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Hans India
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Omar Abdullah deliberately politicising water sharing with Punjab: AAP
Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab on Friday questioned Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's remarks that 'we will not give water from the Indus River to Punjab' and accused him of deliberately politicising the issue. AAP spokesperson Neel Garg said the authority to decide on river waters lies with the Central government, and Omar Abdullah cannot take a unilateral decision on this matter. He emphasised that Punjab needs water and, therefore, Punjab should also get a share of the Indus River water, adding that during the war with Pakistan, the Indian government had decided to annul the Indus Water Treaty. 'Now, it is the Indian government's responsibility to appropriately distribute the remaining water and give Punjab its rightful share,' he said. Garg pointed out that like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab is also a border state. 'Whenever war occurs, Punjab becomes the battleground. And when the country needs food grains, it becomes the granary of the nation. Now that there is water available, Punjab has a legitimate claim over it.' He highlighted that Punjab needs water today, as most of its regions have entered the dark zone. 'In the process of filling the nation's granaries, we have been deprived of our own water. Now that the Indus Water Treaty has been annulled, Punjab has the primary right over this water because it will not only bring relief to our barren lands but also boost our agriculture. When farmers prosper, the nation prospers,' he said. Garg added that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also stated, after the annulment of the Indus Treaty, that Punjab should receive a share of the water that is being prevented from flowing to Pakistan. 'Therefore, the government of India must consider this matter,' he said. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also expressed surprise at Omar Abdullah's statement. In a statement, former Minister and senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said what Omar Abdullah was demanding was another attempt to do injustice to Punjab. He said that while filling the food bowl of the country, Punjab had lost its groundwater, which had fallen to alarming levels. He said the quantity of water in rivers had also gone down substantially, adding that the farmers of Punjab had taken huge debt on their shoulders to fulfil the food requirement of the country. Earlier, speaking on constructing a canal by the government of India to divert excess water from three rivers of the Indus system in Jammu and Kashmir to Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, Chief Minister Abdullah cited the 45-year-old Shahpur Kandi barrage dispute with Punjab and asked, 'Did they give us water?'
Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Telegraph
When is the summer solstice? Date, time and how to celebrate
The summer solstice, otherwise known as the longest day of the year, falls on June 21, this Saturday. Also known as midsummer or the festival solstice, it is the day with the longest period of sunlight – boding well for anyone who suffers from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or is wanting to soak up some extra vitamin D. Read on below to find out everything you need to know about summer, the solstice, traditions and the significance of Stonehenge. What time is summer solstice this year? In the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice takes place between June 20 and 22 each year. This year summer solstice falls on Saturday, June 21 at precisely3:42am in the UK. The sun will rise at 4:51am. The solstice officially marks the beginning of the astronomical summer, which ends when the autumn equinox falls on September 22. Day and night will be at almost equal length on this date, as the sun crosses the celestial equator and moves southward into the northern hemisphere. What happens during the summer solstice? There are two solstices each year – one in the winter and one in the summer. The summer solstice occurs when the tilt of Earth's axis is most inclined towards the sun and is directly above the Tropic of Cancer. Traditionally, the summer solstice period fell between the planting and harvesting of crops, leaving people who worked the land time to relax. This is why June became the traditional month for weddings. It might seem like a day to celebrate, but it actually signals the moment the sun's path stops moving northward in the sky, and the start of days becoming steadily shorter as the slow march towards winter begins. However, we won't notice the days becoming shorter for a while. The shortest day of the year is not until December 21, which is known as the winter solstice. At the winter solstice, the Earth's axis is tilted furthest away from the sun directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, bringing only a few hours of daylight. In the southern hemisphere the dates of the two solstices are reversed. The winter solstice occurs on the same day in June and the summer solstice the same day in December. The term 'solstice' derives from the Latin word 'solstitium', meaning 'sun standing still'. Some prefer the more teutonic term 'sunturn' to describe the event. Astrologers say the sun seems to 'stand still' at the point on the horizon where it appears to rise and set, before moving off in the reverse direction. Equinox and solstice explainer graphic Summer solstice traditions Over the centuries, the June solstice has inspired many festivals and midsummer celebrations involving bonfires, picnics, singing, watching the sun rise and Maypole dancing. Many towns and villages across Britain still mark the day. One ritual was the lighting of fires, heralding the start of shorter days, although this does not happen often anymore. The idea was that flames would keep the dark away. How to celebrate the summer solstice Stonehenge always welcomes an influx of garland-wearing hippies, druids and curious tourists who head to the mysterious stone circles and wait for the sun to appear. Crowds of around 10,000 traditionally greet the moment dawn breaks, as the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle, with a mixture of cheers and silent meditation each June. The Golowan Festival showcases bright parades with festival-goers dancing the Serpent Dance to the sound of the Golowan Band. There are also Golowan workshops in the run-up to the festival, where those celebrating can engage in various activities such as costume, mask and headdress-making. Other activities to get you in the summer spirit include model boat making to sail at the boating pool event on Quay Fair Day, banner making, practising circus skills, and a photography town trail. Why is Stonehenge so significant to the summer solstice? Stonehenge in Amesbury, Wiltshire, is the most popular place for Pagans to celebrate the longest day because it famously aligns to the solstices. The rising sun only reaches the middle of the stones one day of the year when it shines on the central altar. Built in three phases between 3,000 B.C. and 1,600 BC, Stonehenge's exact purpose still remains a mystery. The stones were brought from very long distances – the bluestones from the Preseli Hills more than 150 miles away, and the sarsens probably from the Marlborough Downs, 19 miles to the north. The day marks the ancient middle of summer. It has significance for pagans who have always believed that midsummer day holds a special power. Midsummer's eve was believed to be a time when the veil between this world and the next was at its thinnest, and when fairies were thought to be at their most powerful. What is the connection to midsummer? Midsummer is a separate event to the summer solstice. This year, midsummer is to be held on Tuesday June 24. Referencing the time period between the middle of the summer, this celebration predates Christianity and is primarily held close to the summer solstice. Traditionally a quarter day - when servants were hired, school terms started and rents were due - midsummer bonfires are still lit on some hills in Cornwall. Bonfires were also typical of Golowan, the festival now celebrated in Penzance, Cornwall, as they signified the Feast of St John (Gol-Jowan).
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP, SAD candidates in Ludhiana West express confidence as parties await results on June 23.
Ludhiana: Now that the fate of candidates contesting the Ludhiana West bypoll is sealed in the EVMs, all eyes are on June 23, when counting will take place and the constituency will get its new MLA. However, for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the outcome of this bypoll could shape their prospects for the 2027 assembly elections. On polling day, both parties' candidates — Jiwan Gupta (BJP) and Parupkar Singh Ghumman (SAD) — were seen calm and composed. They even shared smiles and a cup of tea, expressing confidence in the voters of the West constituency. Still, party leaders are well aware that their future in Punjab politics may hinge on this result. Perhaps this is why they kept urging residents to step out and vote, especially as voter turnout remained low through the day. The BJP leadership, not just from Punjab but also from Haryana, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh, actively campaigned in support of Jiwan Gupta. Throughout the campaign, they consistently targeted the ruling party over its unfulfilled promises to the people of Punjab. While the BJP secured a decent vote share in the 2022 assembly and 2024 parliamentary elections, its recent performance in the municipal corporation polls was underwhelming, winning only 2 out of 17 wards in the West constituency. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Doutor: Manter a massa muscular após os 50 anos depende deste hábito noturno Revista do Homem Saiba Mais Undo According to party insiders, the BJP managed to win this assembly seat during the Lok Sabha elections only when their candidate crossed the 45,000-vote mark. The leadership remains hopeful that, this time too, voters — disillusioned with both Congress and AAP — will give the BJP another chance. The BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta claimed that bypoll results will be in their favour and they will win the elections after results are announced on June 23. He said people would vote with renewed hope for the development of their area. Claiming confidence in the outcome, he added that he was visiting polling booths where party workers were assisting voters in locating their names andkeeping a check on the voting process. Everything, he asserted, was going in their favour. Meanwhile, for the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), questions are being raised over whether the party can repeat the success of past bypolls of 1995, when Manpreet Badal defeated the Congress govt in Gidderbaha, or in 2019, when Manpreet Ayali triumphed in the Dakha bypoll, again against the Congress. Party president Sukhbir Badal camped in the city for over two weeks, holding one-on-one meetings with party workers and voters to galvanize support. The SAD candidate also showed full confidence and claimed that people will cast vote in his favour, as they have decided to oust the AAP from Punjab, with this bypoll as its beginning. MSID:: 121955652 413 |
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Will you now enter bedrooms?': Row over private photos escalates in Punjab, AAP minister Ravjot Singh files police plaint against SAD leader Bikram Majithia
JALANDHAR: Punjab local bodies minister Ravjot Singh announced on Wednesday that a formal police complaint has been lodged against senior (SAD) leader for posting his "edited" personal photographs on social media accounts seeking to "scandalise and defame him". Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Calling Majithia "an irrelevant leader from an irrelevant party raising an irrelevant issue," the minister, addressing a press conference, sought to give the issue a casteist angle, saying that Majithia was targeting Scheduled Caste (SC) leaders of the AAP. He mentioned minister Lal Chand Kataruchak and former minister Balkar Singh, whose "sleazy videos" were earlier released by Majithia. All three hail from the SC community. He claimed that Majithia had a history of oppressing SCs and Dalits during his tenure in power, while the AAP govt was a supporter of the two communities. He said that Majithia circulated these photographs when AAP was set to win the Ludhiana West byelection. "The photograph shared on social media is a disgraceful and unethical attempt to mislead the public and defame me. This woman is someone's daughter, mother, or sister. This act is not just an attack on me but an insult to all women. Such tactics reflect the low level of politics practised by such leaders," said Ravjot, flanked by AAP state general secretary Deepak Bali and local AAP leader Tarandeep Sunny. He said that the photographs in question were eight to 10 years old and feature his ex-wife. He reiterated claims that the pictures were "edited". He said that releasing such photographs amounted to insulting women and his former wife was suffering ignominy without any fault of hers. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He said he was leaving the matter in the court of God and the people. Wrong to bring casteism angle: Channi Jalandhar MP and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi has sought to debunk attempts by local bodies minister Ravjot Singh and AAP to introduce a caste angle into the recent controversy surrounding alleged "sleazy photographs". In a statement posted on his X handle, Channi said, "One after the other obscene videos of ministers coming out are a grave disrespect to women. It is wrong to link this issue with casteism in any way. It would be better if the entire AAP party apologises and resigns." 'Pics morphed': Another minister slams Majithia Punjab Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and minister for minister for good governance and information technology Aman Arora on Wednesday slammed Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia for putting out "private" and "morphed" pictures of his cabinet colleague Ravjot Singh in the public domain. "I never anticipated that someone could take politics to such a low level. This is not right," Arora said while responding to a question on the issue during a press conference here. When asked if the row had dented the party's image, Arora said: "Dr Ravjot Singh has already clarified that these were his private photos with his ex-wife, which were being posted on social media after AI morphing. How will this dent the party's image?" Rather, Arora added: "This raises a question mark on the character of the person who is posting these photos. Will they resort to such a low level of politics?" "Why does Majithia get such photos or news just two days ahead of the elections," he asked. "I mean, it is a very sorry state of affairs. Only a handful, two or four leaders of Punjab, one can count on fingers, resort to such a low level of politics." Arora further asked: "Will they even enter the bedrooms of people? It is ridiculous. What these people are doing is total nonsense."
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Minister Dr Ravjot files complaint against Majithia over ‘edited pictures'
Jalandhar: Punjab local government minister Dr Ravjot Singh has filed a police complaint against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia for allegedly sharing 'edited photographs' of him with his ex-wife on social condemned the alleged act as a deliberate attempt to malign his personal and political reputation. The minister claimed that the pictures were edited with some AI tool, as he described the act as a 'new low in Punjab politics,' to tarnish women and the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. The alleged leak, which surfaced on Tuesday, involved intimate images that quickly went viral. A visibly distressed Dr Ravjot addressed a press conference at the Jalandhar Circuit House on Wednesday, calling the act a 'malicious attempt' to damage his personal and political reputation. 'A formal complaint has been lodged, and an investigation is underway. This is not just about me — it's about setting an example that such malicious campaigns will not be tolerated in Punjab politics,' said the minister, who represents the Sham Chaurasi constituency. Dr Ravjot, 48, is also a cardiologist and runs a hospital in Hoshiarpur. The minister said the woman in the photos is his legally divorced ex-wife and that the images were taken 8–10 years ago. Police officials have confirmed the receipt of the complaint and said the matter is under investigation.
