Karnataka Election : Amit Shah Ups the Ante

Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah has established himself as a fearsome strategist not for nothing. He comes with newer moves and counter moves with every poll. It is as if he especially relishes the electoral battles that bring to forth his unfathomable mastery in the poll strategies.
The newest salvo comes as he slough it out in the scorching sun of Karnataka. Shah has said that his  party will give account for the money spent during the 2019 election to  the Lok Sabha.
  "NDA Government led by Prime Minister Narendra  Modi will give account for the money spent during its five year term in  office," he said  addressing a  public meeting at Hungund.
In the same breath, he challenged Congress President Rahul Gandhib as well.
"Since it is a Assembly  election, he (Rahul) should give details of Siddaramaiah  government's performance during the last five years in office," he said.
Asserting that the BJP will form  the next government in Karnataka, Mr Shah said that Congress has already  lost Assembly elections in 12 States and in May 12 election also same  thing will happen and Congress will lose power.
The move is a smart one as it allows BJP to project itself as a transparent party. At the same time, it puts Congress in a tight spot as the latter is married by corruption scandals.
With this announcement, Amit Shah has upped the ante and now one waits for the response from Congress camp.

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Baseless : Says SC on Plea to Probe Judge Loya's death

The Supreme Court today dismissed a batch of petitions seeking an independent probe into the alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge BH Loya.
A bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, said there is no reason to doubt the statements of judges accompanying Justice Loya that the death was due to a natural cause.
Holding that there was absolutely no merit in the petitions, the bench said, attempts were made to scandalize the judiciary by leveling serious allegations against judicial officers and judges of the Bombay High Court.
The court said, with these petitions, it is clear that a real attempt and a frontal attack was made on the independence of the judiciary.
It said, frivolous and motivated litigation has been filed to settle political rivalry. Justice Loya, who was hearing the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case, had allegedly died of cardiac arrest in Nagpur on 1st December 2014 when he had gone to attend a wedding.

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India Bans Imports of Oxytocin

The Central government has banned the import of Oxytocin and asked the customs department to prevent any attempt to smuggle it into the country.

The move comes after the Prime Minister's Office held a meeting to check the "harmful effects of Oxytocin" as cases of its misuse by some dairy owners and farmers to boost milk production and increase the size of vegetables had come to light.

The Central Board of Excise and Customs, in an order issued recently, has banned all imports of Oxytocin in any name with immediate effect. It said all bona fide requirements of Oxytocin would be met by indigenous production.

There were some reports in the Media regarding misuse of oxytocin injection. However, scientific data on the extent of such practices was not available. The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) had earlier said that no ill effects have been observed in the animals in experiments carried out on the use of oxytocin.

In view of the reports of misuse of oxytocin by dairy owners in milch animals, the manufacture and sale of oxytocin injection was regulated under section 26 A of the Drugs and Cosmetic Act, 1940 published vide notification number G.S.R. 29 (E) dated 17.01.2014.

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TRAI Proposes Public Wi-Fi Access Grid

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today mooted an ambitious model of a public Wi-Fi grid that aims to slash Internet access cost by 90 per cent, and push broadband proliferation in India.

TRAI Chairman RS Sharma told reporters that the regulator's concept involves Public Data Office Providers (PDOs) - much like PCOs of yesteryears that galvanised connectivity.

The PDOs will be companies, or even small merchants, interested in providing Wi-Fi hotspots to public using either free or paid model.

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Reservation Policy Is Here to Stay : Amit Shah

BJP President Amit Shah on Friday said that the Modi government will neither scrap the reservation policy nor allow anyone else to do so. While addressing the gathering at the Maharashtra BJP's Maha Melava rally on the 38th Foundation Day of the BJP, Shah accused the Opposition of not allowing the Budget session of Parliament to function.

Shah said in a press conference  that the journey of the party has been a difficult journey and full of sacrifices. He said BJP sacrificed maximum number of its leaders after independence as compared to any other political party. 

Shah was addressing a in Mumbai after the Maha-BJP-Maha Melava .The party President said BJP is a democratic party and it follows an ideology. Shah added that BJP from two MPs in Parliament, has now 330 members in Parliament. He said there are 1600 BJP MLAs in the country today.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today interacted with thousand of the BJP workers on the occasion of 38th Foundation Day of party.

Addressing through video conferencing, Mr Modi said, the BJP is a party which is completely driven by democratic rules.He said, there is no dynasty and casteism in the party. He said the party has brought a new hope for development of the country. 

Earlier, in his message, Modi said that the BJP is the party of a New India and is privileged to receive the blessings of people of all age groups, across all sections of society. He said party believes in diversity, unique culture of the country and above all the strengths of 125 crore Indians.

Prime Minister thanked people for their unwavering faith in BJP. He said, it is party's commitment that it will continue to devote itself towards India’s transformation.

Modi said that for BJP, the party workers are everything and they are the heart and soul of the party, whose sweat has taken the Party to new heights. He said party remember, with great pride, the heroic service and sacrifice of all party workers who built the BJP and committed themselves towards creating a stronger and better India.

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Journalist Accreditation Could be Permanently Cancelled for Fake News

The government has said that the accreditation of a journalist can be permanently cancelled if the person is found generating or propagating fake news. 

As per the amended guidelines for the accreditation of journalists, if the publication or telecast of fake news is confirmed, the accreditation of that journalist will be suspended for a period of six months in the first violation and for one year in case of a second violation. 

In case of a third violation, his or her accreditation will be cancelled permanently, the information and broadcasting ministry said in a release. 

It said any complaint of instances of fake news will be referred to the Press Council of India (PCI), if it pertains to print media, and to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), if it relates to the electronic media, for determination of the news item being fake or not. 

This determination is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies, the ministry said. Once the complaint is registered for determination of fake news, the accreditation of the journalist, whoever created and/or propagated the fake news, will be suspended till the determination regarding the fake news is made, the ministry said.

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