Month: August 2024

Bangalore (TIP)- he Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) is pleased to announce the newly elected members for its Karnataka Chapter. The election, which saw active participation from the state’s leading travel professionals, marks a significant step in reinforcing the association’s commitment to enhancing the travel industry’s standards and advocating for the interests of travel agents in Karnataka.
The newly elected members are:
Mr. Niranjan S Bhargava – Chairman
Mr. Jitendra Shetty-Hon. Secretary
Mr. KS Balaji-on. Treasurer
The new leadership team brings a wealth of experience and a shared vision to drive forward initiatives that will benefit the travel sector in Karnataka. Their expertise spans various facets of the travel industry, including corporate travel, leisure travel, and tourism development.
Mr. Niranjan S Bhargava, the newly elected Chairman, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I am honored to lead such a dynamic team. Our primary goal is to strengthen the network of travel agents in Karnataka, provide continuous professional development, and advocate for policies that support the growth and sustainability of our industry.” The TAAI Karnataka Chapter aims to introduce innovative programs and workshops that focus on emerging trends in travel, technology adoption, and customer service excellence.
The new committee is also committed to fostering stronger partnerships with tourism boards, airlines, hotels, and other stakeholders to create a more integrated and robust travel ecosystem.
About Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI):
Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) was incorporated during 1951, 4 years after Indian Independence. It continues most effectively with quality growth and ability to support industry growth. TAAI is India’s premier, nodal, largest, and oldest Travel & Tourism Association. TAAI’s membership of about 2,500+ leading Indian companies involved actively with Tourism brings to its members constant guidance from our 20 Regional Units, which is unique to TAAI and its development of Leadership. Each unit has an elected Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer to effectively administer. Member agencies get to meet regularly. We support road shows; presentations; interaction on industry updates, most effectively.

SP MP Jaya Bachchan addresses the media in New Delhi. PTI

New Delhi (TIP)- The Rajya Sabha’s 265th session ended on an acrimonious note on Friday, August 9, with the Opposition and Treasury benches engaging in a noisy verbal dual over an apology demanded by the Opposition from BJP’s Ghanshyam Tiwari for his remarks about LoP Mallikarjun Kharge in the House on July 30.
Eventually, the entire Opposition walked out of the House and refused to return. The ruling party retaliated by moving a censure motion condemning the Opposition. Moving the motion, JP Nadda, Union Health Minister and the Leader of the House, urged the members present in the House to pass a resolution condemning the Opposition.
As soon as the Zero Hour got over and Question Hour began in the Rajya Sabha, Congress’ chief whip Jairam Ramesh got up and asked Dhankhar about a ruling he was supposed to give over Tiwari’s remark.
Dhankhar said the matter had been amicably resolved by the two senior members in his presence in his chamber. Ramesh and other Congress leaders responded by saying that as Tiwari had made the remarks in the floor of the house, he should give a clarification inside the House. MK’s Tiruchi Siva said the tone of a person also mattered and Tiwari did have an offensive tone when made the remarks about Kharge were made. LoP Kharge, who was present in the House, also insisted that Tiwari must give an explanation inside the House in the presence of all members. eiterating that Ghanshyam Tiwari (who had said Kharge’s entire family was involved in politics, something that Kharge said smacked of accusing him of promoting “parivaarvaad”) had actually praised Kharge, Dhankhar said one did not apologise for saying nice things about an individual.
Noting that SP MP Jaya Amitabh Bachchan also wanted to say something, Dhankhar announced her name and said after she had finished, there would be no more discussion on the issue. Bachchan said she was an artist and could read body language and expression. “Forgive me sir, but your tone is not acceptable. We are colleagues, sir, you may be sitting on the chair…”, she said.
Dhankhar got furious and said, “Jaya ji, you may have earned great reputation. But I must remind you that an actor is subjected to the director. You don’t see what I see from here”. All hell broke loose at this point of time and the Opposition eventually walked out from the House. Condemning the Opposition MPs, Dhankhar said they were walking away from their obligations. “You want to destabilise the entire nation, you are out to create chaos in the House”, he said.
Leaders of BJP and its allies, including former PM HD Deve Gowda, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ramnath Thakur, Jayant Chaudhary, Ramdas Athawale, Sanjay Jha, KR Suresh Reddy and Praful Patel, also spoke one after another and condemned the Opposition. When the House resumed after lunch, it was adjourned three times, for half an hour each. Dhankhar said he had ordered the adjournments hoping that the Opposition would return to the House.

New Delhi (TIP)- The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, has been referred to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on Thursday (August 8, 2024) after Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju introduced it in the Lok Sabha, amid strong objections from the Opposition parties, alleging that the Bill was aimed at targeting the Muslim community.
The Lok Sabha witnessed a two-hour long debate at the time of introduction, following which it was decided that the Bill would be sent to a JPC. Speaker Om Birla informed the House that he would constitute the joint panel after consulting the leaders of all the parties.
Opposition parties called the proposed amendments to the Waqf law “an attack on the Constitution, interfering with religious matters and against the spirit of federalism”. Leading the charge, senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal called it a “draconian” Bill and alleged that it was brought with an eye on the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana.
Defending the Bill, Rijiju said that it merely sought to implement reforms suggested by committees that were set up by the previous Congress government and neither were any rights being snatched nor was religious freedom being curtailed.
“Because you [Congress] couldn’t do it, we had to bring these amendments… Some people have captured Waqf Boards and this Bill has been brought to give justice to ordinary Muslims,”the Minister said, adding that many leaders in the Opposition had privately told him that State Waqf Boards had turned into a mafia.
Though BJP allies such as the Janata Dal (United), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Shiv Sena (Shinde) supported the Bill on the grounds of transparency and reform, sources said some of them had reservations. TDP MP G.M. Harish Balayogi said his party did not have a problem if the Bill was sent to a select committee to “remove misconceptions”.
JD(U) leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, however, argued that the Opposition was mixing up the issue of institutions such as Waqf Boards with a place of worship, such as a mosque.
The introduction of the Bill also witnessed a spat between Home Minister Amit Shah and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav after Mr. Yadav claimed that the government was proposing to curtail the powers of the Speaker but the Opposition would fight for the Chair.
“This is an insult to the Chair. The rights of the Speaker do not belong to the Opposition, but to the whole House. Akhilesh ji is tarah ki golmol ki baat aap nahi kar sakte [Akhilesh ji you can’t speak in a roundabout way]. You are not the protector of the Speaker’s rights,” Shah retorted.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024 seeks to make far-reaching changes to the 1995 law that governs Waqf Boards. The Bill proposes the inclusion of two Muslim women and two non-Muslim members on a Board, and inserts a new Section to prevent the wrongful declaration of a property as “Waqf”. It also introduces the District Collector as an arbiter to decide if a property is a Waqf or government land. In the 1995 Act, such decisions are made by the Waqf tribunal.
“This Bill is an attack on the faith and freedom of religion. You are going for Muslims, next you will go for Christians, Jains, Parsis,” Venugopal alleged.
Source: The Hindu

New Delhi (TIP)- The Indian government is not in a rush to ask former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina to leave India, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said, adding, “We are waiting for her to take an appropriate decision.”
It is learnt that Hasina is considering several options, including the UAE, Belarus, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Finland, for taking refuge. Jaiswal said, “The EAM made it clear in Parliament that we allowed Hasina in at a short notice. he situation is evolving. It would not be appropriate to comment on her future plans. It is for her to devise her plans.”
Jaiswal was replying to a question on how long India hoped to let Hasina stay as the same would not be liked by the new government in Bangladesh. On the resumption of ties with Dhaka, Jaiswal said, “Let us wait for the interim government to take charge. It is an evolving situation. It is thus premature to comment.” With regard to the status of minorities in Bangladesh, Jaiswal cited what EAM S Jaishankar told Parliament, “We hope law and order is restored. We are in talks with the authorities with regards to Indians living there.”
Meanwhile, Jaishankar today discussed the unfolding situation in Bangladesh with his British counterpart David Lammy in a telephonic conversation. “Received a call from UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy today. Discussed the situation in Bangladesh and West Asia,” Jaishankar posted on X.
The discussion came against the backdrop of Hasina’s initial plan to seek asylum in the UK. As per the UK’s immigration rules, it is not possible to apply for asylum from outside the country and each asylum claim is carefully considered on its individual merits on a case-by-case basis.
Meanwhile, the BSF said 17 Indian workers stranded in Bangladesh were brought back safely. The men were employed by Afcons Infrastructure Pvt Ltd for construction of a road in Bangladesh.

A movement that paved the way for India’s eventual independence in 1947 and remains a cornerstone of India’s national identity, inspiring generations to uphold the values of democracy, freedom, and unity.
August Kranti Day, or Quit India Movement Day, commemorates the historic Quit India Movement, a pivotal moment in India’s struggle for independence from British colonial rule, which called for the immediate withdrawal of British forces from India.
Led by Mahatma Gandhi, this movement called for India’s immediate independence from British rule, aiming to mobilise Indians in a non-violent civil disobedience campaign against British colonialism. This movement drew a significant turning point in India’s struggle for independence, galvanising millions of Indians from all walks of life to demand freedom and self-governance. The movement marks the moment when the idea of complete freedom from the British Raj gained momentum as opposed to several discounted power structures being discussed in the past. The idea of purna swarajya or complete freedom was introduced by Congress leader Hasrat Mohani in 1921 in an All-India Congress Forum; a resolution on the same was passed on 19 December 1929. But it was after the Quit India Movement that the masses sprung into action. The Quit India movement was the direct result of Britain’s mounting difficulties in the World War II and the failure of the Cripp’s mission to convince Indian leadership at the time to agree for a partial self-rule under which India would still remain a British dominion.
How it began?
As per British Open Univerity’s archive , by the middle of 1942, Japanese troops were approaching the borders of India and world powers were mounting pressure on the British to solve the issue of India’s future before the end of World War II.
Thus, in March 1942, the British dispatched a committe lead by Stafford Cripps, a member of the War Cabinet, to India to discuss the British Government’s Draft Declaration. The draft granted India Dominion status after the war but otherwise conceded few changes to the status quo.
Another aspect of this was that the British Governor-General of India at the time, Lord Linlithgow, wanted to send Indian soldiers to fight for the UK in the war. The Cripp’s Mission was a way for the British to negotiate that much needed support from the Indian leaders.
However, the conditions of self-rule underlined in the draft declaration was unacceptable to the Congress Working Committee as it did not give immediate and total self rule. Subsequently, Mahatma Gandhi called for Quit India Movement.
What is Quit India movement?
On 8 August, 1942 at the Bombay session of All India Congress Committee, Mahatma Gandhi introduced the resolution to start a Quit India Movement. The historic resolution was passed at the meeting.
Subsequently, Gandhi gave a fiery speech at Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank Maidan also known as August Kranti Maidan, marking the beginning of the Quit India Movement. The place now houses a monument as tribute to the historical event.
Gandhi said, “There is a mantra, a short one that I give you. You imprint it in your heart and let every breath of yours give an expression to it. The mantra is do or die. We shall either be free or die in the attempt.”
Following the Quit India resolution being passed on 8 August, Aruna Asaf Ali hoisted the tricolour on the Gowalia Tank ground and on the night of 9 August, and all senior leaders of the Congress including Jawaharlal Nehru, Abul Kalam Azad and Mahatma Gandhi were arrested on charges of sedition. The British not only arrested the entire INC leadership, they remained incarcerated till the end of the Second World War in 1945 without trial. The Indian National Congress was declared an unlawful association and its offices were raided across the country, while all its funds were frozen. Nonetheless, activists like Jai Prakash Narayan, Aruna Asaf Ali, SM Joshi, Ram Manohar Lohia and others continued to fuel the momenytum of the movement throughout the period of the war.
But with the entire leadership of Congress incarcerated, the British managed to suppress most citizen-lead initiatives and demonstrations by 1944. What did not disappear was the idea of non-negotiable, complete freedom invoked in the Mahatma’s speech at the August Kranti grounds.
By the end of World War II, Britain’s position in the world had changed dramatically and the demand for Independence could no longer be ignored. This is why the Quit India Movement remains an important milestone in India’s freedom struggle.
A letter by Ram Manohar Lohia to Viceroy Linlithgow documents the strength of the movement at its peak and also gives a glimpse into the British actions to suppress the movement. Lohia had written that the British government had killed 50,000 people and injured several more during the movement. According to Lohia, while the Russian Revolution saw barely one per cent of the country’s population participating, in India no less than 20 percent people took part. He said that the real strength of the Quit India Movement lay in the masses who had participated in it.
Each year, the day is observed with various ceremonies, seminars, and cultural programs across India. These events aim to honour the bravery and sacrifices of those who participated in the movement.
In 2024, as India celebrates the 82nd anniversary of the Quit India Movement, the observances will take place on a Thursday, providing an opportunity for communities to come together in remembrance and reflection.