NEWS

After forcing the UP government to use its influence over religious bodies to postpone the annual Kanwar Yatra in view of the pandemic, the Supreme Court on Monday sought the Kerala government’s response within 12 hours to a plea challenging relaxation of Covid lockdown norms in the state for Bakrid festivities.

In a late evening response to SC notice, the Kerala government said it relaxed the Covid lockdown norms to address the distressing condition of the traders, who had stocked up for Bakrid. With the economic slowdown haunting the traders, not allowing them to sell their stock during festival would have dealt a crippling blow to their finances, it said justifying the three-day relaxation of lock down norms, which ends on Tuesday.

A new era of train travel experience with enhanced comfort is being rolled out in Indian Railways with the introduction of newly upgraded Tejas sleeper coach rakes in Western Railways.

These bright golden-hued coaches, with enhanced smart features, are being introduced to run Railway’s prestigious Mumbai Rajdhani Express train offer best in the class travel experience. This new rake made its maiden run on Monday, 19th July, 2021.  The existing rakes of Train No.  02951/52 Mumbai – New Delhi Rajdhani Special Express, one of the most prestigious & premium trains of WR have been replaced with brand new Tejas type sleeper coaches.

In another order that protects liberties, the Supreme Court on Monday gave the Manipur government six hours to release activist Leichombam Erendro, detained since May 13 for a social media post on the inefficacy of cow dung and urine against coronavirus after state BJP president Prof Tikendra Singh succumbed to Covid.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and M R Shah granted bail to Erendro on furnishing a personal bail bond of Rs 1,000 without any sureties and ordered the BJP-governed state government to ensure his release before 5pm. On the request of solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for Manipur, the bench adjourned the hearing of Erendro's father L Raghumani's Singh's petition to Tuesday. However, it said the detained person cannot be kept under detention for a day more, even though the petition would be heard on Tuesday.

With eyes on the high-stakes UP assembly elections next year, BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday whipped out her upper caste card by announcing the launch of Brahmin conventions from July 23, in a move that political analysts are viewing as the Dalit czarina’s bid to return to her tried-and-tested social engineering formula that propelled her to power in the 2007 state polls.

The conclaves would kick off from Ayodhya under the supervision of Mayawati’s trusted aide and party’s Rajya Sabha MP Satish Chandra Mishra.

The BSP chief said that the decision to organise Brahmin conventions followed atrocities inflicted on the community by the BJP dispensation in UP. “The community got swayed by tall promises and voted for BJP in 2017 assembly elections. Now, Brahmins are worried and looking for an alternative,” Mayawati said, citing the 2007 assembly polls, which witnessed a successful amalgamation of Brahmins with Dalits to put Mayawati in power.