News Breakfast @6

01. Goal To Defeat BJP: Yogendra Yadav On Meeting Akhil

Activist Yogendra Yadav met jailed Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi on Sunday urging people to oust the ruling-BJP government in Assam. Yadav and Kisan Sangharsh Samiti leader Sunilam met Gogoi who is currently admitted at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital. "Gogoi has put up 19 candidates in the 86 seats in the first two phases. His goal is to ensure that the BJP is defeated," Yadav was quoted as saying in a PTI report. "We have come with one message that the BJP should be ousted for the way it has treated farmers and taken decisions against their interests and welfare," the Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader said. "He has been subjected to considerable mental torture and his medical condition has deteriorated but still the ideological clarity, mental resolve and the courage shown by him is a model," Yadav was quoted in the report. Yadav alleged that Gogoi has been put in jail to ensure that he cannot interact with the people during the elections. "This is not a criminal trial but a political trial," he alleged.

02. Assam Election: CM Sonowal Discusses Key Agenda

With few days left for the Assam assembly elections 2021, the political parties are running the election campaign in full swing. In Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal's hometown Dibrugarh too, the campaigns are in full swing. The top-notch national leaders have also thronged to the state to campaign for the designated candidates. Chief Minister Sonowal also visited Dibrugarh to participate in a meeting at Hotel Tri County with the party leaders. Sonowal held meetings with the leaders from Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Lakhimpur to discuss the political agenda. One of the key discussions in the meetings is the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the state on March 20 to participate in a public rally. During the meeting, the chief minister also discussed strategies to grab the Upper Assam area in the Assam assembly polls. The chief minister also instructed the party members and to the leaders to visit every house of the constituencies to win hearts of the people.

03. Homeguards Association Calls For Indefinite Strike

The All Assam Trained Home Guards Association called for an indefinite strike from work ahead of the Assam Assembly elections. The home guards association called for an indefinite strike from March 18. The association said that they will stay away from all types of election responsibility until and unless their demands would be fulfilled by the government. The home guards association demanded regularization of jobs and same salary based on the same work.

04. Assam Election 2021: JP Nadda Slams Congress

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President JP Nadda slammed Congress during his visit to the poll-bound Assam to campaign for Naba Kumar Doley and Padma Hazarika at Dhakuakhana and Sootea respectively. Slamming the Congress, the National President said that Congress's mission is only commission. Talking about Congress's five guarantees, Nadda said, "The only guarantee out of 5 guarantee of Congress is only corruption." He further urged the people to make Assam free from Congress for the development of the state. Further, taking a jibe at the party, Nadda said, "The party who once said 'Who is Badruddin now says 'My Friend'." Praising Sarbananda Sonowal government in the state, Nadda asked to compare about the ruling government of 60 days government led by Sarbananda Sonowal with 60 years Congress government in the state.

05. NE Was Neglected Before BJP Came To Power: Rajnath Singh

Attacking the Congress in the poll-bound Assam, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the northeast region of the country was neglected by the previous governments at the Centre before the BJP-led government came to power. "Northeast was neglected by Centre before BJP came to power… Nobody would talk nicely to ministers from here in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured that a central leader visits northeast each month to interact with people so they don't feel ignored, " he said while addressing a public rally in Gohpur. The Minister also highlighted the contribution of people from northeast India to the nation with examples of warrier Lachit Borphukan, musician Bhupen Hazarika and freedom fighter Kanaklata. "Assam has given birth to warriors like Lachit Borphukan who killed his own uncle for the country. "Nation first," he had said. His valour is celebrated across India. At National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune, the best cadet is awarded 'Lachit Borphukan' trophy," he said.

06. Rahul Gandhi Following "Jinnah's Footsteps", Shivraj Attacks Cong

Instead of following Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress was following in "Jinnah's footsteps", Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday, asserting that it would "destroy" the country. Addressing a rally in Naharkatia in poll-bound Assam's Dibrugarh district, the senior BJP leader said that the Congress has failed to carry out any developmental work in the Northeastern states since Independence."Congress is not following in Mahatma Gandhi's footsteps. Congress and Rahul Gandhi are following in Jinnah's footsteps. And Jinnah's steps will destroy Assam and India," Chouhan said, referring to the opposition party's alliance with AIUDF in Assam, ISF in West Bengal and IUML in Kerala. "Congress has allied with Badruddin Ajmal, who has filled Assam with infiltration… He has a perfume business, but is spreading poison in the society… If 'naagraj' and 'saapraj' ally, then Assam cannot be developed," Chouhan alleged.

07. Jerifa Wahid Quits Raijor Dal, Joins AJP

Just days ahead of Assam elections, actress Jerifa Wahid has formally joined the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) along with a number of eminent personalities in Guwahati today (Monday) evening. Party chief Lurin Jyoti Gogoi was also present on the ceremony. Wahid was in Raijor Dal before she quit the party and joined AJP.

08. Tripura: 76-Year-Old Man Arrested For Raping Minor

A 76-year-old man was arrested by police for allegedly raping a nine-year-old minor girl in Tripura. As per a report, the mother of the girl filed a complained saying that the accused lured the minor to his house and raped her when other family members were away. Further, it was learned that the accused was a neighbour of the victim whose house was just 50 metres away. He has been booked under Section 376 (AB) of the IPC and Section 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

09. Assam Polls: Cong Releases List Of Star Campaigners For 2nd Phase

The Indian National Congress (INC) on Monday released a list of star campaigners for the ensuing second phase elections to the Legislative Assam Assembly to be held on April 1. Top leaders of the INC including Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are among the star campaigners chosen.

10. Cachar: 8-KM Long Rangoli Created For Voter Awareness, Sets Record

Aimed at creating awareness among voters, an eight kilometre-long "rangoli", perhaps the longest for such an initiative, has been created on a street of this Barak valley town ahead of the three-phased assembly elections in Assam. Conceptualised by a young IAS officer, Keerthi Jalli, who is the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar district, around 3,000 people, including students, youths and women, participated in the "rangoli" making event. The process to make the 8.13 kilometre-long "rangoli" on a picturesque street of Silchar was started on Sunday morning and completed within 24 hours.

11. Unaccounted Cash Of Rs 9.5 Lakh Seized In Guwahati

Assam police on Monday seized unaccounted cash of Rs 9.5 lakh at Moinakhurung Tiniali in Guwahati's Gorchuk area. According to sources, the cash amount was seized from one Gautam Das during a Naka checking in the area. He was reportedly transporting the money from Lakhra to Rani. The individual has been arrested and was handed over to the Flying squad for further investigation. There have been many such seizures in the state of Assam since the Model Code of Conduct came into effect. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), cash, liquor, drugs and valuables worth Rs 31.81 crore were seized since February 26.

12. Plea To Nullify Poll Result If Maximum Votes For NOTA

The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and the Election Commission on a plea seeking to direct the poll panel to nullify an election result and conducting a fresh poll if the maximum votes are for NOTA in a particular constituency. A bench comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian issued notices to the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Election Commission of India while seeking their replies on the plea. Senior advocate Maneka Guruswamy appeared for the petitioner. The top court was hearing a plea filed by advocate and BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay which also sought a direction to the Election Commission to restrict those candidates and political parties, whose election has been nullified, from taking part in the fresh polls.

13. JeM Commander, Another Terrorist Killed In J&K

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) commander Sajjad Afghani along with another terrorist was killed on Monday during an encounter in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. According to ANI, one AK-47 rifle with a UBL shell and one USA made rifle's M-4 carbine was recovered from the site of the encounter. Police said Afghani was involved in recruiting the youth into terrorism. The encounter broke out on Saturday where one terrorist identified as Jahangir Ahmad Wani was killed. He was affiliated to Lashkar-e-Taiba. Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar congratulated Shopian Police and security forces on eliminating Afghani and Wani.

14. Batla House Encounter: Convict Ariz Khan Awarded Death Penalty

A Delhi Court on Monday awarded the death penalty to the 2008 Batla House encounter case convict Ariz Khan calling it the rarest of rare case. Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Yadav also slapped a fine of Rs 11 lakh against the convict and directed that out of the fine amount, Rs 10 lakh to be released to the family of deceased Mohan Chand Sharma as compensation. Earlier on Monday, the Delhi Police urged the court to award the death penalty to convict Ariz Khan in the 2008 Batla House encounter case.

15. Bank Services Hit By 2-Day Nationwide Strike

The United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions, has called for a two-day nationwide strike on March 15 and 16 against the privatisation of Public Sector Banks and retrograde banking reforms. Over 10 lakh bank employees and officers have participated in the strike. All nine banks unions – All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees Federation (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers' Congress (INBOC) and National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO) and the National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) will take part in the strike called by the UFBU.