Latest news with #PrakashAmbedkar
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Ban on livestock markets before Eid is a harsh move on farmers: Prakash Ambedkar
After Maharashtra Goseva Ayog's circular on the ban on holding livestock market from June 3 to June 8, 2025, ahead of Bakri-Eid on June 7, members of cattle market committee have raised concerns over the financial crisis they will incur during the period. Most cattle rearers are daily wager farmers who look forward to making good income around the time. The Maharashtra Goseva Ayog, a Government of Maharashtra's commission for the welfare of indigenous cows, issued a circular on May 27, 2025, to all Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) in the State that said that in a meeting held on May 14, 2025, it has been decided that while celebrating Bakri Eid festival 2025 in the State, Maharashtra Animal Protection Act 1976 and Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act 1995 (Amendment 4 March 2015) should be implemented. The act prohibits the slaughter of bulls and bullocks in addition to cows, and includes provisions regarding transport, sale, and possession of these animals, regardless of their age or health. The circular read, 'For this festival (Bakri Eid), a large number of animals will be slaughtered/sacrificed. Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act 1995 (Amendment 4 March 2015) has implemented a complete ban on cow slaughter in the State. Section 5A of this Act prohibits the slaughter of cattle, the sale of cattle for slaughter, the sale of cattle for slaughter, the purchase and sale of cattle for slaughter, the sale of cattle for slaughter, the sale of cattle for slaughter, and the sale of cattle slaughtered outside the State.' The circular informed the APMCs that the commission will ensure that no cattle markets will be held in the villages of any district from June 3, 2025, to June 8, 2025, so that there will be no violation of the Act due to the slaughter of cattle. Veteran politician and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi founder Prakash Ambedkar told The Hindu that the members of the cattle market committee have reached out to them seeking their guidance to oppose the circular. 'We strongly oppose this circular; we are in the process of challenging it. The State has already banned cow slaughter but banning the entire market on days when the sale is expected is a harsh step against the daily wage farmers and a chain of people who depend on it. This is the first time in Maharashtra we have seen such a circular. Who will compensate for the loss so many are going to face due to this circular?' Mr. Ambedkar further questioned the committee's authority over issuing the circular. 'Maharashtra Goseva Aayog does not have the powers to issue such a circulars or orders to the market committees, it should come from the Department of Animal Husbandry.' Lasalgaon APMC's secretary, Narendra Wadhavne said that such an order has never come in the past, but they will have to abide by the circular and follow the instructions. 'There is no ban on sheep or goats but since the market is asked to be shut during those days, many are planning to purchase in advance. This will also interrupt the Bakri Eid rituals of people, which involves animal sacrifice, primarily goat or sheep.'
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First Post
10-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Has Pakistan violated US rules by using F-16s against India?
Amid India's ongoing military standoff with Pakistan, there are reports of Islamabad deploying F-16 fighters for its attacks. But is the neighbouring nation misusing the American-made aircraft? Washington has laid down strict provisions on the use of the jets — the agreement calls for it to be used only for counterterrorism read more Has Pakistan used its F-16 fighter jets in the current standoff with India? Why this may be an issue with the US? File image/AFP It's been four days of tensions running high between India and Pakistan. Islamabad continues to provoke and escalate the situation by using fighter jets, drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions to attack India's military sites. On Saturday in a press briefing, Col Sofiya Qureshi confirmed that the Pakistani Army is continuously attacking the western borders. 'It has used drones, long-range weapons, loitering munitions, and fighter jets to attack India's military sites.' She added that India neutralised many dangers, but Islamabad tried to infiltrate via air at more than 26 places, and they damaged equipment and personnel at air force bases in Udhampur, Bhuj, Pathankot, and Bathinda. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This remark shines a light on Pakistan's aerial power, namely its fighter jets that they have been using for the past few days, namely the US-supplied F-16. In fact, highly-placed government sources have been reported as saying that New Delhi struck down an F-16 supersonic fighter jet of the Pakistan Air Force on Friday. If this is confirmed, it's a violation of the US rules laid down for the use of these fighter jets. Let's see how. Pak's use of F-16 against India in current standoff On the intervening night of May 7-8, Pakistan deployed a F-16 towards India. However, the fighter jet was shot down by New Delhi, sources were reported as telling NDTV. According to the sources, the F-16 took off from the Sargodha air base in Pakistan, a key air force station of the Pakistani Air Force. However, an Indian SAM (Surface-to-air missile) shot it down near the Sargodha air base. Following this incident, Prakash Ambedkar, a veteran Indian politician and grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, questioned the use of the F-16 by Pakistan, urging India's prime minister and external affairs minister to take up the matter with Washington, as it violates the stipulations laid down. He wrote on X, 'Pakistan and its evil designs should be exposed to the whole world!' But are there any rules and stipulations to Pakistan's use of the F-16? America's rules for Pakistan's use of F-16s The F-16 is the mainstay of Pakistan's air force with one news portal, titled 'War on the Rocks', stating that the aircraft is an object of national pride and military strength — it appears on painted billboards across Pakistan and adorned on decorated commercial trucks that trudge along Pakistan's highways. The US first mooted the supply F-16s to Pakistan in the early 1980s in order incentivise Pakistan's assistance to the United States in Afghanistan. However, with the Soviet Union's defeat in Afghanistan in 1989, US reliance on Pakistan quickly waned. In 1990, the US slapped sanctions on Pakistan on account of the country's undeclared nuclear weapons programme and cancelled the supply of approximately 30 F-16s that Pakistan had already purchased. The F-16 is the mainstay of Pakistan's air force. The US first mooted the supply F-16s to Pakistan in the early 1980s. File image/AFP However, as The Diplomat notes in one report, the 9/11 attacks refocused Washington's interest in the region and established Pakistan as a central cog in the US war against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The then George W Bush administration agreed to release the previously blocked F-16s to Pakistan, refurbish the country's existing F-16 aircraft, and sell Pakistan new F-16 Block-50/52 aircraft worth approximately $3 billion. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Then in 2016, the US State Department approved the sale of eight F-16s and other equipment to Pakistan worth $699 million. At the time, a US official said, 'We support the proposed sale of eight F-16s to Pakistan, which we view as the right platform in support of Pakistan's counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations. 'These operations reduce the ability of militants to use Pakistani territory as a safe haven for terrorism and a base of support for the insurgency in Afghanistan, which is in the national interests of both Pakistan and the United States, and in the interest of the region more broadly.' US has laid down strict rules for the use of F-16s by Pakistan. Its sole intention is to strengthen Pakistan's capacity for counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operations. File image/AP However, documents reveal that the US placed a number of restrictions on the use of these fighter jets. Every F-16 sale comes with an End-Use Monitoring (EUM) agreement, which means Pakistan cannot freely use the jets. The sole intention of selling these planes is to 'strengthen Pakistan's capacity for counter-insurgency and counterterrorism operations'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Moreover, any use of the F-16s by Pakistan outside of the country needs prior approval from the US. There's also a Technical Security Team ( TST), a contingent of contractors in Pakistan to monitor F-16. The TST includes US Air Force personnel stationed in Pakistan who conduct real-time monitoring of F-16 activities It's important to note that between 2018 and 2022, the US had paused the sale of F-16s with the Trump administration accusing Pakistan of giving only 'lies and deceit' for the billions of dollars that the US had 'foolishly' given it. However, in September 2022, the US President Joe Biden reversed the decision with with a $450 million package for a lifetime upgrade of Pakistan's F-16 fleet. Pak's prior use of F-16s and India's concerns Pakistan's use of the F-16 in the current standoff is reminiscent of 2019. On February 29, 2019, India MiG-21 Bison got into a dogfight with a PAF F-16 during the Balakot airstrike. Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter, but in the process was captured by the enemy in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He was later repatriated on March 1, 2019. Pakistanis look at a F-16 jet fighter at the Nur Khan military airbase in Islamabad. File image/AFP Months after that incident, the US State Department had written to the Pakistan air force chief pointing out that the F-16s had been moved to 'unauthorised' forward operating bases in defiance of its agreement with the US. The letter, quoted by a US media organisation, said that such actions by Pakistan risked allowing these weapons to fall in the hands of 'malign actors' and 'could undermine our shared security platforms and infrastructures'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the past, India has expressed concern over US' supply of the fighter jet to Pakistan. Following the Biden administration's decision in 2022, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar questioned the American rationale. Moreover, when asked about the US justification that the fighter planes were meant to assist Pakistan in its counter-terrorism efforts, Jaishankar retorted: 'You're not fooling anybody by saying these things'. With inputs from agencies
Hindustan Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Oppn parties hail caste census, Ambedkar calls it a ‘fraudulent decision'
MUMBAI: The opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the ruling Mahayuti alliance have welcomed the central government's decision to conduct a caste census, saying it would help establish social equality. However, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar called it a 'fraudulent decision', while the Shiv Sena (UBT) and OBC organisations have demanded a time frame for the census, urging the government to disclose the mechanism involved in conducting the exercise. Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal said the move should not be used as a campaign issue. 'The case census is a welcome move but it should not be used only for election campaigning; it must be implemented without delay. Sapkal added that the government should also consider removing the 50% cap on reservations. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal, a prominent OBC leader in Maharashtra, is pleased with the decision, saying a long-pending demand has been fulfilled. 'The last caste census was done in 1931, and several leaders since Independence were advocating the need of a caste census. In 2010, along with Gopinath Munde of the BJP and Sameer Bhujbal from the NCP, around 100 MPs proposed a resolution regarding a caste census. The Union government conducted a socio-economic survey but the outcome was not made public. On January 8, 2020, the Maharashtra assembly unanimously passed a resolution for a caste census. Now, with this caste census, OBCs and nomadic tribes will get justice and political reservations can also be restored,' said Bhujbal. Deputy chief minister and NCP chief, Ajit Pawar, called the caste census a welcome step. 'It would enable the government to allocate more funds for the development of deprived and neglected communities, and it will help to establish social equality.' Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called it a 'historic decision'. He said, 'The Congress-led government in 2011 assured a caste census but dropped the idea after opposition from its cabinet ministers. I thank prime minister Narendra Modi for this decision. It's a historic decision and will open a new era of social justice.' Deputy chief minister and Shiv Sena chief, Eknath Shinde, said Narendra Modi is the first prime minister since Independence to have the courage to conduct a caste census. 'The Congress only gave assurances but prime minister Narendra Modi has shown the courage to conduct the caste census for the first time after Independence. This decision will open a door to social justice and will establish the kind of society that Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar hopes for,' said Shinde. NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule said her party had been demanding a caste census for a long time and she was pleased that the demand has been fulfilled. 'For years, we demanded a caste census and raised the issue in parliament. This decision will help enumerate the various castes in the country. I hope the government will start the process soon.' Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare urged transparency in the process. 'This announcement should not turn into a mere assurance with an eye on the Bihar assembly polls. The government should explain when this census will start and disclose the process,' said Andhare. VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar slammed the move, calling it a 'fraudulent decision'. He also questioned the government's motive. 'The government says it will conduct a caste census but there is no clarity on when it will be conducted. It also contradicts the central government's own submission before the Supreme Court that a caste census is not possible. I suspect this decision has been announced to divert the people's attention away from Pahalgam attack,' alleged Ambedkar. On the other hand, the OBC Welfare Foundation, has demanded clarity on the proposed caste census. 'This is a significant development in India's quest for social justice. We welcome the decision but the absence of a clear roadmap or specific deadlines raises concerns, especially given the government's history of flip-flopping on this issue. We urge the government to walk the talk by outlining a concrete plan, ensuring a robust data collection mechanism, and engaging with stakeholders, to address the administrative challenges involved,' said Mrunal Dhole-Patil from the foundation. With inputs from PTI
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Centre should have continued tourist activities in J&K, says Prakash Ambedkar in Pune
Pune: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar on Saturday accused Central govt of showing a lack of political will in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack . "Had govt made security arrangements and continued tourist activities in Kashmir, it would have been a stronger response to the act of terrorism," Ambedkar said during a media interaction in Pune. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Getting tourists out of Jammu and Kashmir in panic was a mistake, he said. "They were not scared. They only wanted assurance of security. Govt should have encouraged them to stay, which in turn would have shown that the attack had not affected normalcy in Kashmir." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 10 Mysterious Photos That Cannot Be Explained True Edition Undo Ambedkar also criticised Centre's decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty and said it would hardly make any difference. "We have weapons, fighter jets, submarines, and warships, but is govt going to use them? Our army is ready, but due to the lack of political will, a firm reply has not yet come from India," he said. VBA would hold a dharna in Mumbai on May 2 to get common people's support to back Centre in sending a stronger message, he said.
