BJP, RSS leaders meet to discuss OROP
Talks between the representatives of ex-servicemen and the Central government on its One Rank One Pension promise failed to arrive at a solution, as protests for the implementation of the scheme continued on Tuesday. Representatives of at least two ex-servicemen’s organisations met with Army Chief General Dalbir Singh at his office in the evening but the talks remained inconclusive. Meanwhile, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party as well as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh met at Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s home to discuss the issue. Two veterans who have been fasting to protest the delay in the implementation of the scheme have been hospitalised. The ex-servicemen intensified their protests after Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to announce a date for the implementation of the scheme during his Independence Day address.
Patel leader calls for Gujarat Bandh
A leader of the Patel community in Gujarat on Tuesday called for a state-wide bandh on Wednesday to intensify the agitation for reservations under the Other Backward Class category. Hardik Patel, the convener of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, said that he had called for the bandh keeping in mind the “widespread violence in the state”. The 22-year-old leader was detained for a short while by the Ahmedabad Police for embarking on a hunger strike without permission. Violence broke out in several parts of the state after news of his detention spread.
Political parties cannot come under RTI: Centre
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government on Tuesday said that political parties could not come under the purview of the Right to Information Act. In an affidavit filed with the Supreme Court, the Centre said that political outfits could not disclose their internal functioning and financial information as it would make each party a target for their political rivals. The affidavit said that the Central Information Commission had made a “very liberal interpretation” of the RTI Act over bringing political parties under its ambit, which led to the “erroneous conclusion” that the outfits were “public authorities”. The Supreme Court had asked six national parties to explain their refusal to disclose details of their finances and functioning.
Centre releases census data on religion
The Central government on Tuesday released its census data categorised on the basis of religion. The data showed that while the growth rate of the Hindu population declined to 17.7% from 20.3% in 1991-2001, the growth rate of the Muslim population declined to 24.6% compared to 36% in that period. However, the overall proportion of Hindu population in the country declined to 79.8% from 80%, while the Muslim population saw an overall growth from 13.4% to 14.2%. Later, the Congress criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government over the release of the data, saying that it was attempting to “create differences among Hindus Muslims” before the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
Kerjiwal meets with Prime Minister Modi
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called for “better communication” between the Centre and the state. Kejriwal was reported to have raised various issues with Modi, including alleged interference by the Delhi Police in the functioning of the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau as well as the Swachh Bharat and Digital India initiatives. However, officials said that the two did not discuss the One Rank One Pension scheme or the arrest of a state MLA by the police. Reports suggest that the meeting took place because of the ongoing row between Kerjiwal and state Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung, who earlier told the Union Home Ministry that Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate a scam was “not in accordance with the law”. The Home Ministry later declared the Commission void.
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Talks between the representatives of ex-servicemen and the Central government on its One Rank One Pension promise failed to arrive at a solution, as protests for the implementation of the scheme continued on Tuesday. Representatives of at least two ex-servicemen’s organisations met with Army Chief General Dalbir Singh at his office in the evening but the talks remained inconclusive. Meanwhile, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party as well as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh met at Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s home to discuss the issue. Two veterans who have been fasting to protest the delay in the implementation of the scheme have been hospitalised. The ex-servicemen intensified their protests after Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to announce a date for the implementation of the scheme during his Independence Day address.
Patel leader calls for Gujarat Bandh
A leader of the Patel community in Gujarat on Tuesday called for a state-wide bandh on Wednesday to intensify the agitation for reservations under the Other Backward Class category. Hardik Patel, the convener of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, said that he had called for the bandh keeping in mind the “widespread violence in the state”. The 22-year-old leader was detained for a short while by the Ahmedabad Police for embarking on a hunger strike without permission. Violence broke out in several parts of the state after news of his detention spread.
Political parties cannot come under RTI: Centre
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government on Tuesday said that political parties could not come under the purview of the Right to Information Act. In an affidavit filed with the Supreme Court, the Centre said that political outfits could not disclose their internal functioning and financial information as it would make each party a target for their political rivals. The affidavit said that the Central Information Commission had made a “very liberal interpretation” of the RTI Act over bringing political parties under its ambit, which led to the “erroneous conclusion” that the outfits were “public authorities”. The Supreme Court had asked six national parties to explain their refusal to disclose details of their finances and functioning.
Centre releases census data on religion
The Central government on Tuesday released its census data categorised on the basis of religion. The data showed that while the growth rate of the Hindu population declined to 17.7% from 20.3% in 1991-2001, the growth rate of the Muslim population declined to 24.6% compared to 36% in that period. However, the overall proportion of Hindu population in the country declined to 79.8% from 80%, while the Muslim population saw an overall growth from 13.4% to 14.2%. Later, the Congress criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government over the release of the data, saying that it was attempting to “create differences among Hindus Muslims” before the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
Kerjiwal meets with Prime Minister Modi
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called for “better communication” between the Centre and the state. Kejriwal was reported to have raised various issues with Modi, including alleged interference by the Delhi Police in the functioning of the state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau as well as the Swachh Bharat and Digital India initiatives. However, officials said that the two did not discuss the One Rank One Pension scheme or the arrest of a state MLA by the police. Reports suggest that the meeting took place because of the ongoing row between Kerjiwal and state Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung, who earlier told the Union Home Ministry that Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate a scam was “not in accordance with the law”. The Home Ministry later declared the Commission void.
