US President Donald Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to congratulate him on his electoral victory, the White House said on Monday. 

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and aide, Jared Kushner, will be questioned by a US committee investigating alleged ties between the Trump team and Moscow.

Eight-time MLA Ram Govind Chaudhary of Samajwadi Party is set to become the Leader of the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh assembly as party chief Akhilesh Yadav nominated him today ignoring stalwarts like Azam Khan and Shivpal Yadav.

"Akhilesh Yadav has nominated Ram Govind Chaudhary as the Leader of the SP Legislature Party and he will also be the Leader of the Opposition," SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said in Lucknow.

Chaudhary, 70, an eight-time MLA, is considered close to Akhilesh and had served as basic education, child development and nutrition minister in the erstwhile SP government.

The name of Azam Khan, the parliamentary affairs minister in the Akhilesh government, was also doing the rounds for the post.

During the Mayawati government when Samajwadi Party was the main opposition party in UP, Shivpal Yadav was the Leader of Opposition. -- PTI

JUST IN: Mental Health Care Bill, 2016 passed in Lok Sabha.

The Gomti riverfront project of the previous Akhilesh Yadav government on Monday came under the scanner of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who expressed dissatisfaction over its progress.

He also warned that corruption will not be allowed in any of the projects in the state.

The chief minister conveyed this after undertaking an inspection of the project on the banks of the Gomti.

The 'dream' project of Akhilesh was launched by the previous Samajwadi Party government for channelisation of the river by constructing a diaphragm wall and by landscaping and constructing intercepting drains on both the banks.

Adityanath expressed unhappiness that despite the lapse of two years and an expenditure of over Rs 1,427 crore, the work was only 60 per cent complete, an official release said.

Interacting with the officials and staff involved in the project, the chief minister said a demand of an additional amount of Rs 1,500 crore was being made for the project, which was initially scheduled to be completed by May, 2017.

"The aim of the project should have been cleaning the water and blocking the drains discharging sewage into the river, but that was not done," the chief minister said.

He asked the officials to link the project with the Centres Namami Gange project and initiate the work to plug the drains discharging sewage into the river. -- PTI

The Supreme Court today reserved its verdict on the appeals filed by four death row convicts in the December 16, 2012 gang rape and murder case.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra asked the parties concerned to file their written submissions within a week.

During the arguments, senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for Delhi Police, told the bench that these convicts had 'brutalised' the young woman and they deserved to be awarded death penalty.

"The offence committed by them (convicts) attracts death penalty. They have not given any mitigating circumstances which could warrant reduction of the sentence from death penalty which was awarded to them," he told the bench also comprising Justices R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan.

However, senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae in the matter, told the bench that the option of awarding jail term for the whole life to these convicts may also be considered. -- PTI

JUST IN: Deepa Jayakumar, J Jayalalithaa's niece, who had earlier announced that she will contest the R K Nagar bypolls, has been allotted 'boat' symbol by the Election Commission.

Rediff.com contributors Brigadier S K Chatterji (retired) and Nitin A Gokhale with Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat at the release of their book Home of the Brave: History of Rashtriya Rifles.

Gen Rawat released the book at his office in New Delhi on Monday.

The book 'traces the early history of Rashtriya Rifles, its organisation, including its raising to deployment in Punjab, the North East and Jammu and Kashmir'.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat will be a good choice for President to make India a 'Hindu Rashtra', Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut today said.

"It is the highest post in the country. Somebody with a clean image should occupy it. We have heard Mohan Bhagwat's name is being discussed for President.

"If India has to be made a 'Hindu Rashtra', Bhagwat will be a good choice for President. But the decision (to support his candidature) will be taken by Uddhavji," he told reporters in Mumbai.

Asked if he will attend the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the strategy for the Presidential polls, Raut parried a direct reply, saying sumptuous food is cooked at 'Matoshree' (Thackeray's residence in Mumbai) as well.

"In the last two Presidential polls, Balasaheb (Thackeray) had gone against the flow and done what was in the interest of the nation. Even then, the Presidential candidates had come to Matoshree to discuss the elections," the Sena leader said.

"Those who want votes can come to Matoshree. We are ready for a dialogue. Sumptuous food is cooked at 'Matoshree' as well," Raut said.

IMAGE: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.

The Aadhar debate continues in the Rajya Sabha. CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury says, "All of us know #Aadhaar is defective. There are lakhs of complaints about it. This Aadhaar is leading to creation of a surveillance state in India. Violative of my fundamental right to liberty. You have a govt that doesn't have the courage to come forward and say 'I'm abolishing this Constitution. Much like Matrix, an Aadhaar number can just vanish and you won't be a citizen anymore. Who controls this data? Which private company has access? This country is being reduced to a totalitarian state controlled by a master."

The Election Commission has extended till December 31 the June 30 deadline set for the Congress to hold organisational polls. The EC has allowed the Congress' plea of granting six more months to it to complete the process of organisational polls.


"There will, however, be no further extension beyond December 2017," the EC has told the Congress. The EC had given an ultimatum to the Congress to complete the organisational polls by June 30. This means the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as the Congress President would come through by the year-end.

Samajwadi Party coins a new slogan for the party- 'Aapki Cycle sadaa chalegi aapke naam se, fir pradesh ka dil jeetenge hum milkar apne kaam se'.

The cycle may get a little rusted in five years.

The Madras High Court today directed the police to arrest a man who claimed to be the son of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, saying he had not only cheated the court but also forged documents. Justice R Mahadevan gave the direction after perusing the report filed by the Inspector of Police, Central Crime Branch, which was submitted in a sealed cover.

The report said petitioner J Krishnamoorthy was the son of one Vasanthamani and not Jayalalithaa, as falsely claimed by him. It said old stamp papers were purchased from a stamp vendor and the documents were forged.

"He has not only cheated the court but also prepared forged documents", said the judge and directed police to arrest him. He then posted the case for further hearing to April 10. On March 17, the court had reprimanded the man and questioned the genuineness of documents submitted by him.


"I can send this man straightaway to jail. I will ask police officers to take him to jail now itself," Justice R Mahadevan had said.

SC reserves judgement on appeals filed by 4 death row convicts in the December 16, 2012 gang rape and murder case.

Why even Modi fans should oppose Arun Jaitley's dangerous Finance Bill tactics. Read

It has taken a full decade but the award of life imprisonment to two terrorists in the Ajmer Dargah blasts case has come as an unquestionable confirmation of the menacing wave of Hindutva-terror. Devendra Gupta, 41, and Bhavesh Patel, 39, were both former pracharaks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Several of the 11 others charge-sheeted accused in the case also had RSS links.


It is now time to extend public scrutiny to all those whose names have come up in the last decade in connection with these cases. These include the new Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mahant Yogi Adityanath.

Read more

Expressing displeasure over making Aadhar mandatory for filing tax returns and linking it to the PAN card, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, said the government has violated the Supreme Court orders and sought an explanation from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over the issue.


Saying that this would have "huge consequences', Sibal claimed that Aadhar data can be hacked and be used to make bank transactions. "Banking transactions can be hacked, can track people using travel records, when the Pentagon can be hacked why can't this be?' Sibal said.


Sibal explained that under the UPA government, the purpose of rolling out the Aadhar was to ensure that the government schemes would reach the targeted people.


"Aadhar was only meant for PDS, targeted subsidies should reach the people. That is purpose of Aadhar, not for you to pry into the activities of others," he said.


Sibal claimed that "we are living in a police state'. He reminded the House that when the BJP was in opposition it staunchly opposed the Unique Identification (UID) scheme, but are now trying to foist it on the public.


"One of your stalwarts claimed that Aadhar is the biggest fraud in history. Then why are you perpetuating that fraud on us, sir?," he said.


Questioning the Finance Ministry's move to link Aadhar with I-T filing and PAN cards, Sibal said they were being "disrespectful to the Supreme Court'. "You have to answer this as to why you have done this, and why you have been so disrespectful of the Supreme Court orders," he said. "Your explanation can only be the arrogance of power."


He also questioned the way 40 amendments were added to The Finance Bill, which is a money and does not require the approval of the Upper House. "You will go down in history as those who muffle the voice of this House," he said.

"Just because you've won an election doesn't mean you have won the country. It doesn't appear that you have any intentions of changing the country. Before elections you talk of loan waiver, post elections you don't give the waiver.  What have you done to address unemployment? It's still on the rise," he said.

When Manish Khari, a Class 12 student in Greater Noida, went for a walk on Friday evening and didn't come home, his relatives and neighbours set out to look for him. After someone claimed that the boy had last been seen with five Nigerian students who lived two doors away, the crowd barged into the house. Khari wasn't there. But it set off a horrifying rumour: that the Nigerians had eaten up the young man. Read more

Australian High Commission spokesperson: "Regret attack on taxi driver of Indian origin in Hobart, who suffered minor injuries and was discharged. Matter is current and under investigation by Tasmania Police. Tasmania Police takes all assaults seriously. We understand that whether the assault was racially-based will be a component of the investigative facts."

An Indian nursing student and a part-time taxi driver Li Max Joy was reportedly attacked by a group of teenagers in Hobart, Australia over the weekend.

Joy has been admitted to the Royal Hobart Hospital with deep wounds on his face and chest.

The attack is being viewed as a racial attack, as Joy has alleged that the Australian teenagers abused him saying "You bloody black Indians" before attacking him.

Joy, who hails from Kottayam, Kerala, said that a big boy amongst teenagers attacked him without any provocation and also racially abused him, adding that two others also joined him in the attack.

He also asked India's External Affairs Ministry to intervene in the matter.

The attack comes after a priest from Kerala, Tomy Kalathoor, was attacked inside a church in Melbourne last week.

And while on Kapil Sharma...
ANI: Sunil Grover and others still part of Kapil Sharma show, we'll have to see when they are joining. Shooting for next episode on. Raju Srivastav, Ehsaan Qureshi and Sunil Pal are not integrated in the show, it was a combi-special episode.

Comedian Kapil Sharma's alleged drunken behaviour on a flight was raised in parliament today as the Shiv Sena tried to defend its MP Ravindra Gaikwad.

The Sena MP from Osmanabad was banned from flying most major airlines on Friday forcing him to take a train from Delhi to Mumbai.

Gaikwad attained notoriety after he assaulted an Air India official with his slippers, slapping him 25 times, on Thursday.

Sena's Anandrao Adsul raised the issue in the Lok Sabha saying, "Kapil Sharma misbehaved on a flight after getting drunk but no ban was imposed on him. Corrupt people are allowed to fly. How can an MP be banned?"

Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju responded saying, "The rules are the same for all, including an MP.  Violence on a flight can be disastrous... we cannot compromise safety in airlines."

Reports say Air India will also issue a warning to comedy host Kapil Sharma, who is accused of misbehaving with his co-star Sunil Grover, on a flight to Mumbai from Melbourne two weeks ago. Though the brawl has been in the news over the cataclysmic impact on Sharma's TV show, talk of possible action has emerged after Gaikwad was banned by six airlines.

Gajapati Raju said airlines are empowered to deny boarding to any passenger whose demeanour is incorrect. But "never in the wildest of dreams had I expected an MP to get caught in this," he said.

Gaikwad also abused a 60-year-old AI employee and allegedly tried to push him down a step-ladder during an argument over a business class seat.  After every airline refused to book him a seat, the politician was forced to take a train.

Gaikwad has been unapologetic about his conduct and said it is Air India who should apologise to him.

In Parliament today, the Samajwadi Party backed the Shiv Sena, with Naresh Agrawal blaming airlines saying, "just goes to show their dadagiri (bullying)".

Former J-K CM Omar Abdullah's response to someone saying, "Look at the brighter side India is turning vegetarian. :-)"


Omar tweets, "Really, that's the brighter side? Harissa made with nadroo & gushtaba made with kathal is our future now? Damn!!!! #savewazwan :)

BJP's Hindutva credentials have never been in doubt. With its audacious gamble on Adityanath, who was among its most popular state leaders in pre-poll internal surveys, the party has done nothing more than pin its own colours to the mast, making a clear play for a Hindu consolidation leading up to 2019. Critics saying with horror that the saffron party is Hindu don't tell voters anything they didn't know already.


With Yogi as its political UP mascot, BJP's political signalling couldn't be clearer. Hindutva is not something we use only instrumentally to get votes, the party seems to be saying, and then junk after winning elections. It is intrinsic to its development focus too, with a notion of progress that is intertwined with notions of Hindu-ness. The two are inseparable, not separate compartments to pick and choose from.


No appeasement, no apologies, no double meaning: this is the political message. The collapse of UP's caste praxis and the Mandal vote has led to a hard calculation that the party has very little to lose from such a gambit.

Read Nalin Mehta's column here.

Just a few weeks ahead of the important Delhi civic polls, Aam Aadmi Party's MLA from Bawana, Ved Prakash resigned from the party and joined the BJP. BJP leaders claimed that this was the first of many to come and that they expect more leaders of the AAP to desert the party ahead of MCD polls 2017.

BJP leader Shazia Ilmi, also a former AAP member tweeted this picture, saying, "Welcome Ved Prakash. I appeal to all honest workers & MLAs of Aap & others to join the pilgrimage of Development with PM."

A week-long search for a history-sheeter bore fruit on Saturday, when he was arrested at the stroke of midnight after he had paid obeisance at a Hanuman temple at Marine Lines. A five-member team from the Dadar Railway Protection Force (RPF) would have said a quick thank-you to the Lord, as the thief's routine of visiting a particular shrine every week played a part in the arrest. Read more

Just in: AAP's Bawana MLA, Ved Prakash, joins the BJP. 

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would likely hear the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) petition filed by lawyer Manohar Lal Sharma, seeking a direction for a thorough check into the machines alleged tampering issue after eight weeks.

Earlier, the court had not fixed any date of hearing for the case.

Today, Sharma mentioned the matter before the apex court headed by Chief Justice of India, Jagdish Singh Khehar that the court should gave a date for hearing the matter.

Earlier, the apex court had issued a notice to the Union Government seeking a reply into Sharma's plea.

Politicians have openly alleged tampering of EVMs in the recently concluded assembly elections with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal leading the charge.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath today revealed that BJP chief Amit Shah had summoned him to Delhi by a chartered flight in the middle of the Assembly elections following an assessment that the party's prospects were flagging. Adityanath did not mention the date but a BJP source said the chief minister was possibly referring to his meeting with Shah just before the third phase of polling that had taken place on February 19. Read more

As meat sellers across Uttar Pradesh went on an indefinite strike from today against the crackdown on illegal and mechanized slaughterhouses, they urged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to fight for the nation and not for 'gosht'.


"Yogi Adityanath should fight for the nation, not for gosht. Many people are dying without food. It has created chaos. We will support Yogi-ji in his fight against Pakistan. If he (Yogi Adityanath) fights for gosht, we will raise our voices," a meat seller told ANI.


Stating that all of them are facing trouble, another meat seller said all the labourers are disturbed with the present scenario.


"Someone commits mistake and others pay for it. We have to earn our living. So many families are dependent on this. We all have become jobless now. There should be a solution to this," said another meat seller.


After coming to power, the Yogi Adityanath government has ordered closure of illegal slaughterhouses and strict enforcement of the ban on cow smuggling to fulfil a key electoral promise.


Adityanath earlier on Saturday said abattoirs operating legally will not be touched but action will be taken against those run illegally.


Warning the licensed slaughterhouses to comply as per rules, Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minster earlier on Wednesday said that strict action would be taken against the illegal ones, adding that the main agenda of the government is to restore law and order in the state.

At least 73 Indian fishermen have reportedly been detained by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency for allegedly fishing in territorial waters of the country. The Dawn quoted sources, as saying that the Indian fishermen had been handed over to the police and a case has been registered against them under the Foreigners and Fisheries Act. The vessels of the Indian fishermen have also been seized

India were all out for 332 in their first innings at lunch in reply to Australia's total of 300 on the third day of the fourth and final Test against Australia here today. Brief Score: Australia 1st innings: 300 India 1st innings: 332 all out in 118.1 overs (Lokesh Rahul 60, Cheteshwar Pujara 57, Ravindra Jadeja 63; Nathan Lyon 5/92, Pat Cummins 3/94).

The government cannot make Aadhaar mandatory for extending benefits of its welfare schemes, the Supreme Court says. The government however, cannot be stopped from using Aadhaar in other schemes like opening of bank accounts, the court says.


Meanwhile, on the matter of hearing pleas that challenge use of Aadhaar, the court said that a seven-member bench is required to hear these petitions and right now it was not possible.

Journalist Manika Gupta's column on Kamal Haasan in The Financial Express, 'Is Kamal Haasan anti-Hindu, does he even know what he is talking about?' has generated its fair share of controversy -- for all the wrong reasons. 

The writer goes on a rant about how the actor's comment that the Mahabharat's Draupadi was a pawn was an attack


She says Haasan has 'misused freedom of speech as he he lives in a Hindu-majority country and  has no business to comment on a mythological figure that Hindus have respect for'.

Since it's a column, the writer is entitled to her opinion.

But then, she writes this...


"He is not only inciting enmity between the two groups but also forgetting that his own religion has instances of worst condition of women. He should focus on triple talaq and issues like that rather than bothering about one-off reference in the Mahabharata. Only if he could mind his own business!"

Clearly, Gupta thinks that the actor is Muslim since his surname is Haasan!

That paragraph was of course, taken down, but not before readers seized upon it.

Next time, Ms Gupta, a fact check would be nice. 

In Lucknow, Tunday Kabab bhakts, are greeted with downed shutters. Daily-wager Marrat, who works at the famed kabab restaurant, says, "When meat is not available how can we make kababs? People still come but go back disappointed."

A United Airlines gate agent barred two girls from boarding a flight Sunday morning because the girls were wearing leggings, reports the Washington Post.

Another girl who was wearing gray leggings had to change before she was allowed to board the flight from Denver to Minneapolis, a witness said.

"She's forcing them to change or put dresses on over leggings or they can't board," Shannon Watts, who was at a gate at Denver International Airport, said on Twitter. "Since when does @united police women's clothing?"

United, responding to tweets about the incident tweeted that "United shall have the right to refuse passengers who are not properly clothed via our Contract of Carriage." And added, " This is left to the discretion of the agents."

The airline's passenger contract says for the safety of all passengers and crew members, the airline can refuse to let a passenger on board if the passengers is "barefoot or not properly clothed."

The airlines, however, does not define "properly clothed."

United Airlines spokesman Jonathan Guerin confirmed the two teens were not allowed on the flight. But he said they girls were traveling using a United employee pass and "were not in compliance with our dress code policy for company benefit travel."

An internal policy for employees using the airline travel benefit, he said, specifically forbids leggings while traveling. It is unclear why United considers leggings to be inappropriate and whether other articles of clothing are barred under the policy.

"Our regular passengers are not going to be denied boarding because they are wearing leggings or yoga pants," Guerin said. "But when flying as a pass traveler we require this pass travelers to follow rules and that is one of those rules.

"They were not compliant with the dress policy with the benefit," Guerin said, noting that the girls were aware of the internal rule. "This morning the attire of the pass travelers on this flight didn't meet the dress code policy."

Travelers familiar with the airline employee travel pass say it has long been a requirement for those using the benefit to dress up more so than paying passengers.

Social media exploded Sunday with users called the incident horrendous, outrageous and a nonsense. Several users asked why leggings aren't proper clothing and promised to take their business-- and leggings-- to another airline. Many women wear leggings, yoga and athletic gear for comfort while traveling.

Watts was traveling on vacation to Mexico when she heard a family next to her panic. Then she heard the female agent explain to the young travelers that they couldn't get on the plane wearing Spandex.

"I don't make the rules, I just enforce them," the agent told the passengers, Watts said.

The young girl, who was wearing gray leggings, not too tight, said Watts, pulled a dress from her backpack and put it over her leggings and was allowed to board, Watts said.

But two other girls were turned away and not allowed to board because they didn't have any other clothing, she said.

"I have five kids: four of them are women. They wear yoga pants all of the time when flying," said Watts in an email from aboard her flight. "I think this policy is arbitrary and sexist. It singles out women for their clothing and sexualizes little girls."

Headed to Lucknow for a galaouti kabab break?

Chomp on paneer tikkas or harabhara kababs instead. Meat sellers across UP have shut their shops in protest against government's crackdown.

Meat sellers across Uttar Pradesh are on an indefinite strike from today against the crackdown on illegal and mechanised slaughterhouses.

Fish vendors have also resolved to join the stir which has seen non-vegetarian delicacies go off the menu in several parts of the state.

"We have decided to intensify our strike from tomorrow. All shops will remain closed. Fish sellers too have joined us and are extending support to us," Lucknow Bakra Gosht Vypar Mandal office bearer Mubeen Qureshi said.

He said, in the wake of the crackdown, there was no question of the strike being called off anytime soon.

"It will go on indefinitely," he said.

Due to the strike, non-vegetarian food outlets, including the famous Tunday and Rahim's have shifted to mutton and chicken dishes after buffalo meat became scarce.

"The meat sellers are piqued over the crackdown on slaughter houses which has adversely hit the livelihood of lakhs of people," Qureshi said.

After coming to power, the Aditya Nath Yogi government has ordered closure of illegal slaughterhouses and strict enforcement of the ban on cow smuggling to fulfil a key electoral promise.

As the mouth-watering kebabs went off the platter, the owner of another famous eatery said the situation might force the hoteliers to get mutton from Delhi.

"But there will be no compromise on the quality of the food," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

At the same time, he supported the closure of illegal and mechanised slaughter houses in the state, saying it was difficult for a common man to pass through a locality where the slaughter houses were operating almost openly.

He also alleged that the illegal abattoirs even indulged in slaughtering dogs.

Replying to a question, he said, "This is not a religious issue. In fact, it is directly linked to the health of people, who have the right to good quality of meat and fish."

Meanwhile, BJP national spokesman Sambit Patra said in Delhi that the government was only following a court order as illegal abattoirs were contributing to UP's ill health by getting ground water polluted.

He claimed those running meat outlets legally and in accordance with norms were not being victimised.

"There has been a court order about illegal abattoirs which was not implemented by the previous government. The state's Chief Secretary has constituted committees in each district headed by the Collector and comprising ten people each. The committee is visiting every slaughterhouse to see if they are being run legally and submitting a report every day," he said.

About loss of livelihood and lack of meat in the market, Patra said," If there is large-scale disruption, the state government will look at it and resolve the issue."

Senior UP Congress leader Akhilesh Pratap Singh said only small meat vendors were being targeted during the drive.

"How is it that the small shops are getting closed and meat exports are going up. The government should have made people aware of the laws and rules before launching the drive," he said.

Chief Minister Aditya Nath Yogi had yesterday said abattoirs operating legally will not be touched but action will be taken against those run illegally.

"The government will not touch those (abattoirs) which are operating as per the provisions of law and have a valid licence. But those that are violating the orders of the NGT and playing with the health of the public would not be spared...," he had said.

More support for Sena's Ravindra Gaikwad.

The Shiv Sena has given a shutdown call in Maharashtra's Osmanabad in support of MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who had assaulted an Air India employee on flight.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena is likely to bring privilege motion in the Parliament today over the issue of Gaikwad being put in 'no fly list' of all airlines.

Air India and six private airlines banned the 56-year-old MP from flying as he refused to apologise for the incident that triggered nationwide outrage.

The MP from Osmanabad in Maharashtra had earlier downplayed reports suggesting that Air India is considering banning him from boarding its flights.

"I have the tickets, they can't blacklist me. I will board the Delhi-Pune Air India flight this evening. How can they not allow me?" he said.

"I will not apologise. It was not my fault, it was his fault. He should apologise. First ask him to apologise then we will see," Gaikwad told the media.

Sukumar, who was assaulted by Gaikwad, asserted that the elected representatives need to behave in a decent manner.

"I am not scared at all, either with Gaikwad or with the Shiv Sena. I have been serving public and have also faced many who get irritated on such issues. It's a common thing for me," he added.

Earlier, the Centre also took cognizance of the incident and assured a thorough probe into the matter.

Birds of feather...Shiv Sena supporters hold a bike rally in Maharashtra's Omerga in support of party MP Ravindra Gaikwad.

To contextualise this, the 57-year-old MP had on Thursday allegedly abused and assaulted a 60-year-old duty manager of Air India with slippers at least 25 times, for not being able to fly business class since the flight was an all-economy Pune-New Delhi.

The Lok Sabha member who represents Osmanabad had told PTI that he was asked by a senior Sena leader not to speak with the media over the issue till Wednesday March 29.

Meanwhile, the MP's supporters have called for a bandh at Osmanabad tomorrow against 'humiliation' of their leader over the AI staffer assault incident."

A 20-year-old woman was burnt alive in Jodhpur on Sunday after she allegedly protested cutting of trees at Pipda city.


The police say the young woman, Lalita, had objected to the cutting of trees in her farm for the construction of a road near the village, around 100 km from Jodhpur. The row escalated and a group of villagers allegedly attacked her, poured petrol on her and set her on fire. She died in hospital this morning.

The head of the village Ranveer Singh and others were involved in this incident.

The body of the girl has been kept in the mortuary of MJH hospital of Jodhpur.

The police has registered a case in the matter and is investigating the matter.

A suspected Pakistani intruder was shot dead by the BSF long the International Border in Punjab today. Officials said the incident was reported at 6:20 am when Border Security Force personnel on-duty spotted some movement ahead of the fence at the IB near the Paharipur border post in Gurdaspur sector.

They said the suspected intruder was challenged repeatedly but he did not pay heed to it and hence was shot. The area has been cordoned off and a search has been launched to retrieve the body and look for other possible suspects in the area, they said.

The Border Security Force (BSF) troops of border outpost Paharipur shot dead a Pakistani intruder ahead of the B.S. Fence on Monday morning. The incident took place in Punjab's Gurdaspur sector. Further details are awaited.

Just In: 8 dead after tourist bus met with an accident in Manipur's Senapati district.