Ghulam Nabi Azad set to float new political party in Jammu and Kashmir?

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August 26, 2022

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New Delhi, Aug 26: Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the Congress today with a scathing critique of the Gandhis, mainly Rahul Gandhi, is likely to launch a new party in Jammu and Kashmir, sources say.

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, say sources, is keen on a new outfit on his home turf. Soon after his resignation, five Jammu and Kashmir Congress leaders quit in his support.

Sources close to Mr Azad say he wants to mark his presence in the region ahead of elections due later this year.

Mr Azad, 73, quit the party days after he rejected a post in the Jammu and Kashmir Congress saying his recommendations for appointments had been ignored. 

Today, the veteran leader slammed the Gandhis with a five-page resignation letter accusing Rahul Gandhi of "childish behaviour" and immaturity and of letting a "coterie of inexperienced sycophants" run the party.

Mr Azad wrote he joined the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir in the mid-1970s, "when it was still a taboo to be associated with the party, given its chequered history in the state from 8th August 1953 onwards - the arrest of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah being the nadir of its political myopia."

His resignation comes ahead of the 2024 national election and amid signs that the election of a new Congress chief will be delayed yet again. The Congress is focused towards a "Bharat Jodo Yatra" to be led by Rahul Gandhi next month.

Mr Azad, a former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha member, was among the party's tallest leaders and the Congress's face in Jammu and Kashmir.

If he forms a new party, he has the option of tying up with regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir or partnering with the BJP, which would vastly gain from a face like Mr Azad in the region.

Before him, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also floated his party after quitting the Congress. He tied up with the BJP for the Punjab election but failed to make a mark.

Mr Azad is among the few leaders to enjoy goodwill across the spectrum. After his Rajya Sabha membership ended last year, Mr Azad reportedly received invites from parties like the Trinamool Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP.

However, his bonhomie with Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands out.

The Prime Minister choked up during Mr Azad's Rajya Sabha farewell in parliament last year.

PM Modi shared an episode when they were both Chief Ministers - of Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir. He referred to a 2007 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on visitors from Gujarat. "I will never forget Shri Azad's efforts and Pranab Mukherjee's efforts when people from Gujarat were stuck in Kashmir due to a terror attack. That night...Ghulam Nabi Ji called me...," he recalled, fighting tears.

Describing Mr Azad as a true friend, the PM said: "I would not let you retire, I will continue taking your advice. My doors are always open for you."

Mr Azad later praised PM Modi during a speech in Jammu and said he hadn't forgotten his humble roots.

Mr Azad was a leading member of the "G-23" or the group of 23 leaders who wrote to Sonia Gandhi in 2020 alleging a leadership drift and urging major reforms.

When he was honoured with a Padma Bhushan this year, many in the Congress said it was because of his proximity to the Prime Minister and the BJP.
 

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News Network
March 5,2025

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The number of Indian high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), those having assets more than $10 million, rose 6 per cent last year to 85,698, according to Knight Frank.

Global property consultant Knight Frank on Wednesday released its 'The Wealth Report 2025', which estimated the HNWI population in India at 85,698 in 2024, as against 80,686 in the preceding year.

The number is expected to rise to 93,753 by 2028, reflecting India's expanding wealth landscape, the consultant said.

The increasing trend of HNIW population highlights the country's strong long-term economic growth, increasing investment opportunities, and evolving luxury market, positioning India as a key player in global wealth creation.

India's billionaire population has also seen a strong year-on-year growth in 2024.

"India is now home to 191 billionaires, of which 26 joined the ranks in just the last year, which was pegged at just 7 in 2019," the consultant said.

The combined wealth of Indian billionaires is estimated at $950 billion, ranking the country third globally, behind the US ($5.7 trillion) and Mainland China ($1.34 trillion).

"India's growing wealth underscores its economic resilience and long-term growth potential. The country is witnessing an unprecedented rise in high-net-worth individuals, driven by entrepreneurial dynamism, global integration, and emerging industries," Shishir Baijal, Chairman & Managing Director, Knight Frank India, said.

This expansion is not just in scale but also in the evolving investment preferences of India's elite, who are diversifying across asset classes, from real estate to global equities, he added.

"In the decade ahead, India's influence in global wealth creation will only strengthen," Baijal said.

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coastaldigest.com news network
March 3,2025

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In a significant policy shift, the central government has amended the passport application process, making birth certificates the sole valid proof of date of birth for individuals born on or after October 1, 2023. This move aims to streamline documentation and ensure uniformity in age verification.

Mandatory Birth Certificate for New Applicants

The new rule, announced last week as part of the amended Passport Rules, will take effect after its publication in the official Gazette. As per a notification dated February 24, the Ministry of External Affairs has revised the requirements for submitting proof of date of birth when applying for a passport.

For individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, only birth certificates issued by the Municipal Corporation, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, or any other authorized body under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, will be accepted as valid proof of date of birth.

However, those born before this date can continue to submit alternative documents, including school transfer certificates, matriculation certificates, PAN cards, driving licenses, or extracts from service records.

Changes in Residential Information

To enhance privacy, applicants’ residential addresses will no longer be printed on the final page of passports. Instead, immigration officers will retrieve this information by scanning an embedded barcode.

New Colour-Coded Passports

The government has also introduced a colour-coding system for passports:

  • White passports for government officials
  • Red passports for diplomats
  • Blue passports for ordinary citizens

Parental Information No Longer Required

Another major change is the removal of parents' names from the last page of the passport. This revision is aimed at protecting personal information, particularly for individuals from separated or split families.

Expansion of Passport Seva Kendras

To enhance accessibility, the government plans to increase the number of Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) from 442 to 600 over the next five years. The Department of Posts and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) have extended their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate this expansion, ensuring continued passport services at POPSKs.

Officials noted that passport rules regarding date of birth had not been updated for a long time, largely because many rural residents lacked birth certificates. However, with stricter enforcement of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, birth certificates have now become the only recognized proof for those born after October 1, 2023.

These sweeping changes mark a significant update in India’s passport application process, reinforcing security, privacy, and efficiency in document verification.

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News Network
March 3,2025

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala assembly on Monday witnessed heated argument between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front over the increasing violence involving youths as well as the drug menace.

The chief minister blamed it on films that celebrate violence, competitiveness among youngsters and lapses in parenting as key reasons for the increasing violent tendency among the youngsters. He also stressed the need to carry out awareness campaigns and said that there would not be any compromise in enforcement.

Congress gave a notice for adjournment motion in the house in the wake of the back to back incidents of violence involving students, the latest being the death of a tenth standard student at Kozhikode the other day following an attack by five other students. Considering the gravity of the scenario, the government allowed a discussion on the matter.

The Chief Minister was agitated over Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, who presented the notice for the motion, accusing the government of failing to curb the drug menace and also alleged of links of CPM's student outfits Students' Federation of India in brutal violence at campuses. Vijayan was also irked as Chennithala pin pointed the attack on him by repeatedly using 'Mr. chief minister'.

Vijayan said that the increasing criminal tendency among children was a global issue. "As the world becomes very competitive right from studies to jobs, the younger generations are becoming more restless. The competitiveness, which seems to be an outcome of globalization, was also causing enmity in young minds. With parents failing to spend adequate time with children, the children and getting addicted to digital devices," said Vijayan.

He also said that there were police reports that children were even getting attracted to goonda gangs after being influenced by films that celebrate violence. The sensor board needs to look into the matter. Web series and social media were also badly influencing children.

Listing out the number of drug peddling cases nabbed by the police and excise departments in the recent years, Vijayan said that there was no lapse in enforcement.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan extended the opposition's support to the government in fighting the menace.

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