Republic top 10 headlines: Punjab crisis, G-23's call for open elections, UP Polls & more

Congress To Retain Sidhu As PCC Chief; Will Set Up Co-ordination Panel To Take Decisions

Relenting to miffed Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, Congress High Command has decided to set up a coordination panel on Thursday, to take major decisions in Punjab. The panel may comprise the CM, Navjot Singh Sidhu and a representative of AICC (Harish Chaudhary), sources said. The decision was reached after an over two-hour meeting between Sidhu and Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi in Chandigarh.

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G-23 Leaders Seek 'open Elections' To CWC; Tell Sonia Gandhi To Not Nominate Members

In a clarion call for transparency, the G-23 leaders have urged the Congress High Command to hold 'open' elections to the Congress Working Committee (CWC), reported sources on Friday. Sources added that the G-23 leaders have demanded that the interim president i.e. Sonia Gandhi not nominate leaders to the CWC, but hold fair and transparent elections in an open forum. Upon the insistence of the G-23, Congress has agreed to hold an emergency CWC meeting soon to let them air out their grievances.

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MEA Debunks China's 'nonfactual' Accusation Of India Encroaching Chinese Territory

Minister of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday rejected China's accusation of India encroaching on Chinese lands along the LAC. Bagchi, in an official release, debunked China's statements, which were nonfactual. During a press briefing, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying was asked about India deploying forces and 'sophisticated artillery' along the LAC to which, she had stated without putting any facts that the neighbours have illegally encroached on China's land and has long pursued the 'forward policy'. 

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Lok Sabha MP Preneet Kaur To Stay In Congress Even As Amarinder Charts Independent Path

On Thursday, former Union Minister Preneet Kaur announced that she would continue to stay in Congress even as her husband Amarinder Singh decided to leave the party. Having been elected to the Lok Sabha from Patiala 4 times since 1999, she served as the Minister of State for External Affairs in the UPA government from 2009 to 2012. Speaking to the media, she affirmed, "I will stay in the Congress and will stick to my position (as Patiala MP). I have no intention of quitting".

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Congress Leaders Meet To Discuss UP Poll Strategy, To Publish First Candidate List Soon

A Screening Committee of the Indian National Congress constituted for the upcoming state Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh assembled for a meeting in Lucknow, on Thursday, to discuss the party's poll strategy and planning. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Bhanwar Jitendar Singh led the meeting at the party's state headquarters in Lucknow. News agency ANI, citing a top source from the Uttar Pradesh Congress, reported that the meeting decided that the first candidate list for the election will be finalised shortly and forwarded to the AICC's Central Election Committee.  

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J&K: Govt To Take Action Against Officials Alleged Of Tampering Migrant Property Records

The Jammu and Kashmir administration said that action will be taken against officials who have allegedly tampered with revenue records of migrant properties in the Valley. District Development Commissioner, Srinagar, Muhammad Aijaz Asad said 16 cases of tampering of revenue records of Kashmiri migrant properties have been verified. “Cognisance has been taken and action being initiated against officials involved in tampering of revenue records,” he said. Asad said 18 cases of trespassing were also verified, of which a few were found lacking the details of the properties and the same have been sought for final resolution. He said the district administration has resolved 660 complaints since the launch of the dedicated online grievance portal for migrants.

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Indian Labour Ministry, Microsoft India Launch Skill Training Programme, DigiSaksham

In a joint initiative with Microsoft India, the Ministry of Labour and Employment launched a digital skills programme, DigiSaksham for enhancing employment opportunities for youth from rural and semi-urban areas. Union Minister for Labour and Employment, Bhupender Yadav, on Thursday, launched the programme and said that upgradations, constant skilling, reskilling, and upskilling are important in the age of fast-paced technology. 

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Giriraj Singh Introduces NIRDPR's Hindi Website, Kaushal Aapti 2.0 To Motivate Rural Youth

The Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh has introduced the Hindi website for the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) on Thursday along with the Kaushal Aapti 2.0 app in the Hyderabad district of Telangana, to encourage rural youths and attach them with job opportunities based on their aptitude.   During the event of NIRDPR's 64th General Council meeting, Singh spoke through the video conference, highlighting the organization's efforts in many sectors that have a significant influence on the rural population.  

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West Bengal: 9 Kids With Acute Respiratory Infection Die In Siliguri's NBMCH

An eight-month-old infant from West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district died due to fever and acute respiratory infection (ARI) at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) in Siliguri, West Bengal. This was the ninth such case that came to light.  News agency ANI quoted NBMCH's Medical Superintendent and Vice-Principal (MSVP), Dr Sanjay Chakraborty as saying that nearly 27 children were brought to the pediatric department of the hospital within a span of 24 hours.  

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US Didn't Take India Into Confidence On Many Aspects Of Doha Deal: EAM Jaishankar Reveals

Amid the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar revealed that India wasn't taken into confidence about many aspects of the Doha agreement. Also known as the 'Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan', it was signed by the terrorist group and the US on February 29, 2020. It focused on the complete withdrawal of foreign forces, the commitment of the Taliban to not allow any of its members or other terrorist groups to use the soil of Afghanistan against the US and its allies and the formation of a new government by an intra-Afghan dialogue.

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