Srinagar, July 6 (IANS) A second encounter is underway between the security forces and the terrorists which broke out in J&K’s Kulgam district on Saturday.

An official said that a joint team of police and the army started a Cordon & Search Operation (CASO) in Chanigam village of the Frisal area in the Kulgam district.

“As the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired at the security forces triggering an encounter which is now going on,” he said.

Earlier, an encounter broke out between the security forces and the terrorists in Mudergam village in Kulgam during which an army soldier was killed.

The two villages, Mudergam and Chanigam, are 12 kms away from each other.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 6 (IANS) After its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has decided to increase its presence across Maharashtra by stepping up its outreach with people from all sections of the society in the run-up to the Assembly elections slated for September-October this year.

As a part of its poll strategy, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare held two-day marathon meetings with the party’s different cells and asked them to strengthen the organisation by connecting with all sections and bringing them into the party fold.

Tatkare, who was the party nominee elected from Raigad constituency, also asked the cadres and office bearers to focus on aggressively carrying out membership drives both for the parent organisation and also for the youth, women and other cells.

He said that the budget presented by deputy chief minister (DCM) and finance minister Ajit Pawar is a relief to the common people. “DCM has announced many welfare schemes in the budget. During the meeting, we decided to take the schemes and reach out to the last person in society,” he added.

He also instructed the office bearers to ensure that the various public welfare schemes of the MahaYuti government reach the common people.

Meanwhile, Tatkare launched ‘Ajit Yuva Yodha’ membership registration campaign’s online website on behalf of the Nationalist Youth Congress.

On behalf of the Student Cell, a ‘State Level Study Festival’ initiative was launched for students across the state on the occasion of Ajit Pawar’s birthday. Along with this, a campaign called ‘Branch at Every College’ will be conducted on the occasion of Sunil Tatkare’s birthday. The initiative of the College Student Help Desk and the launch of the ‘Join NSC’ campaign also took place on the occasion.

–IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, July 7 (IANS) Without taking name, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday hit out at Rajya Sabha MP P. Chidambaram over the latter’s comments that the three new criminal laws were drafted in the Parliament by ‘part-timers’, as he termed the Congress veteran’s remarks as an ‘inexcusable insult’ to the wisdom of the Parliament.

The new criminal laws, Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act, respectively, with effect from July 1, 2024.

Taking strong exception to the ‘part-times’ jibe by the Congress MP, the Vice-President said that he was shocked beyond words to see such ‘irresponsible and wild’ remarks that part-timers have drafted the ‘new criminal laws’.

Chidambaram, who served as the Finance Minister in UPA I and UPA II regimes, said in an interview with The Indian Express that the three criminal laws which came into force from July 1 were drafted by ‘non-professional people’, who were ‘part-time members of a committee’.

“Are we part-timers in Parliament? This is an inexcusable insult to the wisdom of the Parliament! I do not have words strong enough to condemn such kind of narrative being set afloat,” Jagdeep Dhankar said.

Addressing the 12th Convocation of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday, the Vice-President told the audience that when he opened the newspapers this morning, he was shocked to see such a statement by an informed mind who has also been the Finance Minister of the country.

Vice-President Dhankar, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman, urged the audience to ‘be on guard’ over a deliberate narrative being floated by certain elements to ‘run down our nation, demean our institutions and also taint our progress’.

“When informed minds knowingly lead you astray, we need to be on guard,” he told the audience.

“With a heavy heart, I am sharing with you that the gentleman gave total rest to his vocal chords while the debate was going on in the Parliament on Nyaya Vidhan,” he added.

Making an appeal to the Congress MP, he said, “Please withdraw these derogatory, defamatory, and highly insulting observations to the Members of the Parliament. I hope he does it.”

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said India is well-positioned to be a key player in the global space sector in the coming years with its robust space programme and a growing pool of skilled professionals.

He said this while addressing the 12th Convocation of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) – Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

The Vice President said that ambitious missions, groundbreaking discoveries, and steadfast commitment to scientific advancement define India’s journey in space exploration.

“In the field of space, our recent accomplishments have earned global accolades. In the year 2023, all seven launches of ISRO including Chandrayaan-3, and Aditya L-1, were successful,” VP Dhankhar said.

“A total of 5 Indian satellites, 46 foreign satellites, and 8 rocket bodies (including POEM-2) were placed in their intended orbits. All this just in one year,” he added.

He credited the achievements to the efforts of scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and said they “underscore India’s technical prowess and determination to explore the uncharted territories of space”.

“It is because of ISRO only, that Bharat can proudly boast of being the world’s first country to successfully land Chandrayaan 3 on the south pole of Moon,” he said.

“ISRO has etched Shiv Shakti point (the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon) and Tricolour (the lunar surface where Chandrayaan-2 left its footprints) on the Moon. The moment will ever be etched in history and deeply embedded in our proud pleasant thoughts,” the VP said.

Further, he also mentioned India’s successful launch of the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), with which India became the first Asian country “to reach Martian orbit and the first in the world to do so in its maiden attempt”.

The VP noted that with each space mission — be it India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1, or upcoming ambitious human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan — India has been “propelled onto the global stage of space exploration”.

Speaking of the future, VP Dhankhar said that “the coming decades will witness an unprecedented surge in space exploration. India, with its robust space programme and a growing pool of skilled professionals, is well-positioned to be a key player in this exciting journey”.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents on Saturday dismissed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad Yadav’s ‘weak’ Central government claims and asserted that the “stable Central government” will remain in power until 2029.

Emphasising that India will make “rapid progress” under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP leader Vivek Thakur dismissed Lalu Yadav’s statement and said that there is “no need to take his words seriously.”

“It’s an old habit of his to make such remarks, and there’s no need to take his words seriously. He is a veteran leader. We’ve been seeing for three decades that he keeps saying something or the other,” said the BJP leader, adding that the NDA’s “historic win” has led to forming a “stable” government at the Centre for the next five years.

Responding to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s comments on law and order, Vivek Thakur criticised the Opposition, implying that “those associated with crime should not comment on such issues”.

“Those who are synonymous with crime and criminalisation should refrain from speaking on these subjects. Generation after generation, people are well aware of who is synonymous with crime,” he added.

JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar attacked Lalu Yadav, mocking him as a “self-styled fortune-teller” since his sentencing by the judiciary.

The JD(U) leader sarcastically suggested that the people of Bihar should consult Lalu Yadav with their birth charts but warned them to “avoid signing over their land.”

“After being sentenced by the judiciary, Lalu Yadav has found a new job as a fortune-teller. He has become a fortune-teller. We hope that the common people of Bihar should go with their birth charts to his residence, and he will see if they have a favourable position. However, don’t risk signing over your land when you meet him,” Neeraj Kumar said, adding that the RJD leader “doesn’t check his own fate.”

On Friday, Lalu Yadav had said that the ‘weak’ Central government led by PM Modi might collapse in August.

“The Central government is very weak, and it might collapse in August this year. It will allow the INDIA bloc to form a new government,” Lalu Prasad said while addressing RJD leaders and workers on the 28th Foundation Day of the RJD at the party’s head office in Patna.

–IANS

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