The Indian Panorama

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  • Border row Assam, Mizoram agree on deployment of neutral force

    Border row Assam, Mizoram agree on deployment of neutral force

    New Delhi (TIP): A neutral central force will be deployed along the disturbed Assam-Mizoram border where five policemen and a civilian were killed following a clash recently, officials said on July 28.

    The decision was taken after a two-hour-long meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and attended by Assam Chief Secretary Jishnu Baruah and Director General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta and their Mizoram counterparts Lalnunmawia Chuaungo and SBK Singh, respectively.

    Both state governments have agreed for the deployment of a neutral Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) at the disturbed interstate border along the National Highway 306, a Home Ministry official said.

    The neutral force will be commanded by a senior officer of the CAPF. Besides, to facilitate the functioning of the force, both state governments will work out arrangements in coordination with the Union Home Ministry within a reasonable timeframe.

    The Home Secretary also conveyed to the delegations of Assam and Mizoram that the two governments should continue discussions mutually to resolve the border issue in an amicable manner.

    The Chief Secretaries and the police heads of Assam and Mizoram were called by the Union Home Ministry to resolve the ongoing border conflict between the two states.

    “The central government is concerned over the Assam-Mizoram border dispute which led to violence and deaths of six persons. The objective of the meeting is to lower the tension, bring peace and possibly find a solution,” a senior MHA official said.

    Later, the Mizoram Chief Secretary said the situation along the interstate border was currently peaceful and it was agreed in the meeting that everyone would try to maintain peace and there was no point in indulging in violence.

    State forces were being withdrawn from the disputed area, he said. The Assam Chief Secretary said the CAPF would take over the responsibility of the interstate border. The process of withdrawal of state police forces was being worked out, he said.

    Director General of CRPF Kuldiep Singh was also present in the meeting as the personnel of the paramilitary force have been deployed in the Assam-Mizoram border areas where tension is high.

    Assam’s Barak Valley districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi share a 164-km border with three Mizoram districts of Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit.          Source: TNS

  • India records 43,509 new Covid-19 cases, active cases cross 4 lakh-mark

    India records 43,509 new Covid-19 cases, active cases cross 4 lakh-mark

    New Delhi (TIP): India recorded 43,509 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the last 24 hours, which pushed the nationwide tally to 31,528,114 while the death toll climbed to 4,22,662 with 640 daily fatalities, according to Union health ministry update on Thursday, July 28.

    The active cases declined to 4,03,840 in the said time period, according to data released by the ministry at 8am on July 28. The national Covid-19 recovery rate improved to 1.27 per cent, it stated. The number of active cases increased by 4404.

    As many as 17,28,795 Covid-19 tests were conducted on Tuesday, taking the total number of tests conducted so far to 46,26,29,773.

    The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 3,07,01,612, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, it said.

    The total number of vaccine doses administered so far has reached 44.19 crore under the nationwide vaccination drive.

    More than 2.18 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses are still available with states, Union Territories and private hospitals for inoculation, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday. “More than 2.18 Crore (2,18,10,422) balance and unutilized Covid Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs and private hospitals to be administered,” said the Ministry of health and family welfare.

    The Covid-19 vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to states and Union Territories for enabling better planning by them and streamlining the vaccine supply chain. The new phase of universalisation of vaccination commenced from June 21.

    Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s weekly positivity rate has dropped to 3.8% from last week’s 4.36%, indicating a downward trend of the second Covid-19 wave.

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the positivity rate should remain below 5% for an outbreak to be considered under control. Positivity rate is the percentage of tests of a particular infection returning positive.

    The state currently has 10 districts with positivity rates above the state average of 3.8%. These are Satara (8.03%), Pune (7.23%), Kolhapur (7.18%), Sangli (6.91%), Sindhudurg (6.49 %), Solapur (5.90%), Ahmednagar (4.95%), Beed (4.88%), Raigad (4.70%), and Ratnagiri (3.83%). This means currently just six out of the 10 districts have a positivity rate of more than 5%. Last week, nine of the 10 districts had a positivity rate of more than 5%.

    Source: HT

  • South, North Korea have restored hotlines as leaders seek to rebuild ties

    South, North Korea have restored hotlines as leaders seek to rebuild ties

    Seoul (TIP): South and North Korea have restored hotlines that Pyongyang severed a year ago when ties deteriorated sharply, with renewed efforts by the two countries’ leaders to rebuild relations, the South’s presidential Blue House said on July 27.

    South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have exchanged multiple letters since April and agreed to reconnect the hotlines, said Moon’s press secretary, Park Soo-hyun.

    North Korea’s state media outlet, KCNA, also said all inter-Korean communication channels resumed operation at 10 a.m. Tuesday (0100 GMT) is in line with an agreement between Moon and Kim.

    “The two leaders have explored ways to recover relations by exchanging letters on several occasions, and agreed to restore severed hotlines as a first step for that process,” Park said in a statement.

    “They have also agreed to regain trust as soon as possible and foster progress on relations again.”

    KCNA touted the reopening of the hotlines as “a big stride in recovering the mutual trust and promoting reconciliation.”

    North Korea cut the hotlines in June 2020 as cross-border ties soured after a failed second summit in February 2019 between Kim and former U.S. President Donald Trump, which Moon had offered to mediate.

    The move was followed by the destruction of a joint liaison office inside the North that had been set up in 2018 to foster better ties, plunging relations between the rivals to a low point.

    Seoul’s defence ministry confirmed that a military hotline was tested on Tuesday and that twice-daily regular communication would resume.

    The Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, also said telephone lines installed at the border truce village of Panmunjom had also been restored, welcoming it and expressing hopes for a restart of cooperation.

    Moon has called for a revival of the hotline and talks, pinning high hopes on U.S. President Joe Biden to restart negotiations aimed at dismantling North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

    But it was unclear whether the hotline reopenings were a serious sign that Pyongyang would respond to overtures by Moon and the Biden administration, which called for a “reliable, predictable and constructive” way to kickstart denuclearisation talks.

    “The United States has been continuing to reach out to North Korea ever since President Biden took office. I think this shows willingness on Pyongyang’s part to respond,” said James Kim of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul.

    “But it is premature to read too much into these gestures,” Kim added. “We need to see some seriousness on Pyongyang’s part to move towards denuclearisation for us to say that there is genuine progress.”

    Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said exchanging information on COVID-19 and natural disasters may be a way to rebuild ties.

    North Korea has not formally confirmed any COVID-19 outbreaks, but it closed its borders and took strict anti-virus measures, seeing the pandemic as a matter of national survival.

    The announcement came as the two Koreas marked the 68th anniversary of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

    Kim paid tribute to fallen soldiers and sent gifts to surviving veterans, according to KCNA. Reuters

  • Won’t let terrorists operate from Afghanistan, Taliban leader assures Chinese FM

    Won’t let terrorists operate from Afghanistan, Taliban leader assures Chinese FM

    Beijing/Tianjin (TIP): A Taliban delegation, led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, on July 28 made a surprise visit to China and held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during which the Taliban leader termed Beijing as a “trustworthy friend” and assured that the group would not permit “anyone to use” Afghanistan’s territory. This is the first meeting between China and the Taliban amid the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan.

    The ongoing offensive by the Taliban capturing a significant amount of territory from government forces has sparked concerns in China that the separatist Uygur militant group from its volatile Xinjiang province, the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, (ETIM) would infiltrate through its Afghan borders. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, has confirmed at a media briefing that the delegation led by Baradar met Wang at the port city Tianjin located close to Beijing.The ministry also posted photos of Wang with Baradar and his delegation.

    The Taliban delegation’s visit followed days after Pakistan and China announced plans to launch ‘joint actions’ in Afghanistan to drive out terrorist forces during the talks between Wang and Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Chinese city of Chengdu on July 25.

    During talks, Wang expressed hope that the Taliban could draw a clear line between themselves and the ETIM. Wang said the ETIM was a listed terrorist organisation that threatened territorial integrity. — (PTI)

  • Macron dials Israeli PM over snooping charges

    Jerusalem (TIP): French President Emmanuel Macron has spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on reports that Morocco’s security forces may have used the Pegasus spyware to snoop on his cellphones, according to a media report.

    A global media consortium last week reported that 50,000 cellphone numbers were being spied on using the Pegasus malware, which has been developed by Israeli cybersecurity company NSO Group. The mobile phones of French President Macron and 15 members of his government may have been among potential targets, according to a member of the media consortium. Macron telephoned Bennett and asked him to ensure that “the issue was being taken seriously”, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Saturday evening. The Israeli PM said the allegations were from a period when he had not assumed office but assured that the required conclusions on the matter will be reached upon.

    The Moroccan government has denied reports that the country’s security forces used the spyware to eavesdrop on the French President. Similarly, the NSO Group has denied that the French President was targeted. A source close to Macron played down the risks, saying the French leader had several phones which were “regularly changed, updated and secured”. — PTI

  • 57 migrants die in shipwreck off Libyan coast

    Geneva (TIP): At least 57 people drowned on July 26 after a boat capsized off the Libyan coast near Khums, the latest tragedy in the Mediterranean where more than 1,100 have perished this year, the UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said.

    Bodies have not been recovered from the shipwreck, but survivors included migrants from Nigeria, Ghana and Gambia, IOM spokeswoman Safa Msehli told Reuters.

    “According to survivors brought to shore by fishermen and the coast guard, at least 20 women and two children were among those who drowned,” she said earlier by tweet.

    The migrants, the majority from West Africa, departed from Khums, presumably to reach Europe, Msehli said.

    “Despite an increase in arrivals in Europe, there is no crisis of numbers and arrivals remain manageable through better solidarity and improved governance and management of migration,” she added.

    Migrant boat departures to Italy and other parts of Europe from Libya and Tunisia have increased in recent months with better weather. Hundreds of thousands have made the perilous crossing in the last years, many fleeing conflict and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. (Reuters)

  • Search for missing people continues at German explosion site

    Berlin (TIP): Rescue teams in Germany continued searching for missing workers on July 28 at an industrial park for chemical companies where an explosion killed at least two people and injured 31 others, German news agency dpa reported. The Tuesday explosion at the waste management facility of the Chempark site in western Germany produced a fire that took firefighters almost four hours to extinguish. It was not clear how many people were still missing.

    Police said on Wednesday that investigations into the cause of the explosion would begin on Thursday, dpa reported. So far, it appeared that the blast was linked to storage tanks filled with solvents.

    The industrial park is located in the city of Leverkusen, near Cologne. After the explosion sent a large black cloud into the air, residents were asked to stay indoors and several major highways were shut down for hours.

    City officials also warned people not to let children play outside, use outside pools or eat fruit and vegetables from their backyards in the coming days.

    Leverkusen is home to Bayer, one of Germany’s biggest chemical companies and one of the biggest employers in the region. The city has about 1,63,000 residents, many of whom work for Bayer.

    The industrial park, operated by Currenta, is located close to the banks of the Rhine River. AP

  • Iran blames US for pause in nuclear talks

    DUBAI (TIP): Iran’s supreme leader on July 28 declared Tehran would not accept Washington’s “stubborn” demands in talks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal and said the United States had failed to guarantee that it would never abandon the pact again. “The Americans acted completely cowardly and maliciously,” state TV quoted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying.

    “They once violated the nuclear deal at no cost by exiting it. Now, they explicitly say they cannot give guarantees that it would not happen again.” Since April 9, Tehran and six world powers have been in talks to revive the nuclear pact ditched three years ago by then US President Donald Trump, who argued it favoured Iran. The sixth round of indirect talks between Tehran and Washington adjourned on June 20, two days Ebrahim Raisi was elected President of the Islamic Republic. — Reuters

  • Russia protests Japan’s ‘hostility’ over island visit, summons envoy

    Russia protests Japan’s ‘hostility’ over island visit, summons envoy

    MOSCOW/TOKYO (TIP): Russia rejected what it said was a hostile Japanese diplomatic protest following a visit to a disputed island chain on July 26 by the Russian Prime Minister, saying he could go wherever on Russian territory he wanted.

    A top Japanese government spokesman said earlier on Monday that Tokyo was lodging an official diplomatic protest over the visit by Mikhail Mishustin to one of four Russian-held islands to which Japan lays claim.

    Japan, which Russian news agencies said had summoned the Russian ambassador over the matter, calls the islands the Northern Territories, while Russia calls them the Kuril Islands.

    The territorial dispute over the islands dates to when the then-Soviet Union seized them at the end of World War-II, and has prevented the two countries from signing a formal peace treaty.

    Mishustin was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying during the visit that Moscow planned to set up a special economic zone with no customs duties and a reduced set of taxes on the island chain.

    Russia’s foreign ministry summoned the Japanese ambassador in Moscow to protest over Tokyo’s behaviour. “Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov conveyed a strong protest to the Japanese side in connection with hostile steps taken by official Tokyo in recent days,” the ministry said in a statement.

    Disputed territory

    Japan calls the disputed territory the Northern Territories. Russia, on the other hand, calls it Kuril Islands

    The territorial dispute dates back to the era when the then USSR captured the area during the end of World War-II

    The two countries haven’t signed a formal peace treaty

    Tokyo: must advance peace negotiations

    The Japanese embassy said in a statement that ambassador Toyohisa Kozuki, in his own expression of protest, described Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin’s trip as “going against our country’s consistent position on the Northern Territories”. The Japanese side “strongly demands Russia to take constructive actions to advance peace treaty negotiations”, the statement said.

    Moscow blocks Navalny’s website

    Russian Internet watchdog Roskomnadzor has blocked jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny’s website, navalny.com, his team said on Monday. Reuters

  • Imran Khan’s PTI wins most seats in PoK election marred by irregularities, violence

    Islamabad (TIP): Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party is set to form the next government in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as it emerged as the largest political party in the legislative assembly election in the region which was marred by allegations of irregularities and violence, local media reported, citing unofficial results.

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) has won 23 seats while Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was second with eight seats and the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured just six seats, the state-run Radio Pakistan reported. Muslim Conference (MC) and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Party (JKPP) were successful on one seat each.

    However, Geo TV reported that PTI won 25 seats, followed by PPP with nine and PML-N six. One seat each was won by Muslim Conference and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Party.

    Thus, PTI got a simple majority to form the government without support of any other party. It is for the first time that it will form a government in PoK.

    Traditionally, the ruling party in the country wins the elections in PoK.

    The assembly has a total of 53 members but only 45 are directly elected, while five seats are reserved for women and three are meant for technocrats.

    The 45 members directly elected include 33 residents of PoK and 12 refugees who came over the years from Kashmir and settled in various cities of Pakistan. (PTI)

  • Taliban attack on Afghan city foiled; 28 militants dead

    Kabul (TIP): Afghan security forces have foiled a Taliban attack on the city of Taluqan city, the capital of Takhar province, and killed 28 militants, an official said on July 27j27. The Taliban militants, according to the official, were planning to storm Taluqan city from different directions but the ground troops backed by fighter planes targeted the militants, forcing them to retreat.

    Besides the 28 victims, 17 Taliban militants were also injured. The Taliban reportedly control all 16 districts of Takhar province and have been fighting to capture Taluqan city, 245 km north of Kabul.

    A number of Takhar residents have staged a sit-in in Kabul, calling on the central government to send more troops to the province. In another development, nine militants, including four foreigners, were confirmed dead after soldiers ambushed Taliban fighters in in Kuran-wo-Munjan district of the Badakhshan province. — IANS

  • Indonesia’s Sinabung volcano spews ash, hot clouds

    Medan (Indonesia) (TIP): A rumbling volcano on Indonesia’s Sumatra island on July 28 shot billowing columns of ash and hot clouds down its slopes.

    The ash released by Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra province reached more than 4,500 metres (14,760 feet) into the atmosphere, and an avalanche of searing gas clouds blew 1 kilometres (0.62 mile) to the east and southeast, Indonesia’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre said.

    There were no casualties from the afternoon eruption, said Armen Putra, an official at the Sinabung monitoring post, and an alert has been maintained at the second-highest level.

    The 2,600-metre (8,530-foot) mountain has been rumbling since last year and villagers were advised to stay 5 km (3.1 miles) from the crater’s mouth. They’ve been warned about lava, while authorities were closely monitoring sensors that picked up increasing activity in recent weeks.

    The last such eruption was in early May, when ash fell on nearby villages.

    The volcano, one of two currently erupting in Indonesia, was dormant for four centuries before exploding in 2010, killing two people. Another eruption in 2014 killed 17 people, while seven died in a 2016 eruption. It has sporadically come to life since then.

    About 30,000 people have been forced to leave their homes around Sinabung in the past few years.

    Sinabung is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. — AP

  • Pakistan PM names ‘common friend’ who offered Rs 1K crore bribe to withdraw case against Nawaz Sharif

    Pakistan PM names ‘common friend’ who offered Rs 1K crore bribe to withdraw case against Nawaz Sharif

    Lahore (TIP): Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has finally filed a reply in a defamation case and identified a “common friend” who allegedly offered him Rs 1,000 crore on behalf of Shahbaz Sharif to withdraw the Panama Papers case in the Supreme Court against then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

    Khan in 2017 had alleged that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shabaz offered him Rs 1,000 crore through a “common friend” to withdraw the Panama Papers case in the Supreme Court against then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

    Khan at that time did not disclose the identity of the person who offered him the bribe on behalf of Shahbaz.

    Shahbaz, 69, is the younger brother of 71-year-old Nawaz Sharif.

    Following Khan’s allegation, Shahbaz filed a defamation case against the cricketer-turned-politician.

    In a written reply to Lahore session court on Tuesday in response to the defamation suit, Prime Minister Khan disclosed the name of the person who offered him Rs 1,000 crore to withdraw the Panama Papers case against Sharif as Omar Farooq.

    “Omar Farooq—a common friend—made this offer to Imran Khan,” the prime minister’s counsel told the court.

    The counsel said the incident was disclosed for the consumption of the public at large and in the interest of the public good which does not constitute any defamation.

    He said the plaintiff and the defendant are political rivals and have been facing each other in the political arena for more than two decades.

    Shahbaz himself made numerous “defaming and malicious” statements against Khan and other leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) as well as other political parties in the past, the counsel said, requesting the court to dismiss the suit as the PML-N leader is not entitled to any damages.

    Additional District and Sessions Judge Mudassir Farid adjourned the hearing till August 4.

    In the four years, Khan’s legal team sought adjournments on at least 50 hearings.

    In his petition, Shahbaz requested the court to issue a decree for recovery of Rs 1,000 crore as compensation for the “defamatory” comment, which caused great damage to his reputation in the public. In a statement on Wednesday, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Auranzeb demanded an apology from Prime Minister Khan for levelling baseless allegations against the Opposition leader. (PTI)

  • TRIBECA FILMS OF NOTE

    TRIBECA FILMS OF NOTE

    By Mabel Pais

    MISSION: JOY – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times

    DIRS: Louie Psihoyos & Peggy Callahan l USA l 2021 l Eng l Doc l 1h 30m l NR

    OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2021 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL

    “Humor is a prelude to faith, and laughter is the beginning of prayer.”- Reinhold Niebuhr, American theologian

    “MISSON: JOY – FINDING HAPPINESS IN TROUBLED TIMES” is an exploration of the remarkable friendship between Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

    Academy Award®-winning director Louie Psihoyos teams up with co-director Peggy Callahan on “MISSION: JOY – FINDING HAPPINESS IN TROUBLED TIMES,” a documentary with unprecedented access to the unlikely friendship of two international icons who transcend religion: His Holiness the Dalai Lama & Archbishop Tutu. In their final joint mission, these self-described mischievous brothers give a master class in how to create joy in a world that was never easy for them. They offer neuroscience-backed wisdom to help each of us live with more joy, despite circumstances. MISSION: JOY is an antidote for the times.

    Watch the film at utahfilmcenter.org

    PRAY AWAY

    DIR: Kristine Stolakis l 2020 | USA | 1h 41m

    OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2020 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL

    In “PRAY AWAY,” by Kristine Stolakis, former leaders of the “pray the gay away” movement contend with the aftermath unleashed by their actions. Focusing on the dramatic journeys of former conversion therapy leaders, current members, and a survivor, PRAY AWAY chronicles the “ex gay” movement’s rise to power, persistent influence, and the profound harm it causes.

    View the trailer: youtu.be/tk_CqGVfxEs

    To learn more, visit prayawayfilm.com;

    Facebook: PrayAwayFilm;

    Instagram: PrayAwayFilm;

    Twitter: PrayAwayFilm.

    “PRAY AWAY” opens in theaters on Friday July 30 in New York City at the IFC Center with Q/A following screenings on July 30 and 31. The new acclaimed Netflix Original Documentary PRAY AWAY debuts globally August 3rd on Netflix.

    (Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Spirituality, and Health & Wellness)

     

  • Indian American Physician Manisha Juthani Nominated to Lead Connecticut’s Dept. of Public Health

    Indian American Physician Manisha Juthani Nominated to Lead Connecticut’s Dept. of Public Health

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The office of Governor Lamont announced on 26 July the nomination of Manisha Juthani as Connecticut’s Public Health Commissioner.

    Dr. Juthani, an Indian American, is an associate professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. She will succeed Dr. Deidre Gifford to lead the Public Health Department, as he is being promoted to the duty of Senior Advisor to the Governor for Health and Human Services.

    Juthani praised the Governor and Dr. Gifford’s leadership in helping Connecticut fight the coronavirus pandemic and said that she will continue with those efforts.

    Under Dr Gifford’s leadership, I look forward to continuing their efforts related to COVID-19, mental health, health equity, health disparities, and access to healthcare going forward.

    Dr Juthani in the press release.

    She studied at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University after completing a BA degree in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania. Having been trained at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, she worked as chief resident at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre. She joined Yale in 2002 as part of a fellowship training and thereafter started working there as a faculty member. In the press release, Governor Ned Lamont praised Juthani to have been recommended by “top experts” and that her experience with infectious diseases will benefit Connecticut’s response to the pandemic. He also stated that Connecticut has been doing good with the vaccinations, however there is a need for sound policies to keep the rate of transmission low.

  • QUEENS MAN FACES HATE CRIMES CHARGES FOR RANDOM ATTACKS ON MUSLIMS IN QUEENS

    QUEENS MAN FACES HATE CRIMES CHARGES FOR RANDOM ATTACKS ON MUSLIMS IN QUEENS

    QUEENS, NY (TIP): Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced July 28 that Naved Durrni, 30, has been charged withassault as a hate crime, criminal possession of a weapon and other charges for three separate attacks on people hebelieved to be Muslim. The defendant allegedly pursued, struck and yelled anti-Muslim sentiments at the victimshe encountered on the street over the last few weeks. District Attorney Katz said, “As alleged, the defendant attacked and intimidated individuals because oftheir beliefs. That type of hate will not be tolerated in Queens County, where our diversity is our greatest strength.”

    Durrni, of 106th Avenue in the Jamaica, Queens, was arraigned on July 28 before Queens Criminal Court Judge Edwin Novillo on a complaint charging him with criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, assault inthe third degree as a hate crime, menacing in the second degree as a hate crime and aggravated harassment in thesecond degree. Judge Novillo set the defendant’s return date for August 17, 2021. If convicted, Durrni faces upeight years in prison.

    According to the charges, on June 20, 2021, around 9:15 p.m. the defendant encountered a man and womanwalking in the vicinity of Liberty Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard. Without provocation, Durrni began to followthe pair and yell out anti-Muslim slurs, saying in sum and substance “Mohammad was a liar.” At one point, thedefendant allegedly pulled on the 24-year-old woman’s hijab, telling her to take it off. When she did not comply,Durrni allegedly struck her in the arm and hit the 31-year-old man in the back.

    About an hour later, said DA Katz, the defendant happened upon another couple walking on Inwood Streetin Jamaica, Queens. Durrni began to follow them. Again, without cause, Durrni allegedly began ranting anti-Muslim statements, including saying in sum and substance “Mohammad was a liar.” Then the defendant allegedly punched the 56-year-old woman in the face and head. The victim sustained a fractured nose as a result of theattack and had to be treated at an area hospital. On Sunday, July 25th, according to the charges, the defendant was in front of 94-06 Sutphin Blvd., around6:30 p.m., when he allegedly bumped a 38-year-old woman wearing traditional Muslim clothing into the street.

    The defendant yelled “Mohammad was a liar” and “Jesus tells the truth.” When the victim attempted to call 911on her cell phone, Durrni allegedly pulled out a knife, pointed it at the woman in a threatening manner beforefleeing the area. Tuesday, July 27, the defendant turned himself in at the 103rd Police Precinct in Jamaica, Queens, after seeingimages of himself on newscasts about the investigation.

    The investigation was conducted by Detective Michael Diaz, of the New York City Police Department’sHate Crimes Task Force.

    Assistant District Attorney Michael Brovner, Bureau Chief of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau,is prosecuting the case, under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Felony Trials PishoyYacoub.

    Criminal complaints and indictments are accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until provenguilty.

  • U.S. maintains entry restrictions due to rising Delta cases

    WASHINGTON(TIP): The United States said Monday, July 26 it would maintain restrictions on international travel into the country, sidestepping European pressure, pointing to a surge of cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant at home and abroad. “We will maintain existing travel restrictions at this point,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. “The more transmissible Delta variant is spreading both here and around the world.”

    In its latest advisories, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended avoiding travel to Spain and Portugal, two popular destinations for American tourists, due to growing cases of COVID-19.

    The United States issued the same guidance for Cyprus, a week after also recommending against travel to Britain, the top international destination for US travelers after Mexico and Canada in 2019.

    COVID cases have also been rising again in the United States, overwhelmingly due to the Delta variant among people who have not been vaccinated despite the wide availability of doses. Ms. Psaki said the White House projected that COVID cases would keep rising “in the weeks ahead.”

    Asked how travel restrictions would help, Ms. Psaki said, “Yes, it is the dominant variant in the United States. That doesn’t mean that having more people who have the Delta variant is the right step.”

    The United States has restricted travel from the European Union, Britain, China and Iran for more than a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, later adding other countries including Brazil and India. The European Union in June opened up to travelers from the United States, typically requiring proof of vaccination or negative tests, under pressure from tourism-dependent nations such as Greece, Spain and Italy that feared another bare season. EU leaders have asked the United States to show reciprocity, and President Joe Biden on July 15 said he would have an answer on the issue “within the next several days” after appeals by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The United States makes widespread exceptions including for students, scholars, journalists and businesspeople, but European leaders have complained that the regulations inconvenience ordinary people and hinder transatlantic trade. Top US government scientist Anthony Fauci warned Sunday that the United States is “going in the wrong direction” and repeated appeals for hesitant people to get vaccinated. “It certainly is in retreat among the vaccinated,” Fauci told CNN.

  • Officer at Capitol riot responds to questions of credibility: ‘I can’t put a Band-Aid on my emotions’

    Officer at Capitol riot responds to questions of credibility: ‘I can’t put a Band-Aid on my emotions’

    WASHINGTON (TIP): A US Capitol Police officer who was the target of racist slurs during the January 6 insurrection rebuked questions about his credibility from conservative critics Wednesday, July 28 evening, stating, “I can’t put a Band-Aid on my emotions.” Harry Dunn — one of the four officers who testified Tuesday, July 27, before the House select committee investigating the riot — told CNN’s Don Lemon on “Don Lemon Tonight,” “You know what hurts more, or just as much as what happened on January 6? The attacks — the attacks on our credibility and that we’re lying and that we don’t love our country and we’re fake police officers and we’re not real cops.”

    Last week, Fox News host Tucker Carlson sought to undermine Dunn’s credibility in advance of his testimony, claiming without evidence that the officer “is an angry, left-wing political activist.”

    “Dunn will pretend to speak for the country’s law enforcement community, but it turns out Dunn has very little in common with your average cop,” Carlson said on his show.

    The comments prompted an immediate response from Dunn’s lawyers, and the officer told CNN on Wednesday evening that “it’s more than frustrating.” Though he wasn’t physically assaulted during the attack, Dunn asked, “If I came here with my arm in a sling, or bandage around my head, would that give me more credibility?”

    “Sorry, I can’t put a Band-Aid on my emotions or my brain, my psychological — my mindset. I cannot put a Band-Aid on it. All I got is my words.” Dunn has repeatedly spoken out about how he and his fellow Black officers are still grappling with their harrowing experience on January 6, when they endured racist attacks from the insurrectionists. Flags, signs and symbols of racist, White supremacist and extremist groups were displayed along with Trump 2020 banners and American flags at the riot. Black officers played a key role in defending lawmakers during the attack.

    “More than six months later, January 6 still isn’t over for me,” Dunn told the House panel Tuesday. “I know so many other officers continue to hurt, both physically and emotionally,”

    Dunn added that he has sought counseling “for the persistent emotional trauma of that day” and implored his colleagues to do the same if needed. “I want to take this moment and speak to my fellow officers about the emotions they are continuing to experience from the events of January 6. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking professional counseling,” he said. “What we all went through that day was traumatic, and if you are hurting, please take advantage of the counseling services that are available to us.”

    (Source: CNN)

  • IRS continues unemployment compensation adjustments, prepares another 1.5 million refunds

    IRS continues unemployment compensation adjustments, prepares another 1.5 million refunds

    WASHINGTON(TIP):  The Internal Revenue Service reported July 28 that another 1.5 million taxpayers will receive refunds averaging more than $1,600 as it continues to adjust unemployment compensation from previously filed income tax returns.

    The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which became law in March, excluded up to $10,200 in 2020 unemployment compensation from taxable income calculations. The exclusion applied to individuals and married couples whose modified adjusted gross income was less than $150,000.

    Refunds by direct deposit will begin July 28 and refunds by paper check will begin July 30. This is the fourth round of refunds related to the unemployment compensation exclusion provision.

    Since May, the IRS has issued over 8.7 million unemployment compensation refunds totaling over $10 billion. The IRS will continue reviewing and adjusting tax returns in this category this summer.

    The IRS effort focused on minimizing burden on taxpayers so that most people won’t have to take any additional action to receive the refund. The IRS review means most taxpayers affected by this change will not have to file an amended return because IRS employees have reviewed and adjusted their tax returns for them. For taxpayers who overpaid, the IRS will either refund the overpayment or apply it to other outstanding taxes or other federal or state debts owed.

    For this round, the IRS identified approximately 1.7 million taxpayers due an adjustment. Of that number, approximately 1.5 million taxpayers are expected to receive a refund. The refund average is $1,686.

    The IRS started with the simplest tax returns and is now reviewing more complex returns. The average refund amount is higher for this round because the IRS included an adjustment to the Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC).

    Most taxpayers need not take any action and there is no need to call the IRS. However, if, because of the excluded unemployment compensation, taxpayers are now eligible for deductions or credits not claimed on the original return, they should file a Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

    Taxpayers should file an amended return if they:

     did not submit a Schedule 8812 with the original return to claim the Additional Child Tax Credit and are now eligible for the credit after the unemployment compensation exclusion:

    • did not submit a Schedule EIC with the original return to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (with qualifying dependents) and are now eligible for the credit after the unemployment compensation exclusion;
    • are now eligible for any other credits and/or deductions not mentioned below. Make sure to include any required forms or schedules.

    Taxpayers do not need to file an amended return if they:

    • already filed a tax return and did not claim the unemployment exclusion; the IRS will determine the correct taxable amount of unemployment compensation and tax;
    • have an adjustment, because of the exclusion, that will result in an increase in any non-refundable or refundable credits reported on the original return;
    • did not claim the following credits on their tax return but are now eligible when the unemployment exclusion is applied: Recovery Rebate Credit, Earned Income Credit with no qualifying dependents or the Advance Premium Tax Credit. The IRS will calculate the credit and include it in any overpayment;
    • filed a married filing joint return, live in a community property state, and entered a smaller exclusion amount than entitled on Schedule 1, line 8.

    Taxpayers will generally receive letters from the IRS within 30 days of the adjustment, informing them of what kind of adjustment was made (such as refund, payment of IRS debt payment or payment offset for other authorized debts) and the amount of the adjustment.

    (Press Release)

  • American Telugu Association’sJuly 2022 DC Conference Grand Kickoff anEnormous Success

    American Telugu Association’sJuly 2022 DC Conference Grand Kickoff anEnormous Success

    WASHINGTON (TIP): American Telugu Association, a burgeoning Telugu association catering to the needs of Telugu People across North America announced on Saturday, July 24th that it is ready to conduct its first ever national Conference in Washington DC Area. In an event held on July 24th Saturday at Crowne Plaza hotel in Herndon, VA with much fervor and pomp, ATA announced that it will conduct its flagship event ATA17th Conference and Youth Convention at Walter E Convention Centre in Washington, DC on July 1-3rd, 2022 and unveiled the Conference Theme song &Logo.

    ATA Jt.Secretary Ramakrishna Ala welcomed the audiences and guests onto the stage.Sr.Counsellor (Economic) Embassy of India, Washington DCMr. Anshul Sharma graced the occasion as chief guest and carried out the ceremonial lamp lighting ceremonyto kick start the convention amidst nadaswaram music. Mr. Sharma applauded the efforts of ATA over the past 30 years and being a key integral part of Indian diaspora.

    ATA President Boojalaannounced that this will be the major Telugu event in the post COVID world and was ecstatic to announce that Washington DC will host its first convention ever in capital area. Mr. Boojalaquoted that all the Telugu people are asingle family and invited one and all to this festival of Telugu’s. ATA President Elect Madhu Bommineni encouraged all the women to come forward and play a pivotal role in making the conference a huge success. Conference Committees were announced, and the 17th ATA Conference& Youth Conventionwill be held under the leadership of Convener Sudheer Bandaru, Coordinator Kiran Pasham, Conference Director KK Reddy, Co-Convener Sai Sudini, Co-Coordinator Ravi Challa, Co-Director Ravi Bojja along with the support from CATS President Sudha Kondapu. Capital Area Telugu Sangam, CATS, is the co-host of the convention. A total of 70 Conference Committees were announced and several prominent Telugu community members from the area adorned various key roles.

    17th ATA ConferenceConvener Sudheer Bandaru requested the support of DC area Telugu’s to come forward in scores, volunteer and make this event a huge success. CATS President Sudha Kondapu promised full-fledged support of their entire team for the event from the bottom of their heart. Conference Coordinator Kiran Pasham announced that all the safety protocols were followed to conduct the event and appraised audiences that ATA in spite of being torch bearer of Telugu culture also is involved in a lot of SEVA activities. Conference Director KK Reddy announced that 800 people attending the kickoff meet itself conveys the enthusiasm within the Telugu community about this convention. Advisory committee chair Jay Challa pledged his full support and advised the committee to be always positive in their path towards the convention to make it a huge success. TANA, NATA, TDF, NATS, TATA, GWTCS, Varadhi, TAM, Ujwala, and several other organizations pledged their whole-heartedsupport for the event.

    Festivities kickstartedwith a plethora of ATA leaders from various parts of US descending upon DC metro area to participate in theevent. Event Days Proceedings started with a strong contingent of 100 volunteers from ATAExecutive board, Trustees, Adhoc, Standing Committees and local committees visiting Walter E Convention Centerfor a site visit and to plan the logistics. Fun filled evening programs included a medley of cultural and Bollywood dances. Young Talented singers enthralled the audiences with their mesmerizing renditions of the popular Telugu songs. Fundraising event was held and $750Kwas raised towards the convention. Sumptuous food was provided.Saree clad Indian women and kids in ethnic attire adorned the halls of the meeting center and were witnessed having a great time.ATA Past Presidents Parmesh Bheemreddy, Karunakar Asireddy congratulated the local teams and media for their outstanding support to ATA.

  • Bipartisan infrastructure deal moves past first Senate vote

    Bipartisan infrastructure deal moves past first Senate vote

    The chamber voted to move forward Wednesday night after negotiators came to an agreement on key issues.

    WASHINGTON (TIP): After weeks of negotiations, the Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure deal finally moved forward on Wednesday, July 28 night, handing a group of centrists and President Joe Biden a major win.

    Though the legislation is still unfinished and failed just a week ago, more than a dozen Republicans took the plunge and voted to break an initial filibuster on the bill. Among them was Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has previously said “100 percent” of his focus was on standing up to Biden’s agenda.

    But even as the Senate agreed to begin considering the bipartisan framework, final passage remains uncertain. Republicans will demand amendment votes and input on the bill, and it will once again face a 60-vote hurdle to close debate. The Senate may even work through the weekend to make progress on the proposal and its $550 billion in new spending as August recess approaches.

    “I want to commend the group of senators who worked with President Biden,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) after the vote. “My goal remains to pass both the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a budget resolution this work period. Both. It might take some long nights, it might eat into our weekends, but we are going to get the job done. And we are on track.”

    Ahead of the vote, Schumer pleaded for full party support to advance the bill, which many progressives have reservations about, at a lunch for all 50 Democrats, according to Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin. Afterward, Schumer professed confidence that the Senate was finally ready to move forward.

    Wednesday’s breakthrough comes a month after negotiators originally said they had a deal on infrastructure. In the end, it took weeks to finalize the details between a bipartisan group of 10 senators and the White House, and even on the day of the vote the bill was still being written.

    But Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the GOP point man on the deal, said Wednesday morning that the group and the administration had resolved key issues and that he and other negotiators were ready for the Senate to consider the agreement. Negotiators acknowledge that many steps remain before the legislation heads to Biden’s desk, but they celebrated Wednesday’s vote as a win for bipartisanship.

    “At a time when Washington seems broken, this group of members … came together, along with others, and decided we are going to do something great for our country,” Portman said. “Despite the popularity of it, and the need for it, Washington hasn’t been able to get it done. This time we’re going to get it done.”

    Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), the lead Democratic negotiator, attributed Wednesday’s successful vote to the negotiators who were “deeply committed to demonstrating to the country and to the world that our government can work.” Sinema further thanked every senator who voted to move forward, saying they demonstrated “a commitment to show that bipartisan[ship] is alive and well and works in our country.”

    The White House on Wednesday also declared victory. In a statement released ahead of the vote, Biden said the deal showed “our democracy can function, deliver, and do big things.”

    According to a detailed summary of the bill obtained by POLITICO, the bill uses $205 billion in unused coronavirus aid money as its main financing mechanism. Other major revenue sources include $53 billion in unused unemployment benefits, $49 billion for delaying a drug rebate rule and even $56 billion in expected economic growth. A key question is whether Republicans will be able to swallow those as legitimate funding sources after demanding the bill be fully paid for.

    Schumer in the end kept all 50 members of the Democratic caucus together, including progressives who had reservations about the deal.

    “There’s a discussion we need to have about infrastructure. So I think it’s time,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). “There are things I like and there are things I really don’t like.”

    Many Senate Republicans are skeptical of the bipartisan framework and want to see legislative text and details about whether the bill is fully financed before moving forward. Committee chairs and ranking members have also expressed frustration with the process. And now that the effort is advancing, its supporters will need to fend off divisive amendments and navigate it to a place where at least 60 senators feel satisfied enough to cut off debate and send it to the House, where its fate is uncertain.

    “This idea of getting on a bill that’s still being written is still a bad idea,” said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, a close McConnell adviser. “We’re going to insist upon amendments because this bill’s been negotiated by 20 people but there are 80 other senators.”

    Speaker Nancy Pelosi hasn’t been briefed on the bipartisan deal and wouldn’t rule out amending it if it came over to the House, she told reporters at lunchtime Wednesday. Pelosi and other top House Democrats are under significant pressure from some within their caucus — like Transportation Chair Peter DeFazio — to ensure the Senate deal isn’t completely void of House priorities.

    “I can’t commit to passing something that I don’t know what it is yet,” Pelosi told reporters Wednesday. “But I’m hoping for the best.”

    Privately, though, Democrats admit it’s highly unlikely the House would try to make changes to the Senate deal, noting the White House’s opposition to reopening the negotiations after the fact. Pelosi also reiterated her promise to not even consider the bipartisan bill until the Senate passes a Democratically backed reconciliation package, leaving the timing in flux for when a deal would even reach Biden’s desk.

    Schumer has long insisted that the Senate will pass the bipartisan infrastructure package and the budget blueprint for the $3.5 trillion social spending before leaving for the August recess.

    (With inputs from Politico)

  • Pegasus snooping row: United opposition to confront government in Parliament

    Pegasus snooping row: United opposition to confront government in Parliament

    NEW DELHI (TIP): A united opposition on Thursday, July 29, will target the government in Parliament on the issue of the Pegasus snooping row. The opposition MPs have moved notices for adjournment motions in both the Houses. In the Lok Sabha, Congress MP’s Manickam Tagore and Manish Tewari have already moved notice for adjournment motion. Ahead of the House proceedings, the Congress MPs will meet in Parliament. In the Upper House, the opposition leaders will hold a meeting. On Wednesday, only the Juvenile Justice Bill could be passed amid the din. The opposition forced repeated adjournments and in the Lok Sabha many opposition members tore off papers. In the government Business in the Upper House, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is to move the Bill to amend the Factoring Regulation Act, 2011, as passed by the Lok Sabha for consideration.

    (Source: IANS)

  • Kisan morcha to hold ‘big panchayat’ in Muzaffarnagar on September 5

    Kisan morcha to hold ‘big panchayat’ in Muzaffarnagar on September 5

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, a body of farmer unions leading protests around the national capital for the last eight months, on Monday, July 26 announced it would hold a “big panchayat” in Muzaffarnagar on September 5. Rakesh Tikait, spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, made the announcement in Lucknow as part of the morcha’’ plans of intensifying the stir in States. The morcha termed it as the “mission U.P.” and “mission Uttarakhand”.

    Mr. Tikait said the campaign would entail intensifying the stir and reaching out to farmers in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab which go to the polls early 2022.

    “This movement will start from there,” Mr. Tikait said.

    Issuing a threat to the U.P. government, Mr. Tikait said if it did not work in the interests of the farmers, the morcha would also blockade Lucknow.

    “Lucknow ko bhi Dilli banaya jayega,” he said, adding that roads from all four sides to Lucknow would be sealed.

  • “Both of our democracies are works in progress”:US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

    “Both of our democracies are works in progress”:US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

    “Shared values – freedom and equality – are key and none of us have done enough,” Blinken said

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Two of the world’s biggest democracies should do more to strengthen democratic institutions, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today during his India visit.

    “Shared values – freedom and equality – are key and none of us have done enough. We need to strengthen our democratic institutions. This is at the core of our relationship, beyond strategic and economic ties,” Mr Blinken said.

    “One of the elements Americans admire most is fundamental freedom and human rights. That’s how we define India. India’s democracy is powered by free-thinking citizens,” Mr Blinken said.

    Mr Blinken told civil society groups – his first appointment before meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi – that the US and India are “connected by shared values” such as rule of law and freedom of religion.

    “Both of our democracies are works in progress… As I said before, sometimes that process is painful. Sometimes it’s ugly. But the strength of democracy is to embrace it,” Mr Blinken said.

    The Modi government has faced criticism over growing use of anti-terrorism legislation and sedition laws to arrest campaigners, journalists and students. The Supreme Court on July 15 described the British-era sedition law as “colonial”, and questioned whether the law was “still necessary after 75 years of Independence”.

    In the talks with Mr Blinken, Indian officials are expected to express alarm over Taliban gains in Afghanistan. India is worried that a possible takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, which it sees as backed by Pakistan, will turn the country into a base for terrorists to attack India.

    The Taliban welcomed virulently anti-Indian terrorists when it ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. A hijacked Indian airliner was flown to the Taliban bastion of Kandahar in 1999.

    India, a firm backer of the Afghan government with billions of dollars in development aid, recently evacuated some of its staff from its Kandahar consulate due to the worsening security situation.

    (With inputs from PTI)

  • Basavaraj Bommai sworn in as Chief Minister of Karnataka

    Basavaraj Bommai sworn in as Chief Minister of Karnataka

    PM Narendra Modi congratulates new CM, applauds contribution of B.S. Yediyurappa

    BENGALURU (TIP): Basavaraj Bommai was, on July 28, sworn in by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot as the 30th chief minister of Karnataka, in the presence of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP Karnataka in-charge Arun Singh.

    Mr. Bommai took oath in the name of God amid cheers from well-wishers and his supporters, who were also raising slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally broke his silence on the change of guard in Karnataka. Congratulating new Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, he tweeted: “He brings with him rich legislative and administrative experience. I am confident he will build on the exceptional work done by our government in the state. Best wishes for a fruitful tenure.”

    Mr. Modi praised former chief minister Mr. Yediyurappa, who resigned on July 26. “No words will ever do justice to the monumental contribution of Shri B. S. Yediyurappa Ji towards our party and for Karnataka’s growth. For decades, he toiled hard, travelled across all parts of Karnataka and struck a chord with people. He is admired for his commitment to social welfare,” the PM tweeted.

    Mr. Yediyurappa tweeted back; “Thanking him for the kind words.”

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah also congratulated Mr. Bommai. “I am sure, under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi Ji, he will further boost BJP’s resolve to serve the poor and farmers of the state with his wisdom and experience,” he tweeted.

    He not only acknowledged the contribution of Mr. Yediyurappa in building the party in Karnataka, but also said he would continue to guide the party and the government. “Shri B. S. Yediyurappa Ji has served the party and people of Karnataka with utmost devotion. His contribution and hard work towards strengthening the BJP at the grassroots level in Karnataka is truly inspiring. I am sure he will continue to guide the party and government,” he tweeted.

    A good number of Bommai’s supporters, many from his constituency Shiggaon in Haveri district, stood outside Raj Bhavan to cheer for him as he took the oath of office. Shiggaon comes under Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency and is about 365 km from Bengaluru.

    Son of former chief minister and Janata parivar leader S.R. Bommai, he was chosen to replace B.S. Yediyurappa at the BJP legislative party meet held in Bengaluru on July 27.

    Earlier, Mr. Bommai arrived at the venue along with his family members, including wife Channamma, children Bharat and Aditi.

    Outgoing chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa looked cheerful and arrived at the venue early. His younger son B.Y. Vijayendra, whose role in his resignation from the post of chief minister, is a matter of speculation, was also present. Among those present in big numbers were ministers from the outgoing council, and legislators who are keen to make it to the new cabinet.