Veterans unhappy with scope
The Narendra Modi-led government on Saturday announced the implementation of the One Rank One Pension scheme for ex-servicemen. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the government would put the the programme into action despite the “huge fiscal burden” to the exchequer. While welcoming the announcement, veterans’ associations accused the government of diluting the accepted definition of OROP and rejected the modalities of the scheme.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister to visit India
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will visit India from September 14-16, the island nation’s former President Chandrika Kumaratunga said on Saturday. Indian officials said that the Narendra Modi-led Central government was likely to push for the finalisation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries during Wickremesinghe’s visit to New Delhi. The Sri Lankan Prime Minister is also expected to meet with various political leaders during his visit, including his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi. His visit comes ahead a meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, where the High Commissioner for Human Rights is expected to release a report on Sri Lanka’s alleged war crimes during its campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
RSS not controlling the government, Rajnath says
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday refuted allegations that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was controlling the Narendra Modi government. Singh said that while he and Modi were swayamsevaks, they were not running the government on the behalf of the RSS. He rejected the opposition's allegations that government ministers had broken their oath of secrecy while attending a coordination meeting between the RSS and the Bharatiya Janata Party earlier this week. “Nothing of that sort happened during the meeting,” Singh said.
Patidar leader postpones march
Patidar community leader Hardik Patel on Saturday postponed his planned march from Dandi to Ahmedabad to demand reservations for the community under the Other Backward Class category. Patel said this was because the government had refused permissions for the protest. The Patidar community’s agitation for reservations escalated last month after Hardik was detained by the Ahmedabad police while sitting on a hunger strike.
Pakistani historian says country ‘lost terribly’ in 1965 war
Pakistani historian AS Zaidi said that the country “lost terribly” in its war with India in 1965, the Dawn newspaper reported on Saturday. According to the newspaper, Zaidi dispelled Pakistan’s “victory myth” and said that the country's citizens were unaware of its loss to India as history in the country was taught from an ideological viewpoint. “There can be no bigger a lie that Pakistan won the war,” the newspaper quoted the historian and political economist as saying. Zaidi’s remarks have come two days ahead of Islamabad observing its Defence Day to mark the 50th anniversary of the war.
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The Narendra Modi-led government on Saturday announced the implementation of the One Rank One Pension scheme for ex-servicemen. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the government would put the the programme into action despite the “huge fiscal burden” to the exchequer. While welcoming the announcement, veterans’ associations accused the government of diluting the accepted definition of OROP and rejected the modalities of the scheme.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister to visit India
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will visit India from September 14-16, the island nation’s former President Chandrika Kumaratunga said on Saturday. Indian officials said that the Narendra Modi-led Central government was likely to push for the finalisation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the two countries during Wickremesinghe’s visit to New Delhi. The Sri Lankan Prime Minister is also expected to meet with various political leaders during his visit, including his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi. His visit comes ahead a meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, where the High Commissioner for Human Rights is expected to release a report on Sri Lanka’s alleged war crimes during its campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
RSS not controlling the government, Rajnath says
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday refuted allegations that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was controlling the Narendra Modi government. Singh said that while he and Modi were swayamsevaks, they were not running the government on the behalf of the RSS. He rejected the opposition's allegations that government ministers had broken their oath of secrecy while attending a coordination meeting between the RSS and the Bharatiya Janata Party earlier this week. “Nothing of that sort happened during the meeting,” Singh said.
Patidar leader postpones march
Patidar community leader Hardik Patel on Saturday postponed his planned march from Dandi to Ahmedabad to demand reservations for the community under the Other Backward Class category. Patel said this was because the government had refused permissions for the protest. The Patidar community’s agitation for reservations escalated last month after Hardik was detained by the Ahmedabad police while sitting on a hunger strike.
Pakistani historian says country ‘lost terribly’ in 1965 war
Pakistani historian AS Zaidi said that the country “lost terribly” in its war with India in 1965, the Dawn newspaper reported on Saturday. According to the newspaper, Zaidi dispelled Pakistan’s “victory myth” and said that the country's citizens were unaware of its loss to India as history in the country was taught from an ideological viewpoint. “There can be no bigger a lie that Pakistan won the war,” the newspaper quoted the historian and political economist as saying. Zaidi’s remarks have come two days ahead of Islamabad observing its Defence Day to mark the 50th anniversary of the war.