LIVE
Tue, 08 May 2018
First look: Sonam-Anand at wedding reception
Timeline Refresh
23:49 Dust storms, rain hit northern states; 'over 100 animals dead' in J-K
Dust storms, rain and thunder hit parts of northern India today, leaving at least 100 animals dead in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, uprooting trees and blowing the roofs off homes in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla, but striking with less fury in other places.
Normal life was disrupted in parts of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting more bad weather tomorrow.
In Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri, hailstorm preceded by heavy rains hit Thanamandi area in the evening, prompting authorities to launch a massive rescue operation, a senior official said.
Rajouri District Development Commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said there was no immediate report of loss of human life but over 110 small animals, mostly sheep and goats, perished.
Choudhary, who is supervising the rescue operation, said 10 families of nomadic Bakerwal community, all residents of Androoth village who were on move to higher reaches, were trapped in the hailstorm and suffered the losses of their livestock.
An immediate amount of Rs 3 lakh was sanctioned for assistance to affected families, he said. A massive rescue operation was going on," he said, adding hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the road due to accumulation of debris.
A severe storm, accompanied by hail and rain, hit Shimla and other parts of Himachal Pradesh, while the higher reaches of the state experienced snowfall.
The hailstorm triggered traffic jams, snapped power supply, uprooted trees and blew off roofs in parts of Shimla district. Rain water flooded the main roads and entered some buildings in state capital.
In Rajasthan, a dust storm hit places in Jodhpur and Bikaner divisions and isolated areas in Jaipur, Ajmer and Kota regions.
Officials said no loss to life or major damage to property was reported till late evening. -- PTI
23:23
Sonam's brother Harshvardhan Kapoor looks dapper at her reception.
23:21
Karan Johar with mother Hiroo Johar attends Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja's wedding reception. Photograph: Pradeep Bandekar
23:04 World Bank denies reports that Sharif laundered USD 4.9 billion to India
The World Bank has described media reports in Pakistan about allegations that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif laundered USD 4.9 billion to India, as "incorrect".
"In the past day, there have been media reports citing the World Bank's Remittances and Migration Report of 2016. These media reports were incorrect," the World Bank said in a statement.
The World Bank's Remittances and Migration Report is an effort by the World Bank to estimate migration and remittances numbers across the world, it said.
"The report does not include any mention of money laundering nor does it name any individuals," said the World Bank.
In its annual report, the statement said that the World Bank estimates bilateral remittances between countries using the methodology summarised in the World Bank Working Paper 102 South-South migration and remittances by the authors of the report.
The World Bank also referred to a statement by the State Bank of Pakistan which rejects estimates of USD 4.9 billion in remittances from Pakistan to India on September 21, 2016, and provides an explanation of the methodology used in the World Bank report and the official remittances numbers. -- PTI
23:00
Actor Anil Kapoor, welcomes Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at daughter, Sonam's wedding reception.
22:59 First look: Sonam-Anand at wedding reception
After a big fat wedding, newlyweds Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja hosted a grand reception at Mumbai's Leela hotel.
The bride and groom looked very coordinated -- she in a chevron lehenga in dark grey, white and gold by Anamika Khanna and he in a black sherwani and sneakers (Anand owns a sneaker brand called VegNonVeg).
Sonam, earlier today, tied the knot with her longtime beau Anand in an intimate yet lavish ceremony befitting a Bollywood star.
The couple got married according to Sikh customs, Anand Karaj, at Sonam's maternal aunt's bungalow in Bandra.
Photograph: Pradeep Bandekar
22:46 PM to inaugurate alternate route to Vaishno Devi Shrine on May 19
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally inaugurate Tarakote Marg, an alternate seven kilometre track to the famous Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, next week, an official said today.
"At the request of Governor N N Vohra, Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, prime minister has very kindly agreed to formally inaugurate the Tarakote Marg on May 19," an official spokesperson said.
The board had approved in February 2011 Vohra's proposal to construct an alternate track between Banganga and Adhkuwari, to decongest the rush of pilgrims on the existing six km track.
Chief Executive Officer of the board Umang Narula said the new track would be opened to pilgrims from the morning of May 13.
The alternate track, which is six meters wide, has a comfortable gradient and very attractive wayside amenities.
"The Tarakote Marg provides pedestrian pilgrims a cleaner and scenic route which has two 'bhojanalayas', four view points and seven toilet blocks the have been provided with facilities for the convenience of elderly pilgrims and for the specially-abled," the spokesperson said.
He said a medical unit with doctors, paramedics, medicines and equipment had been established to facilitate pilgrims round-the-clock.
The entire track is based on a ramp type design, without any steps and has an average and smooth gradient of one in 12 which, with interlocking antiskid tiles, makes it easier for walking, he said.
The track has been aesthetically landscaped and over 46000 ornamental plants, herbs, flowering and avenue trees have been planted to improve the ambience and three floating fountains have been installed in water bodies along the track, he said.
The track is illuminated with 500 energy efficient LED lights beside DG sets have been installed for ensuring round the clock power supply, he added. -- PTI
21:52 No tension between navies of India, China in IOR: Sitharaman
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today that there is no tension between the navies of India and China in the strategic Indian Ocean, which has been witnessing increasing activities by the PLA Navy.
Responding to a question on the "tussle" between China and India in the Indian Ocean Region, Sitharaman sought to downplay the issue and said, "There was no tension in the Indian Ocean, in the Navy against China."
The Indian Ocean, considered the backyard of the Indian Navy, is critical to India's strategic interests. Over the years, the region has witnessed increasing Chinese presence.
China increased its presence in the Indian Ocean Region by constructing the deep-sea Gwadar Port in southern Pakistan and a naval base in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. The region also has Chinese ships deployed for anti-piracy operations.
On April 16, the Indian Navy on Twitter welcomed China's PLA Navy in the Indian Ocean Region.
"#MaritimeDomainAwareness @indiannavy extends a warm welcome to the 29th Anti-Piracy Escort Force (APEF) of PLA(N) in Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Happy Hunting @SpokespersonMoD @DefenceMinIndia @IAF_MCC @adgpi @IndiaCoastGuard @IndianDiplomacy," it tweeted.
When asked about her visit to China, and that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to that country last month and whether there has been any change in terms of strategy, Sitharaman said: "We are talking, we are meeting each other - and that is a big change."
The defence personnel of the two countries were locked in a 73-day standoff in Doklam area near Sikkim last year and it had resulted in tension between the two Asian giants.
Reacting to reports that there was a directive to the Army not to be aggressive on the borders, Sitharaman said she was not aware of it. -- PTI
21:51 Youth's death could be last nail in Kashmir's tourism coffin: Industry
The fragile tourism industry in Kashmir has taken another blow with the death of a tourist hit by stones, and the sector fears that the incident may further affect the already falling footfall in the troubled Valley.
The killing of the Chennai youth could be the proverbial final nail in the coffin of tourism in Kashmir, Ashfaq Siddiq, president Travel Agents Association Kashmir said today.
The tourist. 22-year-old R Thirumani, was critically injured in a stone pelting incident at Narbal yesterday and died later in the day of head injuries, triggering outrage and concern.
"This is a sad incident which should not have happened. Unfortunately, we feel that it will have an impact on tourist arrivals to Kashmir. I think it will be the final nail in the coffin," Siddiq told PTI.
Tourism in the state has already suffered because of prolonged periods of unrest in the Valley, hoteliers said.
There has been a steep fall in the number of domestic tourists since 2016, when the killing of militant Burhan Muzaffar Wani by security forces in July that year led to a prolonged period of violence and stone pelting in the Valley.
The number of tourists fell from 3,91,902 in the first four months of 2016 to 1,69,727 in the same period the next year.
The number in the corresponding period this year was 1,54,062, officials said.
The TAAK president said the association feared cancellation of bookings by tourists in the days to come.
21:26 Mallya loses over Rs 10,000 crore UK lawsuit filed by Indian banks
Embattled tycoon Vijay Mallya has lost a UK lawsuit filed by Indian banks seeking to collect more than Rs 10,000 crore, a media report claimed.
Judge Andrew Henshaw in London Tuesday said that the lenders, including IDBI Bank Ltd, can enforce an Indian court ruling that relates to allegations that Mallya willfully defaulted on about $1.4 billion in debt for his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines Ltd.
Henshaw also refused to overturn a worldwide order freezing Mallya's assets.
Mallya, the fugitive liquor baron sought by India for defaulting on several bank loans.
Lawyers for Mallya declined to comment after the hearing.
The judge also refused permission to appeal its ruling, meaning his attorneys will have to directly petition the Court of Appeal.
20:42 'Avengers: Infinity War' becomes highest Hollywood grosser in India
Avengers: Infinity War has become the highest Hollywood earner in India till date with its gross box office collections of Rs 246.51 crore, according to the makers.
The Marvel Studios film, which brings together the largest gathering of superheroes to battle it out against supervillain Thanos, also had the biggest day one opening ever for a Hollywood movie in the country.
"The phenomenal response to Avengers: Infinity War reinforces that with every release, Marvel's fan-base is only getting bigger; cutting across gender, boundaries and age-groups. We are thrilled by the overwhelming response," Bikram Duggal - Head, Studio Entertainment, Disney India said in a statement.
Over the course of 11 days, the net box office collections of the film, which released in India on April 27, stands at Rs 192.28 crore.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, the movie collected Rs 40.13 (gross) on day one, Rs 39.1 on day two and Rs 41.67 crore on day three.
Besides Infinity War, the studio now has nation's second-best Hollywood grosser, The Jungle Book, to its credit, the makers say.
The film features Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Don Cheadle, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Pom Klementieff, Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong, Tom Holland, among others. -- PTI
20:24 Thunderstorms on May 2-3 claimed 134 lives
Thunderstorms and lightning on May 2-3 killed at least 134 people and injured more than 400 in five states, including the hardest-hit Uttar Pradesh, the home ministry said today.
The highest 80 people were killed in Uttar Pradesh and nearly 100 others were injured in the state. A majority of the deaths and injuries were reported from the Agra region, a home ministry spokesperson said, giving the latest figures.
Altogether 35 people were killed and another 209 were injured in Rajasthan. Eleven people were killed in Telangana, six were killed in Uttarakhand and two in Punjab.
Nearly 100 people were also injured in Telangana, Uttarakhand and Punjab.
Following thunderstorms, power supply was cut off in many areas as squall uprooted trees and snapped electricity cables.
At least 20,000 electric poles were uprooted and 2,500 electric transformers were damaged during the two days.
More than 1,800 houses were damaged and 800 cattles were also killed, the spokesperson said. -- PTI
20:12 CJI impeachment: Bhushan files RTI seeking details about SC bench
Advocate Prashant Bhushan today filed an RTI seeking a copy of the administrative order constituting a five-judge constitution bench to hear the impeachment case against the Chief Justice of India, hours after the Supreme Court showed reluctance to part with it.
In his RTI application, Bhushan has sought information from the central public information officer of the Supreme Court regarding the listing of the case before a five-judge constitution bench and also who had passed the administrative order.
"Was writ petition of Pratap Singh Bajwa and another vs Chairman, Rajya Sabha and another listed on May 8 before a constitution bench by way of an administrative order? If yes, who has passed passed the order above mentioned," the RTI application filed by Bhushan said.
It further said, "Kindly provide me the copy of the order and allow me to inspect the concerned file along with any file noting concerning the said order".
Two Congress MPs, who had challenged the rejection of the impeachment notice against the Chief Justice of India by Rajya Sabha Chairman, today withdrew their petition from the Supreme Court after it showed reluctance to part with the administrative order on constitution of a larger bench to hear the matter. -- PTI
20:05 Heavy rains, thunderstorm likely in Delhi tonight
Heavy rains and thunderstorm are likely to hit the national capital tonight, according to the MeT department.
The maximum temperature was recorded at 34.7 degrees Celsius today, four notches below normal while the minimum settled at 22 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the year, a MeT official said.
The humidity levels oscillated between 54 and 28 per cent.
The weatherman predicted hazy sky in the evening with possibility of heavy rain and thunderstorm late night.
A dust storm, with a wind speed of 70 kilometres per hour, had hit the national capital last night followed by a squall, bringing down the temperature after a hot day.
All evening schools run by Delhi government and few private schools operating in morning shift remained closed today.
Delhi government had put search and rescue teams on standby in the wake of the weatherman issuing a warning of heavy rain and thunderstorm.
The traffic police has alerted their field formations to be ready to remove obstacles such as fallen trees and asked commuters to check weather conditions before travelling.
The Delhi Metro, too, has decided to exercise extreme caution in running of trains in the wake of the warning.
According to airport sources, six flights had to be diverted last night due to strong winds. However, operations were normal in the morning. -- PTI
18:57 PM likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir this month
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir for two days later this month during which he will inaugurate a hydro-electricity project and participate in the 100th birth anniversary celebrations of Ladakhi spiritual leader Kushak Bakula and a university convocation, officials said.
While the dates are yet to be officially announced, the officials said most probably the prime minister will arrive here on May 19 and dedicate to the nation the 330 MW Kishanganga hydroelectric project, whose progress was monitored by the PMO.
The project, located at Bandipore in North Kashmir, envisages diversion of water of Kishan Ganga river to underground power house through a 23.25-km-long head race tunnel to generate 1713 million units per annum.
On the same day, Modi is expected to fly to Leh where he is likely to participate in the 100th anniversary celebrations of Kushak Bakula, the officials said.
Bakula was seen as the force behind several political agitations in the region and was its voice all over the world. He was born at Matho on May 21, 1917, and educated at Geshes, Lhasa (Tibet). A scholar of the Mahayana school of Buddhism, he was head priest of the Spituk Gompa. He died in 2003.
The next day, Modi is likely to address a university convocation in Jammu before returning to the national capital, the officials added.
The Kishanganga project was started in 2007 but on May 17, 2010, Pakistan moved for international arbitration against India under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 that regulates the use of waters in the shared rivers.
The Hague-based International Court of Arbitration allowed India in 2013 to go ahead with construction of the project in North Kashmir and upheld India's right under the bilateral Indus Waters Treaty to divert waters from the Kishanganga for power generation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The international court, however, decided that India shall release a minimum flow of nine cubic metres per second into the Kishanganga river (known as Neelam in Pakistan) at all times to maintain environmental flows. Pakistan is building a 969 MW Neelum-Jhelum hydroelectric project downstream. -- PTI
18:51 Sharif now facing probe for laundering USD 4.9 bn to India: Reports
In further trouble to Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's top anti-corruption body today ordered a probe against the embattled former prime minister and others for allegedly laundering USD 4.9 billion to India, media reports said.
The National Accountability Bureau in a press release said its Chairman Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal took notice of reports making rounds on news channels claiming that Sharif allegedly laundered USD 4.9 billion to India, the Express Tribune reported.
According to the media report, this incident is mentioned in the World Bank's Migration and Remittance Book 2016, the release said.
However, details of the media report in question have not been mentioned in the brief statement issued in Urdu, Geo Tv reported.
The statement claims that the amount was laundered to the Indian finance ministry after which Indian foreign exchange reserves witnessed an increase and Pakistan suffered as a result.
Sharif is facing three corruption cases at the accountability court following the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case. A NAB inquiry is also under way against him for alleged illegal expansion of a road leading to his estate in Lahore's Jati Umra locality.
Once formulated, this will be the fifth case against the ousted premier by the NAB.
Earlier, the accountability court sought more time from the top court to end the trial on references filed by the NAB against members of the Sharif family.
Accountability court judge Muhammad Bashir, who presides over the hearings, has written a letter to the top court requesting for a second extension in the trial.
Earlier in March, the Supreme Court had granted a two-month extension to the accountability court to wrap the proceedings.
However, as the two-month deadline expires, the case is nowhere near its end, with the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investments still untouched, the country's top anti-graft body is running out of time.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan had disqualified Sharif last year, forcing the three-time prime minister to resign. Sharif has dismissed the corruption charges as politically motivated.
The political future of Sharif, who leads the country's most powerful political family and his party, has been hanging in the balance since then. If convicted, he can be jailed. -- PTI
18:48 Congress fishing in trobuled waters: Jaitley on CJI impeachment issue
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today accused the Congress of fishing in troubled waters and adopting a fringe position over the issue of impeachment of the Chief Justice of India which he said will hurt immediately the party in the Karnataka elections.
Two Congress MPs today withdrew their plea in the Supreme Court challenging rejection of the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.
"Finding a divided court, the Congress wanted to fish in troubled waters. If the motion for impeachment was unsustainable, the writ petition challenging the order of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, was unarguable," Jaitley wrote in a hard-hitting Facebook post.
Jaitley said the rulings of the Chair on whether to admit a motion or otherwise, are not subject to judicial review.
"But wanting to fish in troubled waters", he said the Congress conceived of a strategy to "chose a court of its choice" for mentioning for constitution of the bench to hear the matter so that an unarguable matter could be arguable before a more receptive court.
"The Congress Party was looking for a friendly pitch to bowl on," said Jaitley, who himeself is an eminent lawyer.
He also wondered whether it is right for a national party to deviate from the mainstream and take such fringe position.
"This in reality is the price which each Congressman will pay because its leader has decided that fringe position are better than the mainstream one. The Congressmen in Karnataka will be the immediate victim," he said. -- PTI
18:22 Upset over tourists' death, Mehbooba calls all-party meeting
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has called an all party meeting of the political parties to discuss the situation in the Kashmir valley.
"Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is convening an all party meeting in Srinagar tomorrow to discuss the prevailing situation with political parties across the board", an official spokesperson said.
The meeting is scheduled to be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre at 2 pm tomorrow, he said.
Yesterday, a 22-year-old Chennai resident S Thirumani, who was holidaying in the Valley with his family, died after his vehicle was attacked by stone pelters.
Upset over the incident, Mufti had termed it as "murder of humanity", something she said was unheard of in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. -- PTI
18:08 Don't fall into trap of 'certain forces': AMU VC to students
Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor today told students on a sit-in over the Jinnah portrait row to not let their studies suffer and fall into a trap set by those trying to destroy the institution's image.
In an open letter to the students, he urged them "not to fall into the trap of certain forces which are bent upon destroying the image of our alma mater and are playing with your bright future".
He asked them to not to let their studies suffer when the exams are round the corner.
The exams, postponed because of the unrest on the campus, are now set to begin on May 12.
Several AMU students are on an indefinite dharna after a clash with the police on May 2 when they were demanding action against right-wing protesters who had entered the campus, shouting slogans.
They are asking for a judicial probe into the "police inaction" and the manner in which a row erupted after a BJP MP objected to the portrait of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, hanging over decades at the AMU student union office.
The VC "fully endorsed" the students' demand for a judicial inquiry and also denounced the "excessive use of force" by the police.
But in his letter, he also urged the students to stay calm and focus on their studies and their careers.
The VC said he was pained that some sections of the media, including television channels, were using "half truths" to project a negative image of the university.
"The AMU is suffering an assault from different quarters and it is even more important to respond with rationality and thoughtful action and not to be swayed by emotions," he said.
Amid tension on May 2, a function to grant life membership of the student union to former vice president Hamid Ansari was called off and he returned to Delhi.
The university said portraits of all life members of the student union are put up on the walls of its office. Jinnah had also been given this honour before Partition. -- PTI
17:03 PM good orator, but speeches can't end hunger: Sonia
Almost two years after abandoning her poll campaign midway in Varanasi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi hit the campaign trail in Karnataka today addressing a public rally in Bijapur.
Highlights...
"Congress has worked for the development of Karnataka and you must know that the central govt is working in a biased manner when it comes to Karnataka. Congress made Karnataka the country's number 1 state and started numerous schemes for people.
"Standing by each other and working together, that is the essence of Karnataka and of India.
"We have worked tirelessly for the poor. We started the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA scheme which was objected to by the BJP and by Modiji.
"The farmers of Karnataka have been suffering due to drought. Your CM Siddaramaiah wanted to meet the PM over these issues but he refused. By doing this he has insulted not only the farmers but also the state of Karnataka.
"All states that suffered drought were given compensation (by the centre), Karnataka was provided with the least, this was like rubbing salt into the wounds of farmers. I ask Modiji, is this your 'sabka-saath, sabka-vikas?
"Modiji is proud of the fact that he is a very good orator, I agree with this. He speaks like an actor. I'll be happy if his speeches can end hunger of the country but speeches cannot fill empty stomachs, food is needed for that.
"Modiji par Congress mukt bharat ka junoon hai, unhe iska bhoot laga hai, Congress mukt bharat toh chhoriye, vo apne saamne kisi ko bardaash nahi kar sakte. Wherever Modi Ji goes he says wrong things and distorts historical facts. He uses the names of heroes from our history for his political motives."
Highlights...
"Congress has worked for the development of Karnataka and you must know that the central govt is working in a biased manner when it comes to Karnataka. Congress made Karnataka the country's number 1 state and started numerous schemes for people.
"Standing by each other and working together, that is the essence of Karnataka and of India.
"We have worked tirelessly for the poor. We started the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA scheme which was objected to by the BJP and by Modiji.
"The farmers of Karnataka have been suffering due to drought. Your CM Siddaramaiah wanted to meet the PM over these issues but he refused. By doing this he has insulted not only the farmers but also the state of Karnataka.
"All states that suffered drought were given compensation (by the centre), Karnataka was provided with the least, this was like rubbing salt into the wounds of farmers. I ask Modiji, is this your 'sabka-saath, sabka-vikas?
"Modiji is proud of the fact that he is a very good orator, I agree with this. He speaks like an actor. I'll be happy if his speeches can end hunger of the country but speeches cannot fill empty stomachs, food is needed for that.
"Modiji par Congress mukt bharat ka junoon hai, unhe iska bhoot laga hai, Congress mukt bharat toh chhoriye, vo apne saamne kisi ko bardaash nahi kar sakte. Wherever Modi Ji goes he says wrong things and distorts historical facts. He uses the names of heroes from our history for his political motives."
16:45
Divya Spandana/Ramya @divyaspandana BJP is the reason why women are unsafe in delhi. Such honesty, I'm almost crying.
16:40 Nothing wrong in Rahul's remark that he is ready to be PM: NCP
The NCP today said there was nothing wrong in Congress president Rahul Gandhi's statement that he is ready to become the prime minister if his party wins the maximum number of seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
The Nationalist Congress Party, which was part of the UPA government from 2004 to 2014, is expected to ally with the Congress again for the general elections next year. NCP national spokesman Nawab Malik said there was nothing to object to Gandhi's statement.
"If people decide to entrust the Congress with the job of ruling the country, he (Rahul Gandhi) will be the prime ministerial candidate," he said. -- PTI
The Nationalist Congress Party, which was part of the UPA government from 2004 to 2014, is expected to ally with the Congress again for the general elections next year. NCP national spokesman Nawab Malik said there was nothing to object to Gandhi's statement.
"If people decide to entrust the Congress with the job of ruling the country, he (Rahul Gandhi) will be the prime ministerial candidate," he said. -- PTI
16:14 Separatists condemn killing of Chennai youth
The Joint Resistance Forum, comprising the three main separatist groups in Kashmir, today condemned the death of a tourist whose vehicle was targeted by stone-pelters and said the incident had dented the image of the Valley and its tradition of welcoming guests.
The death of 22-year-old Chennai resident R Thirumani in a hospital here yesterday was "unfortunate" and had undermined their struggle, said a statement from the Forum, comprising the hardline and moderate factions of the Hurriyat Conference and the JKLF.
"Tourists are our guests and we should be loyal to our Kashmiri and religious traditions by refraining from harassing them," the statement in Urdu said.
The leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and JKLF chief Yaseen Malik, said the Valley has for years hosted tourists in the best traditions of Kashmiri hospitality. People in the Valley, the statement to the press said, should refrain from destroying the basic fabric of Kashmiriyat in the state.
Such incidents encourage the attempts of those who present our movement in a bad light internationally, it added. Thirumani and his family were returning from Gulmarg, about 50 km from summer capital Sringar, when their vehicle was caught in stone pelting near Magam area of Budgam.
A stone hit the young man on his right temple and he was rushed to the Soura Institute of Medical Sciences where he died. PTI
The death of 22-year-old Chennai resident R Thirumani in a hospital here yesterday was "unfortunate" and had undermined their struggle, said a statement from the Forum, comprising the hardline and moderate factions of the Hurriyat Conference and the JKLF.
"Tourists are our guests and we should be loyal to our Kashmiri and religious traditions by refraining from harassing them," the statement in Urdu said.
The leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and JKLF chief Yaseen Malik, said the Valley has for years hosted tourists in the best traditions of Kashmiri hospitality. People in the Valley, the statement to the press said, should refrain from destroying the basic fabric of Kashmiriyat in the state.
Such incidents encourage the attempts of those who present our movement in a bad light internationally, it added. Thirumani and his family were returning from Gulmarg, about 50 km from summer capital Sringar, when their vehicle was caught in stone pelting near Magam area of Budgam.
A stone hit the young man on his right temple and he was rushed to the Soura Institute of Medical Sciences where he died. PTI
16:04 Kathua case: Accused to file fresh petition in SC for CBI probe
The accused in the Kathua rape-and-murder case will file a fresh petition in the Supreme Court in the next few days, seeking handing over of the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The apex court had yesterday directed that the trial in the case of alleged gang-rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl, which had led to a nationwide outrage, be moved to Pathankot in neighbouring Punjab.
"A fresh petition seeking a CBI probe is ready. It shall be filed within a few days (in the Supreme Court)," Ankur Sharma, the lawyer of five of the accused in the case, said today.
A detailed counter on behalf of accused Sanjhi Ram, Vishal Jangotra and Parvesh Kumar was filed in the apex court, along with an additional affidavit seeking a CBI probe, he added.
Sharma said in yesterday's hearing, only a notice could have been issued if a fresh petition seeking a CBI probe was filed. "The fastest way of getting a CBI probe in yesterday's hearing was through our counter and additional affidavit," he said, adding that their main concern was not the shifting of the case, but the CBI probe.
The lawyer denied that yesterday's court order, shifting the trial of the case to Pathankot, was a setback for them. "It was a loss for the state government as it wanted the case to remain in Jammu and Kashmir, preferably in Ramban district," he said, adding that it was a loss for the victim's family also as it had wanted the case to be shifted to Chandigarh. "The court has called for a fast trial of the case on a day-to-day basis. We are hopeful that the trial will be completed in a year," Sharma said.
The state government's "plot" of introducing 221 witnesses to cause a delay in the trial was busted by the apex court, he said, adding that the case would now be heard on a daily basis. -- PTI
Image: Kathua rape and murder accused Sanji Ram
The apex court had yesterday directed that the trial in the case of alleged gang-rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl, which had led to a nationwide outrage, be moved to Pathankot in neighbouring Punjab.
"A fresh petition seeking a CBI probe is ready. It shall be filed within a few days (in the Supreme Court)," Ankur Sharma, the lawyer of five of the accused in the case, said today.
A detailed counter on behalf of accused Sanjhi Ram, Vishal Jangotra and Parvesh Kumar was filed in the apex court, along with an additional affidavit seeking a CBI probe, he added.
Sharma said in yesterday's hearing, only a notice could have been issued if a fresh petition seeking a CBI probe was filed. "The fastest way of getting a CBI probe in yesterday's hearing was through our counter and additional affidavit," he said, adding that their main concern was not the shifting of the case, but the CBI probe.
The lawyer denied that yesterday's court order, shifting the trial of the case to Pathankot, was a setback for them. "It was a loss for the state government as it wanted the case to remain in Jammu and Kashmir, preferably in Ramban district," he said, adding that it was a loss for the victim's family also as it had wanted the case to be shifted to Chandigarh. "The court has called for a fast trial of the case on a day-to-day basis. We are hopeful that the trial will be completed in a year," Sharma said.
The state government's "plot" of introducing 221 witnesses to cause a delay in the trial was busted by the apex court, he said, adding that the case would now be heard on a daily basis. -- PTI
Image: Kathua rape and murder accused Sanji Ram
16:00 Finance ministry shut, Rahul in a mock note to FM from PM
Latching on to a news report about the absence of Union Minister Arun Jaitley and Secretary Hasmukh Adhia from the Finance Ministry at the same time, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today took a dig at the government with a mock letter to the minister by the prime minister.
Gandhi's note on Twitter -- addressed to the "FM" and signed off by the "Prime Minister" -- said it had been decided that the ministry would be shut till further notice.
According to the news report which Gandhi posted along with his tweet, Jaitley has not attended office for a month because of a kidney ailment.
The report claimed Adhia has taken leave till May 20 to do yoga and meditation with Swami Visharadanand Saraswathy in Mysuru.
The absence of the two effectively left the ministry headless, the report added. "Dear FM, as you are indisposed and Finance Secretary is on vacation with his Guru on a quest for inner peace, I have decided to shut the Finance Ministry till further notice," Gandhi's tweet said.
"The PMO will take all financial policy decisions as before. Prime Minister," he wrote. Expenditure secretary A N Jha is expected to officiate in Adhia's absence, the report said. PTI
Gandhi's note on Twitter -- addressed to the "FM" and signed off by the "Prime Minister" -- said it had been decided that the ministry would be shut till further notice.
According to the news report which Gandhi posted along with his tweet, Jaitley has not attended office for a month because of a kidney ailment.
The report claimed Adhia has taken leave till May 20 to do yoga and meditation with Swami Visharadanand Saraswathy in Mysuru.
The absence of the two effectively left the ministry headless, the report added. "Dear FM, as you are indisposed and Finance Secretary is on vacation with his Guru on a quest for inner peace, I have decided to shut the Finance Ministry till further notice," Gandhi's tweet said.
"The PMO will take all financial policy decisions as before. Prime Minister," he wrote. Expenditure secretary A N Jha is expected to officiate in Adhia's absence, the report said. PTI
15:26 WB Panchayat polls: HC allows filing of nominations through e-mail
The Calcutta High Court today directed the State Election Commission to accept the nominations of those, who had sent their papers to the poll panel via e-mail for the upcoming West Bengal panchayat election, if those were found to be valid.
A division bench of justices B Somadder and A Mukherjee directed the SEC to accept the valid nominations, filed through e-mail by 3 pm on April 23, which was the extended date for filing nominations for the rural polls.
The court passed the order on an appeal filed by the CPI(M) and directed that it pertained to those candidates, whose names appeared in the list submitted by the appellant before it.
The SEC had opposed the appellant's plea to allow filing of nominations through e-mail, claiming that the West Bengal Panchayat Act did not have any such provision.
The CPI(M) had submitted a list of over 800 intending candidates, claiming that they were prevented from filing nominations at the designated offices and thus, had sent their documents to the SEC through e-mail.
The SEC had contended the claim, saying it had received 340 complaints on the last day of filing of nominations, of which 25 were sent through e-mail. The poll panel had also said that the 25 e-mails contained 62 nominations of intending candidates. -- PTI
A division bench of justices B Somadder and A Mukherjee directed the SEC to accept the valid nominations, filed through e-mail by 3 pm on April 23, which was the extended date for filing nominations for the rural polls.
The court passed the order on an appeal filed by the CPI(M) and directed that it pertained to those candidates, whose names appeared in the list submitted by the appellant before it.
The SEC had opposed the appellant's plea to allow filing of nominations through e-mail, claiming that the West Bengal Panchayat Act did not have any such provision.
The CPI(M) had submitted a list of over 800 intending candidates, claiming that they were prevented from filing nominations at the designated offices and thus, had sent their documents to the SEC through e-mail.
The SEC had contended the claim, saying it had received 340 complaints on the last day of filing of nominations, of which 25 were sent through e-mail. The poll panel had also said that the 25 e-mails contained 62 nominations of intending candidates. -- PTI
15:21 'Chikmagalur can never forget Indira Gandhi'
Nestling in the luminous green foothills of Karnataka's Mullayangiri ranges, surrounded by lush coffee plantations is scenic Chikmagalur or "little daughter's town'.
This is from where Indira Gandhi, routed in the post-Emergency General Elections of 1977 and thrown out of office, chose to contest again in October 1978, in the historic Chikmagalur by-election.
"Give your vote to your little daughter," was one of her slogans.Today residents of Chikmagalur take great pride in their Indira connection.
Read Sagarika Ghose's column here.
This is from where Indira Gandhi, routed in the post-Emergency General Elections of 1977 and thrown out of office, chose to contest again in October 1978, in the historic Chikmagalur by-election.
"Give your vote to your little daughter," was one of her slogans.Today residents of Chikmagalur take great pride in their Indira connection.
Read Sagarika Ghose's column here.
14:47 Bollywood blesses Sonam on her wedding
It's the big, fat, Bollywood wedding, everyone wanted an invite to. And by the looks of it stars shone bright at Sonam Kapoor's aunt Kavita Singh's residence in Bandstand, Bandra, this morning. A lookat the arrivals at the shaadi this morning.
14:37 Sonam and Anand are now man and wife
Sonam Kapoor today tied the knot with longtime beau Anand Ahuja, a Delhi-based businessman, in a traditional Anand Karaj ceremony that was attended by family members and close friends from the Hindi film industry.
True to her image of a fashionista, Sonam looked radiant in a red and golden Anuradha Vakil lehenga choli and heavy jewellery.
Ahuja opted for a beige bandhgala by Raghavendra Rathore. The couple got married in a Sikh ceremony at Sonam's maternal aunt's bungalow in Bandra. The wedding ceremony started around 12:30 pm and ended at around 1:20 pm.
Father Anil Kapoor, mother Sunita Kapoor, brother Harashvardhan, Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Boney Kapoor along with daughters Janhvi and Khushi, Mohit Marwah among other family members attended the wedding ceremony.
From Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan, son Abhishek and daughter Shweta were among the first ones to arrive at the venue. Other industry celebrities who attended the wedding were Karan Johar, Saif Ali Khan, who arrived with wife Kareena Kapoor and son Taimur, Karisma Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Jacquline Fernandez, Swara Bhasker, Javed Akhtar, designer Masaba Gupta, Ranveer Singh, Aamir Khan, wife Kiran Rao and elder son Junaid.
The wedding ceremony will be followed by lunch, and later in the evening the newly weds will host a grand reception at a five star hotel for other relatives and Sonam's industry friends.
Sonam and Anand, who have been dating for the past two years, announced their wedding a week ago. The wedding was preceded by two-day long celebrations that included mehendi and sangeet functions. PTI
Image: Sonam and Anand Ahuja were married in the Sikh tradition this afternoon. Pic: ANI
True to her image of a fashionista, Sonam looked radiant in a red and golden Anuradha Vakil lehenga choli and heavy jewellery.
Ahuja opted for a beige bandhgala by Raghavendra Rathore. The couple got married in a Sikh ceremony at Sonam's maternal aunt's bungalow in Bandra. The wedding ceremony started around 12:30 pm and ended at around 1:20 pm.
Father Anil Kapoor, mother Sunita Kapoor, brother Harashvardhan, Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Boney Kapoor along with daughters Janhvi and Khushi, Mohit Marwah among other family members attended the wedding ceremony.
From Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan, son Abhishek and daughter Shweta were among the first ones to arrive at the venue. Other industry celebrities who attended the wedding were Karan Johar, Saif Ali Khan, who arrived with wife Kareena Kapoor and son Taimur, Karisma Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Jacquline Fernandez, Swara Bhasker, Javed Akhtar, designer Masaba Gupta, Ranveer Singh, Aamir Khan, wife Kiran Rao and elder son Junaid.
The wedding ceremony will be followed by lunch, and later in the evening the newly weds will host a grand reception at a five star hotel for other relatives and Sonam's industry friends.
Sonam and Anand, who have been dating for the past two years, announced their wedding a week ago. The wedding was preceded by two-day long celebrations that included mehendi and sangeet functions. PTI
Image: Sonam and Anand Ahuja were married in the Sikh tradition this afternoon. Pic: ANI
14:28 Rains lash HP, higher reaches witness snowfall
Rains continued to lash mid and lower hills of Himachal Pradesh and the state's higher reaches witnessed snowfall. The Indian Meteorological Department had issued a warning of heavy rain and thunderstorm today in north India.
Tribal areas and other higher reaches had moderate snowfall, while mid and lower hills experienced widespread rains causing marginal fall in temperatures.
High-altitude tribal areas reeled under sub-zero temperature and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti recorded a low of 2.9 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature plummeted to 3.5 degrees compared to 16.5 degrees Celsius yesterday.
Rohtang Pass was covered under 15 cm of snow while Keylong and Gondla recorded 4 cm and 3 cm of fresh snow, creating cold wave conditions in adjoining valley areas. PTI
Image: Mall Road, Shimla, covered in a sheet of snow this morning. Pic: ANI
Tribal areas and other higher reaches had moderate snowfall, while mid and lower hills experienced widespread rains causing marginal fall in temperatures.
High-altitude tribal areas reeled under sub-zero temperature and Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti recorded a low of 2.9 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature plummeted to 3.5 degrees compared to 16.5 degrees Celsius yesterday.
Rohtang Pass was covered under 15 cm of snow while Keylong and Gondla recorded 4 cm and 3 cm of fresh snow, creating cold wave conditions in adjoining valley areas. PTI
Image: Mall Road, Shimla, covered in a sheet of snow this morning. Pic: ANI
14:03 Death of tourist in stone pelting is murder of humanity, says Mehbooba
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today termed the death of a 22-year-old tourist whose vehicle was targeted by stone-pelters the "murder of humanity" and said the incident had rattled the mother in her.
"Those who pick up stones to kill someone have no religion," an upset Mehbooba said after meeting the father of Chennai resident S Thirumani, who was holidaying in the Valley with his family and died yesterday evening at a hospital in Srinagar.
"The issue would be discussed and debated on television for days and we will be silently watching the murder of humanity, which has been unheard of in the state of Jammu and Kashmir," Mehbooba told PTI.
Saying that her head hangs in shame, the chief minister questioned the education being imparted to children. "The mother in me is rattled about the kind of education we are imparting to our next generation," said the mother of two daughters and the first woman chief minister of the state.
"What are we teaching our children? To pick up stones and kill anyone walking on the road? This is not what our religion Islam preaches. Our religion teaches us to take care of our guests. These people or boys who pick up stones to kill someone have no religion," Mehbooba added. She also questioned the role of parents and asked what they were turning their children into.
Thirumani and his family were returning from Gulmarg when their vehicle was caught in stone pelting near Magam area of Budgam. A stone hit the young man on his right temple and he was rushed to the Soura Institute of Medical Sciences where he died.
"Can one imagine that the poor father had kept his entire savings to bring his family to Kashmir and he is now returning with the coffin of his son. Is this what we want?" Asked whether the incident would have an impact on tourism sector, the chief minister said, "I can't be talking about tourism, it is a basic question about humanity. This can't be Kashmiryat."
"The incident," she added, "will have an impact on the entire concept of Kashmiriyat. My brother Tasaduq (Mufti, who is the state tourism minister) keeps on saying that its not about (tourism) industry but about humanity. We are failing on that." PTI
Image: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met the father of S Thirumani, who was killed in a stone-pelting incident. The family had saved up for years for a holiday in Kashmir.
"Those who pick up stones to kill someone have no religion," an upset Mehbooba said after meeting the father of Chennai resident S Thirumani, who was holidaying in the Valley with his family and died yesterday evening at a hospital in Srinagar.
"The issue would be discussed and debated on television for days and we will be silently watching the murder of humanity, which has been unheard of in the state of Jammu and Kashmir," Mehbooba told PTI.
Saying that her head hangs in shame, the chief minister questioned the education being imparted to children. "The mother in me is rattled about the kind of education we are imparting to our next generation," said the mother of two daughters and the first woman chief minister of the state.
"What are we teaching our children? To pick up stones and kill anyone walking on the road? This is not what our religion Islam preaches. Our religion teaches us to take care of our guests. These people or boys who pick up stones to kill someone have no religion," Mehbooba added. She also questioned the role of parents and asked what they were turning their children into.
Thirumani and his family were returning from Gulmarg when their vehicle was caught in stone pelting near Magam area of Budgam. A stone hit the young man on his right temple and he was rushed to the Soura Institute of Medical Sciences where he died.
"Can one imagine that the poor father had kept his entire savings to bring his family to Kashmir and he is now returning with the coffin of his son. Is this what we want?" Asked whether the incident would have an impact on tourism sector, the chief minister said, "I can't be talking about tourism, it is a basic question about humanity. This can't be Kashmiryat."
"The incident," she added, "will have an impact on the entire concept of Kashmiriyat. My brother Tasaduq (Mufti, who is the state tourism minister) keeps on saying that its not about (tourism) industry but about humanity. We are failing on that." PTI
Image: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met the father of S Thirumani, who was killed in a stone-pelting incident. The family had saved up for years for a holiday in Kashmir.
13:52 Walmart inches closer to sealing deal with Flipkart
The world's largest retailer Walmart Inc is close to clinching a deal to buy a majority stake in Flipkart for roughly USD 15 billion, according to sources.
The deal, which will see some of the biggest investors in Flipkart offloading their stake in the country's largest e-commerce company, could be announced any day now, sources with direct knowledge of the development said. Japan's SoftBank Group Corp and Tiger Global Management are said to be selling almost all of their about 20 per cent stake each in Flipkart.
Walmart will likely end up with 60-80 per cent of Flipkart, valuing the company at about USD 20 billion, they said. Flipkart was valued at about USD 12 billion last year, according to researcher CB Insights. -- PTI
The deal, which will see some of the biggest investors in Flipkart offloading their stake in the country's largest e-commerce company, could be announced any day now, sources with direct knowledge of the development said. Japan's SoftBank Group Corp and Tiger Global Management are said to be selling almost all of their about 20 per cent stake each in Flipkart.
Walmart will likely end up with 60-80 per cent of Flipkart, valuing the company at about USD 20 billion, they said. Flipkart was valued at about USD 12 billion last year, according to researcher CB Insights. -- PTI
13:46 Govt's delay in forming Cauvery Board is 'sheer contempt of court'
The government's delay in forming the Cauvery Board is "sheer contempt of court", the Supreme Court said today. The court asked the water resources secretary to be present at the next hearing, which will be held on May 14 -- well after the Karnataka assembly elections.
On May 3, the court had asked the Centre to file an affidavit, detailing what steps it was taking to form the authority or a scheme that will implement the court's formula of water division between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Yesterday, the Centre had asked for 10 more days to complete the task.
On May 3, the court had asked the Centre to file an affidavit, detailing what steps it was taking to form the authority or a scheme that will implement the court's formula of water division between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Yesterday, the Centre had asked for 10 more days to complete the task.
13:33 Cong for protecting dignity and independence of courts: Sibal
The Congress today questioned the setting up of a five-judge bench to hear a petition challenging rejection of the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and dismissed allegations that the plea, filed by two party MPs, was "political'.
The party was for protecting "dignity and independence' of the courts, senior Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal said while pitching for transparency in the judicial process.
The Congress MPs, for whom Sibal appeared before the Supreme Court, earlier in the day withdrew their plea in the apex court challenging rejection of the impeachment notice against Misra by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.
During the hearing, Sibal raised questions on the setting up of the constitution bench, including who passed the order for setting up the five-judge bench to hear the matter. Sibal had also sought of a copy of the order on setting up of the bench.
"It was not a judicial order, but an administrative one'the petitioners have the right to know who passed the order'we wanted a copy of the order'they (the SC) did not pass any order saying that they will give us the copy of the order or not,' Sibal told reporters at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.
-- PTI
The party was for protecting "dignity and independence' of the courts, senior Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal said while pitching for transparency in the judicial process.
The Congress MPs, for whom Sibal appeared before the Supreme Court, earlier in the day withdrew their plea in the apex court challenging rejection of the impeachment notice against Misra by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.
During the hearing, Sibal raised questions on the setting up of the constitution bench, including who passed the order for setting up the five-judge bench to hear the matter. Sibal had also sought of a copy of the order on setting up of the bench.
"It was not a judicial order, but an administrative one'the petitioners have the right to know who passed the order'we wanted a copy of the order'they (the SC) did not pass any order saying that they will give us the copy of the order or not,' Sibal told reporters at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.
-- PTI
13:23 ICICI Bank shares soar nearly 9% post Q4 results
In a reversal of fortunes, shares of ICICI Bank surged nearly 9 per cent today even as the company posted 45 per cent decline in consolidated net profit for March quarter. The stock shrugged off the disappointing numbers to open the day on a positive note and further soared 8.67 per cent to Rs 314.50 as the trade progressed on BSE.
At NSE, shares of the company jumped 8.52 per cent to Rs 314.50. The stock was the biggest gainer on both Sensex and Nifty during the morning trade.
ICICI Bank yesterday posted 45 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 1,142 crore for three months to March as bad loans surged. The leading private sector lender had a consolidated profit of Rs 2,083 crore in January-March, 2016-17. Total income on consolidated basis rose to Rs 33,760 crore as against Rs 28,603 crore.
On standalone basis, the bank recorded 50 per cent fall in net profit at Rs 1,020 crore in the reported quarter. In the year-ago period, the same stood at Rs 2,025 crore. Gross non-performing assets of the bank rose to 8.84 per cent as a percentage of gross advances at the end of March, compared to 7.89 per cent a year ago. -- PTI
At NSE, shares of the company jumped 8.52 per cent to Rs 314.50. The stock was the biggest gainer on both Sensex and Nifty during the morning trade.
ICICI Bank yesterday posted 45 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 1,142 crore for three months to March as bad loans surged. The leading private sector lender had a consolidated profit of Rs 2,083 crore in January-March, 2016-17. Total income on consolidated basis rose to Rs 33,760 crore as against Rs 28,603 crore.
On standalone basis, the bank recorded 50 per cent fall in net profit at Rs 1,020 crore in the reported quarter. In the year-ago period, the same stood at Rs 2,025 crore. Gross non-performing assets of the bank rose to 8.84 per cent as a percentage of gross advances at the end of March, compared to 7.89 per cent a year ago. -- PTI
12:45 Rahul announces PM ambition for 2019
With Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Amit Shah, Narendra Modi, Yogi Adityanath congregating in Karnataka in the run-up to the elections, bytes dominate the poll agenda.
The Congress President Rahul Gandhi when asked today if he was willing to be PM in 2019, struck a confident note, saying, "Yes, why not?"
That is of course, if the Congress is the single largest party in 2019.
Rahul also said today that the Congress was repeatedly asking the Prime Minister why has he chosen a corrupt person, who has been in jail as his party's CM candidate?
The BJP has fielded BS Yeddyurappa as the party's CM candidate for Karnataka.
Rahul also attacked BJP presdient Amit Shah who has campaigned extensively in the state, saying, he was a murder accused. "I don't think he has a lot of credibility. People in India forget that the BJP President is a murder accused. The party that talks about honesty, decency has a person who's been accused of murder as President," said Rahul.
Meanwhile, Yogi Adityanath, who is a star campaigner for the BJP for the Karnataka polls, is expected to address public meetings in Bhatkal, Byndoor, Mudabidre, Virajpet, and Sullia during the day.
Sonia Gandhi will also address a public meeting at Vijayapura at 3 pm.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will address a gathering in Mysuru, the city whose former ruler Tipu Sultan, has become a political agenda for both the BJP and the Congress.
The Congress President Rahul Gandhi when asked today if he was willing to be PM in 2019, struck a confident note, saying, "Yes, why not?"
That is of course, if the Congress is the single largest party in 2019.
Rahul also said today that the Congress was repeatedly asking the Prime Minister why has he chosen a corrupt person, who has been in jail as his party's CM candidate?
The BJP has fielded BS Yeddyurappa as the party's CM candidate for Karnataka.
Rahul also attacked BJP presdient Amit Shah who has campaigned extensively in the state, saying, he was a murder accused. "I don't think he has a lot of credibility. People in India forget that the BJP President is a murder accused. The party that talks about honesty, decency has a person who's been accused of murder as President," said Rahul.
Meanwhile, Yogi Adityanath, who is a star campaigner for the BJP for the Karnataka polls, is expected to address public meetings in Bhatkal, Byndoor, Mudabidre, Virajpet, and Sullia during the day.
Sonia Gandhi will also address a public meeting at Vijayapura at 3 pm.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will address a gathering in Mysuru, the city whose former ruler Tipu Sultan, has become a political agenda for both the BJP and the Congress.
12:00 Who set up bench to hear rejection of impeachment notice, Sibal wants to know
Update on the impeachment report.
Two Congress MPs today withdrew their plea in the Supreme Court challenging the rejection of the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.
After a 45-minute hearing, a five-judge bench headed by Justice A K Sikri declared the petition as dismissed as withdrawn.
After senior advocate Kapil Sibal raised some objections on the setting up of the five-judge constitution bench to hear the matter, Attorney General K K Venugopal said only two MPs of Congress have approached the apex court. Venugopal submitted that six other parties, which had given a notice for impeachment, did not move the top court.
The AG said "the presumption is that all others have not supported the stand taken by the Congress to challenge the rejection of impeachment notice by Naidu."
Earlier during the hearing, Sibal had raised questions on the setting up of the constitution bench, including who passed the order for setting up the five-judge bench to hear the matter. He further said the matter was listed before the five-judge bench through an administrative order and the CJI cannot pass such orders in this matter.
Sibal had also sought a copy of the order on setting up of the bench, saying they intended to challenge it. However, the bench also comprising Justices S A Bobde, N V Ramana, Arun Mishra and A K Goel said it is a "piquant and unprecedented situation where the CJI is party and other four judges may also have some role".
Naidu had on April 23 rejected the impeachment notice against the CJI given by seven opposition parties led by the Congress on five grounds of "misbehaviour". This was the first time that an impeachment notice was filed against a sitting CJI. PTI
Two Congress MPs today withdrew their plea in the Supreme Court challenging the rejection of the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.
After a 45-minute hearing, a five-judge bench headed by Justice A K Sikri declared the petition as dismissed as withdrawn.
After senior advocate Kapil Sibal raised some objections on the setting up of the five-judge constitution bench to hear the matter, Attorney General K K Venugopal said only two MPs of Congress have approached the apex court. Venugopal submitted that six other parties, which had given a notice for impeachment, did not move the top court.
The AG said "the presumption is that all others have not supported the stand taken by the Congress to challenge the rejection of impeachment notice by Naidu."
Earlier during the hearing, Sibal had raised questions on the setting up of the constitution bench, including who passed the order for setting up the five-judge bench to hear the matter. He further said the matter was listed before the five-judge bench through an administrative order and the CJI cannot pass such orders in this matter.
Sibal had also sought a copy of the order on setting up of the bench, saying they intended to challenge it. However, the bench also comprising Justices S A Bobde, N V Ramana, Arun Mishra and A K Goel said it is a "piquant and unprecedented situation where the CJI is party and other four judges may also have some role".
Naidu had on April 23 rejected the impeachment notice against the CJI given by seven opposition parties led by the Congress on five grounds of "misbehaviour". This was the first time that an impeachment notice was filed against a sitting CJI. PTI
11:55 Unnao rape accused shifted to Sitapur jail
Updates and reactions awaited on the impeachment motion report, but meanwhile, Unnao rape case accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on Tueday was shifted from the Unnao Jail to Sitapur Jail.
Sengar was shifted after the victim's family had made an appeal in the Allahabad High Court to shift him. He is the main accused in the Unnao rape case.
Sengar was shifted after the victim's family had made an appeal in the Allahabad High Court to shift him. He is the main accused in the Unnao rape case.
11:32 Congress withdraws impeachment petition against CJI
Congress MPs challenging the rejection of the impeachment notice against Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra has been dismissed as withdrawn.
Senior Congress leader and Supreme Court lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for the lawmakers, withdrew the petition after the Supreme Court refused to share the administrative order by which the five-judge Constitution Bench was formed.
None of the senior-most judges Justices Jasti Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, MB Lokur and Kurian Jospeh who had held the controversial January 12 press conference were part of the Bench.
In effect, the Supreme Court has now dismissed the petitions of two Rajya Sabha Congress Parliamentarians Pratap Singh Bajwa and Amee Harshadray Yajnik as withdrawn. They had approached the SC challenging Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu's dismissal of the impeachment motion against CJI Dipak Misra.
Senior Congress leader and Supreme Court lawyer Kapil Sibal, appearing for the lawmakers, withdrew the petition after the Supreme Court refused to share the administrative order by which the five-judge Constitution Bench was formed.
None of the senior-most judges Justices Jasti Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, MB Lokur and Kurian Jospeh who had held the controversial January 12 press conference were part of the Bench.
In effect, the Supreme Court has now dismissed the petitions of two Rajya Sabha Congress Parliamentarians Pratap Singh Bajwa and Amee Harshadray Yajnik as withdrawn. They had approached the SC challenging Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu's dismissal of the impeachment motion against CJI Dipak Misra.
11:19 RSS worker hacked to death after attack on CPI(M) leader
In an escalation of political violence, an RSS worker was hacked to death allegedly by CPI(M) workers in retaliation to the 'fatal attack' on a Marxist leader at Palloor in that region, bordering northern Kannur district.
The RSS worker, Shemaj, an autorickshaw driver, was pulled out of his vehicle and hacked to death last night, police said today. He died on the way to Kozhikode medical college, they said.
New Mahe, comes under Kannur police jurisdiction while Mahe, a former french colony, is located between thalassery in Kannur district and Vadakara in Kozhikode district, and is an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Shemaj was attacked shortly after the 'fatal attack' on CPI(M) local leader, Babu late last night, police said adding political enmity was the motive for the two killings. Further investigation is on, police said. -- PTI
The RSS worker, Shemaj, an autorickshaw driver, was pulled out of his vehicle and hacked to death last night, police said today. He died on the way to Kozhikode medical college, they said.
New Mahe, comes under Kannur police jurisdiction while Mahe, a former french colony, is located between thalassery in Kannur district and Vadakara in Kozhikode district, and is an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Shemaj was attacked shortly after the 'fatal attack' on CPI(M) local leader, Babu late last night, police said adding political enmity was the motive for the two killings. Further investigation is on, police said. -- PTI
11:19 RSS worker hacked to death after attack on CPI(M) leader
In an escalation of political violence, an RSS worker was hacked to death allegedly by CPI(M) workers in retaliation to the 'fatal attack' on a Marxist leader at Palloor in that region, bordering northern Kannur district.
The RSS worker, Shemaj, an autorickshaw driver, was pulled out of his vehicle and hacked to death last night, police said today. He died on the way to Kozhikode medical college, they said.
New Mahe, comes under Kannur police jurisdiction while Mahe, a former french colony, is located between thalassery in Kannur district and Vadakara in Kozhikode district, and is an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Shemaj was attacked shortly after the 'fatal attack' on CPI(M) local leader, Babu late last night, police said adding political enmity was the motive for the two killings. Further investigation is on, police said. -- PTI
The RSS worker, Shemaj, an autorickshaw driver, was pulled out of his vehicle and hacked to death last night, police said today. He died on the way to Kozhikode medical college, they said.
New Mahe, comes under Kannur police jurisdiction while Mahe, a former french colony, is located between thalassery in Kannur district and Vadakara in Kozhikode district, and is an enclave of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Shemaj was attacked shortly after the 'fatal attack' on CPI(M) local leader, Babu late last night, police said adding political enmity was the motive for the two killings. Further investigation is on, police said. -- PTI
11:07 K'taka verdict will teach BJP lesson to mend its ways: Kharge
The May 12 Karnataka Assembly election results will teach a lesson to the BJP to mend its ways and send a larger message that people will not accept what the NDA-led party is doing on the advice of the RSS, senior Congress leader M Mallikarjuna Kharge has claimed.
While the Congress' campaign theme revolves around development, it's also an "ideological fight" against the RSS-BJP which he alleged, is taking people for a ride.
"They (RSS-BJP) are implementing their own agenda. Particularly the weaker sections, minorities and poorer sections, they feel insecure under the BJP and RSS-supported government," the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha alleged.
Karnataka Assembly poll is "very crucial" not only for the State's interest but also from the national perspective, he said. "If you don't prevent BJP here (in Karnataka), then definitely they will destroy the democracy; they are talking a lot of things about change of Constitution and also 'Hindutva' against the minorities. All these arguments (of the BJP), people don't accept," Kharge told PTI.
While the Congress' campaign theme revolves around development, it's also an "ideological fight" against the RSS-BJP which he alleged, is taking people for a ride.
"They (RSS-BJP) are implementing their own agenda. Particularly the weaker sections, minorities and poorer sections, they feel insecure under the BJP and RSS-supported government," the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha alleged.
Karnataka Assembly poll is "very crucial" not only for the State's interest but also from the national perspective, he said. "If you don't prevent BJP here (in Karnataka), then definitely they will destroy the democracy; they are talking a lot of things about change of Constitution and also 'Hindutva' against the minorities. All these arguments (of the BJP), people don't accept," Kharge told PTI.
10:49 ICICI profits plunge nearly 50% in Q4
Private sector banking major ICICI bank on Monday reported an approximate plunge of 50 percent in its standalone profit for the fourth quarter of the fiscal ended March 31, 2018.
The Bank reported a standalone profit after tax of Rs.1,020 crore, compared to that of Rs.2,025 crore in the same period last year. It reported a standalone profit after tax of Rs.6,777 crore for the year ended March 31, compared to the previous year's figure of Rs.9,801 crore. -- ANI
The Bank reported a standalone profit after tax of Rs.1,020 crore, compared to that of Rs.2,025 crore in the same period last year. It reported a standalone profit after tax of Rs.6,777 crore for the year ended March 31, compared to the previous year's figure of Rs.9,801 crore. -- ANI
10:34 Dress not reason behind rape: Sitharaman
Calling for a change in mindset, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, it is ridiculous to claim that a woman's attire is the reason behind a rape. She questioned, if dress is the reason, then why do elderly women or a toddler get sexually abused. The minister was at an event organised by industry lobby FICCI. She said law agencies need to be more proactive in providing safety to women. "Out of every 10 such incidents, seven are committed by people who know the victim -- relative, friends, neighbour. Law enforcement agencies need to be far more proactive, I concede all that," she said. Sitharaman addressed 'Stories That Matter'-- an event organised at FICCI and released the Gender Parity Survey Report. -- ANI
10:26 Freak weather in Rajasthan continues
Gusty winds swept parts of the state last night and this morning, affecting normal life, weather officials said. No casualties have been reported so far. Heavy winds hit Ajmer and some areas of Jaipur this morning while a dust storm hit Bikaner and nearby region last night. The weather office has forecast dust storm, thunderstorm or light rains in 26 out of 33 districts of the state today.
The meteorological department has warned that thunderstorm accompanied with squall and wind speed of 50-70 km/hour may hit isolated places in Sikar, Ajmer, Nagaur, Jaipur, Dausa, Alwar and Tonk districts from 9 am-11 am today. Schools are open in Rajasthan.
Over 30 people were killed as a severe dust storm hit parts of Rajasthan last week. PTI
The meteorological department has warned that thunderstorm accompanied with squall and wind speed of 50-70 km/hour may hit isolated places in Sikar, Ajmer, Nagaur, Jaipur, Dausa, Alwar and Tonk districts from 9 am-11 am today. Schools are open in Rajasthan.
Over 30 people were killed as a severe dust storm hit parts of Rajasthan last week. PTI
10:18 Sonia's 1st rally in two years at Bijapur today
In the run-up to the assembly polls in the state of Karnataka, former Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to visit the state for their election campaign later today.
With the election to the 225-member Karnataka state assembly edging closer, the state has become a battleground with public rallies being the primary form of warfare.
Almost two years after abandoning her poll campaign midway in Varanasi, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will hit the campaign trail in Karnataka and address a public rally in Bijapur.
It is not clear whether she will address more rallies in Karnataka, which goes to polls on May 12.
Party sources said she would address tomorrow's rally only.
Gandhi has not campaigned for almost two years. She was inactive during electioneering in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Nagaland.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing three rallies today: Mangaluru, Bengaluru and Vijaypura.
09:30 Chidambaram asks Mehbooba to quit 'unholy' alliance with BJP
With violence and unrest continuing in Jammu and Kashmir, Congress leader P Chidambaram today asked Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to quit the PDP-BJP coalition government saying the "unholy" alliance was the gravest provocation to the people of the Valley.
In a series of tweets, the former Home and Finance Minister claimed the "muscular and militaristic" approach of the central government has driven the state towards the present "catastrophic" situation.
"Mehbooba Mufti should break her party's unholy and opportunistic coalition with the BJP. And go back to the philosophy of her father.
"The PDP-BJP coalition is the gravest provocation to the people of the Kashmir valley. Mehboobaji, quit the coalition immediately and go back to the people," he said.
Chidambaram said he shared the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister's concern that statesmanship required to get the state out of the vicious cycle of killings but it was sad that she does not see that her coalition government is the core of the problem.
"The central government's muscular, militaristic approach to the J&K issue has driven the state towards the present catastrophic situation," he said.
Mehbooba yesterday had urged the national leadership to show the element of compassion and display the statesmanship to get Jammu and Kashmir out of this "vicious cycle of killings".
A tourist from Chennai died yesterday after he was hit on the head by a stone during a protest on the outskirts of Srinagar.
-- PTI
Image: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti meets family member of a tourist from Chennai who died after he was hit by stone thrown by protesters.Photograph: ANI
09:08 New York Attorney General resigns over assault allegations
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has resigned, following a report on allegations of assault by multiple women in The New Yorker.
"It's been my great honour and privilege to serve as Attorney General for the people of the State of New York. In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me," Schneiderman said in a statement.
"While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office's work at this critical time. I therefore resign my office, effective at the close of business on May 8, 2018."
Schneiderman's swift resignation, which came just hours after The New Yorker published its report, is a shocking fall from grace for a once rising star in Democratic politics.
Schneiderman had cast himself as a fierce opponent and critic of US President Donald Trump.
Schneiderman has also been a vocal proponent of the #MeToo movement, bringing legal action in New York against film producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexually assaulting women.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had called for Schneiderman's resignation earlier Monday.
"No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer," Cuomo said in a statement. "I will be asking an appropriate New York District Attorney to commence an immediate investigation, and proceed as the facts merit."
"My personal opinion is that, given the damning pattern of facts and corroboration laid out in the article, I do not believe it is possible for Eric Schneiderman to continue to serve as Attorney General, and for the good of the office, he should resign," he added.
On Monday, The New Yorker magazine reported the allegations of four women who accused Schneiderman of physical violence against them.
-- CNN
08:51 'When will enough finally be enough?' Omar slams govt over stone pelting incident
Working president of the National Conference Omar Abdullah expressed shock and anguish after the killing of a tourist in a stone pelting incident.
In a series of tweets, Abdullah wrote, "Weve killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Lets try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone pelters & their methods.
"This young man from Chennai died in my constituency & while I dont support these goons, their methods or their ideology Im deeply, deeply sorry that this happened at all & that too in an area Ive been proud to represent since 2014.
"Im also pained to know that among the injured from the stone pelting in Narbal is a young woman from Handwara in North Kashmir. I pray she & the others injured make a quick recovery."
The former Jammmu-Kashmir CM also took the opportunity to slam the current state government headed by PDP's Mehbooba Mufti saying, "The J&K Govt has failed, the CM has failed, the BJP-PDP alliance has failed. How much blood will have to be shed in Kashmir before the Hon PM realises the gravity of the situation in J&K? When will enough finally be enough?"
A 22-year-old tourist from Tamil Nadu died in Srinagar on Monday when a mob went on the rampage near Narbal on the outskirts of the city, police said.
R Thirumani, a resident of Chennai, suffered head injuries after being hit by a stone during the rampage in the morning, a police official said.
The tourist was taken to the SKIMS hospital at Soura, where he succumbed to injuries, the official added.
08:18 Look who's at the Met! Priyanka Chopra stuns in crimson
Quantico star Priyanka Chopra made a major style statement on the red carpet when she showed up in a crimson velvet gown accessorized with a at this years annual Met Gala in New York City.
The actress looked like a royal knight, an emphatic nod to the theme of the night, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, with her headpiece.
The dress was a definite departure from the trench coat ensemble with a cathedral train that she wore to last years Met Gala (although they were both designed by Lauren) which captured the whimsy of the Internet and inspired countless memes.
Photograph: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
07:58 Delhi, Noida, Gurugram schools shut, emergency services on alert
Delhi and its surrounding areas saw light early morning showers on Tuesday, even as the region braces itself for more thunderstorms and strong winds. Schools have declared a holiday across the National Capital Region and officegoers have been cautioned about the possible severe weather conditions that could take place through the day.
The dust storm that hit the Delhi-NCR region on Monday night brought with it some amount of rain. The strong winds that accompanied the dust storm brought down trees in a number of places across the urban sprawl. Traffic density on the city roads has been lower than usual in the early hours of the day.
Some flights have been reported delayed at Delhi airport because of the adverse weather conditions.
The Indian Meteorological Department has predicted thunderstorms and squalls (strong gusts of wind) across Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh and western parts of Uttar Pradesh. It has said wind speeds during the squalls could reach 50 to 70 kmph. The IMD said a thunderstorm hitting the region was 'very likely'. It predicted similar conditions but with hail for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
All government services have been placed in a state of alert for Tuesday. Emergency services have been put on standby. Water and power utilities have been asked to keep teams on the ready to restore any services that may be disrupted by the thunderstorm.
More than 120 people have been killed and more than 300 injured across five states in the northern region in dust storms, thunderstorms and lightning strikes over the past. Many of these casualties have occurred in parts of Rajasthan and western UP.
The Delhi police has issued helpline numbers, which are as follows - 1095, 01125844444 and 8750871493 for WhatsApp.
00:11 World becoming a computer, privacy is a human right: Nadella
Observing that the world is becoming a computer, Indian American CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella has called for greater integration of ethical values and principles that protects individuals' privacy, human values and democracy.
"The opportunity that we see (today), the world is becoming a computer. Computing is getting embedded in every person, place and thing, every walk of life in our homes, in our cars, and our works, in and out stadiums, entertainment centers, every industry from agriculture to precision medicine, from autonomous cars to autonomous drones, from personalised retailers to personalised banking, are all being transformed," Nadella said in his key note address to the annual Microsoft Build 2018 conference in Seattle.
Addressing several thousand software developers including several from India, Nadella if one thinks about the sheer computing power that is getting distributed and how the computing power is being used to collect data, and create the rich experiences throughout our life it is pretty stunning. "That's the opportunity," Nadella told the developers.
Observing that these technologies are empowering everyone, Nadella said these technologies are creating equitable growth by ensuring that every industry is able to grow and create employment. But we also have a responsibility as a tech industry to build trust in technology, he said.
The power of technology is such that it far outstrips "our ability" to completely control it, especially when it impacts generations, he said.
As such Nadella urged developers to develop a set of principles for the choices that they make. "Because the choices we make is what's going to define the future," he said.
"Privacy is a human right. We at Microsoft, having enshrined it as principles that ensure that we preserve human rights. We ensure that when we use data, it is to benefit the user. We ensure that the user is always in control of that data," he said.
On preserving cyber security, he asserted that the industry needs to act with collective responsibility across the tech sector to help keep the world safe.
"We recently formed a program to protect our democracy wherein we are going to work with the campaigns, the civic society, and other constituents, so that we can secure our political process, our democratic process," Nadella said. -- PTI
TOP STORIES
© 2024 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances