RUSSIA DETAINS A TERRORIST TARGETING INDIA

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) Monday claimed it had detained an alleged Islamic State (IS) suicide bomber who was planning to fly to India to target a key Indian politician from the ruling party over alleged insults to Prophet Mohammed.

The man is said to be the national of a Central Asian country who was recruited in Turkey and then entered Russia.

According to FSB, the man was recruited as a suicide bomber by one of the IS leaders “in the period from April to June 2022, while on the territory of the Republic of Turkey”.

“His indoctrination was carried out remotely through the accounts of the messenger “Telegram” and during personal meetings in Istanbul by a representative of the terrorist organization. As a result, the terrorist took an oath of allegiance to the Amir of ISIS. After that, he was given the task of leaving for the territory of Russia, completing the necessary documents and flying to India to commit a terrorist act,” said FSB in a statement.

Russian news agency TASS reported the FSB has also released a video where the suspected terrorist has confessed “that he was preparing an act of terrorism against a member of India’s ruling circles for insulting the Prophet Muhammad”.

AT UN, INDIA'S SWIPE AT CHINA OVER 'COMMON SECURITY'

India on Monday took a thinly-veiled dig at China at the UN Security Council during a discussion on promoting common security through dialogue and cooperation. "Any coercive or unilateral action that seeks to change the status quo by force is an affront to common security," said Ruchira Kamboj, India's envoy to the United Nations.

Ms Kamboj also underscored that common security is only feasible "when all countries stand together against common threats such as terrorism and do not engage in double standards while preaching otherwise".

RAHUL GANDHI INVITES CIVIL SOCIETY LEADERS TO BE PART OF ‘BHARAT YATRA’

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today interacted with leaders of 150 civil society organisations, including the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, and appealed to everyone to join the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra if they felt the Constitution and democracy were in danger.

Rahul will flag off the 3,500-km yatra across 12 states and two UTs from Kanyakumari on September 7.

AICC general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said Rahul Gandhi spoke to the civil society representatives for nearly 90 minutes and took questions from about 40 persons on the reasons for the yatra, its aim and expected outcomes.

“Rahul Gandhi identified three pillars of the Bharat Jodo Yatra — social, political and economic. He spoke of the economic challenges on account of inflation, unemployment, concentration of wealth, social polarisation on the basis of caste, food, language and religion, and the political challenges in the form of the growing use of Central agencies,” Jairam said.

Yogendra Yadav, Aruna Roy and Syeda Hamid, among others, attended the event.

SISODIA DESERVES BHARAT RATNA BUT IS BEING HOUNDED BY RAIDS, KEJRIWAL

Defending Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who was recently booked in a CBI case related to a now-scrapped excise policy, AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that a man who should have been given the Bharat Ratna was instead being hounded by raids.

Kejriwal was speaking after arriving in Ahmedabad with Sisodia on Monday noon as part of their two-day trip to the state where they are expected to hold town hall events in Himmatnagar town of Sabarkantha and in Bhavnagar.

“People across the country are unhappy. Such a man who should have been handed over the education system of the entire country, a man who performed a miracle in the past five years and accomplished feats of making splendid govt schools and improving the future of this country’s children, you want to conduct CBI raid at such a man’s house? Have you no shame? He should be given the Bharat Ratna,” said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal also defended his liquor policy stating that his party had to back down over increasing pressure from central agencies and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

“There was a proposal to open 850 shops but we gave permission to only 350. The manner in which the central govt was pressuring Delhi officials through central agencies and the L-G, the govt officials refused to do auction for the new shops. That policy was actually good and we are ready to have a debate on it. But we were under pressure to roll it back because if we hadn’t done it then all shops would have been shut and illicit liquor would have started being sold in Delhi. That’s why we decided to go with the old policy despite its hundred shortcomings, so that at least spurious liquor is not being sold in Delhi.”

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST / Aug 22

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Sunday 9,531

Active Cases 97,648 (-2,231)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,27,368 (36)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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RUSSIA CLAIMS UKRAINE KILLED DAUGHTER OF ‘PUTIN’S BRAIN’

Russian authorities on Monday blamed Ukraine for organising the killing of Daria Dugina, the ultranationalist daughter of a prominent Russian supporter of the invasion, a claim that raised fears of a further escalation in the six-month war. Ukraine has denied having anything to do with the car bombing on Saturday that killed Dugina, 29, on a highway in an affluent district outside of Moscow.

Russia’s domestic intelligence agency, the FSB, issued a statement Monday saying the attack “was prepared and committed by the Ukrainian intelligence agencies”.

Some Russian media reports had said Dugina’s father, Alexander Dugin, an ultranationalist writer who helped build the ideological foundation for President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, was the likely target of the blast. But the FSB’s statement described Dugina — herself a hawkish commentator who had earned a following with frequent appearances on state media — as the intended target.

Soon after the FSB’s announcement, the Kremlin published a letter of sympathy from Putin to Dugina’s parents, the Russian leader’s first statement about the attack. “A vile, cruel crime ended the life of Daria Dugina — a bright, talented person with a real Russian heart,” Putin wrote.

TERROR CHARGE ON IMRAN AND THE NEW POLITICAL FLASHPOINT IN PAKISTAN

Political tensions in Pakistan escalated on Monday as police announced they had filed terrorism charges against ousted premier Imran Khan for allegedly threatening public officials in a speech during a rally on Saturday. As Imran’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), warned of nationwide protests if he was arrested, hundreds of his supporters gathered around his residence to prevent their leader from being taken into custody. Meanwhile, Imran moved Islamabad High Court, and was granted pre-arrest bail until August 25.

The crisis began after a key Imran aide, Shehbaz Gill, was arrested on August 9 over comments made on TV, which the country’s media regulator, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) termed “seditious” and tantamount to inciting “armed forces towards revolt”.

The PTI has since claimed that Gill has been tortured in custody and his life remains in danger. In his rally on Saturday, Imran attacked a judge who had approved 48 hours’ physical remand for Gill, and vowed to file cases against top officials of the Islamabad police.

Soon afterward, the former PM was himself booked under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (punishment for acts of terrorism) for “terrorising” the police and judiciary in his speech.

Eager to ride the present momentum in his favour, the former PM is pushing for early elections. While his popularity was down in the run-up to his ouster in April, that changed dramatically after he was voted out in a no-confidence motion that he successfully managed to paint as “orchestrated”.

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PROTESTING FARMERS BACK IN DELHI

As thousands of farmers sought to reach Jantar Mantar in the heart of the capital on Monday (August 22), Delhi Police said several border entry points including Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur were jammed and advised commuters to stay away.

Police were expecting more than 5,000 farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, to try to come to Delhi. In the afternoon, farmer leaders alleged vehicles carrying protesters were being stopped from entering the city; police, however, said they had been allowed to proceed after carrying out “due verification”.

The protesting farmers are demanding, among other things, a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP), the sacking of Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, and the release of jailed farmers.

BJP OFFERED ME DELHI CM'S POST TO SPLIT AAP, CLAIMS MANISH SISODIA

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia yesterday alleged he was approached by the BJP with an offer to close all cases against him, if he joined the saffron party. In a tweet, he claimed the BJP offered him the Delhi Chief Minister’s post in lieu of splitting the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and switching over, something it had done with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed the CBI action against Sisodia was part of the “Operation Lotus” which failed in Delhi. Party sources claimed Sisodia had recordings of the BJP’s offer to him to bring down the AAP govt.

The allegations evoked sharp reactions from the BJP, with party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia saying AAP leaders were trying to deflect attention from the corruption charges.

‘HOW DID MUFTI CONTEST FROM UP, AZAD FROM MAHARASHTRA?’ BJP TO PAGD LEADERS:

The BJP on Monday slammed the parties raising the issue of enrolment of eligible “non-local” voters during summary revision of electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir, and asked leader of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah to explain how PDP leader and former CM of J&K, late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, had contested — and won — the 1989 Lok Sabha election from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh.

Reminding the PDP that after winning that election Mufti had become the Union Home Minister, BJP’s J&K unit president Ravinder Raina also said that the two Lok Sabha elections senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had won were both from Maharashtra — Azad had won from Washim constituency in 1980 and 1985.

Raina asked Abdullah, president of National Conference party and chief of PAGD, an alliance of non-BJP mainstream political parties formed to fight for restoration of J&K’s special status, to also explain how Azad had contested the Lok Sabha polls from Maharashtra.

The remarks came on a day leaders resolved at an all-party meeting in Srinagar that they would not allow any move to extend voting rights in the Union Territory to “non-locals”.

Raina pointed out that many people from J&K who live in other parts of the country have got themselves enrolled as voters there, after surrendering their vote in the UT. “The law is equal for all and Right to Equality has been enshrined in the Indian Constitution as a fundamental right,” he said. “We are all citizens of India and there cannot be any discrimination among us.”

SC AGREES TO HEAR PLEA ON REVIEW OF PMLA PROVISIONS

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a review of its recent verdict upholding the validity of various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) that gave wider powers of arrest and seizure to the Enforcement Directorate. The review petition was mentioned by an advocate on Monday before Chief Justice of India NV Ramana seeking urgent listing. “Is this on Justice Khanwilkar’s judgment,” the CJI asked. As the lawyer answered in the affirmative, the CJI said, “Okay, we will list it.”

The Supreme Court had on July 27 upheld the validity of several stringent provisions of the PMLA, which gave wider powers to the ED and made it difficult for the accused to obtain bail. A three-judge Bench led by Justice AM Khanwilkar (since retired) had said supply of Enforcement Case Information Report under PMLA proceedings was not mandatory as “it’s an internal document that can’t be equated with an FIR”. The verdict was widely criticised for ignoring concerns regarding civil liberties.

CONSTITUTION BENCH TO HEAR CENTRE VS DELHI GOVT CASE

A Constitution Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud will adjudicate upon the tussle for control over the bureaucracy in the national capital between the Centre and the Delhi Govt that has remained unresolved despite several rounds of litigation.

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, who is the master of roster, on Monday said the case had been assigned to a Constitution Bench headed by Justice Chandrachud after a counsel representing the Delhi Govt mentioned the matter.

The five-judge Constitution Bench is expected to make an authoritative pronouncement on the scope and ambit of legislative and executive powers of the Centre and the Govt of the NCT of Delhi with regard to control over the bureaucracy in the capital.

Accepting the Centre’s demand, the Supreme Court had on May 6 referred the contentious issue to a five-judge Constitution Bench even as it said the issue related to ‘services’ alone and shall be decided by the Constitution Bench as it was not dealt with by the previous Constitution Bench.

KCR'S DAUGHTER THREATENS TO FILE DEFAMATION SUIT AGAINST DELHI BJP LEADERS

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLA K Kavitha today said she would file a defamation suit against Delhi BJP leaders MP Parvesh Verma and former MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa for dragging her name into the Delhi excise policy “scam” controversy.

The daughter of Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao, Kavitha rejected the charges that she acted as the “middleperson” between the liquor lobby and the AAP govt in the excise policy case. “We are a family of fighters. You are messing up with wrong people,” she warned.

‘NO GOD IS A BRAHMIN’, SAYS JNU VICE CHANCELLOR, FLAGS ‘GENDER BIAS’ IN MANUSMRITI

Hindu gods do not anthropologically come from the upper caste, said JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit while delivering the keynote address at the B R Ambedkar Lecture Series organised by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Speaking on the topic “Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s Thought on Gender Justice: Decoding the Uniform Civil Code”, Pandit said, “Anthropologically, scientifically… please look at the origins of our gods. No god is a Brahmin……Lord Shiva must be a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe. Because he sits in a cemetery with a snake… they have given him very little clothes also to wear. I don’t think Brahmins can sit in the cemetery. So if you see, clearly, the gods anthropologically do not come from the upper caste. Including Lakshmi, Shakti, all the gods. Or if you take Jagannath, very much a tribal. So, why are we still continuing with this discrimination, which is very, very unhuman.”

The JNU VC also said that the “Manusmriti” has categorised all women as “shudras”, which is “extraordinarily regressive”. “All women, according to the “Manusmriti”, are shudras. So, no woman can claim she is a Brahmin or anything else. I think this is something extraordinarily regressive,” she said.

VARSITIES CAN HIRE FIELD EXPERTS AS FACULTY

In a decision that will open up new opportunities and also prove to be a win-win situation for industry experts as well as universities, higher education institutions (HEIs) may now be able to take on board distinguished experts as faculty members.

Under a policy termed “Professors of Practice” (which is expected to be notified shortly), a new category is being created under which formal academic qualification and publication requirements will not be a mandatory requirement, officials said.

The draft regulations for appointing “Professors of Practice” (cleared by the UGC recently) are also being appreciated by experts. If implemented, they will also benefit students by offering them a right mix of academics and insight from the ground, they said.

Under the policy, the HEIs can hire experts from various fields, including engineering, science, media, literature, entrepreneurship, social sciences and fine arts.

Candidates with proven expertise in a specific profession or field with at least 15 years of service or experience, preferably at a senior level, will be eligible. A formal academic qualification is not considered essential for the position if they have exemplary professional practice in lieu, according to the draft guidelines.

ODI SERIES: INDIA COMPLETE A CLEAN SWEEP AGAINST ZIMBABWE

Sikandar Raza's lion-hearted effort took Zimbabwe on the cusp of a famous victory before India held their nerves to pull off a 13-run win in the third ODI and complete a series sweep in Harare on Monday.

The final game of the series too was heading India's way until Raza (115 off 95 balls) brought Zimbabwe back into the contest with the support of Brad Evans (28 off 36).

The duo shared a 104-run stand off 77 balls for the eighth wicket to raise hopes of a memorable result against their mighty opponents.

It was Gill who had set up the game for India as he smashed his maiden international hundred to take the visitors to 289 for eight. Zimbabwe's innings ended at 276 in 49.3 overs.

Gill (130 off 97 balls), who reached a major career milestone more than three years after making his India debut, shared a 140-run stand with Ishan Kishan (50 off 61) after the visitors decided to bat for the first time in the series.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I cannot conceive of a God who rewards and punishes His creatures, or has a will of the type of which we are conscious ourselves. - Albert Einstein

OFF TRACK

Husband, on the phone: My wife, where are you?

Wife: At home, love.

Husband: Are you sure?

Wife: Yes.

Husband : Turn on the blender

Wife: (turns blender on) Rrrreeereeeereeee...

Husband: Ok my love. bye.

Another day...

Husband: My wife, where are you?

Wife: At home love.

Husband: Are you sure?

Wife: Yes.

Husband: Turn on the blender.

Wife: (turns blender on) Rrreeereeeereeee...

Husband: Ok my love. bye.

The next day, the husband decides to go home without notice, and finds his son alone and he asks him, "Son where is your mother?"

Son: "I do not know, she just took the blender with her"...