India

On Sunday, thousands of Dalit people protested on Jantar Mantar in the national capital Delhi demanding justice. This protest of the Dalit community was in support of the victims of communal riots in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh on May 5, 2017.

Youth from Saharanpur and surrounding areas were involved in this demonstration called under the leadership of newly formed Dalit organization 'Bhima Army'.

Members of the All India Student Association, a student union of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) also participated in protests.

"Our demand is that the charges against Bhima Army founder Chandrashekhar Azad should be withdrawn and strict action should be taken against the people of the so-called upper caste who targeted the Dalit villagers and burn their houses," Sucheta Dey, National President of AISA told IANS.

During the Maharana Pratap Jayanti in Shabirpur village of Saharanpur, violence against the two communities arose when protesting against playing music on a high volumn. One person was killed in the violence and 16 others were injured.

Another member of the AISA involved in the protest said that the newly formed Dalit organization has been successful in attracting people of the community. At the same time, they claimed that 10,000 to 15,000 people participated in protests.

An AISA leader told IANS that Bhima Army is a group of educated Dalit youth in Saharanpur area, which, in the name of Dalit rights, has different views than the traditional demands of reservation in jobs and education only.

About two dozen Muslims in Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh are reported to have changed their religion.

According to the news agency ANI, nearly 24 people have left Islam religion and adopted Hindu religion according to Hindu customs. All those who adopt the Hindu religion are from the Ambedkar Nagar district. Among those who make a change in religion are women and children.

During this time, Jan Mohammad, who adopted Hinduism, said that for nearly 20-25 years his ancestors were Hindu. However, for some reasons, they left Hindu religion and adopted Islam.

At the same time, after completing all the necessary rituals related to Hindu religion, these people have given the beginning of Hinduism. The entire program was done very secretly in an Arya Samaj temple.

During this time, Kailash Chandra Srivastava of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has completed the process related to conversion.

While giving information in this matter, Shrivastav said that those who adopted Hinduism have not been given any kind of greed.

In the case, the Uttar Pradesh administration has refused to respond.

Lal Mohammed, who adopted Hinduism, said that his father was Hindu, whose name was Jaidur and uncle's name was Chhabu Lal. 20-25 years ago they left Hindu religion and adopted Islam.

Jan Mohammad told that now the father is not in this world, he now realizes that his father's previous religion was the right religion. Now we also want to stay in Hinduism. We have got satisfaction in this religion.

Lal Mohammed further said that we have not been given any kind of greed for adopting Hinduism. We have joined Hinduism in our own happiness.

Aajtak Editors Round Table was organized for question-answer to the success of the government's success-failure of the three years of Modi government, in which Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was reprimanded by journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, Between me and you

During this time, Scindia told Rajdeep that what are you talking about? In the field of agriculture, 12 thousand farmers are suicidal, which is a failure of the BJP government. There will be difference in their telling and doing.

Indeed, Rajdeep was comparing the development during the Congress and BJP governments. Congress leader, Scindia became angry at this question.

Earlier, Jyotiraditya Scindia said Sunday (21st May, 2017) in the Aaj Tak Editor's Round Table that Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi could equal Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is capable of leading party and country.

Scindia said that Rahul Gandhi has immense potential. They have a deep understanding of issues related to land.

He said, "I privately believe that Rahul Gandhi is capable of leading the party and the country. Give them just a few moments."

Scindia said, "Rahul Gandhi can certainly equalize Modi. He will challenge Modi and the Congress will go to the public with the blue print on which the party and Rahul are working. I think we should move forward in their leadership. We will form the government in his leadership in 2019."

In response to Mallikarjuna Kharge in the Lok Sabha in response to a question regarding making Scindia a Leader of the Opposition, he said, "What is written in the destiny ... what is the party's strategy, these are some things about whom I am aware is not.''

Jyotiraditya said about his 15 years of experience in politics, "I am the Congress party worker. I have always believed this.''

Although he acknowledged that his party had a new blueprint and needed to pay attention to the states where there are more chances of returning to the Congress.

He said that we need to think again, we have done many good things in the past 10 years, but it is certain that people's faith has not been successful in winning. We need to go among the people with the new Blueprint.

On being asked about the opposition candidate for the Presidential election to be held in July, Scindia said that Congress is in discussions with all opposition parties to form a common candidate. We all want to build consensus on one name from all opposition parties. Discussions are underway. Congress alone can not take a decision on this.

Asked whether Pranab Mukherjee would be his candidate. He said that the President has clarified that he will present the election candidature only when his name will be consensus.

According to the data of Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT), more than 1800 IAS officers have not given details of their fixed assets to the government within the stipulated time frame. All officers of the Indian Administrative Service are required to submit last year's real estate returns by the end of January. If they do not, they can be denied promotion and empanelment.

According to DOPT's data, 1856 IAS officers have not filed their returns for 2016. Most of the 255 IAS officers who do not file returns are from Uttar Pradesh, while 153 in Rajasthan and 118 from Madhya Pradesh have not filed returns. 109 of West Bengal and IAS officers of Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territory Cadre have not filed their returns.

According to the DOPT's data, 82 of Karnataka cadres, 81 of Andhra Pradesh, 74 in Bihar, 72-72 in Assam and Meghalaya, 70 in Punjab, 67 in Maharashtra, 64-64 of Manipur and Tripura and 60 IAS of Himachal Pradesh IAS officers have not even filed their returns. Regularly, it is believed that the civil services officers will give details of their properties and liabilities to the government.

Explain that to curb corruption, the Central Government has made many rules for the IAS officers. Under this, the IAS officers have to seek permission from the Central Government to get a gift of up to Rs 5000, apart from this, they have to inform the government to take gifts of Rs 25 thousand from their relatives and friends.

The Modi government of the Centre is also strictly enforcing these laws to ban large scale bribery but it does not seem to have any effect on the IAS officers.

The IAS officers take out some way to avoid these laws. In 1527 in 2015, 1537 officers in 2014 had refused to give their information related to real estate.

Four terrorists have been killed in the operation of the security forces in Navagam district of Jammu and Kashmir.

There is also news of the martyrdom of 3 soldiers in the encounter.

Security forces have recovered 4 weapons and war-like stores.

The encounter started on Saturday (May 20th) between the security forces and the terrorists in Naugam.

The Madhya Pradesh state Bhartiya Janta Party unit has expelled the state media coordinator of its scheduled caste cell after he was arrested by the cyber cell of the Bhopal Police for allegedly running a sex racket.

Neeraj Shakya was arrested along with eight others on Friday from a flat in the E 7 locality of Bhopal. Four girls were also rescued from the flat.

According to the police, Shakya and the gang used to call girls to Bhopal by assuring them jobs and then push them into prostitution.

"The gang used to track girls through human resource websites. They used to get their details from their resumes and and then call them to Bhopal by promising them jobs," SP cyber cell Shailendra Chouhan said.

The gang of nine, out of which one is still at large used to target girls from north-eastern and southern states.

Police have also recovered a contact book from the accused and is verifying the numbers that are listed in it.

"We have found contact details of several girls and some high profile people in the contact book. Their involvement is being investigated and once it is established, action would be taken accordingly," police said.

The BJP initially denied any association with Neeraj Shakya but once the letter announcing his appointment started circulating on social media the party announced his expulsion.

At least 15,000 tourists are stranded after a landslide near Vishnuprayag on the Badrinath route, as per news agency ANI.

More details awaited.

Uttarakhand has been particularly prone to frequent landslides and floods in the past few years. Last year in July, heavy rains had triggered cloudbursts in several districts of Uttarakhand, killing at least 30 people and washing away houses. Following the flash flood, water level rose in the Nandaprayag area.

A similar incident had happened back in 2015 when around 500 pilgrims were stranded in Badrinath after a fresh landslide had blocked the road near Joshimath in Chamoli district in Gopeshwar. A landslide had occurred at the underground Vishnuprayag Hydroelectric Power House in Hathi Parbat before the Badrinath yatra commenced on April 26 but before its debris could be cleared, a fresh landslide had occurred.

The worst, however, was in 2013 when flash floods and landslides had devastated the Himalayan state that left thousands dead in its wake. This was the worst natural disaster since the Tsunami in 2004 in the country.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council concluded its latest round of meetings on Friday with the decision to apply the same four tax rate slabs for services as for goods, exempting, however, healthcare and educational services from the purview of the GST.

Speaking to reporters in Srinagar following the meeting, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said that no consensus could be reached on the rate to apply on gold, and that the next meeting of the GST Council has been fixed for June 4.

"We could not come to a decision in this meeting on the rate to apply on gold," Issac said.

"Services will have the same four multi-slab structure of tax rates as for goods," he said.

The council on Thursday approved the tax rates for 1,211 items, of which 7 per cent will be exempted, 14 per cent will be in the 5 per cent slab, 17 per cent in the 12 per cent category, 43 per cent in the 18 per cent segment, while 19 per cent of goods will go into the top tax bracket of 28 per cent.

"Services, which are at currently taxed 15 per cent will be fitted into the 18 per cent bracket. However, services will get the benefit of input tax credit for the goods used, so real incidence of taxation will be lower than the headline rate," Isaac added.

He said that while "luxury services" would attract the highest rate of 28 per cent, health and education services would be exempt categories.

"Telecom services would continue to be taxed at the same rates of the past. Not in a single case has there been an increase in taxes from before," he added.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the media in Srinagar on Thursday, after the first day of the council meeting, that "there is no increase in taxes of the items considered today. In fact, for many of them, taxes have come down."

An overwhelming 81 per cent of items will attract tax of 18 per cent or below. Only 19 per cent of items will be taxed at the highest rate of 28 per cent.

Jaitley said that while the overall basket of taxes will see a reduction, he hoped for greater tax buoyancy because of greater efficiency and less tax evasion.

"On many commodities there would be reduction because of the cascading effect, but we are banking on the hope that because of a better tax system and less evasion there would be tax buoyancy," he said.

In a major measure of support to industry, the rate for capital goods, as well as industrial and intermediate items have been set at 18 per cent.

Commenting on the GST Council's deliberations, a senior tax analyst said the rates announced were along expected lines.

"However, it seems a lot of work is yet to be done. Exemptions and issues related to reverse charge mechanism have not been finalised, and looks doubtful that it will be done in a day," said Taxmann.com Senior Consultant V.S Datey.

"Thus the chances of introducing GST by July 1 appears doubtful," he added.

"Companies would now quickly want to compute/re-compute the impact of rate change, if any, on their products and consequential change in their related margins," Partner in international accounting firm KPMG in India Harpreet Singh said in a statement here.

If you are on the railway's daily rides, you will soon be shocked by the Narendra Modi government. The Modi government is now going to safety tax on the general category of railway tickets.

According to the Hindustan Times, the government will recover 2 percent additional safety tax on fixed fares. This fund will be used on rail safety.

Let us know that 94 per cent of railway passengers travel in normal tickets i.e. non reserved category. In the last few years, rail fares of AC-1 and AC-2 category have been increasing gradually, but till now the fares of general category non-reserved and suburban trains have not been increased.

Indian Railways, which has full control of the central government, is currently burden of Rs 32 thousand crore, which is increasing day by day. The railway's operational cost is the highest. This new initiative of Railways is expected to generate an additional income of Rs. 5000 crore in the current financial year. This amount will be used for the protection of Railways, as the Finance Minister discussed the safety fund of the Railway in the 2017 budget speech.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu says, "We have to set up a safety fund to protect the railway and the passengers and we hope that the common people will cooperate."

He said that we are discussing all the options.

Significantly, the central government has decided to set up a special safety fund of Rs one lakh crore in the next five years. Apart from the upgradation of rail track and signal system through this fund, work to eliminate unmanned gates is to be done. That is, every year the government will spend twenty thousand crores on these standards.

Meanwhile, the Railways received Rs 15,000 crore from the Central Government in National Rail Safety Fund. Out of these 10 thousand crore rupees were received from the Central Road Fund and Rs 5000 crore from the Finance Ministry. While the remaining 5000 crores of rupees were asked to raise the railways through internal resources.

It is believed that in view of this, the Railways has proposed to impose two percent cess on the tickets in front of the government.

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav has challenged BJP and RSS leaders. Lalu Yadav said, BJP and RSS leaders will hear that I will take you down from your chair in Delhi, whatever my situation is. I do not need to scare.

Lalu said that BJP and RSS are annoying me, which they will have to suffer. He is making a bad image of me and my party.

Speaking on the attack on the Narendra Modi government, Lalu said, if this attitude of the Modi government, then he will not be able to complete even for 5 years.

He said, on 27th August there will be a huge rally in Patna's Gandhi Maidan, in which leaders of the same thinking will be present and decide the strategy ahead.

On the morning of May 17, Laloo had called Sonia Gandhi and requested her to join her rally in Gandhi Maidan in Patna.

According to the report of The Telegraph, in a 10-minute talk, Laloo had said that if we fail to come against the BJP, then it will end.

He had said, RJD wants all the anti-BJP parties to unite.

A source told, "Madam, you must come on 27th. I am trying to bring an ideological party to a stage so that the BJP can be defeated.

He said in his invitation, "You must definitely come, if you can not come for any reason, send Priyanka Gandhi to the rally."

Let me know that on May 16, the Income Tax Department has raided 22 places in Delhi and Gururgram in the case of alleged Anonymous property against Lalu Prasad and his family.

For the last 40 days, BJP leaders and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi has been continuously making allegations against the families of the Lalu Prasad, who have been making allegations against the acquisition of Anonymous property.

After this Lalu Prasad had targeted the BJP and the BJP supported media. He had said that BJP does not have the courage to suppress the voice of Lalu. I'm not scared of the jackals.

Lalu Prasad tweeted on Tuesday, "Happy New Alliance Partner to BJP. Lalu Prasad is not bending and fearing. As long as there is last breath, I will continue fighting against fascist forces. Various speculations are being made about Lalu, who was saying to the BJP's new Alliance partner.