NEW DELHI: India’s official visa processor in Canada on Thursday (Sep 21) withdrew a notice about a suspension of services for Canadians, shortly after it posted the announcement on its website.
BLS International earlier said visa services had been suspended following a notice from the Indian Mission.
“Important notice from Indian Mission: Due to operational reasons, with effect from Sep 21, 2023, Indian visa services have been suspended till further notice,” BLS International posted on its website.
The company removed the announcement shortly after it was splashed across Indian media.
An official at New Delhi-headquartered BLS said they did not want to be quoted and referred AFP to Indian authorities. There was no immediate comment from India’s foreign ministry.
India and Canada have been locked in a diplomatic row sparked by Ottawa’s accusation that New Delhi was involved in the killing of a Sikh separatist near Vancouver.
On Wednesday, India warned its citizens against visiting parts of Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has demanded that India treat with “utmost seriousness” its allegations about the murder.
The fallout prompted tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions and a forceful denial from India, which said any suggestion it played a role in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar was “absurd”.
Without explicitly referring to the dispute, India’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday it was concerned for the safety of its citizens in Canada because of “politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence”.
“Threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda,” a ministry statement said.
“Indian nationals are therefore advised to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen such incidents.”
The co-founder of boAt is Shark Tank India judge Aman Gupta.
Electronics brand boAt on Tuesday said that it has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Canada-based Punjabi singer Shubneet Singh’s upcoming India concert. The decision has been taken in light of the singer’s alleged support for Khalistan. Earlier this year, he posted a distorted map of India without Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab on his Instagram account, leading to outrage.
“At boAt, while our commitment to the incredible music community runs deep, we are first & foremost a true Indian brand. Therefore, when we became aware of the remarks made by artist Shubh earlier this year, we chose to withdraw our sponsorship from the tour,” Boat said in a statement posted on X.
”We will continue to foster a vibrant music culture in India and create platforms where emerging artists can show their talent,” the company added.
Notably, Mr Singh, known by his stage name Shubh. is scheduled to perform in Mumbai from September 23-25 as part of the Cruise Control 4.0 event, organized aboard the Cordelia Cruise, as per PTI. He will also perform in cities such as New Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
A few days ago, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), removed posters promoting his concert, saying that there is no place for ‘Khalistan’ supporters in Bharat.
#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) members remove posters for the upcoming event of Canadian Singer Shubh pic.twitter.com/KkbQvkj0FG
“There is no space for Khalistanis who are the enemy of integrity and unity of India. We won’t let Canadian singer Shubh perform on the auspicious land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mumbai…If no proper action is taken then the organisers will have to face the revolt…” BJYM President Tajinder Singh Tiwana told news agency ANI.
Cricketer Virat Kohli had also recently unfollowed Shubh on social media app Instagram.
Notably, the controversy surrounding the singer’s tour is unfolding against the backdrop of strained relations between India and Canada. Canada on Monday accused the Indian involvement in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June and expelled New Delhi’s intelligence chief in Ottawa in retaliation. The diplomatic move sent relations between the two countries, already sour, to a dramatic new low.
India, meanwhile, rejected Justin Trudeau’s allegation, describing it as “absurd” and “motivated”. In a reciprocal move, India expelled a senior Canadian diplomat and gave him 5 days to leave the country.
Indian women doubles pair of Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa progressed to the pre-quarterfinals of the Hong Kong Open Super 500 tournament on Wednesday. Tanisha and Ashwini beat Chinese Taipei’s Lee Chia Hsin and Teng Chun Hsun 21-19 21-19 to set up a clash with top seeded Japanese duo of Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara. Asian Games bound Lakshya Sen, however, withdrew from the tournament due to slight strain in his back. “He has almost recovered but with the Asian Games round the corner, we didn’t want to risk playing today without being 100 per cent. He will be fine in a few days,” coach Anup Sridhar told PTI.
Priyanshu Rajawat suffered a 13-21 14-21 loss to Japan’s Kanta Tsuneyama, while Aakarshi Kashyap went down 18-21 10-21 to German Yvonne Li.
Malvika Bansod defeated China’s Zhang Yi Man 21-14 21-12 in another women’s singles match.
Men’s doubles pair of Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala lost to Korea’s Ko Sung Hyun and Shin Baek Cheol 14-21 19-21.
In mixed doubles, B Sumeeth Reddy and Ashwini Ponnappa also went down 16-21 21-16 18-21 to Malaysia’s Chen tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei, while Rohan Kapoor and N Sikki Reddy lost 19-21 10-21 against Singapore’s Hee Yong Kai terry and Tan Wei Han Jessica.
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Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker has withdrawn cases related to the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi dispute from a single-judge bench of the High Court “in the interest of judicial propriety and judicial discipline as well as the transparency in the listing of cases”.
In an order dated August 28, Chief Justice Diwaker cited an order he passed on the administrative side on August 11 to “withdraw” the cases from the bench (of Justice Prakash Padia) “wherein the judgment is reserved and to nominate afresh”.
In the order, the CJ notes: “Record reveals that the cases were heard on 18.01.2021 by the Court which had the jurisdiction as per the roster assigned by the Chief Justice. After the cases were heard on several dates, the proceedings were concluded and judgment was reserved in the matter on 15.03.2021. The judgment, however, was not delivered in the matter. The cases nevertheless continued to be listed before the same court even after the concerned learned Single Judge ceased to have jurisdiction in the matter as per roster.”
“Facts of this case pose a more troubled scenario of procedural aberration. The non-observance of procedure in listing of the cases, passing of successive orders for reserving the judgment and again listing the cases before the learned Judge for hearing, though he no longer had jurisdiction in the matter as per the roster, under the directions received from the chamber of learned Judge, without allowing the parent section in the office to have access to the records of these cases are instances of non 10 of 12 observance of procedure settled for listing and hearing of cases,” the order noted.
It was “this concern of propriety” which “compelled” the Chief Justice to pass orders on the administrative side on August 11.
“The report submitted by the registry states that the leading file along with connected matters were listed before the learned Single Judge on 09.08.2021 when a direction was issued to list the cases on 11.08.2021. On 11.08.2021, the matter was directed to be listed for further hearing on 17.08.2021. As per the roster notified on 22.11.2021 and subsequent rosters notified by the Chief Justice, from time to time (except last two rosters, i.e. w.e.f. 13.3.2023 and 3.7.2023), these cases could not have been listed before the learned Single Judge without obtaining appropriate nomination from the Chief Justice. The registry has further clarified that the records of these cases were never sent to the parent section in the registry for the procedures to be followed for listing of the cases in terms of the applicable orders, both on the administrative side and the judicial side,” the CJ’s August 28 order stated.
“The registry has further reported that all records of leading file along with connected cases remained in the chambers of the learned Judge and the cases were listed on the instructions of the Bench Secretary and the officials attached to His Lordship’s chambers. As per the registry, the parent section responsible for listing of the cases before the Court had no access to the records of the cases as the files were never sent to the registry.”
“…It is apt to note that procedural observance in matter of disposal of cases subserve a larger public interest of ensuring faith in justice dispensation system…every learned Judge is expected to decide cases listed before them as per the roster fixed by the Chief Justice or as per orders of Chief Justice passed on the administrative side in terms of the law laid down,” it stated.
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A generic image of Hockey sticks and ball (Twitter Image)
FIH took the decision due to infighting between the Pakistan Hockey Federation and the state-owned Pakistan Sports Board.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Tuesday withdrew hosting rights of the Olympic Qualifiers from Pakistan, slated to be held next January.
The FIH decision came as a result of the infighting between the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and the state-owned Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).
“The FIH, while taking away our hosting rights, made it clear it was convinced that the sports board and government were not willing to cooperate with the PHF in the successful hosting of the event,” said an inside in the PHF.
The decision has come as a big blow to Pakistan hockey, which had got the rights to host an international event after more than a decade.
The PHF had picked Lahore as the venue to host the event.
However, recent attempts by the PSB to interfere in affairs of the PHF and bring in its preferred officials into the federation have led to chaos.
Several former Olympians, encouraged by the government’s ministry of inter provincial coordination and PSB, have been trying to stage a coup in the PHF, while trying to get a vote of no confidence passed against the sitting president Brigadier Khalid Sajjad Khokar and secretary Haider Hussain.
The Olympians include Asif Bajwa, Shahbaz Ahmed and Rana Mujahid, who served as secretaries in recent times, with two of them under Khokar.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com, covers badminton and cricket but football remains his forte. Follow him at @ritayanbasu…Read More
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The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Tuesday withdrew hosting rights of the Olympic Qualifiers from Pakistan, slated to be held next January.
The FIH decision came as a result of the infighting between the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and the state-owned Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).
“The FIH, while taking away our hosting rights, made it clear it was convinced that the sports board and government were not willing to cooperate with the PHF in the successful hosting of the event,” said an inside in the PHF.
The decision has come as a big blow to Pakistan hockey, which had got the rights to host an international event after more than a decade.
The PHF had picked Lahore as the venue to host the event.
However, recent attempts by the PSB to interfere in affairs of the PHF and bring in its preferred officials into the federation have led to chaos.
Several former Olympians, encouraged by the government’s ministry of inter provincial coordination and PSB, have been trying to stage a coup in the PHF, while trying to get a vote of no confidence passed against the sitting president Brigadier Khalid Sajjad Khokar and secretary Haider Hussain.
The Olympians include Asif Bajwa, Shahbaz Ahmed and Rana Mujahid, who served as secretaries in recent times, with two of them under Khokar.
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Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz has pulled out from this month’s Davis Cup to recover following his US Open semi-final loss, the world number one said on Saturday.
Alcaraz, the defending champion at New York, exited this year’s final major after suffering a defeat to third seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia on Friday.
Alcaraz, 20, will be replaced by Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the Spain squad.
Me hacía mucha ilusión jugar por 🇪🇸 la Davis en Valencia, pero tengo que escuchar a mi cuerpo después de una gira muy larga. Necesito parar y descansar, físicamente y mentalmente. El calendario es muy exigente, todavía queda mucha temporada, y ahora me toca recargar fuerzas.… pic.twitter.com/TY0YXLWQ1k
“I was really looking forward to playing for Spain at the Davis Cup in Valencia, but I have to listen to my body after a very long tour,” Alcaraz said on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
“I need to stop and rest, physically and mentally. The schedule is very demanding; there is still a long season ahead, and now it’s time to recharge my batteries. Best of luck to the Spanish team! I will be supporting you strongly! Let’s go!”
The 35-year-old Ramos-Vinolas, currently ranked 88th, has been called by captain David Ferrer, who won the Davis Cup as a player on three occasions with Spain, lifting the trophy in 2008, 2009 and 2011, as well as a runners-up finish in 2012.
“Ramos was already called up for last year’s Final eight in Malaga. This year he has been a finalist in Gstaad and a semi-finalist in Cordoba, as well as reaching the quarter-finals in Rio de Janeiro and the ATP Challenger in Parma,” the country’s tennis federation (RFET) said in a statement.
“In Davis Cup he has played five Davis Cup ties with a record of six wins and only two defeats.”
Sixteen teams will compete in the group stage from Sept. 12-17 across Bologna, Manchester, Valencia and Split. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knock-out stage from Nov. 21-26 in Malaga.
Spain will play Serbia, the Czech Republic and South Korea in Group C in Valencia.
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The education department had said that it aimed to hold classes for 220 days in an academic year.
Patna (Bihar):
The Bihar education department has withdrawn its controversial order curtailing the holidays of school teachers on Diwali, Durga Pooja, Raksha Bandhan, and other festivals, as per a government order.
“The holiday table issued for government/government-aided elementary and secondary/higher secondary schools under departmental order memorandum no. 2112 dated 29.08.2023 is cancelled with immediate effect,” a circular issued by the Director of Secondary Education read.
The Bihar secondary education department had earlier announced the reduction of holidays for teachers from 23 to 11 which led to huge furore among teachers in the state who had even warned of protests.
Bihar Education Department withdraws the notice of reducing the number of festive holidays in government schools from 23 to 11 between September to December. pic.twitter.com/MtMXnZzmSh
In many schools, teachers were seen attending classes wearing black badges. Many teachers had even gone to the extent of challenging the Additional Chief Secretary of the education department, KK Pathak.
Several teachers had also pointed out that the attendance of students in those festive days would be, in any case, negligible.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is in opposition in the state had also criticised the Nitish Kumar government for curtailing holidays on Rakshabandhan, Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath.
The education department had said that it aimed to hold classes for 220 days in an academic year and hence this decision was taken.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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Despite the withdrawal of the revised holiday calendar, teachers’ associations have affirmed that their planned agitation scheduled to begin on Tuesday still stands.
“We (teachers) work 252 days in a year while the target set by the education department is only for 220 days. Though it is aware of it, the department reduced the number of leaves of the teachers. Those teachers who raised their voices against the department’s decision were suspended or clarifications were sought from them. These are not acceptable,” Keshaw Kumar, the president of Teacher Association Bihar, told PTI.
“We also demand the immediate withdrawal of all departmental action, including suspension, initiated against several teachers. We also demand the regularisation of contractual teachers,” Raju Singh, convener of TET Primary Teachers’ Association told PTI.
The state education department introduced the special holiday calendar recently with the objective of ensuring that primary and middle schools in the state adhere to the maximum number of workdays mandated by the Right to Education Act.
The department also implemented a series of stringent measures aimed at instilling greater dedication among its teachers and officials while enhancing the academic environment within government-run schools across the state.
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Sir John Eliot Gardiner allegedly ‘punched and slapped’ a soloist because they entered a stage in France incorrectly (Picture: Getty)
BBC Proms conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner has withdrawn from all engagements until next year after being accused of assault.
The conductor said he’s ‘heartbroken to have caused so much distress’ and will embark on a ‘period of reflection’ and ‘a course of counselling’.
Sir John, 80, allegedly ‘punched and slapped’ a soloist because they entered a stage in France incorrectly.
A BBC spokesperson confirmed to Metro.co.uk: ‘Sir John Eliot Gardiner has decided to withdraw from the performance of The Trojans at this year’s BBC Proms. We are grateful that Dinis Sousa will step in to conduct the performance on 3 September.’
A statement from conductor Sir John said: ‘I am taking a step back in order to get the specialist help I recognise that I have needed for some time.
‘I want to apologise to colleagues who have felt badly treated and anyone who may feel let down by my decision to take time out to address my issues. I am heartbroken to have caused so much distress and I am determined to learn from my mistakes.’
The conductor said he’s ‘heartbroken to have caused so much distress’ and will embark on a ‘period of reflection’ and ‘a course of counselling’ (Picture: Getty)
According to the Guardian, Sir John assaulted 29-year-old English bass William Thomas.
The musician was representing England in the Cardiff Singer of the World competition and the assault is said to have taken place after an opera performance on Tuesday.
Sir John added in his statement: ‘I make no excuses for my behaviour and have apologised personally to Will Thomas, for whom I have the greatest respect. I do so again, and to the other artists, for the distress that this has caused.’
A statement from conductor Sir John said: ‘I am taking a step back in order to get the specialist help I recognise that I have needed for some time’ (Picture: Getty)
He went on: ‘I have returned to the UK and have decided to withdraw from conducting all the remaining performances of Les Troyens’ (Picture: Robbie Jack/Corbis)
He went on: ‘I have returned to the UK and have decided to withdraw from conducting all the remaining performances of Les Troyens. I wish Dinis Sousa and all the musicians great success for the remaining concerts on the tour.
‘I know that physical violence is never acceptable and that musicians should always feel safe. I ask for your patience and understanding as I take time to reflect on my actions.’
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Sir John and William’s reps for further comment.
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Chandigarh: In a major turnaround by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab, the government has withdrawn its 10 August notification dissolving the over 13,000 panchayats in the state, restoring their status with immediate effect.
Punjab’s advocate general Vinod Ghai informed a division bench led by the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana high court Justice Ravi Shankar Jha Thursday that the government had decided to withdraw its notification dissolving the panchayats in the run-up to the panchayat elections scheduled to be held later this year.
Earlier this month, the Punjab government had through a notification dissolved all gram panchayats, panchayat samitis and zila parishads in the state with immediate effect announcing that elections to these local bodies will be held in November and December.
There are 13,241 gram panchayats, 153 block samitis and 23 zila parishads in Punjab.
“The entire notification of 10 August will be revoked in a day or two,” Ghai confirmed to ThePrint.
The government’s move to dissolve the local bodies more than four months before elections were due had been severely criticised by the opposition.
Terming the decision as “politically motivated” by the AAP government to gain control of the panchayats ahead of the elections, opposition leaders of the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal had announced state-wide protests against the move.
Multiple petitions challenging the decision were also filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Interestingly, in a related matter that was heard in the high court by a different bench Tuesday, the Punjab government had defended its move saying that the local bodies had been dissolved according to the provisions of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994.
The Punjab government had further told the high court Tuesday that there are Rs 1000 crore in the bank accounts of the panchayats which could be misused by panchayat members in the run-up to the elections.
Following the announcement of the withdrawal of the 10 August notification, opposition leaders in the state took to social media thanking the HC adding that the government’s decision was triggered by fear of an “adverse judgment”.
Talking about the AAP government’s stand Tuesday, advocate Baldev Singh Sidhu, who had challenged the government’s decision in the high court on behalf of one of the panchayats, told ThePrint, “The government had put forth the argument that there were several instances of panchayats defaulting on the appropriate use of funds and since these funds could be misused before the elections for personal gains by the panchayat members it had dissolved the panchayats. We contended that the government should in that case take action against only the defaulting panchayat and not paint everyone with the same brush.”
Reacting to the government’s decision Thursday to withdraw the 10 August notification, Congress member and leader of Opposition in the Punjab assembly Pratap Singh Bajwa said in a social media post that this was a “tight slap on the face of fake revolutionaries”.
Thanking the high court, Bajwa said that the government’s decision was a result of the high court’s dressing down to the government. He added that Punjab will not tolerate “Hitler-like dictators”.
Shiromani Akali Dal general secretary Daljit Singh Cheema also took to social media to say that the government was forced to revoke its decision “sensing an adverse judgment”.
“Punjab Govt had no option but to withdraw the notification issued few days back dissolving the elected panchayat six months before the completion of their term. It is a victory for democracy. With this the anti democratic face of the AAP Govt has been exposed,” Cheema said.
He added: “Govt has no legal argument to defend this dictatorial notification issued for narrow political considerations in the court of law. So it is forced to take a U turn. The government’s decision was aimed at snatching the powers of duly elected panchayats & handing it over to persons of their own choice. (sic)”
Sensing adverse judgment the Punjab Govt had no option but to withdraw the notification issued few days back dissolving elected panchayat six months before the completion of their term. It is a victory of democracy.
With this the anti democratic face of the AAP Govt has been…
General elections of members of the panchayat samitis and the zila parishads are scheduled to be held by 25 November and elections to gram panchayats are to be held by 31 December according to a government statement issued along with the August 10 notification.
