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Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Public prosecutor Nikam of Kasab ‘biryani' fame, former FS Shringla among 4 nominated to Rajya Sabha
New Delhi: Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam , who fought several high profile cases including that against 26/11 terror attack accused Ajmal Kasab , murder of BJP leader Pramod Mahajan and the 1993 Mumbai blasts, has been nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha. President of India has also nominated former foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla , Indic historian Meenakshi Jain and BJP activist C Sadanandan Master to the Upper House. In a press statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that President Droupadi Murmu has nominated these four people under Article 80 (1) (a), read with Clause 3 of Article, of the Constitution. There are only six nominated members at present in the Rajya Sabha while the maximum strength in this category is 12 members. Nikam, who became a BJP member after retirement and unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 from the Mumbai North Central seat against Congress candidate Varsha Gaikwad, has fought several high-profile cases as public prosecutor. After the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, he represented the government in the case against terrorist Ajmal Kasab who was later hanged for his heinous act. At one point during the trial, Nikam had stated that Kasab has been demanding biryani in jail. Later, Nikam revealed that he had spread this canard as some sections were getting sympathetic to Kasab. Only vegetarian food is served in Indian jails. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She's 75, She's 78 – Their Handmade Jewelry Is 80% Off The Art Journal Read More Nikam was a surprise choice for the Mumbai North Central seat as BJP had replaced sitting MP Poonam Mahajan and given him the ticket. Incidentally, Nikam had fought her father Pramod Mahajan's murder case and ensured the conviction of the guilty. Other famous cases handled by Nikam as a public prosecutor includes the serial blasts in Mumbai in 1993 in the wake of the Babri mosque demolition. Gangster Dawood Ibrahim, Tiger Memon and his brother Yakub were among those involved. Yakub Memon was hanged for the crime. Live Events Nikam also fought the case against those accused in the murder of Gulshan Kumar, head of music company T-Series. Harsh Shringla (63) is a career diplomat who served as India's foreign secretary from January 29, 2020 to April 30, 2022. He was appointed chief coordinator for the G-20 Summit hosted by India in 2023. Fluent in Nepalese, Shringla is an IFS of the 1984 batch. He has served as the Indian Ambassador to the US and Thailand, and as High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Meenakshi Jain is a right-wing academic who has worked on medieval Indian history. She is a respected figure in the field of education, literature, history and political science. Congratulating her, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, 'She has distinguished herself as a scholar, researcher and historian. Her work in the field of education, literature, history and political science have enriched academic discourse significantly…' C Sadanandan Master is a BJP member from Kerala. Both his legs were hacked, allegedly by CPI(M) activists, in Kannur during a violent political protest. 'C Sadanandan Master's life is the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. Violence and intimidation couldn't deter his spirit towards national development. His efforts as a teacher and social worker are also commendable. He is extremely passionate towards youth empowerment. …' Modi said.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Kasab prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam to former diplomat Shringla — a look at the four nominees for Rajya Sabha
The President has nominated former diplomat Harsh Shringla, Special Public Prosecutor in Ajmal Kasab case Ujjwal Nikam, historian Meenakshi Jain, and Kerala teacher C. Sadanandan Master to the Rajya Sabha, marking an entry of two high-profile people to the Upper House. In a notification issued on Saturday (July 12, 2025) The Union Home Ministry said the President nominated the four to fill the vacancies caused due to retirement of nominated members. In total, the President of India nominates 12 persons as her nominees to the Rajya Sabha — persons known for their eminence in the fields of arts and letters, and public service. Out of these 12, four seats are currently vacant. A look at the four new members of the Rajya Sabha Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a retired diplomat of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), served as a Foreign Secretary of India and as an Ambassador to the United States. Prior to that, Mr. Shringla served as India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Graduating from St. Stephen's college, Delhi University, Mr. Shringla worked in public sectors before joining as a (1984 batch) IFS officer. Mr. Shringla, in his first ambassadorial assignment, served Thailand for a period of two years. He was also given the charge as the coordinator of G-20 Summit, which India hosted for the first time, across multiple cities in November 2023. Ujjwal Nikam, a celebrated lawyer, has represented Maharashtra in several court cases, the most notable being a Special Public Prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack trial of Ajmal Kasab and the 1991 Bombay bomb blasts case. In his decades-long career, Mr. Nikam has worked under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act. Mr. Nikam has also been a recipient of several awards for his contribution to the legal field. He was fielded by the BJP in 2024 in the Lok Sabha elections as a candidate from Maharashtra's Mumbai North seat, replacing Poonam Mahajan. C Sadanandan Master, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran from Kannur district in Kerala, is reckoned a 'living martyr' by the party after he lost both his legs in a suspected Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] attack in 1994. The lower primary school teacher had contested as the BJP candidate from the Koothuparambu constituency in the 2021 Kerala legislative Assembly elections. Mr. Sadanandan Master had served as the president of the National Teachers' Union and is an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh think tank. Bharatiya Vichara Kendram. Dr. Meenakshi Jain, a noted historian, served as an Associate Professor of history at Gargi college, Delhi University. She has served as a fellow of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, was a member of the governing council of Indian Council of Historical Research, and was a senior fellow of the Indian Council of Social Science Research. Her most notable published works include: The Battle for Rama: Case of the temple at Ayodhya, Sati: Evangelicals, Baptist Missionaries and the changing Colonial Discourse, Parallel Pathways: Essays on Hindu–Muslim Relations, Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples. Dr. Jain was also conferred the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, for her contribution to the the field of literature and education.
Newsweek
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Trump's Ukraine Deadline For Putin Passes. What Next?
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. It could take up to "two weeks" to work out whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is stringing U.S. negotiators along, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House in late May. If Putin is stalling, Trump warned, "we'll respond a little bit differently." Now, the apparent deadline laid out for the Kremlin is up. What hasn't yet materialized, though, is a ceasefire deal. Absent, too, are convincing signs an agreement could be on the horizon and clarity on how Trump intends to act. "I don't think Putin took the two weeks seriously," said John Foreman, a former British defense attaché to both Moscow and Kyiv. Trump has generally veered away from overtly criticizing Putin while openly berating Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky, but has repeatedly condemned Russia's lethal airstrikes and floated that the Kremlin could be "tapping us along." U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 Summit on July 7, 2017, in Hamburg. U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 Summit on July 7, 2017, in Hamburg. AP Photo/Evan Vucci Putin "will continue this game" until Trump hits the Kremlin where it hurts, Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian parliamentarian for the country's southern Odesa region, told Newsweek. The White House has been approached for comment via email. Trump, who pledged to end Europe's largest land conflict since World War II, has threatened to slap sanctions and tariffs on Russia but has, so far, appeared unenthusiastic at the prospect. Putin "knows Trump's reluctance to impose more costs on Russia," Foreman told Newsweek. The Trump administration is noticeably distancing itself from the conflict, acknowledging it will cut military aid to Kyiv at a time when Russia has hammered the country with air strikes, Foreman said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers on Tuesday there will be a "reduction" in the next fiscal year's budget for aid heading for Ukraine. He did not specify what the cutbacks in the upcoming budget will be. Ukrainian officials told Newsweek that slashing aid will cost Ukrainian lives and play into Putin's hands. Russia has launched extensive aerial attacks across Ukraine in recent weeks, firing hard-to-intercept ballistic missiles and sending hoards of explosive drones toward major cities. Ukraine has been heavily reliant on its backers, like the U.S., for air defense supplies that have long been scarce. Ukraine has blamed a lack of pressure on Russia for the glacial pace of progress in ceasefire talks. Kyiv agreed to a U.S.-formulated 30-day ceasefire proposal in March, which Moscow dismissed. Trump himself has oscillated between driving negotiations onward and suggesting he could throw in the towel. His administration had suggested in April it could abandon its mission to broker peace in eastern Ukraine if clinching a deal would drag on. In a fresh indication of boredom with ceasefire talks, Trump last week compared Russia and Ukraine to "two young children fighting like crazy" and resisting efforts to "pull them apart." "Sometimes you're better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart," the president added. A second round of direct negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian officials in early June yielded an accord on the exchange of prisoners of war but no steps towards an agreement on a ceasefire. Ukraine said Russia has not responded to a document outlining possible ceasefire conditions and the need for a face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelensky. Russia's chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, said Moscow had handed over its own document outlining road maps to stop the fighting, including a pause for up to 3 days on "certain sections of the front." Zelensky claimed Russian officials at the talks earlier this month admitted openly to Ukraine's delegation that they knew Kyiv could not accept Moscow's conditions. Kyiv has said it is too early to schedule another meeting. There is a roughly 10 percent chance a ceasefire deal will be inked in 2025, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who served two terms as Ukraine's prime minister between 2014 and 2016, told Newsweek last month.
India Gazette
29-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Pakistan has been behaving and acting like a rogue state": Manish Tewari in South Africa
Johannesburg [South Africa], May 29 (ANI): Congress leader Manish Tewari, who is part of the all-party delegation visiting key capitals including South Africa as part of Modi government's big diplomatic outreach said on Thursday that Pakistan has been behaving and acting like a 'rogue state'. He also stated that the delegation during their visit to South Africa conveyed the need to isolate states using terorrism as an instrument of state policy, in an apprent reference to Pakistan. 'African National Congress and India have a long-standing relationship which is underpinned by the mutual respect for Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. The Indian delegation very clearly conveyed it to the African National Congress, our interlocutors, that there is a need to isolate those states which use terrorism as an instrument of state policy...,' he told ANI He also said that Pakistan sponsored terorism has been creating 'instability' in Aghanistan and Iran as well. 'We also sensitised them about the fact that it is not only India which has been hit for the past 4.5 decades by terrorism being sponsored from Pakistan. Pakistan has been creating instability in Afghanistan and Iran. Pakistan has been behaving and acting like a rogue state, now going back many decades... The African National Congress expressed its solidarity, saying that they will not be a party, and will not, in any manner, endorse a state which uses terror as an instrument of state policy...,' Tewari added. Earlier today, John Steenhuisen, Federal Leader and Minister of Agriculture of South Africa extended support to India in its fight against terrorism and said that it is important for democracies to stand together, united against terror. 'India bought a very important message to South Africa today. We condemn the use of terror anywhere in the world, and it is important for democracies to stand together, united against terror... Any measures to counter terrorism need to be welcomed. As democracies, we need to find ways to combat terror globally... India is a very important strategic partner for South Africa as both are members of the BRICS,' John Steenhuisen told reporters. Steenhuisen's comment came after a meeting with the NCP-SCP leader Supriya Sule-led delegation in Cape Town. Speaking to ANI after the meeting, Supriya Sule said, 'We held detailed discussions. They promised to stand with India. The G-20 Summit is going to be held here. India has deep bilateral relations with South Africa.' Sule-led delegation held talks with Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) of South Africa along with Members of the Parliament of South Africa and conveyed India's stance on combating terrorism. In a post on X, India's High Commission in Pretoria stated, 'Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Province (NCOP) of South Africa, P (Les) Govender, along with other Members of the Parliament of South Africa, met All-Party Parliamentary Delegation, MPs from India at the National Council of Provinces of South Africa. Delegation members explained the background of terrorist incidents in India, including the Pahalgam Attack, and conveyed India's united message of Zero tolerance for terrorism.' The members of the delegation are Members of Parliament Supriya Sule, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Vikramjeet Singh Sahney, Manish Tewari, Anurag Singh Thakur, Lavu Sri Krishna devarayalu, Anand Sharma, former Minister of Commerce & Industry, V Muraleedharan, Former Minister of State for External Affairs, and Syed Akbaruddin, Former Permanent. Representative of India to the UN. On April 22, terrorists killed 26 people, including a Nepalese national in Baisaran valley in the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. India launched 'Operation Sindoor' on May 7 in response to the attack, which targeted terror bases and led to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. (ANI).
India Gazette
29-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"We condemn use of terror", says South Africa Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen
Cape Town [South Africa], May 29 (ANI): John Steenhuisen, Federal Leader and Minister of Agriculture of South Africa, on Wednesday (local time) extended support to India in its fight against terrorism and said that it is important for democracies to stand together, united against terror. 'India bought a very important message to South Africa today. We condemn the use of terror anywhere in the world, and it is important for democracies to stand together, united against terror... Any measures to counter terrorism need to be welcomed. As democracies, we need to find ways to combat terror globally... India is a very important strategic partner for South Africa as both are members of the BRICS,' John Steenhuisen told reporters. Steenhuisen's comment came after a meeting with the NCP-SCP leader Supriya Sule-led delegation in Cape Town. Speaking to ANI after the meeting, Supriya Sule said, 'We held detailed discussions. They promised to stand with India. The G-20 Summit is going to be held here. India has deep bilateral relations with South Africa.' Earlier in the day, Sule-led delegation held talks with Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) of South Africa along with Members of the Parliament of South Africa and conveyed India's stance on combating terrorism. The delegation members explained the background of terrorist attacks in India, including the April 22 Phalgam terror attack. In a post on X, India's High Commission in Pretoria stated, 'Deputy Chairperson of the National Council of Province (NCOP) of South Africa, P (Les) Govender, along with other Members of the Parliament of South Africa, met All-Party Parliamentary Delegation, MPs from India at the National Council of Provinces of South Africa. Delegation members explained the background of terrorist incidents in India, including the Pahalgam Attack, and conveyed India's united message of Zero tolerance for terrorism.' The members of the delegation are Members of Parliament Supriya Sule, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Vikramjeet Singh Sahney, Manish Tewari, Anurag Singh Thakur, Lavu Sri Krishna devarayalu, Anand Sharma, former Minister of Commerce & Industry, V Muraleedharan, Former Minister of State for External Affairs, and Syed Akbaruddin, Former Permanent. Representative of India to the UN. (ANI)
