LIVE! Crucial collegium meet on Wednesday to reconsider name of Justice Joseph

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Tue, 01 May 2018

Crucial collegium meet on Wednesday to reconsider name of Justice Joseph

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21:38 Crucial collegium meet on Wednesday to reconsider name of Justice Joseph

A crucial meeting of the Supreme Court collegium is likely to take place on Wednesday to reconsider the name of the Uttarakhand high court Chief Justice K M Joseph for elevation as a judge of the apex court which was sent back by the government last week.

The five-member collegium, comprising Chief Justice Misra and justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph, is likely to discuss threadbare the note sent to the CJI by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad while returning the file relating to the recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph as an apex court judge.

Justice Joseph's name was recommended along with the senior advocate Indu Malhotra on January 10 for their elevation as apex court judges. The government had on April 26 declined to accept the recommendation of the Collegium and asked it to reconsider his name.

Malhotra was sworn in as the judge of the apex court on April 27.

Justice K M Joseph, who had headed the bench that had quashed the Narendra Modi government's decision to impose President's rule in the Congress-ruled hill state in 2016, was not considered to be elevated as a Supreme Court judge by the Centre which said the proposal was not in accordance with the top court's parameters and there was adequate representation of Kerala in the higher judiciary from where he hails.

His seniority was also questioned by the Centre which said "he stands at Sl. No.45 in the combined seniority of High Court Judges on all-India basis."

Justice Joseph, who turns 60 this June, has been the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand high court since July 2014. He was appointed a permanent judge of the Kerala high court on October 14, 2004 and assumed charge of the Uttarakhand high court on July 31, 2014.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Panchkula on Tuesday granted bail to former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda in a case related to the alleged irregularities in Manesar land deals, a senior lawyer said.

Former chief minister Hooda appeared before the court of special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh.

"He was granted bail by the court," the former chief minister's counsel Arshdeep Singh Cheema said in Panchkula.

The court granted bail to Bhupinder Singh Hooda after accepting two surety bonds of Rs five lakh each, said Cheema. He has also been asked not to leave the country without seeking the permission of the court, Cheema added.

The next hearing in the case has been fixed for May 31, the lawyer said.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda had not appeared before the court during the last hearing on April 19 citing medical reasons. The Congress leader had stated he was admitted in AIIMS in Delhi.

Several Congress leaders including MLAs were present outside the Panchkula court complex today. They included former Haryana Vidhan Speaker and MLA Kuldeep Sharma, MLAs Raghuvir Singh Kadian, Anand Singh Dangi, Karan Dalal, Lalit Nagar and the former chief minister's son and MP Deepinder Hooda.

Bhupinder Singh Hooda and 33 others were charge sheeted by the CBI in a case of alleged corruption in Manesar land deals worth over Rs 1,500 crore, in which around 200 farmers were cheated.

The 33 persons against whom the charge sheet was filed included, former principal secretary Murari Lal Tayal, former additional principal secretary and former UPSC member Chattar Singh -- both retired IAS officers and former Director of Town and Country Planning Sudeep Singh Dhillon.

They were booked under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and cheating and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

It was alleged on August 27, 2004 and August 25, 2005, the Haryana government had issued separate notifications for the acquisition of 912 acres of land for setting up an industrial model township at Manesar, Naurangpur and Lakhnoula villages in Gurgaon. -- PTI

The Congress today attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of lying and not having answers on issues of alleged corruption by his ministers, diamond merchant Nirav Modi, and Rafale.

The party was hitting back at Modi after he lashed out at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, asking him to speak on the achievements of his Karnataka government for 15 minutes.

Congress spokesperson Sushmita Dev said Modi's remarks today proved that he had no answers to the issues raised by her party and demanded that he speak with integrity for even 15 seconds without lying or misrepresenting facts.

"Today, it has been proved beyond doubt that the prime minister has no answer on Nirav Modi, or on Jay Shah. He has no answers on Rafale or on Piyush Goyal's corruption which is there beyond doubt in the public domain," she told reporters.

The Mahila Congress chief said she wanted to tell him that their fight was not against individual Narendra Modi but Gandhi's challenge to speak for 15 minutes must address the issues related to Nirav Modi and Rafale.

"It must address Jay Shah and Piyush Goyal. But today his statement in Karnataka has proved beyond doubt that he has absolutely no answer whatsoever to these issues," she claimed.

On the prime minister's remark that Gandhi should speak without a script, Dev said, "Do you have the integrity to speak, let alone 15 minutes, can you speak for even 15 seconds without lies and misrepresentation?"

On the issue of 'kaamdaar' and 'naamdaar' that Modi had referred to, Dev said, "The people of the country are not thinking about who is 'kaamdaar' or 'naamdaar'. Today, the only word that exists in the people's heart is 'imaandaar' (honest).

"Whether you are honest, Mr Piyush Goyal and the prime minister should answer that in 15 minutes, and if possible in 15 seconds," she told reporters.

Earlier in the day in Karnataka, Modi had unleashed an all out attack on Gandhi and dared him "to speak in any language" for 15 minutes about the achievements of Karnataka's Siddaramaiah government without referring to a piece of paper.

"I dare the Congress president to speak in Hindi, English or the mother tongue of his mother to deliver a speech in Karnataka for 15 minutes, without reading out from a piece of paper, on the achievements of the party government... people of Karnataka will draw their own conclusion," he told a poll rally at Santemaranahalli in Chamaraja district.

The prime minister was responding to Gandhi's dare to him to allow him to speak for 15 minutes in Parliament on various issues, including corruption. The Congress chief claimed that Modi would not be able to sit for 15 minutes.

"His speaking for 15 minutes will itself is a big thing. And when I hear that I would not be able to sit, I think...wow, what a scene it is? Congress president, sir, we cannot sit before you. You are 'naamdar' (famous), while I am 'kaamdar' (ordinary worker). We have no status to sit in front of you," Modi said. -- PTI

Former Chief of the Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal Idris Hassan Latif, who died aged 94, was laid to rest in Hyderabad today.

The funeral was conducted with full military honours at a cemetery in the Old City of Hyderabad, Defence sources said.

Latif, who was the IAF chief from September 1978 to August 1981, passed away at a private hospital in Hyderabad yesterday after a brief illness.

After his retirement in 1981, Latif held the posts of Maharashtra Governor and Indian Ambassador to France.

He had joined the Royal Indian Air Force in 1941 at the age of 18 and was commissioned the next year.

On completion of his training at Ambala, he was posted in Karachi, where he flew vintage biplanes like the Wapiti, Audaxes and Harts, on Anti-Submarine flights over the Arabian Sea.

During 1943-44, he was one of the few Indian pilots to be seconded to the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom, where he underwent training on more contemporary aircraft like the Hurricane and Spitfire.

He returned to India in 1944 and took part in the Burma campaign.

At the time of partition, he chose the IAF though he was reportedly urged by some to join the Pakistan Air Force. -- PTI

A Chinese man has been detained after he opened the emergency exit on a plane as he felt "stuffy" while waiting to disembark.

The man, identified only by his surname Chen, was waiting to leave the flight at Mianyang airport in the southwestern province of Sichuan when he decided he could do with some fresh air.

Unfortunately for him, the handle he pulled was attached to the emergency exit and not only did the hatch come free from the plane, but it also activated the escape slide, the Hong Kong- based South China Morning Post reported quoting a Thepaper.cn report yetaerday.

Chen, 25, who was returning from the island of Hainan, insisted he did not know that it was an escape route, adding: "Because it was so stuffy, so hot on the plane, I just pushed down on the window handle beside me. When the door fell out, I panicked."

The crew alerted police and he was detained for 15 days for the unauthorised removal of aviation facilities. He will also be fined 70,000 yuan (USD 11,000) to cover the airline's costs.

The airline, which was not named in the report, said it would cooperate with public security agencies in their investigation.

The Supreme Court today expressed concern over the change of colour of the iconic Taj Mahal at Agra and said the monument had become yellowish earlier and was now turning brownish and greenish.

The apex court suggested that the Centre take the assistance of experts from India and abroad to first assess the damage and then take steps to restore the historic monument.

"We don't know whether you have or perhaps don't have the expertise. Even if you have the expertise, you are not utilising it. Or perhaps you don't care," a bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

"Perhaps we need some expert organisation from outside India unless there is a decision that the Taj has to go," the bench said sarcastically, adding, "you can get experts from India as well as from outside."

The apex court perused the photographs placed before it by petitioner M C Mehta and asked Additional Solicitor General A N S Nadkarni, who was representing the government, as to why the colour of Taj Mahal has changed.

"First it was yellow and now it is becoming brown and green," the bench observed.

Nadkarni told the bench that the management of Taj Mahal has to be done by the Archaeological Survey of India.

The apex court fixed the matter for further hearing on May 9.

Environmentalist Mehta has filed the plea seeking protection of the Taj from the ill-effects of polluting gases and deforestation in and around the area.

The top court has been monitoring developments in the area to protect the historic monument, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1631. The mausoleum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. -- PTI

Ashley Judd, one of the first women to accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct and harassment, has filed a lawsuit against the former media mogul for trying to sabotage her career.

In the suit, Judd has alleged that Weinstein dissuaded director Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh from working with her in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy as she had rebuffed his sexual advances.

"My legal complaint. I am suing for economic remedy due to damage done to my career as a result of sexual harassment. Financial recuperation goes to @TIMESUPNOW @TIMESUPLDF so that American workers who experience sexual harassment & retaliation have help," Judd tweeted while also posting a link to the complaint.

In the aftermath of the sexual harassment scandal, Jackson had claimed Weinstein designed a "smear campaign" against Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino, that discouraged him to offer roles to the two actors who were one of the first women to openly accuse the disgraced media mogul of sexual misconduct.

Referring to Jackson's statement in the suit, Judd claimed that Weinstein "torpedoed Ms. Judd's incredible professional opportunity" to work with Jackson by telling him she was a "nightmare" to work with and should be avoided "at all costs".

"The pathetic reality, however, was that Weinstein was retaliating against Ms. Judd for rejecting his sexual demands approximately one year earlier, when he cornered her in a hotel room under the guise of discussing business," wrote Judd's attorney Theodore Boutrous Jr.

"A self-described 'benevolent dictator' who has bragged that 'I can be scary,' Weinstein used his power in the entertainment industry to damage Ms. Judd's reputation and limit her ability to find work," it added.

The 50-year-old actor is suing Weinstein for defamation, sexual harassment, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage and unfair competition.

Weinstein's representative denied the allegations that he smeared Judd's name in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. -- PTI

The Supreme Court today dismissed an interim bail plea of Yug Tuli, the co-owner of the Mojo's Bistro restaurant and an accused in the December, 2017 fire incident at Kamala Mills compound in Mumbai in which 14 people were killed.

Tuli had filed the writ petition in the apex court seeking interim bail till the bail application before the Bombay High Court was decided.

The Maharashtra government opposed Tuli's plea saying that the Bombay high court had last week rejected his bail plea and therefore the present writ petition filed by him seeking interim relief has become infructous.

A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan today said that since Bombay high court had rejected his plea on April 27, he can challenge that order through an appeal.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Tuli, said that he was the co-owner of the restaurant situated in the compound, where the fire incident had taken place, and the other accused have been granted bail by the courts.

"He should be given at least interim bail till the appeal against the high court order is adjudicated by the apex court," Rohatgi said.

Maharashtra's standing counsel Nishant Katneshwar opposed the plea and said the accused has even filed an appeal against the high court order.

The bench said it will look into the aspect of interim bail when the appeal is taken up for hearing.

Tuli had claimed that the high court bench, which is hearing his bail matter, is seized of various bail petitions and it would take some time for his plea to be decided.

He had also sought direction that his bail application be decided by the high court expeditiously.

The high court had on April 27 rejected his bail plea saying that it will pass a detailed order later. -- PTI

In remarks that raised eyebrows in political circles, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for "insulting" Janata Dal-Secular supremo H D Deve Gowda, saying it showed his

"arrogance".

Showering praise on the former prime minister at an election rally in Udupi in poll-bound Karnataka, Modi said Deve Gowda was one of the most respected and tallest leaders for whom he had great respect.

"But I heard the Congress president speak at political rallies 15-20 days ago....the way he referred to respected Deve Gowda ji....is this your culture (sanskar)? This is arrogance.

"Your life (as Congress chief) has just begun. Deve Gowda is among the tallest leaders of the country. You are insulting him," Modi said.

The prime minister was alluding to Gandhi's speeches at his rallies in JD-S strongholds where he attacked Deve Gowda, and called his party the "B Team" of the BJP.

Modi's remarks assume significance as they come after most pollsters predicted a fractured verdict in the assembly elections, with no party attaining a majority on its own.

JD-S state unit chief H D Kumaraswamy had earlier claimed he would be the king after the polls and not the kingmaker.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has often accused the BJP and the JD-S of having a tacit understanding, and even claimed that Kumaraswamy had met the saffron party chief Amit Shah, a charge dismissed by the JD-S.

His father Deve Gowda, however, told a TV channel that he and his family would disown Kumaraswamy if he joins hands with the BJP.

"You think about it. If his temperament is such... whose arrogance is on cloud seven...it is just the beginning of life...if he is doing this from today, how bad the coming days will be you will get to know from his deeds," Modi said attacking Gandhi.

The prime minister said the Congress party, with such "arrogant" leaders, is a "big threat" to democracy.

He urged the electorate to ensure that Mahatma Gandhi's dream was fulfilled, reminding them of the Father of the Nation's insistence on disbanding the Congress after Independence. -- PTI

19:11 Voters pick politicians based on looks: Study

Voters tend to choose politicians based on their looks, causing ineffective people to get elected to positions of power, according to a study.

Political parties are increasingly trying to achieve success by focusing on the personality of candidates rather than policies or party allegiance.

Researchers from the University of Kent and University of Exeter in the UK found that, while people vote for local councillors who they believe look competent and have agreeable or trustworthy personality characteristics, these same people are often ineffective politicians because they have the wrong sort of personalities to succeed in office.

Researchers asked 138 local politicians in the UK to rate their own personality.

They also asked 755 of their colleagues, both other councillors and council officers, to anonymously rate their performance in office.

The team also showed 526 people from around the world pictures of the councillors and asked them to say what they thought their personalities would be like. They were not told they were serving politicians.

This is thought to be the first research to measure the impact of appearance and personality on voting and political performance in this way.

The researchers compared these personality profiles and ratings of facial appearance against the politicians' share of the vote in local authority re-elections, and their performance in office.

Candidates whose appearance was described as competent had more success than others at the ballot box, but were not judged by their colleagues as any more effective while in office.

Politicians who rated themselves as 'agreeable' and whose personality suggested they were trustworthy and cooperative, had performed better in elections, but were not judged as very effective by their colleagues after winning their council seat.

This may be because these traits may not be useful in politics, where debating and challenging others are key to success.

"We found that voters are not necessarily able to see what politicians are required to do in their day-to-day work and therefore have to rely on characteristics that might seem to matter for leadership, but may not actually be that important," said Madeleine Wyatt from Kent Business School. -- PTI

Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor is all set to exchange wedding vows with longtime beau Anand Ahuja on May 8 in Mumbai.

"The Kapoor & Ahuja families, take great joy and pride, in announcing the marriage of Sonam and Anand. The wedding will take place on May 8 in Mumbai.

"Since it is an intimate affair, we request you to respect the family's need for privacy. Thank you for all your blessings and love, as we celebrate this special moment in our lives," Kapoor and Ahuja family said in a joint statement.

Wedding preparations were in full swing as Kapoor's bungalow was decorated with lighting.

Sonam, 32, has been dating the Delhi-based fashion entrepreneur since past few years. Both of them have been spotted together on several occasions but they never confirmed anything officially.

Anand accompanied Sonam to last year's National Film Awards making their relationship official, when the actor received a special mention for her performance in "Neerja".

Sonam will next be seen in Veere Di Wedding alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan, Swara Bhasker and Shikha Talsania.

The film is set to release on June 1. -- PTI

The growth of eight core sectors slowed to 3-month low of 4.1 per cent in March due to weak performance in as many as six sectors including coal, crude oil and natural gas.

The other sectors which showed slower growth rate were refinery products, steel and electricity.

The growth rate of eight infrastructure sectors, which also include fertilisers and cement, was 5.2 per cent in March 2017, according to the data released by the commerce and industry ministry today.

The previous low was in the core sectors was 3.8 per cent in December 2017.

Cumulatively, the eight core sectors grew by 4.2 per cent in 2017-18, lowest in the last three financial years. The growth was 4.8 per cent in the previous fiscal and 3 per cent in 2015-16.

The core sector would have an impact on the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) data as these eight segments account for about 41 per cent of the total factory output.

Output growth rate of only fertliser and cement reported healthy numbers. Both the sectors grew by 3.2 per cent and 13 per cent respectively in March.

On the other hand, coal, natural gas, refinery products and steel production growth slowed to 9.1 per cent (as against 10.6 per cent in March 2017), 1.3 per cent, 1 per cent, 4.7 per cent (as against 11 per cent a year ago) respectively during the month under review.

Electricity generation growth rate too decelerated to 4.5 per cent as against 6.2 per cent in March 2017.

Crude oil recorded a negative rate of growth of 1.6 per cent in March this year. -- PTI

18:27 MHA puts Karnataka flag issue on hold

The Centre today said the Karnataka government's proposal to approve an official flag for the state was put on hold as the election code of conduct came into force due to the upcoming assembly polls.

The home ministry's comments came after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to approve the state flag.

"The request for a separate flag was received from Karnataka. Since the election code of conduct has come into force, the consideration has been put on hold," an official spokesperson said.

The assembly elections in Karnataka would be held on May 12. Modi visited the state today for campaigning for the BJP.

Invoking Kannada pride, Siddaramaiah had yesterday asked Modi to approve the state flag.

"Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has declared himself a Kannadiga. Becoming Kannadiga means accepting Kannada language, naada geete (state anthem), naadadwaja (state flag)," he said.

"Will you become true Kannadiga by giving approval to Karnataka's nada dwaja? #AnswerMadiModi," Siddaramaiah tweeted in Kannada.

Flagging "Kannadiga pride" ahead of the assembly polls, Siddaramaiah had unveiled the proposed official state flag for the state in March.

The state's flag, in hues of yellow, white and red, has the state's emblem 'Gandaberunda', a two-headed mythological bird, at its centre.

The proposal was forwarded to the Centre for mandatory approval. -- PTI

Dr Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani doctor serving a 33-year jail term for helping the CIA in tracking down al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden to Abbottabad in 2011 could be released this month after authorities remitted 10 years of his sentence, according to his lawyer.

The United States has been pressing Pakistan to release Dr Afridi, who was involved in a CIA-linked plan to find bin Laden with a fake vaccination operation in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad.

Advocate Qamar Nadeem told the BBC Urdu service that Afridi, who has received several remissions in sentence, will complete his jail term this month.

He said that Afridi was awarded a total of 33 years jail term on four different charges in which he was awarded 30 years on three counts while three years on one. However, after an approval of his appeal, 10 years of imprisonment had been remitted, the Express Tribune reported.

According to Nadeem, if Afridi's total jail term and remissions are taken into consideration, then he is likely to be freed this month.

Afridi, 56, was shifted to Adiala Jail of Rawalpindi from Peshawar central jail on Friday, apparently due to security concerns.

According to media reports, he was moved in a helicopter but no official statement was issued by the government.

However, it is still not clear as to whether he will be kept in Adiala jail or shifted to another location, the report said.

There is a chance that after his release, Afridi might move to the US to settle there permanently, it said.

A team of expert doctors has reportedly examined him in Adiala jail and declared him completely fit.

According to jail sources, he has been kept under strict security measures and additional guards have been posted at his barracks, it said.

Afridi, the former surgeon of Khyber Agency, had run a false vaccination campaign in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad to help the CIA track down bin Laden in his compound and kill him in a raid by US Navy Seals on May 2, 2011. -- PTI

A group of Indian experts has visited Pakistan to discuss all aspects of bilateral ties and revive the Track II diplomacy process with Islamabad amidst the chill in the relationship after a number of terror attacks in India by Pakistan-based outfits.

The original Track II initiative, Neemrana Dialogue, received a fresh start with the visit, diplomatic sources in Islamabad said.

The Indian side was led by former foreign ministry secretary Vivek Katju and included well-known educationist J S Rajput and other experts, while Pakistan side was led by former foreign secretary Inamul Haque.

The interactions between the two sides took place between April 28 to 30 in Islamabad, sources said.

"The two sides discussed all aspects of bilateral relations and agreed that all issues between the two countries should be resolved through talks," according to a source.

The Pakistani side also included former governor of State Bank of Pakistan, Ishart Hussian, whose name has been circulating in the media as one of candidates to become Pakistan's caretaker prime minister during general election expected to be held in July.

The Track II interaction was kept under tight wraps and nothing had been shared officially about it by the organisers.

Neemrana Dialogue was launched in early 1990s and included influential former diplomats, military veterans and academics, who were having unofficial backing from the foreign ministries of the two countries.

The India-Pakistan ties nose-dived in recent years with no bilateral talks taking place.

The ties between the two countries had strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based groups in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The sentencing of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to death by a military court in April last year further deteriorated bilateral ties. -- PTI

Ten out of the 12 special courts, set up to try nearly 1,600 criminal cases pending against MPs and MLAs, have started functioning, the law ministry has said.

The remaining two courts -- one each in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu -- are likely to start functioning soon, it said.

In a communication to Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha on April 19, the department of justice in the law ministry said that, "as on date, 10 out of 12 such courts have already been made functional.

"The remaining two courts -- one each in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh are likely to start functioning soon."

The department of justice has already released Rs 65.04 lakh of funds earmarked for financial year 2017-18 to the concerned states for the special courts.

The Supreme Court had in November last directed the government to come up with a scheme to set up 12 special courts to try 1,581 criminal cases pending against MPs and MLAs.

The apex court had approved the scheme and had directed the Centre to allocate grants to the concerned state governments where such special courts are proposed to be set up. The courts were to commence operation from March 1 for speedy disposal of the cases.

The Supreme Court had favoured creation of special courts to exclusively deal with criminal cases involving politicians and their speedy disposal, saying such a move would be in the "interest of the nation".

"An estimated expenditure of Rs 7.8 crore to make 12 courts operational for one year has been prepared. The proportionate allocation to the concerned states where such courts would be setup is being worked out," Secretary (Justice) in the Law Ministry had informed the Cabinet Secretary in January.

The Delhi high court had recently directed that all cases against MPs and MLAs that are pending in various courts be transferred to the special courts designated for the purpose. -- PTI

Rahul Gandhi and Piyush Goyal were today locked in a verbal battle with the Congress chief demanding the Union minister's resignation over allegations of his involvement in a Rs 48 crore scam and the latter hitting back to say that he, unlike the opposition leader, was a "kaamdaar" not a "naamdaar".

The Congress president accused the Union railways minister of being involved in the Rs 48 crore Flashnet scam, which he said is about "deceit, conflict of interest and greed".

Goyal was quick to retaliate, echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to say that unlike Gandhi, who is a 'naamdaar' (dynast), he is a 'kaamdaar' (worker) and has not learnt the art of living without working.

Gandhi, who attacked Goyal on Twitter, also used a picture along with his tweet, alleging that Goyal sold his stock of Flashnet Info Solutions to Piramal group, which has interests in the power sector, at 1,000 times the face value.

He alleged that this happened when Goyal was the minister of state for power.

"Piyush Goyal's, 48 Crore FlashNet Scam is about deceit, conflict of interest and greed. The evidence is on the table. Yet, the media will not touch the story. It is a tragedy for our country when journalists entrusted to stand for the truth, will not speak," Gandhi said on Twitter, using the hashtag 'GoyalMustResign'.

Goyal countered the Twitter attack with a tweet of his own.

"Till 26th May 2014, before I became a Minister, I was a professional Chartered Accountant and investment banker. Unlike you, Mr Rahul Gandhi, I have not learnt well the art of living without working. I am also a 'kaamdaar' (worker) and not a 'naamdaar' (dynast)."

Addressing an election rally in Karnataka today, the prime minister attacked Gandhi in almost the same words.

"Congress president, Sir, we cannot sit before you. You are 'naamdar' (famous), while I am 'kaamdar' (ordinary worker). We have no status to sit in front of you," he said. -- PTI

Hitting back at the Prime Minister Narednra Modi for his "2+1 formula" jibe at him, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said Modi's formula to win the assembly election in the state is "2 Reddys + 1 Yeddy".

Responding to Modi's attack at an election rally earlier in the day on him contesting from two constituencies "with fear of losing" and also over fielding his son for the May 12 polls, he also pointed out that the PM had contested from two seats during 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Attacking Modi over BJP fielding brothers of tainted mining baron G Janrdhan Reddy in the assembly elections, the chief minister said "2 Reddys + 1 Yeddy was Modi's formula to win election."

"Today PM avoided talking about his complicity in closing CBI cases against the Reddy bros. Instead he spoke about some 2+1 formula. Here is the explanation to his formula to win election. #2Reddy1Yeddy," he said in a tweet.

'Yeddy' is a reference to BJP's chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa.

Pointing out that even Modi contested from two constituencies -- Varanasi and Vadodara -- in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the chief minister told the prime minister to worry about his party not crossing 60-70 seats.

"Was it fear that drove you to contest from 2 parliamentary constituencies (Varanasi & Vadodara) Mr.PM @narendramodi ? Of course you are a 56 inch man, you would have some clever explanation!! Forget 2 seats, Sir. Worry about the fact that your party will not cross 60-70!" Siddaramaiah tweeted.

Addressing a rally at Santhemarahalli in"Chamarajanagara district, Modi termed Siddarammaiah contesting from two seats, and his son Yatindra also contesting the May 12 polls as Kannada version of Congress' family politics. -- PTI

16:07 Now you can access WiFi, make calls in flights

Air passengers could soon have access to WiFi connections onboard aircraft as the Telecom Commission today approved a proposal in this regard.

"Exciting times ahead in Indian skies as Telecom Commission approved data and voice services in flights over Indian airspace," Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said, announcing the commission's decision.

The minister said that he will ensure "earliest implementation" of the proposal as the government remains committed to improving services of air passengers and making their travel delightful and hassle-free.

According to sources, the pricing of providing the services would be left to respective airlines.

The home ministry has already given its nod to the proposal.

The department of telecom had last year asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to give its recommendations on licensing terms and modalities for providing in-flight data and voice services. -- PTI

15:49 Jinnah's portrait at AMU sparks row

A Bharatiya Janata Party MP has asked Aligarh Muslim University to explain why it displays a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, triggering a row days after a student sought permission to hold an Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh shaka on its premises.

In a letter written to vice chancellor Tariq Mansoor, Aligarh MP Satish Gautam objected to Pakistan founder's picture on the walls of the AMU student union office.

AMU spokesman Shafey Kidwai defended the portrait, apparently hanging there for decades, saying that Jinnah was a founder of the university and granted life membership of the student union.

"Traditionally, photographs of all life members are placed on the walls of the student union," he told PTI.

"Jinnah was also accorded life membership of the AMUSU in 1938. He was the founder member of the University Court in 1920 and also a donor," the spokesman said.

"He was granted membership before the demand of Pakistan had been raised by the Muslim League," he said.

The spokesman said no national leader had raised any objection to the photo even after Independence. These included Mahatma Gandhi, Maulana Azad, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, C Rajagopalachari, Rajendra Prasad and Jawaharlal Nehru.

Shafey said AMU student union has a long tradition of granting life membership to prominent people in politics, social and educational fields.

Their photographs were a part of the rich heritage of undivided India and no one ever thought of raising this issue before, he said.

"The first recorded life membership by the student union was the one granted to Mahatma Gandhi on October 29, 1920," he said. -- PTI

Wading into the debate on violence against women and minor girls once again, Uttar Pradesh's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Surendra Singh has said parents are responsible for the increasing incidents of rape and should not let their children roam around freely.

The legislator from Bairia in Ballia district, who had earlier made news when he said no one can rape a mother of three children, also advised parents not to give their children mobile phones.

"The parents of youths are responsible for growing incidents of rape as they do not take care of their wards," local BJP MLA Surendra Singh told reporters Ballia on Monday.

"Children up to 15 years of age should be kept under strict vigil. It is the duty of parents to take care of their wards. But they allow their wards to roam around freely. This is the main reason for the social evil," he said.

Children should not be given undue freedom, he said, and asked parents not to give mobile phones to them.

The remarks come in the backdrop of outrage over the brutal gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, and the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, allegedly by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

Defending Sengar, Surendra Singh had said, "I am speaking from a psychological point of view; no one can rape a mother of three children. It is not possible, this is a conspiracy against him (Sengar)."

Known for making contentious comments, he had also recently called West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "Surpanakha", the sister of demon king Ravana.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month directed his party's lawmakers not to make "irresponsible" statements. -- PTI

In a surprise move, women's hockey coach Harendra Singh was today named chief coach of the Indian men's team while incumbent men's in-charge Sjoerd Marijne was sent back to the women's camp -- a fallout of the poor show by Manpreet Singh and co. in the Commonwealth Games.

Harendra, who coached the Indian men's team earlier from 2009 to 2011, was in-charge of the women's team since November last year after Marijne was named as the men's coach, replacing the sacked Roelant Oltmans.

Under the guidance of Harendra, who led the Indian junior men's hockey team to the World Cup title in 2016, the Indian women's team finished an impressive fourth at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

His most important contribution was leading the women's team to the ninth women's Asia Cup title in Japan last year.

However, the men's team under the tutelage of Marijne ended a disappointing fifth in Gold Coast, returning without a medal for the first time since the 2006 CWG. -- PTI

Paris Hilton believes people had a lot more fun before social media existed.

The socialite says that now people are too busy glued to their phones.

''I'm actually happy I grew up before Instagram and all this, because back in New York, we used to have so much fun because no one had a camera out unless it was like, one of those disposable ones. So everyone was actually talking and having fun, dancing.

"And nowadays I feel like everyone is just always on their phone, they're texting, they're Snapping, taking pictures. Nobody really has a good time like they used to. So I'm happy that I got to live it before," Hilton told E! online.

The DJ, however, had previously said that social media has brought her closer to her fans.

"I'm constantly travelling; 250 days a year I'm on a plane, in a different country. So it gets really lonely sometimes. I love my fans just as much as they love me. I feel closer with them than I do most people that I know. They're really like my family," she said. -- PTI

13:59 Rs 1.03 lakh cr: GST collection in April

The government mopped up Rs 1.03 lakh crore as Goods and Services Tax collection in April, indicating stabilisation of the new indirect tax regime that was rolled out in July 1 last year.

While GST collection in entire 2017-18 stood Rs 7.41 lakh crore, in March the figure was Rs 89,264 crore.

"The total gross GST revenue collected in April 2018 is Rs 1,03,458 crore of which CGST is Rs 18,652 crore, SGST is Rs 25,704 crore, IGST is Rs 50,548 crore (including Rs 21,246 crore collected on imports) and Cess is Rs 8,554 crore - including Rs 702 crore collected on imports, Finance Ministry said in a statement.

The buoyancy in the tax revenue of GST reflects the upswing in the economy and better compliance, it said.

However, it is usually noticed that in the last month of financial year, people also try to pay arrears of some of the previous months also and, therefore, April 2018 revenue cannot be taken as trend for the future, it added.

The total revenue earned by Central Government and State Governments after settlement in April, 2018 is Rs 32,493 crore for Central GST and Rs 40,257 crore for State GST, it said.

As far as total number of GSTR 3B returns for March up to April 30 was concerned, nearly 69.5 per cent filed returns.

As many as 60.47 lakh as against 87.12 lakh, who are eligible to file returns for March, did the needful, it said.

April was also the month for filing of quarterly returns for composition dealers, it said.

Out of 19.31 lakh composition dealers, 11.47 lakh have filed their quarterly return (GSTR 4) and have paid total tax of Rs 579 crore, which is included in Rs 1.03 lakh crore of total GST collection, it added. -- PTI

The Supreme Court today issued a slew of directions to all the high courts of the country regarding trial in sexual assault cases involving children.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra directed all high courts to ensure that the cases of sexual assault of children to be fast-tracked and decided by special courts.

The apex court also asked the the high courts to instruct the trial courts not to grant unnecessary adjournments during trial of cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The bench, which also comprised Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said the high courts may constitute a committee of three judges to regulate and monitor the trials of sexual assault cases of children, as it disposed of a PIL filed by advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava.

Srivastava, in his personal capacity, had approached the top court after the horrific incident of rape of an 8-month girl child allegedly by her 28-year-old cousin on January 28 in a locality near Netaji Subhash Place in north-west Delhi had come to light.

The Union Cabinet had on April 21 approved the ordinance to provide stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those convicted of rape of girls below 12 years.

The move of the Centre came after a public outcry for award of death penalty to such sexual offenders, including the assaulters of an 8-year-old girl who was gang raped and killed at Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir recently. -- PTI

13:13 Eminent economist Ashok Mitra passes away

Noted scholar and former finance minister of the Left Front government in West Bengal, Ashok Mitra, today passed away in a Kolkata hospital.

He was 90 and his wife had passed away 10 years ago.

Mitra was admitted in the hospital almost a month back with complaints of diarrhoea and later developed respiratory problems.

A prolific writer of several books, Mitra, also an eminent economist, penned several columns in newspapers on social and economic issues.

He was appointed as the finance minister in the Left Front rule and held the portfolio from 1977 to 1987.

Prior to that, he was the Chief Economic Adviser to the Central government from 1970 to 1972. -- PTI

PM Narendra Modi has launch a blistering attack on Congress president Gandhi during an election rally in Mysuru.

Mocking Rahul's challenge of a '15 minute debate', Modi said, "I challenge you (Rahul) to speak for 15 minutes on the achievements of your government in Karnataka without reading from any piece of paper. You can speak in Hindi, English or your mother tongue."

Modi also questioned the previous Congress government for thei promise of complet electrification of all Indian villages.

"Before questioning us, Rahul Gandhi should know that in 2005 Manmohan Singh had said that all villages will be electrified by 2009, and the same thing was said by Sonia Gandhi and you (Rahul ) mock the labourers and workers who made this (electrification) possible," Modi said.

"In 2005, during the time of Sonia Gandhi's government, Dr. Manmohan Singh had said he will provide electricity to every village by 2009. What happened to that? In any case, we saw how Congress treated Dr. Manmohan Singh. They tore off ordinances and disrespected him," he added.

The PM further said, "The Congress is led by leaders who have no respect for India's history. I was shocked that they even went to the level of disrespecting Vande Mataram."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing an election rally in Mysuru in poll-bound Karnataka.

Sounding BJP's poll bugle, Modi said there is not a BJP wave in Karnataka but it is a storm.

Modi siad that BS Yeddyurappa is the hope of the people of Karnataka and he will become the next chief minister of the state.

He also said, "I want to dedicate the historical achievement of the country on 28 April, when all villages in India were electrified, to the workers and labourers of the country on this Labour day."

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has asserted that special category status was the right of the state as he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of going back on the assurance made at an election meeting in 2014 to accord the same.

He also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and YSR Congress of joining hands and hatching political conspiracies against him and the Telugu Desam Party.

Addressing a huge rally of the ruling TDP, christened "Dharma Poraatam" (fight for justice) inTirupati on Monday, he said Modi as then BJP prime ministerial candidate had publicly made promises, including granting of SCS, at the meeting four years ago.

At the rally, a video clip was played purportedly showing Modi making the assurance on SCS in his speech delivered in Hindi and translated into Telugu by then senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu, now the vice president.

The chief minister said at the election campaign meeting in this "most sacred" city of Tirupati that Modi had promised to offer SCS, a beautiful capital city and other infrastructure to Andhra if the NDA was voted to power.

He demanded that the prime minister clarify whether or not he made the promise.

The rally was organised to remind Modi of his promise and to register the voice of Andhra Pradesh against the rejection of SCS, Naidu, who recently snapped ties with the BJP-led NDA, said.

He also said it was to highlight "political conspiracies being hatched" against the ruling TDP.

"Special category status is the right of residual Andhra Pradesh as it was Constitutionally offered when the state was bifurcated," he said.

"I have visited New Delhi 29 times to convince the Modi- led NDA regime for the grant of SCS but to no avail," the chief minister said asserting that he would continue his fight till justice was done to the state.

Before the 2014 elections, the Congress had betrayed Andhra Pradesh by splitting the state in "lawless manner" and left the residual part to its own fate without a capital city, Naidu said.

Despite several challenges encountered by it, the TDP government had developed Andhra Pradesh in all sectors in a big way, Naidu added. -- PTI

Amateur scientists have discovered a new species of water beetle and named it after Leonardo DiCaprio to honour the Oscar-winning Hollywood actor's efforts towards biodiversity preservation.

The water beetle, described in the journal ZooKeys, was discovered at a waterfall in the remote Maliau Basin in Malaysian Borneo.

During a field trip initiated by Taxon Expeditions -- an organisation based in The Netherlands which arranges scientific surveys for untrained people -- a total of three water beetle species new to science were identified.

The expedition participants and the local staff of the Maliau Basin Studies Centre voted to name one of them Grouvellinus leonardodicaprioi, in honour of DiCaprio's efforts to protect untouched, unexplored wildernesses.

The tribute marks the 20th anniversary of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and its efforts towards biodiversity preservation.

"Tiny and black, this new beetle may not win any Oscars for charisma, but in biodiversity conservation, every creature counts," said Iva Njunjic, founder of Taxon Expeditions.

The LDF has contributed to over 200 grassroots projects around the globe devoted to climate change mitigation, wildlife conservation, and habitat preservation. -- PTI

11:17 Trump hails Kalpana Chawla as American hero

United States President Donald Trump has hailed Indian-origin Kalpana Chawla as an American hero for devoting her life to the space programme and inspiring millions of girls to become astronauts.

Trump's remarks came as he issued a proclamation declaring May as 'Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month'.

The US Congress has also designated the month of May each year as "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month."

Chawla was the first woman of Indian-origin in space. She was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003 when the craft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.

"Indian American Kalpana Chawla was the first woman of Indian descent to fly in space, and became an American hero for her devotion to the Space Shuttle programme and its various missions transporting cargo and crew to and from the International Space Station," Trump said.

For her achievements, the Congress posthumously awarded her the Congressional Space Medal of Honour, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration posthumously awarded her the NASA Space Flight Medal and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, he said.

"Ms Chawla's courage and passion continue to serve as an inspiration for millions of American girls who dream of one day becoming astronauts," said Trump.

The proclamation noted that during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Trump administration recognises their tremendous contributions.

"Through their industriousness and love of country, our nation has enjoyed the privileges and enrichments of multiple innovations and societal advancements," Trump said.

There are more than 20 million Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders who call America home, including those living in Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas.

America, Trump said, is a country that values hard work, an honest living, and a commitment to the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

"For these reasons, America cherishes its connections with the Indo-Pacific region, which shares an appreciation for these principles, he asserted. Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage help to reinforce these relationships, which are stronger today than ever before," he added. -- PTI

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays homage to Indian-American astronaut late Kalpana Chawla at the Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial during his visit to Arlington cemetery in 2016. Photograph: MEA/Flickr

10:27 Lalu brought back to Ranchi hospital

Rashtriya Janata Dal Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has reached Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi.

He was discharged from Delhi's AIl India Institute of Medical Sciences yesterday where he was undergoing treatment for various ailments related to heart and kidney. -- ANI

Iran has a robust, clandestine nuclear weapons programme that it tried but failed to hide from the world and from its own people, a top White House official has alleged.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said the recent information released by Israel provided new and compelling details about Iran's efforts to develop missile-deliverable nuclear weapons.

Sanders and United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued strong statements yesterday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of having secretly pursued a nuclear weapons programme.

Netanyahu said he had conclusive proof that Iran had lied about its nuclear weapons programme.

"These facts are consistent with what the United States has long known: Iran has a robust, clandestine nuclear weapons programme that it has tried and failed to hide from the world and from its own people," Sanders said.

"The Iranian regime has shown it will use destructive weapons against its neighbours and others. Iran must never have nuclear weapons," she said.

Pompeo said the documents obtained by Israel from inside of Iran showed beyond any doubt that the Iranian regime was not telling the truth.

"I have personally reviewed many of the Iranian files. Our non-proliferation and intelligence officials have been analysing tens of thousands of pages and translating them from Farsi. This analytical work will continue for many months. We assess that the documents we have reviewed are authentic," Pompeo said.

The documents show that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons programme for years. It sought to develop nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems and hid a vast atomic archive from the world and from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he alleged.

Pompeo said that among the flaws of the Iran nuclear deal was the whitewashing of Tehran's illicit activities related to its military nuclear programme.

Iran had many opportunities over the years to turn over its files to international inspectors from the IAEA and admit its nuclear weapons work. Instead, they lied to the IAEA repeatedly, he alleged.

Pompeo also alleged that Tehran had lied about their nuclear programme to the six nations who negotiated the Iran nuclear deal.

He said what it meant was the deal was not constructed on a foundation of good faith or transparency and was built on Iran's lies.

Iran's nuclear deception is inconsistent with Iran's pledge in the nuclear deal 'that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons', he alleged.

"We are therefore assessing what the discovery of Iran's secret nuclear files means for the future of the The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

"Allowing restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme to sunset was a mistake. One has to ask: Why exactly was Iran hiding half a ton of nuclear weaponisation files while implementing the Iran deal?" Pompeo said.

He said that as US President Donald Trump's May 12 deadline to fix the Iran deal was approaching, he will consult with European allies and other nations on the best way forward in light of what they now know about Iran's past pursuit of nuclear weapons and its systematic deception of the world.

Earlier in the day, Trump threatened to end the Iranian deal.

"In seven years that deal will have expired, and Iran is free to go ahead and create nuclear weapons. That's not acceptable. Seven years is tomorrow. That's not acceptable," Trump said, responding to a question during a joint news conference with the visiting Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

"That is just not an acceptable situation. I've been saying that's happening. They're not sitting back idly. They're setting off missiles which they say are for television purposes. I don't think so," he said.

Trump has to make a decision by May 12 on America's continuation in remaining in the deal.

"We'll see what happens. I'm not telling you what I'm doing, but a lot of people think they know. On or before the 12th, we'll make a decision. That doesn't mean we won't negotiate a real agreement. You know, this is an agreement that wasn't approved by too many people. And it's a horrible agreement for the United States," Trump said. -- PTI

White House Chief of Staff John Kelly today flatly denied calling United States President Donald Trump an 'idiot' as claimed by a news report.

The report by NBC News, based on multiple unnamed sources from the White House, alleged that Kelly has referred to Trump as 'an idiot' multiple times to underscore his point.

The retired general immediately refuted the allegations.

'I spend more time with the President than anyone else and we have an incredibly candid and strong relationship. He always knows where I stand and he and I both know this story is total BS. I am committed to the President, his agenda, and our country,' he said.

'This is another pathetic attempt to smear people close to President Trump and distract from the administration's many successes,' Kelly said in a statement.

Hours later, Kelly was joined by President Trump himself on Twitter to refute such an impression of the White House.

'The Fake News is going crazy making up false stories and using only unnamed sources (who don't exist). They are totally unhinged, and the great success of this Administration is making them do and say things that even they can't believe they are saying. Truly bad people!' said the US President, who now has over 51 million Twitter followers.

'The White House is running very smoothly despite phony Witch Hunts etc,' he said.

'There is great Energy and unending Stamina, both necessary to get things done. We are accomplishing the unthinkable and setting positive records while doing so! Fake News is going "bonkers!' Trump said.

NBC said that Kelly has eroded morale in the West Wing in recent months with comments to aides that include insulting the president's intelligence and casting himself as the saviour of the country.

'The officials said Kelly portrays himself to Trump administration aides as the lone bulwark against catastrophe, curbing the erratic urges of a president who has a questionable grasp on policy issues and the functions of government,' the news channel said.

'He doesn't even understand what DACA is. He's an idiot,' Kelly said in one meeting, two officials who said they were present told NBC News.

'We've got to save him from himself,' the channel reported Kelly as having said.

Meanwhile, three other White House spokespersons told NBC that they do not believe that Kelly ever called Trump an idiot. - PTI

Former finance minister P Chidambaram hit out at the Centre and dubbed its claim of providing electricity to every single village in India as a 'jumla'.

Chidambaram also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of taking credit for the work done by the previous United Progressive Alliance government.

"The government said every village in India has been electrified. It's a 'jumla'. There are some 5,97,000 villages in India. 1,000 days ago Narendra Modi said 18,000 villages haven't been electrified and it'll be done in 1,000 days. Who electrified rest 5,80,000 villages?" Chidambaram said while addressing the Youth Congress national executive meeting in the national capital.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Modi, the former finance minister said, "Remaining 5,80,000 villages weren't electrified in last 1,000 days but by previous governments. He electrifies last 18,000 villages and says it's great achievement of my government. It took them three years to electrify last 18,000 villages," he said.

As per government of India, out of 18,452 villages in India that were power deprived three years ago, 17,181 have been electrified. Others are uninhabited or classified as grazing reserves.

The last village to be electrified under the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana was Leisang village located in Senapati district in Manipur.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and wrote, '28th April 2018 will be remembered as a historic day in the development journey of India. Yesterday, we fulfilled a commitment due to which the lives of several Indians will be transformed forever! I am delighted that every single village of India now has access to electricity.'

'Leisang village in Manipur, like the thousands of other villages across India has been powered and empowered. This news will make every Indian proud and delighted,' he tweeted.

A village is said to be electrified if at least 10 per cent of its households, as well as public places such as schools, panchayat offices and health centers, have access to electricity.

Earlier in 2015, Centre had identified 18,452 villages to be electrified under the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana. -- ANI

Lashker-e-Tayiba terrorists struck at the Old Baramulla town in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday night and gunned down three men, in their early 20s, police said in Srinagar.

A police spokesperson said all the three persons were shot at from a very close range in Iqbal market of Old Baramulla town, killing them on the spot.

The deceased, Asif Ahmad Sheikh, Haseeb Ahmad Khan and Mohmmad Asgar, all in their early 20s, were residents of Kakkar Hamam in Baramulla, he said.

Police said that 15 rounds were fired on the three civilians, who have no track record of being involved in any political activity or intelligence agencies.

The spokesperson said preliminary investigation revealed complicity of the Pakistan-based LeT.

Director General of Police S P Vaid termed the attack as 'barbaric and inhuman' and said the perpetrators will be soon brought to book.

"One Pakistan-based and two other local militants of Old Town, Baramulla are the principal suspects in this case and wanted by the law," the spokesperson said.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killing of civilians.

'Distressed to hear of three civilians being killed by militants in Baramulla. My deepest condolences to the deceased's families,' she tweeted.

Former chief minister and National Conference working president Omar Abdullah condemned the attack and said he would like to see how the separatists leaders would react to this 'brutal murder of three young people'.

'Three civilians have been murdered by terrorists in Baramulla just now. I'd like to see the separatist leaders issue the sort of condemnation they usually reserve for when civilians are killed by security forces,' he tweeted. -- PTI

Image for representation only.

The porn actress who claims she had an affair with US President Donald Trump is escalating her legal fight. She's suing the president for defamation.

Stormy Daniels filed the complaint in federal court in New York on Monday. At issue is a tweet Trump made in which he dismissed a composite sketch that Daniels says depicts a man who threatened her in 2011 to stay quiet about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump.

In the tweet earlier this month, Trump said: "A sketch years later about a nonexistent man. A total con job, playing the Fake News Media for Fools (but they know it)!"

The court filing says the tweet was "false and defamatory." Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages.

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