The Evening Wrap: Rajnath Singh says PoK residents too will opt for India

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on September 8 said the restoration of Article 370 “won’t be allowed by the BJP” and pledged to work towards “re-integrating residents of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) into India”. Speaking at an election rally in the Jammu region’s Ramban area, Singh dared the regional parties to restore Article 370. Lashing out at the Congress for allying with the National Conference (NC), he said the NC’s manifesto mentioned the restoration of Article 370 and the Congress party joined its hands with them. Referring to a resolution presented by Pakistan’s Additional Solicitor General in a court there, Singh said, “PoK residents were described as foreigners in it. The Government of India believes that people of PoK are Indian citizens. Time is not far when people of PoK would themselves come forward and express their desire to be part of India.” The Union Minister is the second senior BJP leader after Union Home Minister Amit Shah to campaign for the party candidates in J&K, ahead of the three-phase elections later this month. He also took a dig at NC vice-president Omar Abdullah for his remarks about the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in 2013. The Union Minister also reiterated the party position on the return of migrant Kashmiri Pandits. “The Centre is committed to ensure safe and dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits,” he said. India’s first ‘suspected’ mpox case under probe, no cause for alarm: Centre A man who recently travelled from a country experiencing mpox transmission has been identified as a suspected case of the disease, the Union Health Ministry said on September 8. The patient has been isolated at a designated hospital and is currently stable, it said, adding that there is no cause for concern. Samples have been collected from the man and are being tested to confirm the presence of mpox. “The case is being managed in line with established protocols, and contact tracing is ongoing to identify potential sources and assess the impact within the country,” the Ministry said. The development of this case is consistent with the earlier risk assessment conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and there is no cause of any undue concern, it said. The country is fully prepared to deal with such isolated travel-related cases and has robust measures in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk, the Ministry added. Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar resigns over R.G. Kar rape-murder protest Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar on September 8 wrote to Trinamool Congress chairperson and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee announcing his decision to resign as MP from the Rajya Sabha over the rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital and related corruption at the hospital. The development marks the first major resignation from the Trinamool Congress which has been facing the heat of protest for almost a month after the horrific crime at the State-run hospital. “I have suffered patiently for a month since the terrible incident at R.G. Kar Hospital and was hoping for your direct intervention with the agitating junior doctors, in the old style of Mamata Banerjee. It has not happened and the ever punitive steps that government is taking now are too little and quite late,” the MP said in the letter. Sircar, who is also a retired IAS officer said that in the all the years, “I have not seen such angst and total-no-confidence against the government, even when it says something correct or factual” and added that “the present spontaneous outpouring of public anger is against this unchecked overbearing attitude of the favoured few and the corrupt”. “They want no politics: they want justice and punishment. Let us analyse frankly and realise that the movement is as much for Abhaya as it is against the state government and the party. This calls for course correction immediately or else communal forces will capture this state,” Sircar said. In his two page communication to the Trinamool Congress chairperson, he said that he had “became increasingly disillusioned as the State Government seemed quite unconcerned about corruption and the increasing strong-arm tactics of a section of leaders”. While pointing out that he stays in a small middle class flat, next to a big slum and drives a very ordinary nine year old car Sircar said that he is amazed to see that several elected panchayat and municipal leaders have acquired big properties and move around in expensive vehicles. Sircar added that he shall go to Delhi soon and offer his resignation to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and will also disassociate himself totally from politics. Kolkata rape-murder: Supreme Court to hear R.G. Kar hospital incident case on September 9 The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on September 9 the case related to the murder and alleged rape of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. According to the cause list uploaded on the apex court’s website, a Bench of Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud and justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is slated to hear on September 9 the case, which was initiated by the top court on its own. The Centre has recently filed an application in the apex court alleging “unpardonable” non-cooperation by the West Bengal government in extending logistical support to the CISF, tasked with providing security at the hospital. In its application, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has termed the alleged non-cooperation of the Trinamool Congress government as an example “symptomatic of a systemic malaise” and sought a direction to the state authorities to extend full cooperation to the Central Industrial Security Force. In case of their failure to do so, the Centre has urged the apex court to initiate contempt proceedings against the state government officials concerned for “wilful non-compliance” of the court orders. Heavy rain alert in nine Telangana districts on September 9 The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert in two districts of Telangana and a yellow alert in seven districts for September 9. According to an IMD bulletin, isolated areas in Kumaram Bheem Asifabad and Mancherial are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rain (orange alert), while heavy rain (yellow alert) is expected in isolated areas of Adilabad, Nirmal, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, and Khammam. Additionally, thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds are likely to occur in isolated places across all districts of Telangana. In Hyderabad and its surrounding areas, a generally cloudy sky is expected over the next 24 hours, with light to moderate rain or thunderstorms likely. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be around 19°C and 23°C, respectively. In Brief: Two Mauritius-based foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), who were mentioned in the 2023 report on the Adani Group by short-seller Hindenburg Research, have petitioned the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), seeking urgent relief from complying with SEBI’s new foreign investor norms before the upcoming September 9 deadline. The Congress on September 8 said the SEBI investigation into “the Adani Group’s brazen attempt” to bypass regulations is still languishing and the capital markets regulator has a lot to explain. Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh flagged that both the FPIs are alleged to be violating rules that require investors to not be over-invested in a single stock. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 08 September 2024 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( No power can restore Article 370; PoK residents too will opt for India: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Jammu & Kashmir Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on September 8 said the [restoration of Article 370 “won’t be allowed by the BJP]( and pledged to work towards “re-integrating residents of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) into India”. Speaking at an election rally in the Jammu region’s Ramban area, Singh dared the regional parties to restore Article 370. Lashing out at the Congress for allying with the National Conference (NC), he said the NC’s manifesto mentioned the restoration of Article 370 and the Congress party joined its hands with them. Referring to a resolution presented by Pakistan’s Additional Solicitor General in a court there, Singh said, “PoK residents were described as foreigners in it. The Government of India believes that people of PoK are Indian citizens. Time is not far when people of PoK would themselves come forward and express their desire to be part of India.” The Union Minister is the second senior BJP leader after Union Home Minister Amit Shah to campaign for the party candidates in J&K, ahead of the three-phase elections later this month. He also took a dig at NC vice-president Omar Abdullah for his remarks about the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in 2013. The Union Minister also reiterated the party position on the return of migrant Kashmiri Pandits. “The Centre is committed to ensure safe and dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits,” he said. India’s first ‘suspected’ mpox case under probe, no cause for alarm: Centre A man who recently travelled from a country experiencing mpox transmission has been identified as a [suspected case of the disease]( the Union Health Ministry said on September 8. The patient has been isolated at a designated hospital and is currently stable, it said, adding that there is no cause for concern. Samples have been collected from the man and are being tested to confirm the presence of mpox. “The case is being managed in line with established protocols, and contact tracing is ongoing to identify potential sources and assess the impact within the country,” the Ministry said. The development of this case is consistent with the earlier risk assessment conducted by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and there is no cause of any undue concern, it said. The country is fully prepared to deal with such isolated travel-related cases and has robust measures in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk, the Ministry added. Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar resigns over R.G. Kar rape-murder protest Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar on September 8 wrote to Trinamool Congress chairperson and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee [announcing his decision to resign as MP from the Rajya Sabha]( over the rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital and related corruption at the hospital. The development marks the first major resignation from the Trinamool Congress which has been facing the heat of protest for almost a month after the horrific crime at the State-run hospital. “I have suffered patiently for a month since the terrible incident at R.G. Kar Hospital and was hoping for your direct intervention with the agitating junior doctors, in the old style of Mamata Banerjee. It has not happened and the ever punitive steps that government is taking now are too little and quite late,” the MP said in the letter. Sircar, who is also a retired IAS officer said that in the all the years, “I have not seen such angst and total-no-confidence against the government, even when it says something correct or factual” and added that “the present spontaneous outpouring of public anger is against this unchecked overbearing attitude of the favoured few and the corrupt”. “They want no politics: they want justice and punishment. Let us analyse frankly and realise that the movement is as much for Abhaya as it is against the state government and the party. This calls for course correction immediately or else communal forces will capture this state,” Sircar said. In his two page communication to the Trinamool Congress chairperson, he said that he had “became increasingly disillusioned as the State Government seemed quite unconcerned about corruption and the increasing strong-arm tactics of a section of leaders”. While pointing out that he stays in a small middle class flat, next to a big slum and drives a very ordinary nine year old car Sircar said that he is amazed to see that several elected panchayat and municipal leaders have acquired big properties and move around in expensive vehicles. Sircar added that he shall go to Delhi soon and offer his resignation to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and will also disassociate himself totally from politics. Kolkata rape-murder: Supreme Court to hear R.G. Kar hospital incident case on September 9 The [Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on September 9]( the case related to the murder and alleged rape of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. According to the cause list uploaded on the apex court’s website, a Bench of Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud and justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is slated to hear on September 9 the case, which was initiated by the top court on its own. The Centre has recently filed an application in the apex court alleging “unpardonable” non-cooperation by the West Bengal government in extending logistical support to the CISF, tasked with providing security at the hospital. In its application, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has termed the alleged non-cooperation of the Trinamool Congress government as an example “symptomatic of a systemic malaise” and sought a direction to the state authorities to extend full cooperation to the Central Industrial Security Force. In case of their failure to do so, the Centre has urged the apex court to initiate contempt proceedings against the state government officials concerned for “wilful non-compliance” of the court orders. Heavy rain alert in nine Telangana districts on September 9 The India Meteorological Department has issued an [orange alert in two districts of Telangana]( and a yellow alert in seven districts for September 9. According to an IMD bulletin, isolated areas in Kumaram Bheem Asifabad and Mancherial are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rain (orange alert), while heavy rain (yellow alert) is expected in isolated areas of Adilabad, Nirmal, Peddapalli, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem, and Khammam. Additionally, thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds are likely to occur in isolated places across all districts of Telangana. In Hyderabad and its surrounding areas, a generally cloudy sky is expected over the next 24 hours, with light to moderate rain or thunderstorms likely. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be around 19°C and 23°C, respectively. In Brief: Two Mauritius-based foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), who were mentioned in the 2023 report on the Adani Group by short-seller Hindenburg Research, have [petitioned the Securities Appellate Tribunal]( (SAT), seeking urgent relief from complying with SEBI’s new foreign investor norms before the upcoming September 9 deadline. The Congress on September 8 said the SEBI investigation into “the Adani Group’s brazen attempt” to bypass regulations is still languishing and the capital markets regulator has a lot to explain. Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh flagged that both the FPIs are alleged to be violating rules that require investors to not be over-invested in a single stock. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. 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