Ali Khan

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley chose to largely stay mum on Lalit Modi, saying he did not “want to comment” on the controversy raging back home, with the opposition mounting massive protests over External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s help to the tainted former IPL chief.

Responding to a question on why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent on the issue and whether Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje will resign following allegations of backing the former IPL chief’s UK immigration plea secretly, Jaitley said he did not “want to comment on him (Lalit Modi)”.

Criticising the International Yoga Day celebrations, RJD president Lalu Prasad today accused the BJP of indulging in “yoga of politics and not of making the body healthy” and said the Modi government at the Centre is “conducting its own PR through it”.

“The entire country knows that this yoga (is) being propagated by the hypocrites of BJP, this yoga is of politics and not of making a body healthy. The Modi government is conducting its own PR (public relations) by advertising something as personal as yoga,” Prasad said on a social networking site.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who often obliges people with a selfie, today refused one to a volunteer while participating in the yoga day event at Rajpath.

Soon after addressing the gathering, Modi climbed down from the podium to join over 35,000 participants to perform ‘asanas’.

As soon as the PM joined the front row to perform yoga, a young woman wearing a ‘volunteer’ badge requested him for a selfie.

With folded hands, the Prime Minister politely declined to oblige her.

India today said Yoga should not be seen as belonging to any particular religion and the ancient spiritual practice can serve as the “perfect antidote” to stem “negative tendencies” and move humanity on the path of peace in a world beset by violence and conflict.

Addressing the first International Day of Yoga celebrations at the UN, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, “The entire world is one family, and we can unite it with Yoga”.

A constable attempted suicide reportedly due to regular harassment from a senior police official on Saturday. It must be noted that the Special Branch constable of Banjara Hills police station, G Narayana Rao, was lauded by the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recently for his honesty. Narayana allegedly consumed some pills in the afternoon. He was rushed to a private hospital in Ameerpet.

Telangana government expressed anger over officials of Minority Welfare Department on the revelation of slow implementation of Minority Welfare Schemes, delay in issue of budget and non-fulfilment of promises made with minorities. According to reliable sources on the publication of report in Siasat Daily regarding Minority Welfare affairs, government expressed anger over Minority Welfare Department officials and directed them not to approach media on any issue.

Maulana Khaled Saifullah Rahmani Secretary All India Muslim Personal Law Board and General Secretary Islamic Fiqqa Academy India have appealed Muslim managed educational institutions not to observe Surya Namaskar or Yoga Day. Maulana Rahmani also requested parents and guardians of Muslim students to register their peaceful and lawful protest at the government and private institutions where Surya Namaskar is forced in the name of Yoga and boycott it.

Siasat and Minorities Development Forum (MDF) are organising the 42nd Du Ba Du programme on Sunday, June 21, at S A Imperial Garden, Tolichowki.

Keeping in view the rising popularity of the programme and repeated requests by parents and guardians the programme is being conducted in the month of Ramadan from 11 am to 4 pm. Registration counter will be set up at S A Imperial Garden Tolichowki. Parents are requested to bring 2 photos and biodatas along with them.

Notification will soon be issued by Telangana government for competitive exam to recruit on government jobs. The test will be based on objective type questions of general knowledge regarding the new state of Telangana.

In this connection a mock test will be held on Sunday, June 21, from 2:30 to 4 pm, at Mahboob Husain Jigar Hall, Siasat premises, Abids. Degree, professionals, intermediate, matric students can appear in the test. Paper of Telangana information will also be provided.

Siasat news

Maulana Azad National University authorities are more concerned to appease their political deities rather than fulfilling their objectives. This is the reason why, on the pretext of being central university, authorities tried to celebrate ‘Yoga Day’ but in anticipation of Muslims ire the proposal was withdrawn. According to reliable sources some people who are busy lobbying for the post of Vice Chancellor through Human Resource Development Ministry in New Delhi had proposed that ‘Yoga Day’ should be observed in the university.

Presently Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) is sending service alerts on the consumers’ registered mobile nos regarding preparation of bill, receipt of amount and status of complaint etc. However in the wake of many complaints received from people that they were receiving SMS alerts even though they were not consumers, the Water Board has launched a new facility ‘mobile number unregistering’.

Any mobile user, who has been getting SMS alerts, can deregister their mobile number with HMWS&SB by giving a missed call to 040-23433833.

Siasat news

Maulana Syed Hamed Husain Shuttari spokesman All India Sunni Ulama Board, Maulana Mufti Mohammed Kazim Husain and Maulana Mufti Abdul Wasey in a joint statement strongly condemned celebration of Yoga Day in India under the patronisation of BJP. They told that Surya Namaskar or Vandemataram clashed with religious feelings of Muslims.

A fresh controversy broke out today in the Lalit Modi episode after it emerged that Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria had met the tainted ex-IPL boss in London in 2014 when he sought the help of Mumbai police in view of “threat” to his life by the underworld in that country.

Admitting that he had met Modi on the insistence of the latter’s lawyer, Maria today clarified that he apprised the Home Minister about the meeting soon after returning from London.

Earlier in the day, a news channel flashed a photo which it said is of the former IPL commissioner and the Mumbai Police chief.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who has faced criticism in the media for his comments on a wide range of issues, on Saturday said he would not speak to the media for six months.

Parrikar, who has been camped in Goa for the last three days, attended a government function in Mandur village, 15 km from Panaji, where he was asked to comment on a whole range of issues, including target killings in Kashmir’s Sopore town and the Rafale deal.

“Does Modi do yoga?” That was the question posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin when he was told that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had started a Ministry of Yoga.

A woman committed suicide at Begum Bazar. She was said to be a domestic servant. According to Begum Bazar police, 45-year-old Yellamma, W/O Venkat Ramulu, R/O of Begum Bazar committed suicide yesterday night. Police is investigating the case.

Siasat news

A man suspiciously fell down while fixing advertisement board and died. According to Rajendra Nagar police 18-year-old, Srikant Singh, R/O Housing Board Colony, Maula Ali, who was labour by occupation hailed from Bihar. On June 17 he was fixing Flexi Board in Hasan Nagar when he suspiciously fell from height and was seriously injured. He died while undergoing treatment. Investigations are underway.

Siasat news

After Siasat invited attention towards the issue of Makkah Masjid staff salaries, government woke up from slumber. It has been decided to obtain loan of Rs. 18 lakh from Minority Finance Corporation to pay the salaries of the Makkah Masjid staff. Current year no amount was allotted for salaries of Makkah Masjid and Shahi Masjid workers as a result staff of Makkah Masjid was deprived of salaries from the month of May.

As reports of Dettol soap failing the weight test out, company calls it safe. Speaking to Siasat correspondent Dettol spokesperson said:

“We confirm that Dettol Soap is 100% safe to use and it goes through a series of rigorous tests. As per the packaged commodities guidelines, the net weight specified on the pack is the weight observed at the time of packaging. Technically, all soaps lose moisture during the journey to retail outlets and hence we witness a drop in the weight.”

Interview of Mr. M J Akber IFS Director Minority Welfare, Govt. of Telangana will be aired in Urdu Programme Anjuman, at Yadgiri Channel of Doordarshan Hyderabad, on June 20 at 2:30 pm. He will throw light on various schemes of Minority Welfare. Nazia Kausar will be the guest. Repeat telecast of the interview will be aired again at 11:30 pm. Shri Sai Kumar is the producer while Azharuddin is the coordinator.

Siasat news

Applications are invited from administrations of religious madrasas who want to provide modern education to their students along with religious education. Aid will be given for modern education by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan to students aged between 6 to 14 years. Madrasas who obtained assistance last year and those who want to submit fresh application can prepare a new contract. Madrasas will be preferred on par with Special Training Centre.

Lawmakers in Russia’s Kremlin- controlled parliament today gave tentative approval to a bill that would move up next year’s parliamentary election by three months, a tactic seen by critics as an attempt to weaken the opposition.

The lower house voted 339-101 with one abstention Friday to approve the bill in the first of three readings. It would also need to be approved by the equally-docile upper house and signed by President Vladimir Putin.

31 students of MS Rahmani 30 cracked IIT-JEE Advanced 2015 while 6 students of MS Rahmani 30 Hyderabad Centre qualified the exam. They will get the opportunity to get admission in their favourite courses in prestigious colleges.

Shameer Ahmed of MS Rahmani 30 Hyderabad Centre secured 1637 All India rank in OBC category. He can get admission in IIT Mumbai, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur etc. Another student of MS Rahmani 30 Hyderabad Centre Sharfuddin obtained 1937 All India Rank. He is also eligible to take admission in all 16 IITs.

Siasat news

HRD Minister Smriti Irani’s Private Secretary Binita Thakur, who has gone on leave, has set off speculations of yet another change in the ministry.

According to reports, Thakur, who went on leave last week, had sought to be relieved from the Ministry. A 1996 batch IPS officer of Rajasthan cadre, Thakur was appointed as private secretary to the HRD Minister in September last year.

She had replaced Vinita Srivastava, a Railway Engineering Services (RES) officer, who had a brief tenure as Irani’s PS after she assumed charge of the ministry in May last year.

Veteran BJP leader L K Advani, who created a flutter yesterday with his apprehensions of Emergency again in India, today clarified that it was not aimed at any individual but said he was against “one-man shows” in political parties and asked leaders to be modest like Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Clarifying his controversial remarks on Emergency, Advani said, “I did not mean any individual when I made that statement. I am opposed to all kinds of dictatorships.”