CRPF bust Maoist camp in Nuapada, seize huge cache of arms

While poverty grips Odisha and youths, women, elderly, and ailing persons have remained neglected lots, it seems that the BJD government has no concern for them. Instead, it is busy accumulating funds for the party. 

The seizure indicates that the BJD government has been protecting the three-four families connected to the Congress Rajya Sabha member of Jharkhand who has spread the liquor trade network in Odisha for many years now. 

The seizure has raised questions over the functioning of the Excise Department. 

While the Excise department has permitted the trading of 100 quintals of liquor, in reality, they were trading 2700 quintals of liquor. From this, it is understood that Odisha has lost huge amounts of revenue. Had the Excise Department levied taxes, Odisha would have gotten about Rs 50,000 crore in the last 20 years. 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and other Central leaders have expressed concern. They have asserted that all looted public money will be recovered and looters, irrespective of their status, will be punished as per law. 

Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister posted a news article published in a newspaper and wrote, "People of the country should see the bundles of notes seized and listen to the 'Imandari' speeches of leaders involved in the illegal work,"

He assured that all looted money will be recovered one by one and it is Modi's guarantee.    

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote, "The news of hundreds of crores of rupees being seized in Odisha has surprised me. It is a matter of concern that such a large amount of black money has been seized at a point in time from a State like Odisha during raids by Central agencies. Whoever they may be, the looters will be sent to jail. Nobody will be spared. it is Modi's guarantee," 

BJP senior leader Golak Mohapatra severely criticized both the Congress and the BJD. 

"Congress MP is the owner of this black money and its protector is Naveen Patnaik. BJD Ministers and leaders are directly involved. The money was meant for election manageent of the BJD," alleged. 

He wanted to know why the BJD is silent while hundreds of crores of rupees have been seized. 

Many wanted to know what the Excise, Vigilance and Police were doing when the liquor trader was piling up money.

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This is the seventh extension granted to the ASI by the District Judge’s court to complete the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque to ascertain whether its stands atop a temple.

On Monday, standing government counsel (Government of India) Amit Srivastava had moved an application before the court mentioning that due to ill-health, the ASI’s Superintending Archaeologist Avinash Mohanty, who had to submit the report, was unable to appear before the court.

Through this application, the ASI sought a week’s time to submit the report.

On November 30, while granting extension for the sixth time for 10 days to the ASI, the District Judge had asked the agency to positively file the report in the given time and not seek any more extensions.

On July 21, the court had ordered an ASI survey on the plea of four women plaintiffs in Suit No. 18/2022.

In compliance with this order the ASI had started a scientific study of the Gyanvapi mosque on July 24, however, the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid (AIM) filed a revision before the Allahabad High Court.

On the order of the High Court, the ASI survey of the Gyanvapi mosque was halted on July 24. The HC dismissed the objection of the AIM against the District Judge’s court order on August 3.

After this, the AIM appealed to the Supreme Court against the HC’s order. The Apex Court refused to stop the ASI survey after which the ASI resumed the survey from August 4.

As the ASI’s survey could not be completed by August 4, it sought extension thrice on August 5, September 8 and October 5. After the end of the study and survey at the Gyanvapi mosque, the ASI on November 2 and 17 had moved pleas for another extension before it sought another extension of three weeks on November 28 to finalise the report by mentioning technical reasons consuming time and delaying the process.

After going through the ASI’s November 28 application for a sixth extension, the District Judge, in his November 30, order mentioned, “After taking into consideration, the facts mentioned in the application and circumstances of the case, I find it proper to grant 10 days more to the ASI to file the report in the court. This court expects that within the provided time, the ASI shall positively file the report and will not seek further time.”

With these strict remarks the District Judge had fixed December 11 for hearing and disposal of survey report.

(IANS)

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The crash in the pharma major’s shares brought both the Sensex and Nifty from all-time highs.

The Sensex ended 102.93 points higher at the end of the day as the rally in bank shares, Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) and Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) along with PSU banks held their ground.

The NSE Nifty 50 hit a high of 21,026, but eventually settled at 20,997.10 with a gain of 27.7 points The Nifty PSU Bank index also hit a new high and was the top out-performer of the day.

UltraTech Cement was the top gainer among the Sensex 30 shares, it jumped 3.5 per cent. Nestle India, Power Grid Corporation, IndusInd Bank, JSW Steel, Tata Motors and NTPC were the other prominent gainers.

On the other hand, Axis Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra and Hindustan Unilever were among the losers..

Among individual shares, Dr Reddy's shed 5 per cent after US drug regulator's adverse comments following an an inspection of the company's manufacturing facility at Bachupally in Hyderabad.

Commenting on the stock market performance, George Thomas, Fund Manager Equity at Quantum Mutual Fund, said: "Buoyant earnings trajectory along with a stable domestic macro environment have led to markets scaling new highs. Favorable corporate earnings cycle, stable policy environment and potential FPI flows could support markets in the medium term."

Majority of the top 1,000 stocks (sorted by current market cap) have recorded price returns that exceeded their earnings growth.

Investors should exercise caution in select pockets where stock performance have exceeded the earnings growth by a wide margin, he advised.

"Considering the favourable environment, investors are advised to stay invested in equities in line with their long-term asset allocation plan. A disciplined value fund would be an ideal choice at this point due to its favourable valuation relative to the broader markets and potentially 'higher for longer' global interest rate scenario," Thomas added.

(IANS)

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