documents every year to renew their press passes. Failure to do this would prevent journalists from gaining full access to various ministries and governmental departments. Officials said that the move was decided upon after the several classified documents belonging to the Petroleum Ministry were leaked to corporations. The officials said that some media personnel were also being investigated in connection with the case.
Yoga made compulsory for security forces
A directive issued by the Home Ministry has said that yoga has now been made compulsory for the 10 lakh-strong central paramilitary forces. The directive, issued on May 26, said that yoga needed be practiced even at active duty areas like border posts and those in Naxalite-dominated states. It further called for yoga to be implemented on a priority basis, adding that compliance reports needed to be submitted to the ministry. Central Reserve Police Force Director-General Prakash Mishra called the directive a “good move on the part of the government”.
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The Congress on Monday accused Rajasthan Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vasundhara Raje of forcibly and illegally occupying a government-owned heritage site. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the Dholpur Palace had been converted into a “high-end luxury hotel” by a company owned by Raje and fugitive businessman Lalit Modi, as well Raje’s son Dushyant Singh and her daughter-in-law, Niharika. Ramesh added that Raje in her 2013 assembly poll affidavit had admitted to owning shares of the firm. The BJP denied Ramesh’s claims and said that the previous owner of the palace had lawfully handed over custody to Dushyant Singh.
NIA captures key NSCN (K) member
The National Investigation Agency on Monday arrested a senior leader of the banned Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), which planned and carried out an ambush that killed 18 soldiers in Manipur earlier this month. Officials from the NIA said that Abi Anal, a regional commander of the NSCN(K), was part of the conspiracy that was hatched to carry out the attack on June 4. “His interrogation may lead to more arrests in the coming days,” an NIA official said.
Land Bill Panel seeks to extend deadline
The Parliamentary panel examining the Land Acquisition Bill will likely seek a week's extension to complete its report on the controversial legislation. The panel was mandated to submit its report on the first day of the Monsoon session. But officials said that the committee was need more time because the chief secretaries of various states had not replied to the Central government on issues the panel had raised.
Police verification of journalists necessary every year
The Union Home Ministry on Monday announced that all journalists accredited with the Press Information Bureau would have to submit police verification documents every year to renew their press passes. Failure to do this would prevent journalists from gaining full access to various ministries and governmental departments. Officials said that the move was decided upon after the several classified documents belonging to the Petroleum Ministry were leaked to corporations. The officials said that some media personnel were also being investigated in connection with the case.
Yoga made compulsory for security forces
A directive issued by the Home Ministry has said that yoga has now been made compulsory for the 10 lakh-strong central paramilitary forces. The directive, issued on May 26, said that yoga needed be practiced even at active duty areas like border posts and those in Naxalite-dominated states. It further called for yoga to be implemented on a priority basis, adding that compliance reports needed to be submitted to the ministry. Central Reserve Police Force Director-General Prakash Mishra called the directive a “good move on the part of the government”.