LIVE! Centre reaches out to Anna Hazare

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Mon, 26 March 2018

Centre reaches out to Anna Hazare

Timeline Refresh

23:36 Is North Korea's Kim Jong Un in Beijing on surprise visit?

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made a surprise visit to Beijing on his first known trip outside North Korea since taking power in 2011, three people with knowledge of the visit said.

Further details of the visit, including how long Kim would stay and who he would meet, were not immediately available. The people asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the information.

A special train may have carried Kim through the northeastern Chinese border city of Dandong, Japans Kyodo News said earlier. Nippon TV showed footage of a train arriving Monday in Beijing that looked similar to one used by Kims father, Kim Jong Il, to visit the Chinese capital shortly before his death in 2011.

The unannounced move follows US President Donald Trumps decision this month to grant an unprecedented meeting to Kim, after South Korean officials said Kim was willing to discuss giving up his nuclear weapons program.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has called for an all-party meeting at the state assembly on Tuesday, over the non-issuance of 'Special Category Status' to Andhra Pradesh.

Earlier last week, Naidu had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of not only doing injustice to the state but also weakening it by constantly hitting out at him.

While addressing the Telugu Desam Party's coordination committee meeting, Naidu said, "Attacking me means weakening the state. Thus they want to weaken the state. Had they shown some of that interest in state development, this situation would not have arisen."

The chief minister made the statement while addressing TDP MLAs, MLCs and senior leaders in the meeting that focused on the special status for the state and the party's alliance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance.

Meanwhile, the YSR Congress Party has announced that their MPs would resign from Lok Sabha and asked TDP MPs to follow the suit.

TDP reached a deadlock with its ally BJP over the non-issuance of the status to the state and ultimately quit the National Democratic Alliance coalition on March 1.

-- ANI

22:42 Centre reaches out to Anna Hazare

The Centre today reached out to Anna Hazare, who is on an indefinite hunger strike since March 23, with its emissary and Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajana assuring the social activist that most of his "demands will be taken care of".

"Tomorrow, we will give a written proposal to Anna ji," Mahajan said after meeting Hazare, adding "we are hopeful that he will end his indefinite hunger strike tomorrow."

The minister said he was representing both the Centre as well as the state government.

However, there was no word from the Hazare camp on the meeting.

Mahajan, who is Minister for Water Resources and Medical Education in the state, said of the 11 main demands put forth by Hazare, which include appointment of a Lokpal and giving better price for farmers for their yield, nearly 7-8 have been agreed upon.

"Most of his demands will be taken care of," Mahajan said.

-- PTI

22:34 Is Trump Ready to dump Pakistan?

As US ambassador to Pakistan more than a decade ago, Ryan Crocker spent much of his time trying to convince the government in Islamabad to take action against militants moving freely inside the country and plotting attacks on U.S. forces in neighboring Afghanistan.

In 2007, toward the end of his three-year tenure, Crocker spoke with the head of the Pakistani army, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who explained why Islamabad was not ready to reverse course.

Read full HERE

Excerpts: Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on March 26, 2018

Q: In an interview with the South China Morning Post, India's Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale repeatedly stressed that India has no concerns about China's rise. India looks at China's rise as something that encourages it to develop rapidly and it doesn't look upon China as a competitor, rival or threat. Instead, it treats China as partner in progress and development. What's China's response to that? How does China comment on Mr. Bambawale's remarks?

A: We have noted relevant reports and applaud Ambassador Bambawale's positive remarks. The fast development of China and India presents important opportunities to each other and the world at large. China and India face similar national conditions and development goals and are in similar development stages. We also share extensive common interests and should be each other's partner in the course of respective development and progress. Under the guidance of the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries, we stand ready to work with the India side to enhance political mutual trust, improve mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences and achieve common development.

Q: In the interview the Indian Ambassador Bambawale made the observation that the status quo on the China-India boundary should not be changed so as to avoid future Dong Lang incidents. He also suggested that the borderline should be demarcated in order to properly settle this issue. What is your response?

A: I just responded to the positive remarks concerning China-India relations by Ambassador Bambawale in his interview with the South China Morning Post. You mentioned his other remarks on Dong Lang and the border issues, and I would like to make some responses.

China has been committed to upholding peace and stability in the China-India border areas. The Sikkim section of China-India boundary has been demarcated by historical agreements and Dong Lang is China's territory. There is no such an issue as the change of status quo since China is exercising its sovereignty and conducting other sovereign activities in its own territory. Last year, the two sides worked together to peacefully resolve the Dong Lang incident with diplomacy and wisdom. We hope that India will draw lessons from that, abide by historical boundary treaties and basic norms governing international relations, and work with China to safeguard peace and stability of border areas in an effort to create good atmosphere for the positive development of bilateral relations.

As to the China-India boundary issue, China's position on that remains consistent and unequivocal. The eastern, central and western section of the boundary has never been demarcated officially. China is committed to settling territorial disputes through negotiation, and China and India are in discussions for resolving territorial disputes through negotiation in an attempt for a fair and reasonable solution that is acceptable to both sides. The two sides should work together to uphold peace and stability in the border area until the boundary issue is resolved.

Slamming the "noise" in the media on privacy issues, UIDAI chief Ajay Bhushan Pandey today said people voicing concern over data security would "happily accept" an Aadhaar-like scheme in the United States.

He said people in the US needed a social security number to get a driver's licence, to open a bank account, for marriage, divorce or even for a death certificate.

"So (some) people say in India, the government is making Aadhaar mandatory for (the opening of) bank accounts, pan cards or for mutual funds. Look, the same people who question this, either when they are living or when their children are living in the US, they happily accept this. They will go and use their social security number in every walk of life," Pandey said.

He added that people living in the United States "cannot breathe" without a social security number.

"And therefore people, particularly the intelligentsia here, when they question Aadhaar as an affront to democracy, affront to privacy, they must remember that...," Pandey said at the seminar on 'Aadhaar- tool for empowerment and privacy' organised by the Central Vigilance Commission.

His remarks came two days after Union Minister K J Alphons said there were people who were willing to "get naked before the white man" to procure an American visa but would cry "privacy" when basic details had to be shared with their own government.

Pandey allayed fears of a privacy breach and said people need not worry because Aadhaar data had been given the highest possible standards of security.

"During the last seven years there has not been a single breach from the Aadhaar system. So what you hear in the media is noise," he said, referring to reports of alleged data breach.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit identity number provided by the Unique Identification Authority of India.

"People should not be worried about privacy on account of Aadhaar," he said.

-- PTI

21:39 Taj visit to be capped at 3 hours from April 1

Entry tickets for visiting the World Heritage monument, Taj Mahal, will be valid only for three hours from April 1 and if tourists exceed the time limit, they would have to pay an extra fee that will be equivalent to the cost of a ticket.

At present, a ticket for an Indian national costs Rs 40 and for a foreign tourist costs Rs 1000 and they both will be valid for a three-hour time slot.

Superintendent archaeologist of ASI (agra circle) Bhuvan Vikram Singh said that if tourists exceed the time limit of thee hours, they will be charged an extra amount equivalent to another new ticket. This extra charge would have to be paid at the exit gate.

He said the time slots would be enforced and if a tourist doesn't arrive at their slotted time, she or he will not be allowed entry and will have to buy a new ticket to see the Taj. He also clarified that three hours will not overlap with the closing time, which means that the timings of the monument will continue as per existing schedule.

Inspector General of Police (Home Guard and Civil Defence) D Roopa Moudgil, who had claimed that jailed former AIADMK leader VK Sasikala had free access outside Bengaluru jail she was lodged in, has refused to accept Namma Bengaluru Award, given by a non-profit organisation Namma Bengaluru Foundation.

The senior police official has refused to accept the award because of a high cash reward associated with the same. She has written to the organisation saying her conscience does not permit her to accept the award.

"Every government servant is expected to maintain neutrality and equidistance from all quasi-political bodies and associations that have even the bare minimum political overtone. Only then a public servant can maintain a clean and fair image in the eyes of the public," read Roopa's letter.

"It becomes all the more relevant now in the view of the ensuing elections," added Roopa, who was nominated for the Government Official of the Year category. Eight government officers including Roopa have been shortlisted for the award and the winner will be announced at an event in Bengaluru.

In 2017, D Roopa came to light when she submitted a CCTV footage to anti-corruption bureau in Karnataka showing Sasikala and her relative Ilavarasi entering Parappana Agrahara Central jail in civilian clothes.

An FIR was registered against Bharatiya Janata Party leader on Monday, on charges of leading a rally holding a 'Trishul' on Ram Navami.

The Bengal BJP 'Lady' leader Locket Chatterjee held a trident in Rampurhat to attend Ram Navami celebration on Sunday. She tweeted on her twitter account:

"I am in Rampurhat to attend Ramnawami celebration, @MamataOfficial's goon can't stop me to take part in celebration. TMC shantibahini along with state police is harassing organising committees to stop Ramnavami. #MamataAgainstRamnavami"

This is with reference to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's statement at a meeting in Bolpur where she said "hooliganism will not be tolerated".

"I know that there are only a couple of organisations in Howrah and Asansol which traditionally hold Ram Navami processions with arms. Those who have been celebrating Ram Navami for more than a decade will be given special permission to hold processions with arms." Bannerjee told Media.

The holy celebrations, on Sunday, turned sour after clashes erupted in various parts of Bengal between BJP and Bajrang Dal workers, who were brandishing swords, trishuls (a three-pronged spear) and in some cases pistols in their celebratory processions, and Trinamool Congress members, leaving one dead and several injured.

-- ANI

As the Parliament logjam entered the 15th day, the CPI-M today submitted a notice of no-confidence against the BJP-led central government in the Lok Sabha, the fourth party to do so after the Congress and two Andhra parties.

Parliament will resume its sitting tomorrow after a three-day recess amid indications that the logjam may continue. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha are due to adjourn sine die on April 5.

On Friday, the Congress moved a no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha, days after the Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress adopted a similar measure.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has so far said she cannot take up notices for the no-confidence motion against the government as the "House was not in order" amid protests by members of different parties on various issues.

The leader of the CPI-M in Lok Sabha, P Karunakaran, submitted the notice to the Lok Sabha Secretariat today and urged the Speaker to include the no-confidence motion in the revised list of business for tomorrow.

-- PTI

Pakistan's former dictator Pervez Musharraf, ordered to appear before a special court in a high treason case, has postponed his return to the country citing security concerns, according to a media report today.

The Dubai-based retired army general and former president informed of his decision not to return to the country to persons close to him in Pakistan, Geo News reported.

Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, however, issued a statement soon after reports of Musharraf's decision to postpone his visit to Pakistan were aired by the media, stating that security should not be a concern for the former president.

"The government will provide Musharraf with security as prescribed by the law," Iqbal said.

"Security should not be a concern for him. He should continue with his plans to return to the country without any hesitation."

Musharraf, 74, has been living in Dubai since last year when he was allowed to leave Pakistan on the pretext of medical treatment.

He was indicted in March, 2014 on treason charges for imposing emergency in 2007 in the country which led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 judges.

He has been declared "proclaimed offender" by courts in the treason and the Benazir Bhutto assassination cases.

He is the first general to face trial for treason in Pakistan's history and if convicted, he could be given life imprisonment or the death penalty.

Musharraf's legal counsel Advocate Akhter Shah also expressed distrust on the interior ministry for the provision of foolproof security to his client.

Shah said he could not advise his client to return to the country till he was satisfied with the security arrangements for Musharraf.

-- PTI

Britain today hailed the "extraordinary international response" to the poisoning of a former double agent on its soil as scores of Russian diplomats were expelled around the world.

"Today's extraordinary international response by our allies stands in history as the largest collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers ever and will help defend our shared security," UK's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson wrote in a tweet.

BJP President Amit Shah today maintained that the Siddaramaiah government's move to accord separate religious minority status to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats was aimed at preventing B S Yeddyurappa from becoming chief minister.

"This Siddaramaiah government has brought this proposal, not because it has love for Lingayats, but to prevent Yeddyurappa from becoming chief minister," he said, as he began his two-day tour of election-bound Karnataka.

"I want to tell Karnataka people that if BJP wins a majority, we will make Yeddyurappa chief minister," he added.

Yeddyurappa is considered a Lingayat strongman.

The state cabinet had recently decided to recommend to the Centre to accord religious minority status to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats, in a move seen as an attempt to chip away at the BJP's strong Lingayat voter base.

Shah said that the proposal, which was rejected by the then Manmohan Singh government at the Centre in 2013, was only aimed at creating confusion among people.

He, however, believed that the people of the state would not be enticed by Siddaramaiah's "divide-and-rule politics."

-- PTI

The Lok Janshakti Party, an ally of the BJP, has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court against its order on the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, party leader Chirag Paswan said today.

The LJP, which draws its electoral base from Dalits in Bihar, has also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him that the government should file a review petition against the order which has made the act "toothless".

"We are worried as the order has weakened the law which has been the main protector of Dalits. It is necessary to ensure that it remains strong. We have also demanded that the government should go to the apex court at the earliest seeking a review of its order," he said.

Paswan, who is chairperson of his party's parliamentary board, said the LJP has been receiving a number of memorandums from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes against the court's order.

The court had expressed concern over the misuse of the act and said that government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens too could be arrested only after an inquiry.

LJP's secretary general Abdul Khaliq said the apex court's verdict had made the law "toothless" and his party wanted that the government should file a review against it.

It had also written to the prime minister, he said.

Dalit MPs of the BJP have also spoken against the order and voiced support in the favour of filing a review petition.

-- PTI

Congress on Monday appealed for a CBI Investigation into the death of a journalist, who was run over by a truck in Madhya Pradesh.

The national TV journalist, Sandeep Sharma, who was reporting on sand mafia in the state, was mowed down by a speeding truck in Bhind district on Sunday.

Congress MP Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia said, "He was killed in broad daylight. Nothing less than a CBI inquiry should be done. Media is the fourth pillar of democracy and that is being crushed under BJP's rule."

Earlier, police said they have formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the matter.

Reportedly, the journalist had earlier notified police that he had been receiving death threats by some unknown people.

-- ANI

YSR Congress said its MPs would resign whenever the budget session of Parliament was adjourned sine die without the Centre accepting its demand for granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in Guntur district, YSRC Parliamentary Party leader Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy told

reporters.

"Our president has directed us to submit the resignations immediately after the Parliament is adjourned sine die (without conceding the party's demand), whenever it would be and we need not wait for the April 6 deadline as specified earlier," he said.

Jaganmohan Reddy, whose party has nine MPs, had already announced last month that his party parliamentarians would quit on April 6, at the end of the budget session, if the special category status was not granted.

Today's decision was taken in wake of the rapidly changing political developments and the possibility of the Parliament session being cut short, Rajamohan Reddy added.

-- PTI

Union Social Justice Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot has written to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad favouring filing of a review plea against the Supreme Court's verdict on the SC/ST Act, while noting that there were concerns that the order will make the law "ineffective" and adversely impact the dispensation of justice to Dalits and tribals.

Seeking legal opinion on the issue, Gehlot, in the letter, said, "It is felt that the Supreme Court order may make the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act ineffective and adversely impact the dispensation of justice system. In my opinion it would be right to file a review petition against the verdict."

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes have also conveyed their views and demanded a review of the verdict, saying the original Act, as it existed before the SC order, should be restored.

The Supreme Court, on March 20, diluted stringent provisions mandating immediate arrest under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities (POA) Act.

It took note of the rampant misuse of the stringent Act against government servants and held that arrest of a public servant can only be after approval of the appointing authority while that of a non-public servant after approval by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) which may be granted in appropriate cases if considered necessary for reasons recorded.

It also said that the reasons recorded must be scrutinised by the Magistrate for permitting further detention.

According to a senior ministry official, a large number of atrocities like rape, molestation, harassment and violence happen against people belonging to such communities and most of the victims are so poor that it will be really difficult for them to present their case along with proof to police authorities and secure justice.

Also, evidence can be destroyed during this period. Therefore, the Supreme Court order will only delay justice to such victims, the official said.

-- PTI

The Trump administration expelled 60 Russian diplomats on Monday and ordered Russia's consulate in Seattle to close, as the United States and European nations sought to jointly punish Moscow for its alleged role in poisoning an ex-spy in Britain.

Senior Trump administration officials said all 60 Russians were spies working in the US under diplomatic cover, including a dozen at Russia's mission to the United Nations.

The officials said the administration was taking the action to send a message to Russia's leaders about the "unacceptably high" number of Russian intelligence operatives in the US.

The expelled Russians will have seven days to leave the US said the officials. They weren't authorised to be identified by name and requested anonymity.

They added that the Seattle consulate is a counter-intelligence concern because of its proximity to a US Navy base.

The move was one of the most significant actions US President Donald Trump's administration has taken to date to push back on Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Less than a week ago, Trump congratulated Putin by phone for his re-election but didn't raise the spy case, renewing questions about whether the US president is too soft on the Kremlin.

The US actions came as more than a dozen nations, including those in Russia's neighborhood, were expected to announce similar steps to reduce Russia's diplomatic presence in their countries or other actions to punish Moscow.

As the most famous resident of their village continued his indefinite hunger strike in Delhi, people in Anna Hazare's Ralegan Siddhi today replicated actor Dharmendra's protest atop a water tank in the iconic film "Sholay", to support the social activist's demands.

A group of residents of the village, located in Parner tehsil of Ahmednagar district, climbed atop the water tank, and shouted slogans demanding that the government should accept Hazare's demands, which include the appointment of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta in states.

Some protesters were carrying the national tricolour, and they threatened to jump off the tank if their demands were not accepted, an aide of the activist said.

Hazare began his indefinite hunger strike at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on March 23. Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan today met him at the venue, to discuss his demands.

Hazare's 2011 agitation in Delhi had led to the passing of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013, but the Centre is yet to appoint a Lokpal. This time, Hazare is also demanding that the government ensure better Minimum Support Price for farmers' agro produce to address the agrarian distress.
-- PTI

BJP's Sambit Patra calls Congress President Rahul Gandhi "technologically illiterate."

"He does not know that data analysis is not equivalent to spying. This new age is the age of information which Rahul-ji will not understand," Patra said.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi yesterday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi after allegations surfaced that data from his official app was being shared without users' consent, a charge the BJP trashed.

Gandhi also accused the media of "burying" the story. His attack on the prime minister was based on a media report in which a French vigilante hacker has purportedly alleged that data was stolen from his official app -- NaMo App -- without consent of the users.

"Hi! My name is Narendra Modi. I am India's Prime Minister. When you sign up for my official App, I give all your data to my friends in American companies, Gandhi said on Twitter.

In the tweet, he also attached a news story titled, Data theft allegations reaches PM Modi's doorstep, French vigilante hacker's stunning revelation".

The BJP reacted on Twitter saying, it did not expect "any better" from the Congress chief. It also said the data is used only for analytics using third party service, similar to Google Analytics.

China needs more water, so it is building a vast system of chambers on the Tibetan plateau which could send enough particles into the atmosphere to allow extensive clouds to form. Read the report here.

17:17 Rhino census begins in Kaziranga

Kaziranga National Park to conduct a two-day rhinoceros census exercise in all the ranges of the park starting from today More than 40 elephants, 17 SUVs are being used for the exercise.

Teeth, zipper, mint and add sandpaper to it now, the desperation to extract reverse swing in unfavourable conditions has driven international teams to find bizarre ways to tamper the ball.

Cameron Bancroft hiding a yellow strip of sandpaper in his pants easily fits into one of the many bizarre ball-tampering tactics but perhaps more sillier in execution when hawks like 'Oscar-The Cameraman' are in operation.

The phenomenon of ball-tampering has been around for decades in the gentleman's game and the infamous incident in the third Test between Australia and South Africa has only put spotlight back into the 'illegal yet almost unavoidable' tactic.

In the mid-70's, one of the earliest allegations of ball tampering was levelled against England seamer John Lever, whom the Indian captain Bishan Singh Bedi had accused of using vaseline to aid pronounced swing during MCC's tour of India in 1976.

Bedi was then targetted by the British media for trying to malign an England player. The rule allows the use of sweat and saliva to shine the ball but it becomes an offence the moment you do that with an 'artificial substance', leaving a grey area in between.

The fielding sides has been found working on the ball for decades but it was not until 2000 when Waqar Younis became the first cricketer to be suspended for ball-tampering. However during Pakistan's tour of 1992, the two W's Wasim and Waqar were accused of getting excessive reverse swing with allegation that they used bottle opener to scruff up the seam of the Dukes ball. Repeatedly bouncing one side on the ground and scratching the seam are common ways of getting the seam scruffed up on abrasive surfaces but some players suddenly become more "creative" than required.

Bottle openers, zippers of trousers, lip balm, hair gel, or in Bancroft's case, a sandpaper then come into use.

Back in 1994, England captain Michael Atherton was accused of ball-tampering after cameras caught him rubbing the ball with the hidden dirt in his trousers' pocket. Atherton later claimed that he had dirt in his pocket to dry his hands but was still fined 2,000 pounds for not disclosing the substance.

The then England skipper's case will never be proved but sometimes confession by players make the job much easier for the match referee, like it happened with under-fire Australian Steve Smith and Bancroft in the recently concluded third Test.

Some choose to confess after they retire, like what former England opener Marcus Trescothick thick. The stylish batsman has revealed in his book that he used mint-induced saliva to shine the ball during the 2005 Ashes. --PTI

Seven months after declaring instant triple talaq unconstitutional, the Supreme Court today agreed to examine the constitutional validity of polygamy and 'nikah halala' in the Muslim community.

The SC noted that the five-judge bench which examined instant triple talaq - and pronounced their order in August last year - had kept open the issues of polygamy and 'nikah halala'.

The SC today issued notices to the Centre and the Law Commission asking them to make their stand clear on a batch of petitions asking the two practices be abolished. Polygamy is the practice of being married to more than one woman. Nikah-halala is a practice intended to curb divorce. Under it, a man cannot remarry his former wife without her going through the process of marrying someone else, consummating that marriage, getting divorced and observing a separation period called Iddat.

One petitioner, a Hyderabad-based lawyer, has contended that while Muslim law allows a man to have multiple wives by way of the temporary marriages or polygamy, the same permission is not extended to women and therefore the law violates the fundamental rights of Muslim women.

Another petition, filed by a Delhi-based woman, has said that by virtue of the Muslim Personal Law, section 494 of IPC (marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife) was rendered inapplicable to Muslims and no married woman from the community has the avenue to file a complaint against her husband for the offence of bigamy.

In a historic decision last August, a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court by 3:2 majority struck down triple talaq, or instant divorce, as unconstitutional. While then Chief Justice J S Khehar and justice S Abdul Nazeer held triple talaq to be part of fundamental right to religion of Muslims and said it was not unconstitutional, Justices Kurian Joseph, R F Nariman and U U Lalit said triple talaq violated the fundamental right of Muslim women as they are subjected to arbitrary irrevocable divorce through this practice.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is in New Delhi from today for the next four days where she will be meeting leaders of 18 political parties.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, JD-S chief HD Deve Gowda, apart from leaders from the RJD, TDP and TRS.

Conspicuous by its absence is the Congress party. Mamata Banerjee has apparently refused to meet Rahul Gandhi during this visit, as she claims that the Congress president is Left-leaning and is therefore more in line with CPI-M chief Sitaram Yechury's school of thought.

All the 35 Trinamool Congress MPs are at the Bango Bhavan in New Delhi with Banerjee. While Arvind Kejriwal is batting for Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam, this third front is characterised by its mostly anti Congress, anti BJP stance.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule will be hosting a dinner for Mamata Banerjee tonight. The three will quite likely deliberate on politics with the Lok Sabha polls so near. TMC MPs Sudip Bandopadhyay and Dinesh Trivedi drove to Pawar's residence to work out the exact time and menu of the dinner.

15:53

Pramila Jayapal, 52, the first Indian American woman in the U.S. House reflects on the state of US democracy. Read

15:50 Hazare's strike enters day 4, aide claims he lost 4 kgs

Social activist Anna Hazare has lost 4 kilos, his aide claimed, as his indefinite hunger strike entered its fourth day. Hazare's blood pressure, however, is normal, his close associate Datta Awari said.

Hazare has been on an indefinite hunger strike since March 23 to press for his demands, including the appointment of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states.

His 2011 agitation had led to the passing of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013, but the Centre is yet to appoint an ombudsman. This time Hazare is also demanding the government give better Minimum Support Prices MSPs to farmers to address agrarian distress. -- PTI

TDP Leader Chandrababu Naidu has convened a meeting with leaders from 35 parties in Vijayawada in the third week of April.

Naidu, who exited the NDA after the Centre went back on its promise of granting a special status to Andhra Pradhesh, has spoken to leaders from the DMK, TMC, RJD, BSP, SP, AAP, JDS, MDMK, DMDK and PMK.

On the agenda are PM Narendra Modi and his able aide BJP chief Amit Shah.

Ajinkya Rahane will lead IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals after Steve Smith loses captaincy after admitting to ball tampering during the ongoing going third Test against South Africa in Cape Town, reports NDTV.

The ICC handed Smith a one-Test suspension and docked his full match fees as per its code of conduct. The BCCI and Royals heaved a sigh of relief after Smith escaped with a mild punishment.

India's Test vice-captain Rahane is saleable as a brand -- a must for all IPL franchises. Rahane was one of Royals' premier performer before they were banned for two years in the wake of the 2013 spot-fixing scandal.

14:57 BJP MPs told to write their own report card

BJP president Amit Shah has handed out a booklet to every party MP.

Shah, the man credited with the party's stunning win in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, especially in Uttar Pradesh, hosted a dinner on Friday.

At the dinner, the MPs were given the booklet which primarily has a questionnaire for the MPs to fill out before May 15. The questions are a listicle of the MPs' achievements in their Parliamentary constituencies.

PM Modi is all set to review the achievements and the shortcomings of each BJP MP in the first week of June. A detailed calendar of events is also given in this booklet which is for private circulation only.

Many a MPs' future lie in the answers in the booklet.

Bahujan SamajParty supremo Mayawati on Monday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for using Bhimrao Ambedkar's name and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party chants the name of the Dalit leader but oppresses those belonging to the category.Addressing the media, the BSP supremo said that in past four-and-a-half years of governance, the BJP only did drama, towards Dalits.

"They chant Ambedkar's name but oppress those belonging to the category. It's evident from the fact when Bhim Rao Ambedkar was made to lose when the BJP introduced an extra seat. BSP-SP didn't come together to fulfill selfish needs but to stand against the BJP's misrule," Mayawati said.

She said that Prime Minister Modi speaks about BR Ambedkar but his mindset is stark opposite of what latter stood for.

"That is the reason BJP and RSS were kept out of power in the past decades," she added.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi in his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' remembered Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar and said the Centre's development initiatives are in consonance with the latter's dream of India as an industrial superpower.

He said Dr. Ambedkar is an "inspiration for millions of people who belonged to backward classes and showed that it is not necessary for the person to be born in an illustrious or rich family to be successful." -- ANI

Four women Maoists have been killed during an exchange of fire with security personnel in Narayanpatna area of Odisha's Koraput district, the police said today. Acting on a tip off, the District Voluntary Force and Special Operations Group personnel launched a joint combing operation last night in the forest areas of Narayanpatna, Director General of Police R P Sharma said.

"As soon as the left-wing extremists saw security personnel approaching them, they opened fire. When the security forces retaliated, a fierce gun battle ensued between the two sides, leading to the death of four women cadres," Sharma explained. It appeared that 10 to 12 rebels of the Andhra-Odisha Special Zonal Committee of CPI (Maoist) were present at the site during the encounter, he said. -- PTI

14:01

Rahul Gandhi'Verified account @RahulGandhi 31m31 minutes agoMoreModi misusing PM position to build personal database with data on millions of Indians via the NaMo App promoted by Govt. If as PM he wants to use tech to communicate with India, no problem. But use the official PMO APP for it. This data belongs to India, not Modi.

13:38 INX Media case: CBI seeks 5-day custody of Peter Mukerjea

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday sought a five-day-custody of former media baron Peter Mukerjea in connection with the INX Media case.

Mukerjea was produced before a Delhi court earlier today.

Mukerjea-owned INX Media Ltd had allegedly paid bribes to get a Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval which was facilitated by former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram.

However, on Friday, the Delhi High Court granted bail to Karti in connection with the case, on a surety of Rs 10 lakh. -- ANI

Congress deletes its official mobile phone app 'With INC' from Google's Play Store after reports that the data from the app was being routed to servers in Singapore.

A cursory search for the app on Apple App Store also fails to throw up any results for the Congress app. Clicking on links which come up after a Google search reads, "This content is not available in your country yet. We're working to bring the content you love to more countries as quickly as possible. Please check back again soon."

French security researcher Baptiste Robert, who is known by his Twitter username Elliot Alderson, also put out a tweet saying, "Did @INCIndia removed their #android #app from the PlayStore just before my tweet?"

This comes after the BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya accused Congress President Rahul Gandhi of sharing users' data from his party's official App with Singapore firm.

Malviya shared a picture of the disclaimer of the site and targeted the Congress party for being upfront to accept that they will share the data with a third party.

"Hi! My name is Rahul Gandhi. I am the President of India's oldest political party. When you sign up for our official App, I give all your data to my friends in Singapore," Malviya Tweeted.

"Full marks to @INCIndia for stating upfront that they'll give your data to **practically anyone** - undisclosed vendors, unknown volunteers, even 'groups with similar causes'. In the theft of all forms, Congress has never been discreet!," he added.

The BJP IT cell head further alleged that if the "Congress party says that they will share data with like-minded people, then chances are that it could be people like Maoists, stone pelters, Chinese embassy and Cambridge Analytica."

Further targeting UPA chief Sonia Gandhi, Malviya accused the Congress party of following 'all power no accountability' dictum.

Union minister Smriti Irani tweeted, "Ye kya @RahulGandhi ji it seems your team is doing the opposite of what you asked for. Instead of #DeleteNaMoApp, they have deleted the Congress App itself." -- ANI

A feature film on the life and times of 'Rosogolla' inventor in Bengal, Nobin Chandra Das, in 19th century Kolkata as the backdrop, is set to hit the screens by this year-end. The Bengali film 'Rosogolla' seeks to capture the journey of Das, from a humble background to a business tycoon. Das had invented Rosogolla by dipping cotton cheese ball in sugary syrup (in 1868) after trying various combinations. The film is being directed by Pavel and produced by Shiboprosad Mukhopadhyay and Nandita Roy, directors of a string of blockbusters. "Being a feature film, it is not a biopic. It is partly based on real-life events and there are some fictional accounts," the director told PTI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to appoint finance secretary Hashmukh Adhia as the next Union Cabinet Secretary. The incumbent P K Sinha retires on August 1.

Adhia is the eyes and ears of the Prime Minister and has also been revenue secretary for two years. He drove the PM's biggest initiatives -- demonetisation and GST -- and has been an old hand in the finance ministry.

Interestingly, it has been Adhia who has followed up many of the Enforcement Directorate cases against former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav and his daughter Misa. The PM has received daily briefings about the CBI and ED raids on former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti, thanks to Adhia.

A 1981 IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre, Adhia has always been a close confidante of Narendra Modi. He served as Principal Secretary to Modi from 2003-06, when Modi was Chief Minister of Gujarat.

A local journalist was among two persons killed when an SUV rammed into their bike in Bhojpur district of Bihar, with the family alleging that it was a case of murder and a former village head was behind it, police said today.

Naveen and his friend Vijay Singh were riding a motorcycle last night when they were crushed to death by the SUV near Nahsi village.

Irate villagers intercepted the vehicle, but its occupants fled. The mob set the SUV on fire, Avakash Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Bhojpur, said.

Rajesh, brother of Naveen Nishchal who worked for a Hindi daily, had alleged in the FIR that it was a case of murder and a former Panchayat Mukhiya Ahmed Ali alias Harsu and his son Dabloo were behind it, the SP said. The SUV belongs to Harsu. It was alleged in the FIR that Harsu had been nursing a grouse against the reporter, the SP said. Efforts are on to nab the father-son duo who are absconding, the SP said adding that villagers had also vandalised the house of the ex-village head.

Police have been deployed in the village where the situation is tense but under control. PTI

Image: The charred remains of the SUV which was set ablaze.

11:43

Jammu & Kashmir: 1 army personnel dead and 9 injured in an accident in Pulwama's Awantipora.

11:30 Never quite got to walk the red carpet with you: Arjun Kapoor's message for mom

Bollywood star Arjun Kapoor has shared an emotional post on the occasion of his mother, Mona Shourie Kapoor's death anniversary.

His mother and Boney Kapoor's ex-wife succumbed to cancer in 2012 - days before the release of Arjun's Bollywood debut 'Ishaqzaade.

'The '2 States' star, on Sunday, took to Instagram to share an old picture with her.

He wrote alongside, "As I was shooting by a canal today in Patiala wishing I could send u a picture of how nice the location was Mom I realised I never quite got to walk the red carpet with u to show u one of my films but I'm certain in the last 6 years u have walked every step of the way with me thru these 9 films Along with mine & Anshula s personal journeys...wish u were here Mom so much has transpired so much where I would have looked at u for answers and looked at u to draw strength...

"I don't know if I'm doing a decent job at it but I'm taking one day at a time and making each moment count trying to be a truthful reflection of u n ur teachings...can't believe it's been 6 years to the day but I have thought of u every breath I have taken pls smile spread ur warmth n positivity wherever u are cause god knows the world me and Anshula need it...love u forever and beyond..."

The 32-year-old has, on various occasions, talked about how much he misses his mother. -- ANI

A day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official app was sharing data without users' consent, the Bharatiya Janata Party hit back at Gandhi and accused him of sharing users' data from his party's official App with a Singapore firm.

Taking to his Twitter handle, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya shared a picture of the disclaimer of the site and targeted the Congress for being upfront to accept that they will share the data with a third party.

"Hi! My name is Rahul Gandhi. I am the President of India's oldest political party. When you sign up for our official App, I give all your data to my friends in Singapore," Malviya Tweeted.

"Full marks to @INCIndia for stating upfront that they'll give your data to **practically anyone** - undisclosed vendors, unknown volunteers, even 'groups with similar causes'. In the theft of all forms, Congress has never been discreet!," he added.

The BJP IT cell head further alleged that if the "Congress party says that they will share data with like-minded people, then chances are that it could be people like Maoists, stone pelters, Chinese embassy and Cambridge Analytica."

Further targeting United Progressive Alliance chief Sonia Gandhi, Malviya accused the Congress party of following 'all power no accountability' dictum.

"When Congress says they will share your data with like-minded groups, the implications are grave. From Maoists, stone pelters, Bharat Ke Tukde Gang, Chinese embassy to globally 'renowned' orgs like Cambridge Analytica, the field is extensive and wide open," he said in the tweet.

"Inspired by Sonia Gandhi's 'all power no accountability' dictum, Congress will take all your data, even share it worldwide with orgs like Cambridge Analytica but will not take responsibility for it! Their own policy says so" he added.

A furore erupted yesterday after Rahul accused the PM of leaking details of users to US firms through the NaMo app.

"Hi! My name is Narendra Modi. I am India's Prime Minister. When you sign up for my official App, I give all your data to my friends in American companies," Rahul tweeted.

Rahul made the statement referring to a media report that quoted a French security researcher claiming that the Narendra Modi app sends all the device info and personal data including email IDs, photos, gender and names of the users without consent to a third-party domain belonging to an American company. -- ANI

Mumbai recorded the second highest temperature in March in a decade yesterday, the India Meteorological Department said.

The mercury yesterday soared to 41 degrees Celsius, IMD director Shubhangi Bhute told PTI today.

This made yesterday the second hottest day in March this decade, getting within a touching distance of 41.3 degrees C recorded on March 17, 2011.

The highest ever temperature recorded this month in Mumbai was on March 28, 1956 when the mercury reached 41.7 degrees C, Bhute said.

The next few days are likely to be hot in Mumbai, with the temperatures likely to hover around 41 degrees C, according to the IMD.

"A low-level inversion led to a spike in temperatures. The easterly winds don't let the sea breeze effect to set in, which is why the temperatures rise," the official said. -- PTI

Porn star Stormy Daniels claimed that she was threatened in a bid to keep her silent about her alleged fling with United States President Donald Trump.

In a highly-anticipated TV interview on Sunday, Daniels told Anderson Cooper on CBS's "60 Minutes" programme that she had unprotected sex with Trump once in 2006, and was threatened by a man in a parking lot in Las Vegas when she agreed to tell her story in 2011.

Daniels said that she was on her way to a fitness class with her infant daughter when she was approached by a man.

"A guy walked up on me and said to me, 'Leave Trump alone. Forget the story.' It was then at that point that the alleged threat of physical violence was made, according to her account," Daniels recalled.

The adult star added that the man, whom she could not identify, leaned around and looked at her daughter and said, 'That's a beautiful little girl. It'd be a shame if something happened to her mom."

The experience left her shaking in fear and afraid she would drop her daughter, she added.

Daniels said that fear also motivated her to sign the non-disclosure agreement 11 days before the election in 2016.

She told CBS that she agreed to the gagging contract because "I was concerned for my family and their safety."

"Then in January 2018, after the Wall Street Journal had revealed the existence of the non-disclosure agreement, she signed another document that denied that any affair had taken place -- a statement that she now says was a lie," she added.

Asked by Cooper why she signed a false statement, Daniels replied: "Because they made it sound like I had no choice."

Cooper then asked Daniels if the latter thought there would be legal repercussions if there was no sign to which she answered that "they can make your life hell in many different ways."

Asked who "they" were, Daniels named Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. -- ANI

09:37 Life ban for Smith and Warner?

Even as disgraced Australia cricket captain escaped with just a one-match suspension and a 100 per cent fine on his match fee after admitting to ball-tampering, according to media reports, Smith and his deputy David Warner face anything up to a life ban for cheating under Cricket Australia's code of behaviour.

Australian cricket board's Head of Integrity Iain Roy and team performance manager Pat Howard has travelled to South Africa to begin interviews with Smith, Warner, Cameron Bancroft and coach Darren Lehmann as part of an investigation into the cheating scandal.

According to a ESPNCricinfo report, after his investigation, Roy will then recommend the charges following which an independent commissioner will hold a hearing and decide the severity of the penalty.

The maximum penalty available to the code of conduct commissioner is a life ban from the sport, the report said.

Smith was handed a one-match suspension and fined 100 percent of his match fee after he owned up to a ball-tampering conspiracy in South Africa.

However, opener Bancroft was fined 75 per cent of his match fee and handed three demerit points for breaching Level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third day's play.

Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan reaches New Delhi on Monday for official trade talks.

Against the backdrop of a possible trade war between the United States and China, India is looking to get China to reduce tariffs on our export, senior government officials suggested, reports Subhayan Chakraborty in Business Standard.

The bilateral engagement, under the aegis of the India-China joint economic forum, will be significant for India since Beijing has decided to discuss Indias ballooning trade deficit, commerce and industry minister Suresh Prabhu said.

India's import from China was $61.3 billion and exports stood at a much lesser $10.2 billion, leaving in its wake a massive $51.1 billion trade deficit in 2016-17.

The government has been worried by increasing friction between the US -- India's largest export destination -- and China, India's largest import source, which could lead to a fall in global demand and rise in the cost of trade.

However, Delhi also feels the current situation offers an opportunity to push for trade concessions from Beijing.

"After the lengthy military standoff between both nations at the disputed Doklam plateau of Bhutan, further conclusive talks on trade issues looked slim but Shan's visit signifies they want to engage a major trade partner," an expert said.

Both nations signed an agreement in September 2014 to achieve bilateral trade balance by 2019. The five-year programme is a joint medium-term road map for promoting trade and investment.

"The agreement acknowledges the pitfalls of one-way trade but since it is non-binding, the scope of deliberations with regard to reducing the trade deficit depends heavily on intent, as well as the presence of a free environment for discussion," a senior commerce ministry official said.

The agreement also talks of easing of restrictions by the Chinese government against high potential export items from here, such as bovine meat, fruit & vegetables and basmati rice. Of these, only basmati has seen a breakthrough, with 14 firms allowed to export to China in 2016.

The government is throwing its weight behind a long-term plan of revising the export basket to China. Raw materials like cotton, iron ore and copper have come under scrutiny as the government and exporters try to shift priorities towards value-added products. The ministry has identified key sectors such as hardware, electronics, pharmaceuticals, textiles and auto components to boost export.

"The government aims to slowly but steadily revise its export basket to China, so that over the next few years, higher forex-earning value added goods make up the majority of export rather than raw materials," the official said.

India spinner Harbhajan Singh has slammed the ICC for letting off Australian opener Cameron Bancroft with only a fine of 75 per cent of his match fee and not a ban, despite his role in the ball tampering scandal in the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

Harbhajan recalled the 2001 South Africa Test where five Indians -- Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Shiv Sunder Das and Deep Dasgupta, apart from him, were banned for at least a Test by match referee Mike Denness for various offences.

He also referred to the 2008 Sydney Test against Australia, infamously described as Monkeygate, where he was banned for three Tests for an alleged racial slur against Andrew Symonds.

"wow @ICC wow. Great treatment nd FairPlay. No ban for Bancroft with all the evidences whereas 6 of us were banned for excessive appealing in South Africa 2001 without any evidence and Remember Sydney 2008? Not found guilty and banned for 3 matches.different people different rules," he tweeted.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan too was critical of ICC's decision.

"1 Match Ban & 100 % March fee Fine for Smith #ffs ... 75% match fee fine for Bancroft and some bloody De merit points for Bancroft ... Pathetic penalties for CHEATING ... Surely this moment was the time to set a precedent ... !!?? All the team should be penalised," he wrote in his handle.

Australia captain Smith has been handed a one-match suspension and fined 100 percent of his match fee after he owned up to a ball-tampering conspiracy in South Africa.

However, opener Bancroft was fined 75 per cent of his match fee and handed three demerit points for breaching Level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the third day's play.

The incident that led to the charges being laid took place during South Africa's innings on Saturday afternoon when Bancroft was seen on television holding a foreign object while rubbing the ball, before hiding the yellow object in his pocket, then inside his trousers. -- PTI

09:03 'Anna Hazare has lost 3 kg in 3 days'

Social activist Anna Hazare has lost 3 kg since he began his indefinite hunger strike at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Friday, but his blood pressure is normal, his aide said on Sunday.

Hazare has been on hunger strike to press for his demands, including the appointment of a Lokayukta at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states.

His 2011 agitation had led to the passing of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013, but the Centre is yet to appoint a Lokpal.

This time Hazare is also demanding the government for better minimum support prices for farmers to address the agrarian distress. -- PTI

Thirty-seven people were killed in a massive fire that engulfed a busy shopping centre in an industrial city in western Siberia on Sunday, with scores more reported missing, including children.

The fire started on the fourth floor of the Zimnyaya Vishnya (Winter Cherry) shopping centre in the city of Kemerovo and consumed an area of about 1,600 square meters.

It is yet to be ascertained as to what caused the fire.

An investigation has been launched by the Russian authorities.

According to first deputy governor of the Kemerovo region Vladimir Chernov, 13 bodies were found in one of the movie halls.

A source in the local rescue services said 69 people including 40 children were reported missing, the RIA Novosti agency reported, while the Investigative Committee said it was "verifying information that 35 people could be missing".

According to news agencies, the preliminary findings of the inquiry said the fire started around 1100 GMT in one of the cinema halls and destroyed more than 1,000 square metres of the centre,

The Zimnyaya Vishnya mall opened in 2013 with an overall area of 23,000 square meters. It has a parking lot for 250 cars, shopping centres, a bowling club, a children's centre, a cinema, and a petting zoo.

More than 200 animals at the petting zoo were also killed in the blaze. -- ANI

Ajinkya Rahane will likely lead Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals in case an under-fire Steve Smith loses captaincy after admitting to ball tampering during the third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

The International Cricket Council on Sunday handed Smith a one-Test suspension and docked his full match fees as per its code of conduct.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India and Royals heaved a sigh of relief after Smith escaped with a mild punishment.

However, there is a school of thought in BCCI that if Smith himself decides to quit captaincy, Royals should be okay with it as they have a ready replacement in Rahane.

"Now the ball is completely in Rajasthan Royals' court. Yes, Smith was dishonest in allowing a youngster to tamper with the ball. He has set a very bad example but Rajasthan's plans revolve around Smith," a senior BCCI official told PTI.

"We think Rajasthan will like to start with a clean slate without any controversy. So it would be easier if Smith decides to play as a batsman only and let someone else take over the mantle of captaincy," the official said.

India's Test vice-captain Rahane is also saleable as a brand -- a must for all IPL franchises.

Rahane was one of Royals' premier performer before they were banned for two years in the wake of the 2013 spot-fixing scandal. -- PTI

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