JNUSU presidential debate held
NEW DELHI
The presidential debate for the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union polls began late on Wednesday night after the selection of the candidates for the post.
The polls will be held on April 25. On Tuesday, the university's election committee (EC) resumed the election process after a halt following an incident of 'violence and vandalism' at its office.
The presidential debate, which is a mandatory part of the election process, began at 10.30 p.m. with candidates marking their attendance and a draw of lots for the sequence of speeches. Meanwhile, the venue for the debate, the Jhelum lawn, rang with sloganeering ranging from 'Hindu lives matter' to 'Laal Salaam'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Top news of the day: June 8, 2025
Bengaluru stampede: Police flagged lack of time to prepare and make security arrangements, document shows Even as a blame game has broken out between the police and the State Government over mishaps during Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebrations, it has now emerged that the Vidhana Soudha security had flagged concerns of overcrowding, lack of time and shortage of security personnel for the felicitation for the team on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha. This letter is the only document that shows the State Government overruled concerns raised by the Bengaluru City Police and went ahead with RCB victory celebrations. While it is true that no untoward incidents happened at the Vidhana Soudha event, police have argued an open-air event at the administrative nerve centre of the state, coupled with a unilateral announcement by RCB of a victory parade on June 4 morning, brought lakhs to the street, eventually leading to a stampede at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. In 2026, NDA will form governments in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal: Amit Shah Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday (June 8, 2025) asserted that the NDA would form governments in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Addressing party office bearers, he hailed Madurai as a city of 'Parivartan' and said his party's Karyakarta Sammelan (workers meet) would lead to change as well, of dislodging DMK from power. He said that in the 2026 Assembly election, the BJP-AIADMK will form the NDA Government in Tamil Nadu and will defeat DMK in the 2026 polls. 'The DMK is a 100% failure government,' he said. 'In 2026, in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, the NDA will form governments.' Mr. Shah, before addressing the state, district and mandal level office bearers, chaired the meeting of the state core committee of the Tamil Nadu BJP. Ahead of leading the core panel parleys, he worshipped at the Madurai Meenakshi temple. Write to EC formally: Poll panel sources on Rahul seeking reply on election rigging claim A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sought the Election Commission's response on his article alleging rigging in Maharashtra polls, sources in the poll authority said on Sunday (June 8, 2025) the constitutional body would respond only if the Leader of the Opposition writes to it directly. They also pointed out that as part of its outreach, the EC had invited all six national parties for separate interactions. While the other five met the EC brass, Congress cancelled the May 15 meeting. Responding to a question on Gandhi's demand for CCTV footage of polling stations in Maharashtra of the evening hours, the sources said as per instructions of the EC, the CCTV footage of polling stations can always be scrutinised by the competent high court when an election petition is filed. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar to visit France, EU and Belgium from June 8 External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will be on a 7-day official visit to France, EU and Belgium from June 8. According to Ministry of External Affairs, Mr. Jaishankar's visit is expected to further deepen India's friendly relations with the European Union, France and Belgium and will give a renewed momentum to ongoing cooperation in diverse areas. As India and France complete 25 years of partnership, Mr. Jaishankar will be travelling to Paris and Marseille, where he will hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart Jean Noel Barrot, the MEA press release said. The External Affairs Minister will also engage with France's senior leadership and interact with think tanks and media. During his visit to France, Mr. Jaishankar will be participating in the inaugural edition of the Mediterranean Rasina Dialogue which is being held in Marseille. Cash discovery row: Resignation only option before Justice Varma to avoid removal by Parliament Resignation is the only option before Justice Yashwant Varma to avoid impeachment by Parliament as the government pushes for bringing a motion to remove the Allahabad High Court judge over alleged corruption. Officials aware of the procedure to appoint and remove Supreme Court and high court judges pointed out that while defending his case before lawmakers in any of the House, Justice Varma can announce that he is quitting and his verbal statement will be considered as his resignation. 'Should he decide to resign, he will get a pension and other benefits entitled to a retired HC judge. But if he is removed by Parliament, he will be deprived of pension and other benefits,' they noted. CBI arrests Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol activist from Imphal airport CBI arrested a member of Arambai Tenggol from Manipur's Imphal Airport and brought him to Guwahati on Sunday (June 8, 2025). He will be 'produced before the competent court for police remand', the probe agency said. 'Kanan Singh was arrested by the CBI at the Imphal airport,' they added. The federal agency is probing cases related to the Manipur ethnic violence in accordance with a direction of the Supreme Court. 'The trials of the Manipur violence cases have been shifted from Manipur to Guwahati in view of the law-and-order situation in Manipur,' the spokesperson said. The situation in the state capital, Imphal, was tense after reports of the arrest of the AT leader started circulating on Saturday (June 7, 2025). NDA government redefined women-led development in 11 years: PM Modi A day before his government marks its first anniversary in third term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday (June 8, 2025) that the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has redefined women-led development in its 11 years in power. In all sectors, including science, education, sports, start-ups and the armed forces, women are excelling and inspiring several people, Mr. Modi said on X. He cited a number of welfare programmes which, he noted, have benefitted women immensely. Various initiatives, from ensuring dignity through Swachh Bharat to financial inclusion via Jan Dhan accounts, the focus has been on empowering the women, he said. Israel vows to prevent aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching Gaza Israel's Defence Minister has vowed to prevent an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching the Gaza Strip. Defence Minister Israel Katz said Sunday (June 8, 2025) that Israel wouldn't allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms. Ms. Thunberg, a climate campaigner, is among 12 activists aboard the Madleen, which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The vessel departed Sicily last Sunday on a mission that aims to break the sea blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid, while raising awareness over the growing humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave. The activists had said they planned to reach Gaza's territorial waters as early as Sunday (June 8, 2025). Russia continues to accuse Ukraine of delaying planned exchange of dead fighters Russian officials said Sunday (June 8, 2025) that Moscow is still awaiting official confirmation from Kyiv that a planned exchange of 6,000 bodies of soldiers killed in action will take place, reiterating allegations that Ukraine had postponed the swap. Russian state media quoted Lt. Gen. Alexander Zorin, a representative of the Russian negotiating group, as saying that Russia delivered the first batch of 1,212 bodies of Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers to the exchange site at the border and is waiting for confirmation from the Ukrainian side, but that there are 'signals' that the process of transferring the bodies will be postponed until next week. Vladimir Medinsky, a Putin aide who led the Russian delegation, said that Kyiv called a last-minute halt to an imminent swap. Trump deploys California National Guard to LA to quell protests despite the Governor's objections U.S. President Donald Trump is deploying 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom after a second day of clashes between hundreds of protesters and federal immigration authorities in riot gear. Confrontations broke out again near a Home Depot in the heavily Latino city of Paramount, south of Los Angeles, where federal agents were staging at a Department of Homeland Security office nearby. Agents unleashed tear gas, flash-bang explosives and pepper balls, and protesters hurled rocks and cement at Border Patrol vehicles. Smoke wafted from small piles of burning refuse in the streets. Tensions were high after a series of sweeps by immigration authorities the previous day, including in LA's fashion district and at a Home Depot, as the weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the city climbed past 100. Infosys gets huge relief on GST as DGGI closes ₹32,400-crore pre-show cause notice In a major relief for Infosys, the Director General of GST Intelligence has closed pre-show cause notice proceedings against the company for financial years 2018-19 to 2021-22 involving a staggering ₹32,403 crore in GST dues. The latest move effectively ends nearly a year-long GST saga for India's second-largest IT services firm. The GST demand, in fact, exceeds Infosys's annual profits — Infosys's net profit for full FY25 stood at ₹26,713 crore — and its closure now is bound to come as a significant relief for the tech major. Exclusion of Arunachal weightlifter from Commonwealth trials slammed The Arunachal Olympic Association (AOA) and other organisations in the State have slammed the exclusion of weightlifter Sambo Lapung, a consistent gold medal winner, from the trials for the Commonwealth Championships 2025. Lapung appealed to the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) a few days ago, requesting a chance to participate in the trials scheduled for June 13-14, but his plea was rejected. In a letter to Indian Olympic Association president P.T. Usha on June 5, AOA secretary general Bamang Tago sought justice for Lapung, who was allegedly ignored to accommodate Harshit Sehrawat of Haryana. A copy of the letter was sent to Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, the Secretary to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and the Director General of the Sports Authority of India.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 hours ago
- First Post
New storm brewing in Asia? Thailand closes border to tourists amid clashes with Cambodia
Thailand on Saturday closes two of its key borders to tourists after clashes with Cambodia. Here's what both sides are saying about the situation. read more At least 28 people have been killed since 2008 during military skirmishes along the border. AFP On Saturday, Thailand shut down two of its border crossings for tourists as a safety measure amid brewing tensions with its neighbouring nation, Cambodia. The Thai authorities announced the move following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief military clash on May 28 in an area known as the Emerald Triangle. What makes the region significant is that here is where the borders of Thailand, Cambodia and Laos meet. It is important to note that Thailand and Cambodia share an 817 kilometre (508 mile) border, first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was its colony. For decades, the two Asian neighbours have disputed various undemarcated points along the frontier. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The full-scale fighting between the two nations first broke out in 2008. Interestingly, the fight was over an 11th-century Hindu temple, and the clashes ultimately led to sporadic violence over several years. In 2013, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the disputed area belonged to Cambodia. However, Thailand says it does not accept the ICJ's jurisdiction and seeks a bilateral settlement. What is Thailand's take on the matter? In a statement on Saturday, authorities in the eastern province of Chanthaburi said that they had 'temporarily suspended' crossings by Thai and Cambodian tourists at two permanent border checkpoints. Soon after this, the Royal Thai Army cited a threat to Thailand's 'sovereignty and security' as the reason behind the move. The army made it clear that trade would be unaffected, and Cambodian workers could still be allowed to enter Thailand. Apart from this, six other border checkpoints tightened their opening hours and issued bans on six-wheeled vehicles. In a separate statement, Thai Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said the army had reinforced its military presence at the border in light of increasing deployment on the other side of the border. 'There has been a reinforcement of military presence [by Cambodia], which has exacerbated tensions along the border,' Phumtham, who is also deputy prime minister, said in a statement. 'Consequently, the Royal Thai Government has deemed it necessary to implement additional measures and to reinforce our military posture accordingly,' he added. On Friday, Thailand's army made it clear that it is ready to launch a 'high-level operation' to counter any violation of Thailand's sovereignty. The Thai Foreign Ministry later said on Saturday that the country was committed to holding bilateral talks with Cambodia on June 14 to resolve the dispute. What has Cambodia said? Meanwhile, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said in an address on Saturday that his country's stance was 'not to initiate conflict, but to defend ourselves.' Earlier this week, Hun said that the kingdom would file a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the border dispute. As of now, the two neighbours had agreed to ease tensions following last month's killing, but Cambodia eventually said that it would keep its troops in the area, in defiance of a request by Bangkok. In light of this, the Southeast Asian regional bloc ASEAN and China have both made efforts to reduce tensions in recent days. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
Political temperatures rise as Maha CM pens retort to Rahul Gandhi's 'match-fixing' claims
A fierce political row has erupted after Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged "match-fixing" in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, prompting a sharp response from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who accused the Congress leader of misleading the public after his electoral defeat. Fadnavis, in an article in a Marathi daily, rebuked Gandhi's allegations, saying: "The one whom the public rejects, rejects the mandate." A day after pledging to respond to Gandhi's "article with an article", the Chief Minister stated, "If you cannot convince people, then confuse them -- this is Rahul Gandhi's policy." The Congress leader wrote an op-ed in a national daily in which he questioned the conduct of the Maharashtra elections and accused the Election Commission of dereliction of duty. The Congress and its allies have accused the Election Commission of opaque functioning and raised questions about unexplained spikes in voter turnout. Congress's Maharashtra leader Nana Patole alleged that 46 lakh additional votes were added to the voter count and questioned the legitimacy of votes counted after 5 p.m. "The Election Commission has denied access to CCTV footage and failed to provide clarity. They have participated in murdering the democratic process," Patole said, adding that the party has moved the Supreme Court seeking redress. State Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal, speaking to IANS, said: "Why is CM Fadnavis responding when the questions are for the Election Commission? Rahul Gandhi has raised facts that deserve judicial scrutiny." Voicing similar concerns, Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe challenged the official explanation, stating, "We questioned how 67 lakh votes were added post 5 p.m. The official reply said 16 lakh. If so many votes were cast after hours, who verified them and how?" Londhe also questioned changes to the constitutional mechanism, pointing to the exclusion of the Chief Justice from the Election Commission selection panel, replaced instead by the Union Home Minister. "This overshadows the voice of the Leader of Opposition," he said. NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule said Gandhi's article stemmed from frustration at being ignored by the EC despite repeatedly raising concerns. "After Rahul Gandhi wrote an article, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis also wrote a long piece in the newspaper. In an empowered democracy, everyone has the right to express their opinion. What Rahul Gandhi wrote was because he hasn't received replies from the Election Commission for all the letters he has written so far," Sule told reporters. BJP MLA Ram Kadam defended the EC and the state government, stating that Fadnavis had presented detailed electoral data from 2009 to 2024 showing consistent increases in vote share and voter registration. "Rahul Gandhi's objections are based on incomplete knowledge. If he has proof, let him share it with the nation. But don't mislead people every time you lose. That is immature," Kadam said. JD-U leader K.C. Tyagi also weighed in, urging Gandhi to formally approach the Election Commission. "Instead of writing articles, he should meet the EC with his team and get his queries addressed," he said. In the elections held on November 20, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance -- comprising Congress, the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP, and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena -- won just 46 out of 288 seats. In contrast, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance swept 235 seats, with the BJP alone securing 132 -- its highest-ever tally in the state.
