A court in Patna on Saturday directed Congress president Rahul Gandhi to appear in person next month in connection with a defamation suit filed against him by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Shashikant Roy passed the order taking cognizance of the allegations made by the deputy chief minister, who had taken exception to Gandhi's remark 'all thieves have the surname Modi' at a political rally.

The Congress president had made the remarks in Kollar district of Karnataka seeking to underscore the alleged laxity of the Narendra Modi government in pursuing corruption cases against diamaintaire Nirav Modi and former Indian Premiere League commissioner Lalit Modi, both of whom have fled the country.

On Friday, the Bihar deputy CM appeared before the court alleging that since he shared the same surname, he felt humiliated and ridiculed by the Congress chief's remark and that it was tantamount to defamation.

Roy, while transferring the matter for further hearing to the court of Additional CJM Kumar Gunjan, directed Gandhi to appear in person on the next date of hearing on May 20.   --  PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday moved the Election Commission seeking a ban on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's campaigning for allegedly instigating fear among people over the national register for citizens.

The BJP said, Kejriwal at a press conference had reportedly claimed that the BJP considers Muslims, Christians, Jains, Parsis and other minorities in India as 'infiltrators'.

"...the manifesto of BJP only talks about illegal infiltrators and no one else," the memorandum submitted to the poll panel said.

It said Kejriwal's intention was to create panic and mutual hatred among communities by misleading people.

The BJP urged the Commission to censure Kejriwal and bar him from campaigning and media interaction during the Lok Sabha polls. -- PTI

A mob ransacked a government building, damaged several official vehicles and set ablaze an effigy of Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik in Kishtwar district Saturday after hundreds of people took to streets to protest against the recent killings of four people, officials said.

Sanatan Dharam Sabha (SDS), a local religious group, had called for a peaceful march from its headquarters at Char Chinar to the deputy commissioner's office in the communally sensitive town to lodge their protest against the killings and alleged failure of police to nab the culprits.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Chandarkant Sharma and his security guard were killed by a terrorist inside the district hospital on April 9, while state secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party.

Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet Parihar were killed in the town on November 1 last year.

Raising slogans against the killings, hundreds of people, including women, marched in a procession in the town under police protection, the officials said.

On reaching the DC office complex, however, some of the protesters turned violent and set ablaze the effigy of the governor and damaged several official vehicles, they said.

They said the mob also broke open the main gate of the multi-storied building and ransacked several rooms, damaging some records.

The protesters also tried to force their way into the office of Deputy Commissioner Angrez Singh Rana but were chased out of the building by policemen without using any force, the officials said.

Later, they said the protesters dispersed on their own before the arrival of the reinforcements.

Rana said police were directed to exercise restraint to avoid any civilian casualty.

"We have taken a serious note of the hooliganism and appropriate action is being taken against the persons involved in it," he told PTI.

The deputy commissioner said an FIR was being registered in connection with the incident.

"Police are making all efforts to nab the killers," he said, appealing to people to cooperate with the administration to maintain law and order in the district.  -- PTI

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday ordered an inquiry after a video of a police vehicle being used for distribution of food packets at a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in Anantnag parliamentary constituency went viral.

The 28-second video shows the police gypsy being used for distribution of food packets and water bottles among the people gathered for the BJP rally in south Kashmir's Anantnag.

The rally was addressed by BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav.

Taking cognisance of the incident, police ordered an inquiry into it.

The driver of the vehicle, which police said was deployed for ferrying escort personnel of a protected person, has been attached and the gypsy has been withdrawn.

"Today a video surfaced on social media wherein one police vehicle is seen being utilised for distribution of food items in a political party rally in Anantnag.

"The vehicle in question was deployed for ferrying escort personnel of a protected person," a police spokesman said.

"The vehicle has been withdrawn from the said protected person and driver of the vehicle has been attached. An inquiry into the matter has been ordered under the rules," he said.

Meanwhile, former chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah took a dig at the state police.

'Well done @JmuKmrPolice.You have always helped the needy & this is another example. You have set aside your obligations under the election code of conduct to help a political party in need but please confine it to drinks/food. We hope you will not be as generous with bogus voting,' he wrote on Twitter.   -- PTI

The ministry of external affairs has issued the following advisory:

In view of the prevailing security situation in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of terror attacks on 21 April 2019, Indian nationals intending to travel to Sri Lanka are advised not to undertake non-essential travel.

In case of those undertaking essential travels,they can contact the High Commission of India in Colombo or the Assistant HC in Kandy/Consulates in Hambantota and Jaffna in case of requirement of any assistance.

Helpline no. of the Indian HC are available on the Mission's website.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had appealed to top leaders from various fields to urge them to vote. One of them was Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli.

However, it seems that Virat Kohli will not be able to cast his vote for the current Lok Sabha general elections of 2019. Kohli wanted to vote from Mumbai, where his wife Anushka Sharma also votes.

While he applied to vote through online procedure, it was too late for Virat Kohli to apply through the online process.

The last day to apply for voters, who did not have voting card or names in the voting list, was March 30. But Kohli could not apply for the same before the deadline.

A very senior officer from election commission office, said, "The application of Virat Kohli has been received. However, we have kept it on pending. He won't be able to vote for current Lok Sabha elections because it is too late. Therefore we have put his application on hold, his application will be considered for the next elections."

"Virat wanted to enroll his name in the voting list from his Worli resident of Mumbai," the officer added.

Eaven Virat Kohli's team tried to get his name registered in the voting list but in vain.

A complaint was filed against Rahul Gandhi in a local court on Saturday alleging that the Congress president's slogan 'chowkidar chor hai', which he made people chant at a rally in Samastipur district the previous day, was tantamount to sedition.

 

The complainant Satyavrat, a local advocate, also named RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who shared the stage with Gandhi at the rally, as a co-accused in the complaint wherein he has named a couple of news channels and the District Magistrate concerned as witnesses.

The complainant has sought registration of case under sections 124(A) and 505(1) of IPC which pertain to sedition and causing fear and alarm among public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state.

The complaint was filed in the court of Chief Judicial Magsitrate Shailendra Kumar Sharma and will be heard on April 29, the advocate said adding that he was deeply hurt when he watched Gandhi asking the crowd to chant the slogan.

Gandhi has been using the slogan at public meetings for quite some time to allege that financial irregularities have taken place in the Rafale deal.

Priya Dutt is the Congress MP candidate from North Central Mumbai. 

Campaigning for the fourth and final phase of elections for 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra, including the Mumbai region, ended on Saturday.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Saturday came down heavily on BJP saying the party was the greatest danger for the country akin to 440 volt.

       

People should reject BJP and should refrain from casting any vote in favour of the party. "I assure that if Trinamool Congress is voted to power, then there will be no damage to the country," she told a poll rally at Pandua in Hoogly district held in support of Hooghly Lok Sabha Trinamool Congress candidate Ratna De Nag.

"Both BJP and Narendra Modi will destroy the country if voted to power for the second time .... BJP is the greatest danger for the country, like 440 volt," she said adding that the ongoing election is to remove the BJP government.

Many farmers have committed suicide and thousands are left unemployed. Prices of gas, diesel and petrol are rising and people are not getting money from the banks during the BJP regime , she said and blamed the CPI-M for helping it.

Continuing her attack, the TMC supremo said "BJP will destroy the country. The prime minister has a penchant for lying all the time. Now he is saying people in West Bengal are not sure of returning home and seek assurance from their mothers before leaving.

      

A court in Delhi on Saturday summoned Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on June 7 on a complaint over his remarks that an unnamed RSS leader had compared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "a scorpion sitting on a Shivling".

  

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal was hearing a criminal defamation complaint filed against Tharoor by Delhi BJP leader Rajeev Babbar, who has said his religious sentiments were hurt by the Congress leader's statement.

Tharoor had claimed in October last year that an unnamed RSS leader had compared Prime Minister Modi to "a scorpion sitting on a Shivlinga". He had termed it as an extraordinarily striking metaphor.

The complaint says, "I am a devotee of Lord Shiva.... However, the accused (Tharoor) completely disregarded the sentiments of crores of Shiva devotees, (and) made the statement which hurt the sentiments of all Lord Shiva devotees, both in India and outside the country."

"The complainant's religious sentiments were hurt and the accused deliberately did this malicious act, intending to outrage the religious feelings of Lord Shiva devotees by insulting their religious belief," it adds.

The complaint also describes Tharoor's statement as an "intolerable abuse" and "absolute vilification" of the faith of millions of people.

The complaint was filed under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), relating to defamation. 

As Tharoor's comments at the Bangalore Literature Festival last year drew condemnation, the MP tweeted saying the remarks were not made by him and were in the public domain for six years.

In his speech at the festival, Tharoor had said "...There is an extraordinarily striking metaphor expressed by an unnamed RSS source to a journalist which I quote, in which they express their frustration with their inability to curb Mr Modi.

"The man says Modi is like a scorpion sitting on a Shivaling. You cannot remove him with a hand and you cannot hit it with a chappal either," he had said.

Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora has said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi truly respects the Maharashtra Police, he should withdraw the candidature of Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur, who is contesting as a BJP nominee from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency.

Deora also said that Modi's focus on emotive issues, rather than the real ones, during his speech in Mumbai on Friday is a clear indicator of the "failure" of his government in delivering on key issues, like employment.

Modi addressed a rally at BKC ground on Friday, ahead of April 29 polling for six seats in Mumbai and 11 seats in Maharashtra.

During his speech, he alleged that the Congress governments neglected the police force and turned it into a "punching bag". He added that had it not been for the alertness of Mumbai Police, who paid a heavy price including martyrdom, the city would have paid a greater price due to terror activities.

Modi's praise for police came over a week after Pragya Singh Thakur's controversial statement about slain IPS officer Hemant Karkare.

In a statement, Deora said Mumbaikars should ask why the prime minister is encouraging those who insult the armed forces and brave police.

"If the prime minister truly respects the Maharashtra Police, he should withdraw Pragya Thakur's ticket immediately. That's the least he can do to honour martyr Hemant Karkare," Deora said.

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his strident criticism of the Congress, party president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said in the last 70 years, the "foolishness of demonetisation and Gabbar Singh Tax" was not done by anybody.

 

He was addressing an election meeting in Unchahar in Rabeareli from where UPA chairperson and his mother Sonia Gandhi is seeking re-election to the Lok Sabha.

"In the past 70 years, the foolishness of demonetisation and Gabbar Singh Tax (Gandhi's coinage for the Goods and Services Tax or GST) was not done by anyone," Gandhi said.

His remarks come against the backdrop of repeated attacks by the prime minister on the Congress, holding it responsible for all ills since the country got Independence.

"Chowkidar (watchman) has done 'chori' (theft) of factories and employment of people of Raebareli and Amethi (the Lok Sabha seat represented by the Congress chief)," he said.

Rahul Gandhi also accused Modi of not wanting to fill 22 lakh vacant posts in the government.

"Some 22 lakh jobs are vacant in the government. Modi did not want to fill these vacant posts and only wants to help his friends. We will give these 22 lakh jobs in one year and 10 lakh jobs in panchyats," he said.

The Congress president asked the gathering, "Where are Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Lalit Modi - in jail or outside?

"If a farmer of Raebareli takes loan of Rs 20,000 and is unable to repay, he is sent to jail. From 2019, when our government will come to power no farmer will got to jail in such cases. We will bring a separate farmers' budget in which they will get to know MSP, storm losses compensation, insurance details and what they will get when they suffer losses," he said.

A voluntary organisation has filed a plea in the Delhi high court asking it to restrain the media from publishing the allegations of sexual harassment against Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi by a former Supreme Court employee.

 

The petition, which is likely to come up for hearing on April 29, sought immediate restriction on the media from further telecasting or publishing the allegations till conclusion of the three-judge panel's enquiry.

The plea, filed by NGO Anti Corruption Council of India, said publication of allegations against the CJI directly hits the Indian judicial system.

Besides electronic and print media, the plea sought directions for social media platforms.

The petition has arrayed as parties the Ministries of Law and Justice and Information and Broadcasting, the Delhi government, the Press Council of India and  the Delhi Police Commissioner.

Directions have been sought for WhatsApp, Google, YouTube and LinkedIn Corporation and news website Scroll.in.

The allegations levelled by the former woman employee of the Supreme Court are being enquired into by a three-judge panel of the apex court which held its first proceeding on Friday.

The plea alleged it suspects involvement of "anti-national elements" in this act and if publication of these allegations is not restricted, "people will lose faith in the Indian judicial system", and the "vast damage" caused to the nation and its people would be "irreparable".

Sunny Deol holds his first roadshow after joining BJP, campaigns for BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Barmer, Kailash Choudhary. 

Manvendra Singh is the Congress candidate for the Barmer LS constituency.

Dialogue from the movie 'Gadar', "Hindustan Zindabad tha, zindabad hai, zindabad rahega" heard in the background. 

Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday took a U-turn on his Muhammad Ali Jinnah statement, saying that the remark was a "slip of tongue" from his side.

Sinha said he wanted to take Maulana Azad's name but instead, uttered the name of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. 

The actor-turned-politician's clarification came after he courted controversy for saying that "from Mahatma Gandhi to Muhammad Ali Jinnah, all are part of Congress parivar."

"Whatever I said yesterday was slip of tongue. I wanted to say Maulana Azad but uttered Muhammad Ali Jinnah," he claimed.

Sinha, who recently left BJP and joined Congress, lauded Muhammad Ali Jinnah along with Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, and Jawaharlal Nehru, saying they all had a role to play for India's independence.

"Ye Congress parivar Mahatma Gandhi se leke, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel se leke, Muhammad Ali Jinnah se leke, Jawaharlal Nehru se leke, swargiya Indira Gandhi se leke, Rajiv Gandhi se leke aur Rahul Gandhi se leke... inki party hai jinka desh ke vikas me, desh ki tarakki me, desh ki azadi me sabse mehatvapurna aur sabse bada yogdaan hua, isliye hum yaha aye (Congress family from Mahatma Gandhi to Sardar Patel to Muhammad Ali Jinnah to Jawaharlal Nehru... It is their party. They had the most important role in development and freedom of the country. This is the reason why I have come here (in Congress)," Sinha said while addressing a rally.

Sinha was in Madhya Pradesh to campaign for the state Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath, who is contesting from the Chhindwara Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency against BJP's Nathan Shah.

As Air India's passenger service system software shut down for six hours on Saturday, the airline said a total of 155 flights will be delayed for an average duration of two hours till 8.30 pm.  

 

Thousands of passengers had a harrowing time Saturday morning at airports across the world as the airline's PSS software, which looks after check-in, baggage and reservation, did not function from 3.30 am to 8.45 am due to a technical glitch.

"155 flights, with an average duration of two hours, are expected to be delayed till 2030 hours," Air India spokesperson said.

The airline's chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani said he expects normalisation of operations by Saturday night. 

 

The average number of flights that Air India group, which also includes subsidiaries Alliance Air and Air India Express, flies daily are around 674.

Shatrughan Sinha, who recently left BJP and joined Congress, lauded Muhammad Ali Jinnah along with Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru, saying they all had a role to play for Indias independence.

Ye Congress parivar Mahatma Gandhi se leke, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel se leke, Muhammad Ali Jinnah se leke, Jawaharlal Nehru se leke, swargiya Indira Gandhi se leke, Rajiv Gandhi se leke aur Rahul Gandhi se leke... inki party hai jinka desh ke vikas me, desh ki tarakki me, desh ki azadi me sabse mehatvapurna aur sabse bada yogdaan hua, isliye hum yaha aye (Congress family from Mahatma Gandhi to Sardar Patel to Muhammad Ali Jinnah to Jawaharlal Nehru... It is their party. They had the most important role in development and freedom of the country. This is the reason why I have come here (in Congress), Sinha said while addressing a rally.

Sinha was in Madhya Pradesh to campaign for the state Chief Minister Kamal Naths son Nakul Nath, who is contesting from the Chhindwara Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency against BJPs Nathan Shah.

Both Kamal Nath and his son were present at the event.

Aur ek baar jab aa gaya hu pehli aur shayad aakhri baar Congress party me, to kabhi ab mudkar jane ke liye nahi aya hu (Now that I have joined the Congress party for the first and the last time, now I wont leave it), he added.

At the same rally, Sinha also said that the people of the country are curious about Nyuntam Aay Yojana while expressing hope that the scheme will be implemented if his party is voted to power in the ongoing general elections.

The Congress government has waived the loan of farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. People are curious about NYAY scheme now, he said.

Sinha, who left the BJP being denied a ticket contest the Lok Sabha election from Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar, said, It is fine when they (BJP) do something. If our leaders come up with some ideas, they are not able to digest these.

The Election Commission has asked the Delhi Police to register an FIR against Bharatiya Janta Party leader Gautam Gambhir for violating the Model Code of Conduct after he reportedly held a public meeting without permission

East Delhi Electoral Officer K Mahesh on Saturday asked Delhi Police to register an FIR against Gautam Gambhir for rallying without permission from the commission in Jungpura on April 26.

Gautam Gambhir is BJP's candidate from the East Delhi constituency.

Earlier, Gambhir landed in a controversy after AAP leader Atishi filed a complaint against the former cricketer and BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir for allegedly enrolling as a voter in more than one constituency in violation of the Representation of the People Act.

The complaint had alleged that Gambhir, the East Delhi BJP candidate, has enrolled "deliberately" and "illegally" as a voter in at least two separate constituencies here -- Karol Bagh and Rajinder Nagar.

The plea, filed by advocate Mohd Irshad on Thursday, further alleged that Gambhir has provided false information in his nomination papers, accompanying affidavit and other documents preceding voter screening and registration in order to be seen as qualified to contest elections and potentially secure membership of the Parliament.

The court will be hearing the plea against Gautam Gambhir on May 1.

Niti Deb, the wife of Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb, on Saturday rubbished divorce rumours and called them an effort to harass her husband.

Niti said, I am really surprised with this development. I was away from my house for just 15 days and these rumours started circulating. I am more worried for my children, how will they react when they get to know?

Niti also called the rumours a conspiracy against her husband, saying he was working hard for the state but efforts were being made to harass him. Denying reports of harassment, Niti said, If I had to file a legal petition, why would I use someone else to spread the news? I will tell everyone on my own. You know its very easy to say anything about a woman. Earlier, our minister Shantana Chakma was targeted and now its me.

Niti had also cleared the air on Friday with a Facebook post after reports started doing the rounds that she had accused Deb of domestic violence. This is really not acceptable, fake evidence and fake reports are getting circulated, she said.

At a time when movie buffs are in a frenzy over the new "Avengers" movie, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Friday came up with a political version, saying the BJP's "endgame" has begun.

  

"Over the last five years, the BJP has destroyed every pillar of democracy. But the Endgame has begun. MahaGathbandhan Sarkar. Coming soon," Yadav tweeted attaching an image of the words "Mahagathbandhan

Sarkar" against a blue background in the style of Marvel Studios.

The SP chief's tweet came at a time when movie buffs across the world are making a beeline for tickets to the latest "Avengers" movie.

It assumes significance against the backdrop of three political parties -- the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal -- coming together in Uttar Pradesh against the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the SP-BSP-RLD tie-up, saying the alliance of " opportunists" wants a helpless government because its mantra is 'Jaat, paat japna; janata ka maal apna'.

  

He was speaking at an election rally in Kannauj, a day after filing his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat for a second term.

Modi attacked the alliance for attacking 'chowkidar' and Ram bhakts and said it is a tie-up of opportunists and it was "mahamilawati".

He alleged that they wanted a helpless government because their mantra was "Jaat, paat japna; janata ka maal apna" (They talk about caste while looting people's money).

Without mincing words, he told the opposition parties that whatever efforts they make, they will fail in their mission.

 "Whatever efforts you (opposition) make, it will be..." the prime minister said, following which the crowd shouted in chorus "Modi again".

He ridiculed opposition leaders for their "dream" of becoming prime minister and poked fun at BSP chief Mayawati for seeking support of the Samajwadi Party "just for the sake of power".

Modi told the gathering that, "These (parties) are the ones who seek evidence of (Balakot) airstrikes and shed tears for Batla House encounter (against terrorists)."

Watch this space for more details about this position.

A case has been registered against SP leader Azam Khan for violating Model Code of Conduct at a rally in Shahabad, Rampur.

Saloni Agarwal, CO (Milak, Rampur) said, "Comments made by Azam Khan on April 25 were found to be in violation of MCC and a case was registered against him and two others."

Former US Vice President Joe Biden raised $6.3 million in the first 24 hours after launching his presidential campaign for the 2020 elections, his campaign said on Friday.

The fundraising haul surpassed the first-day totals of all his rivals, including the previous record set by former Republican candidate Beto O'Rourke, who had raised $6.1 million in the first 24 hours after announcing the candidacy last month, reported the Hill.

After months of deliberation, 76-year-old Biden on Thursday had announced his decision to run for the presidency for the third time. Following the launch of his campaign, he received 107,431 online donations from 96,926 individual donors in the first 24 hours.

"It is crystal clear from the last 24 hours that Americans are ready for dignified leadership, someone who can restore the soul of the nation, rebuild the middle class so everyone gets a fair shot and unite the country behind the core values we all believe in," said Biden's deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield. "That person is Joe Biden, and today's announcement demonstrates Americans agree."

Joe Biden will be competing with 20 other candidates including heavyweights like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to win Democratic nominations.

After BJP chief Amit Shah, yoga guru Ramdev came out in support of Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP candidate from Bhopal for the national elections. 

Calling Pragya Thakur a "nationalist", Ramdev said she her alleged torture for nine years in jail stressed her out to the point she got diagnosed with cancer. Pragya Thakur is out on bail in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case.

Saying she was arrested on mere suspicion, Ramdev said she was tortured in jail "as if she was a terrorist".

"It was gunaah ki parakashtha (the height of atrocity). You arrest a person just on the basis of mere suspicion and make her undergo physical and mental torture for nine years. The stress that she had to endure weakened her physically and she got afflicted with cancer. She is not a terrorist but a nationalist lady," Ramdev told reporters.

Speaking on Pragya Thakur's recent controversial comments on 26/11 Mumbai blasts hero Hemant Karkare, Ramdev urged people to show her some empathy.

"We should show some empathy for the woman who and try to understand her ordeal and the bitterness it must have given rise to," he said.

Pragya Thakur had boasted that Hemant Karkare died because she had "cursed" him.

Seven states, including all south Indian ones, were put on alert late on Thursday after the Bengaluru police received a tip-off about a possible terror attack on multiple cities and the gathering of a group of terrorists in Tamil Nadus Ramnathapuram.

The alert comes at a time when security and intelligence agencies are concerned about the existence of sleeper cells on Indian soil that could be linked to the group that carried out bombings in Sri Lanka, where 253 people were killed on Sunday during Easter celebrations.

A caller claiming to be a lorry driver said major cities in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Maharashtra and Puducherry would be hit by terror attacks (which) will take place on trains, said the letter issued by Karnataka director general of police to the states mentioned in the tip.

He also claimed that there are 19 terrorists present at Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, the letter added.

A Karnataka police official, who asked not to be named, said the letter had been sent out after analysing the tip-off, which was received around 5:30pm. Inputs with the police suggest that over a dozen terrorists could have sneaked through Ramanathapuram, the officer added.

The Reserve Bank of India has announced that it will shortly issue Rs 20 denomination banknotes, in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) series, bearing the signature of the central bank's governor Shaktikanta Das.

"The Rs 20 note will be greenish-yellow in colour. The new banknote has a motif of Ellora Caves on the reverse, depicting the country's cultural heritage," a statement by the RBI said.

All the banknotes in the denomination of Rs 20 issued by the RBI in the earlier series will continue to be legal tender, it clarified.

The note has other designs, geometric patterns aligning with the overall colour scheme, both at the obverse and reverse. The dimension of the new Rs 20 note will be 63 mm x 129 mm, the statement said.

The obverse (front) side of the note contains a see-through register with denominational numeral 100, a latent image with the numeral and also a Devanagari version of the same.

It also contains a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi at the centre, with micro letters 'RBI', 'Bharat', 'India' and '20', along with with a guarantee clause, Governor's signature with Promise Clause and RBI emblem towards the right of Gandhi's portrait.

On the right side of the portrait are -- an Ashoka Pillar emblem and electrotype (20) watermarks. 

The BJP and the AAP are no competition and they will be defeated in the Lok Sabha polls, Congress candidate and ace boxer Vijender Singh said.

The 33-year-old, who is making his electoral debut as Congress's South Delhi Lok Sabha seat candidate, is pitted against BJP leader and sitting MP Ramesh Bidhuri and AAP's Raghav Chadha.

"The BJP and AAP candidates are no competition for me. I will eliminate BJP from here. I am here to meet and connect with people," Singh said during a footmarch in Delhi's Tigri area. 

"I do not have any false promises to make nor any assurances to give them (people). I will only speak the truth and not deceive them," Singh said.

"Mera dhyaan rakh lijiyega (Please take care of me)," the Congress candidate told people as he visited houses and met them in narrow lanes of slums. 

At least 15 people, including six children, were killed when suicide bombers blew themselves up when cornered by security forces in eastern Sri Lanka, police said on Saturday.

Three men set off explosives killing three other women and six children inside what was believed to an Islamist safe house near the town of Kalmunai on Friday night, police said.

Three other men, also believed to be suicide bombers, were found dead outside the house, police said in a statement.

Sri Lankan security forces raided a safe house of Islamic State affiliated militants in the east of the country and killed at least two men in an exchange of fire, the military said Saturday.

  

Gunmen opened fire on troops when they attempted to storm the house in the town of Kalmunai, spokesman Sumith Atapattu said. 

"In our retaliatory fire, two gunmen were killed," he said adding that a civilian caught in the crossfire was also killed.

The US has imposed sanctions on Pakistan after Islamabad refused to take back its citizen deportees and visa over-stayers from America, warning that it may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning from its senior officials.

The State Department on Friday said that consular operations in Pakistan remain unchanged as of now but as a result of such a sanction mentioned in a Federal Register notification dated April 22, the US may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning with its senior officials.

Pakistan is the latest to join the list of 10 nations that have been imposed with sanctions under a US law according to which countries refusing to take back deportees and visa over-stayers will be denied American visas.

Notably eight of these countries have been slapped with such visa sanctions under the Trump administration. Two of them Ghana and Pakistan have been included in the list this year. 

The other countries include Guyana in 2001, the Gambia in 2016, Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, and Sierra Leone in 2017, Burma and Laos in 2018.

Under Section 243 (d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Secretary of State is required to discontinue granting immigration or non-immigrant visas to a nation upon receiving notice from the Homeland Security Secretary that the country has denied or is unreasonably delaying accepting a citizen, subject, national or resident of that country.

The State Department tried to downplay the impact of the sanctions on Pakistan. 

"Consular operations in Pakistan remain unchanged, a State Department Spokesperson said when asked about the federal register notification.

This is a bilateral issue of ongoing discussion between the US and Pakistani governments and we are not going to get into the specifics at this time, the spokesperson added.

Air India's operations across the world has been affected since early this morning because of a problem in the airline's main server.

Passengers complained about delayed flights and shared pictures and videos of crowded airports in Mumbai and Delhi.

"At least 2,000 people in Mumbai airport waiting because of the SITA software shutdown all over India," wrote Gayathri Raguramm, a Twitter user. She also shared a video from Mumbai airport showing flyers waiting in near the check-in area.

Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani said that the "airline's passenger's system is down".

"It is a technical glitch which will be restored soon," Lohani said.

A day after getting relief from Central Administrative Tribunal against the Election Commission's order suspending him, Karnataka cadre IAS officer Mohammed Mohsin has decided to take up another legal battle against the EC for recommending disciplinary action against him to the state government.

   

The Central Administrative Tribunal bench on Thursday had stayed the EC order suspending Mohsin for checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter in Odisha, where he was deployed as general observer, in "violation" of norms for dealing with SPG protectees and sent back to the state.

Hours after the CAT stayed the suspension, the EC revoked its order, but recommended to the Karnataka government to initiate disciplinary action against Mohsin and debarred him from election duty until further orders.

   

The officer said in a press release that he would seek a legal remedy against the Commission's decision.

    

"In the night of 25 April, 2019, the commission has issued an order, inter alia, revoking the said order of suspension. It is also recommended, therein, to the government of Karnataka to initiate disciplinary action and I have been debarred from election duty until further orders.

    

I will have to seek appropriate legal remedy against the latter part of the said order of April 25, 2019," the press release read.

   

Mohsin had tried to check some luggage in the convoy of the PM during his campaign visit and the EC had said he had acted in violation of its existing instructions.

The Election Commission officials will meet in the national capital on April 30 to discuss the possible dates of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, official sources said on Friday.

On Friday, top officials from the Jammu and Kashmir government, including Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmaniam, Home Secretary Shaleen Kabra and DGP Dilbagh Singh, met the Election Commission, including the chief election commissioner, in Delhi to discuss the poll preparedness in the state, officials said.

Sources said, the J and K administration had sought the meeting with the EC through the ministry of home affairs.

"Now we have asked them to given in writing what they have said so that full Commission can consider it on April 30," said a senior functionary.

However, the Jammu and Kashmir governor is not in favour of holding polls to the state legislative assembly in the near future in view of the ongoing tourist season and the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra in the Valley, which will begin on July 1, they said.

The sources said the 'full commission' comprising the chief election commissioner and two fellow commissioners will meet on April 30 to discuss the possible dates of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls.

The officials said the EC, during the meeting, rejected the assertion of the officials from Jammu and Kashmir that the situation in the state needs to be assessed before conducting the assembly polls.

They said said the Commission was of the view that if the Lok Sabha polls could be held, there should be no issue in holding the elections to the state assembly.

The meeting took place days after the three special observers appointed by the EC submitted their report on the possibility of holding assembly polls in the state after the Lok Sabha polls.

The state chief electoral officer had met the deputy election commissioner concerned on Thursday, ahead of Friday's meet.

On Friday, the election authorities in Jammu and Kashmir had written to district election officers to submit list of district level nodal officers within two days for assembly polls in the state.

However, the order was withdrawn within hours of it being issued. Jammu and Kashmir has not an elected government since the People's Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government fell apart in June 2018.

The state was placed under Governor's Rule, as provided by the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, on June 19, 2018, after the BJP withdrew from its coalition with the PDP.

As mandated by the Constitution, the state was brought under President's Rule on 19 December 2018, which will have to be extended for a period of six months on May 19, 2019, or till an elected government is put in place, whichever is earlier.  -- PTI