NEWS

In a veiled dig at the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched an attack on “political dynasty”, calling it a disease and the biggest “enemy of democracy.” Speaking at the second National Youth Parliament Festival, being held at the Central Hall of Parliament, the PM said that the days of those who won elections on the basis of their surnames are numbered, but there are still some who think only about protecting their families in politics.

Prime Minister Modi said that the biggest enemy facing the country is “rajneetik vanshvaad” (political dynasty.) “Political dynasty is a challenge that the country is faced with and it has to be rooted out. While it’s true that the days of those that won elections only on the basis of surnames are numbered, this disease of dynasty has not ended completely. There are still people whose ideas, thoughts and goals are all about keeping their families in politics,” Modi said.

Political fissures appear to have developed in the Goa cabinet over the construction of a much-delayed IIT-Goa campus in North Goa's Valpoi assembly constituency, even as tremors of an old rivalry between Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane appear to be felt again in Goa's political scape.

Sawant and Rane, both young political leaders, are elected legislators from the neighbouring constituencies of Sanquelim and Valpoi respectively in North Goa and have crossed political paths in the past, most importantly after the death of former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar, when the BJP was on the lookout for Parrikar's successor in 2019.

Rane, as a former Congress leader with a sphere of influence over a cluster of constituencies including Sanquelim represented by Sawant, has in the past backed the latter's rivals in electoral politics. Sawant on the other hand has in the recent past plugged attempts by Rane to launch populist recruitment drives in the latter's Health Ministry.

In a significant victory for environmentalists and concerned citizens, the Uttarakhand High Court has issued a stay on the de-notification of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve – the state's only jumbo reserve.

The state Wildlife Board had in November decided to denotify the reserve to ease the way for the expansion of Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun. 

However, the Uttarakhand HC, which was hearing public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Dehradun-based activist Reenu Paul on Friday, issued a stay on the de-notification.

Earlier on January 4, another division bench of the court had issued notices to the Centre, the state government and the state wildlife board over the decision to denotify the elephant reserve. They were given four weeks' time to reply.

Nothing is same after the outbreak of coronavirus, not even the way of paying obeisance to God.

'Sashtang pranam' or prostration before the deity is no longer allowed in Gujarat temples.

Instead, devotees can only bring their palms together to offer a`namaste'.

Carrying 'prasad' (offerings) inside the sanctum sanctorum is also not allowed in line with the standard operating protocol of the state government, authorities said.

Temples and other places of worship reopened in the state in June, 75 days after the lockdown came into effect.