1. Opposition Picks a Dalit Candidate to Counter NDA's Choice for Prez
Former Speaker Meira Kumar will take on the BJP's Ram Nath Kovind for the President's post in a "Dalit versus Dalit" contest which, while comfortably being in the saffron bag, is high on political symbolism in view of the opposition's intent to make an ideological statement.
Seventeen parties from the "secular" camp unanimously approved the Congress's choice just when it was speculated that JD(U)'s decision to jump ship in favour of BJP could result in the unravelling of opposition unity. NCP, DMK, BSP, SP and JD(S), which were seen by some as wavering, raised their hands with gusto to clinch the issue.
Source: Times of India
2. Sikkim CM Extends Support for Separate Gorkhaland State
Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on Thursday extended his support for a separate Gorkhaland state even as the GJM-sponsored shutdown in Darjeeling hills entered the eighth day today, as reported by PTI.
On Tuesday, Sikkim’s ruling party SDF had extended its support to the demand for a separate Gorkhaland. In a meeting conducted by the SDF leadership earlier on Tuesday, it was decided that they will extend support for a separate state at the same time expressed its opposition to the “illegal, undemocratic and unconstitutional” acts committed in Darjeeling.
Meanwhile, ambulance services were hit and TV cable connections snapped in some areas on 22 June but no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in Darjeeling which had witnessed widespread clashes between GJM activists and security forces on Saturday.
Source: The Indian Express
3. Pakistan Troops Cross LoC, Ambush Indian Patrol, 2 Soldiers Killed
Two Indian soldiers were killed in a cross-border ambush near the Line of Control, less than 10 km from the town of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army said Thursday. The ambush, carried out by a suspected Pakistan border action team in the midst of intense mortar and small arms exchanges that raged through the day, targeted a patrol operating near Gurunj Post, close to the village of Khari Karmara.
Indian Army officers said at least one infiltrator had been shot dead and another injured during the course of the fire exchange which claimed the lives of 34-year-old Naik Sandip Sarjerao Jadhav and 24-year-old Sepoy Savan Balku Mane, both from Maharashtra, and serving with the 15 Maratha Light Infantry.
“The slain intruder is lying within visual reach,” an official spokesperson said, “but Pakistan posts are providing cover fire to the injured intruder so as to facilitate his extrication.”
Source: The Indian Express
4. Kulbhushan Jadhav Case: Details of 'Mercy Petition' Unclear, Says India
Responding to the alleged confessional video of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav “accepting his acts of terrorism and espionage” in Pakistan, India on Thursday said it expects Pakistan to desist from attempting to influence proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) through false propaganda, PTI reported.
In a statement, the External Affairs Ministry added that it brings out a lack of transparency and farcical nature of the proceedings against Jadhav.
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also put out a statement claiming Jadhav, in his mercy petition “admitted his involvement in espionage, terrorist and subversive activities” in Pakistan and “expressed remorse” at the resultant loss of lives and extensive damage to property.
Source: The Indian Express
5. Sedition Charge Dropped Against 15 Arrested in MP for Celebrating Pakistan Win
Madhya Pradesh Police on Thursday dropped sedition charges against 15 people arrested in Burhanpur district for allegedly celebrating Pakistan’s victory in the ICC Champions Trophy final, raising slogans in Pakistan’s favour and bursting crackers.
Following a complaint and an FIR, police found during investigation that these people should be booked under section 153A of the Indian Penal Code and not under 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) and 124A (sedition), Burhanpur superintendent of police RRS Parihar told HT over phone.
“So we have dropped these charges and booked them for disrupting communal harmony in the area,” he said from Burhanur, around 350 km from state capital Bhopal.
Section 153A is imposed for “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony”.
Source: Hindustan Times
6. Terror, US Aid to Pak to Figure in Modi-Trump Talks
Ahead of PM Narendra Modi's visit to the US, the government hinted on Thursday that the PM would raise the issue of terrorism emanating from Pakistan and US military aid to Islamabad in his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Asked if Modi was going to discuss the issue of cross-border terrorism with Trump, MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said India's concerns regarding it were very well known and that it was logical to assume that matters relating to regional and global security would be discussed. "Terrorism that emanates from there (Pakistan) affects not only India, but other countries in South Asia and the world over," he said.
"We do talk to our friends and partners on how to counter terrorism, cross-border terrorism and international terrorism," he said.
Source: Times of India
7. Virat Kohli Hints Anil Kumble Broke Dressing Room 'Code'
India captain Virat Kohli didn’t say in as many words but politely hinted that coach Anil Kumble’s decision to make public the differences between them broke an unwritten code that everyone must respect the sanctity of not revealing dressing room matters.
“I attended eleven press conferences in Champions Trophy and created a culture in the team wherein the sanctity of the dressing room was maintained,” he told a media conference at the team hotel on Thursday when asked if the situation could have been handled better.
“I tried to maintain that and the belief that whatever happens there (in the dressing room) stays there.”
It seemed the India skipper, who had been denying that there was any rift and had even alleged that journalists were concocting stories for a living, was let down by Kumble who chose to reveal his side of the story and the differences with the captain through social media.
Source: Hindustan Times
8. Delhi to UN: Keep Out of Pak Disputes
India has told UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres to steer clear of bilateral disputes with Pakistan, the foreign ministry said, days after the chief of the world body suggested he had attempted to mediate between the South Asian neighbours.
Guterres had been "made aware" of India's insistence on a strictly bilateral dialogue with Pakistan, without any third party intervention, foreign ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in response to a question from The Telegraph.
Asked about simmering tensions and violent border clashes between the neighbours, Guterres had on Tuesday suggested that he had tried to nudge the two countries towards resumption of talks.
"Why do you think I met three times the Prime Minister of Pakistan and two times the Prime Minister of India?" Guterres had responded. "For someone accused of doing nothing, it is quite a number of meetings."
Source: The Telegraph
9. Banks Start Disbursing Loan to Farmers
All national, commercial and district central cooperative banks have started the disbursement of Rs 10,000 loan to farmers Thursday to facilitate sowing of Kharif crops before 30 June. In a clear departure from norms followed in the past, when banks extended loans after completing the procedure of ascertaining the eligibility of each individual farmer, they are now accepting self-declaration forms from farmers to issue the loan. Debt-ridden farmers, with a monthly income of up to Rs 20,000, will get the benefit.
The national and commercial banks across western and north Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Marathwada received large number of farmers on Thursday who were provided the stated amount, according to a senior officer in the government.
Highly placed sources in the government said the government had asked all banks to get a self-declaration form filled from each farmer asking for the Rs 10,000 loan.
Source: The Indian Express
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