Targeting the government on the new traffic rules that has been implemented from September 1, Congress leader Kapil Sibal in a sarcastic tweet called it 'milestone'. Tweeting on Wednesday morning, the Congress leader said enlisted the 'milestones of 21st century India.' His list comprised of list of things attacking the Prime Minister Modi's government. The first one was about the new traffic rules - in which a man was fined 23,000 Rs for travelling without registration certificate, while his bike was only of 15,000 Rs according to him. The second one was about the jaournalist who exposed that roti and salt is being served in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur school for mid-day meal. The third point was about Romila Thapar and others were asked to submit her CVs to the JNU administration so that their 'position as Professor Emeritus may be reviewed'. The last was on the claims of economic slowdown. 

UP: FIR against journo who exposed 'rotis and salt' in mid-day meal

New traffic rules

Gurugram’s Dinesh Madan was fined a sum of Rs 23,000 for not following the traffic rules in the national capital region (NCR). He was travelling without a registration certificate and helmet when he was charged for the violations. Delhi has so far issued 3,900 challans after the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2019 became active. The issues have been made as per new motor vehicle law. 

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha on July 15, 2019, by the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari. The Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 was implemented on September 1 and contains 63 provisions that deal with penalties. Below are some of the changes in the traffic rules as per the Amendment:

1. Penalty for drunken driving has been increased to 6 months imprisonment and/or Rs 10,000 fine for the first offence.
2. Penalty for racing / speeding has been increased to imprisonment of up to 1 month and/or fine up to Rs 500 for first offence.
3. Penalty for travelling without helmet has been increased to fine up to Rs 1,000.
4. Fine for not wearing seatbelt has been increased from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000.
5. Fine for talking on a mobile phone while driving has been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000.
6. Punishment for juveniles for offences will include Rs 25,000 and imprisonment up to 3 years and cancellation of registration of motor vehicle for 12 months.
7.  Fine for individuals driving without licence has been increased from up to Rs 500 to Rs 5,000.
8.  Penalty for travelling without ticket has been increased from up to Rs 200 to Rs 500.

Gurugram's Dinesh Madan handed Rs 23,000 traffic challan, here's how

Mid day meal scandal

In Yogi Adityanath's Uttar Pradesh, a journalist  Pawan Jaiswal exposed a mid-day meal scandal. Following which, FIR was filed against Jaiswal. Jaiswal captured a video of Mirzapur school where roti and salt was served to studnets as mid-day meal. Speaking to Republic TV , journalist Jaiswal said: "On 22 last month, I went to school and made the video, the headmaster and masters do whatever they want. I also informed about the incidents to the DSP. I made the first video at 12:07 minute and then I sent the video to you. CM Yogi said that there should be action as soon as possible. The DM thinks that district has been maligned due to the news and therefore FIR has been registered. Now we will meet the CM. They claim that video is forged. But it is not. I have bytes of the concerned people too."

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Charges of Economic slowdown

The Congress has been targeting the government over the economic slowdown even as the BJP leaders have dismissed the claims. Former PM Manmohan Singh on Sunday said the state of the economy was "deeply worrying". He added that "all-round mismanagement" by the Modi government has resulted in this slowdown. In a statement, he said the last quarter GDP growth rate of 5 per cent signals that "we are in midst of a prolonged slowdown".The Congress leader said India has the potential to grow at a much faster rate. Singh said it is particularly the manufacturing sector's state was distressing.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javedkar dismissed Manmohan Singh's criticism of the current Indian economy.  Javadekar addressed media queries and said, "We do not subscribe what Manmohan Singh has analysed. We are not only walking the talk". "We had an economy which was 11th in the world. Now we are among the top 5 and marching towards third," the Union Minister said while addressing the media after the Union Cabinet meeting. 

"What we are doing is, being a responsive government, addressing the issues. We have seen this during the process of GST. GST council met every month and took relevant decisions and it is now fine-tuned. That is the way how people-friendly government works. That is how we are working, we are very sure that our economy will show the performance bright as is expected and predicted," the Javadekar said. 

Romila Thapar and her status of Professor Emeritus

JNU administration asked some of the Professors Emeriti, including historian Romila Thapar, for CVs to “review their position”. This step was taken as per revised rules of the JNU Executive Council published last year. The rule states that the Council would “review the continuation or otherwise for each existing Emeritus Professor after attainment of her/his age of 75 years by considering her/his health status, willingness, availability, university needs etc. so that more positions will be available to other potential candidates”. However, the opposition claims that nowhere in the world is the status of Prof Emeritus reviewed.

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