New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said the Congress will continue its protest demanding discussion on a hike in fuel prices in Parliament.
His remarks came as Rajya Sabha witnessed repeated adjournments following repeated sloganeering by the Opposition MPs demanding on fuel price hike in Parliament. Later, the Upper House was adjourned till 11 am tomorrow.
“We will continue our agitation demanding a discussion on fuel price rise when Rajay Sabha reconvenes at 1 pm,” Kharge told reporters here.
The Congress MP said the government has collected Rs 21 lakh crores by putting excise duty and cess on petroleum products in the last six years.
“None of the other larger nations has imposed cess and duty as much as the Indian government has imposed and even after all this, the government was not ready to talk about these issues,” he said.
“Narendra Modi government has collected Rs 21 lakh crore by putting excise duty and cess on petroleum products in the last six years. None of the larger power counties has imposed cess and duty as much as the Indian government has imposed and the government was not ready to talk about these issues,” said Kharge.
“The UPA government there was only 10 Rs was excise duty and under the NDA government it is Rs 33,” he added.
Congress MP Dipendra Hooda said, “The NDA government has only increased the rate of crops by 30 per cent and price of diesel by 89 per cent,” said Hooda.
“From common man to farmers, everyone is suffering due to rising Inflation rate in the country,” said.
After slogans were raised in Rajya Sabha, Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu said: “I don’t want to take any drastic action on the first day.”

The second part of the Budget session of Parliament commenced from today with all COVID-19 precautionary measures in place. (ANI)

Amravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 8 (ANI): The overwhelming response to the government schools due to improvement in the education standards has resulted in a shortage of textbooks for these schools in Andhra Pradesh, officials have said.
According to the official release, as many as six lakh students enrolled in government and aided schools this year owing to the initiatives undertaken by the YSRC government to improve the facilities and standards there. The textbooks were printed based on the 2019-20 data, with a five per cent buffer, but it still created a shortage.
The number of students enrolled in government and government-aided schools went up to 40,84,983 by November 3, 2020, the release stated.
“The drastic increase in the number is primarily due to lakhs of students choosing to enroll themselves in government schools over exorbitant private institutions. Most of these students got transferred during the months of November, December, January and February, i.e even after schools were reopened,” the release reads.
The printing of text and workbooks was concluded by April 2020 with a five per cent buffer. The spike in the number of students opting for government institutions surpassed all expectations.
After a discussion which was attended by representatives of the School Education department of the government of Andhra Pradesh and representatives of the government’s printing section, an additional amount of seven crores was sanctioned for the purpose of printing the required number of text and workbooks which would be supplied to the 4,11,427 students who shifted to government and government-aided schools post-November.
The books are expected to be distributed to the students within 15 days.
“As on September 30, 2019, a total of 38,97,156 students were registered in government and government-aided schools. As the government was expecting the number to rise, owing to the initiatives taken by it to better the standard of education provided at government educational institutions, books for as many as 40,92,014 students were printed i.e; five per cent more than the existing figure of 38,97,156 as on the cut-off date,” it stated. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): The Chief Justice of India SA Bobde on Monday said that as an institution and Court, “We have always had the highest respect for womanhood” and have never asked a rape accused to marry the victim.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Bobde maintained that the Court has the highest respect for womanhood as an institution, and there was “misreporting” on its recent queries in a rape case.
“We never asked anyone to marry,” Chief Justice said.
His query to rape accused — ‘Will you marry her?’ was in the facts of that case, said Chief Justice clarifying that Court never gave a suggestion that “You should marry her”.
“This court has always given the largest respect to women. Even in that hearing, We never gave a suggestion that you should marry, we had asked are you going to marry. It has been completely misreported,” the Chief Justice said while referring to a case where he asked a state government employee, facing charges of raping a relative when she was a minor if he intended to marry her.
The remark of Chief Justice Bobde caused a stir and a group of more than 4,000 women’s rights activists and progressive groups have written an open letter to him, saying that he must resign for asking a rapist to marry his schoolgoing victim and justifying marital rape in the Supreme Court.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that Court’s statements were taken out of context and were twisted, statements can be twisted and will mean something different.
The Bench today made the observation while hearing a plea of a 14-year-old girl, who wants to terminate her unwanted 26 week-pregnancy.
Advocate VK Biju, appearing for the 14-year-old girl, told the Bench that people were trying to tarnish the Judiciary’s image, and some mechanism should be set up to deal with these people.
The Bench said that its reputation lies at the hands of the bar.
The apex court adjourned the matter for Friday after advocate Biju requested an adjournment in the case.
Haryana government last week told the Supreme Court that the medical report of a 14-year-old girl, who wants to terminate her unwanted 26 week-pregnancy, is ready and will be submitted to the Court.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA asked the government to submit the report to examine if it would be safe for a 14-year-old girl to terminate her 26 week-pregnancy and posted the matter for hearing on March 8.
The girl in her plea said she was raped by her cousin brother that led to the unwanted pregnancy. She has approached the apex court seeking permission to terminate her 26 weeks-pregnancy. (ANI)

Nirmal (Telangana) [India], March 8 (ANI): Several people were injured and few vehicles were torched in clashes that broke out between two groups in Bhainsa of Telangana’s Nirmal district on Sunday, police said.
Section 144 have been imposed in Bhainsa town where the clashes took place.
According to Vishnu S Warrier, in-charge Superintendent of Police, the clash broke out over a petty issue between two groups at around 9 pm on Sunday.
“Some of the accused and 50 suspects have been taken in custody. Cases have been booked under various sections. CCTV footage of the area is being examined. Further investigation is going on,” he further said.
The police said an additional force of 600 police personnel and 40 officers from other districts have been deployed in the town.
Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao said he has requested the state home minister and Director General of Police to take stern action to bring the perpetrators of violence in Bhainsa.
“Peace & harmony is fundamental to the progress of civilised society Have requested Home Minister @mahmoodalitrs Garu and @TelanganaDGP Garu to take stern action to bring the perpetrators of violence in Bhainsa to justice Telangana Govt will not tolerate lawlessness in any form,” he tweeted. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 11 am on Tuesday following a ruckus over fuel prices in the parliament.
Earlier today, Rajya Sabha witnessed repeated adjournments following repeated sloganeering by the Opposition MPs.
“We will continue our agitation (demanding a discussion on fuel price rise) when Rajya Sabha reconvenes at 1 pm,” said Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.
“Petrol and diesel prices are nearly Rs 100 per litre and Rs 80 per litre respectively. Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices have also gone up. Rs 21 lakh crores have been collected by putting excise duty/cess, because of this entire country including farmers are suffering,” Kharge had said.
After slogans were raised, Rajya Sabha Chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu said: “I don’t want to take any drastic action on the first day.”
Meanwhile, Congress MP Manish Tewari has given Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha over the rise in fuel prices.
The second part of the Budget session of Parliament commenced from today with all COVID-19 precautionary measures in place. (ANI)

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 8 (ANI): Karnataka government in its Budget on Monday said the revenue deficit of the state is estimated to be Rs 15,134 crores during Financial Year 2021-22.
“The revenue deficit is estimated to be Rs 15,134 crores. The fiscal deficit is expected to be Rs 59,240 crores, which is 3.48 per cent of GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product). The total liabilities at the end of 2021-22 is estimated to be Rs 4,57,899 crore, which is 26.9 per cent of the GSDP. The suitable amendment will be brought to the Karnataka Fiscal Responsibility Act 2002 in this regard,” CM said in the Assembly.
Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa, who also holds the finance portfolio, announced to construct Yathri Nivasa in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh for devotees from Karnataka visiting the temple town. He allocated Rs 10 crores in 2021-22 Budget and said the UP government will provide five-acre of land for it.
Reading out Budget for 2021-22, Karnataka CM also announced to establish goshala in every district of the state to prevent ‘slaughter of cows and to conserve livestock’.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders led by CLP leader Siddaramiah boycotted the Budget session in light of the alleged cases against Chief Minister and Ramesh Jarkiholi.
Siddaramiah also said six MLAs who were earlier with the Congress and JD(S) have got interim injunction, which is unconstitutional.
“People’s money should not be given to this government so we will protest in the session and stage a walkout. We will wear a black band and we will protest in the Assembly and council,” he added. (ANI)