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Wed, 03 January 2018
Misinformation on social media led to Pune violence, says minister

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23:35   Misinformation on social media led to Pune violence, says minister
A Maharashtra minister claimed today that social media platforms were used to spread misinformation about what happened at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district, where one person was killed in caste violence on January 1.

Minister of State for Home (Rural) Deepak Kesarkar said the government will take strong action against those responsible for the violent clashes.

Speaking to reporters, he termed the violence at Bhima-Koregaon village unfortunate and claimed the incident happened because wrong information was spread on social media.

"There is complete peace in Vadu-Budruk (near Bhima-Koregaon). But a wrong message, that atrocity cases have been filed against some people, was posted on social media platforms and this led to the incident," he said.

"Some outsiders came and put up banners. Amid all this, rumours were spread on social media that the youth who died was a Dalit and the situation became tense.

"However, it later came to light that the youth was not a Dalit," the Shiv Sena minister added.

Dalit organisations, led by the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh, had called for a Maharashtra bandh today to protest the state government's "failure" to stop the violence at Bhima-Koregaon two days ago.

-- PTI
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23:15   American statements 'detrimental' to bilateral ties, warns Pakistan
Pakistan tonight warned the US that the statements coming from Washington are "detrimental" to bilateral relations that have developed over generations.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired a Cabinet meeting and discussed strategies following US President Donald Trump's tweet in which he accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for $33 billion aid.

"The Cabinet viewed that the American statements are detrimental to the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and USA, a relationship that has developed over generations," reads the statement issued after the meeting.

Pakistan has rendered huge sacrifices, both in terms of loss of precious human lives and substantial damage to the economy as a result of partnering in the global war against terrorism, it said.

The Cabinet unanimously endorsed the stance of National Security Committee, which in its yesterday's meeting expressed deep disappointment over recent statements of the top American leadership.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaj Asif briefed the participants about the background of the recent statements of the American leadership and the discussion held during the NSC meeting.

Pakistan has so far cautiously responded to Trump's tweet in which he had said that the US has foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given "us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools."

-- PTI
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22:42   India calls off deal for Israeli spike anti-tank guided missiles
India has called off an order to buy Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel's state-owned defence contractor Rafael, the company said on Wednesday.

The deal was worth about $500 million and the announcement of its termination came a couple of weeks before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to visit India.

An Indian defence ministry spokesman declined comment on the cancellation. Local media reported that Indias Defence Research and Development Organisation was developing a domestic anti-tank missile the government was keen to support.

"Rafael regrets the decision and remains committed to cooperating with the Indian Ministry of Defence and to its strategy of continuing to work in India, an important market, as it has for more than two decades, to provide India with the most advanced and innovative systems," the firm said in a statement.

However, India's Defence Ministry said separately it had cleared a plan to buy 131 Barak surface-to-air missiles built by Rafael. The 4.6-billion-rupee ($72 million) order follows up an earlier purchase of Barak missiles, meant to protect navy vessels against sea-skimming missiles and aerial threats.
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22:18   Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks on Power and the #MeToo Moment
The Post tells of the tense days leading up to The Washington Posts decision in 1971 to publish the Pentagon Papers, the governments secret history of the Vietnam War. The New York Times had broken the story but was prohibited from running the full series after the Nixon administration won a court injunction. Thats when The Post took up the story.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film stars Meryl Streep as Katharine Graham, The Posts publisher, who came into her own by defying President Richard M. Nixons order, and Tom Hanks as the legendary editor Ben Bradlee. 

It is also the first time these three Hollywood icons have all worked together. I recently spoke with Mr. Hanks and Ms. Streep about the films uncanny parallels with today, their thoughts on the Weinstein moment, and what its like following in the footsteps of what is arguably the best newspaper movie ever, All the Presidents Men, starring Jason Robards as Bradlee. 

Read the interview HERE
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22:02   Maratha body wants Rs 25 lakh payout for kin of man killed in Pune violence
A Maratha outfit today demanded a Rs 25 lakh compensation to the family of the man killed in the violence at Bhima-Koregaon and also sought withdrawal of cases under the Atrocities Act filed against 49 people for an
incident which took place late last month.

The Sakal Maratha Kranti Morcha sought stern action against those responsible for creating a rift between different sections of the society and appealed to its community members to maintain peace and harmony.

The outfit also sought a detailed investigation into an incident at Vadhu Budruk village near Bhima Koregoan, where the 'samadhi' of Govind Gaikwad, a Mahar (Dalit), was damaged and a contentious board put up.

"We demand a detailed inquiry into the incident and ask the government to bring its main perpetrators to justice," said Shantaram Kunjir, a convener of the morcha.

On December 30, a board was found put up near what is believed to be the tomb of Gaikwad. The board said Gaikwad had defied the orders of Mughal king Aurangzeb and performed the last rites of Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj after he was killed by Aurangzeb in 1689.
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21:20   Perpetrators of Pune violence will be punished: Maharashtra CM
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today asserted that those responsible for the caste violence in Pune will face action and the matter will be taken to its logical end.

He said his government will soon approach the Bombay high court, asking it to name a sitting judge to probe the January 1 violence at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district.

Talking to reporters here, he said the judicial probe ordered by the government will take the case to its logical conclusion.

"Footage of the violence and sequence of events are being screened and action will be taken against the guilty. We will take the case to its logical end," Fadnavis said.

He appealed for harmony and said all sections of the society, especially the media, must exercise restrain and ensure there is no caste conflict.

-- PTI
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20:50   Rajinikanth meets DMK patriarch Karunanidhi, days after turning neta
Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth met DMK supremo Karunanidhi at his residence in Chennai today. The party's working president, MK Stalin, was present at the meet.

As he left his home in Poes Garden, he told reporters his visit to the veteran leader's home would be a courtesy call.

Asked whether he would meet any other leaders, Rajinikanth said no. "No sorry, I am meeting only Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) now and not anyone," he said.

Rajinikanth announced his political debut on Sunday. Within days, thousands have signed up to be part of his new movement on a website and a mobile app.

The Kollywood legend, who has said he'll "push for spiritual politics without caste or religious leanings," intends to contest in the next Tamil Nadu assembly election.

Karunanidhi is the first political heavyweight he has met since announcing his decision to turn neta. 
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20:18   After bandh, Central Railway trains running 45 minutes late
If you are travelling in Mumbai today by the Central Railway, prepare to wait a long, long time. Despite the bandh, which saw train schedules being affected and roads being blocked, being called off, trains on the Central Railway continue to run late around 45 minutes late. 

A train scheduled to leave CST at 7.35 pm, just left the platform (at 8.15 pm). So, Mumbaikars brace yourselves. 
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20:07   Rahul Gandhi to visit Middle East next week
Rahul Gandhi will travel next week to the Middle East on his first foreign trip after becoming Congress president.

The trip, timed after parliament wraps on January 5 (Friday), is part of the newly-minted initiative by Gandhi's strategist Sam Pitroda, who conceived his successful Berkeley trip in September which showcased a more confident and assertive Gandhi talking to students ahead of his big Gujarat campaign. 

The Berkeley event is credited with helping alter the perception of Gandhi as a temperamental politician prone to foreign holidays in between unimpressive appearances at parliament.

Sources say that the Berkeley visit established a prototype that Pitroda will use for a foreign outreach by Gandhi every four months and will see the Congress president interacting with foreign leaders and students.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to travel to the UAE and Palestine early this year though the dates have not been announced yet.

In the United Arab Emirates, Gandhi will address townhall meetings and interact with global CEOs, said sources. He will talk to local businesses who employ Indians as well.

Gandhi, 48, will be accompanied by Pitroda and younger Congress leaders such as Milind Deora and Jitendra Singh.
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19:28   BJP 'befooling' Muslim women with triple talaq bill: Cong
The Congress today accused the BJP of "befooling" Muslim women with the triple talaq bill that seeks to make the practice a criminal offence, alleging that it has no provision for their welfare in case their husbands
are jailed.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said 18 opposition parties including the Congress wanted to send the bill to a Select Committee for its proper scrutiny before it becomes a law, but the government did not allow it.

He alleged that the BJP does not believe in democracy and that is why it did not allow the motion moved by the opposition to send the bill to a select committee.

Azad said the BJP is projecting itself as a "messiah" for Muslim women and claiming to be champions of their welfare and rights, but has not made any provision for their welfare.

"This government is trying to mislead Muslim women and the general public," he alleged at a press conference.

"What are they giving to Muslim women. They are merely projecting themselves as their 'messiah', but they are in fact only trying to befool the Muslim women," he said.

Congress leader M Veerappa Moily opposed criminalising triple talaq, alleging that he BJP had adopted a "sadistic approach" and was "taking revenge" against a community.

-- PTI
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19:09   Autopsy reveals Sherin died of 'homicidal violence': Report
An autopsy has revealed that 3-year-old Indian girl Sherin Mathews died of "homicidal violence," a media report claimed today, quoting multiple sources who have reviewed the much-awaited document on her mysterious death.
    
Sherin went missing on October 7 and her body was found on October 22 in a culvert in suburban Dallas by a cadaver dog after an intense search. Her body was identified days later.
   
Sherin died of "homicidal violence", a law enforcement official in Dallas, Texas, confirmed to WFAA TV station, indicating the manner of death for the girl, nearly three months after she went missing from her home and was later found dead.
   
An earlier report by the same station had said that the autopsy report of Sherin has been handed over to the attorneys for the adoptive Indian-American parents of Sherin -- Wesley Mathews and Sini Mathews.
   
During a hearing in late November, a doctor testified before a court that Sherin, who was adopted from India, had broken bones and had injuries in various stages of healing, indicating abuse.
   
Initially, Sherin's foster father Wesley told police that he put her outside their home at 3 a.m. to discipline her for not drinking her milk.
   
His story changed after her body was found in a culvert, telling police that he "physically assisted" with pouring the milk down Sherin's throat and then moved her body after he realised she had choked and died.
   
Wesley also admitted to police that he removed Sherin's body from the home after changing his story multiple times on the events leading up to her death. Wesley and his wife Sini also left Sherin home alone the night before her disappearance, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
   
Wesley, 37, is charged with injury to a child, while the adoptive mother, Sini, 35, is charged with abandoning or endangering a child. Both are currently lodged in a Dallas jail.
   
The attorney representing Sini Mathews said the report, received on Tuesday evening from the Dallas County District Attorney's Office, does not implicate her in Sherin's death.
   
"There is nothing in the autopsy results that indicate Sini Mathews had anything to do with the death of Sherin Mathews," Mitch Nolte told WFAA in a statement.
   
The report did not provide details of the autopsy conducted by Dallas Medical Examiner. -- PTI
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19:04   Maha bandh: 12 flights cancelled, 235 delayed at Mumbai airport
Flight operations at the Mumbai airport were badly hit due to the Maharashtra Bandh called by Dalit leaders today, with 12 flights getting cancelled and 235 delayed.
    
The shutdown, called to protest the state government's "failure" to stop the violence against celebration of 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district, disrupted normal life across Maharashtra, including Mumbai.
   
The shutdown was withdrawn later this evening.
   
As many as 182 flight departures and 53 arrivals at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport were delayed till around 1600 hours, according to a website tracking real-time flight status at airports across the world.
   
Of the 12 cancelled flights, seven were departures and five were arriving ones, as per the website.
   
When contacted, a Mumbai International Airport Limited spokesperson said the "flights (are) landing and taking off on time".
   
The spokesperson, however, said the arriving passengers were stranded at the terminal, despite the airport operator arranging civic-run BEST buses for them, as the buses were stopped (by protesters) from coming to the CSIA.
   
The transferred passengers from domestic to international and vice versa were being taken to the respective terminals using the 'air-side' (internal route), the spokesperson added.
   
Crew members of various airlines also reported late at the airport due to traffic disruptions.
   
Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar had called for a 'Maharashtra Bandh' today to protest the state government's "failure" to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district on Monday. -- PTI
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18:37  
Even after the bandh has been called off, trains on Mumbai's Central line are running late. This is the view from Parel railway station.
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18:17   Kamalahaasan breaks his silence with latest column
Those of you wondering what actor Kamalahaasan has been up to, now that his friend and rival Rajinikanth seems to have stolen a political march over him, wait no longer.   

The actor, who pens a column in popular Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan, breaks his silence in its Pongal special -- but focuses on the RK Nagar bypoll, which was overwhelmingly won by TTV Dinakaran.   

'They are praising him as a braveheart, for his win, that another leader is born, etc. Greater political analysts than me have hailed it as the dawn of a new era, the advent of Kalyug Vardhan, the Kalki avatar himself, that something that's never happened before has happened,' the actor, not known for pulling his verbal punches, fumes in his column, 'The storm centred in me'.   

Apart from this, Kamalahaasan has also placed some uncomfortable questions arising out of Dinakaran's win before the reader, aside from disclosing why he has not been that active on Twitter of late, answering the criticism that he has sacrificed his political interests to cinema, and the next step in his political journey.   

Should we say, book your copy today?
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17:51   Pak violates ceasefire in Samba, 1 jawan killed
Pakistan violates ceasefire in Samba sector; one jawan martyred.This is the second ceasefire violation this year.

On Sunday, an Army jawan was killed along the Line of Control in Nowshera sectors Rumli Dhara as Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on forward Indian positions in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri and Poonch districts.


Representational image.
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17:36   Ignorant Trump blaming Pak for its failure in Af: Imran
Pakistan's Opposition leader Imran Khan today said an "ignorant and ungrateful" US President Donald Trump has humiliated the country by accusing Islamabad of giving nothing to America but lies and deceit in return for its aid worth USD 33 billion over the last 15 years.


In a series of tweets, the cricketer-turned-politician said Pakistan was being "blamed" for the US' failures in the so-called "War on Terror" in Afghanistan. In his strongest attack against Pakistan yet, Trump in his first tweet of the year on New Year's day had accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years, thinking of American leaders as "fools".


A day later, the White House said that an already-delayed USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan had been blocked, the fate of which will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil. "And now Pakistan (is) being blamed for US failures in Afghanistan by an ignorant and ungrateful Donald Trump," Khan tweeted. -- PTI
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17:16   It was a total bandh in Amravati
Responding to the call given by Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar, a total bandh was observed in the district today protesting Monday's violence at Bhima Koregaon.

Protesters submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister and the Governor through resident deputy collector Nitin Vyavahare.

The memorandum submitted to the CM and Governor demanded that those involved in the violence at Bhima Koregaon be booked under the National Security Act and the Maharashtra Control of Organised Act.

They also demanded trying the case in a fast track court with lawyer Ujjwal Nikam to plead it. The protesters also demanded permanent police security for the Smriti Stumbh at Bhima Koregaon and compensation worth Rs 1 crore to the family of the deceased and Rs.75,000 each to those injured in the violence. -- PTI


Image: Protesters block the Western Express Highway at Goregaon at 3:30 pm. Both WEH and the Eastern Express Highway is open to traffic now.
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17:09   Western, Eastern Express Highway clear
The Mumbai police sound the all clear for vehicular traffic from the island city to the suburbs. @MumbaiPolice tweets: "Eastern Expressway, both North and South bound, is clear  upto Thane #TrafficUpdate.
Both North and South bound.Western Expressway upto Dahisar Naka is clear for traffic. Normal route from South Mumbai to airport through Worli Sea face is clear."


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16:59   No evidence of any death due to Blue Whale challenge game: Govt
There is no evidence of anyone committing suicide while allegedly playing the Blue Whale challenge game, the Lok Sabha was informed.

Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said instances of children committing suicide while allegedly playing Blue Whale challenge game were reported in various states and Union Territories.

"All states and UTs were directed to monitor the situation closely and take action against proponent of the game," he said in a written reply yesterday.

The minister said a committee was formed under the chairmanship of DG, Computer Emergency Response Team-India, to investigate cases of suicide committed or attempted allegedly using Blue Whale challenge game.

"The committee analysed the internet activities, device activities, call records and other social media activity, other forensic evidences and also interacted with rescued victims associated with these incidents.

Involvement of Blue Whale challenge game in any of these incidents could not be established," he said. -- PTI
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16:48  
@MumbaiPolice
Western Expressway upto Dahisar Naka is clear for traffic. Both North and South bound
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16:43   Maharashtra bandh called off
Just In: Prakash Ambedkar, Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader and BR Ambedkar's grandson has withdrawn the Maharashtra bandh call.

Ambedkar said that Umar Khalid and Jignesh Mewani, against whom a complaint has been filed for giving provocative statement have no connections to the incident in Bhima Koregaon.

He has demanded that police arrest Bhide Guruji and Milind Ekbote for inciting mobs against people who had gathered at Bhima Koregaon on January 1.

He said, "The bandh was mostly peaceful barring three incidents two in Mumbai and one in Aurangabad."

"I want to congratulate the protestors as they kept their calm even at a time when the emotions were very high. Police is taking combing operations in Aurangabad and that they should stop immediately," he added.


Ambedkar had called for a Maharashtra bandh on Wednesday to protest the state government's failure to stop Monday's violence in Pune.

Parts of Mumbai came to a near standstill after Dalits blocked roads in several areas and forced shops to shut.

The violence came after a woman died at an event on Monday to mark the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon in Pune district.
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16:26   High-level meeting this evening in Chennai to discuss Ockhi followup
More than a month after cyclone Ockhi left behind a trail of destroyed infrastructure and missing fishermen in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep, the search for the missing fishermen is still underway.   

While the number of missing fishermen was put at over 400 a fortnight ago, with many of them returning home subsequently, the number has now been revised to 208, and three dead bodies have been identified.   

A high-level meeting  under the chairmanship of Tamil Nadu relief commissioner Dr K Satyagopal is being held today evening in Chennai to decide various pending issues like disbursement of the Rs 20 lakh compensation for families of the dead, when to call off the search, and when to declare the missing fishermen as dead.   

The decisions will then be forwarded to the state government for necessary approval and action.   

 -- A Ganesh Nadar in Chennai
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16:21   Over 100 protesters detained as Mumbai remains tense
If you've just joined us, this is the impact of the Maharashtra bandh on Mumbai today.


The bandh, called to protest the violence post an event to mark 200th anniversary of Bhima Koregaon battle, turned violent today even as rail and road traffic was disrupted in the city.

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader and Dalit icon B R Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar had called for Maharashtra bandh to protest the state government's "failure" to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district two days ago.


Normal life in Mumbai was disrupted as protesters attacked city buses, stopped suburban local services and blocked roads at various places in the city.


Dalits began protests in suburban Chembur, Ghatkopar, Kamraj Nagar, Vikhroli, Dindoshi, Kandivali, Jogeshwari, Kalanagar and Mahim, police said.


Hundreds of protesters tried to block the Western Express Highway in the morning, but were moved from the spot by police. In view of protests in the city and suburbs, police diverted traffic for smooth vehicular movement.


Incidents of stone pelting were reported at a few places on the harbour line, police said. Protesters jumped on the rail tracks of harbour line at Govandi, Mankhurd and Kurla, due to which suburban services towards Panvel, Belapur and Vashi were stopped for a few hours, the official said. Similar protests at Thane, Bhandup, Kanjurmarg, Vikhroli and Ghatkopar stations on Central Railway line led to a long queue of trains on tracks. Hundreds of commuters were spotted walking on the railway tracks.


On the Western Railway, protesters obstructed services at Nallasopara Station. Thirteen buses of the civic transport service 'BEST' were damaged by protesters in Kalanagar area (Bandra), Dharavi, Kamraj Nagar, Santosh Nagar, Dindoshi and Hanuman Nagar, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation official said.


The agitation of Dalit outfits halted suburban local train service at Ghatkopar as trains heading towards CSMT were affected. Several local trains running towards CSMT were halted at various stations because of the protestors who stood on the tracks prohibiting any train movement.


While the state government said it has not declared a holiday for schools due to the bandh, bus operators said they won't run school buses in Mumbai today. "We cannot risk students' safety and security. Will take the decision on whether we can run them in the second half later today, depending on the situation," a School Bus Owners' Association spokesperson said.


Vijay Shukla, a resident of suburban Vikhroli, said, "I have two kids, both studying at a school in Vikhroli east. Though school was open today, I suggested they stay at home".


Offices in major commercial hubs too witnessed low attendance, as many employees stayed away from work fearing violence. Dalit protesters descended on the tracks at Thane and Goregaon stations in the morning.


Mumbai Police registered nine cases today in connection with violent protests in the city. Over hundred people have been detained in the city since yesterday, police said.  -- PTI

IMAGE: Police officials stand guard after Dalits called for a Maharashtra Bandh to protest Bhima Koregaon violence, in Mumbai on Wednesday. Photograph: Shashank Parade/PTI Photo
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15:55  
Just in: Reports coming that protesters have blocked the western express highway between Malad and Borivali in a couple of places. Check before you hit the road.
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15:40   Why is PM 'mouni baba' on Dalits, asks Congress
The Congress today accused the RSS and certain Hindutva outfits of triggering violence against Dalits in Maharashtra and demanded a probe by a Supreme Court judge into the clashes while targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" over it.


Raising the issue in Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the latest wave of violence against Dalits in several parts of Maharashtra was continuation of similar incidents witnessed in other BJP ruled states including Gujarat.


"The RSS and certain hardcore Hindutva outfits are behind the violence. They are trying to drive a wedge between the Marathas and Dalits in Maharashtra," Kharge alleged.


A visibly anguished Kharge also tore some papers he was holding when BJP members vociferously protested his remarks and continued to shout. "Why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi silent on the issue? He always maintaince silence on issues relating to Dalits. He has become a 'Mouni Baba' on Dalit issues," he said.


Kharge's comments triggered angry response from BJP MPs, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar rebutting the charges and accusing the Congress of trying to play politics over the issue.


"Congress wants to politicise the issue. The party suffered electoral drubbing in so many states in the recent past and that is why they want to milk political mileage over the issue," Kumar alleged.


The minister's response infuriated the Congress members who trooped into the Well of the House and shouted slogans like 'stop humiliating Babasaheb Ambedkar', 'stop dividing the country' and 'PM speak up'.


"Similar violence against Dalits have been witnessed in so many states including in Gujarat and Maharastra. Wherever BJP is in power, such violence against Dalits takes place," said Kharge. He also urged the Speaker to ask Modi to make a statement in the House on the violence in Maharashtra. Kharge also alleged that "some fascist forces always want to keep the Dalits in lowest strata of the society", adding that the community was being subjected to harassment across the country.  -- PTI
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15:24  
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduces the Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
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15:14  
Ramesh Srivats @rameshsrivats The issue we are fighting on has so quickly moved from the 14th century (Padmavati) to the 19th century (Battle of Koregaon). India is modernising rapidly.
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15:13   BJP best disciple of British rulers: Azad
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said the BJP is best disciple of the British rulers.He made this statement while addressing a press conference in New Delhi to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi led National Democratic Alliance over the Bhima-Khoregaon violence in Pune in which a youth was killed on Monday.

Replying to a question, Azad alleged it was 24x7 agenda of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to divide and rule.


"Write ups, editorials are being written in international media how the ruling party, when it was in opposition, had been dividing the county in the name of caste and religion and ever since it has come to power, it has totally divided the country in the name of caste and religion. The only thing they have learnt from the Britishers is 'divide and rule'. They are the best disciples of the British rulers," Azad said.


The senior Congress leader and former union minister said atrocities on dalits have increased during Prime Minister Modi's rule."Atrocities are being inflicted on dalits since the last three and half years, since the BJP came to power in the centre. Its impact is also visible in the states, especially the BJP ruled states where dalits are being suppressed, killed, and raped," Azad said. -- ANI
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14:38   I accept my martyrdom: Kumar Vishwas on AAP's snub
AAP's Kumar Vishwas on being excluded from the party's Rajya Sabha nominations: "Maine jo-jo sach bola aaj uska pururskar dand swaroop mujhe diya gaya. I have been rewarded for the truth. Arvind ne mujhe muskurate huye kaha tha ke 'sir-ji aapko marenge par shaheed nahi hone denge'. Arvind (Kejriwal) had smiled and told me, I will hit you, but won't let you be a martyr'. Main unko badhai deta hu ke main apni shahadat sweekar karta hu. I congratulate him and accept my martyrdom."


The Aam Aadmi Party today nominated Sanjay Singh, Sushil Gupta and N D Gupta as its Rajya Sabha nominees. While Singh has been associated with the party since its inception, Sushil Gupta is a Delhi-based businessman and N D Gupta a chartered accountant. The decision was taken at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence in a meeting attended by around 56 party. -- PTI
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14:11   Sena alleges political vendetta behind Bhima-Koregaon violence
In wake of the ongoing protests and bandh across Maharashtra against the Bhima-Koregaon violence, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday alleged that someone is trying to gain political advantage by creating all such nuisance across the state.


Speaking to ANI, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, "There is a 200 years old history but there should be no riots in the name of history. When that war took place all castes and communities were united and fought their enemy together but today we are fighting over castes and communities and celebrating Shaurya Diwas. This is absolutely wrong. There is someone who wants to take political advantage of this situation but the person will be soon exposed."


Raut further asserted that it is the responsibility of state government irrespective of their party to control the state and keep check on such incidents.


"It is primarily the responsibility of the government, irrespective of their government to keep a check on the how such incidents take place and how people from outside come and give provocative speeches that lead to such incidents." said Sanjay. -- ANI


Image: Dalit protests at Matunga labour camp, Mumbai, this afternoon. Pic: Sahil Salvi.
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14:07   Accountant, educationist, Sanjay Singh are AAP's RS nominees
The Aam Aadmi Party today nominated Sanjay Singh, Sushil Gupta and N D Gupta as its Rajya Sabha nominees. While Singh has been associated with the party since its inception, Sushil Gupta is a Delhi-based businessman and N D Gupta a chartered accountant.

The decision was taken at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence in a meeting attended by around 56 party MLAs. The party's highest decision making body, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), met soon after and formally approved the decision.

"Sushil Gupta has made big contributions in the education and health sectors in Delhi and Haryana. He provides free education to 15,000 children.

"Narayan Das Gupta is the former president of the ICAI (Institute of Chartered Accountant of India)," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters.

Disgruntled leader Kumar Vishwas, who was angling for a RS slot, did not attend the PAC meeting. He is a member of the PAC. Elections to three Rajya Sabha seats from Delhi would be held on January 16. The AAP, which enjoys a brute majority in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, is set to win all three seats. The last date to file nominations for the three Rajya Sabha seats is January 5. -- PTI


File pic of Arvind Kejriwal with Sanjay Singh.
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13:45   WR trains delayed after another rail roko attempt at Goregaon
Both up and down lines on the western railway, which were blocked by protesters from 12.05 hours were cleared of protesters at 12.24 hours. Train operations have resumed at Goregaon, but the protests have delayed trains on the line. Protesters blocked the tracks at Goregaon, Virar on the western railway and at Thane and Mulund on the central railway.
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13:28  
Rasta Roko at Andheri on the Western Express Highway, Mumbai. 
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13:22   Mumbai AC train services suspended
In Mumbai: The remaining services of the AC local has been suspended for the day in view of the protests. Other suburban services are being run amid intermittent protests at Elphinstone Road, Goregaon, Dadar, Malad stations. There is no cancellation of long distance trains so far. 
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13:20   MiG crashes at Goa airport, pilot ejects to safety
A MiG-29K aircraft with under-trainee pilot goes off runway while taking off at Goa airport. Pilot ejects to safety. Fire on aircraft being extinguished. Goa airport shut down and firefighting in progress.  
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12:50   Police keep Pune peaceful
Barring a couple of incidents of stones being pelted on public transport buses, the "bandh" in Pune started on a peaceful note. The shutdown received a mixed response in the city since morning with some shops doing business with their shutters partially up.


Additional Commissioner of Police (South/North Region) Ravindra Sengaonkar said that there were two instances of stone-pelting, one in Sukhsagar Nagar and second in Singhgad Road on buses of Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited.


According to PMPNL, since Tuesday, 42 buses from its fleet were stoned and since Wednesday morning, the number of buses being hit by stones stood at around 10 to 12.


"Buses are being plied under instructions from the police," said a PMPMl officer. Several private schools remained shut as a precautionary measure despite there being no official holiday being declared for educational institutions.


According to the officials of Agriculture Produce Market Committee the supply of vegetables reduced by 20 per cent.


"On an average day, we receive 1000 trucks of vegetables and agriculture produce from various parts of the state. In wake of the bandh, the supply dropped by 20 per cent today," said an APMC officer bearer.


According to Savitribai Phue Pune University (SPPU), a paper of Masters of Pharmacy scheduled for Wednesday was postponed.


Meanwhile some Dalit organizations have decided to march to Milind Ekbotes house but Sengaonkar said that no such permission would be granted.


Ekbote along with another Hindutva outfit leader Sambhaji Bhide alias Bhide Guruji were booked under relevant sections of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly orchestrating the violence in Bhima Koregaon on January 1.


"There is adequate police bandobast deployed in the city and we appeal to the people to not take law into their hands," Sengaonkar appealed. -- PTI


Image: Autorickshaws kept off the streets across Mumbai. This picture was taken at Kandivali in suburban Mumbai. Pic: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
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12:30   Mumbai metro services resume after police clear protesters
And back in Mumbai: Metro services between Asalfa and Ghatkopar Metro station were briefly stopped by protesters. But after the police stepped in the situation was brought under control and services have resumed.


The Mumbai police, which has been tweeting at regular intervals on the situation on the streets says commuters are advised to avoid using the Western Express Highway and use SV Road instead. The police also advised commuters to avoid Kalanagar in Bandra and the MMRDA Junction for a while due to rasta roko.


The situation on the streets is dynamic and despite a largely calm city and suburbs, can change any moment. The stellar police bandobast has ensured that instances of violence are few and far between.  


Image: Protesters at the Western Express Highway metro station. 
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12:18  
In Delhi, security has been enhanced outside Maharashtra Sadan in the wake of the Bhima-Koregaon violence and subsequent protests in Maharashtra.
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12:17   Heavy police bandobast, but sporadic violence across Mumbai
While heavy police presence across the city have foiled attempts of rail roko or rasta roko by protesters, there are reports of sporadic incidents of violence. Two Thane Municipal Transport buses and an auto-rickshaw were vandalized in the Chendani Koliwada area leaving four passengers injured. A bus has also been stoned at Ghatkopar. The situation across Mumbai and Pune is largely calm, but not normal.

Thirteen buses of the civic transport service 'BEST' were damaged by protesters in Kalanagar area (Bandra), Dharavi, Kamraj Nagar, Santosh Nagar, Dindoshi and Hanuman Nagar, an official from the Disaster Management Unit of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

The city had witnessed a major disruption of road traffic owing to protests in the eastern suburbs yesterday. Suburban trains were running normally from late morning though activists tried to stage blockades on tracks at Thane on the Central line and Goregaon on the Western line, railway officials said.


Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader and Dr BR Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar have called for Maharashtra bandh today to protest the state government's "failure" to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district two days ago.


Ambedkar alleged that Hindu Ekta Aghadi was responsible for the violence. He said Maharashtra Democratic Front, Maharashtra Left Front and some 250 other  organisations have supported the call for shutdown.
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12:03   Protest marches in many parts of Mumbai, Maharashtra
Dalit outfits took out protest marches in various parts of Mumbai and Maharashtra today, enforcing the state-wide bandh called to protest against the violence unleashed over the commemoration of the Bhima-Koregaon battle's bicentennial.   

Photograph show a march in Marol in Andheri east (shot by Patcy N), and this photograph at New Panvel was shot by Uttam Ghosh.
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11:58   Virat-Anushka kiss the sun in Cape Town
An eye-candy break from the incessant news of the Maharashtra bandh. Virat Kohli tweets this picture from Cape Town in South Africa where the couple is on their honeymoon. India is playing a test series against South Africa at Cape Town. @imVkohli  tweeted, "Cape Town is such a beautiful place anyways, and even more beautiful with my one and only!"
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11:49   No incidents of violence on Eastern Express highway
Just in: A BEST bus has been pelted with stones at Chembur naka, and the tyre of a taxi was deflated. Passengers have been asked to get off the bus but the situation is largely under control. The police have moved in and are taking control.


A colleague who took an Uber from Thane to the Rediff.com office in Mahim said that there was heavy police bandobast all along Eastern Express highway with much fewer cars on the road. Absolutely no road blocks or rasta rokos along the entire stretch. There was particularly heavy police bandobast near Amar Mahal flyover which is where there were instances of violence by Dalits yesterday.


The rail roko protests at Thane, Goregaon and Virar stations have also ended a while ago and train services have resumed.

However, Thane Municipal Transport had stopped bus services across Thane city in the morning. Autorickshaws which were completely off the roads in the morning are now plying, but not if full force. Shops in parts of Mumbai have been forced to down shutters fearing violence.


Riot control police have been kept on standby across Mumbai and 30 companies of the CRPF have been deployed. There are stray incidents of violence across the city, so unless you have to leave home, don't.


Today's Class 11 exams at St Xavier's College in South Mumbai have been cancelled, college authorities said.

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader and Dr B R Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar have called for Maharashtra bandh today to protest the state government's "failure" to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district two days ago.


Ambedkar alleged that Hindu Ekta Aghadi was responsible for the violence.
He said Maharashtra Democratic Front, Maharashtra Left Front and some 250 other organisations have supported the call for shutdown.

While the state government clarified that it hasn't declared a school holiday, bus operators said they won't run school buses in Mumbai today. "We can't risk students' safety and security. Will take a second decision at 11 am if we can run them in the second half, depending on the situation," a School Bus Owners' Association spokesperson said.


Image: RPI protesters at NM Joshi Marg in central Mumbai.
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11:29   Rasta roko hits road traffic between Thane and Mumbai
A rasta roko on LBS Marg at Gandhinagar in Kanjur Marg by protestors as part of the Maharashtra bandh called by Dalit parties today, has disrupted road traffic between Thane and Mumbai. 
    
Photograph: Hemant Waje
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11:24   Lalu's sentencing tomorrow, Tejashwi found guilty of contempt
JUST IN: Quantum of sentence for Lalu Yadav and others in the fodder scam case to be pronounced tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Ranchi Special Central Bureau of Investigation Court finds Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Tejashwi Yadav and Manoj Jha guilty of contempt of court in Fodder Scam.

The court summons Singh, Tejashwi Yadav and Jha on January 23. -- ANI
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11:19   My nuclear button works! Trump's response to Kim Jong-un
United States President Donald Trump today boasted that his nuclear button is not just 'much bigger and powerful' than the one North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has but that it also works.

"North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.' Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" Trump said in a tweet.

Trump was apparently responding to a statement of Kim Jong-un that North Korea is a now a nuclear country and that he has a nuclear button at his desk.

In a televised address to the nation, Kim Jong-un had said the entire area of the US mainland is within North Korea's nuclear strike range.

In the same address, the North Korean supreme leader also said his country needs to mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and accelerate their deployment.  -- PTI
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11:09  
Western Railway tweets:

Railway tracks have been evacuated and train operations have resumed at Nallasopara/Virar from 10.30 am.
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10:52  
Commuters stranded due to less number of auto-rickshaws and other transport in Mumbai. Rickshaw driver in suburban Mulund says, 'We are supporting this bandh only because we are scared of our loss. They can vandalise anything here.'  -- ANI
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10:39   Protestors block rail track in Mumbai; Internet shut in Aurangabad
Maharashtra bandh update:

- Inter-state bus services from Karnataka to Maharashtra have been temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure.

- Western Railway tweeted that tracks have been evacuated of protestors and train operations have resumed at Virar and Goregaon in Mumbai from 9.05 am on WR suburban. Trains are delayed due to it.

- Soon after that, WR tweeted,  'Large number of protestors have occupied the railway tracks at Nallasopara Station from about 9.55 am, disrupting rail traffic. Administration and security forces are making all efforts to normalise the train operations.'

- Internet services suspended in Aurangabad, bus operations also affected.

- In Mumbai, protesters were gathering at Ghatkopar's Ramabai Colony, police personnel also at the site.

- In Thane, protesters halted buses and auto-rickshaws at Lal Bahadur Shastri Road. They also deflate bus tyres.

- In Pune, Divisional Security Commissioner D Vikas said, "All trains services running normal in Pune division, security in place to maintain the situation."

IMAGE: Protestors blocking rail tracks at Nallasopara near Mumbai. Photograph: Courtesy @WesternRly/Twitter
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10:21   Ola, Uber drivers on day's strike in Chennai
Chennai woke up to a one-day strike by Uber and Ola drivers today.   The drivers' main grouse is the hefty 25 percent commission charged by the operator. 

Further, they say, earlier they would get incentives for more rides but not anymore. Even the toll they pay is not refunded, they crib.   

A driver said they are promised incentives for 54 rides on four working days but after 50 rides they stop getting new rides.   

The drivers plan to hold a protest at Chepauk today, before ending their strike at 6 pm.   

Their strike has led to Chennai's auto drivers and prepaid taxis at airport making merry.

-- A Ganesh Nadar
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10:13   Police complaint lodged against Mevani, Khalid in Pune for 'provocative speech'
The Pune police has received a complaint against Gujarat MLA and Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani and Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid for their "provocative" speeches at an event in the city on December 31.   

Mevani and Khalid had attended the 'Elgar Parishad', an event organised to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima-Koregaon, at Shaniwar Wada in the city on December 31.   

According to the complainants -- Akshay Bikkad and Anand Dhond -- Mevani and Khalid had made "provocative" comments at the event.   

Bikkad and Dhond, both locals, approached the Deccan Gymkhana police station with an application and demanded the registration of a case against Mevani and Khalid for allegedly promoting enmity between different communities.   

"Mevani provoked the people to come out on the streets and retaliate. Due to this statement, people took to the streets and tension gripped the city," according to the complaint.   

A senior officer attached to the Deccan Gymkhana police station confirmed the receipt of the complaint application.   

He added that it would be forwarded to the Vishrambaug police station, under the jurisdiction of which Shaniwar Wada fell, for further action.
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09:52   Mumbai bandh: Suburban services running normally, says Central Railway
Section 144 has been imposed in Maharashtra's Thane area till midnight of January 4 in the wake of the statewide band called by the Dalit outfits.

The protestors even halted the trains at Thane railway station pertaining to the same.

"Few protestors tried to disrupt railway services at Thane, but were immediately cleared by RPF and GRP officials. Services are running uninterrupted on Central Railway as of now," says Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway.

Many schools in Thane are shut, with administrations saying they 'considered safety and security of students'.

"It was left for the parents to decide if they want to send their their children to school, hardly 50 students came today. So now we are even sending them back home, teachers will also leave thereafter," said a teacher at Mumbai's Young Ladies High School.

Huge security forces have been deployed in Ghatkopar's Ramabai Colony and Eastern Express Highway to keep a check on any case of violence.  -- ANI

Image only for representation.
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09:39   Triple talaq bill likely to be tabled in Rajya Sabha today
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 seeking to criminalise instant divorce, triple talaq, is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The Bill, last week, was passed in the Lok Sabha with most of the leading parties in the Opposition, including the Congress, voting in favour, but with caveats.

The contentious bill had gathered mixed response from all parties when it was introduced in the the lower house.

While the Congress extended its support, it also suggested that there were certain lacunae in the Bill that needed to be rectified before being brought into force.

If the Bill gets a green signal in the upper house as well, it will be forwarded to the President for signing it into a law.

In light of the ruling alliance lacking a majority in the Rajya Sabha, there are possibilities of the Bill getting stalled, as Congress, the leading opposition party has objected to the imprisonment and maintenance clauses of the Bill, and has pressed for the Bill to be sent to the standing committee or a select committee to remove objectionable clauses.

"On one hand, you are sending the man to jail, but on the other hand there is no clarification about who will provide maintenance for the woman and her child, so there are many loopholes," Congress Lok Sabha member Ranjeet Ranjan told ANI.

However the leading dispensation is hopeful that the opposition would not stall the passage of the Bill in the Upper House.

"The government's decision on triple talaq has been welcomed by everyone in the nation and amidst it, we do not believe the opposition would oppose the bill," Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said.  -- ANI
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09:33  
IMAGE: People seen waiting near Thane's Vartak Nagar due to less auto-rickshaws and other transport in the state today. Photograph: ANI
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09:24   Maha bandh: Bus services to Baramati, Satara suspended
Maharashtra bandh update:

Rail blockade at Thane station cleared, reports NDTV.

Western Railway tweets, 'Some protesters are not allowing dispatch and reception of suburban trains at Virar. Administration and Security staff making every effort to normalise the situation. Due to this, services are delayed.'

Bus services towards Pune's Baramati and Satara have been suspended till further orders, reports ANI.
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09:15   Fodder scam: Lalu Yadav to be sentenced today
A special Central Bureau of Investigation court will be pronouncing the quantum of sentence for former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad who has been convicted in a fodder scam case.

On December 23, the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief along with 14 others was found guilty by the court while seven accused including former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra were acquitted.

Lalu has been convicted in one of the cases of the fodder scam, wherein Rs 900 crore from the Bihar exchequer were siphoned off under the pretext of purchasing fodder for livestock, during '80s and '90s.   -- ANI

Photograph: PTI Photo
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09:12  
'Don't believe or spread rumors, continue with your routine activities. Police administration is geared up to deal with any untoward situation,' Mumbai Police advises residents.
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08:39  
Security deployment in Ghatkopar's Ramabai Colony and Eastern Express Highway in Mumbai on Wednesday morning. Photograph: ANI
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08:35   Maha bandh: Protestors stop trains; school buses remain off road in Mumbai
School buses will stay off roads in Mumbai on Wednesday in view of a Maharashtra bandh called by Dalit outfits to protest the violent clashes in Pune.

There is heavy police arrangement in areas like Chembur, Worli, Ghatkopar and Vikhroli of Mumbai.

So far, things are in control and there has been no violent incident.

However, on Thane railway station, Dalit protestors stopped train on Platform no. 1 and 2.

Section 144 has been imposed in Thane till January 4, midnight .

Western Railway, meanwhile, said services on the Western Line are running normally.

The School Bus Owners' Association (SBOA) said it would not operate its fleet of 40,000 buses on Wednesday.

Anil Garg, president of SBOA, told PTI, "For security reasons, we have decided not to ply our buses in the first shift tomorrow. If the situation remains peaceful, we will run the buses in the second shift."

However, if a particular bus owner wanted to operate his services, it would be his call, he added.

"Law-and-order is beyond our control. Therefore, we cannot take the risk," Garg said.

The state government has said schools will remain open on Wednesday.   However, the famous Mumbai dabbawalahs have decided to suspend their services today.

Domestic carriers, including the government-owned Air India, have waived charges for ticket cancellations and no-show due to the ongoing unrest in parts of Maharashtra.

Air India said it will not charge any fee for cancellation of tickets or rescheduling of a journey to/from Mumbai on January 2 and 3.

Air India has decided to waive ticket cancellation/ rescheduling charges for its flights to and from Mumbai for Tuesday and Wednesday, a senior airline official said.

Clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of right-wing Hindu organisations during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district had left a man dead on Monday.

Private carrier Jet Airways has extended the waiver to its customers till Wednesday, i.e, January 3.

'Due to the ongoing unrest in Mumbai, Aurangabad and Pune, Jet Airways has extended the waiver for travel date January 3, 2018. Hence, date/flight change, refund, no-show penalties and fare difference if any, are waived off on all the confirmed tickets issued for flights into/out of Mumbai, Pune and Aurangabad for travel date January 3, 2018,' Jet Airways said in a statement on Tuesday night.

Budget carrier IndiGo said it will be providing change and cancellation fee waiver for flights to and from Mumbai and also Pune for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar has called for a 'Maharashtra bandh' on Wednesday to protest the state government's 'failure' to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune.  -- with updates from PTI, ANI

Photograph: ANI
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00:04   Trump seeks probe into email practices of Clinton's aide
US President Donald Trump today urged the Justice Department to probe the email practices of Huma Abdein, a close aide of his 2016 Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton.

Abedin, who is both of Pakistani and Indian origin, is a close aide of Clinton, the former secretary of state who lost to Trump in the 2016 presidential elections.

She was at the center of a political storm in 2016 after the FBI announced that it was reopening its probe into Clinton's email scandal after they found pertinent emails related to the case on a laptop shared by Abedin and her
estranged husband Anthony Weiner.

"Crooked Hillary Clinton's top aide Huma Abedin has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents," Trump said in a tweet.

"Remember sailors pictures on submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey and others," he said.

Last week, the State Department released all emails from the laptop of Weiner, a former Congressman from New York.

In another development, Abedin's first cousin was convicted in a fraud case invoking fake emails.

Image: Hillary Clinton with Huma Abedin in Kendall, Florida, March 9, 2016. Photograph: Carlo Allegri

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