New Delhi, Jan 16: Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the beginning of his State Visit to India.

This visit, his first as President of Singapore, coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Speaking to the reporters following his ceremonial welcome, the Singapore President said, “We will never forget that India was one of the first few countries to recognise Singapore’s independence in 1965, and since then, our relationship has grown by bounce. It is a natural partnership between small country Singapore and large country India, but we find ways to cooperate in our mutual interests.”

Stressing the bilateral ties between the two nations, he mentioned that Singapore is the largest investor in India, and the defence ties between the two nations are also strong, continuing to grow further.

“We are now on a new trajectory with India with the upgrade of our relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which was announced during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore in September last year. We are exploring new initiatives going beyond the existing very active relationship that we have. We are working on cooperating in advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, new generation and net zero industrial parks, as well as on the skilling of the new industries that are involved,” he mentioned.

Stating the Indian and Singapore leaders “see eye-to-eye,” Shanmugaratnam also stated that both countries are working together in the field of digitalisation and sustainability.

“Singapore is invested in India’s ambition to be a developed country –Viksit Bharat 2047,” he added.

Tharman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday evening and engaged in high-level discussions on Wednesday.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met the visiting President to discuss key areas of bilateral cooperation, including semiconductors, industrial parks, skilling, digitalisation, and trade development.

“Delighted to call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore today. Discussed our cooperation in semiconductors, industrial parks, skilling, digitalisation, and trade development. Confident that his State visit will add new momentum to our comprehensive strategic partnership,” Jaishankar shared on X after the meeting.

Accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, parliament members, and officials, the Singapore President is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi later in the day. Following his engagements in New Delhi, he will visit Odisha on January 17-18.

The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the robust relationship between the two countries, emphasising that it is rooted in friendship, trust, and mutual respect. The ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Singapore in September 2024.

Prime Minister Modi had previously acknowledged the strength of bilateral cooperation in various sectors during his visit to Singapore. He noted the potential for further collaboration, particularly in areas like social and digital investments and India’s emergence as a leading global growth centre.

President Tharman’s visit is expected to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, fostering deeper collaboration in key areas of mutual interest.

Kolkata, Jan 16: Asfakullah Naiya, one of the leading faces of the junior doctors’ movement against the 2024 rape and murder of a woman doctor of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, has been slapped with a show-cause notice by the West Bengal Medical Council.

The show-cause notice, a copy of which is available with IANS, has been issued based on a complaint against Naiya for practising as an ENT specialist at a private medical service provider in the state, despite not possessing the necessary qualification for the same.

In the show-cause notice, the state medical council registrar Manas Chakraborty has pointed out that since Naiya’s current qualification is the basic degree of M.B.B.S. and he is undergoing post-graduation with specialisation in ENT specialist, he could not claim himself to be practising ENT surgeon.

“As per Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, Chapter -7 (7. MISCONDUCT) under point 7.20 — a physician shall not claim to be specialist unless he has a special qualification in the branch. And thus — no physician can claim himself/herself a specialist and/or practice as specialist in any discipline/branch unless he/she possesses such postgraduate degree or diploma in that particular discipline/branch and any such posing/pretending on the part of a physician in this regard are using of any unrecognised postgraduate qualification (s) for personal gain shall infamous professional misconduct rendering him/her level for disciplinary action,” the show-cause notice read.

In the show-cause notice, Naiya has also been directed to visit Chakraborty within seven days from the receipt of the letter along with all documents based on which he had been practising “unauthorised” ENT qualification.

In the notice, he has also been cautioned that in the event of his failure to turn up with the necessary documents as directed by the state medical council registrar, disciplinary action will be initiated against him.

The body of the woman doctor was recovered from the seminar hall of R.G. Kar on the morning of August 9, 2024. What followed was a series of movements by the representatives of the medical fraternity in the state and common people where Naiya was seen to be a leading face. The verdict in the rape and murder case is scheduled to be pronounced on January 18 at a special court in Kolkata.

New Delhi, Jan 15: The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to examine a plea filed by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh challenging the amendment to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, which restricts public access to election materials, such as CCTV footage unless explicitly listed by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Issuing notice, a bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar sought responses of the Union government and the ECI in the matter. The petition will be listed next for hearing in the week commencing March 17.

In his plea filed before the top court, the general secretary of the grand old party contended that the ECI cannot be allowed to unilaterally amend the 1961 Conduct of Election Rules in such a brazen manner and without public consultation.

“A Writ has just been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the recent amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961. The Election Commission, a Constitutional body, charged with the conduct of free and fair elections cannot be allowed to unilaterally, and without public consultation, amend such a vital law in such a brazen manner,” said Ramesh, in a post on social media platform X.

Ramesh, the Rajya Sabha MP, added that the amendment, introduced on December 21 following recommendations from the ECI, does away with “public access to essential information that makes the electoral process more transparent and accountable”.

“The integrity of the electoral process is fast eroding. Hopefully, the Supreme Court will help restore it,” he asserted.

The amendment was apparently seen as a reaction to a Punjab and Haryana High Court directive to provide CCTV footage of an election booth.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin strongly criticised the amendment and called it an undemocratic assault on free and fair elections. In a post on X, CM Stalin said that democracy was facing its gravest threat under the BJP-led Union Government.

Voicing his objections, he said, “Democracy is facing its gravest threat under the BJP-led Union Government, with the reckless amendment of Section 93(2)(a) of the Conduct of Election Rules designed to undermine transparency in elections.” CM Stalin added that the move undermines one of the Constitution’s fundamental features — transparency.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister called on all political parties, including those aligned with the Union Government, to unite against what he termed an undemocratic assault on free and fair elections.