India

Jammu, Sep 22 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir government has issued over 18.52 lakh domicile certificates (DCs) against more than 21.99 lakh applications received so far, an official spokesman said here.

As per the consolidated figures from across 20 districts of the Union territory, 21,99,513 people have applied for domicile certificates, of which 20,87,815 were found complete in all respects, while the rest were rejected for want of prescribed documents.

Jaipur, Sep 21 (PTI) Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Monday said the centre has passed "anti-farmer" bills in the Rajya Sabha by suppressing the voice of the opposition but the Congress is standing with farmers and will continue their fight.

Condemning the suspension of eight Rajya Sabha MPs, the Congress leader said it was symbolic of dictatorship.

"After passing the bills in the Rajya Sabha in an undemocratic manner, the decision to suspend 8 Rajya Sabha MPs today is a symbol of utter dictatorship," Pilot tweeted in Hindi.

New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) Historian Romila Thapar will come out with a historical essay next month, exploring dissent, including its articulation and public response to its particular forms, with a special focus on recent protests in the country.

Penguin Random House India and Seagull Books have come together to publish the book titled "Voices of Dissent".

The book will be available in stores from October 19.

Jammu, Sep 21 (PTI) Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday called for a speedy implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sinha inaugurated a brainstorming session on the implementation of the policy at University of Jammu here.

New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) Over 1,300 posts are lying vacant in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against its total sanctioned strength of 7,273, the government told Parliament on Monday.

Of the sanctioned strength, 5,944 posts are filled and 1,329 vacant in the CBI, according to data shared by Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

Giving category-wise details, he said out of the sanctioned strength of 5,000 of executive ranks, 4,198 is the actual strength, as on August 31, 2020.

New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) Days after his release from jail following a court quashing his detention under the stringent National Security Act, Kafeel Khan on Monday met Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra here.

Khan, a medical doctor, was recently released from the Mathura jail after the Allahabad High Court quashed his detention under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).

During the meeting, Khan is learnt to have thanked Priyanka Gandhi for the assistance and support provided by the Congress during and after his detention.

New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) Seventy-five incidents of air turn back have occurred so far this year due to technical snags in the aircraft, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday.

When pilots decide to return to the airport of departure due to any reason, it is termed an air turn back.

Agra, Sep 21 (PTI) Agra's Taj Mahal was opened to tourists on Monday after 188 days of its COVID-19-led closure.

The Taj Mahal and Agra Fort were closed to tourists from March 17 amid the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

With a Delhi resident entering the 17th-century ivory-white marble monument on the southern bank of the Yamuna from its western gate and a Chinese woman from its eastern gate, the duo became the first visitors to the monument after its reopening.

Ahmedabad, Sep 21 (PTI) The ruling BJP on Monday said members of Tablighi Jamaat were responsible for the initial spread of coronavirus in Gujarat, evoking a sharp rebuke from the Congress which blamed 'Namaste Trump' event held here in February for the spurt in infections.

Both the parties traded barbs during a discussion on a resolution introduced by treasury benches in the Legislative Assembly to thank COVID warriors.

Noida (UP), Sep 21 (PTI) The farm reform bills will push the farming sector into the hands of private firms, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed on Monday as its workers protested the proposed legislations here.

Scores of AAP workers carried out a protest demonstration against the BJP-led Centre for the passage of two bills, dubbed as the biggest reform in agriculture by the government, in the Rajya Sabha on Sunday amid opposition by rival parties.