The upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections will be crucial for both the parties, Congress as well as BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party). The election is important for Congress to not only reverse its fortunes after the recent setback in the Northeast elections but also to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party later this year in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan while for BJP, it is looking to keep its winning streak going by retaining power in Karnataka assembly polls. A host of opinion polls released on the day Karnataka Elections dates were announced projected a hung assembly. The opinion polls fail to take into account the local factors. In 2018, in the Karnataka Assembly elections, BJP emerged as the single largest party with 104 seats, followed by the Congress with 78 seats, and JD(S) with 37 seats.

 The season of opinion polls is back with the Karnataka elections due on 10th May 2023. The opinion polls quench the thirst of the public eager to understand which way the wind is blowing. Bharatiya Janata Party releases its first list of 189 candidates with 52 new faces. After several days of intense deliberation, on Tuesday the party finally released its first list of candidates for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the poll in charge of the state said “Young leadership has been given preference in the selection of the candidates.” Senior BJP leader Arun Singh said that in the list of 189 candidates, there are 52 new faces as BJP believes in giving the younger generation a say in governance. 

Besides the new names, 32 candidates are from OBC, 30 candidates from SC, 16 candidates from ST, and also there are 8 women in the first lists, said Arun Singh. The BJP has fielded chief minister Basavaraj Bommai from his traditional Shiggaon seat for Karnataka assembly polls. BJP leader and former Karnataka CM, BS Yediyurappa’s son Vijayendra will contest from the Shikaripura seat. Earlier rumour was he may contest from Varuna against Congress Siddaramaiah. However, Yediyurappa played down the speculation. C T Ravi, BJP national general secretary will contest from his traditional Chikmagalur seat. The State minister R Ashoka to contest from 2 seats, Padmanabhanagar and Kanakapura. Congress chief D K Shivakumar will be fighting from Kanakapura. 

V Somanna, Minister of Karnataka to contest against the ex-CM Siddaramaiah of Congress in Varuna. V Somanna will also fight from Chamarajanagar. Dr. Sudhakar K, state Health minister will contest from the Chikkaballapur seat, meanwhile, former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar’s name was missing from the list. For the election, there has been active campaigning by national President JB Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah in the poll-bound state, but it’s up against a stronger-looking Congress. The corruption charges against the ruling party and the anti-incumbency factor could be a hurdle for BJP to retain power this time.

 A win in the elections would boost BJP’s confidence heading into the upcoming polls to strengthen its position nationally ahead of the next year’s Lok Sabha election. Before the list was announced, Bommai asserted that the party was taking ‘tough decisions’ to create a new system, an apparent reference to the candidates’ selection exercise, and also expressed confidence that ‘pro-incumbency’ sentiments will help them to beat any challenge from Congress and retain power. He also stated that the second and final lists will be announced in the coming days. BJP aims to return to power in Karnataka with an absolute majority and set a target of winning at least 150 of the total  224 seats in the assembly. 

On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted fresh searches in Uttar Pradesh as part of an ongoing money laundering probe against gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and those connected to him, sources said. The central agency is in the action and raids are being carried out at many locations, including Prayagraj and its neighbouring region. 

Ahamd is expected to appear in the trial of the Umesh Pal murder case at Prayagraj court on April 12. He is being brought by an Uttar Pradesh Police team via road from Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat. He is accused in the murder of Pal and two police personnel were shot dead outside his home in Prayagraj’s Dhoomanganj region on February 24 this year. 

Based on a complaint registered by Pal’s wife, a petition was filed on February 28 against Amhad, his wife Shaista Parveen, brother Ashraf, two sons and eleven others. On the other hand, the Uttar Pradesh Police produced Ahmad on March 26 in court. He was taken from the Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj via a road. 

In 2021, the Enforcement Directorate investigated the money laundering matter against  Ahmad and his wife and after the investigation, the central agency attached assets worth over ₹8 crores. The ED had conducted some searches during the period too. The agency official had said its investigation found that “Atiq Ahmad and its aides, mainly used its criminal activities to earn black money in cash and it was dumped the assets in his nearby relative and his family.” The agency official stated that during the earlier investigation by ED, funds were being credited to their accounts from many companies and firms, which are generally run by his aides. 

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is carried out keeping in mind the necessity of contemporary and developed India. He also added that the policy emphasises the integrated development of children, knowledge, skills, culture and the promotion of Indian values. 

“The Central government has executed the new National Education Policy keeping in mind the basic requirements of modern and new India perspective,” PM Modi said in a video note, during the time of addressing an event for newly-appointed teachers in the Madhya Pradesh state. 

On the other hand, PM Modi further disclosed that more than 22,400 youths have been recruited for the position of teacher. He boosted the young blood with congratulatory messages to those who have received appointment letters for taking part in such noble work as teaching. The PM also highlighted the main role of teachers in the productive implementation of NEP 2020. 

Citing the aspiring skill development programme, he added the government has put particular emphasis on skill development to encourage employment and self-employment. PM Modi further emphasised that under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) many youths can easily get skill-oriented training programmes from skill development centres which have already been opened across the nation. 

The Prime Minister informed that, under this year’s financial budget, there will be over 30 Skill India International Centers opened across the country. In this centre, youths will be trained under the guidance of a skilled environment with new-age technology. This drive will have a massive positive impact on facilitating training to small artisans through the PM Vishwakarma Yojana scheme and also getting the chance to connect with the MSME world. He also appealed to the newly-designated teachers to always try and make a place in their hearts for their students.

In another move towards semi-high speed railway connectivity, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India flagged off Vande Bharat Express as Rajasthan’s first and country’s 15th train via video conferencing on April 12th, 2023, Wednesday. Vande Bharat Express will make its inaugural journey between Jaipur and Delhi Cantt railway station. As it operates between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt, with stops at Jaipur, Alwar, and Gurgaon. The regular train service will start on 13th April 2023. 

The world’s first semi-high-speed train on high-rise overhead electric (OHE) territory is now ready to give the passengers a comfortable experience. According to the schedule shown for 

the newest Vande Bharat Express train, it will cover the distance between Delhi Cantt and Ajmer in only 5 hours and 15 minutes. While speaking at the launch event, Narendra Modi said that Vande Bharat Express enhances the soul of ‘India First, Always First’. He said “It has become synonymous with development, modernity, self-reliance, and stability. The journey of Vande Bharat will lead us to the developed India. The Vande Bharat Express will be extremely successful for the tourism industry of Rajasthan. I am lucky to have flagged off the sixth edition of Vande Bharat Express in the last 2 months.”  

It has been observed that since the Vande Bharat train started, more than 6o lakh people have travelled in these trains. The high-speed of the Vande Bharat Express is the biggest feature for the passengers as it saves a lot of time. From fast speed to beautiful design, the Vande Bharat train is endowed with many features. Shatabdi Express is the present fastest train which takes 6 hours and 15 minutes on the similar route. The gap of 60 minutes by Vande Bharat Express compared to the current train on the same route.  

The train will improve the connectivity to major tourist destinations in Rajasthan, including Pushkar and the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, among other places that draw visitors in bulk this year. The socio-economic growth and development will also be boosted by the improved connectivity in the region.  Earlier in January, PM Modi had flagged off India’s eighth Vande Bharat Express between Visakhapatnam and Secunderabad. The Vande Bharat is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities, a more convenient and comfortable experience. 

On Wednesday, Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen stated that her recent foreign visit, including the United States, demonstrated Taiwan’s firm commitment to safeguarding freedom and democracy, despite provoking China to conduct military exercises around the island. During the conclusion of her tour, which involved visits to Guatemala and Belize, Tsai held a meeting with Kevin McCarthy, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, in Los Angeles last week. 

Starting on Saturday, China, which considers Taiwan as its own territory and does not recognise its democratic governance or statehood, initiated military exercises around the island, causing anger and frustration. “During our trip, we reiterate our commitment to defending freedom and democracy in Taiwan, which garnered recognition and support from our democratic allies, sending a strong message to the international community,” Tsai said. 

She emphasised the urgent need for democracies to come together and collaborate in the face of ongoing authoritarian expansionism. Canada holds a significant position as a democratic ally, and she expressed readiness to work closely with Canada and other like-minded partners to collectively protect the fundamental principles of freedom and democracy. Tsai appeared at ease as she welcomed the 10 Canadian legislators, despite the existing tensions with China. She even made a joke when the interpreter translated her opening remarks into English after using “bonjour,” the French word for hello.

Although China declared on Monday that the three-day drills had concluded as planned, Beijing has persisted with military operations in the vicinity of Taiwan. According to Taiwan’s defence ministry, 35 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval vessels were detected in the past 24 hours surrounding Taiwan as of Wednesday morning. According to a map provided by the ministry, 14 aircraft had violated the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which typically acts as an unspoken boundary between the two sides.

At the northern end of the median line, there were five Su-30 fighters among the aircraft that crossed it, while the remaining planes crossed at locations in the centre and south. Since staging war games near Taiwan in August and following a visit to Taipei by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Chinese air force has been regularly crossing the median line, in contrast to their previous occasional crossings. China has declared that it refuses to acknowledge the presence of the line. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s government vehemently denies China’s territorial rights and asserts that the destiny of Taiwan should be determined solely by its people.

Four Indian Army jawans were killed in a firing shootout which was reported inside Bathinda Military Station situated in Punjab on Wednesday. The area was locked down and joint investigations with the Punjab Police Force have started to take place. And according to some unknown sources, there were many facts that were uncovered during the investigation of the case.

When the case was further probed, it was discovered that this incident took the lives of four Amry Jawans of an artillery unit who were caught between the fire shots and were severely injured followed by their untimely demise. It has been reported that there was no loss of property or any other personnel property faced.

All the aspects of this case were investigated and there was a possible involvement of INSAS rifles that fired twenty-eight rounds and were also reported missing two days back, the statement read. 

Beforehand, the HQ South Western Command also stated that the Staton Quick Reaction Teams had been activated and search operations were being conducted. 

Bathinda Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gulneet Singh Khurana confirmed that something unknown has happened but the army forces were not allowed to share any details regarding the matter although, the Internal Combing Operations were on command and looking into the matter. 

SSP Khurana said that although it was not a terrorist attack and seemed to have been some developments from the internal team at the military station. Some unknown sources also discovered that some weapons and have gone missing from an artillery unit in the station, just a few days back. Adhering to this, intensive search operations are going on to find those weapons. 

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday gathered evidence material as a voice sample of Congress senior leader Jagdish Tytler in association with a 1984 Sikh-riot case in the city’s Pul Bangash region. The central investigation agency official claimed that the agency found fresh evidence in the matter. Congress leader Tytler arrived at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory specifically for the voice sample collection under the supervision of officials. 

After the collection of his voice sample, he told the media, “What have I done? If there’s evidence against me, then I’m prepared to hang myself…It wasn’t related to the 1984 riots case for which they wanted my voice (sample), but another case.” Matter of fact, the cases regarding the violence that took place at the Gurudwara Pul Bangash located in North Delhi. The incident occurred on 1 November 1984, which was the day following the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her Sikh security guard. 

In the past, CBI had submitted three closure reports in the 1984 riot cases and the victims of the riots’ families challenged the closure reports in court. On the other hand, the court in December 2015, directed the central agency to further investigate the case and make sure that no side of the matter is left unexposed. The court also specifically ruled that the matter should be monitored regularly every two months. 

Following the court order in December 2007, the central agency’s closure reports were rejected respectively. So, the CBI proceeded to reopen its probe into the deadly killing of Thakur Singh, Badal Singh and Gurcharan Singh close to the Gurudwara. Presently, the CBI is putting forward consistent updates on the matter to a special court located in the same region. 

The sentencing of two prominent human rights lawyers by a Chinese court has been condemned by the United Nations, with the organisation’s human rights chief expressing deep concern over the lengthy jail terms. On Monday, Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi were sentenced to 14 years and 12 years in prison, respectively, which is being perceived as Beijing’s most recent effort to suppress criticism and calls for improved civil liberties in the country.

The two individuals were vocal about their criticisms of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and President Xi Jinping. The Human Rights chief, Volker Turk, expressed his apprehension regarding the sentencing of Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong, who are well-known advocates of human rights in China. According to him, their lengthy imprisonment sentences deviate from the established norms of international human rights law. The statement was released by Volker Turk’s office.

The law on human rights mandates that individuals should face prosecution or any form of punishment for expressing their dissent towards government policies. In addition, it entails the observance of impartial trials and due process rights and thorough inquiries into any claims of mistreatment. 

Xu and Ding were found guilty of “subversion of state power” and each sentenced to 14 and 12 years in prison, respectively, by a court in Shandong province in eastern China on Monday. However, it should be noted that courts in China are not autonomous and are ultimately accountable to the ruling Communist Party of China. 

The trials of Xu and Ding were not open to the public and were plagued with procedural irregularities and claims of mistreatment, according to a statement by Human Rights Watch, a US-based organisation focused on protecting human rights. Amnesty International also called the sentencing a blatant violation of their rights to freedom of expression. 

Finally, the wait is over! Apple is all set to open its two official stores and has announced the date for the launch of its much-awaited retail stores in India and it’s happening in just one week. The global tech giant which entered the country two decades ago announced the grand opening of its stores in Delhi and Mumbai on April 11th, 2023, Tuesday. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple has scheduled a trip to India to launch Apple’s first retail store next week in India. 

The Apple BKC store in Mumbai will open on April 18th while the Apple Saket store in Delhi will open its doors to the public on April 20th. Apple’s Mumbai store will open at 11 am at the Jio World Drive Mall in BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex). The store which will open in Mumbai is inspired by the “iconic Kaali Peeli taxi art unique to Mumbai.” The Apple Delhi outlet will open for customers at 10 am at the Select Citywalk Mall in Saket and has colourful artwork and unique designs inspired by Delhi’s famous places.  

In India 2020 was the year when the US tech giant started its first online store and they had further plans to launch their physical stores as well but due to Covid Pandemic, those plans were stalled. The launch of Apple’s two offline stores comes after years of continuous obstacles and consultation with the Indian government. According to reports, CEO Tim Cook has scheduled a trip to India to launch its offline stores, underscoring the ambitions for the country as a growth market and manufacturing base. 

The tech giant said in a statement that “Beginning April 20th, the customers will be able to stop by to explore Apple’s latest Product lined up, find creative inspiration, and get personalised and support from the store’s team of creatives, geniuses, and specialists.” India’s electronic market growth is being exploited by Apple and has been only aiming to manufacture the products. Apple started making iPhones in India, just days after it had a worldwide recognition. The tech giant, Apple is partnering with the top three worldwide smartphone manufacturers – Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron.

2017 was the year when Apple started manufacturing iPhones in India. The Central government is likely to have attracted some gadget producers, including Apple, to open a store in India through the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. The government has launched PLI schemes in almost 14 sectors which will make the manufacturers of India competitive, attract investments, enhance exports, integrate India into the global supply chain, and decrease the dependency on imports. 

On Tuesday, Supreme Court allowed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to carry out its route march in the Tamil Nadu state. Apex court dismissed the appeal of the petition filed by the MK Stalin government and upheld the Madras High Court order, which allowed the RSS to hold marches. Top court chair headed by Justices V Ramasubramanian and Pankaj Mithal said while stating the verdict, ‘All special leave petitions are dismissed’.

The major development came after on March 27, the court had reserved its verdict on the petition of the Tamil Nadu government against the Madras High Court allowing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to carry the marches in the Tamil Nadu state. 

On the other hand, DMK led government in Tamil Nadu reached the Apex court on March 3 challenging the Madras High Court verdict on the RSS march’s permission in the state. Government counsel, senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi, told the top court it is not completely opposed to allowing the RSS’ route marches; authorities provided the list of five places where the RSS can carry out the route march. 

He further added that the Tamil Nadu government is reasonably concerned about the law and order issues on driving the route march in fifty places on the very day. “There can not provide the absolute right and there can not be a complete ban,” Rohtagi said. On February 10, the Madras HC bench restored the order dated September 22, 2022, in which the verdict directed the Tamil Nadu authority and police to consider the RSS demand for a route march and allow them to carry out the march programme without pre-condition. 

Besides, the earlier order passed on November 4, 2033, by a single bench of the top court had put out conditions on the state-wide route marches asking the RSS to hold the event indoors or in closed space.