Let's Talk, Uddhav Thackeray Writes To Sena Rebels: 10 Facts

 Uddhav Thackeray, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, wrote to rebel Shiv Sena MLAs today, urging them to talk to him in person, shortly after rebel Eknath Shinde said he will go to Mumbai and speak with the Maharashtra Governor.

Following are the 10 biggest developments in this story:

1. "You have been trapped in Guwahati for some days, I keep getting updates on you. Many of you are in touch with us... and you are Shiv Sena men at heart. Let us talk, we'll find a way," Uddhav Thackeray said in the letter to the rebels staying at a luxury hotel in Guwahati since last week.
2. "I want to appeal to you - time is still not lost. Please come, sit with me, remove all doubts from the minds of Shiv Sainiks and the public, then we can find a way out. We can sit together and find a way out." The letter comes a day after the rebels scored time till July 12 to act without being disqualified.
3. Mr Thackeray, who has been reduced to a minority in the party founded by his father Bal Thackeray, asked the rebels not to fall for any false narrative on the Sena neglecting its MLAs and its core ideology. "The respect that the Shiv Sena has given you, you will not get anywhere else. If you come, talk face-to-face, we can find a way out. As the Shiv Sena chief and head of the family, I am worried about you even now. Please come forward and speak, we will find a way," he pleaded.
4. Eknath Shinde, the leader of the stunning revolt against party boss Uddhav Thackeray, claims he is the real Shiv Sena with at least 40 Shiv Sena MLAs with him. Mr Thackeray's letter emerged shortly after Mr Shinde said he would go to Mumbai and speak with Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, indicating he is ready to launch his next play - a bid for power. "I have 50 people with me in Guwahati, they have come of their own accord and for Hindutva. We all will go to Mumbai soon," Mr Shinde told reporters. 
5. Mr Shinde, reports suggest, may fly to Mumbai or Delhi for consultations with the BJP, which is seen to be the enabler of the revolt that has seen Uddhav Thackeray lose most of his party MLAs to the rival camp.
6. The BJP's Devendra Fadnavis, a former Maharashtra Chief Minister, is in Delhi, sources say. Mr Shinde had been flown by chartered plane from Guwahati to Gujarat's Vadodara after midnight last Friday for a meeting with Mr Fadnavis and BJP's top strategist, Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 
7. "I am not leaving the Shiv Sena. I am the real Shiv Sena," Mr Shinde told reporters, rubbishing the claims of team Thackeray that some 15-20 MLAs were in touch with them and wanted to return to Mumbai. 
8. Yesterday, the Supreme Court gave Mr Shinde and 15 rebels time till July 12 to respond to notices to disqualify them. The rebels cannot be disqualified till then. Sources suggest Mr Shinde and the rebels may be inclined to move for a no-confidence motion in the Maharashtra assembly before the court's deadline. 
9. The Supreme Court refused to pass orders on Team Thackeray's request that no floor test be allowed till July 12. "If anything illegal happens, you can always move this court," it said. Sources say Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari may ask Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to prove his majority sometime this week. 
10. BJP leaders reportedly met at Devendra Fadnavis's home in Mumbai to discuss the arithmetic required to form a government in a tie-up with the Shinde Sena faction. "We are open to the proposal of government formation from Eknath Shinde," said party leader Sudhir Mungantiwar.

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OnePlus Nord 2T to arrive in India on June 27, will cost INR 28,999

 The OnePlus Nord 2T is not available in India and so far we have heard practically nothing from the brand about a launch in one of its biggest markets. The latest leak suggested the launch date has been scheduled and it is June 27.

The same report also revealed we’ll see two memory options - 8/128 GB with a starting price of INR28,999 (€355), while the 12GB RAM variant will be INR31,999 (€390).

The Nord 2T is a slight improvement over the Nord 2 with its Dimensity 1300 chipset and 80W fast charging. It costs €399 or €499 in Europe, meaning Indian users are getting a far better deal.

The phone itself is a lovely device with three cameras, 6.5” AMOLED with Full HD+ resolution and a 4,500 mAh battery. We do have some grunts with the design of the camera island but looks are subjective and there might be people who will like it.

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GMR Infra to give priority in jobs to Agniveers in its security solutions arm

GMR Infrastructure Limited on Tuesday said it will give priority in jobs to Agniveers in its subsidiary firm RAXA Security Solutions Ltd NSE -0.33 %. RAXA Security Solutions provides man-guarding services, techno security solutions, fire and cyber security services. 

The central government has recently launched the Agnipath scheme for youth willing to join the Armed Forces and serve the country. 

Inspired by the scheme, GMR Infrastructure has decided to give high priority to Agniveers who are willing to pursue a new career in the private security domain and offer them employment in its security firm RAXA Security Solutions for a variety of assignments, the company said in a statement.

The Agnipath scheme for the armed forces announced on June 14, provides for the recruitment of youth between the age bracket of 17-and-half years to 21 only four years, with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. The others would retire without gratuity and pension benefits. Later, the government extended the upper age limit to 23 years for recruitment in 2022.

Protests have erupted in several states against the scheme. 

"Corporate world would offer a vast horizon to these Agniveers after they retire from active duty of the Armed Forces. There are various fulfilling job opportunities that a security company like RAXA has. We believe that with their discipline, teamwork, and training skills, Agniveers shall be a great asset for RAXA," said Ashwani Lohani, CEO of GMR Services Business.

Noida Police issues strict warning amid Bharat Bandh, Section 144 imposed

Amid a call for “Bharat Bandh” on Monday over the Agnipath scheme, the Gautam Buddh Nagar police reiterated that CrPC section 144 is imposed in the district and asked people to not engage in any activity which disrupts law and order.

Heavy security arrangements have caused massive traffic jams across Delhi-NCR.

A heavy traffic jam was reported on the Sarhaul border on Delhi-Gurugram expressway as Delhi Police began checking vehicles.

Police Commissioner Gautam Budh Nagar Alok Singh said that the recruitment process is being started by the army under the Agnipath scheme, in which instead of genuine candidates, some anti-social elements were trying to disturb the peace and order on the pretext of it.

‘’FIR would be registered against any person found engaged in activities in violation of law and strict action would be taken against them’’, he further added.

The Agnipath scheme, announced on June 14, provides for the recruitment of youths in the age bracket of 17-and-half to 21 years in the armed forces for only four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years.

Later, the government extended the upper age limit to 23 years for recruitment in 2022.

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'Agnipath' Protests In 7 States, Mobs Burn Trains, Block Roads: 10 Points

At least one person has died and several others injured as angry mob set trains on fire and clashed with police in several states over the new military recruitment policy, Agnipath. The government has defended the scheme, calling it "transformative".

A person died and over 15 were injured in Telangana's Secunderabad as violent protests spread to the southern state. Several states like Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have witnessed violent agitation over the new scheme.

In Bihar, the house of Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi was attacked in Bettiah in West Champaran district amid protests against the new recruitment scheme that has set off a firestorm. "Such type of violence is very dangerous for the society. The protesters should remember that this is a loss for the society," Ms Devi, who is currently in Patna, told NDTV. Bihar has bore the brunt of the violence which began on Wednesday.

In Uttar Pradesh, a mob entered a railway station in Ballia this morning and set a train coach on fire, and also damaged railway station property before the police used force to disperse them. Another group of protesters carrying sticks argued with the police on the streets outside the railway station in the eastern UP district.

Over 200 trains have been affected - 35 trains have been cancelled while 13 short-terminated- since the protests erupted on Wednesday, according to the Railways.

The government unveiled Agnipath on Tuesday -- calling it a "transformative" scheme-- for the recruitment of soldiers in the Army, Navy and the Air Force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis.

Protesters are unhappy with the changes, particularly the length of service, no pension provisions for those released early, and the 17.5 to 21-year age restriction that now makes many of them ineligible.

The Opposition has also stepped up its attack on the government over the new recruitment scheme with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi not take 'agnipareeksha (trial by fire)' of their patience by making them walk on Agnipath. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, meanwhile, called the move "negligent" and potentially "fatal" for the country's future.

The age limit for Agnipath recruitment has now been raised to 23 from 21 as a "one-time waiver" following the protests. The government has also put out a 10-point defence of the scheme and assured recruits they will not find themselves in the lurch after completing their four years in the military.

Top Union Ministers have assured young people that the new policy would be highly beneficial for them. In a tweet today, Home Minister Amit Shah said the recruitment process in the Army had been affected for the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a sensitive decision by showing concern for the youth of the country.

The decision of the government has been received by the Army to grant the one-time waiver and that the recruitment process will be announced shortly, Army Chief General Manoj Pande said. The Chief of Army Staff also called upon the youth to avail the opportunity to join the Army as 'Agniveers'.

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After 109 Days, India's Daily Covid Cases Cross 12,000-Mark; Infections on Rise in Mumbai, Delhi

First time in 109 days since February 26, India recorded a big jump of over the 12,000 daily Covid-19 cases on Wednesday as coronavirus infections are on the rise across the country again.

On Thursday, India reported 12,213 fresh set of Covid-19 cases and 11 deaths in the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, the daily positivity rate stood at 2.35%.

The country also recorded 7,624 recoveries and 58,215 active cases. The total vaccination hiked by 15,21,942.

On Wednesday morning, the country had reported 8,822 Covid-19 cases and by night the number went up to 8,641.

MAHARASHTRA

Maharashtra on Wednesday recorded 4,024 new coronavirus cases, a 36 per cent rise over the previous day, and two pandemic-related deaths, the state health department said. Four new cases of B.A.5 variant of coronavirus were also detected in the state, it added. On Tuesday, the state had recorded 2,956 cases and four fatalities. New B.A.5 cases were reported from Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Pune, and all four patients were in the age group of 19 to 36 years, the department said.

Meanwhile, Mumbai on Wednesday reported 2,293 new COVID-19 cases, up by 569 from a day ago and the highest daily count registered since January 23, while one more patient succumbed to the infection, the city civic body said.With these additions, the tally of COVID-19 cases rose to 10,85,882, while the death toll increased to 19,576, said a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) bulletin.

The metropolis has crossed the 2,000 daily case mark after almost five months.On January 23, Mumbai had logged 2,550 COVID-19 cases and 13 fatalities.

DELHI

Delhi on Wednesday reported 1375 Covid cases in a single-day rise, against 1,118 infections recorded on Tuesday.

However, no Covid-related death has been reported in the city in the last 24 hrs, as per the Delhi government health bulletin.

Meanwhile, the Covid positivity rate has jumped to 7.01 per cent while the number of active cases has also risen to 3,643 in the capital city.

TAMIL NADU

Hitting another spike on the number of daily infections, Tamil Nadu on Wednesday added 476 coronavirus cases including five returnees from domestic and overseas, pushing the tally to 34,58,445 till date, the health department said. After more than two months, an 18-year-old woman succumbed to the virus in Thanjavur becoming the latest casualty mounting the death toll to 38,026. The last death due to COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu was reported on March 17.

According to a medical bulletin, the teenager affected with COVID-19 was admitted to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital with complaints of fever and cough on June 14. She died on the same day and the cause of the death is being “ascertained", the bulletin said. As many as 169 people have recovered in the last 24 hours aggregating to 34,18,481 leaving 1,938 active infections, it said.

The state capital accounted for the majority of cases at 221 while the remaining was spread across 22 districts.

WEST BENGAL

West Bengal on Wednesday reported 230 new COVID-19 cases, 95 more than the previous day, with the tally rising to 20,20,774, the health department said in a bulletin. The single-day count crossed the 200-mark after two-and-half months. The positivity rate stood at 2.95 per cent, up from Tuesday’s 1.85 per cent, it said. The death toll rose to 21,207 after one more patient succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours, the bulletin said. Fifty-eight people recuperated from the disease during the period, taking the total number of recoveries to 19,98,530.

West Bengal now has 1,037 active cases, the bulletin said. The state health administration tested 7,784 samples for the infection in the last 24 hours, it added.

TELANGANA

Telangana on Wednesday recorded 205 new COVID-19 cases, pushing the overall caseload in the state to 7,95,008. Hyderabad saw the highest number of cases with 132.

A health department bulletin said 63 people recuperated from the infectious disease and the cumulative number of recoveries till date was 7,89,496. The recovery rate stood at 99.31 per cent.

No fresh fatality occurred due to the infection and the death toll continued to be 4,111. The bulletin said 21,070 samples were tested on Wednesday. The number of active cases was 1,401, it said. The state has been witnessing a rise in daily cases for about a fortnight.

GUJARAT

Gujarat reported 184 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday which increased its caseload to 12,26,712, the state health department said. With 112 patients recovering during the day, the tally of recovered cases rose to 12,14,775, it added.

One pandemic-related death was reported from Ahmedabad city which raised the death toll to 10,946.The number of active cases rose to 991, with one patient being on ventilator support.

Among districts, Ahmedabad reported 94 new cases, Vadodara 18, Surat 20 and Rajkot and Gandhinagar 10 cases each.The number of vaccine doses administered so far in Gujarat rose to 11.06 crore with 43,217 people getting inoculated on Wednesday, said the health department.

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Moose Wala murder: Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi remanded to 7-day custody in Punjab

A court in Punjab's Mansa district early on Wednesday morning granted seven-day police remand of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to the state police in singer-politician Sidhu Moose Wala murder case soon after he was brought to the district. He is the main conspirator in the killing.

Amid tight security, he was brought to the Mansa district - where Moose Wala was shot dead on May 29 - on Wednesday morning at around 4 am. Bishnoi was presented before duty magistrate after his medical check-up was conducted at the district civil hospital. After securing the police remand, the Punjab Police are shifting Bishnoi to Mohali, where he will be interrogated.

A Delhi court on Tuesday had allowed the Punjab Police to take the gangster to the state for questioning.

“Considering the totality of the circumstances and also considering the seriousness of the offences and gravity of allegations against the accused Lawrence Bishnoi in the murder of singer Subhdeep Singh @ Sidhu Moose Wala, the application seeking transit remand for one day is allowed till June 15 with direction to the IO to produce the accused before the concerned court of CJM, Mansa on June 15,” the judge said in a four-page order.

The court also ordered Punjab police to file a compliance report before the duty magistrate in Patiala House court just after the production in Mansa court. The magistrate had issued an arrest warrant against Bishnoi on Monday in the singer’s murder case.

The police said it was also pertinent to mention that all the arrested accused were allegedly closely associated with Bishnoi and his associates, and they have been involved together in multiple FIRs.

On Tuesday, Bishnoi’s counsel contended had claimed there was a threat to his client’s life. He also repeated the claim - which was made earlier too - that Bishnoi may be killed in a fake encounter.

On this, the Punjab Police was directed by the Delhi court to take all measures for Bishnoi's safety during transit and till his court production even as the advocate general for Punjab Anmol Rattan Sidhu said a team of armed personnel had been constituted for this purpose.

Bishnoi has been named as the mastermind in the murder of Moose Wala who was shot dead near his home. His killing had triggered much anguish among his admirers in India and Canada, where he had gone as a student.

One suspected shooter - linked to the killing - was earlier this held from Pune. He was also said to be linked to the Bishnoi gang.

Apart from Bishnoi, the Punjab Police have so far arrested nine suspects, including three jailed gangsters — Manpreet Singh Manna; Saraj Sandhu, alias Mintoo; and Monu Daggar — besides Naseeb Khan; Pawan Bishnoi; Manpreet Singh Bhau; Sandeep Singh, alias Kekra; Charanjit Singh, alias Chetan Sandhu; and Prabhdeep Singh Pabbi.

They either provided logistics support to the shooters or conducted the recce ahead of the attack on May 29, according to the SIT (Special Investigation Team).

The SIT also claims to have identified four shooters, but the total number of shooters and their identity is yet to be disclosed.

Apart from Bishnoi, Canada-based Goldy Brar too is linked to the case. He had earlier claimed the responsibility for the murder.

Moose Wala had joined the Congress before the state elections and had unsuccessfully contested from his home district.

His admirers remembered him on his 29th birth anniversary on June 11.

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