PM Modi on Indo-US ties: There can't be 100 per cent comfort in husband-wife relations, but the relationship is long term binding. The same can be said about Indo-US ties 

CFR query on ISIS threat to India, Modi says: "We have faced many terror acts in India. But all these are exported, not home-grown. The Indian Muslim has stayed away from radical ideology.

Modi@CFR: World is going through a lot pain because of terrorism. We have faced this problem for years. I am sad to say that some countries have not been able to understand the evils of terrorism.

Terrorism is enemy of humanity. So anybody who believes in humanity needs to come together to challenge this problem.

We cannot weigh terrorism as good or bad. 

We see on TV that they (terrorists) are beheading people, this is a travesty on humanity

MEA spokeperson Syed Akbaruddin tweets: "PM @narendramodi in 1st interaction with a foreign Think Tank -- Ideology is limited; philosophy is unlimited"

PM Modi @ CFR: The Indian people have voted for stability and have laid the foundation towards the path of development. We are emphasizing on e-governance & development, on platform of world & at the same time for the poor people of my nation. There is a 'new middle class' in our country, one which has just come out of poverty and does not want to go back. If we don't pay attention to the new middle class, then people in poverty won't be encouraged to come out of their situation.

PM Modi@CFR: "I am the 6th prime minister of India to address this Council, grateful for the love I have received in the US." 

CFR President Richard N Haass on Modi: The Prime Minister has taken New York by storm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is shortly expected to be at the Council of Foreign Relations to discuss economic growth in India and US-India relations.

Over 200 people have been arrested in Vadodara town in Gujarat after days of communal violence though no fresh incident was reported today, police said.

However, the situation in the city, 116 km from Ahmedabad, remained tense amid huge deployment of police personnel. Communal violence had erupted in Yakutpura, Panjrapole, Fatehpura and Kumbharvada in the city on Thursday after some posts about a religion, purportedly derogatory in nature, were put up on a social networking site.

"We have arrested more than 200 people from the city. Some of the arrests are a preventive measure," Joint Commissioner of Police, Vadodara City, D J Patel said.

Tension flared up after a scuffle between some advocates and members of minority community on Thursday. "No fresh incident of rioting was reported in the city today with the police maintaining a tight vigil," Patel said, adding that the mobile internet services remained suspended to check the spread of rumours.

It is my conviction that tax stability is essential for confidence building, PM Narendra Modi told American CEOs in New York today.

India's Mars orbiter has sent a picture of regional dust storm activities over the northern hemisphere of the Red Planet,  Indian Space Research Organisation said today.

"Regional dust storm activities over northern hemisphere of Mars -- captured by Mars Color Camera on-board Mars Orbiter Mission", Bangalore-headquartered ISRO said on its official Facebook page with a picture. It said the image was taken from an altitude of 74,500 km from the surface of Mars.

Image: Something's brewing here! @MarsOrbiter tweets this image

US-based global technology giant IBM today expressed keen interest in participating in India's newly-launched initiatives like Smart Cities and Digital India, as its CEO Virginia Rometty met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

With a global turnover of nearly $100 billion, IBM is a major player in India and employs a large workforce in the country. Nearly one-third of its global workforce of over four lakh persons is in India, where its headcount exceeds even that in the US.

The meeting between Modi and Rometty was part of a series of one-on-one meets the PM had with top business leaders of the US on his last day in New York.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first radio address, to be carried on October 3 on All India Radio, may dominate the entire broadcasting space as audio and visuals could be provided to all FM and community radio stations as well as news and current affairs TV channels.

Officials said the programme titled 'Man ki Baat' may be recorded on October 2 by All India Radio's staff. The programme will be broadcast on the entire AIR network at 11 am on October 3 while Doordarshan is planning to carry the contents of the programme along with suitable footage, they said.

Sources also said the public service broadcasters are planning to provide free of cost the audio feed as well as visuals to all private radio channels as well as news and current affairs channels which express interest free of cost so that they can also carry it.

Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga, Cargill's President and CEO David WMacLennan, Caterpillar's Douglas Oberhelman, AES' AndresGluski, Merck's Kenneth Frazier, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Carlyle Group David Rubenstein, Hospira's Michael Ball ,Warburg Pincus' Charles Kaye and Pepsi Co's Indra Nooyi attended the breakfast meeting with PM Narendra Modi in New York today.

After the meeting, Banga said that the PM listed out areas like tourism, skill development and infrastructure as his key focus areas.   

The over one-hour-long breakfast meet was followed by one-on-one meetings with six CEOs of Boeing, KKR, BlackRock, IBM, General Electric and Goldman Sachs.

Nooyi described the meeting as "excellent". "He answers questions brilliantly and is very focused on improving India. So, we are thrilled to be working with him."   

Banga said the Prime Minister was a good listener and he believed that Modi can execute plans like the way he did in Gujarat. "I have every belief he can do that. I believe then you can have a very good decade or ahead of growth in India and that would make every American investor happy to put their capital, technology and their people into India," he said.   

Banga said one should worry less about the past and worry more about the future. "What matters is that his perspective is clear and if he is able to execute the way he has executed when he was the CM of Gujarat, I have every belief he can do that."

The flood situation in Assam remained serious with report of two more deaths today, taking the toll to 42. According to the daily flood report by Assam State Disaster Management Authority, one body was recovered in the worst-hit Goalpara district. Another person died at a hospital in Kamrup Metro that mainly comprise Guwahati city, the ASDMA report said.

With this, 19 persons have lost their lives in Goalpara, followed by 16 deaths in Kamrup Rural, six in Kamrup Metro and one in Dhubri during the latest wave of floods in Assam. Four hundred and ninety five villages across six districts are still reeling under flood fury with over six lakh affected in the calamities.

After his meet with top American CEOS, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently meeting Bill and Hillary Clinton in New York. Also present at the meet is External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Swaraj gave Mrs Clinton a warm hug on meeting her. 

@PMOIndia tweets this picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding a meeting with top CEOs in New York City. He will dine with President Barack Obama tonight. 

India is open-minded. We want change. A change that is not one-sided, PM Narendra Modi said at his breakfast meetings with America's top CEOs in New York City today.

Impressed by Modi's pitch, James McNerney, CEO of Boeing told PM that Boeing wants to accelerate engagement with India.

Image: PM Modi with ames McNerney, CEO of Boeing, in New York. Photograph: MEAIndia/Twitter 

It may be all vegetarian dishes and non-alcoholic drinks when President Barack Obama hosts a private dinner at the White House tonight for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who himself will take only lime water.   

According to sources, the Indian side had expressed a desire not to include non-vegetarian dishes during the private dinner keeping in mind sensitivities of the PM who is observing Navratri fasts.   

The request is being considered positively, as per the US government sources.

The newly appointed chairperson of the National Commission for Women Lalitha Kumarmangalam, today took charge of office.

Soon after assuming charge, Kumaramangalam went to meet the Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi. Kumarmangalam, who hails from Tamil Nadu, said that her priority is to make NCW operate effectively.

"The Commission needs to be effective and I will do, whatever needs to be done in this regard," she said. When asked about WCD ministry's proposal which is aimed at enhancing the powers of the Commission, she said, "During my meeting with the minister, we talked about it and the minister said she will give all possible support to make the Commission effective."

The NCW chief intends to utilise the money under the Nirbhaya Fund which is lying "unused".

In the wake of recent face-off at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju today made it clear that incursions by Chinese Army were unacceptable but said security forces should refrain from "misadventure" to prevent escalation of any tension on border.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in New Delhi, Rijiju, while referring to recent incursion of Chinese PLA in Ladakh, said, "These incidents are happening. But we are very, very clear this time that we will not accept any kind of their (Chinese) intrusion into our territory and we will not concede. This is something we are not going to accept."

While making it clear that India wanted a peaceful atmosphere along the 4,056-km LAC with China, the minister, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said, "But we are very firm about our position and we should not let our territory or our perceived territory to go into the hands of the other side."

Syed Akbaruddin @MEAIndia Signature gifts for the business community from PM @narendramodi.

The PM gifted tea to all the US CEOs. Telling gift which scores on his much-touted tea vendor roots. 

Narendra Modi meets Henry Kravis CEO of American private equity fund Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.

@MEAIndia Boeing wants to accelerate engagement with India - James McNerney, CEO of Boeing to PM.

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza and Saket Myneni win gold in the mixed doubles at the Asian Games. This takes India's gold tally to six. Total medals so far: 29.

New York: PM Narendra Modi meets Boeing CEO James McNerney.

Biz heads one-on-one meetings with Modi begins. McNerney, the PM will meet Laurence D. Fink, CEO of American multinational investment management firm Black Rock; Ginni Rometty, president and CEO of IBM; Jeffrey R. Immelt. chairman and CEO of General Electric; Lloyd Blankfein, chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs; and Henry Kravis, CEO of American private equity fund Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co.

Reaffirming his unflinching loyalty to his jailed leader AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa, newly sworn in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam today chose not to enter the designated chamber for the head of the government at the secretariat but function from his erstwhile Minister's office.

Panneerselvam, handpicked by Jayalalithaa to take over the mantle following her conviction in an illegal wealth case, chose to function from the room he occupied as Finance Minister in the previous cabinet, officials said.

He did not assume office at the chamber allotted to the Chief Minister, occupied by Jayalalithaa till her conviction on September 27 by a Bangalore court.

The city sessions court hearing the Saradha scam case today allowed accused and suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kunal Ghosh to submit his statements before the CBI investigating officer in jail within his renewed custody till October 21.

Rajdeep Sardesai tweets: Suprabhatam! Ecstatic response in US newspapers to @PMOIndia speech. USA Today says 'Indian PM thrills'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed 18,500 people at  Madison Square Garden Sunday. He greeted the crowd with a statesman-like wave as he took to the stage before his one-hour-plus speech.

Modi, with his powerful voice, emphatic intonation and animated hand gestures, is a welcome change from India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, best known for his wooden appearance and monotone delivery.

Here are some of Modi's best hand gestures and most quotable moments from the Madison Square Garden address. See

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows how to please a crowd.  On Sunday, atMadison Square Garden in New York he had the audience chanting his name in approval at his words. Read

PM: India is open-minded. We want change. Change that is not one-sided. Am discussing with citizens, industrialists & investors.

That's MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeting from the breakfast meet.

And that's Pepsico chief Indra Nooyi. 

At the breakfast meeting he will be interacting with 11 leading individual CEOs, including Google's Eric Schmidt, David M. Rubenstein of The Carlyle Group, Citigroup CEO Michael Corbat, Doug Oberhelman of Caterpillar Inc, Indra Nooyi of Pepsico (the tiny spot of blue you can see to the left of the picture) and Michael Ball of US-based global pharmaceutical company Hospira Inc. and Kenneth C. Frazier of Merck and Co.

PM Narendra Modi's breakfast meeting with US business leaders begins.

Pic: PM with Foreign secretary Sujata Singh. 

Scroll down for what the breakfast table looks like.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not take Principal Secretary Nripendra Mishra or Additional Principal Secretary, PK Misra, on his foreign visits. Which explains why both the senior officials of the PMO were present at
the CJI's swearing-in ceremony on Sunday at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

At around 6:30 pm IST, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sits down to breakfast with the CEOs of top US companies. The prime minister, who has embarked on a five-day visit to the US, has not taken along any minister or official with a commerce background as part of his entourage.  Modi will hold a breakfast meeting with the CEOs of 11 top US companies on Monday, and follow it up with one-on-one meetings with six individual CEOs of top US companies and institutions. He will spend around 15-20 minutes with each CEO during the one-on-one.

Pic: Table set for the power breakfast.

And it's a gold for India's Seema Punia in discus at the Asian Games. Punia's win ensures India is back in the reckoning among the top 10.  This is India's fifth gold at the Asian Games.

CBI chief Ranjit Sinha who is in the glare of the Supreme Court over his 'visitors' diary' was accorded a seat in the front row at the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Justice of India, HL Dattu.

Sinha has been embroiled in a controversy before the apex court for meeting various people accused in the 2G, including Reliance officials, and coal block allocation scams at his 2 Janpath official residence in New Delhi.

Many judges of the Supreme Court who were present at the ceremony were discomfited by Sinha's presence.

But Ranjit Sinha, our sources tell us, did not seem embarrassed, and even went up to them shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

Other invitees watched the scene with some surprise.

Two IAS officers from the Gujarat cadre and one officer from the Rajasthan cadre have been shortlisted for the post of Secretary to the Prime Minister.
Narendra Modi will be interviewing them once he is back from the US. This comes since his secretary, R Ramanujan, retires tomorrow. The tentative date for the interview is after Dusshera. 

National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, has not been accorded the status of a Union Minister Of State, unlike his predecessors Brijesh Mishra, MK Narayanan and Shiv Shankar Menon. Doval has been put at par with the Principal Secretary rank, just a step above Cabinet Secretary, one step below an MoS. Sources say, Doval is upset.

Pic: Ajit Doval with Sushma Swaraj (to his left) at the Madison Square Garden event yesterday.

Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth is likely to get an extension of six more months, according to highly placed sources. Prime Minister Modi, say sources, is impressed with Seth's ability to assist the PMO to ensure proceedings during Union  Cabinet meetings run smoothly. Seth has also been a key advisor to the PM on crucial  policy issues.

Seth has been an integral part of the UPA administration over the last three years and Opposition parties, including the BJP, had accused the government of policy paralysis.

Modi, however, hopes, that retaining the same set of senior civil  servants, will work with his government.

This is the second time Seth has been given a six-month extension. Read this.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley may have to cancel a trip to the United States in October after he was moved to an isolation ward of a government-run hospital to help him recover from an infection that followed a stomach operation to treat diabetes, reports Reuters.

Jaitley is due to attend a World Bank meeting on Oct. 10-12 in Washington, where he is also expected to meet senior government officials. He was due to leave on Oct. 8.

Hemant and Kavita Karkare on their wedding day.  

Former ambassador of India to the United Nations, TP Sreenivasan's homage to ATS chief Hemant Karkare. This was written a few hours after Karkare ws shot dead on November 26, 2008. Read

Pic: Hemant Karkare, his wife Kavita, at their daughter's birthday party

Read Kavita Karkare's 2012 interview with Rediff.com where she says, "It gives some satisfaction that the terrorist (Ajmal Kasab) has been hanged, but the real culprits are still at large.

"This is an end to a part of the 26/11 saga. Larger questions are still open and they have to be answered."

Read the full interview here. 

Kavita Karkare (57) was brought to PD Hinduja Hospital at Mahim, Mumbai, on Saturday after she suffered a brain haemorrhage, reports DNA.

According to hospital sources, it was her son Akash who rushed her to the hospital and she later slipped into coma with a severe brain damage.

"She had severe brain damage due to brain haemorrhage. She was kept on a ventilator but not responding to treatment. We declared her brain dead on Sunday and counselled her children who later consented for organ donation," said a doctor from the hospital.

Kavita's daughters- Jui Navare and Sayali reached hospital early Monday morning and supported their brother's decision for organ donation.

According to hospital, the decision has given new lease of life to two end stage kidney patients and one end stage liver patient.

Kavita's children also decided to donate their mother's eyes and skin.

@calamur brave lady, brave family --- Kavita Karkare's children give consent for donating her organs after her death.

Kavita Karkare, widow of former Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad chief Hemant Karkare who died fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, has passed away.

She had been admitted to a hospital after she suffered brain haemorrhage and slipped into coma, police sources said on Sunday.

"Kavita Karkare sustained a brain haemorrhage because of which she has been taken to Hinduja Hospital at Mahim on Saturday. Her condition is critical and she is in coma. Her treatment is underway," a police officer said.

Kavita's husband Hemant Karkare, then Maharashtra ATS chief, died defending Mumbai in the November 26, 2008 attacks.

He was killed on the night of 26/11 near Cama Hospital, along with Additional Police Commissioner Ashok Kamte and senior police inspector Vijay Salaskar.

BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy on Shiv Sena's union minister Anant Geete's decision to quit the government. Rudy says: If Uddhav Thackeray wants Anant Geete to resign then it is their decision which seems natural to me, BJP made no such demand."

Geete, Shiv Sena's lone member in the Union Cabinet, will resign, party chief Uddhav Thackeray said today, four days after the split in the saffron alliance.

"After Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from the US, Geete will go to him and submit his resignation," he said.

Sena sources said the party was also likely to quit NDA.

Uddhav's announcement followed estranged cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray riling him at a poll rally here yesterday for the Sena "sticking to" power in Delhi despite breaking up with BJP.

Raj had said that Uddhav should immediately ask Geete to resign as a mark of protest against the insult meted out to Shiv Sena.

Paneerselvam was sworn in by State Governor K Rosaiah at a ceremony attended  by 32 ministers and other party dignitaries. Panneerselvam broke down while taking his oath; he is being sworn in for the second time as CM of the state.

File pic of Paneerselvam with Jayalalithaa

What the Washington Post says on the upcoming Modi-Obama meet. "When the new Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, visits the White House this week, President Obama should seize the opportunity to revive and rebuild an important relationship with a key Asian partner that has fallen on hard times in recent years."  Read more

Rajdeep Sardesai on the BJP's allegations that he was responsible for the heckling outside Madison Square Garden. 

"First, Kick and abuse while I am on cam asking questions, then release video selectively. Rule of the mob. Teri galiyon mein na rakhege kadam aaj ke baad... Gnight, shubhatri."

To which, AAP's Yogendra Yadav, tweets: Don't say that. You have more courage and integrity than those trying to malign you. "Ham laut ayenge .." is much better."

PM Modi will end his evening today with a dinner hosted by US president Obama. Modi, as we know now, is fasting for Navratri.

Modi and Obama are expected to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest, including ways to accelerate economic growth and bolster security cooperation to expand and deepen the US-India strategic partnership when they meet.

"They will also focus on regional issues, including current developments in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, where India and the United States can work together with partners towards a positive outcome," the White House said.

The President looks forward to working with the Prime Minister to fulfill the promise of the US-India strategic partnership for the benefit of both our citizens and the world."

Pic: Modi during his visit to the US in 1993.

Shobhaa De @DeShobhaa  Note to desi journos: stop dancing on Sardesai's grave.What happened to him in NYC could happen to you next. In New Delhi. Anywhere. Shameful!

JUST IN: Shiv Sena's Anant Geete to quit Union government, says party president Uddhav Thackeray.

JUST IN: O Panneerselvam sworn-in Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

An AIADMK legislature party meeting on Sunday unanimously elected O Panneerselvam as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, a day after a Bangalore special court convicted J Jayalalithaa in a disproportionate assets case.

The meeting of the AIADMK MLAs was called after Panneerselvam, who holds the finance and public works portfolios, and other senior party ministers met Jayalalithaa at the Bangalore Parappana Agrahara prison in the morning.

Read more: TN's Panneer, the first chai-wallah to become chief minister

There are two ways of looking at the marriage of George Clooney to Amal Alamuddin in Venice this past weekend. The first is the most common one: "Wow, the world's most eligible bachelor and Hollywood heart-throb has finally been bagged -- what a lucky woman!'

The second turns that on its head. One relative has been quoted as telling a journalist that "George will run for office now, as marriage to Amal will open so many doors for him'. In other words, she is the bigger catch.

Read

Campaigning in Haryana, BJP president Amit Shah says, "Kamal ka button itni zor se dabana ke button Haryana mein dabe lekin current Italy mein lage.

RSS will monitor the implementation of Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission (Namami Ganga), the dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reports the Indian Express. A decision in this regard was taken during the meeting of senior RSS office-bearers of the five regions (in the state) that fall under the river's course between Gangotri in Uttarakhand to Ganga Sagar in West Bengal. 

The Election Commission has slapped a notice on the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) candidate from Nuh for riding an elephant while going to file his nomination, and animal rights activists have approached police to register an FIR against him.

Zakir Hussain was served a notice by the returning officer of Nuh and asked to send a clarification in two days on using the elephant.

It says that use of animals is banned under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the candidate clearly violated the code of conduct.

ISRO's Mars Orbiter tweets: @MarsOrbiter Awesome! @ESA_Rosetta, snack time selfie with Mars? This thing doesn't have a front cam :(

That's in response to this tweet: @ESA_Rosetta  @MarsOrbiter Can one of your Mars #SpaceBuddies help out? My @philae2014 lander takes our #selfies :-) Greetings from #67P by the way!

Rosetta is a robotic space probe built and launched by the European Space Agency to perform a detailed study of comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko. The Rosetta satellite is currently orbiting the huge "ice mountain" known as 67P

The Shiv Sena could not compromise on the post of Chief Minister for Uddhav Thackeray; the BJP needed to spread its wings in Maharashtra to make the most of its Lok Sabha election victory. Read

There is no doubt that the New York speech was a move by Mr. Sharif to blunt criticism by his opponents that he has been soft on India, and an effort by him to buy some peace with the Army. Read

India will not accept any kind of intrusion by China along the border and will defend its territory, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said today.

"These incidents are happening. But we are very, very clear this time that we will not accept any kind of their (Chinese) intrusion into our territory and we will not concede. This is something we are not going to accept," he said on the sidelines of a function in New Delhi.

Rijiju insisted that India wants peaceful atmosphere and tranquillity along the border and there is nothing aggressive about its stand.

"This speech is going to be more of a punishment. I spoke too much this afternoon."

A tireless Narendra Modi left over 700 notable luminaries in peals of laughter with his quick wit during a dinner reception hosted by Indian Ambassador Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the Taj-owned, The Pierre Hotel.

Aziz Haniffa/Rediff.com was there. Read

A video of journalist Rajdeep Sardesai roughed up by pro-Modi supporters outside the Madison Square Garden, shortly before the Prime Minister's address, created quite a buzz yesterday. In fact, the hashtag #IstandwithRajdeep trended above #ModiatMadison yesterday.

It began when @JFK_America posted, "Mob of people attacking an Indian journalist for being critical of Modi on the past. Accused of being a traitor'.

This is the video that shows Rajdeep being pushed around and heckled by a crowd of Modi fans outside MSG. Watch

Sardesai told Rediff.com's Chaya Babu: "I got pushed around a little, but it's par for the course as a journalist. Most people here are good people."

However, you can't keep Modi bhakts down.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy posted this on his FB page today:

"From yesterday many media houses are playing a small, incomplete clip and claiming that Modi supporters attacked Rajdeep Saradesai!

Now watch this video to know what really happened! It was our renowned Journalist who actually first abused, and attacked an NRI at Madison Square Garden, NYC. After this incident NRI's started calling police, which is the right thing to do!

Also, you can find other YouTube videos where our leading Journalist is insulting NRIs by calling them Idiots, frenzy Narendra modi supporters, people with money but no class etc.!"

This is the video that Subramanian Swamy posted. Watch

Up ahead today, this is what PM Modi's itinerary looks like...

-- Breakfast meeting with top executives from 11 multinationals, including Google, PepsiCo and MasterCard, followed by individual meetings with top executives from another six companies, including Boeing, IBM and General Electric.

-- Meeting with members of  the Council for Foreign Relations in New York.

-- Meeting with Bill and Hillary Clinton.

-- Private dinner with President Obama.

Pic: The PM met Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  New York yesterday on the sidelines of the MSG do.

Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu Congresswoman in the US, presented a copy of the Bhagvad Gita to Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday, before the MSG programme.

There was a discussion about Prime Minister's proposal in the UNGA Saturday for launching an International Day of Yoga. She said as a practitioner of yoga, she was very interested in the proposal and that she would do her best to try and see in what way she can support the Prime Minister on his proposal.

The Hawaii representative was invited by Modi during the half hour meeting to come to India which she has never visited, but was interested in visiting, at a suitable time, she said.

Officials said that Gabbard, a great supporter of India who has interest in defense-related matters, discussed her approach towards issues of defense as well as international cooperation in terms of working against common threats posed through terror.

Pic: A ginger flower garland from Hawaii. Congress woman Tulsi Gabbard  greets PM.

'Relations between India and America will always be transactional. It is true that the two countries share common values -- democracy, rule of law, separation of powers, etc, but these have failed to establish a long range, lasting and compatible relationship,' says Ambassador C R Gharekhan.

Read

JUST IN: Former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa  moves Karnataka High Court.

Top moments from the Modi's Madison Square Garden bash. Read

Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only won the hearts of NRIs in the US, but also of nearly 40 top US lawmakers who described his words as "inspirational and visionary".

During his speech at the Madison Square Garden, attended by nearly 40 top lawmakers, the Congressmen immediately connected with Modi when he said he was a small man who reached here "selling tea" but intended to do "big things for small people".

Many described him as "charismatic" figure, while others felt he was "destined to transform the nation". His views on minimum governance also went quite well with the lawmakers.

"I see now why the people of India elected him," said Congressman Henry C 'Hank' Johnson from Georgia said.

"He has got a vision. He has a plan to make it happen. Prime Minister Modi just swarmed this place like a rockstar," said Congressman Pete Olson from Texas.

Congressman Ami Bera, the only Indian-American lawmaker in the current House of Representatives, described Modi's speech as inspirational and visionary.

Pic: More than 20 US elected representatives joined PM @narendramodi on stage before he began his speech.

MoS Home Kiren Rijiju speaking at the 10th formation day of National Disaster Management Authority in Delhi.

Instagram, the popular photo-sharing service owned by Facebook, has been blocked in China, according to numerous reports.The reports came amid pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, where many have posted photos and videos, including of Hong Kong police firing tear gas at demonstrators. Many of the photos were labelled with the hash tag "Occupy Central," a phrase that was blocked on Sunday on Weibo, China's version of Twitter. It had been allowed earlier in the day.

The Nationalist Congress Party, which parted ways with Congress, ending their 15-year-long alliance in Maharashtra ahead of the October 15 assembly polls, on Monday said it was holding talks with Samajwadi Party for a possible tie-up for the elections. "It is now late but we are still trying to materialise the alliance," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said. Earlier, Congress had announced that it was joining hands with the SP but later SP spokesman had announced that Congress had backtracked and was not in favour of the alliance. SP said that it was looking forward to an alliance with the NCP. "We are in talks with senior NCP leaders and there may be an official announcement soon. We are looking forward to an alliance with them," SP spokesperson Rais Shaikh said.

Ram Jethmalani, the senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani is flying back from London to represent AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa, who has been convicted in the disproportionate assets case, in the Karnataka High Court, his office said. He will be arriving in the country on Monday, the same day that Jayalalithaa is moving the high court to seek a bail application.    

Almost a month after the disastrous floods struck Jammu and Kashmir, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi will reach out to people in the state during their two-day visit starting today. "Sonia and Rahul are visiting J&K on a two days visit from Monday to meet the flood victims and assess damages caused to public property and infrastructure in worst-ever floods in the state, which has taken a toll on nearly 300 lives," a senior party official said. They will be flanked by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ambika Soni and Saif-ud-Din Soz during their visit.

Thousands of people remained on the streets of Hong Kong for another day of pro-democracy protests, defying tear gas and ignoring appeals to leave. Overnight, riot police advanced on crowds who ignored official warnings that the demonstrations were illegal. Several scuffles broke out between police in helmets, gas masks and riot gear, with demonstrators angered by the firing of tear gas, last used in Hong Kong in 2005.

In case you logged in late, click HERE to read about the rousing reception that Prime Minister Narendra Modi received at Madison Square Garden in New York...  

The PM's speech was beamed live at the iconic Times Square and was watched by Indian Americans in what was called the 'Modi Watch Party' ranging from universities to small cities to community centers. For the convenience of Indian American, the speech was not only telecast live, but also carried English subtitles in a real time basis.

#ModiAtMSG

CNN IBN's Bhupendra Chaube tweets his support for former boss Rajdeep Sardesai: "I met the guy who heckled Rajdeep. He was apologizing later. But damage has been done. Indians shame themselves again; globally. Those who chant/support @PMOIndia; must also learn to respect the rights of others who may only be asking contrarian questions."

More than 20 US elected representatives joined PM @narendramodi prior to his beginning his speech. #ModiAtMSG

Aniruddha Guha @AniGuha @BBCWorld reporter at Madison Square only one to ask questions about the Gujarat riots, and the protesters. We're too busy celebrating.

Pic: Protesters outside Madison Square Garden.

And that's a picture of NSA chief Ajit doval (to the right of) External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.

Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai was caught on a video recording amidst a scuffle with a crowd in outside Madison Square on Sunday. The incident has led #RajdeepSlapped to break the trend record of #ModiAtMadison on Twitter on Sunday evening.  Watch the video

The miscreants targetted Sardesai for what they believe to be his anti-Modi stance. However, India Today reports that the organiser of the event, Vijay Jolly, apologised to Sardesai for the behaviour of the miscreants.

Rajdeep tweeted: @sardesairajdeep Great crowd at Modison square garden! except a few idiots who still believe abuse is a way of proving their machismo! #ModiAtMadison

@sardesairajdeep Glad we caught the idiots on cam. Only way to shame the mob is to show them. #ModiAtMadison

Rajat Sharma @RajatSharmaIive My sources told me that attack on @sardesairajdeep was pre-planned.It was one of their own crew,just to malign Modiji


To read our Live updates from Madison Square Garden go here

For Bollywood singer Kavita Krishnamurthy, performing at the famous Madison Square Garden amid loud cheers for Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the most emotional moments in her life.

"Modi is an iconic leader in whom I believe a lot. Today I am very proud to be an Indian. It was a very emotional moment for me," the noted singer, who performed with her violin maestro husband L Subramaniam and son, said.

Krishnamurthy performed the 'Vaishnava Jan To', which is one of the most popular Hindu bhajans written in Gujarati language in the 15th century by poet Narsinh Mehta. The bhajan was among Mahatma Gandhi's daily prayers.

As for the PM's "dream to see that every Indian family has a home by 2022", well intentioned, but here is a reality check. Read