MADURAI l friday l june 28, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l LATE city EDITION 12 rajya sabha MPs held guilty of misconduct for causing disruptions Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee on Thursday held 12 opposition MPs guilty of misconduct for disrupting the House’s proceedings last year rules broken amid protest on manipur issue The MPs, including Aam Admi Party’s Sanjay Singh, were accused of unruly behaviour in Rajya Sabha on August 11, during protests by the Opposition demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak on the Manipur violence. Singh is accused of rushing into the well of the House and pointing at the Chair seeking discussion on the issue | P7 ■ 140+ Mps told to adhere to code of conduct ■ All of the lawmakers have since appologised. The panel, in its report, told them to “scrupulously adhere to exemplary conduct” Among the 12 MPs held guilty are Shaktisinh Gohil, Sushil Gupta, Sandeep Pathak, Naranbhai J Rathwa, L Hanumanthaiah, Syed Nasir Hussain, Kumar Ketkar, Phulo Devi Netam and Jebi Mather Hisham lawmakers suspended in both houses during last year’s winter session CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Emergency a punching 3-men gang controls TN sand mines: ED bag for Murmu as well S iddharth P ra b hakar @ Chennai No word on the ambitious One Nation, One Poll, Uniform Civil Code Sengol row after SP member’s suggestion RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi A day after Speaker Om Birla deplored Emergency President , Droupadi Murmu followed suit on Thursday, describing it as the biggest and darkest chapter of a direct attack on the Constitution, in her first address to a joint session of Parliament after the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha. Murmu also expressed grave concern over frequent disruptions in Parliament because of differences between the treasury and the Opposition benches. She hailed the record turnout of voters in J&K in the general elections, saying the Kashmir valley has given a befitting reply to the enemies of India who spread false propaganda at global forums. The President also touched upon various policy initiatives like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) but was silent on the BJP’s promise of a Uniform Civil Code and the One Nation, One Poll proposal. Murmu said, “The Constitution of India has stood up to every challenge and every test in the past decades. Even when the Constitution was in the making, there were forces in the world who wished India to fail”. After the Constitution came into force, it was attacked many times. “The imposition of Emergency on June 25 in President Droupadi Murmu addresses the joint sitting of Parliament | PTI Samajwadi Party MP R K Chaudhary’s demand to replace the Sengol installed next to the Speaker’s chair with a copy of the Constitution triggered a war of words on Thursday. While Opposition leaders supported him, the ruling BJP lit into Chaudhary for disrespecting Indian and Tamil culture. Chaudhary had written to Speaker Om Birla demanded that the Sengol, a symbol of transfer of power when India got Independence, be removed as it represents monarchy 1975 was the biggest and darkest chapter of direct attack on the Constitution,” she said. It drew wide criticism on the Opposition benches. As for the ruling NDA, Murmu said the government is taking all efforts to make the Constitution embedded in public’s consciousness. She pointed out that even in J&K, the Constitution is now fully in force. Giving the Opposition a bit of advice, President Murmu said, “Opposition of policies and obstruction of parliamentary functioning are two different things. All of us are responsible for ensuring that no obstacle comes in the way of achieving the resolution of Viksit Bharat.” Amid the row over alleged malpractices in the holding of NEET-UG and the cancellation and deferment of a few other competitive exams, Murmu said, “My government is committed to a fair investigation and ensuring strict punishment to the culprits. Even earlier, we have witnessed many instances of paper leaks in different states.” Speaking about the government, she said the people have given the NDA a clear and stable mandate for a third time. All 273 excavators sold since 2011 bought by one firm As per the Enforcement Directorate’s investigation into the alleged `4,730 crore river sand mining scam across 28 sites in Tamil Nadu, just three people allegedly controlled the entire sand mining business in the state. Government tender conditions were manipulated to ensure that only those entities linked to these three pocketed all the contracts, the ED said. A Japanese sand excavator manufacturer has also told ED that all the 273 excavators sold by the company in Tamil Nadu since 2011 were bought by enti- Kobelco, a Japanese sand excavator manufacturer, told ED that all the 273 excavators sold by the company in Tamil Nadu since 2011 were bought by entities that come under a business group owned by S Ramachandran. ED has provisionally attached 209 of these sand excavators worth `128.34 crore in the money laundering case P reetha N air @ New Delhi amid the nationwide outrage over allegations of paper leaks and irregularities involving the National Testing Agency (NTA), the opposition parties said they will demand a discussion on the matter and bring adjournment motions in both Houses of Parliament on Friday The . decision was taken at the meeting of the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. An Opposition leader who attended the meeting told this newspaper that all the parties unanimously decided MRFA TN launches women’s job scheme of `1.2K cr Highlighting that women’s contribution is vital for Tamil Minister for Sports Develop- Nadu to become a trillion-dolment and Youth Welfare Ud- lar economy by 2030, the minishayanidhi Stalin, who also ter said the scheme, which is holds the special programme aimed at identifying the talents implementation portfolio, on of women at the district level, Thursday said a new scheme to will be launched in eight dispromote women’s employment tricts in the first phase. called Tamil Nadu A Talent Assessment Women Employment Platform will be creatand Protection Scheme ed to enable girls who with several sub-comare studying in Class 8 ponents will be impleto 12 to identify careers mented at a cost of suitable for them `1,185 crore for five through psychometric years between 2024 and t e s t s . A n ‘ E a rl y 2029. The allocation for preneruship’ prothe scheme for 2024-25 Udhayanidhi Stalin gramme will also be will be `168 crore. included in the school Replying to the discussion on curriculum to inculcate the demands for grants of his de- zeal of entrepreneurship in partments, Udhayanidhi an- children, he said. The minister nounced several new schemes, said an information bank for including those aimed at turn- women would be created where ing women into entrepreneurs, details about skill development, helping graduate youth im- entrepreneurship, psychologiprove job skills, and psycho- cal counselling, employment metric tests for identifying opportunities, and safety aschildren’s talents at the school pects for women at workplaces level. will be made available. P5 E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Chennai The Union government has been encouraged by its success in getting US company GE Aerospace Defence and Systems to produce fighter jet engines in India in collaboration with the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. As per the deal signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s last visit to the US, GE will transfer 80% technology of its F414 jet engines that will power the Mk2 version of India’s indigenously-developed Light Combat Aircraft. The gover nment has increased the FDI sectoral limit in defence to 74% to make the country a defence manufacturing hub. sl sailor’s death CHARGE AGAINST 10 indian fishers Two men arrested by CBI being taken for medical checkup in Patna | pti to move adjournment motions on the NEET row in both Houses of Parliament. The parties will demand a debate on NEET in both Houses before the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address takes place, said a senior leader. This is to ensure that NEET History for Rainbow nation South Africa cruised past Afghanistan to enter their first-ever Men’s World Cup final Indian fishers face charges of illegal fishing, death of a naval personnel during operation to seize their boat, and for causing damage to naval property, a statement issued by the Sri Lankan Navy after a magistrate probe said | P2 gets adequate time for discussion, he added. While Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi will raise the issue in the Lok Sabha, Kharge will lead take it up in the Upper House. Sources said the Opposition parties will not relent until discussion happens. Meanwhile, the CBI on Thursday made its first arrests in the NEET-UG paper leak case, taking two persons—Manish Kumar and Ashutosh Kumar—in custody in Patna for allegedly providing safe accommodation to aspirants and giving them leaked question papers and answer keys. Proteas pace lights up Trinidad On a Trinidad and Tobago surface that had immense variable bounce, South Africa pacers Marco Jansen (3/16), Kagiso Rabada (2/14) and Anrich Nortje (2/7) attacked the stumps consistently and reaped the rewards to dismiss Afghanistan for just 56 runs South Africa cruise through Knowing what is needed to make history, South African openers bided time but at the same time picked up crucial runs before eventually taking the team home. With the victory, South Africa men finally broke the semifinal curse they have had since in the ICC events over the past couple of decades Reeza Hendricks(L), and Aiden Markram Not content with piecemeal Make in India initiatives in its defence procurement, the Union government has made a policy switch to buy as many as 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) only from a vendor who is ready to set up a manufactuting unit in India for the entire aircraft. It also wants transfer of technology and full production in India in a joint venture with a local partner. A new global tender incorporating these conditions is likely to be floated soon. The radical shift in policy is expected to delay the MRFA ac- quisition further. sault’s Rafale, Boeing’s Super India has 31 squadrons of Hornet F/A-18, SAAB’s Gripen, fighter jets as against the sanc- Lockheed Martin’s F-21, Rustioned strength of 42. sian MiG-35 and the EurofightA large number of parts of er Typhoon. fighter aircraft purchased earSources said French compalier are already being manny Dassault, makers of Raufactured in India under fale, which has been the the offset obligations. frontrunner to bag the 114 This is the first time contract, is not keen to that the government transfer technology for will be insisting on production in India. deal manufacturing comThe Indian government plete aircraft in India has already bought 36 Rawith technology transfer. fale jets for the Indian Air Approximately valued at $20 Force and is likely to go ahead billion, the MRCA is said to be with its decision to purchase 26 one of the world’s biggest de- Rafale Marine to replace the fence deals in recent times. ageing MiG-29s being used on Among the aircraft in the race I N S Vi k r a n t a n d I N S to bag the contract are Das- Vikramaditya. ernment officials colluded with these contractors to illegally mine sand over and above the quantum allowed under the contract with the government. In its investigation conducted to probe money laundering charge, ED said all the 15 contractor companies engaged at 28 sand quarrying sites either belong to or are controlled by Opposition to press for debate on NEET in Parliament today Policy switch to make full fighter jets in India S H A H I D F A R I D I @ New Delhi ties that come under a business group owned by one of these contractors. The details are part of the dossier sent on June 14 by the central agency to the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002, sources said. The agency said state gov- Rain affects India semifinal On a rain-hit morning, Rohit Sharma married intent with execution as his unbeaten 26-ball 37 took India to 65/2 off 8 overs before the heavens opened up. After Jos Buttler asked India to bat, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant departed but Rohit and Suryakumar kept the scoreboard moving | P11 Shanmugam Ramachandran, K Rethinam, and P Karikalan. Their companies had won bids for all the operations, from excavating the sand to loading and moving them to the storage area, involved in sand mining. ED has attached deposits worth `2.25 crore in over 35 bank accounts allegedly belonging to the three and a few others. The agency had also relied on a deposition by Asokan Muthaiya, a former Engineerin-Chief of the Water Resources Department (WRD), who told the ED that the 15 firms were ‘benamis’ of the three, sources, quoting the ED probe, said. P5 Annual report Alarming rise in hate speech in India: Blinken EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi THERE has been a ‘concerning increase’ in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, and demolition of homes and places of worship of minority communities in India, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Releasing the annual State Department report on international religious freedom in Washington on Wednesday (local time), Blinken said not just India but governments around the world are increasingly targeting individuals, shuttering places of worship, forcibly displacing communities, and imprisoning people based on their religious beliefs. He also noted that attacks against Jews and Muslims have increased in the US after the Gaza war started. The 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom says 10 out of India’s 28 states have laws restricting religious conversions for all faiths. Some of these states also impose penalties for religious conversions done for the purpose of marriage, it adds. The report says that in 2023, Christians and Muslims were arrested in India under laws banning forced religious conversions, adding that in some cases, these laws were abused to harass religious minorities. US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom Rashad Hussain said: “In India, Christian communities reported that local police aided mobs that disrupted worship services over accusations of conversion activities, or stood by while mobs attacked them and then arrested the victims on conversion charges.” The report notes the Indian government’s plan to enact a Uniform Civil Code has been opposed by Muslim, Sikh, Christian, and tribal leaders as well as some state governments on fears that it will turn the country into a Hindu Rashtra. t o s e r v e 3 0 m n pa x a y e a r State govt to build int’l airport in Hosur on 2,000 acres E xpress N ews S ervice @ Chennai The Tamil Nadu government will set up an international airport on 2,000 acres of land in Hosur with a capacity to handle 30 million passengers a year to cater to the increasing industrial needs of Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts, Chief Minister M K Stalin told the Assembly on Thursday . Making the announcement under Rule 110 of the Assembly , the CM underscored the need to enhance connectivity to Hosur and support numerous manufacturing and industrial units in and around the city that are attracting investments in electronics and electric vehicles manufacturing. He said the state government has been carrying out several farsighted measures to bring in modern infrastructure in Hosur. The new master plan for Hosur is about to be completed soon, he said. He added that the government felt an airport was needed in Hosur to help the socio-economic development of Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri region. “The new airport will foster a twin-city ecosystem with Bengaluru propelling growth in both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka,” Industries Minister TRB Rajaa later said in a statement while extending his heartfelt thanks to the CM for the announcement. “This project will enhance connectivity and stimulate economic growth, benefiting not only Hosur but also neighbouring districts of Dharmapuri and Salem, while providing a significant boost to parts of Bengaluru,” Rajaa said. “The airport will undoubtedly enhance the region’s connectivity and attract further investments, solidifying Hosur’s position as a major indus- The state government has been carrying out several farsighted measures to bring in modern infrastructure to Hosur. A master plan for Hosur is about to be completed soon. An airport is needed in Hosur to help the socio-economic development of the Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri region Chief Minister M K Stalin trial and economic hub,” said Dr Jeyaranjan, vice-chairperson of the State Planning Commission. When asked about the policy of not allowing any new airport to be set up within 150 m k radius of an existing airport, an industry department source said that it is a contractual obligation and not a law. “We are aware of it and decision was taken after holding discussions with the stakeholders, including Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).” P5
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