New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Monday extended his greetings on International Women’s Day and said that it is a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, political contributions and achievements of women across the globe.
“#InternationalWomensDay is a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political contributions & achievements of women across the globe and honour their indomitable spirit, resolute determination & efforts that underline their achievements,” said the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
NCP MP Dr Fauzia Khan in Rajya Sabha said, “Many audits have shown that not more than 6 per cent of women have got leadership roles. We must think about it. We can make a beginning by bringing the legislation on 33 per cent reservation of women in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,”
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi in Rajya Sabha raised a demand for 50 per cent reservation for women in the Parliament and assembly.
“24 years ago, we proposed a 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament. Today, 24 years later, we should raise this to 50 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and assembly,” said Priyanka Chaturvedi.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Sonal Mansingh in Rajya Sabha demanded that International Men’s Day should also be celebrated.
International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide every year on March 8 to recognise the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women across the globe.
This year, the theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘Choose to Challenge’. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Urdu newspapers published from New Delhi on Monday gave a prominent display to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in West Bengal ahead of the state Assembly polls.
Farmers’ protest at Delhi’s borders also continued to be displayed on page one.
Rashtriya Sahara: “Political battle in West Bengal; Prime Minister Modi targets TMC, Congress” was the top headline of the newspaper.
The newspaper reported that the Prime Minister targeted the state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said, “Bengal relied on Mamata didi for change. But didi and her cadre broke this trust. These people broke the trust of Bengal. These people insulted Bengal and tortured the sisters and daughters here. But these people could not break the hope and courage of the people in the state.”
The newspaper has also reported about China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s comments under the headline “India-China are not threats to each other.”
According to the report, the Minister said on Sunday that the two nations should stop harming and doubting each other to solve the border issue and increase mutual cooperation to create a sense of interest.
Inquilab: The newspaper leads with the report on “World Women’s Day at the farmers’ protest at Delhi borders”.
According to the report, 40,000 protestors from Punjab, Haryana, Western UP and Rajasthan have left for the borders of Delhi this morning.
The newspaper also has reported the commencement of the second budget session in Parliament from Monday. (ANI)

Chandigarh [India], March 8 (ANI): Ahead of the budget presentation, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday held a protest march to the state legislative Assembly against the Punjab government over the suspension of party MLAs and hike in fuel prices.
The Punjab Assembly Speaker had suspended SAD MLAs from the House for the rest of the Budget session after they repeatedly interrupted Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s speech on the Governor’s address.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs also staged a protest against the Punjab government.
Later, MLAs of both the parties were stopped by the Chandigarh police. The police also used water cannons to stop the MLAs.
The Budget Session of the state Assembly commenced on March 1 with an address by Governor V P Singh Badnore. The session is scheduled to continue till March 10. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Due to ongoing protests against farm laws, Nainital Highway 9 and National Highway 24 are closed at the point of Uttar Pradesh gate, said Delhi Traffic Police on Monday.
The police said there is heavy traffic on both the sides.
“Due to protest of Kisan Andolan, Nainital highway No. 9 and NH-24 is closed at the point of UP Gate. Traffic is heavy in both carriageways. The diversion has been given from Delhi towards Ghaziabad,” tweeted Delhi traffic police.
Delhi Traffic police advised people to take diversions from Delhi towards Ghaziabad via road number 57A to Hassan Pura and Karkari Mor, Road number 56 towards Anand Vihar and road towards Ghaziabad via Paper Market Ghazipur.
Entry and exit gates of Delhi metro stations from Tikri Kalan to Brigadier Hoshiar Singh on the green line are also closed as women from Punjab reached Tikri on the Delhi-Haryana border to join the ongoing farmers’ protest.
Farmers have been protesting at the gates of Delhi since November 26 last year against the newly enacted farm laws — Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (ANI)

New Delhi/Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], March 8 (ANI): BJP general secretary in-charge of Uttarakhand Dushyant Kumar Gautam and Raman Singh, who was appointed to look after the current crisis within the party’s state unit, has submitted its report to the BJP’s high command, said sources.
Last week, BJP Uttarakhand held an emergency core group meeting which was attended by observer Raman Singh, Dushyant Gautam, Trivendra Singh Rawat, Ajay Bhatt, Naresh Bansal, Mala Rajya Laxmi and others.
There are speculations about the leadership change in Uttarakhand as several ministers and around twenty MLAs are against the working style of Rawat.
According to sources, several MLAs and some ministers complained about the Chief Minister to the party leadership. Later, the BJP central high command sent Raman Singh as party observer for the emergency core group meeting, which was attended by Dushyant Gautam, general secretary in-charge of Uttarakhand BJP.
After the core group meeting party, Raman Singh and Dushyant Gautam submitted their report, the party high command called Trivendra Singh Rawat to Delhi. He will meet the BJP’s Central leadership today.
Meanwhile, Rawat has left for Delhi in a special aircraft from Uttarakhand. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Air India’s subsidiary company Alliance Air on Monday celebrated International Women’s Day by launching a flight from Delhi to Bareilly with an all women-crew.
Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri announced the inaugural flight virtually and said, “I would like to thank all the stakeholders who have done a tremendous job to get start the Bareilly flight under ‘Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik’ (UDAN) scheme.”
“We have a strong team of women in the aviation sector, with 16 per cent of staff controlling the Air Traffic Controller (ATC). Today is a matter of great pride for us because all the women are commanding the inaugural flight of Alliance Air and other 11 more flights from different route under all-women crew,” he added.
Alliance Air Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Harpreet A De Singh said, “We are celebrating the Women’s Day with an all-women crew today and for the first time in Alliance Air history, we have deployed all-women crew for the inaugural flight to Bareilly under the command of women pilots, women crew, women engineers, women aircraft dispatchers and women Air Traffic Controller (ATC).”
She also extended her best wishes to all the women who dream of becoming pilots and aviation professionals.
Uttar Pradesh currently connects eight airports under the UDAN scheme. Usha Padhee, joint secretary in MoCA, said: “Eight airports have been connected in Uttar Pradesh under the UDAN scheme, Bareilly is the beginning and much more is coming. UDAN’s motto is to connect the regions at an affordable fare for the common man.”
Puri, meanwhile, also stressed on the growth of the Indian aviation sector and highlighted the upcoming aviation project in Uttar Pradesh. “Kushinagar, Ayodhya and many other airports will get operational soon. The work on the Jewar airport will begin soon. The project costs Rs 30,000 crore.” Puri said.
Santosh Gangwar, Minister of State for labour and employment, flew to Bareilly in the inaugural flight. (ANI)