8 OPPN MPS SUSPENDED FOR ‘UNRULY BEHAVIOUR’ ON SUNDAY IN RS

The face-off between the govt and the Opposition over the passage of two key

farm Bills in Rajya Sabha escalated on Monday with Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu

suspending eight MPs “for the remaining part of the current session” on a

motion brought in by the govt citing “unruly behaviour”.

The suspended MPs — Congress’s Rajeev Satav, Syed Naseer Hussain and Ripun

Bora; Trinamool CongressÂ’s Derek OÂ’Brien and Dola Sen; AAPÂ’s Sanjay Singh;

and CPI(M)’s K K Ragesh and Elamaram Kareem – refused to leave the House,

leading to ruckus and multiple adjournments.

After Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day, the suspended MPs sat on a

dharna in front of the Gandhi statue at Parliament, where they continued to

protest through the night.

Eighteen parties have written to President Ram Nath Kovind asking him not to

give his assent to the farm Bills. They have also sought an audience with

him. In a detailed memorandum, they have recounted the events that unfolded

in Rajya Sabha Sunday and the reason for moving a no-confidence resolution

against Deputy Chairman Harivansh.

With both the govt and the Oopposition refusing to budge, the rest of the

monsoon session faces the threat of a washout as far as Rajya Sabha is

concerned.

The Congress Monday said it will launch a nationwide agitation against the

farm bills, and also initiate a campaign to collect two crore signatures of

farmers and the poor against these proposed legislations.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its full support to the farmersÂ’

strike on September 25 against agriculture Bills passed in Parliament and

has directed all its leaders and volunteers to for human chains across

Punjab on September 24.

The DMK and its allies on Monday decided to stage protests across Tamil Nadu

on September 28 to urge the Centre to take back the farm Bills. A meet held

at DMK headquarters, presided by the Dravidian party chief M K Stalin, said

the protest is to condemn the ruling AIADMK govt as well which is lending a

helping hand to the Centre on the matter. The passage of the Bills has once

again put a question mark on “federalism” besides pushing poor farmers, a

resolution adopted at the meeting said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the two

farm Bills passed in Rajya Sabha would deprive farmers of MSP and will lead

to famine in the country.

FARM BILLS: GOVT ON FRONT FOOT

In the face of intensifying protests against its contentious farm Bills

ahead of the Bihar elections, the Govt and the BJP have kickstarted a

campaign to counter Opposition claims that the laws are “anti-farmer”.

In the Lok Sabha Monday, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar

announced an increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) for six rabi crops. He

said the decision proves the Govt is committed to retaining the MSP

mechanism and “clearing the lie” spread by the Opposition.

“I want to tell farmers that when the Bills for agrarian reforms came,

Congressmen across the country said that after their passage, the MSP will

be abolished and APMC will be abolished. I want to tell the country that the

MSP will continue, the APMC will continue,” Tomar told Lok Sabha.

TomarÂ’s announcement came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi

reiterated, during a virtual address at a foundation event for highway

projects in Bihar, that the Farm laws were “historic and necessary”. Taking

a swipe at the Congress, he said: “After these historic changes in the

agriculture sector, after such a big system change, some people saw that it

is slipping out of their grip. So now, these people are trying to mislead

farmers on MSP.”

Following widespread protests by farmers in Punjab and Haryana, BJP has

asked its MPs, leaders and functionaries to go on the offensive and explain

the salient features of the Bills.

MARATHON LAC TALKS WITH CHINA

Eleven days after their Foreign Ministers reached an agreement in Moscow to

“continue dialogue” and “quickly disengage” troops to “ease tensions” along

the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, Indian and Chinese military commanders

returned to the talks table Monday to try and resolve the situation.

Until late in the night, the meeting which began in the morning — the sixth

round of discussions at the Corps Commander-level since the start of the

standoff early May — was still on at Moldo, the border meeting point on the

Chinese side near Chushul.

The Indian team, led by XIV Corps Commander Lt General Harinder Singh,

included Lt General PGK Menon from Army headquarters. He is tipped to take

charge of the Leh-based Corps in October, when the former retires.

Also in the team was Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the

Ministry of External Affairs. He has been dealing with his Chinese

counterparts at the meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation &

Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) to dial down tensions.

This is the first time that an official of the MEA is part of the military

talks between the two sides.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

75TH U.N. ANNIVERSARY: SECY GEN LISTS ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES

On Monday morning, the 193 members of the United Nations adopted a

Commemorative declaration marking 75 years since the victors of World War II

met in San Francisco to bring the organization into being. Speaking at the

United NationsÂ’ 75th anniversary commemoration, Secretary General António

Guterres said the world had a surplus of multilateral challenges but not

enough multilateral answers to these.

“Never in modern history have we gone so many years without a military

confrontation between the major powers, this is a great achievement of which

Member States can be proud and which we must always strive to preserve,”

U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said.

Guterres said much remained to be done, however. He called gender inequality

the “greatest single challenge for human rights” globally. Biodiversity

“collapsing”, hatred that was engendering geopolitical tensions and

increasing the threat from nuclear weapons, were among the challenges the

Secretary General listed.

“And the COVID-19 pandemic as laid bare the world's fragilities. We can only

address them together today. We have a surplus of multilateral challenges

and the deficit of multilateral solutions,” Gutteres said.

Addressing the General Assemble, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on that

the original aim with which the United Nations was built still remains

incomplete as it needs ‘reformed multilateralism’ to address today’s

challenges. “The declaration acknowledges the need for reform in the United

Nation itself. You cannot fight todayÂ’s challenges with outdated

structures,” the PM said.

TRUMP, REPUBLICANS KEEN ON A NEW JUDGE BEFORE ELECTIONS

President Donald Trump said Monday he expects to announce his pick for the

Supreme Court on Friday or Saturday, after funeral services for Ruth Bader

Ginsburg and just days before the first presidential election debate.

Trump told “Fox & Friends” that he is pushing for a confirmation vote before

Election Day. Democrats have howled in protest, pointing to the hypocrisy of

Republicans for rushing through a pick so close to the election after

refusing to do so for President Barack Obama in 2016.

Democratic nominee Joe Biden has urged a delay in a nomination, declaring

that the next president should fill the seat.

Trump disparaged reports that Ginsburg had told her granddaughter it was her

wish that a replacement justice not be confirmed until the inauguration of a

new president. Trump said he thought his Democratic political foes were

behind the report.

The president and his fellow Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader

Mitch McConnell who will control the timing of the confirmation hearings and

vote, have pushed back against the 2016 comparison, noting that Trump could

win again and saying that, unlike four years ago, the same party controlled

both the White House and the Senate.

“We have the presidency and the Senate and we have plenty of time,” Trump

said. “I think that would be good for the Republican Party and I think it

would be good for everybody to get it over with.”

Trump allowed that he would accept a vote in the lame duck period after

Election Day but made clear his preference would be that it occur by Nov. 3.

THE REST

========

EIGHT CHILDREN AMONG 16 DEAD IN BHIWANDI BUILDING COLLAPSE

At least 16 people, including eight children, were killed after a portion of

a three-storey building in Bhiwandi, 50 km from Mumbai, collapsed early

Monday.

As many as 20 people were pulled out of the rubble by rescue workers.

Officials believe 26 people are still trapped.

Commissioner of Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation, Pankaj Aashiya,

said rescue operations are likely to continue on Tuesday for which back-up

teams have been called from Mumbai and Pune.

Officials from the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation said the building

was structurally unstable and notices had been served to the residents in

the past but they refused to vacate it.

DELHI RIOTS CONSPIRACY CHARGESHEET: ‘OBJECTIVE WAS TO UPROOT ELECTED GOVT’

“From the day that the results of the 2019 Parliamentary elections were

declared, the tone and tenor of the public utterances of the key

conspirators of the present case has shown a clear streak of affinity

towards violence which had started playing out in their minds.”

This is how the Delhi Police Special Cell concludes its 2,695-page “final

report” in the chargesheet filed against 15 people under the stringent UAPA

in a case of alleged conspiracy related to the February riots in Northeast

Delhi.

The chargesheet includes the names of former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain,

Pinjra TodÂ’s Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, former DU student

Gulfisha, Jamia Millia Islamia PhD student Meeran Haider and Jamia

Coordination Committee media coordinator Safoora, among others.

The final report states that “internationally, terrorist activity is defined

as the use of violence to force a govt to accept/submit to political

demands”.

It then goes on to explain how a “terrorist act” is defined in the Indian

context as per section 15 of the UAPA. “In this case, the use of firearms,

petrol bombsÂ… causing death of a police personnel and grievous injuriesÂ…

with intention to overawe the state and force the central govt to withdraw

CAA, NRC clearly falls in the definition of terrorist activity,” it states.

The report concludes that the “end objective of all the conspirators had

conspired was to uproot a lawfully elected govt by sheer use of engineered,

vicious and visceral communal violence”.

The report also claims that a “select group of digital media houses” created

a media frenzy.

AREN’T WE CURBING FREE SPEECH IF WE TAKE ‘UPSC JIHAD’ SHOW OFF AIR — SC ASKS

PETITIONERS

The Supreme Court Monday sought to know from those opposing the telecast of

Sudarshan News’ controversial program ‘Bindas Bol‘ whether a blanket

injunction could be issued against the remaining episodes of the show that

claims to expose “infiltration of Muslims” in the civil services. “Can we

issue a blanket injunction? If it is done, then arenÂ’t we restraining a

person from expressing views protected as free speech under the

Constitution?” the court wondered.

A three-judge bench, led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, posed the query to

advocate Shadan Farasat when he argued in favour of a permanent injunction

against the show.

Appearing for three students of Jamia Millia Islamia, Farasat said ‘Bindas

Bol‘ insinuated that the participation and success of Muslims in the civil

services and the society in general was a terror operation to take over the

bureaucracy.

Four episodes of the Bindas Bol series had already been aired before the

apex court blocked its telecast. There are 10 episodes left to be aired in

the series.

The central govt has, meanwhile, filed a fresh affidavit before the top

court, asserting that any endeavour to regulate television channels or

series has to begin with the role of “uncontrolled” digital media. The print

and electronic media “rarely cross the line” by the very nature of their

composition but the digital media is “completely uncontrolled” and “remains

unregulated” by and large, the Centre said.

FCRA BILL PASSED IN LOK SABHA, CIVIL SOCIETY SAYS IT WILL THROTTLE NGOs

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020, was passed by

the Lok Sabha on Monday, even as civil society organisations asked the govt

to stop looking suspiciously at them.

Amid concerns raised by various Opposition members about the Bill, Minister

of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the legislation was not against any

religion or NGO.

Replying to the discussion on the Bill, the minister asserted that

legislation is necessary for an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and

that it will help curb misuse of foreign funds.

The Bill seeks to make it mandatory for office bearers of any NGO to provide

their Aadhaar numbers at the time of registration.

Among other provisions, the Bill proposes to enable the Centre to allow an

NGO or association to surrender its FCRA certificate, capping administrative

expenses at 20 per cent, from the current 50 per cent. It also seeks to

mandate civil society organisations to have SBI accounts at a Delhi branch

(to be notified later) to receive foreign funds, and prohibits one

FCRA-registered society to transfer funds to another which is also

recognised by the Act.

Biraj Patnaik, executive director at National Foundation for India, said:

“The FCRA Bill is an emergency era law.”

In a statement, Voluntary Action Network India, the body representing Indian

voluntary development organisations, urged the Centre to refer the Bill to a

select or a standing committee of Parliament.

It said: “The Bill throttles the spirit of cooperation that had been ushered

in earlier this year by the positive role played by development

organisations in mitigating the lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic by

virtually making it impossible for NGOs to function.” These amendments

assume that all NGOs receiving foreign grants are guilty, unless prove

otherwise, it said.

FIRST STUBBLE FIRES START TO SHOW UP ON NASA MAP

Farmers have begun burning crop residue in parts of Punjab and Haryana,

satellite images from the United States space agency Nasa has shown,

suggesting an early start to a practice that plunges much of the region,

including Delhi, into a pollution crisis in the run up to the winter.

The practice is linked to paddy farming in both these states. As a cheap and

quick solution, farmers set fire to vast spreads of crop residue in order to

turn their farm around for winter sowing.

But this spews clouds of smoke in the atmosphere, which coupled with typical

pre-winter conditions – slow, cooling winds that settle down closer to

settlement – covers cities in a thick blanket of toxic smoke. The problem

has turned into a public health crisis in recent years, with vulnerable

people being advised to stay indoors.

This year, it is likely to exacerbate Covid-19 outbreak. Research from

Italy, one of the first coronavirus hot spots, showed that air pollution was

linked to worse mortality rates. The virus, in severe cases, causes

respiratory distress -- a condition that can be made worse to exposure to

polluted air.

TAJ MAHAL REOPENS FOR TOURISTS AFTER SIX MONTHS

More than six months after it was closed down for visitors due to Covid-19,

the Taj Mahal Monday finally opened its door for the tourists again.

Keeping the ongoing pandemic in mind, the number of visitors per day has

been restricted to 5000 by authorities. The tourists are also allowed to be

taken in two-shifts of 2,500 each with the tickets being sold online or

through the ASI phone app only.

An official from the ASI said that as many as 500 tourists visited the

monument during the first shift on Monday. Visitors were also asked to

follow all guidelines issued by the Centre such as social distancing and

hand sanitisation and were thermally screened before they were allowed to

enter the premises.

RICHA CHADHA REFUTES PAYAL GHOSHÂ’S ALLEGATIONS

Actor Richa Chadha on Monday issued a statement after actress Payal Ghosh

mentioned her name in the #MeToo allegations against filmmaker Anurag

Kashyap. In her statement issued through her advocate, Richa has “condemned

the act of her name being dragged into the controversy”. “No woman should

misuse the liberty to harass other women with unsubstantial or non existent,

false and baseless allegations,” Richa said.

While accusing Anurag Kashyap of sexual harassment in 2014-15, Ghosh rnamed

Richa Chadha, claiming that “Anurag told her that it was fine and some 200

actresses who worked with him were also intimate with him.

IPL: DEBUTANT PADIKKAL, CHAHAL GET RCB OFF TO WINNING START

Young opener Devdutt Padikkal starred on debut before Yuvzvendra Chahal

produced a crafty spell to set up a 10-run win for Royal Challengers

Bangalore in their opening IPL contest against Sunrisers Hyderabad here on

Monday.

Padikkal (56 off 42, 8 fours) displayed his highly rated talent with a

half-century before AB de Villiers (51 of 30) provided the much needed final

flourish to take RCB to 163/5 after they were sent in to bat.

Chasing 164 for a win, SRH were all out for 153 in 19.4 overs.

The Sunrisers were on course for a comfortable chase with Jonny Bairstow (61

off 43) looking in ominous touch. Chahal (3/18) removed the Englishman and

Vijay Shankar in successive balls in the 16th over to tilt the game

decisively in his team's favour.

INDICATORS

Sensex 38,034 (-812), Nifty 11,222 (-283), Trading Value NSE ,(Rs.crores)

64169.39

Nasdaq 10,779 (-14) Dow 27,147 (-510), S&P 3,281 (-38)

US$-Rs. 73.42 GBP-Rs. 94.45, Euro-Rs. 86.62, UAE Dhm-Rs.19.87, Can$-Rs.

55.41, Aus$- Rs. 53.29

GBP 0.77 /US$, Euro 0.84 /US$, Jap.Yen 104.44 /US$, Aus$ 1.37 /US$, Sing

1.35 /US$, Bang Taka 83.33 /US$, Can$ 1.32 /US$, Mal Ring 4.11 /US$,

Pak Re 165.56 /US$, Phil Peso 48.40 /US$, Russian Rouble 76.04 /US$, NZ$

1.48 /US$, Thai Baht 31.16 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 28.00 /US$, Norway NOK 9.20

/US$

Bitcoin - USD 10,440

Dollar Index 93.60 Brent Crude 41.59 BDI 1,296

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,910 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 5,130 / 5,030

Silver (Rs. Per KG) 67,800

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

You can't have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the

time. - Charles F. Kettering

OFF TRACK

A new business was opening and one of the owner's friends wanted to send him

flowers for the occasion.

They arrived at the new business site and the owner read the card, "Rest in

Peace."

The owner was angry and called the florist to complain.

After he had told the florist of the obvious mistake and how angry he was,

the florist replied, "Sir, I'm really sorry for the mistake, but rather than

getting angry, you should imagine this... somewhere there is a funeral

taking place today, and they have flowers with a note saying,

'Congratulation on your new location.'''