MANIPUR REMAINS TENSE, WOMEN OUT ON STREETS TO PROTEST VIOLENCE; CURFEW EASED

With tension continuing to prevail in the ethnic violence-hit Manipur, the Army conducted a flag march in the Imphal valley even as hundreds of women in several districts of the state took to the streets late on Saturday evening to condemn the violence.

The district administration of Imphal East, one of the most affected areas, decided to relax the curfew hours from 5 am to 5 pm on Sunday to allow people to buy essential items such as food and medicines.

Meitei women, holding fire torches, formed human chains on the streets in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Kakching districts from 7 pm to 9 pm on Saturday.Women raised slogans demanding the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The GOVT has further extended the shutdown on the Internet in the state up to June 20. Officials said in the past few days, several violent incidents took place, leading to the death of nine persons and vandalisation and torching of offices and residential premises of BJP leaders, though no incident of violence was reported from any part of the state on Sunday.

PM INVOKES EMERGENCY ON 'MANN KI BAAT', CALLS IT DARKEST PERIOD

Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the Emergency the darkest period in the history of India and said the supporters of democracy then were tortured so much that it made the mind quiver even today.

In his monthly radio programme “Mann ki Baat”, PM Modi said, “I wish that today, when we are celebrating the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, we must also take a glance through such crimes which endanger the freedom of the country. This will (in turn) make it easier for the today’s young generation to fathom the meaning and importance of democracy.”

Opposition leaders, meanwhile, targeted PM Modi for not speaking on the ongoing violence in Manipur in his “Mann ki Baat” programme.

“So one more ‘Mann ki Baat’, but ‘maun’ (silence) on Manipur. The PM patted himself on the back for India’s great capabilities in disaster management. What about the entirely man-made (actually self-inflicted) humanitarian disaster that is confronting Manipur? Still no appeal for peace from him,” Ramesh said in a tweet.

GANDHI PEACE PRIZE 2021 FOR GITA PRESS

Gita Press, Gorakhpur, has been selected for the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2021. A jury headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi unanimously selected Gita Press for the award after due deliberations on Sunday “in recognition of its outstanding contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violent and other Gandhian methods,” the GOVT said in a statement. Last year, the prize was conferred on former Bangladesh president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

A publisher of Hindu religious texts, Gita Press was established in 1923, and is presently one of the world’s largest publishers. It has so far sold 93 crore copies of over 1,850 religious books in 15 languages including copies of its monthly magazine, ‘Kalyan’, which was started in 1926.

Instituted by the GOVT in 1995 to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the annual Gandhi Peace Prize carries prize money of Rs 1 crore, a citation, a plaque and a traditional handicraft/handloom item.

The past awardees include organisations such as ISRO, Ramakrishna Mission, Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, the Vivekananda Kendra in Kanyakumari, Akshaya Patra, and Sulabh International. It has also been awarded to individuals such as Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa; Julius Nyerere, former President of Tanzania; Baba Amte; and Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, and Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said of Oman.

CROSS-POSTING IN ARMY, NAVY, IAF

For the first time, the Indian Armed Forces are planning to go ahead with cross-services postings of a large number of senior officers in the ranks of Brigadier and Major General and equivalent shortly. This will be in line with efforts towards tri-service integration and the planned creation of theatre commands, senior officials familiar with the development said.

This comes days after inter-service postings of a large batch of around 40 officers of the rank of Major and Lieutenant Colonel and equivalent, again a first, were announced. Earlier, only a handful of such postings had taken place within the services.

Officials said there are now plans to effect postings of senior military officers across the services within the next few months. “Around 25 one- and two-star officers (ranks of Brigadier and Major General) could go for inter-service postings in the next few months,” an official said. Earlier, senior military officers were posted in tri-service organisations but inter-service postings were not usually done.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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PUTIN REJECTS AFRICAN LEADERS’ PEACE PROPOSALS

No breakthrough was evident as heads of state and officials from seven African countries met on Saturday with President Putin in St. Petersburg, a day after their talks in Kyiv with Ukraine President Zelensky. Putin, who also had a bilateral meeting with South Africa’s president, rebutted many of the 10 proposals offered by the delegation, which urged an end to the war “through negotiations” and “diplomatic means.” Zelensky too told the members that talks were impossible while Russian troops remain in Ukraine.

Russia and Ukraine are suffering high numbers of military casualties as Ukraine fights to dislodge the Kremlin’s forces from occupied areas in the early stages of its counteroffensive, UK military officials said in their regular assessment on Sunday. Russian losses are probably at their highest level since the peak of the battle for Bakhmut in March, they said. According to British intelligence, the most intense fighting has centred on the southeastern Zaporizhzhia province, around Bakhmut and further west in eastern Donetsk province. While the update reported that Ukraine was on the offensive in these areas, it said that Russian forces were conducting “relatively effective defensive operations” in south.

BLINKEN IN CHINA AMID FROSTY TIES & DIM HOPES FOR PROGRESS

The US secretary of state and Chinese foreign minister on Sunday held what both called candid and constructive talks on their differences from Taiwan to trade but seemed to agree on little beyond keeping the conversation going with an eventual meeting in Washington.

Speaking after a 5-1/2 hour meeting followed by dinner, US and Chinese officials both emphasised their desire for stable and predictable relations, but China was clear it regards Taiwan as the most important issue and greatest risk.

Making the first visit to China by a US secretary of state in five years, Antony Blinken stressed “the need to reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation” in his talks with foreign minister Qin Gang, the state department said. “Qin Gang pointed out that the Taiwan issue is the core of China’s core interests, the most important issue in Sino-US relations, and the most prominent risk,” Chinese state media quoted Qin as having told the top US diplomat.

Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in London on Sunday condemned a meeting last week between Britain’s security minister, Tom Tugendhat, and Taiwan’s digital minister, saying it violated international relations.

THE REST

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BENGAL GOVERNOR TURNS HEAT ON MAMATA GOVT OVER RURAL POLL VIOLENCE

Amid widespread violence that erupted in West Bengal over the filing of nomination papers for the July 8 Panchayat polls, Governor C V Ananda Bose seems to have turned pro-active in addressing the concerns of the Opposition parties and people at large in this regard, sending out strong messages to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led GOVT over the need to maintain law and order in the state.

This has been reflected in recent days in the Governor’s visits to the violence-hit areas as well as his interactions with the GOVT officials, political leaders and common people.

Following his visits to the affected areas in the South 24 Parganas district, Bose last night set up a “help room” at the Raj Bhavan to keep track of the situation in the state on a daily basis till the conclusion of the Panchayat polls, whose results will be declared on July 11.

The TMC has criticised the Governor for his interventions in the state administration’s work to maintain law and order in the run-up to the rural polls. Senior TMC leader and MP Sougata Roy said, “Three persons from TMC have been killed in poll violence. Law and order is under state GOVT. It is not Governor’s work (to look after law and order).”

NEW ASSIGNMENT FOR CAPF PERSONNEL: COLLECT AREA’S 2,000-YEAR HISTORY

Personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been asked by the Ministry of Home Affairs to fan out to villages in the border areas manned by them and collect their history, extending up to the past 2,000 years.

The instruction came from Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a ‘Chintan Shivir’ (brainstorming session) of IPS officers posted in CAPFs held in New Delhi on June 12.

The purpose of the instruction, an officer said, could also possibly be linked to the GOVT’s plans to develop infrastructure in the border areas. Before establishing any institution, or developing infrastructure, the Centre perhaps wants to know about all the villages as well as their history so that they work accordingly, the officer said.

WRESTLERS’ PROTEST: SAKSHI AND BABITA ENGAGE IN WAR OF WORDS

In an ugly war of words, Sakshi Malik accused former wrestler and BJP leader Babita Phogat of siding with the GOVT during their protest against the WFI chief while the latter claimed that the Rio Games bronze medallist has become a "Congress' puppet".

Malik and her husband Satyawart Kadian had on Saturday asserted that the wrestlers' protest was not politically motivated and in no way it was inspired by Congress as it was BJP leaders Babita and Teerath Rana, who had helped them in taking police permission for the sit-in at Jantar Mantar.

On Sunday, quoting their Saturday video, Malik tweeted that they had taken a dig at Babita and Rana about how they tried to use the wrestlers for their selfish motives but the satire was not understood for the lack of sense of humour.

Babita, who had mediated between the wrestlers and the GOVT during the grapplers' three-day protest in January, tweeted a long reply to Malik and claimed that she had nothing to do with their protest since she was against the agitation on road from day one. "It pained me and also made me laugh when I saw the video posted by my younger sister and her husband. Let me make it clear that the letter, seeking police permission, does not carry my signature. I have nothing to do with that," she wrote, completely pulling herself away from the protest. "From day one, I was not in favour of any protest or demonstration. I had maintained that I have faith in the PM and the judiciary and the truth will come out."

"I repeatedly told them to meet Prime Minister or Home Minister for a solution but you saw solution with Deepnder Hooda, Congress and Priyanka Gandhi, who themselves were accompanied by rape accused people." ".......your video will make people understand that how shameful it was on your part to start a march on the inauguration day of the new parliament building and then talking about immersing medals in river Ganga."

"People of this country have understood that you have become a Congress' puppet. Now is the time that you reveal your real motive because people are asking questions now," wrote Babita.

54 DEAD, 400 ADMITTED TO UP HOSPITAL AMID SCORCHING HEAT

Fifty-four people admitted at Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district hospital have died in the last three days, following which a team of the health department from Lucknow has reached the hospital to ascertain the cause of deaths, officials said on Sunday.

The deaths come amid the heatwave conditions in the region.

However, Ballia Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Jayant Kumar said only two people have died due to heat stroke in the district till Sunday. Nearly 400 patients were admitted to the district hospital from June 15 to June 17, they said, adding all the patients who died at the GOVT hospital were aged above 60 years.

Meanwhile, Chief Medical Superintendent (CMS) of the district hospital, Dr Divakar Singh, was removed and sent to Azamgarh, allegedly after he made a careless remark about the cause of deaths. He had on Friday said that over 20 patients at the hospital died due to heat.

US TECH COMPANIES FLAG 20 POLICY BARRIERS IN DIGITAL TRADE WITH INDIA

The Washington-based Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA), which has Google, Uber, Meta, Amazon, amongst others, as its members, has identified 20 policy barriers to US-India digital trade.

These include the amendment to the IT Act, which imposes additional requirements under the Intermediary Rules (2021), the Content Moderation Act, the equalisation levy, and the proposed Telecom bill.

In its note on ‘Key Threats to Digital Trade 2023’, which was prepared for its members a few months ago, the CCIA says the definition of ‘telecommunication services’ under the draft telecom Bill is a “first of its kind global licensing for digital firms that will undermine digital security and freedom of expression”.

It believes that “India’s protectionist posture towards US digital services providers” has intensified as the country pursues its ‘atmanirbhar’ economic strategy, and has urged that the country’s move to achieve self-reliance “should not lead to discriminatory regulation or practices against US companies''.

OVER 4 LAKH HIRED BY GOVT UNDER ‘MISSION RECRUITMENT’ SO FAR

Around one in every six candidates hired so far under ‘Mission Recruitment’, the GOVT’s bulk recruitment drive to fill 10 lakh posts by 2023 end, were women, official data shows.

Hired as clerks and typists, teachers and doctors, at least 4,30,546 candidates were handed their appointment orders during six Rozgar Melas organised by the GOVT.

Of these, 3,61,763 (84%) recruits were male and 68,783 (16%) women.

The mega recruitment drive began after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June last year “instructed” officials to fill 10 lakh posts (vacant as on March 2022) within 18 months. A few months later, on October 14, the first Rozgar Mela was held.

Most of the hirings — 1,38,986 — were done for the Ministry of Railways, followed by the Department of Posts (68,225) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (43,592).

AFTER FACING FLAK, ADIPURUSH MAKERS TO REVISE DIALOGUES

Adipurush dialogue writer Manoj Muntashir Shukla on Sunday said the makers of the mythological epic film have decided to 'revise some of the dialogues', after the Prabhas-starrer was criticised heavily for its pedestrian language.

'...For me there is nothing greater than your feelings. I can give countless arguments in favour of my dialogues, but this will not lessen your pain. Me and the producer-director of the film have decided that we will revise some of the dialogues which are hurting you and they will be added to the film this week,' Shukla said in a statement shared on his official Twitter account.

Directed by Om Raut and produced by T-Series, big-budget multilingual saga Adipurush has been panned on social media over its poor VFX and colloquial dialogues, with Shukla under fire for Lord Hanuman's dialogues in the 'Lanka Dahan' sequence, among others.

Mounted on a reported budget of Rs 500 crore, Adipurush has raised Rs 240 crore in two days, the makers claimed.

TAX MOP-UP RISES 11% TO RS 3.80L CR

Net direct tax collection till June 17 this fiscal rose by 11.18 per cent to Rs 3.80 lakh crore on higher advance tax mop-up, the Finance Ministry said on Sunday.

The advance tax collections for the April-June quarter of 2023-24 stood at Rs 1,16,776 crore as of June 17, reflecting a growth of 13.70 per cent over the same period last fiscal. The net direct tax collection of Rs 3,79,760 crore (as of June 17,2023) includes corporation tax at Rs 1,56,949 crore and personal income tax, including securities transaction tax at Rs 2,22,196 crore, the ministry said in a statement.

On a gross basis, before adjusting refunds, the collection stood at Rs 4.19 lakh crore, a 12.73% growth over the same period last fiscal. This includes corporation tax at Rs 1.87 lakh crore and personal income tax, including Securities transaction tax at Rs 2.31 lakh crore. Refunds amounting to Rs 39,578 crore have been issued till June 17, a 30% growth over last year.

EDGBASTON TEST, DAY 3: RAIN HALTS PLAY

Australia's bowlers struck twice in quick succession in a devastating spell against England at Edgbaston on Sunday, before heavy rain washed out the later sessions on the third day of the series-opening Ashes Test.

Play was abandoned in the post-lunch session with just 32.4 overs bowled following a lengthy rain-enforced break with England on 28-2, a lead of 35 runs, after Australia were bowled out for 386 in the morning session in reply to the hosts' first-innings total of 393.

The match was first halted after lunch with England cruising on 26/0 and looking firmly on course to build up a sizeable lead.

However, those plans were derailed when they lost openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett in the span of just three overs as Australia took advantage of favourable conditions in a brief restart, with the tourists' fast bowlers getting the ball to move dangerously.

SATWIK, CHIRAG BECOME 1ST INDIAN PAIR TO WIN DOUBLES TITLE IN SUPER 1000 EVENT

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty scripted history on Sunday, June 18 by becoming the first Indian doubles pair to win a title at a Badminton Super 1000 event in Jakarta. The World No. 6 pair, who won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and bronze at the World Championships last year, defeated Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yika of Malaysia in a stunning 2-game battle in Jakarta.

Saina Nehwal (2010, 2012) and Kidambi Srikanth (2017) previously won the singles title in Jakarta.

Satwik and Chirag Shetty defeated Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Wooi Yik Soh 21-17, 21-18. The Indians got off to a slow start but quickly rallied to win the match in straight games.

The World Champions lost the final to the Indians, who are also Asian Champions, in just 43 minutes. The Indians stumbled at the start of the first game, but they quickly picked up the pace and led 11-9 at the mid-game break. The second game, on the other hand, began with the Indians dominating the proceedings. Though the Malaysian couple came close near the end, they were unable to withstand the pressure and were defeated.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear. - Rosa Parks

OFF TRACK

"Well, I reckon you've been a pretty good horse," said the farmer. "You work hard and I ain't had to call the vet on you much. I only wish you pulled the plow a little faster."  

"NO!" said the horse, "I said 'feedbag' not 'feedback'."