Azad starts new innings, says J&K statehood, job and land rights are his party’s priorities

News Network
September 4, 2022

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Srinagar, Sept 4: Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad Sunday asserted that his newly floated party will fight for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and the right to land and employment to native domiciles.

Speaking about the future of the Union Territory (UT), if he comes to power, 73-year-old Azad, said that restoration of full statehood, right to land, and employment to native domicile will be achieved with a Governor and not with a Lieutenant Governor.

Addressing an impressive gathering at Sainik Farms in Jammu, he said, "the people of J&K will decide the name and the flag of the new party." However, the former Congress veteran revealed that he would give a "Hindustani (Indian) name" to his party that everyone can understand.

Azad, who recently ended his five-decade-long association with Congress on a bitter note, addressed the rally in Jammu on the same day when the grand old party leader Rahul Gandhi addressed ‘Halla Bol rally’ at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.

The ‘Halla Bol’ rally is the prelude to Congress's Bharat Jodo Yatra -- a 3,500 km journey from Kanyakumari to Kashmir which Gandhi will begin on September 7.

Launching a scathing attack on his former party, he said, "Congress was made by us by our blood, not by computers, not by Twitter. People are trying to defame us but their reach is limited to computers and tweets. That is the reason Congress is nowhere to be seen on the ground."

"The condition of the Congress in the whole country since last 8 years is such that in the 49 assembly elections that were held during the period, it lost 39. Now, out of those 49, only two states have Congress governments," Azad said.

He said before the rest even go, "we thought that we would build our house. In which all will keep bricks, no one will keep sand. Because at the national level only 'sand-keepers' currently exist, but only sand does not build houses."

During his highly-anticipated political rally in Jammu, Azad, who remained chief minister of J&K from 2005-2008, expressed hope in his aspirations for the UT, saying it had long been his dream to make the region 'happy'.

"From 2005 to 2008 when I was the CM, some companions left in the middle of my term. So my agenda could not be fulfilled at that time," he said. "We had an agenda to make a happy J&K. Those who were with me in the cabinet at that time, all the experienced leaders and capable people, MLAs and ministers, they all came with us. And together we will fulfill that unfinished agenda," he added.

Azad confirmed reports that the new party will be formed at a national level. "But we are in no hurry for national aspirations, as it (the party) will start from Jammu and Kashmir. Elections can happen in J&K at any time," he said.

Earlier on his arrival from New Delhi, Azad received a warm welcome from his supporters at Jammu airport where from he proceeded to Sainik Farms for a public meeting.

Azad's exit from the Congress on August 26 triggered a flurry of other resignations not only from the grand old party but also from leaders of local parties such as the National Conference, PDP, and the Apni Party. 

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News Network
January 16,2025

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Mumbai: In a shocking incident that has shaken Mumbai, actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed six times in his residence in Bandra, one of the city’s most affluent areas. Sources in the police revealed that the attacker is suspected to have ties to one of the house helps, who reportedly facilitated the intruder's entry into the actor’s home. The house help is currently under police questioning.

The 54-year-old actor, who sustained one stab wound dangerously close to his spine, underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital and is now reportedly out of danger.

Mumbai Police, under scrutiny after the audacious attack, stated, "An unidentified person intruded in the residence of actor Saif Ali Khan. The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is going on."

CCTV footage at the actor’s residence did not show any unauthorized entry in the two hours leading up to the incident, leading investigators to believe that the attacker had gained access earlier and was waiting for the right moment to strike. Efforts are underway to identify the culprit from available CCTV footage.

Opposition Slams Government on Law and Order

The attack has sparked widespread criticism of Maharashtra’s law and order situation, with the Opposition targeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his government. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi questioned Mumbai’s safety standards, particularly in Bandra, an area known for its high concentration of celebrities.

“What a shame that Mumbai sees another high-profile attack. The incident involving Saif Ali Khan raises serious questions about the safety provided by Mumbai Police and the Home Minister,” said Ms. Chaturvedi. She also referenced the murder of veteran politician Baba Siddique and the firing outside actor Salman Khan's home, calling it a series of deliberate attacks aimed at undermining Mumbai’s security.

“Baba Siddique’s family is still waiting for justice. Salman Khan lives in a bulletproof house. Now Saif Ali Khan is attacked—all in Bandra. If celebrities aren’t safe, who in Mumbai is? Wishing Saif Ali Khan a speedy recovery,” she added.

Celebrities Demand Action

Actor Pooja Bhatt also expressed her outrage over the incident, calling for increased police presence in Bandra. Taking to social media platform X, the 52-year-old actor demanded immediate action from authorities, tagging Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, his deputies Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and minister Ashish Shelar.

“Can this lawlessness please be curbed @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice? We need more police presence in Bandra. The city, especially the queen of the suburbs, has never felt so unsafe before,” Bhatt tweeted. She further emphasized, “We have laws, but what about order?”

The incident has not only highlighted glaring security lapses in Mumbai but has also intensified the ongoing debate about the safety of both celebrities and ordinary citizens in India’s financial capital. Investigations are ongoing as the police work to apprehend the attacker and restore confidence in the city's safety.

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News Network
January 13,2025

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The director general of the Ministry of Health in Gaza has described as “hell” the situation in the north of the strip which has been under an Israeli ground offensive and siege for “100 days”.

“The situation is literally like hell,” Munir al-Barsh said on Sunday, referring to daily Israeli attacks and the regime’s ban on food delivery to medical staff trapped in the north’s hospitals.

He added that “hospitals in northern Gaza have turned into mass graves.”

Al-Barsh noted that the offensive and the destruction of hospitals and infrastructure and any sign of life in the north are aimed to empty the region of its residents.

“The Israeli occupation has been deliberately destroying the health system since the very first moment,” he said, adding that “the destruction of hospitals was the greatest evidence of the [Israeli] genocide.”

According to his statements, 5,000 people have been killed or gone missing, while 9,500 others have been injured since the start of Israel’s offensive on the north of Gaza in early October 2024. The regime’s forces have also abducted about 2,300 people, including 65 medical staff, during the ongoing offensive.

Al-Barsh slammed the “disgraceful” silence of the international community on Israel’s atrocities, which he said, has “deepened the suffering of innocent civilians.”

Israel launched a genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.

The regime’s bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 46,565 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured more than 109,660 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.

However, the UK’s Lancet medical journal estimates the actual number of deaths in the war is much higher than the official toll.

According to the study, figures reported by the Palestinian health ministry likely undercounted the death toll by 41 percent in the first nine months of the war as the Gaza Strip’s healthcare infrastructure unraveled.

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News Network
January 13,2025

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Los Angeles wildfires have continued their trail of devastation, razing death tolls to 24 and destroying thousands of structures, while intensifying winds are worsening the situation for both civilians and firefighters.

In an update on Sunday evening, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner said a total of 24 people have died due to the wildfires.

According to the examiner, this number is only an estimate as hundreds of people in various parts of the county are still missing.

Weather forecasters in California are also warning fierce winds which fuelled the infernos around Los Angeles are expected to pick up again this week.

The notoriously dry Santa Ana winds would pick up again from Sunday night until Wednesday, reaching speeds of up to 96km/h, they said.

The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, said weather service meteorologist Rich Thompson. “You are going to have really strong gusty Santa Ana winds, a very dry atmosphere and still very dry brush, so we still have some very critical fire weather conditions out there,” he added.

On Saturday, the flames spread east, creeping closer to Interstate 405 and a busy mountain pass. This is a “significant development,” said L.A. County spokesman Jesus Ruiz.

With the fire rapidly growing and moving in the direction of “a heavily populated area … we are definitely concerned,” he continued.

Gavin Newsom, governor of California said that he believes that in terms of costs associated with the wildfire, it will be the worst natural disaster in terms scale and scope in the history of the US, and the fatalities is likely to increase significantly as well.

On Sunday, private forecaster Accuweather increased its preliminary estimate of financial losses from the blazes to between $250 billion to $275 billion. The wildfires are on track to be among the costliest in US history.

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