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Gurgaon is now Gurugram

  The rush for a the name change seems to have caught Haryana too. Gurgaon, the IT hub in Haryana is seeking for a name change since a long time, and that has now been approved by the government. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced the change of name. The place will now be called as Gurugram instead of Gurgaon. The change has been accepted after a proposal from the city Municipal corporation way back in 2012.   It’s believed that Gurugaon has been the ancestral home Guru Dronacharya, the war trainer in Mahabharata. Though the residents were happy to see a change in the name of their town according to its history, a few are of course unhappy with the move. Some feel that precious funds would be wasted in the process of changing the name. Every record and every signboard in the city has to be changed to make the name legal. Some others feel that the name is sounding more like a medieval word and can certainly affect the decision of investors!

Canada PM to apologize in parliament

  Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has once more displayed his affection over the Sikh community. Speaking over the occasion of Vaisakhi, the harvest festival of Sikhs, Justin has ensured that he would apologize to the Sikh community for what has happened in 1914. In 1914, a ship with 376 passengers has tried to land in the territory of Canada. Most of these passengers were from Punjab and were aspirant to spend rest of their lives in Canada. But the Canadian government refused its entry.   Its armed vessels has driven the ship away along with the migrants. The ship had to return to the Indian port of Kolkata, where the passengers were assaulted and arrested by the British rulers. 19 people have died in assault and many others were thrown into Jail. Justin has always recollected this incident as unfortunate. “As a nation, we should never forget the prejudice suffered by the Sikh community at the hands of the Canadian government of the day. ... That is why next month, on May 18, I will stand in the House of Commons and offer a full apology for the incident," said the Canadian Prime Minister.

Kerala HC bans fireworks at night

  In the backdrop of Kollam fire disaster, the Kerla High court has issued several orders to ensure a safe display of fireworks. - The court has sought to ban the display of fireworks at all places of worship from sunrise to sunset. - Court has expressed its anger over the display of fireworks at Kollam without a permission “How did fireworks happen without permission and why did the police allow the fireworks?” questioned the court. - The bench has ordered the government to take action against the erring officials who let the display happen without the permission. - The High court has also sought state government's opinion on a CBI probe into the Kollam temple tragedy. - Kerala CM Oommen Chandy has called for an all party meeting on April 14 to discuss the issue of ban.

US fighters and ships may soon land in India

India and US has reached an agreement, whereby both the countries can use the military logistics of each other. They can use the land and naval bases for supplies, repair and rest. US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter along with Indian defense minister, Manohar Parrikar has reached consensus to this extent.  Though US has been requesting India to enter such an agreement since a long time, our governments have been cautious not to allow any foreign nation to use our land. But as China has been getting aggressive in the Indian Ocean, the presence of US defence system might be of some help. India may also purchase the drones and F/A Jet fighters from US, with an eye on Chinese aggression. India and US has also indicated to move forward together in the field of `aircraft carriers’. Well! That's too much of defense.  

FIR against Assam Chief Minister

  An FIR has been booked against Tarun Gogoi over violation of Election code. This three time Chief Minister of Assam has held a press conference, while the state was undergoing the second phase of polling. This was clearly a violation of the rule book of elections which prohibits any public address by the candidates during the polling time. Tarun Gogoi, if found guilty in this case might face an imprisonment upto two years or fine or both.   The election commission, when came to know about a press conference being held, has tried to warn Gogoi against it, but the CM is in no mood to halt his plans. He went on with the conference in which he criticised both BJP and the election commission for conspiring against him. BJP views that latest incident in its own way. The opposition leaders slam Gogoi for getting frustrated over the emerging expectations that BJP is going to win the elections.

Expose the defaulters... Supreme court

  The Supreme court has today come down severely on RBI on the issue of bad debts. It has previously taken a case in suo moto basing on the news that the banks have written off 1.14 lakh crores as bad debts between 2013-2015. The bench has at that time ordered the RBI to share the names of all defaulters who owe over Rs 500 crore. As the RBI has submitted the information in a sealed cover, RBI has made several remarks that has left the RBI redfaced. The apex court has observed that while people who has taken thousands of crores are escaping through insolvency, poor farmers were driven to suicide in the name of debt.   The court has also opined that the names in the sealed covers should be made public, to which the counsel of RBI has objected that such an act would be against the regulations. Apex court has then felt that at least the amount of loans can be disclosed without revealing the names of defaulters. But RBI has not agreed even to such suggestion. It’s counsel has argued that such a revelation would affect the economy. The court has then issued notices to the Finance Ministry as well as the banks associations to come up with concrete steps regarding the issues confidentiality and recovery of bad debts, by April 26th.

Pak terrorists thank China for the help

  The Al Qalam magazine of the Jaish-e-Mohammad has praised China for helping out their leader in the United Nations. Readers might be well aware that China has vetoed India’s move in UN against JeM leader Masood Azhar. The magazine has now praised China for the move and called it as ` the Almighty’s help.’ The magazine also criticised the Pakistani government for harassing an `honourable citizen’ like Azar in the Pathankot case. Azar has also shared his views in the magazine regarding the latest developments.   Referring to the Nawaz Shariff’s involvement in the Panama Papers scam, Azar seems to be happy about the exposure- “The oppression unleashed by the government is known to the Almighty and signs of punishment can already be seen. These days, the ruling family has been exposed in its financial dealings in such a way that everybody is cursing them,’’ stated the mastermind of JeM. China would be probably happy to hear these praises, because they certainly deserve it for what they have done to Azar!

Kollam temple fire- Latest developments

  The fire at the Puttangal temple in the Kollam district of Kerala is still reeling in the news for all false reasons. Even after two days of the incident, revelations were being made by the officials that were startling. Here are a few of them..   - The death toll of the accident has rose to 109 and some state the number of injured people to be around 1,000.   - Yesterday, three cars stuffed with explosives were seized by the police about 500 metres away from the Puttingal Devi temple at Paravur. These too were probably meant to take part in the fire cracking celebrations.   - Forensic experts suspect that high level of aluminium powder and sulphur were used along with potassium chlorate to make the crackers more effective. potassium chlorate is highly sensitive and has been banned since 1990s.   - Six people have been arrested regarding the incident, among which five are the temple officials. The police have charged them with attempted murder.   - The Kerala High Court will today decide whether to ban firework displays at all temples.

Major fire at garment factory in Maharashtra

  A major fire has broke out in a garment factory in Bhiwandi of Maharashtra. Though no causalities were reported so far, some people were still feared to be trapped within the building. The fire broke about 7:30  this morning in the ground floor of the building where powerloom materials were stored. Though the exact cause of the fire is not known, a short circuit is suspected to be the culprit for the cause. The building which is of four floors consists of residential apartments as well.    The town of Bhiwandi is a hub for powerloom factories, where such fire accidents are growing in frequency. Delicate electrical installations and careless storage of flammable materials are the major cause of such accidents... and no one seems to be cautious even after being a witness to such accidents! So, Bhiwandi, the city with largest number of powerlooms in India seems so generate such accidents every now and then.

Delhi Lt. Governor joins the Bharat Mata debate

  The head of Delhi Territory,  Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung seems to have his own words on the latest debate of Bharat Mata Ki jai. Speaking to the noted journalist Karan Thapar,  this Muslim Scholar feels no problem in chanting the slogan of Bharat Mata. `Worship comes in different dimensions to me and to that end Bharat Mata Ki Jai is worship of a different kind from a worship of a deity,’ clarifies the governor. He feels that the controversy over the slogan is merely manufactured. Najeeb Jung has also a say over the charisma of Kanhaiya Kumar.  He feels Kanhaiya as an ordinary student leader. "The young people of India see a leader in him.   He is persuasive and a good speaker. But I won't admire him...I have seen many young leaders in my life. I have seen many student leaders wither away with time," Najeeb Jung said. The governor has also expressed his views over the odd-even vehicle policy being implemented by the Kejriwal government. He felt that it would result in nothing but chaos. The Delhi CM Kejriwal has always been critical about the Najeeb Jung. He often called him to be an agent of BJP. But, Najeeb is quick to state that such differences are inevitable and therefore natural. That seems to be a tell all interview!

Kerala temples to continue firework display

  As the death toll in the Kollam fire disaster kept rising, the Travancore Devaswom Board, has boldly declared that it was not in favour of ban on such displays. The statement of Board which manages about 1,200 temples in Kerala has been a surprise to many. Even the Chief Minister of Kerala has said that the government cannot ban the display of fireworks at temples.   After the horrific tragedy that turned the Puttingal Devi temple premises into a burial ground, people of Kerala expected the state to take some sever steps. Senior congress leader A.K.Antony has also demanded for a ban on the display of fireworks at temples. But the government as well as the temple board has reacted in a different manner. They have stated that display of fireworks is a part of the rituals and they can be carried out after the needed guidelines were met. But how could one avert a mishap, if guidelines are ignored as in the case of Kollam disaster?

Two Indian students murdered in Ukraine

  In a gruesome incident that took place in Ukraine, two medical students of Indian origin were stabbed to death. They were identified as Pranav Shaindilya from Muzaffarnagar and Ankur Singh from Ghaziabad of Uttar Pradesh. Another student named Indrajeet Singh Chauhan from Agra, was also stabbed, but is now recovering in a local hospital. Based on the descriptions made by the survivor, three Ukrainian nationals were arrested who were trying to flee from the country.   The External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup has confirmed and condemned these attacks, and assured that every needed step would be taken to deal with the situation. Though the exact reasons behind the attack haven’t surfaced yet, it has created an atmosphere of chaos among the Indian students studying in Ukraine. It’s very common for the Indian students to pursue their Medical degree in Ukraine, which is very economical. But the latest incident would certainly let them think twice before they leap to reap the degree.

John Kerry- first US secretary to visit Hiroshima

  Who can every forget Hiroshima of Japan. It’s the place where the US flights have dropped their atom bomb named as “Little Boy” on 6th August 1945. The devastation caused by Little Boy is too huge to bear. It has resulted in 1,40,000 deaths either due to explosion or due to radiation. Three days later, another nuke was dropped on Nagasaki, concluding the World War II.    Though the world has condemned the bombings, many Americans are still of the view that it was a necessary step to defeat Japan. Keeping an eye on the sensitivity of the issue, no American higher diplomat has ever dared to visit the site. Now John Kerry becomes the first one to break the rule. Kerry has been touring in Japan as a delegate in the G7 foreign ministers meeting.  He has today visited the site in Hiroshima where the nuke has exploded and expressed his sympathy over the incident. But the US government has ruled out, that no apologies would be expressed about the incident. Well! Who will break that rule now!

Obama admits his worst mistake

  As his presidential term is coming to a closure, US president Obama seems to be making some confessions. In his interview to the Fox news yesterday, Obama has admitted his worst mistake during the Presidency. According to him, leaving Libya in a mess after toppling down the regime of Gadhafi was his worst mistake. US along with other nations in NATO have intervened in the civil war of Libya during 2011. In that war, NATO has supported the rebels who were fighting against the regime of Gadhafi.   With such intervention, the forces of Gadhafi got defeated and rebels took the charge over Libya. Gadhafi was shot dead by the rival forces in October that year. Though NATO has achieved the target of toppling Gadhafi, they have left the country in a political turmoil. Libya has remained in chaos since then, with numerous rival groups fighting for power. Looking at the situation, Obama certainly feels that NATO should have induced political stability before leaving the scene.

DMK manifesto is now... the talk of the nation

  Opinion polls might suggest Jayalalitha to retain power in the state of Tamilnadu. But Karunadhi is not the kind of person, who would give up so fast. Yesterday, he has released the manifesto of his party. His manifesto is quite interesting, wooing the young and women voters alike. Watch out!   - Free internet for students with a download facility of upto 10GB per month. This would of course be accompanied with subsidy on smart phones.   - Total prohibition of liquor in the state. De-addiction centres will be established to treat the alcoholics who get affected by the move.   - The completion of Sethu Samudram project which was being opposed on environmental as well as religious ground. This project would destroy the Ram Sethu, which is believed to be built the Lord Rama.   - Maternity leave to be increased from 6 months to 9 months.   - First generation graduates to get preference for government jobs. Education loan of college students to be written off. One lakh new jobs every year.   - Jallikattu- the violent sport between bulls and humans to be revived, despite the orders of Supreme court.   - The price of milk to be reduced by 7 Rs. per litre.

Sai worship resulted in drought... Shankaracharya

  The Shankaracharya of Dwaraka- Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, has once again raised the controversy Sai worship. Swaroopananda has claimed that the drought in Maharashtra is due to the result of worshiping unworthy people like Saibaba. It’s a known fact that Saibaba hails from Shiridi of Maharashtra and is being worshiped like a god, by millions in Maharashtra.   Swaroopananda has always been critical against the worship of Sai- the Sufi saint! In 2014 he ordered the removal of Sai pictures and idols from the temples which were placed along with other Hindu deities. Swaroopananda has also expressed his fury over the entry of women in Shani Shingnapur. "Shani is paap grah. Worshiping him will lead to rise in crime against women," said the Swami. Swaroopananda has made these remarks during his recent visit to Haridwar. His statements when publicised were certain to create a controversy.

A Madrasa with a Hindu Principal... at Jaipur

  In the narrow lanes of Jaipur, there lies `The Rehmani Model School`. It was located in the area dominated by the Muslim community, with majority of them being under privileged. Rehmani Model School was once a Madrasa, but has now been turned into a school. Still, most of the 1300 students in the school comprises of orthodox Muslims.   In a surprising move, the school management has now appointed Kailash Chandra Yadav, as a principal for the school. Interestingly Kailash has previously worked in Aadarsh Vidhya Mandir, which is affiliated to RSS. The news might be surprising to the readers but not to Kailash. "Students are students irrespective of their religion and education is important for all," says Kailash to a daily. Abdul Qayyum Akhtar, chairman of Rehmani Welfare Society has also expressed similar views- "To me the educational qualification of teachers matter, not their affiliations or their religion,’ said the Chairman. Who could differ with them!

Kerala hasn’t learnt from the fire accidents

  The fire tragedy in the Kollam district is certainly a shock to the people of Kerala. But the state seems to be living amidst such accidents. Since 1952, many such incidents have occurred across the state. Here are a few fire tragedies that has occurred in Kerala temples. - on 14th January 1952, 68 pilgrims were burnt to death in Sabarimala when the firework sheds have caught fire. Since them, the display of fireworks was prohibited at the temple premises. - Duryodhana temple in Kollam, only temple dedicated to Duryodhana in south India too has been a victim of fire tragedy. In 1990 at least 26 people were charred to death as the fireworks created a havoc. - Tragedy doesn’t strike a particular religion. The Kandashamkadavu church (Thrissur) festival in 1984 has resulted in a cracker blast, claiming at least 20 lives. These are just a few incidents that remind us of the flaring past. Even in January this year, Kerala has witnessed a fire cracker accident at `Maradu Kottaram Bhagavathy Temple` which has left a person dead. But no one seems to care to be cautious!

Earthquake in pak, tremors felt in India

The earthquake was measured 6.6 on the Richter scale and its epicenter was in the Hindukush mountain range, 282 km northeast of Kabul in Afghanistan. Strong tremors were felt across north India including Jammu, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and New Delhi after the powerful earthquake hit off the remote northern region of Afghanistan on this afternoon. There was no report of any loss of any loss of life or damage to property. As a precautionary measure, metro services were temporarily halted in the national capital.