LIVE! Govt doing everything to make India proud on security, defence fronts: NSA

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Sat, 18 November 2017

Govt doing everything to make India proud on security, defence fronts: NSA

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21:18 Govt doing everything to make India proud on security, defence fronts: NSA

The government is doing everything that it can to make the country proud in areas of strategic security, defence production and indigenisation, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said today.

He said India has now opened up and offers immense opportunities.

"India has opened up...the sky is the limit now...the government has been so helpful and did everything that is possible to make India proud in terms of strategic security, defense production and indigenisation," he said.

"Make India that anybody would die for," Doval said.

The NSA was speaking at the launch of "The Nationalist", a biography of A M Naik, chairman of engineering and construction giant L&T, written by Minhaz Merchant.

He said the process of nation-building was not just about what is done in the physical sense.

"He (Naik) has shaped mindsets, he has inspired people, he has made them competent and changed their assumptions not only about their country, not about their organisation but also about themselves.

"We have the strength, the capacity and the opportunities. You only need to have confidence," Doval said.

He said the book was a service to the nation and meant for people who did not know the legendary L&T chairman. -- PTI

The BJP today released its second list of 36 candidates for the next month's Gujarat assembly polls.

With this, the party has announced 106 candidates for elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly to be held in two phases on December 9 and 14.

In the list, there are 13 ST candidates and two SC candidates.

Yesterday, the party had announced 70 candidates, including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and state party chief Jitu Vaghani.

Of the 70, 15 are Patels, 18 OBCs, three SCs and 11 STs. -- PTI

Breaking her silence over Padmvati, Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje today requested the centre to ensure that the film 'should not be released without the necessary changes'.

In a letter written to information and broadcasting minister, Smiriti Irani, Raje said that until necessary changes are made the film should not be released so that it may not hurt the sentiments of a community.

"The censor board should also analyze the possible results after release of a film rather than just giving its certificate to a film. A committee comprising of historians, film personalities and from aggrieved party should sit and discuss on the screenplay of the film. Thereafter, suitable changes should be made to ensure film may not hurt the sentiments of the society as a whole," Raje has said in her letter.

Raje has further stated that the filmmakers have a right to make a film as per their wisdom, however there is also a need to take care of law and order, morality and if their attempt is not hurting sentiments.

"There is a provision of safeguarding the fundamental rights in the constitution, thus release of the film Padmavati should be reviewed," she has written in her letter.

Padmavati starring Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh is set for December 1 release.

Pakistan today said it is "considering" India's request to let Kulbhushan Jadhav's mother meet him, apart from his wife who has already received permission to visit the Indian death row prisoner.

Last week, Pakistan said it had offered to arrange a meeting between 46-year-old Jadhav and his wife, months after India had requested it to grant a visa to his mother on humanitarian grounds.

Foreign Office sources in Islamabad said India in response has again asked Pakistan to issue a visa to Jadhav's mother so she can also visit her detained son.

FO spokesman Mohammad Faisal confirmed that India has responded to Pakistan's offer.

"Indian reply to Pakistan's humanitarian offer for Commander Jadhav received & is being considered," he tweeted.

Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court in April on charges of espionage and terrorism. The International Court of Justice in May halted his execution on India's appeal.

Pakistan has repeatedly denied India consular access to Jadhav on the ground that it was not applicable in cases related to spies.

Some media reports have linked Pakistan's latest offer to quiet efforts by the US. Pakistan, however, insisted that its offer was made purely on humanitarian grounds. -- PTI

India's Manushi Chhillar today won Miss World 2017 title in Chinese city, Sanya.

Chillar, 21, was also named one of the five winners of the Beauty with a Purpose award.

As many as 108 beauty queens from different parts of the world were participating in the prestigious beauty pageant.

The much-awaited meeting of the Congress Working Committee to approve the schedule of the party president's election will take place on Monday at Sonia Gandhi's residence, party sources said.

The meeting of the CWC, the highest decision-making body of the Congress, is scheduled to take place at 10.30 am at 10 Janpath, they said.

This would clear the decks for the elevation of party vice president Rahul Gandhi to take over as the next chief.

He is expected to be the only candidate in the fray, the sources said.

Party leaders say though it is not necessary to convene a formal meeting of the CWC to approve the schedule of the presidential election, Sonia Gandhi has decided to get the approval of the party's highest decision-making body. -- PTI

Six terrorists, including the nephew on 26/11 attacks mastermind Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, were gunned down in north Kashmir's Bandipora district today during an encounter.

A Garud commando of the Indian Air Force was also martyred in the incident.

Security forces cordoned off and launched a search operation in Chandergeer village in Hajin area of the district after receiving specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said.

An army soldier was also injured in the encounter, Srinagar-based Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today hit back at Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the multi-crore Rafale deal, claiming it was "shameful" that her boss was "silencing" her.

He also asked her whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken permission from the Cabinet Committee on Security before announcing the purchase of the Rafale fighter aircraft in Paris.

Gandhi's retort comes a day after Sitharaman alleged that it was shameful on part of the Congress to raise objections on the deal.

The Congress had raised several questions on the deal, accusing the government of compromising national interest and security while promoting "crony capitalism" and causing a loss to the public exchequer.

"Dear RM, what's shameful is your boss silencing you. Please tell us: 1. Final price of each Rafale jet? 2. Did PM take CCS permission before announcing purchase in Paris? 3. Why PM bypassed experienced HAL and gave the deal to AA rated businessman with no defence experience?" Gandhi tweeted.

The Congress and the BJP have exchanged barbs over the multi-crore Rafale fighter aircraft deal.

While the Congress was alleging that a scam was brewing in the deal, the BJP claimed that the renegotiated deal was transparent and better than the deal negotiated by the previous UPA government.

India had inked an inter-governmental agreement with France in September last year for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore, nearly one- and-half years after the prime minister announced the proposal during a visit to Paris.

The delivery of the jets is scheduled to begin from September, 2019. -- PTI

Central Board of Film Certification chief Prasoon Joshi today slammed the makers of Padmavati for screening the movie for various TV channels without getting a censor certificate.

Joshi's statement comes after reports that the producers of Padmavati -- mired in controversy over allegations that it distorts history -- held a special screening for a few journalists.

A day after the CBFC sent Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film back because the application for the certification was "incomplete", Joshi said he was "disappointed" that it was being screened for the media and getting reviewed on national channels without CBFC having seen or certified it.

"This compromises the role of systems and balances that are part of a functioning industry. It's myopic to treat the certification process haphazardly to suit convenience," he said in the statement.

"On one hand, holding the CBFC responsible and pressurising to accelerate the process and on the other hand, attempt to subvert the very process, sets an opportunistic precedent," he added.

He reiterated that the application for certification for the film sent by the makers was incomplete and said the censor board had informed them about it.

In this specific case, Joshi added, the film's application came up this week only for review.

"The makers know and admit that the paper work is not complete -- the very disclaimer whether the film is work of fiction or a historical was left blank and not stated -- and on simply and legitimately being asked to provide important documents, target the CBFC for looking the other way and delay. This truly is surprising."

He deplored the use of "convenient, casual methods" and said there should be "a responsible, mutually respectful and balanced approach". -- PTI

Veteran cricketer Kapil Dev today said the topic of wicketkeeper-batsman M S Dhoni's future in T20s is better left to the selectors.

The captain of the 1983 World Cup winning team said the 36-year-old Ranchi cricketer is in a good form, but it's ultimately the selectors who have to take a call on his future in the shortest format of the game.

"There is nobody who will play throughout their life. But, I think he (Dhoni) is playing very good. Rest, I leave it to the selectors. They will do better job than what we have to do," he said.

"I give opinion and it will only create confusion in people's mind. I don't want to (do that). Let's leave it to the selectors who are doing this job. They will put a lot of time when he should play and when he shouldn't play," he said.

Kapil Dev was speaking to reporters in Hyderabad at the 3rd Krishnapatnam Port Golden Eagles Golf Championship.

A few former India cricketers, including V V S Laxman and Ajit Agarkar, recently raised questions about Dhoni's T20 future, creating quite a storm in the country's cricketing circles.

Asked about Indian cricketers undergoing DNA test which helps sportspersons in improving their speed, endurance and other aspects of physical agility, Kapil Dev said he cannot answer the question.

"I don't know. It (DNA test) was not there in my time. It would be better if you ask Virat Kohli this question. I don't know. A lot of science has come these days... I cannot answer that," the 58-year-old legendary cricketer said.

Replying to a query, he said the opposition (rival teams) should be respected and credit should be given to them if they played well. -- PTI

Five terrorists were killed in encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district today.

Earlier, security forces cordoned off and launched a search operation in Chandergeer village in Hajin area of the district after receiving specific intelligence input about the presence of terrorists in the area, a police official said.

He said the search operation resulted in an encounter when the terrorists hiding there fired on the search party of the security forces, who retaliated.

The army operation is still in progress.

The foster mother of 3-year-old Indian girl Sherin Mathews found dead in a culvert in Dallas has been moved to a jail on a charge of abandoning a child.

Sini Ann Mathews and husband Wesley Mathews went out for dinner with their 3-year-old biological daughter October 6, the night before Sherin was reported missing by her adoptive father, accoriding to police.

Sherin's adoptive father, Wesley has already been arrested and charged with injury to a child, a felony charge. He is now in jail with a USD 1 million bond. The crime is punishable with up to 99 years in prison.

The couple from Kerala, allegedly left Sherin alone in the kitchen because she refused to drink her milk, police in Richardson, Texas said yesterday.

The 35-year-old mother was arrested yesterday when she turned herself in at the Richardson City Jail, escorted by her attorney.

She is being held on a charge of abandoning or endangering a child, a state jail felony. Bail has been set at County jail.

Through her attorneys, Sini has maintained her innocence.

The Richardson community is in shock.

"Im sure it wasnt the first time," said Richardson mother Shannon Adolph.

"She never came out to ask for help from the community while she was missing...something just wasnt right," Adolph said. -- PTI

The Nationalist Congress Party today said it will contest the assembly elections in Gujarat next month in alliance with the Congress to oust the 22-year-old BJP regime in the state.

NCP general secretary Tariq Anwar said the result of the assembly polls will show people's feelings and perception about the central government's performance.

"The NCP has extended its full support to the Congress and will fight the Assembly polls (in Gujarat) in alliance with the Congress," Anwar said in a press conference here, his Lok Sabha constituency.

People of Gujarat are feeling disenchanted with the BJP government for the first time in 22 years and they want a change, he said.

Elections for Gujarat assembly will be carried out in two phases on December 9 and 14.

Anwar alleged that the Centre influenced the Election Commission to declare the poll dates of Gujarat separately, and not along with that of Himachal Pradesh, so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could make some

announcements there.

To a query on the reported phenomenal growth of a company of Jay Shah, son of BJP chief Amit Shah, the Katihar MP said the way the entire government and party machinery stood up in his support proved that they were trying to "protect" Amit Shah. -- PTI

Mocking at government's elation over the sovereign rating upgrade by Moody's, ex-finance minister P Chidambaram said only a few months ago the regime had flayed the rating methodology.

"Just some months ago, government had said the Moody's methodology was all wrong... A long letter was written by Shaktikanta Das (ex-economic affairs secretary) questioning Moody's ratings methodology, saying they've to revise their methodology as it's all wonky," he told the Tata Literature Live in Mumbai today.

Moody's had yesterday upgraded the sovereign ratings by a notch to Baa2 with stable outlook, citing the Modi government's various reform programme and higher growth prospectus. The last rating upgrade was in 2004.

Ridiculing the way government has reacted to the upward rating revision, the senior Congress leader recalled that for the government "Moody's, whose methodology was all wrong circa 2016".

On higher growth, w hich was cited by the agency as one of the key reasons for the rating action, he said the same agency and government project growth at 6.7 per cent for the current financial year.

"It was 8 per cent in 2015-16, 7.1 per cent in 2016-17 and will be 6.7 per cent in 2017-18. Is that north or south, you conclude," he said.

According to him, there are three key indicators -- gross fixed capital formation and within that private sector investment; credit growth, especially for small businesses, and jobs -- which are critical to assess the health of an

economy.

"But the dashboard is flashing red on all these three indicators," he lamented.

Reeling out numbers, Chidambaram said gross fixed capital formation is down 7-8 points from its peak and there's no sign of it recovering in the near future as well.

Further, he said private investment is at its lowest in the past seven-eight years. In addition, several projects are stalled on one hand and may companies are on the other being referred to the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code. All these would lead to closures and downsizing and loss of jobs. -- PTI

A Patna-bound GoAir flight with 174 passengers on-board today returned to New Delhi following a bird strike soon after it took off from the Indira Gandhi International airport, the airline said.

The Airbus A320 neo plane suffered the bird hit when it was on the climb, forcing the pilot to discontinue the journey and return to New Delhi for an inspection of the plane, GoAir said in a statement.

The incident took place at 10.30 am.

"GoAir Flight G8 140 from Delhi to Patna had a bird hit as the aircraft was climbing after take-off, " the private carrier said.

As a precautionary measure, the pilot decided to return to the Delhi airport for an inspection of the aircraft, it said, adding there were 174 passengers on-board.

The stranded passengers were immediately accommodated to another aircraft to Patna, it added. -- PTI

Authorities imposed restrictions in parts of the Jammu and Kashmir summer capital to maintain law and order, officials said today, a day after a terrorist was killed in a shootout with the police on the outskirts of the city.

Restrictions were imposed in eight police station areas of Srinagar, district magistrate (deputy commissioner), Srinagar, Syed Abid Rashid Shah told PTI.

While schools and colleges were closed for the day, the Kashmir University also suspended class work.

However, exams would be held according to schedule.

The examination admit cards will be treated as curfew passes," Shah said.

He said complete restrictions were imposed in Parimpora, Khanyar, M R Gunj, Nowahtta, Rainawari and Safakadal police station areas, while partial restrictions were in force in Maisuma and Kralkhud police station areas of the city.

The curbs were imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order, he said.

A police officer and a terrorist were killed in a shootout in Zakura area of Srinagar yesterday.

Three terrorists travelling in a car opened fire on a police team at the Zakura crossing on Srinagar-Ganderbal road, killing sub-inspector Imran Tak and injuring a special police officer.

The police team managed to intercept the car and apprehended one militant, but two others fled from the scene.

Police later learnt that Mugees Ahmad Mir, a resident of Parimpora in the city and one of the two militants who had managed to escape, was brought home dead last evening after he was injured in the shootout.

Mir was an associate of Zakir Musa, who left the Hizbul Mujahideen to float an IS affiliate in Kashmir, officials said. -- PTI

Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government at the centre, former prime minister Manmohan Singh has said that the Congress would have implemented the goods and services tax after considerable preparation.

Addressing a gathering in Kochi on Friday, Singh said, "GST is an idea, which had the blessings of the Congress. Bt we would have implemented it after due care and adequate preparation."

Earlier also, the former prime minister had trained guns at the centre terming the GST as another "blunder of the Modi government and broken the back of small businesses."

The Congress has been critical of the uniform tax regime ever since it was introduced.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had also said that the GST needs structural changes.

Addressing a rally in Gujarat, Rahul had said, "The GST is one tax reform not five tax. The centre does not know the meaning of the GST. They made the GST complex. India doesn't want five different types of taxes. There's a need to make structural changes in the GST." -- ANI

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi today said the film industry should boycott the International Film Festival of India to mark its protest against threats to filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and his Padmavati star Deepika Padukone.

Calling the situation "cultural annihilation", Azmi criticised Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani for her silence on the issue.

"Smriti Irani is preparing IFFI dats possible only bcoz the Indian Film Industry brings such acclaim to it but keeps quiet about Padmavati!

"This is exactly like HKL Bhagat and Congress celebrating IFFI in Delhi after the murder of Safdar Hashmi in 1989. Cultural Annihilation," she tweeted.

The actor, who put out a series of tweets on the issue, added that the film industry should come together to support the movie.

"The entire film industry should boycott IFFI in protest against the threats to @deepikapadukone SLB and #Padmavati," she said in another tweet.

Padmavati, which is facing protests by several Rajput groups and others, has been sent back to makers by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as the application for the certification was "incomplete".

A leader of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena cited Ramayana's Surpanakha nose-chopping incident and warned Deepika against "inciting" sentiments. Following this, the Mumbai Police tightened Deepika's security.

Police have also beefed up security at Bhansali's residence in Versova.

The 48th edition of IFFI is being held in Goa from November 20-28. -- PTI

13:52 'Aashiqui' fame actor Rahul Roy joins BJP

Aashiqui fame Actor Rahul Roy today joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi.

He joined the BJP in the presence of party leader Vijay Goyal.

Addressing the media in New Delhi after joining the BJP, he said that it was a significant day for him.

"The way Narendra Modi ji, Amit Shah ji have been taking the country forward, also in changing the view how the world looks at India now, is remarkable," Roy said.

A sessions court on Saturday convicted three men for raping and murdering a 15-year-old girl in Kopardi village in 2016.

Additional Special Judge Suvarna Kevale held Jitendra Babulal Shinde, Santosh Gorakh Bhawal and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume guilty of rape, murder and criminal conspiracy.

The quantum of punishment is likely to be pronounced on November 22.

The incident had triggered widespread protests from the Maratha community with marches being held across the state.

The victim, who belonged to the Maratha community, was found murdered after being raped on July 13 at Kopardi village in Ahmednagar district.

The accused had inflicted injuries all over her body and broken her limbs before throttling her, police said.

On October 7, Ahmednagar police had filed the chargesheet running into over 350 pages before the court in which the trio was charged under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. -- PTI

Sidelined All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader T T V Dinakaran slammed the Tamil Nadu government over raids at former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden residence in Chennai late on Friday calling the move as "betrayal" and "political vendetta".

Alleging that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam were indulging in "vendetta politics", Dinakaran said, "Poes Garden is a place where our beloved Amma's (Jayalalithaa) lived, it is like a temple. E Palaniswami and Panneerselvam have betrayed Amma's soul."

He also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over raids. "PM and Arun Jaitley are trying to destroy our family using IT Department," Mr Dinakarana said, adding that "OPS and EPS will go to any extent to safeguard their positions."

Income Tax sleuths on Friday conducted searches in the office block of the Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa.

Following inputs, a search operation was launched in the office block and a room used by jailed and deposed All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader V K Sasikala at "Veda Nilayam," the Poes Garden residence.

Friday's search comes days after multi-city searches in 187 locations linked to ten income tax assessee groups which include those linked to Sasikala, her kin and some associates.

The National Investigation Agency has registered a case in connection with the killing of Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Ravinder Gosain in Ludhiana, nearly a month after the Punjab government decided to hand over the investigation to the central probe agency.

Gosain, 60, was returning home after attending a morning drill when he was attacked by two unidentified bike-borne assailants in Ludhiana last month. He died on the spot while the attackers fled.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had decided to hand over the probe to the NIA while announcing Rs 5 lakh compensation for the deceased's family and a government job for one of his progeny.

The NIA, in compliance of the Ministry of Home Affairs order, has re-registered the case under sections 10, 12 and 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and section 25 of the Arms Act at Jodhewal police station on Thursday, the spokesman said.

An NIA team from New Delhi has reached Ludhiana to take over the investigation.

On October 17, two unidentified persons killed Gosain, Chief of Raghunathnagar Shakha of RSS in Ludhiana, while he was sitting outside his house.

Initially, a three-member Special Investigation Team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Gagan Ajit Singh was formed by the state government to probe the case.

The killing of the RSS leader was the latest in a series of murderous attacks on right-wing and religious leaders in Punjab. This was the eighth such incident in the state since 2016. -- PTI

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh urged the Left parties in India to cooperate with the Congress leadership at the national level to fight together against the "wrong" policies of the BJP-led Union government.

"At the national level, are we going to oppose the BJP as a united front or will the CPI-M keep BJP and Congress at the same distance?" he asked at a public meeting organised by the Congress-led United Democratic Front yesterday.

He urged the party to cooperate with the Congress leadership at the national level and put up a united fight against the BJP's misrule and divisive policies.

The former prime minister also criticised Kerala's CPI-M-led LDF government, saying "rule of law has crumbled, women in the state do not feel safe and economic progress is slow" under the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government.

10:37 Sri Sri to meet RSS chief Bhagwat today

Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who after his parleys at Ayodhya and Lucknow to explore possibilities of an out-of-court way to build the temple at Ram Janmaboomi site, is to deliberate with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on the issue.

A meeting between the two is scheduled for today.

Ravi Shankar arrived in Nagpur for a three-day 'antrang yatra', a spiritual event of the AOL amid a grand reception by followers. "I will be meeting Bhagwat and having discussions," Ravi Shankar said. He also said that an amicable solution for the temple tangle was in sight "as most of the stakeholders looked agreeable to resolution through dialogue".

Implying that he would take it forward with the RSS chief, Sri Sri said his talks with Shia leaders evoked positive vibes and he was hopeful that the problem could be settled out of court.

The Ayodhya initiative of Guru Ravi Shankar is believed to have got a big push from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. But RSS leader Ram Madhav responded to it saying the much-awaited court verdict could only provide a lasting solution to the communally most sensitive problem that has been hanging fire for decades and triggered flare up after the Babri Masjid demolition.

WELCOME TO COND NAST: Radhika Jones is learning the ways of One World Trade. Having been named the new editor in chief of Vanity Fair only this week, Jones, 44, headed to downtown Manhattan to get acquainted with the magazines staff.

But while Jones may have been editorial director of the books department at The New York Times, an alum of Time magazine and The Paris Review, a graduate of Harvard and holds a doctorate in English and comparative literature from Columbia none of this impressed Cond Nast-ers. They, instead, were aghast over her sense of style.

Read full story HERE

Unhappy with the price hike introduced by restaurants after a steep reduction in the goods and services tax , the government is looking to invoke anti-profiteering provisions.

While restaurants are free to alter prices on account of higher costs, most have said the latest hike was the result of the GST Council's decision to do away with input tax credit while lowering the levy from 18% to 5%.

"If the impact of withdrawal of input tax credit is a sharp increase, they should have also reduced prices by a similar margin when GST was introduced in July. It is a fit case of anti-profiteering action," a senior finance ministry official said.

The official said the law allowed the government to take suo motu action apart from acting on specific complaints. "We will levy the maximum possible penalty if profiteering is established," the source, who did not wish to be identified, added.

Mothers love changed the heart of 20-year-old footballer-turned-Lashkar militant Majid Khan to renounce violence and return home.

Majid, who took up arms on November 9, walked unarmed into an army base in south Kashmir late Thursday night after fervent appeals by his family.

General Officer Commanding of Armys Victor Force Maj Gen B S Raju said no charges would be pressed against him. The Army had received information on Thursday that Majid wanted to return. We did what was required to ensure that he was safely brought in. It was very brave of this individual (Majid) to shun violence and pursue academics, he said.

Majid, he added, decided to return as he realised the folly of the path he had taken and for that he deserves to be complimented.

No charges will be pressed against him. He can get back to normal life soon. We will provide him all opportunities to pursue his career in academics and sports, the GOC said. I would also compliment the parents, especially his mother, whose appeal and prayers have yielded results, Maj Gen Raju added, while urging the youth who have taken up arms to follow in Majids footsteps.

The GOC later said: We dont want to extract any information from him. When I met him around midnight, I told him to relax and have a sound sleep. We want him to go back to normal life. We also arranged a meeting with the family.

Wednesday, 15 November 2017 was a momentous day for all Australians. On this day, a majority of Australians announced support for marriage reform in this country.

Almost 62% per cent of Australians who responded to a nation wide postal plebiscite, voted in favour of 'same-sex marriage' reform. The nation-wide survey attracted a record high participation with almost 81 per cent of eligible Australians having their say.

As someone who participated in this survey and had the opportunity to let my opinion known in this matter, I personally feel there is a deeply harmonious societal messages that transcend the more obvious outcome of the survey.

Read full post HERE

India and China today held their first meeting on the border consultation and coordination mechanism after the Doklam standoff and reviewed the situation in all the sectors of their border and exchanged views on enhancing CBMs and military contacts.

The 10th round of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs was held in Beijing. The WMCC was established in 2012 as an institutional mechanism for consultation and coordination for the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas.

The talks were held in a constructive and forward-looking manner.Both sides reviewed the situation in all sectors of India-China border and agreed that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is an important prerequisite for sustained growth of bilateral relations.

The two sides also exchanged views on further confidence building measures and strengthening of military-to-military contacts.

A slight overnight drizzle brought some relief from a thick layer of smog hovering over the national capital on Saturday. However, the air quality in Delhi and the NCR region continues to be of 'very poor' quality.

According to the MeT department, shallow fog and mist are likely to continue in Delhi and the NCR in the days to come.

The Central Pollution Control Board had on Friday released the new air quality index data of Delhi-NCR with prominent pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 in 'very poor' category.

In the national capital, the content of particulate matter, PM 2.5, in the air has been quite high, often crossing 500, while the safety limit is 50, it said.

But the AQI was slightly better on Saturday -- 303 -- as compared to that of Friday (307). The highest level of PM2.5 was 187.06 micrograms per cubic metre on Friday.

CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury today came out in defence of upcoming Bollywood film "Padamavati" and said the protests against the film, before watching it, were a "sign of intolerance" in the country.

The controversial film, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is scheduled to be released on December 1.

"It is shameful that we are witnessing protests over a film. Nobody knows what is there in the film. Without the certificate of the censor board, no one can even release the trailer and we are seeing protests demanding a ban on the film," the Left leader said.

"The protesters are demanding that the film should banned. Who are they to decide what is history and what is not? This is a sign of intolerance," he added.

Yechury likened the protesters to the private armies of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.

"The way Hitler and Mussolini had engaged their private armies of black shirts and brown shirts, these private armies (protesters) are functioning in the same way," he said.

Stating that the country was witnessing "moral policing", the Left leader said, "The people of this country are being dictated as regards what they should eat, what they should wear. Who are these gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes)? They are killing people and the police are filing cases against those who are being attacked. This is nothing but signs of fascism through communal polarisation."

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj assured a Pakistani national, whose nephew is undergoing treatment at a hospital in New Delhi, that India will grant a visa to his compatriot so that he could travel to India and donate organ.

Pakistani national Faiza Malik tweeted to Swaraj, seeking her help after the person, who was to donate the organ to his nephew Faraz, was found unfit by doctors at a Fortis hospital in New Delhi.

Malik said since the person could no longer donate the organ, another man - Faraz Razzaq - from Pakistan be given a visa to travel to India.

"@SushmaSwaraj, Dear madam my nephew Faraz Malik is at Fortis waiting for donor, doctors find previous donor unfit so rejected, please grant visa to Abdul Razzaq CF9864951," Malik tweeted.

Swaraj, responding to the tweet, assured him that the Indian high commission in Pakistan will give a visa to the second donor. "Please don't worry. I am asking Indian high commission to give visa for the second donor. @IndiainPakistan," Swaraj tweeted.

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