News Breakfast @6
01. Rahul Gandhi Likely To Visit Assam On February 14
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Assam on February 14 to kick start the election campaign ahead of the assembly polls. He will start the campaign from the Sivasagar Boarding field. A senior Congress Spokesperson said that he is scheduled to visit the state on February 14, his first in the run-up to the election in April-May. "Rahul Gandhi will begin poll campaign in the state and will address a big rally at Sivasagar," said Congress leader Debabrata Saikia. The opposition party is all set to organize its first big political rally at Sivasagar after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting at Jerenga pathar on January 23.
02. Assam Tea Is A Brand: Nirmala Sitharaman
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sithraman on Saturday distributed Rs. 3000 each to nearly 7.5 lakh people belonging to the tea garden areas under the Chah Bagicha Dhan Puraskar scheme at a ceremony held at Khanapara Veterinary Field. Distributing the money, Sitharaman said, "The first word one tells once they open their eyes in the morning and the word is 'tea'. Assam's tea is a brand and Assam's tea is remembered in the entire world. The family who provides tea to each and every family of the world should get the essential benefits." Praising Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Sitharaman said that he always carry the peoples' emotion in his heart. She also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi adding the tea garden workers have been provided with necessary benefits through different schemes by the Prime Minister.
03. 119 Schools In Tea Garden Areas To Start From May 1: HBS
Assam Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that 119 schools will be started in the tea garden areas from May 1, 2021. The announcement was made in a function held at Khanapara Veterinary Field where 7.5 lakhs tea labourers have been provided with Rs. 3000 each by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Speaking on the occasion, Sarma said that in the last 70 years no one thought of establishing a high school in the tea garden areas. "We are going to take several decisions for the people of tea garden areas. The students will get special benefits to take admission in the colleges. We have also started to provide breakfast in the schools," said Sarma. He further stated that the Assam government has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bank account opening of the tea labourers and accordingly 63411 accounts were opened in three months. Today, we have deposited money in 7,46,667 accounts of tea garden workers, the minister added.
04. "Tea Community Is Improving In Every Sector": CM Sonowal
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal spoke about the potential of the tea community while addressing the Chah Bagicha Dhan Puraskar Mela (CBDPM) held at Khanapara in Guwahati on Saturday. CM greets tea workers in the 'Bagania' language at the starting of the speech. Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said " Three meritorious son and daughters from tea community have crack APSC. The community is now improving." The minister also said that the central government is committed to the welfare of the tea tribe community of Assam.
05. SC To Hear Akhil Gogoi's Bail Plea On Feb 11
The first bail plea hearing of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) chief Akhil Gogoi in Supreme Court has been set on February 11 (Thursday). A three-judge bench comprising of Justices N V Ramanna, Surya Kant and Aniruddha Basu will be hearing the bail application of the peasant leader, whose case number is SLP (Crl) No 1050/2021. Earlier on January 7, Gogoi's bail plea was rejected by Gauhati High Court after it allegedly found monetary transactions between CPI (Maoist) and him.
06. Women Commandos Inducted In CRPF's Elite Anti-Naxal Unit
In a first, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Saturday inducted women commandos in its anti-Naxal Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) unit. They will undergo training and be sent to Naxal hit areas thereafter. The women commandos have been inducted on the occasion of the 88th all-women battalion Raising day. An all women brass band was also introduced for the first time in the CRPF named 'all Mahila brass band'. "Mahila personnel of CRPF forming the first all-women brass band will also undergo a training course to acquire the requisite skills on the musical instruments. It deserves pertinent to mention that the force already has an all-women pipe band," CRPF said in a press release.
07. Animal Cruelty Will Soon Lead To ₹ 75k Fine Or Jail: Centre
In a bid to prevent animal abuse, a draft has been prepared by the government to amend the 60-year-old Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, proposing penalty of Rs 75,000 or three times the cost of the animal or imprisonment up to 5 years or both if the animal dies. Currently, if a person harms an animal, even if it leads to death is charged a mere penalty of Rs 10 to Rs 50 for any act of cruelty such as beating, kicking, torturing, starving, overloading, overriding and mutilating an animal. The new draft has three categories of offences which includes minor injury, major injury leading to permanent disability, and death to an animal due to cruelty. The penalties range from Rs 750 to Rs 75,000 and jail term up to 5 years for different crimes.
08. COVID Vaccination For Citizens Over 50 To Begin In March
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan said India will begin vaccinating its third priority group of those who are 50 years and above from March onwards. Over 27 crores are estimated to be vaccinated in this group. "In the first phase, the target was to vaccinate around one crore health workers of government and private clinics, which is happening swiftly. The second phase, meant to inoculate two crore frontline workers, has already begun in many states from February 2. After completing the two phases, the third phase is expected to begin in any time in March. In this phase, every citizen above the age of 50 will get vaccinated. The process will begin in any week of March," the minister said on Friday in Lok Sabha.
09. Man Offers To Kill PM Modi For Rs 5 Crore, Arrested
A Puducherry man was arrested for posting a status of Facebook declaring that he is ready to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he is offered Rs 5 crore. The man, identified as 43-year-old Sathiyanandham, is a businessman hailing from Aryankuppam village. After his arrest, he was produced before a local court which remanded him to judicial custody. The police arrested the accused after a mason lodged a complaint stating that he had come across a post on Facebook declaring that 'ready to kill Modi, who is ready to offer Rs 5 crore'. Urging the police to take action against the man, he said that the post would trigger enmity between different classes of people.
10. J&K Police Arrests Chief Of Terror Outfit Lashkar-E-Mustafa
Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday arrested Hidayatullah Malik, chief of terror organisation Lashkar-e-Mustafa. According to Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shridhar Patil, Malik is a categorized terrorist from Shopian district. He was arrested near Kunjwaniu in Jammu. "Hidayatullah Malik, a categorised terrorist, has been arrested near Kunjwani in Jammu. A pistol and a grenade have been recovered from his possession. When we went to arrest him, he attacked the police party," he told reporters. The SSP added the terror organization Lashkar-e-Mustafa is an offshoot of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Kashmir valley.
11. Comedian Munawar Faruqui Not Released From Jail Despite Bail
Comedian Munawar Faruqui, who was granted bail by the Supreme Court after being held for over a month after his alleged "jokes" on Hindu god and goddesses, was still not released today from jail. Jail authorities said they are "yet to receive order from the Supreme court". On Friday, Faruqui was granted bail by the Supreme Court. The court had issued notice to the Madhya Pradesh government and put on hold a warrant against the comedian in Uttar Pradesh. Mr Faruqui has argued that he was invited by the organisers of the show and was present but he had not made any such jokes that day. The court said the proper procedure was not followed during his arrest and allegations in the FIR were vague.
12. Kidnapped Navy Sailor Burnt Alive For Not Getting Ransom
In a sensational incident, an Indian Navy sailor, who was kidnapped in Chennai, was allegedly burned alive for refusing to pay up a ransom amount of Rs 10 lakh. Suraj Kumar Dubey, 26, was brought to Maharashtra's Palghar by the kidnappers and set him afire in a forest after they believed they would not received the ransom money they had demanded. "A Naval sailor, Suraj Kumar Dubey, L/S, age 26 yrs of INS Agrani, on leave from the unit, was found in Palghar, Maharashtra, with 90 percent burns on the morning of February 5. He was brought to INHS Asvini and declared DOA," a statement from the Navy said. A case has been filed and Palghar Police are investigating the matter, the statement added.
13. Myanmar Coup: Internet, Social Media Shut Down
As thousands of Myanmar citizens took to the streets of Yangon to protest the coup in the country, internet services in the entire country were shut down along with social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram being banned by the military rulers. Protestors have been demanding the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi who had a landslide victory in the election last year in November. The generals have refused to recognize the same and claimed fraud even though the election commission said it had no evidence to support the claims. The military government on Friday ordered communications operators and internet service providers to cut access to Twitter and Instagram. The statement said that some people are trying to use both platforms to spread fake news.
14. Assam: 1637 To Compete For National Junior Athletics Championship
The 36th National Junior Athletics Championship is all set to kickstart on Saturday in Guwahati's Sarusajai Stadium, making it the largest sports event to be held in India since the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. As per reports, 1637 athletes across the all states and union territories would be competing in 145 events over the next four days. The championship will end on February 10. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Cabinet Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Assam Athletic Association President Lakhya Konwar will be present during the inaugural ceremony.
15. Chirang: Ammunition, Ivory Seized, Ex-NDFB Ultra Held
Basugaon police during the wee hours of Saturday nabbed a former NDFB ultra with an ivory tusk and active ammunition in Chirang's Duligaon.Acting on inputs from the intelligence, the police officials launched a search operation that led to the recovery of 105 active bullets and an ivory tusk of an elephant. The apprehended former NDFB insurgent has been identified as one Janan Narzary.
