
Sr Pawar to press for women quota in 2029 LS polls
NCP Rajya Sabha member Faujiya Khan, who leads the women wing of NCP, said before the LS polls were declared, PM Narendra Modi had promised reservation for women in Parliament and state legislative assembly. However, so far, there is no movement in that direction. — Prafulla Marpakwar
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Izz al-Din al-Haddad is Hamas' new de facto chief in Gaza
As the US presses for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the militant group's decision will largely hinge on its new de facto chief in the Gaza Strip. The commander, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, took over the military wing in Gaza after Israeli forces killed Mohammed Sinwar, according to a senior Middle Eastern intelligence official and three Israeli defence officials. On Thursday, Brig Gen Effie Defrin, the Israeli military's spokesperson, said that al-Haddad was Hamas' new chief. Al-Haddad, who is in his mid-50s, helped plan the Hamas-led attack on Oct 7, 2023, the officials said. He is believed to be in firm opposition to Israeli efforts to dislodge Hamas from power, suggesting that he could block any push to release all remaining hostages before an end to the war in Gaza and a withdrawal of Israeli troops. Al-Haddad is thought to be based in Gaza City, his hometown. He is believed to have said in recent weeks that he will either achieve an "honorable deal" to end the war with Israel or else the war will become "a war of liberation or a war of martyrdom," the Middle Eastern intelligence official said. Since the Oct 7 attack, al-Haddad has been the only senior Hamas commander to give an on-the-record interview, appearing in an Al Jazeera documentary that aired in Jan.


Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Plot to kill MLA Sunil Shelke foiled in Pimpri-Chinchwad, SIT to be formed
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have uncovered a conspiracy to murder Sunil Shelke, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA from Maval constituency. During a discussion in the state assembly on Friday, Shelke raised serious concerns through a calling attention motion, prompting the state government to take immediate action. The conspiracy came to light on July 26, 2023, when the anti-dacoity cell of the Pimpri-Chinchwad police carried out a major operation in Talegaon Dabhade based on a tipoff. (HT) Responding to the motion the same day, minister of state for home affairs Yogesh Kadam assured the House that a special investigation team (SIT) will be constituted to conduct an in-depth probe into the matter. Also Read | 'Treated like family': Lajpat Nagar double murder by helper shocks neighbours, co-workers The conspiracy came to light on July 26, 2023, when the anti-dacoity cell of the Pimpri-Chinchwad police carried out a major operation in Talegaon Dabhade based on a tipoff. Initially, two persons were arrested whereas a further probe led to the arrest of seven persons in total. All accused have a criminal history involving murder, attempt to murder, extortion, arson, and possession of illegal arms. The police recovered nine pistols, 42 live cartridges, machetes, and other deadly weapons from them. During interrogation, the accused revealed that the seized weapons were meant to be used in the planned murder of Shelke. The accused hail from Madhya Pradesh, Jalna, Vadgaon and Kalewadi and reportedly have no personal enmity with Shelke, raising suspicions of a powerful mastermind operating behind the scenes. Also Read | Meghalaya honeymoon murder accused Sonam Raghuvanshi's brother says won't hire a lawyer till... 'These accused come from poor backgrounds, yet they had access to expensive weapons and could afford top legal representation. Who is funding them? Who is the real mastermind behind the murder plot?' Shelke questioned in the assembly, pointing to a larger, more sinister conspiracy. Kadam informed the House that the accused had been in prison for a year-and-a-half and were later externed from Pune district for two years. Notwithstanding, they were found hiding in the district which Shelke highlighted as a serious lapse in enforcement. Also Read | Tandoor murder: 30 years on, echoes of a killing that shook Delhi's conscience Kadam assured that the matter is being taken seriously and if required, an SIT will be constituted to unearth the conspiracy. He said that information about a Madhya Pradesh-based arms supplier named 'Devaraj' has been shared with the concerned state government. However, after Shelke once again highlighted the serious nature of the conspiracy, Kadam assured that an SIT would be constituted to investigate the matter in detail. Kadam also asked Shelke to share whatever information the latter might have with the police so as to help take necessary action.


Deccan Herald
2 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
The row over rolls revision: Voters' lists must be cleaned up
The Congress, which had imposed Emergency during its stint in power in the 1970s, is now stooping to a new low as an opposition party. The Bharatiya Janata Party, on the other hand, set a high moral standard in opposition politics and always lived up to the expectations of a democratic India. After the defeat in the assembly elections of Maharashtra, Haryana and the 2024 parliamentary elections, the Congress is questioning the impartiality of the Election Commission of India, which has a longstanding record of credibility in conducting free and fair elections in India. This is the time in India when the Opposition is constantly attacking all the pillars of democracy – legislature, executive, judiciary, and media – for its superficial politics and casting doubts on them. . The Opposition is even targeting India's foreign policy and the Indian Armed Forces. The target of all these allegations is Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government. It seems that the Opposition, which is continuously failing in politics, is now engaged in destroying the democratic tradition of India. It would be understandable if Pakistan or China took this approach to India, but, unfortunately, it is the Congress and other opposition parties, which resorted to this strategy, only to survive in politics. Now, the question is whether the opposition will be able to revive its fortune in politics by tearing apart the democratic dignity of India? Are the traditions, ethics and principles of India's democratic politics a thing of the past, thanks to the Opposition? Will the opposition counter the ruling party only by maligning the image of the impartial institutions and the pillars of democracy, like the ECI?.The row over rolls revision: Great Bihar disenfranchisement. As the ECI has started the revision of the voter list in Bihar, the Congress-led INDI Alliance has started attacking the prime minister, the government and, of course, the commission. Whereas the reality is that the ECI keeps revising its voter list at regular intervals every year. In India, elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, panchayats and municipal corporations are held every year in several phases. By-elections also keep happening in between. It is the important responsibility of the ECI to be fully prepared and ready for elections on time. It seems that frustrated by the repeated failure to stand against the BJP, the Congress is raising questions on the ECI in desperation and frustration, hence desires to create doubts among the masses to play politics. The complete accuracy of the voter list is essential for a successful voting process and to strengthen democracy. No one can deny the fact that a large number of fake voters are registered across the country. According to an estimate, there are at least 5000 to 25000 fake, or double or triple registered voters are enrolled in every assembly constituency of Bihar. This needs to be revised and corrected on a priority basis before the election is announced. Even within the same assembly constituency, a voter is registered at multiple places. It is necessary to clean up the voter lists and free the rolls of duplications. The BJP has been demanding that the ECI should link the electoral rolls with Aadhaar, so that the fraud in the voting system could be stopped completely. There should be a positive participation of all the political parties. The Opposition should encourage the process for strengthening democracy, rather than indulging in superficial politics through propaganda. It is the responsibility of all the political parties to strengthen the democratic institutions and cooperate with the ECI in making the electoral process completely free and fair. The Congress and the rest of the INDI Alliance are pretending to make a political move, but are, in reality, trying to weaken democracy in India by hitting at the pillars of democracy.. (The writer is presently the National General Secretary of the BJP's OBC Morcha.)