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Centre-J&K Government Bonhomie Over? Tension Over Officers' Transfer

by | Apr 3, 2025 | top-stories




Srinagar:

The initial bonhomie between the Omar Abdullah government and the Centre in Jammu and Kashmir appears to be fizzling out. It has been replaced by simmering tension over the transfer of 48 Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service officers by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

The Chief Minister has called an emergency meeting of his party legislators and allies on Friday to decide the future course of action. Sources say the elected government feels that order has disrespected the mandate of people and trampled upon the authority of the elected government in the Union Territory.

“It can’t be business as usual. We wanted cordial relation with Raj Bhavan and the Centre, but they have chosen to disrespect the mandate. It is unacceptable” said a senior leader of the National Conference.

The conflict has erupted days before the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Mr Shah is arriving in the Union Territory on Sunday for a three-day visit to review the security situation in view of a spike in terrorist activities in the Jammu region.

The Chief Minister has reportedly shot off a letter to Mr Shah, expressing his anguish over the transfer orders, which he believes is the domain of elected government under the J&K Reorganization Act of 2019.

Besides control over law and order, the Act authorises the Lieutenant Governor to transfer IAS officers. All other departments, including transfer of JKAS officers, comes under jurisdiction of elected government.

Sources said being in charge of law and order, the Lieutenant Governor issued the order of transfer and posting of Revenue officers on Tuesday as they also perform the duties of the magistrate.

Since the formation of the elected government in October, there has been friction between LG and the government due to the overlapping control and absence of clear demarcation of powers. However, it was never allowed to escalate as Mr Abdullah maintained a cordial relationship with the Centre.

The impact of dual control on the functioning of government is visible: Jammu and Kashmir has been without an Advocate General for the last six months.

Sources say the legislative party meeting will discuss the impact of transfer order which they believe is aimed at further weakening the elected government.

There is also unease in the government over the delay in Centre’s  response on restoration of statehood.

After the government formation last year, Mr Abdullah was reportedly assured by the Centre that the process of restoration of statehood will begin soon after the assembly elections in Maharashtra are over in December.  

But till date, the Centre has not given any timeline for it or started any consultation with the elected government.

The Centre has also not responded to J&K assembly’s resolution on special status and the demand for initiating dialogue with the elected representatives.

“We will discuss all these issues in the meeting tomorrow,” said a leader of the National Conference.




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“Mixed Bag, Not Setback”: Centre Analysing Impact Of Trump Tariffs

by | Apr 3, 2025 | top-stories




New Delhi:

The commerce ministry is analysing the impact of 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs or import duties imposed by the US on India, a senior government official said on Thursday.

According to the official, the universal 10 per cent tariffs will come into effect on all imports into the US from April 5 and the remaining 16 per cent from April 10.

“The ministry is analysing the impact of the announced tariffs,” the official said, adding there is a provision that if a country would address the concerns of the US, the Trump administration can consider reducing the duties against that nation.

India is already negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the US. The two countries are aiming to finalise the first phase of the pact by fall (September-October) of this year.

“It is a mixed bag and not a setback for India,” the official said.

The US President listed the high tariffs charged by India on American products as he announced reciprocal tariffs on countries across the board, declaring a 26 per cent “discounted” reciprocal tariff on India.

“This is Liberation Day, a long-awaited moment. 2nd April 2025 will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again. We are going to make it wealthy, good, and wealthy,” Trump said on Wednesday in remarks from the Rose Garden at the White House as he announced the closely watched reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose levies on American goods.

As he announced the tariffs, he held up a chart that showed the tariffs that countries such as India, China, the UK, and the European Union charge, along with the reciprocal tariffs that these countries will now have to pay.

The chart indicated that India charged 52 per cent tariffs, including currency manipulation and trade barriers, and America would now charge India a discounted reciprocal tariff of 26 per cent.

“India, very, very tough. Very, very tough. The prime minister just left. He’s a great friend of mine, but I said, you’re a friend of mine, but you’re not treating us right. They charge us 52 per cent…,” he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)




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Amid Waqf Debate In Parliament, MK Stalin's 'Withdraw Bill” Demand To PM Modi

by | Apr 2, 2025 | top-stories




New Delhi:

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his personal intervention to withdrawal of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was introduced in parliament today for debate and passing. All the non-NDA parties, including Mr Stalin’s DMK, have united to block the bill, which proposes changes to laws that decide how Muslim charitable properties are administered. 

The Opposition has contended that the bill is unconstitutional and violates the fundamental right to practice religion, Article 14, which guarantees equality before law and Article 15, which bars discrimination on basis of religion. Sections of the Muslim community maintain the amendments are geared to help the government gain control of the Waqf properties. 

The Tamil Nadu Assembly has already passed a resolution to urge the Centre to withdraw the bill.

In his letter today, Mr Stalin said the Constitution grants every citizen the right to follow their respective religion and it is the duty of the elected governments to uphold and protect this right. 

But the proposed amendments in the bill have not taken that into consideration and the amended law is “bound to severely harm the interest of Muslim community,” he wrote. 

He cited multiple points in his letter to cite how the bill can interfere with and undermine the religious autonomy of the Waqf boards as well as the Muslim community. 

As examples, he cited the proposed mandatory inclusion of two non-Muslim members in waqf boards. The removal of the ‘Waqf by user’ provision threatens the status of many historical Waqf properties, he wrote.

The stipulation that the “individuals who practiced Islam for at least five years only can donate properties to Waqf will prevent non-Muslims from donating properties to Waqf which will hinder the syncretic culture of the country,” he added.

The government has contended that the law is being amended to empower women and children, who have been suffering under the existing rules. The bill requires that money received by the Waqf Board must be used for the welfare of widows, divorcees, and orphans in the manner suggested by the government. 

In the Lok Sabha today, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said, “The government has nothing to do with religious sentiments… The role of Waqf boards is to supervise management of Waqf properties… this (the proposed law) is purely a provision for governance and supervision. It is simply a matter of property management”.

Mr Rijiju also claimed that previously “any land could be declared as Waqf property”. 

“We have removed that provision. This provision was misused to such an extent tha the number of properties increased to lakhs. Temples and gurdwaras had been claimed as Waqf land despite no records of mosques in those areas, he said. “Surendereshwar Temple in Tamil Nadu was declared Waqf… in Karnataka, thousands of acres of land… in Haryana, a Sikh gurudwara was also declared Waqf,” he added.




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Karnataka Hikes Tax On Diesel, Price Rises By Rs 2 Per Litre

by | Apr 1, 2025 | top-stories




Bengaluru:

Karnataka government has hiked the sales tax on diesel to 21.17 per cent with effect from Tuesday, as a result of which there will be an increase of Rs 2 per litre, bringing the sale price to Rs 91.02.

An official statement highlighted that the Karnataka Sales Tax rate on diesel was at 24 per cent prior to November 4, 2021, and the sale price per litre was Rs 92.03. On June 15, 2024, the Karnataka state government issued a notification revising the tax rate on diesel to 18.44 per cent.

“After the approval of the Competent Authority, the Karnataka Sales Tax rate on diesel has been increased to 21.17 per cent, effective from 01-04-2025. As a result, there will be an increase of Rs 2 per litre, bringing the sale price to Rs 91.02,” the statement said.

However, even after this increase, the revised sales price in the state will continue to be lower compared to the neighbouring states, it stated.

As on March 31, 2025, the diesel price in Bengaluru is Rs 89.02, whereas in Hosur (Tamil Nadu) it is Rs 94.42, Kasaragod (Kerala) Rs 95.66, Anathapura (Andhra Pradesh) Rs 97.35, Hyderabad (Telangana) Rs 95.70 and Kagal (Maharashtra) Rs 91.07, the statement said.

Criticising the move, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, accused the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state of imposing taxes on items one by one.

He alleged that the state government was increasing prices and “sucking blood of poor and middle class people.” In a post on “X”, he said, “This poor @INCKarnaraka government has increased the price of milk, imposed a cess on garbage collection, and now it has suddenly increased the price of diesel by Rs 2 per litre.” “Diesel is the fuel used for transporting goods. Doesn’t Siddaramaiah, a self-proclaimed economist, know that if the price of diesel increases, the prices of all essential goods and services, including milk, vegetables, fruits, groceries, taxis, will increase? Bus ticket prices were recently increased without money to pay salaries to transport employees.

“Now there is no doubt that bus ticket prices will be increased again on the pretext of diesel price hike. Siddaramaiah, have you been wondering which items should be taxed and which items should be increased in price?”, he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)




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ISRO Satellite Images Show Damage After Earthquake Rattled Myanmar

by | Apr 1, 2025 | top-stories



New Delhi:

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released satellite images of the widespread damages caused by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and rattled neighbouring countries on Friday. 

Using its most sophisticated Earth imaging satellite, the Cartosat-3, which can help with images at a resolution of less than 50 centimetres, the ISRO has managed to capture photos from a 500 kilometre altitude above the earth. The images show how a huge bridge over the Irrawaddy River collapsed. The damages to the Mandalay University and collapse of the Ananda Pagoda are also highlighted.

According to the space agency, Cartosat-3, which was launched in 2019, is a third generation agile advanced earth imaging satellite. ISRO rarely releases images from this highly sophisticated satellite.

The National Remote Sensing Centre, a part of ISRO, said the post-disaster Cartosat-3 imagery was acquired on Saturday, over the cities of Mandalay and Sagaing in Myanmar. Additionally, Cartosat-3 data acquired on March 18, covering the same area, was referred for change analysis and assessment of damage. Significant damage to infrastructure in Mandalay city was observed. 

The damaged caused to Mandalay city and Ava bridge.

An earthquake of magnitude 7.7 struck Myanmar on Friday, followed by a strong aftershock of magnitude 6.4. The epicentre was located at a depth of 10km near Sagaing-Mandalay border. Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, registered severe damage. 

The earthquake also rattled the Myanmar capital Naypyidaw and other regions, resulting in the collapse of infrastructure, roads and residential buildings. The tremors were felt not only in Myanmar but also in neighbouring countries and as far as Chiang Mai and northern parts of Thailand, where some places reported damages. 

The images showed significant damage to infrastructure in Mandalay city, with major landmarks such as Sky Villa, Phayani Pagoda, Mahamuni Pagoda and Ananda Pagoda, University of Mandalay and several others suffering either complete or partial damage. 

In Sagaing city, the Ma Shi Khana Pagoda and several monasteries and other buildings were damaged. 

The damage caused to Mandalay city.

The damage caused to Mandalay city.

As seen from the imagery, the earthquake led to the collapse of the historic Ava (InnWa) Bridge on the Irrawaddy River, near Inn Wa City. Cracks in flood plains of the Irrawaddy river with associated liquefaction were also observed. 

In its damage assessment summary, ISRO said Myanmar is located near the convergent boundary of the Indian and Eurasian plates, where the Indian Plate is moving northward toward the Eurasian Plate at a rate of about 5 cm per year. 

Besides, Myanmar also sits near several smaller fault zones, such as the Sagaing Fault, which runs through central Myanmar. The Sagaing fault is a significant active strike-slip fault that accommodates lateral motion between the blocks of the Indian and Eurasian plates. Friday’s earthquake was likely associated with the release of accumulated stress along the Sagaing fault or its accessory faults in the region.

India was one of the first countries to fly in rescue teams and provide assistance to Myanmar. 




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Rahul Gandhi Writes To PM, Seeks Cancellation Of Tenders For Offshore Mining

by | Mar 31, 2025 | top-stories




New Delhi:

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking cancellation of tenders permitting offshore mining along the coast of Kerala, Gujarat, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Flagging the threat to marine life, the Congress leader said opening up offshore mining blocks to private players without any rigorous assessment of its impact was concerning.

“I write to you to strongly condemn the central government’s decision to permit offshore mining along the coast of Kerala, Gujarat, and Andaman & Nicobar,” he said in his letter to the prime minister.

Mr Gandhi said coastal communities have been protesting against the manner in which tenders for offshore mining have been floated without evaluating its environmental impact.

Millions of fisherfolk have expressed grave concerns about its impact on their livelihood and way of life, he said.

“I wrote to PM Modi to condemn the permission granted for offshore mining in Kerala, Gujarat, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands without consulting local stakeholders or conducting environmental studies.

“Offshore mining will impact the livelihoods of millions of fisherfolk and irreversibly damage our diverse marine life. The government must immediately revoke this decision,” Mr Gandhi said on his WhatsApp channel.

The Congress leader said the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 was met with strong objections.

Opening up offshore mining blocks to private players without any rigorous assessment of its impact was concerning, he said, noting that studies point to its adverse impacts, including threats to marine life, damage to coral reefs and the depletion of fish stock.

In this backdrop, when the Ministry of Mines invited tenders for grant of license for 13 offshore blocks, protests erupted against this move.

Mr Gandhi said among the 13 blocks are three blocks for mining construction sand in the coast of Kollam, a vital fish breeding habitat, and three blocks for polymetallic nodules off the coast of the Great Nicobar islands- a marine biodiversity hotspot.

The former Congress chief claimed that tenders were floated without any consultation with the stakeholders or an assessment of the long term socio-economic impact on coastal communities.

He also claimed that the ongoing survey of the Marine Monitoring Lab (MML) of the University of Kerala’s Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries found that offshore mining could have a devastating impact on fish breeding, especially in Kollam.

Noting that over 11 lakh people rely on fishing in Kerala, he said any major this is their traditional occupation and is closely tied to their way of life.

Great Nicobar is globally recognised for harbouring diverse ecosystems and is home to several endemic species of wildlife.

“Any damage due to offshore mining could potentially do irreparable damage. At a juncture where erosion of our coastal ecosystems have worsened the impact of natural calamities like cyclones, it is concerning that the government is wilfully greenlighting activities without a scientific assessment,” he asserted.

“In this backdrop, I strongly urge the government to cancel the tenders issued for the offshore mining blocks,” Mr Gandhi said.

Furthermore, he called for rigorous scientific studies to assess the environmental, as well as socio-economic impact of offshore mining.

But most importantly, he said, all stakeholders, especially our fisherfolk must be consulted before any major decision is taken.

“Their lives are intertwined with the fate of our oceans. Let us work collectively towards building a sustainable future for all,” Gandhi told the PM in his letter dated March 25. The letter was shared by him on Sunday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)




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