TVF CEO Arunabh Kumar booked in another molestation case, the case is filed in Mumbai's Versova Police station. 

The meat traders met UP CM Yogi Adityanath and the state health minister after the state has been forced to go vegetarian as the vendors have gone on strike protesting against the clampdown on slaughterhouses. 

The Election Commission has just announced that any telecast of poll result forecast in any form -- by political analysts, astrologers & tarot card readers -- is banned during the poll process.

Virat Kohli is all smiles as he receives the Padma Shri from President Pranab Mukherjee at a function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 

Centre accords top-level Z-plus security cover to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath.

Chief ministers, ministers of the cabinet rank, judges of the high court and Supreme Court and some bureaucrats are entitled to Z and Z-Plus security.

The Z-Plus security cover includes 36 personnel, while the Z and Y category have 11 and 2 personnel respectively. The category of security given to an individual is under the discretion of the home ministry.

The threat perception is taken into account based on inputs given by the Intelligence Bureau. The category of security can also be withdrawn to a person depending on the threat perception.

Backing party MP Ravindra Gaikwad following his dispute with an Air India employee, the Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday dubbed the national carrier a 'mafia goon' over their decision to ban Gaikwad.

"Company's behavior is that of mafia goons, their dictatorship will not last long," Raut told media.

Raut asked that when terrorists, underworld dons and corrupt people travel freely on airlines why has Gaikwad been banned even before the judgement has come.

"They should not have banned him, terrorist, underworld dons, and corrupt people can travel freely so,why is a minister being banned, even before the judgment," he said.

Shiv Sena MP Anandrao Adsul on Wednesday moved a notice on the Gaikwad issue in the Lok Sabha.Gaikwad has submitted a complaint against Air India before the Delhi Police, alleging that he was pushed and yelled upon.

In his complaint, Gaikwad, who allegedly manhandled an Air India staffer, said he was made to travel by Air India in economy class inspite of having a business class ticket.

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

Days after Bawana MLA Ved Parkash quit the AAP, another party legislator aired his dissatisfaction today, cautioning Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against "sycophants".

In a series of tweets, AAP's Janakpuri MLA Rajesh Rishi quoted couplets saying a regime nears its end if one relies on sycophants and tagged Kejriwal. Rishi later deleted the tweets.

The development left the ruling AAP embarrassed as it is in the middle of preparations to contest its first civic polls in Delhi on April 23 after the disappointing performance in Punjab and Goa. The party tried to control the damage, claiming that everything is fine between the leadership and the MLA. Despite repeated attempts, the Jankapuri MLA could not be contacted. His office said, Rishi has been away since morning. Party sources indicated that ticket distribution in the MCD polls could be the reason behind Rishi's outburst.

AAP's Bawana MLA had quit the party early this week, launching on attack on the Delhi government. He was also learnt to have been upset with the party over ticket distribution. AAP has 65 MLAs in the 70-member Assembly. Rishi was in news after his brother was arrested for assaulting a women last month. Interestingly, the party had fielded Rishi, along with other Poorvanchali MLAs, to take on Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari when note ban was announced.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday called for unanimity between the ruling government and the opposition, adding that there would not be discrimination against the latter.


"The government and the opposition should work together to live up to the expectations of the people. Keeping aside the grudges, we should think for 22 crore people who have voted us to power. We should work together to fulfil the promises of people," Adityanath said while addressing in Legislative Assembly.

He further assured that any kind of discrimination against the opposition leaders would not be endorsed in the Parliament."During the elections campaign the parties had hit out at each other, but I can assure that there will be no discrimination against the opposition parties in the House," he added.

Adityanath further appealed to the opposition to co-operate with the government to bring development in the state and added, "We hope that peace in the assembly will be maintained."

"The people of the state have given us the opportunity for the development of which we should take advantage. If we see the growth rate and development in the state then we can evaluate where we are standing today. So we need to work together to make this House a forum of discussion and an ideal of high democratic values," Adityanath said.

Timing of PM Narendra Modi's visit to US will be decided on mutual convenience, says MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet US President Donald Trump when he travels to Washington later this year.

"President Trump has said he looks forward to hosting Prime Minister Modi in Washington later this year," a statement issued by the White House said on Wednesday.

"President Trump also expressed support for the Prime Minister's economic reform agenda and emphasized his great respect for the people of India," the statement said.

The US President in a telephonic conversation congratulated PM Modi on the outcome of recent state elections, the White House said. This was the third telephonic conversation between the two leaders after Trump's electoral victory in November last year.

The Central Hall of Parliament has seemingly lost its relevance after PM Narendra Modi issued strict instructions to BJP MPs and Union Ministers not to waste time chatting.

In the past three sessions of Parliament, the Central Hall was always full of either former members of Parliament who are interested in an increase of pension or medical and travel concessions. There are also between 25-30 journalists, mostly women, who spend hours at the Central Hall touching base with their sources.

Never in the three years of his tenure, has Narendra Modi spent time with mediapersons in Central Hall, even though he has to walk across the Hall to go to the Rajya Sabha.

The PM does not encourage any interaction with journalists on policy matters or behaviour of MPs during question hour or questions on their parliamentary constituencies.

Neither can journalists pick up any news on implementation of the BJP manifesto or performances of MPs.

After the resounding victory in the Uttar Pradesh polls, the presence of journalists in Central Hall has fallen. Congress Left and  TMC MPs are seen in the Central Hall, but not AIADMK MPs after the split.

In fact, the smoking room in the Central Hall is more popular where you will find both MPs and journalists lighting up. 

UP CM Yogi Adityanath has called slaughterhouse representatives to meet him at his residence at 6 pm. Meat-sellers and slaughterhouses are on an indefinite strike since Monday against the statewide crackdown on illegal and mechanised slaughterhouses.

Agitating meat sellers and exporters held talks with Uttar Pradesh health minister Siddhartha Nath Singh on Tuesday but no rapprochement appeared in sight.

"We have noted all the issues raised by them with an open mind. The Uttar Pradesh government will not allow anything illegal to happen," Singh said after the meeting as he directed officials not act in over-zealousness or overstep their jurisdiction.

The office bearers of the associations have submitted a memorandum to the state government and now want to meet Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"We look forward to working with them within the system. If needed, we will meet again," Mr Singh said. He said the government is acting only against illegal abattoirs.

"We are acting only against illegal abattoirs. Licenced slaughter houses are requested to stick to the norms. The licenced slaughter houses should comply with the norms mentioned in the licence and need not to fear. No orders have been issued to take any action against any shop selling chicken, fish or eggs," he said.

Singh however said that if officials were insisting on checking the licence of meat shops, there was "nothing wrong" in it.  We are acting as per the provisions of the law and not on the basis of any pre-conceived notions," he said.

The indefinite strike called by meat sellers and mutton shop owners entered its fifth day today.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today threw an "open invitation" to the opposition in the Lok Sabha to suggest steps to make electoral funding cleaner and more transparent.

"I have an open invitation to all, please suggest to me a better system which will ensure clean money and transparency to the extent possible," he said.

Jaitley said although the opposition was opposing the provisions of the Finance bill related with electoral bonds, but they have not come out with a "single suggestion" to deal with the issue.

"I am only hearing adjectives like it must be clean, it must be transparent. Please give me ideal combination of the two. We are willing to consider it. I will wait for a specific suggestion," he said while replying to a debate on amendments proposed by the Rajya Sabha to the Finance Bill 2017.

These were later rejected by the Lower House. The Opposition accused the Government of running roughshod by opening doors for "political extortionism" and passing "draconian" provisions in the Finance Bill.

Poorna review: "The movie follows the true story of Poorna Malavath who, one month short of her 14th birthday, scaled Mount Everest. It's the sort of material waiting to be transformed into a gladdening picture (the tribal girl from Telangana who so wanted to get away that she became an ant-like figure on the snow-clad mountains) only if Rahul Bose could pull it all together."

The full review by Rediff.com's Srihari Nair here. Read before you go.

A five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court will start hearing from May 11 petitions against the Islamic divorce practice of triple talaq that is said to be biased against women.

The court will hear pleas filed by several Muslim women challenging the practice under which men can divorce their wives instantly by uttering the word talaq (divorce) thrice.


Chief Justice of India Justice JS Khehar has said that the Supreme Court is ready to give up the summer vacation to hear the issue of triple talaq.
Justice Khehar called the matter as an "issue of grave importance".

The Supreme Court is ready to sit even on Saturdays and Sundays to hear the matter, Justice Khehar today said.

Triple talaq has faced repeated legal challenges in recent years, and the government has said it wants to replace it with a new uniform civil code applicable to all religious groups.

But that proposal has met stiff opposition from Muslim groups, who argue that it would discriminate against them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also thrown his weight behind triple talaq reform, saying it was his administration's duty to ensure the rights of Muslim women were upheld.

India has separate sets of personal laws for each religion governing marriage, divorce, succession, adoption and maintenance. While Hindu law overhaul began in the 1950s and continues, activists have long argued that Muslim personal law has remained mostly unchanged.

Vegetarian meals for students as meat shortage hits Aligarh Muslim University canteen.

Meat, chicken and fish sellers are on an indefinite strike since Monday against the statewide crackdown on illegal and mechanised slaughterhouses. In Lucknow, most of the shops selling mutton downed their shutters.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday assured Indians that the Central Government is in talks with the United States administration to ensure that Indians living are not at loss due to the new H1B visa policy.

"We are in talks with the US administration and Congressmen. No one has lost their job till now. No policy has been announced till now," Swaraj said in the Rajya Sabha.

Swaraj earlier last week said there was no reason to worry about the curbs on H1B visas or the job security of Indian IT professionals working in the US for the time being as the Indian government is in talks with the US regarding this.

"Currently there are four bills in the US Congress about curbs on H1B visas. We are engaged (in a dialogue) with the US at very high level regarding this... We are making all efforts (through diplomatic channels) to ensure these bills are not passed," Sushma said in the Rajya Sabha.

"So there is no reason to worry about it as of now," she added. The Minister also informed the house that the visa facility extended to the spouse of the Indian professionals has not been withdrawn by the US so far.

Just In: Parliament passes Finance Bill 2017; all amendments recommended by Rajya Sabha rejected.

The Rajya Sabha yesterday adopted five amendments moved by the Opposition to the Finance Bill 2017.

Of the five Opposition amendments, three were moved by Congress member Digvijaya Singh and two by Sitaram Yechury of CPI(M).

The amendments were adopted with a significant margin, with the difference of votes ranging between 27 and 34 votes.

Trinamool Congress, which has 10 members, staged a walkout before the voting in the House where the ruling National Democratic Alliance is in a minority.

In the 245-member House, the BJP has 56 members while the NDA jointly has 74 members.

A crack in the tracks prima facie caused the derailment of eight coaches of Mahakaushal Express near Mahoba station in Uttar Pradesh today. Speaking on the sidelines of a function, Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said that "according to the Divisional Railway Manager, prima facie fresh weld failure on left side caused the derailment."


Fresh weld means it was not an old crack and that the crack developed suddenly and could not be detected.


While the UP ADG (Law and Order) Daljit Chaudhary said 52 passengers were injured in the mishap, Sinha said 21 were injured, including one seriously. The derailment took place near Mahoba station in Uttar Pradesh. The DRM of Jhansi Division and General Manager of North Central Railway have rushed to the site after the accident to supervise the rescue and relief operations.

Accusing the BJP-PDP Government of completely mishandling the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress Party on Thursday said the government must understand that the situation in the valley is volatile.


"The situation in the Kashmir valley is turning precarious. The BJP-PDP Government in the state and the BJP-NDA Government in the Centre has completely mishandled the Kashmir situation. If they believe that a law and order solution is the way forward, they are sadly mistaken," Congress leader Manish Tewari told ANI.


Backing former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah's saying that there is a need to open a dialogue and reach out to all the stakeholders, Tewari said the manner in which the situation is deteriorating, India is sitting on a tinderbox.


"Pakistan's interference into Jammu and Kashmir is a given. They have been doing it for now over 70 years. So therefore, that is not an excuse which the government can use. They must understand the situation on the ground is extremely volatile. When you have children who are five to ten years old, who are turning into stone pelters you are dealing with the radicalisation of an entire generation," he added.


A police party which was deployed to handle the locals who were stone pelting, were fired upon by terrorists in Kulgam's Madibugh Yaripora in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday.

Nigeria has called in the Indian envoy in the country to register its protest over an attack on four Nigerian students in Greater Noida and sought "diligent prosecution" against the perpetrators.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Olushola Enikanolaiye, sought action by the Indian government at a meeting with Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria Nagabushana Reddy in Abuja yesterday, state-run News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.

The Nigerian students were allegedly attacked by people during a candle-light march for a 17-year-old Indian boy, who died of suspected drug overdose last week in Greater Noida.

The boy's parents alleged that the foreigners had kidnapped him and given him drugs which led to his death.

Enikanolaiye said the call for the prosecution of culprits was necessary to serve as a deterrent to others, the report said today. "We want to see diligent prosecution so that it would serve as a deterrent to those who think they can take laws into their hands and harass students who are going about their studies. That is why we felt we should register our concern to you on this occasion, and to please ask your government to take effective measures that this does not occur again," he said.

He said the Indian high commissioner was called in to register the Nigerian government's concern over the incident. He expressed concern that the incident was not the first of its kind as Nigerians had been attacked in the past by Indians.

"It is therefore, a concern to us that Nigerian students in that place were harassed, beaten up and many of them were seriously injured. We think this should not have happened considering the excellent relationship between two of us -- the two countries have things in common and have been great friends," it quoted Enikanolaye as saying.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said the government was taking immediate action and she had spoken to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who has assured her of a fair and impartial investigation into the "unfortunate" incident

J&K DGP SP Vaid appeals to youth to stay away from encounter sites.

On Tuesday, three young civilian protesters were killed and nearly three dozen were injured when forces opened fire to break protests by locals, who rushed to the encounter site in Budgam to rescue a militant.

Vaid said, "Despite provocation we have minimsed casualties, but youth coming to encounters sites are committing suicide."

Last month, Army chief Bipin Rawat had warned those attacking security forces during anti-militancy operations of tough action. The stern message from Rawat came after three soldiers faced heavy stone-pelting at Parray Mohalla of Bandipore in north Kashmir when they were about to launch an operation against militants holed up there.

In Budgam, as the encounter started, people of the area took to roads and tried to march towards the encounter site to allow militants a chance to escape from the besieged area.

Chanting pro-freedom, pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans, the protestors clashed with the security personnel, who fired dozens of tear smoke shells. As the clashes intensified, the security men fired on the protestors.

At least 22 people sustained injuries in the security forces firing. 17 of the injured were shifted to SMHS hospital, Srinagar where three of the critically injured youth succumbed to injuries.

The deceased were identified as 21-year-old Zahid Rashid Bhat,  Saqib Ahmad, 20, and Ishfaq Ahmad, 24.

According to doctors, the deceased had firearm injuries.


Image: A protestor injured in the clashes with security forces at Budgam on Tuesday. Pic: Umar Ganie.

Cricketer Ashwin Ravichandran tweets: On a lighter note, from this year onwards 30th march will be remembered as world apology day.


Virat Kohli tweeted earlier softening his earlier statement that he did not forsee being friends with the Australians. He tweeted today saying he, "did not say the whole Australian team but  only a couple of individuals. I continue to be in good terms with few guys I know and who I've played with at RCB and that doesn't change."

Former Australian batsman Brad Hodge has apologised to Virat Kohli for his comments after the Indian captain pulled out of the Dharamsala Test due to a shoulder injury.

Hodge came under fire in the subcontinent for his suggestions that Kohli had not played the Test in order to save himself for the Indian Premier League (IPL). "You'd hope as a sportsman that he's seriously injured. Because if you miss one game of Test match cricket and you're fronting up the next week for RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore) versus whoever... you'd be pretty dirty if he didn't front up to a Test match and try and win a valuable series against Australia," Hodge had said on Sunday.

The Australian, coach of the Gujarat Lions team in the IPL, has been rattled by the backlash and issued a long apology.

"I take this opportunity to apologise to the people of India, cricket fans, the Indian national cricket team and particularly Virat Kohli for my previous comments," he posted to Twitter."My intention was never to harm, criticise or be derogatory toward anyone. They were intended to be light-hearted comments with the utmost respect to the Indian Premier League which I have thoroughly enjoyed through the years.

"The public and fans have every right to be upset, and the backlash I have received has certainly driven this home."

He said that he respected Kohli and meant no "ill intention".

Kohli pulled out of the Dharamsala Test after suffering a shoulder injury on the opening day of the Ranchi Test. Kohli failed to recover in time from his injury and sat out the decisive Test that India went on to win. The Indian skipper had made it clear on the day before the Test that he would play only if 100 per cent fit.


Image: Brad Hodge's apology letter.

O Panneerselvam campaigning in RK Nagar, Chennai ahead of the April 12  elections in this constituency. The seat lies vacant after J Jayalalithaa's death. 

The controversy over BJD MP Baijayant 'Jay' Panda's tweet on party affairs refused to die today (yesterday) with the Lok Sabha member from Kendrapara taking to the Twitter again to defend his stance. His fresh tweets did not go unnoticed with senior BJD leaders criticising him for airing his views in public. Panda in his latest tweets said vested interests were trying to drive a wedge in the party.


"Vested interests trying to distort, but I want NP (CM Naveen Patnaik) to recognise current challenges, take urgent steps & rediscover BJD's original strengths," he said in one of his tweets. Read more

A US federal judge in Hawaii has indefinitely extended its previous order blocking President Donald Trump's revised travel ban on people from six Muslim-majority countries. The US District Judge Derrick Watson blocked the core provision of the revised executive order two weeks ago arguing that it violated Establishment Clause of the Constitution by disfavouring Muslims.

When symbols speak, and in the layered culture deposits of the Gangetic plain they do speak loud, one of the most memorable spectacles was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kashi Vishwanath Temple on March 4, 2017. It was preceded by a roadshow in the narrow, winding streets of Varanasi all decked up for the grand effect, following the garlanding of the statue of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya at the Benares Hindu University. Read more

The first daughter announced Wednesday that she will serve as an unpaid employee in the White House.

"I have heard the concerns some have with my advising the President in my personal capacity while voluntarily complying with all ethics rules and I will instead serve as an unpaid employee in the White House Office, subject to all of the same rules as other federal employees," she said in a statement.

"Throughout this process I have been working closely and in good faith with the White House Counsel and my personal counsel to address the unprecedented nature of my role.

"Trump previously announced she was getting a West Wing office and a security clearance, but would not officially join the administration. That decision had drawn criticism from ethics experts. Read more

US President Donald Trump has said his administration will work to ensure America becomes a place where women can work and thrive "like never before", as he praised his women colleagues, including Indian-Americans Nikki Haley (pictured) and Seema Verma.


At a White House panel discussion on women empowerment, Trump said US ambassador to the United Nations Haley, 45, is a tough competitor and is doing her job "fantastically well".


The discussion was joined by Indian-American Seema Verma, who holds a key healthcare position in the administration, and First Lady Melania Trump made a rare appearance at the event.


"My Cabinet is full of really incredible women leaders. Administrator Linda McMahon, who has been a friend of mine for a long time. She's done an incredible job in business. Administrator Seema Verma, Secretary Betsy DeVos, and, of course, my good friend from South Carolina who is a very tough competitor - Nikki Haley," Trump said.


"My administration will work every day to ensure that our economy is a place where women can work, succeed, and thrive like never before. That includes fighting to make sure that all mothers and all families have access to affordable childcare," he said, adding "We want every daughter in America to grow up in a country where she can believe in herself, believe in her future, and follow her heart and realise her dreams."


US Vice President Mike Pence described Haley as "cool" and said she is a favourite of one of his two daughters. "We are so honoured to have you in this administration," Pence said.


He also praised Verma - the new administrator for the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services. "The truth is, American women are making a difference in our administration, in our economy, and in our communities every single day." White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that the Trump administration is "committed to empowering women in the workplace."

The national capital today witnessed the hottest morning of the season in the past five years at 23.7 degrees Celsius. "At 23.7 degrees Celsius, six notches above the season's average, it is the highest minimum temperature recorded in this season in the past five years," a MeT department official said. The humidity level was 58 per cent at 8.30 am. This season has witnessed unusually hot mornings with minimum temperatures crossing the 20-degree mark over the last week.

As abattoirs in Uttar Pradesh are on indefinite strike under the Yogi Adityanath government, meat shop owners are now forced to sell tea.

"My meat shop has been forcefully closed down even when I had a  proper license. I'm forced to sell tea now," said Nazakat, a resident of Muzaffarnagar.

Another meat shop owner said that the administration forcefully shut down their shops.

"The meat shop owners are force to sell tea now as they don't have any other option. They don't have any experience to do this work," said Dilshad, a customer.

He further said that a number of families are suffering from the ban on slaughter houses and a number of them changed their business for survival.

The restriction of the slaughter house has affected the lives of number of people in Uttar Pradesh.

The business is suffering a lot and number of people has started looking for different option to earn money.

Earlier, in an official release, the state government issued orders to close all illegal slaughter houses to ensure public order, safety and the health of the general public.

The slaughter house owners and meat sellers in Uttar Pradesh responded by going on an indefinite strike.

According to reports, slaughter house owners and meat retailers are also protesting against raids conducted by the municipal authorities and the police.

They have complained that they are being raided by police despite possessing valid licenses.

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

Image: Mutton vendors say till the time the UP government assures them that no action will be taken against those who have valid licences and that they are not harassed or assaulted they won't resume business. Pic: Reuters.

Read: Inside the abandoned meat markets in UP

An Indian national from Jammu and Kashmir who had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan has been repatriated to India, seven months after he was captured by Pakistani officials.

Sham Bihari had crossed over to Pakistan in August 2016 and was repatriated back to India on Wednesday.

Although he was upset, Bihari said he felt good before he was frisked away by army personnel.

Sham was handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) by afternoon, but was sent back because of lack of appropriate documents.

However the Pakistani Rangers again repatriated him with proper documents and gifts by late evening.

Earlier on March 2, As many as 39 Pakistani prisoners, comprising 21 civil prisoners and 18 fishermen were repatriated to Pakistan via Attari-Wagah border as a godwill gesture by New Delhi.

India skipper Virat Kohli responds to critcism for his post-match comments that  'he would not ever say again that he is friends with Australian cricketers'.

"My answer at the post match conference has been blown way out of proportion. I didn't categorically say the whole Australian team but
only a couple of individuals. I continue to be in good terms with few guys I know and who I've played with at RCB and that doesn't change."


Yesterday, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said it would only be a matter of time before Kohli lets bygones be bygones.

The Indian team accused the Australian team of systematically abusing DRS protocol by discretely seeking a second opinion from the dressing room. Australia skipper Steve Smith was caught on camera using an expletive from the dressing room when Murli Vijay claimed a catch that ended up being given not out.

Australian media has also labelled Kohli "classless" and childish on Wednesday after his provocative comments at the end of a hard-fought but incendiary Test series.

Newspapers laid into the winning captain for saying he no longer counted the Australian players as friends, and they also took umbrage at India's apparent snub when invited to join the tourists for a beer.

Residents in adjoining Navi Mumbai have launched a signature campaign to protest the 'arbitrary' transfer of IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe, claiming he was removed as Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner as punishment for taking on the builders lobby.

"We are part of the signature campaign to demand scrapping of Mundhe's transfer. Navi Mumbai needs such honest and pro-people officers," Gajanan Kale, Navi Mumbai chief of the Raj Thackeray-led MNS in Navi Mumbai said.


"So far, we have received around 5000 signatures. Our target is to collect 50,000 signatures in Mundhe's support and send them to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, seeking cancellation of the transfer order," Kale told PTI.

"Mundhe did no wrong in demolishing under-construction structures violating provisions of MRTP Act 1966. Even the court appreciated his stance," Kale said. "Regularising all illegal constructions across the board sets a bad precedent and is a slap on the faces of honest tax payers," he added.

"We had heard that Mundhe was in the process of disqualifying 3-4 BJP corporators in Navi Mumbai over illegal constructions. I have no idea if this development expedited his transfer," the MNS functionary said.

Maharashtra government last week transferred Mundhe, who courted controversies due to his no-nonsense approach in administration, to Pune as chief of the state-run city transport utility.

At least two persons were charred to death in a fire at a hotel in southern Kolkata early today, police said. Anup Agarwal and Jugalkishore Gupta, guests at the hotel, were rushed to a hospital after suffering serious injuries in the fire but could not be saved.


The fire broke out at around 3 am, a senior police officer said, adding that up to 30 persons, including the hotel's staff, have been rescued. Nine fire tenders were rushed to the site and took three hours to douse the fire. Fire fighters and disaster management personnel had to break open the glass window panes of the hotel for the thick smoke to pass out, the officer said, adding the fire might have spread from the kitchen to the ground floor.

A few of them were rescued using ladders while others were guided outside the hotel by rescue workers, he said. "Apart from hotel guests, there were workers who were stuck inside. Among seven persons, two were seriously injured and succumbed when taken to the hospital," the officer said. "The fire is completely under control and we are making sure that there are no pocket fire," he said.