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Tue, 15 October 2019
Art 370 BJP's answer to all issues: Pawar
Timeline Refresh
23:54 Delhi bans diesel gensets as air quality dips to 'very poor'
The national capital banned generator sets, barring those being used in essential and emergency services, on Tuesday, as the air quality in several places in the city and adjoining areas slipped to "very poor" level.
The overall Air Quality Index in Dwarka Sector 8, Delhi Technological University, Mundka, Rohini, Anand Vihar, and Bawana was 359, 343, 342, 319, 313, and 307.
The overall AQI stood at 275 at 6.30 pm.
The air quality in neighbouring Ghaziabad (316), Greater Noida (308) and Loni Dehat (307) also dipped to "very poor" level.
An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
The ban on generators is a part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), a set of stricter anti-pollution measures to be taken according to severity of pollution, that came into force on Tuesday.
This is the first time that the ban on gen-sets has been extended to NCR cities of Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Faridabad, Sonepat, Panipat and Bahadurgarh.
The Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), in a report, said, "Delhi's overall air quality is in the higher end of the 'poor' category. It touched the 'very poor' category for a brief period on Monday night."
"Surface winds are slow and variable and the wind direction at the surface and transport height is south-southwesterly, which is not quite favourable for efficient transport of fire plumes towards Delhi. In this condition, drastic deterioration of air quality is not expected over the next two days," the report said. -- PTI
23:11 Art 370 BJP's answer to all issues: Pawar
Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party had only Article 370 and its revocation in Jammu and Kashmir as an answer for all questions raised during the Maharashtra poll campaign.
The state polls are scheduled for October 21 and results will be declared on October 24.
Addressing a rally in Pune's Hadapsar area, Pawar said, "Since the BJP does not have anything concrete to show, they are harping on abrogation of Article 370 in J-K. When it was revoked, some people in Kashmir protested. The Congress supported the proposal and asked that people there be taken into confidence."
"We are also happy (on the revocation). There were no complaints. I publicly announced my support but they (Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah) address people and question my opinion."
He said the BJP should tell people what it achieved in its five-year tenure rather than making Article 370 the central issue of their campaign.
"Question them about farmer suicides, unemployment, closure of industries, and the BJP replies Article 370," he said.
Mocking the PM and Shah for "not completing their speeches without taking my name", Pawar said, "Sometimes I am worried. I can understand Modiji is single. But the second one might be taking my name in his sleep as well, and his family members must be surprised." -- PTI
23:06 Mumbai: Private organisations to remain closed on polling day
All private establishments in Mumbai will remain closed on October 21 so that their owners and employees can vote in Maharashtra assembly elections, Mumbai city collector Shivaji Jondhale said on Tuesday.
If the establishments providing essential services cannot give full-day paid leave, they can give their employees two or three hours off.
But such organisations need to take prior permission for staying open from the district administration, he said. -- PTI
22:00 Woman killed as Pak violates ceasefire in J&K
A 24-year-old woman was killed on Tuesday in heavy shelling by the Pakistan Army, targeting villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, officials said.
Shameema Akhtar, a resident of Noona-Bandi, was killed in the Pakistani shelling in the Shahpur sector, Poonch District Development Commissioner Rahul Yadav told PTI.
He said four buffaloes also perished in the Pakistani shelling on forward villages and posts since the morning.
Earlier, a defence spokesperson said the Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire by resorting to small-arms firing and mortar shelling in the Qasba and Kirni sectors of Poonch around 9.30 am.
The Indian Army retaliated effectively to silence the Pakistani guns, but the casualties suffered by the other side were not known immediately, he said.
A police official said the firing intensified as the day passed and spread to the nearby Shahpur sector, causing panic among the border residents.
Most of the people stayed indoors, the official said, adding that Akhtar was hit by splinters after a mortar shell landed near her.
Several houses suffered damages in the cross-border shelling, he said. -- PTI
21:44 China, Pakistan differ on Turkey's military offensive in Syria
In a rare foreign policy disagreement, "iron brothers" China and Pakistan have ended up on the opposite sides of Turkey's military action in northern Syria as Beijing asked Ankara to stop its offensive against Kurdish forces while Islamabad backed the assault.
Turkey launched an assault last week against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, which it sees as a "terrorist" offshoot of Kurdish insurgents in its own territory.
The Turkish government wants to create a "safe zone" in the area, where it can resettle up to two million Syrian refugees currently in Turkey.
Dozens of civilians have been killed in the operation so far and at least 160,000 have fled the area, according to the United Nations.
China on Tuesday called on Turkey to stop its military action, saying it could lead to escape of IS militants exacerbating international counter terrorism efforts.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang during a media briefing in Beijing said Turkey should seek political and diplomatic settlement of the issues under the framework of UN charter and international law.
"Syria's sovereignty and independence, unity and territorial integrity should be respected and upheld. We urge Turkey stop the military action comeback to the right track of political settlement," he said replying to a question.
At the same time the counter terrorism situation in Syria remains grave and the relevant military action could lead to the terrorists fleeing the region and the Islamic State might take the opportunity to rally up," he said.
China urged the Turkish side to shoulder its responsibility and work with the international community to jointly fight terrorism.
China is concerned that the Turkish action could lead to the escape of a large number IS militants as many of them stated to be Uighurs from the restive Chinese province of Xinjiang where Beijing is conducting a massive crackdown on the members of the separatist East Turkistan Islamic Movement.
China apprehends that the return of die-hard Uighur fighters of the IS could reignite violence in the volatile Xinjiang province which remained largely peaceful in the last few years following heavy crackdown.
Uighurs are Turkik speaking Muslims who had ethnic links with Turkey.-- PTI
21:18 Rahul knows results, so didn't come to Maha: CM
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi did not turn up for campaigning in Maharashtra initially as he knew that his party was going to lose, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said in Pune on Tuesday.
Addressing a rally for October 21 state elections in Purandar assembly constituency in Pune district, Fadnavis said there was no contest this time as the opposition was weak.
"Rahul Gandhi also ignored the assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana as he knows the result of these elections," he said.
Gandhi started campaigning in Maharashtra from Sunday. If Vijay Shivtare, the Shiv Sena leader and BJP-Sena alliance's candidate from Purandar, wanted to increase his victory margin, he should ask the opposite side to arrange a rally of Rahul Gandhi, Fadnavis said in a dig at Congress leader.
The BJP-led government carried out better infrastructure development in Maharashtra than the past Congress and NCP regime, he said.
Due to Shivtare's efforts as minister, the Gunjawani pipeline project is being implemented successfully in the district, the chief minister said. -- PTI
20:40 Airtel to waive rental charges of select users in J-K
Bharti Airtel on Tuesday said it has resumed postpaid mobile services in Jammu and Kashmir and will waive postpaid plan rental charges during the service suspension phase for its 'Airtel Thanks' customers.
'Airtel Thanks' is an exclusive rewards programme by the telecom operator based on the monthly spends.
"As per the guidelines of the authorities, Airtel has resumed postpaid mobile services in Jammu and Kashmir. As a special gesture, the company is waiving off postpaid plan rental charges for the service suspension phase for Airtel Thanks customers," Airtel said in a statement.
Eligible customers will be duly notified, it added.
"Airtel remains fully committed to Jammu & Kashmir and will continue to invest in the state to bring world-class telecom and digital services to its customers," the company said. -- PTI
20:38 Felt insulted at TMC Durga Puja event: WB Guv
West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday said he felt insulted at the Durga Puja carnival in Kolkata, but asserted that being a servant of the people of West Bengal he would not be deterred to discharge his Constitutional duties.
Dhankar claimed that he was "completely blacked out at the programme", organized by the Trinamool Congress government to showcase some of the big-ticket pujas.
The ruling TMC was quick to hit back, accusing Dhankar of being "publicity hungry" and acting in a manner that does not "befit a governor".
According to sources, Dhankhar was unhappy with the seating arrangement at Friday's carnival.
He was given a seat from where he couldn't watch the programme properly, they said.
"I felt insulted at the carnival. I am deeply hurt and disturbed. The insult was not to me but to every person of Bengal. They will never digest such as insult.
"I am a servant of the people of West Bengal. Nothing can deter me from performing my constitutional duties," Dhankhar stated on the sidelines of a programme here.
This is an unusual kind of censorship, he said.
"I was sitting there for four long hours but was completely blacked out. How can you censor me after inviting me? Someone called me to say the incident was reminiscent of the Emergency period.
"I was pained so much that that it took me three days to come out of the shock," he maintained.
Accusing Dhankar of "trying to make an issue out of a non-issue", senior TMC leader Tapas Roy said, "Why is he commenting on the matter after a week? He is just publicity hungry. He is acting in a manner which does not befit a governor," Roy said.
20:27 Merge PMC Bank with larger bank: Sena to RBI
The Shiv Sena on Tuesday urged the Reserve Bank of India to merge the crisis-hit Punjab & Maharashtra Cooperative Bank with a larger public sector or private lender.
The RBI appointed administrator on PMC Bank, hit by an alleged Rs 4,355 crore scam, last month and imposed restrictions on withdrawal of funds.
Depositors of the bank have been protesting, seeking their money back.
In memorandum to the RBI, Sena leaders including Union minister Arvind Sawant and MPs Gajanan Kirtikar, Rahul Shewale and Anil Desai said the Central bank should consider merging PMC Bank with a PSU or private bank such as Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda or ICICI Bank.
Real estate firm HDIL, which is PMC's Bank's main borrower, has quality assets which have been provided as collateral, the Sena leaders said in the memorandum.
"We are of the opinion that acquiring the bank will find sufficient value in the merger. We request you to accord this top priority to restore customer confidence in the banking system," the memorandum said.
It cited past examples such as merger of Sangli Bank with ICICI.
"You may consider requesting state and central governments for recapitalisation of the bank. The RBI should also consider lifting direction to the bank based on assurance/indemnity provided by the big/bulk depositors so
that the bank can revive by undertaking its day to day operations. The depositors can be asked to give assurance /indemnity to the effect that they would not withdraw for a period of three to five years," the memorandum said.
The party also asked the RBI to strengthen its inspection processes by deploying more skilled staff.
The insurance cover for deposits should be increased from Rs one lakh to Rs five lakh, the party said. -- PTI
19:56 Tim Robbins on why 'The Shawshank Redemption' tanked at the box office
Hollywood star Tim Robbins has a theory about why The Shawshank Redemption, one of the most rewatched classics in Hollywood and an important film in his career, flopped at the box office when it released in 1994.
Based on Stephen King's 1982 novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption", the story revolved around Robbins' Andy Dufresne, a banker who is wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his wife and her lover and lands in Shawshank State Penitentiary, an unforgiving place where he finds a friend in Red, played by Morgan Freeman.
The film, which explores the theme of hope and survival in the face of adversities, is also one of the most fun jailbreak stories.
When it came out and was not well received at the ticket window, something that may surprise fans today and Robbins believes its title may have played a role in its performance.
"Well, it's the title, no one can remember the title. And that makes sense too, because for years after that film came out, people would come up to me and say, 'You know, I really liked you in that film Scrimshaw Reduction or Shimmy, Shimmy, Shake or Shankshaw' you know, so many different ways that people got it wrong," he told Entertainment Weekly on the occasion of the film's 25th anniversary.
Robbins believes the testament of a great film is that it still resonates with people years and years after it was made.
"We all have various things that imprison us in our lives. Sometimes it's a job you hate but you have to go to. Sometimes it's a relationship that you're trying to make work that is hurting you in some way. Sometimes it's the circumstances you're born into.
"Overcoming trauma, overcoming past traumatic experiences, all of these things are things that factor into what eventually is a lack of freedom in our own lives. And something about that film talks about freedom as being something that is inside of us, and that with the proper approach to life, regardless of your circumstances, freedom is possible. And I think that is another theme that's deeply resonant with audiences," he said.
The film released on October 14, 1994. -- PTI
19:43 Ex-Maha CM Narayan Rane joins BJP
With the campaign for the Maharashtra assembly polls entering the last lap, former chief minister Narayan Rane, who is struggling to stay politically relevant in his old bastion of Sindhudurg district in Konkan, on Tuesday joined the BJP.
He also merged his outfit Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha with the ruling party.
The mercurial leader, who once called the shots in the coastal region from where the Shiv Sena drew its strength in Mumbai, was said to be on the "waiting list" to join the BJP since the last few months.
On the occasion, Rane's elder son Nilesh, a former MP, and his supporters joined the BJP in the presence of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Rane's younger son Nitesh, the sitting MLA from Kankavli seat, is seeking re-election on the BJP ticket.
Fadnavis said Rane, who is a Rajya Sabha MP backed by the BJP, is automatically a member of the BJP.
"A few days ago Nitesh Rane joined the BJP, today Nilesh has also joined. Rane saheb is a RS member..He is already a member of the BJP," he said and praised Rane as an "aggressive and studious leader."
Notably, Rane and Fadnavis ignored the mention of the Shiv Sena in their speeches.
Despite being in alliance with the BJP for the polls, Sena fielded a former Narayan Rane loyalist from Kankavli against Nitesh.
Rane's political journey is guided by opportunism.
He had served as chief minister of the Sena-BJP government in 1999, but got expelled from the Sena in 2005 for revolting against Uddhav Thackeray.
Later, he joined the Congress and became a minister. -- PTI
19:41 Exports dip 6.57 pc in Sep; import contracts 13.58 pc
India's exports contracted by 6.57 per cent to $26 billion in September mainly due to significant dip in shipments from key sectors such as petroleum, engineering, leather, chemicals, and gems & jewellery.
Imports too declined by 13.85 per cent to $36.89 billion, narrowing trade deficit to $10.86 billion in September, according to official data released on Tuesday.
Trade deficit in September last year stood at $14.95 billion.
Out of 30 key export sectors, as many as 22 showed negative growth in September.
Shipments of gems and jewellery, engineering goods, and petroleum products contracted by 5.56 per cent, 6.2 per cent and 18.6 per cent, respectively.
In September, oil imports declined by 18.33 per cent to $8.98 billion, and non-oil imports fell by 12.3 per cent to $27.91 billion.
Cumulatively, during April-September 2019, exports were down 2.39 per cent to $159.57 billion while imports contracted by 7 per cent to $243.28 billion.
Gold imports plunged 50.82 per cent to $1.27 billion in the month. -- PTI
18:42 IMF cuts India's growth forecast to 6.1 per cent
The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday slashed India's GDP growth projection for the year 2019 to 6.1 per cent, which is 1.2 per cent down from its April projections.
The IMF in April said India will grow at 7.3 per cent in 2019.
However, three months later it projected a slower growth rate for India in 2019, a downward revision of 0.3 per cent.
As against India's real growth rate of 6.8 per cent in 2018, the IMF in its latest World Economic Outlook projected India's growth rate at 6.1 per cent in 2019 and noted that the Indian economy is expected to pick up the next year at 7.0 per cent in 2020.
On Sunday, the World Bank in its latest edition of the South Asia Economic Focus said India's growth rate is projected to fall to 6 per cent in 2019 from 6.9 per cent of 2018.
The downward revision relative to the April 2019 WEO of 1.2 percentage points for 2019 and 0.5 percentage point for 2020 reflects a weaker-than-expected outlook for domestic demand, the IMF said.
"Growth will be supported by the lagged effects of monetary policy easing, a reduction in corporate income tax rates, recent measures to address corporate and environmental regulatory uncertainty, and government programs to support rural consumption," the IMF said.
China, whose GDP grew at 6.6 per cent in 2018, is now projected to grow at 6.1 per cent in 2019 and 5.8 per cent in 2020, it said.
"India's economy decelerated further in the second quarter, held back by sector-specific weaknesses in the automobile sector and real estate as well as lingering uncertainty about the health of nonbank financial companies," said the World Economic Outlook released ahead of the annual meeting of the IMF and the World Bank. -- PTI
18:34 Don't skip voting, presuming Modi's victory: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged people of Haryana to come out in huge numbers and exercise their franchise.
He, calling on to the gathering said, voters should not presume that Modi is going to win, they must cast their votes.
The prime minister while addressing an election rally in Kurukshetra said, "Don't take a long weekend off. Monday is polling day. Don't presume that Modi is winning so your one vote won't matter and leave town for Sunday and Monday. Your vote matters and make sure you vote."
Haryana will go to polls on October 21 and the counting of votes will take place on October 24.
Lauding chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the Prime Minister said that Haryana topped among the states that have implemented central government's schemes aimed to cater farmers.
He said modern infrastructure is being provided in the state for betterments of sports.
"Our effort is to develop Haryana as a hub of sports so that youth can perform better," he said.
Modi also highlighted that his government is investing a lot on making the tourist destinations in the country more grand, clean and modern. -- ANI
18:16 'God save this country': Cong on BJP's demand of Bharat Ratna for Savarkar
Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party after its Maharashtra unit mooted Bharat Ratna award for Hindutva idealogue V D Savarkar, the Congress on Tuesday said that if the government considers it on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, then "God save this country".
The opposition party's derisive response came after the election manifesto of Maharashtra BJP, released on Tuesday, said the party will ask the NDA government at the Centre to confer India's highest civilian award on Savarkar.
"In a country where Mahatma Gandhi is being made to commit suicide in examinations, anything is possible," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said at a press conference, referring to the row over a question in the internal assessment examination of some schools in Gujarat.
Savarkar had faced criminal trial in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi, Tewari said, adding that he was later acquitted.
The Congress spokesperson cited an article which claimed that the Kapur Commission concluded that facts pointed towards a "conspiracy to murder by Savarakar and his group" in Mahatma Gandhi's case.
"If on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, this government considers any such thing (giving Bharat Ratna to Savarkar), than all I want to say is that God save this country," Tewari said.
Asked if there was a contradiction between the recent praise for Gandhi by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat and the demand for Bharat Ratna for Savarkar, Tewari alleged that it was a coordinated and well thought out strategy "that on one hand keep praising Mahatma Gandhi and on the other hand make such a demand".
"But if what has been written in the article about the conclusions of the Kapur Commission is correct, then the government should seriously think that on Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, is this step appropriate," he said. -- PTI
18:02 Mere speculation: Patel on Iqbal Mirchi deal
Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel on Tuesday rubbished as "mere speculation" reports about his alleged deal in Mumbai with gangster Iqbal Mirchi.
The ED has summoned Patel on October 18 in connection with its money laundering probe linked to alleged illegal assets of Mirchi, an aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
"Documents may have been leaked to media. Obviously, you are in possession of some papers, which may have never been brought to my attention," Patel told reporters in Mumbai.
Mirchi, a drug lord, died in 2013. It was reported that his wife Hajra Memon entered into a property deal with the Patel family.
According to ED officials, Patel's Millennium Developers Pvt Ltd constructed a building called Ceejay House in 2006-07 and its third and fourth floors were transferred to Mirchi's wife Hajra Iqbal.
"My family owns Millennium. No one else is a partner," Patel said. -- PTI
17:19 ED summons Praful Patel in Iqbal Mirchi case
The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel on October 18 in a money-laundering case linked to the wanted fugitive Dawood Ibrahim's aide, the late Iqbal Mirchi, the Press Trust of India reports quoting officials.
17:12 Wipro Q2 net profit jumps 35% to Rs 2,552 cr
Wipro Ltd on Tuesday posted 35 per cent rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 2,552.7 crore for the second quarter ended September 30. The company had registered a net profit of Rs 1,889 crore in the year-ago period. Its total income for September quarter stood at 15,875.4 crore compared to 15,203.2 crore a year ago. The Bengaluru-based company's revenue came in 4 per cent higher year-on-year at Rs 1,51,25.6 crore.
Wipro has guided for 0.8-2.8 per cent sequential growth in IT service revenue for December quarter, saying revenue from that business is expected to be USD 2,065-2,106 million. For the just concluded quarter, the company's IT services segment revenue was at USD 2,048.9 million, an increase of 2.5 per cent year-on-year, a Wipro statement said. -- PTI
17:10 Delhi court allows ED to quiz Chidambaram
A Delhi court on Tuesday allowed the Enforcement Directorate to interrogate former finance minister P Chidambaram in connection with the INX Media money laundering case lodged by the agency.
Special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar allowed the plea of the ED seeking permission to quiz Chidambaram, who is in judicial custody till October 17 in the INX Media corruption case filed by the CBI, saying the agency can question him in Tihar jail on Wednesday and, if required, arrest him.
The court said ED's application for remand is premature at this moment. After the court passed the order, the ED sought the court's permission to question him in some space available in Rouse Avenue court premises.
The court, however, said, "it's not in the dignity of this person that you interrogate and arrest him here in public view." The court allowed ED to go to Tihar jail, where the Congress leader is lodged, to question him on Wednesday, and, if required, arrest him. -- PTI
16:49 Like pickpocket, PM diverts attention: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "loudspeaker" of certain industrialists, and said his strategy was like that of a pickpocket who diverts people's attention before stealing.
Addressing an election rally in Yavatmal district ahead of the October 21 Maharashtra Assembly polls, Gandhi said the prime minister speaks of the moon and abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, but is silent on issues being faced by farmers and the common man, like joblessness.
"The Goods and Services Tax and demonetisation broke the back of small and medium enterprises, farmers, labourers and poor people. Till the Modi government is in power, the issue of joblessness will continue to haunt the country. The problem of joblessness will grow in six months," he claimed.
Criticising the government's decision to waive off corporate tax, Gandhi said certain industrialists were given such benefits, but not the poor sections of society. He claimed the government was planning to privatise
country's assets like ports, Air India, coal mines and PSUs. -- PTI
16:19 No exit polls from 7 am-6.30 pm on Oct 21: EC
The Election Commission of India Tuesday said that there would be a ban on the exit polls from 7 am to 6:30 pm on October 21 during the Legislative Assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra and by-elections to 51 assembly constituencies of 17 states.
"General Elections to the LAs of Haryana and Maharashtra and by-elections to 51 Assembly Constituencies of 17 States and 23-Samastipur (SC) PC in Bihar and 45-Satara PC in Maharashtra to be held simultaneously - Ban on EXIT POLL from 7 am to 6:30 pm on 21st October," Sheyphali Sharan, official spokesperson of the ECI tweeted.
Elections to the 90-member Haryana Assembly will be held on October 21 along with the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. The 17 states which also simultaneously elect candidates for their 51 assembly constituencies are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh. This is apart from the two parliamentary constituencies of Satara in Maharashtra and Samastipur in Bihar. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on October 24. -- ANI
15:46 Xi Jinping told me he has seen Dangal: Modi@Haryana
As he pitched for wrestler Babita Phogat, the BJP candidate from this constituency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that Chinese premier Xi Jinping has seen the movie based on her and her father. Modi said he got to know this during the recent visit by Xi to Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu.
"During an informal meeting, Chinese president Xi Jinping told me he has seen the 'Dangal' movie and it made me proud," he said at a rally here. "Mahre Choree Choroon Say Kam Hey Ke" (Are our girls any less than the boys)?, Modi said in Haryanvi. Babita Phogat became a household name after ''Dangal'' (wrestling ring), a film about the struggle of her father and noted wrestling coach Mahavir Singh Phogat to train her and her sister Geeta, became a runaway hit.
The 29-year-old BJP candidate from the Dadri assembly seat is pitted against seasoned politicians like Satpal Sangwan of the Jannayak Janta Party and Nirpender Singh Sangwan of the Congress. Both have won this seat earlier - by margins of less than 2,000 votes. Describing the girls of Haryana as 'dhakad', Modi said the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign would not have been successful without support of Haryana villages. -- PTI
15:36 India always runner-up in defence tech: Doval
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday said that India's security vulnerability is "much greater" today and is going to be "much more greater" in times to come.
"India's security vulnerabilities are much greater today and they are going to be much more greater in times to come," said Doval while addressing the 41st conclave of Defence Research and Development Organisation's directors.
He said that historically, India has always remained a runner-up in terms of defence technology and in this field "there are no trophies for the runner-ups".
"The armies that were better equipped always called the shots and decided the destiny of mankind. They were always the one which had higher technologies. India's own historical experience on this has been sad. We were the runner-up. There is no trophy for the runner up," said Doval.
The National Security Advisor, who closely supervises DRDO's projects, said: "This is the game where the winner takes it all and there is no trophy for the runner-ups. Either you are better than your adversaries or you are not there at all."
He said that "technology" and "money" are two things that influence geopolitics and the countries who have preponderance on these two over adversaries will win. -- PTI
15:30
INX Media corruption case: P Chidambaram seeks bail in SC, says CBI wants to keep him in jail to humiliate him.
15:23 Jolt to Cong as former MP Ratna Singh joins BJP
In a jolt to the Congress, its former MP Rajkumari Ratna Singh from Pratapgarh on Tuesday joined Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath here. Ratna, a three-time Congress MP from Pratapgarh, along with her supporters joined the BJP at an election rally in Pratapgarh.
15:19 Kate Middleton shows off traditional wardrobe during Pak visit
Kate Middleton who is on a five-day tour to Pakistan seems to have aced the traditional look as she was spotted stepping out in a blue kurta-pant combo for the second day of her visit.
For the visit to a school in central Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, The Duchess of Cambridge wore a periwinkle blue classic kameez by local designer Maheen Khan, paired with a trouser and a two-toned chiffon scarf where she is getting praises for her classic elegance look. Complimenting her look, Kate wore nude heels, along with statement earrings.
The unverified account of the Pakistani designer shared a series of pictures of the Duchess on her Instagram page and wrote, "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge #PrinceWIlliam and #KateMiddleton kick off their official tour of #Pakistan with a visit to a school in Islamabad to highlight the importance of education for young children. We absolutely love seeing Kate channel her inner desi girl in this Maheen Khan outfit."
The royal couple kicked off their official tour with a visit to a school in Islamabad to highlight the importance of education for young children.
Complimenting the Duchess, Prince William looked dapper in a smart yet casual look, wearing a light blue shirt and dark blue trousers.
This is the first royal tour to the country since 2006 when the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, and Camilla, traveled to Pakistan."Access to quality education, particularly to girls and young women is one of the UK's top priorities in Pakistan," an official handout from Kensington Palace had stated. -- ANI
15:10 Will stop water flowing to Pak: PM in Haryana
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asserted that his government will stop water flowing to Pakistan and divert it to Haryana as it rightfully belongs to the country and the farmers of the state.
"For 70 years, water that belonged to Haryana's farmers and to us flowed to Pakistan...But this Modi will stop that water and bring it to your house. I have already started working on it. The water belongs to India and farmers of Haryana...That is why Modi is fighting this for you," he said at a public gathering in Charkhi Dadri amid loud cheers.
Attacking the Congress, Modi accused the opposition party of spreading rumours over Article 370 that granted special powers to Jammu and Kashmir.
"At a time when the country is hailing the decision to repeal Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, a few Congress leaders have gone against it and are spreading rumours in the country and across the world," he said.
Modi reiterated that the abrogation of Article 370 led to the integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country, saying the region would now see fast-paced development and prosperity. -- ANI
15:05 Indian businessman in Dubai buys tickets to send 13 foreign prisoners home
A Dubai-based Indian businessman has bought one-way tickets for 13 foreign prisoners, including from Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Afghanistan to return home after they were released from prison in Dubai, a media report said on Tuesday.
Joginder Singh Salaria, the chairman and managing director of Pehal International Transport and founder of Pehal Charitable Trust (PCT Humanity) purchased one-way flight tickets in coordination with Dubai Police authorities for the prisoners who were released from a jail on Monday, the Khaleej Times reported.
The prisoners are from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uganda, Afghanistan, Nigeria, China, and Ethiopia, it said. The prisoners, according to Salaria, were imprisoned for committing minor crimes and have completed their jail term and will soon fly home. "Unfortunately, the men could not afford to pay for the air tickets. Dubai Police works with PCT Humanity on several charitable activities, including blood donation campaigns. Now, we are providing travel assistance to 13 people from different countries so they can fly home to meet with their families," he said. -- PTI
14:36 Tomorrow is 40th and last day of hearing in Ayodhya case: CJI
Chief Justice of India Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday said that Wednesday is 40th and last day of hearing in the case of Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid land title dispute.
During the hearing in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Justice Gogoi said: "Today is 39th day. Tomorrow is 40th day and last day of hearing in the case."
The five-judge bench headed by Justice Gogoi was hearing appeals challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict, which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre of disputed land in Ayodhya among the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Ram Lalla. The 16th-century Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992.
The top court had recently said that it would wrap up hearing in the case on October 17, a day earlier than it was scheduled to. The judgment is likely to be passed on November 4-5. -- PTI
14:24 Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves denied bail
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday denied bail to Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves arrested in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case.
The single-judge bench of Justice Sarang Kotwal was hearing the plea filed by the activists on a regular basis since August 27.
On January 1 in 2018, violence had erupted at Bhima-Koregaon battle, leaving one dead and several injured, including 10 policemen. The trio was booked under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (U and various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including waging a war and sedition. They are accused of having links with banned Naxal groups.
Apart from the three activists, poet Varavara Rao and Gautam Navlakha were also arrested for their alleged involvement in the violence.The police had filed 58 cases against 162 people during a state-wide shutdown in January following clashes in Bhima-Koregaon. -- ANI
14:12 DK Shivakumar to get chair, TV in jail
A Delhi court on Tuesday extended till October 25 the judicial custody of Congress leader D K Shivakumar, arrested in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate.
Shivakumar's lawyer today complained in Court that jail authorities were not allowing Shivakumar to sit on a chair in jail and due to which he is suffering from back problems. His counsel also alleged that Shivakumar was facing unequal behaviour from jail authorities.
The Delhi Court has directed Tihar Jail authorities to provide a chair and television to Shivakumar in jail, as per the jail manual.
Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar sent Shivakumar to further judicial custody on the ED's plea after the accused did not oppose it. ED's special public prosecutors Amit Mahajan, Nitesh Rana and N K Matta sought extension of his judicial custody, saying he could not be let free.
The court had on September 25 declined to grant Shivakumar bail noting that he was an influential person and if released, may influence the witnesses or tamper with documents.
The ED had in September last year registered the money laundering case against Shivakumar, Haumanthaiah, an employee at the Karnataka Bhavan in New Delhi, and others, the agency's advocate A R Aditya said. -- PTI
14:09 From one president to another...
President Ram Nath Kovind paid floral tributes to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India on his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan today.
13:37 Farooq Abdullah's sister, daughter detained
The police on Tuesday detained half a dozen women activists including the sister and daughter of former chief minister Farooq Abdullah during a march to protest against abrogation of provisions of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, officials said.
Abdullah's sister Suraiya and his daughter Safiya, who were leading a group of women activists, were detained by the police. Wearing black arm bands and holding placards, the women protestors were not allowed by the police personnel to assemble and were asked to disperse peacefully.
However, the protestors refused to disperse and tried to stage a sit-in. The women CRPF personnel rounded the protestors into police vehicles. The police also tried to stop the protesting women from distributing a statement to the the media covering the protest.
"We the women of Kashmir disapprove the unilateral decision taken by the government of India to revoke Article 370, 35A and downgrade and split the state of Jammu and Kashmir," the statement said. Demanding restoration of civil liberties and fundamental rights of the citizens, the women said they feel "betrayed, humiliated and violated as people". -- PTI
Image: Former J-K CM Omar Abdullah's sister was among many women protestors who were detained in Srinagar today. Pic: Umar Ganie
13:37 Farooq Abdullah's sister, daughter detained
The police on Tuesday detained half a dozen women activists including the sister and daughter of former chief minister Farooq Abdullah during a march to protest against abrogation of provisions of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, officials said.
Abdullah's sister Suraiya and his daughter Safiya, who were leading a group of women activists, were detained by the police. Wearing black arm bands and holding placards, the women protestors were not allowed by the police personnel to assemble and were asked to disperse peacefully.
However, the protestors refused to disperse and tried to stage a sit-in. The women CRPF personnel rounded the protestors into police vehicles. The police also tried to stop the protesting women from distributing a statement to the the media covering the protest.
"We the women of Kashmir disapprove the unilateral decision taken by the government of India to revoke Article 370, 35A and downgrade and split the state of Jammu and Kashmir," the statement said. Demanding restoration of civil liberties and fundamental rights of the citizens, the women said they feel "betrayed, humiliated and violated as people". -- PTI
Image: Former J-K CM Omar Abdullah's sister was among many women protestors who were detained in Srinagar today. Pic: Umar Ganie
13:12 Will personally follow up with Centre on PMC: Fadnavis
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said that after assembly elections in the state, he will take up the issue of Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank with the centre.
Releasing BJP's manifesto for the upcoming polls in the state along with BJP Working President JP Nadda today, Fadnavis said, "We will request the Centre to help depositors get their money back. I will personally be following up on this."
Earlier in the day, a 51-year-old, former employee of Jet Airways, who had deposits worth Rs 90 lakhs in the Oshiwara branch of the PMC Bank, died hours after participating in a protest rally by depositors here on Monday.
The deceased identified as Sanjay Gulati is survived by his wife and two children. He was a resident of Tarapore Gardens, Oshiwara. -- ANI
12:56 Modi govt has zero-tolerance to terrorism: HM
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has a policy of "zero-tolerance" towards terrorism which he termed as the biggest hurdle on the way of development.
He also said that India has been a victim of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism since long, while speaking at the National Security Guard 35th Raising Day celebrations in Manesar, Haryana.
"Terrorism is a curse for society and is the biggest hurdle in the way of development. Our country has suffered the plight of terrorism more than any other country in world. Under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi we are committed towards zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. Today, I am assured of our security because of NSG," Shah said.
"Counter-terrorism operations, counter hijack operations, providing proximate security, bomb disposable squad, providing protective cover in national and international events and other functions. I am quite confident that our country is safe from any terrorist attack with NSG to protect us," said Shah.
He said that abrogation of Article 370 would prove to be a milestone in eradicating terrorism."In today's era when there is no traditional war, India is affected with terrorism sponsored by Pakistan since years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a big step by Abrogation article 370 from Kashmir to make nation terrorism free and to save Kashmir. I believe, the step will help to maintain peace in the state," said Shah.
-- ANI
12:51 Ayodhya judgment likely between Nov 13-17
The Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi is superannuating on November 17. Or in other words, his term ends on the 17th. Before demitting office, the CJI is set to deliver the judgement in the Ayodhya land dispute case. The Supreme Court last week, once again stressed on the need to complete arguments in the Ayodhya dispute case by October 18. If arguments cant get over by October 18, there wont be extra day, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi told both sides arguing the case. November 12th is a court holiday due to Guru Nanak's birth anniversary celebrations, and the likely date for the delivery of the judgment is anytime from the 13th to the 17th.
The Union Home Secretary has asked all state governments to maintain tight vigil and beef up security in and around temples and mosques in the country as a fallout of the Ayodhya judgment.
Intelligence agencies have also been asked to map communally-sensitive and a beef-up of security with paramilitary forces during the first week of November is likely.
12:27 PM should attend to work, have less photo ops: Sibal
Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Tuesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Nobel Prize winner Abhijit Banerjee's remarks that the Indian economy is on shaky ground, saying the PM should attend to work and have less "photo ops".
Indian-American Banerjee, who on Monday won the 2019 Nobel for Economics, has said Indian economy is on a shaky ground and the data currently available does not hold any assurance for the country's economic revival anytime soon.
"Is Modiji listening? Abhijit Banerjee: 1) Indian economy on shaky ground. 2) "political interference" in statistical data.3) Average urban and rural consumption gone down - hasn't happened since the seventies. 4) We in (India) are in crisis. Attend to work. Less photo-ops," Sibal said in a tweet.
Banerjee bagged the coveted prize jointly with his wife Esther Duflo and another economist Michael Kremer for his "experimental approach to alleviating global poverty". -- PTI
Image: PM Modi at Mahabalipuram beach last week with an acupressure roller.
12:20 SMS blocked in Kashmir as 'precautionary move'
SMS services were stopped as a "precautionary measure" a few hours after post-paid mobile phone connections were restored in Kashmir Valley, officials said on Tuesday.
Mobile phone services for post-paid subscribers resumed in Kashmir after 72 days on Monday noon, but without any internet facilities. By about 5 pm, SMS services were stopped too, officials said.
"SMS services were stopped last evening as a precautionary measure," said an official.
Two terrorists, including a suspected Pakistani national, shot dead the driver of a Rajasthan truck and assaulted an orchard owner in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir around 8 pm on Monday.
Police said the deceased was identified as Sharief Khan and the terrorists carried out the attack in Shirmal village in desperation as fruit transportation was picking up in the Valley.
Over 25 lakh prepaid mobile phones and other internet services, including WhatsApp, remain deactivated for now, officials said.
Governor Satya Pal Malik said on Monday that internet services would be resumed very soon, but officials in the security establishment maintained the process might take up to two months.
A decision on pre-paid subscribers could be taken next month, they said.
Phones fell silent on August 5, when the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status and reorganised the state into two union territories.
In Jammu, communication was restored within days of the blockade and mobile internet was started around mid-August. However, after its misuse, internet facility on cell phones was snapped on August 18.
11:18 What are Nobel winners really like?
"If Abhijit has inspired me to cook better, Esther has helped me with parenting advice. I sleep-trained my six-month-old (which let me tell is you is a severely traumatic experience) with Esther's handholding across the oceans. She is all about tough love. When my two-year-old started acting up -- those terrible, terrible twos -- she was the first person I wrote to.
"Abhijit is a classic Bengali - a renaissance man who makes documentaries, is eloquent and talkative about the differences between the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen, and who sends me the most wonderful playlists of Hindustani music which he knows a great deal about. Esther is quieter when you meet her, but quick as an arrow, fiercely independent and tough and cool, a rock climber and the person who makes the family's clocks run on time."
Read the column here
Chiki Sarkar on the Nobel economics prize winners -- the husband-wife team of Dr Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo. Their book, Good Economics for Hard Times, published by Juggernaut will be released next week.
11:11 Pak violates ceasefire, shells two sectors in Poonch
The Pakistan Army targeted two sectors along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district with mortars and small arms firing on Wednesday. The Indian Army effectively retaliated. "At about 0930 hours, the Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and shelling with mortars in Qasba and Kirni sectors in district Poonch", they said. -- PTI
10:42 Chiefs of staff pay tribute of Prez Kalam
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh pay tributes to former President APJ Abdul Kalam, at DRDO (Defence Research & Development Organisation) Bhawan, on his birth anniversary today.
10:37 Maharashtra polls: BJP releases manifesto
Bharatiya Janata Party Working President JP Nadda and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis release the party's manifesto or the Sankalp Patra for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.
Elections for the 288 member assembly will be held on 21st of this month while counting will be taken up on the 24th.
The Shiv Sena, which is contesting 124 seats in the Maharashtra assembly election as part of its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, on Saturday released its manifesto, which promises to provide full meal at Rs 10 and make farmers debt-free, among other things.
10:30 Hazy morning in Delhi-NCR, air quality continues to be 'poor'
People residing in the national capital and its adjoining areas such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad woke up to a hazy morning on Tuesday as the air quality index dipped again to the poor category for the sixth consecutive day.
The data collated by the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research showed the overall air quality of Delhi was docking at 252 at 8:30 am in the morning.An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
At Dhirpur, the AQI was 259 at 8:30 am, while at Mathura Road area it dipped to the 'poor' category at 296. Furthermore, the AQI near Pusa, Airport, Terminal 3 and Delhi University stood at 215, 293 and 241 respectively.
Image: Haryana farmers continue to burn stubble leading to a dip in air quality in the national capital
10:18 Sensex rises over 100 points; HUL top gainer
Equity benchmark BSE Sensex rose over 100 points on Tuesday led by gains in index heavyweights HDFC twins, HUL, TCS and RIL, amid sustained foreign fund inflow. The 30-share index was trading 101.53 points, or 0.27 per cent, higher at 38,316 at 0930 hours.
Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 25.75 points, or 0.23 per cent, to 11,366.90. HUL was the biggest gainer in the Sensex pack, rising over 1 per cent, after the FMCG major reported a 21.18 per cent rise in standalone net profit at Rs 1,848 crore for the quarter ended on September 30. Other gainers included Sun Pharma, TCS, HCL Tech, ONGC, Hero MotoCorp, Axis Bank, Asian Paints, HDFC duo, ITC and RIL, gaining up to 1 per cent. While, Infosys, Vedanta, Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel, Tata Steel and IndusInd Bank fell up to 2 per cent.
In the previous session on Monday, the BSE barometer closed 87.39 points, or 0.23 per cent, higher at 38,214.47, while the Nifty moved up 36.10 points, or 0.32 per cent, to 11,341.15. -- PTI
09:53 PMC depositor dies after losing life savings
The Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank crisis has claimed another life.
A 51-year-old man, identified as Sanjay Gulati, died from a cardiac arrest after returning home from a protest against the PMC Bank scam in Mumbai.
Sanjay Gulati, a resident of Taporewala Gardens in Mumbai's suburban area of Oshiwara, was an account holder in the disgraced PMC Bank.
He had deposits worth Rs 90 lakh in the Oshiwara branch of the PMC Bank.
According to reports, Gulati was an employee of Jet Airways. He was fired after the airline went under in April. Another shock awaited him when the RBI placed restrictions on the withdrawal limit for depositors of the scam-hit PMC Bank.
On Monday, Sanjay Gulati was attending a protest at the Killa Court in the Fort area. Around 200 PMC Bank account holders on Monday protested outside the Mumbai court at the time when the accused in the PMC Bank scam -- Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd directors Rakesh Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan and former PMC Bank Chairman Waryam Singh -- were produced before the court for hearing.
In the afternoon he returned home from the rally and asked his wife to serve him food. He suffered a cardiac arrest as he was eating and died.
09:43 Modi pays tribute to 'Missile Man' on his birth anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tribute to late former President APJ Abdul Kalam on his 88th birth anniversary and remembered his contributions to the country.
"My heartfelt tribute to Dr APJ Abdul Kalamji on his anniversary. He dreamt of the India of 21st century, which was capable and then went on to give his exceptional contribution to the goal. His ideal life will keep on inspiring the people of the country. India salutes Dr APJ Abdul Kalamji on his Jayanti," Modi's tweet, which also had a short video highlighting the key achievements of the former President's life embedded, read.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh too remembered the former President and asserted that he continues to live on in the hearts and the minds of the people of the country.
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, better known as the 'Missile Man of India' for his contributions towards the development of the country's missile projects was born on October 15, 1931, at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu.
In 2002, Dr Kalam became the 11th President of India and famously became the 'People's President' for his friendly nature to one and all.
The former President suffered a cardiac arrest on July 27, 2015, and passed away.
-- ANI
09:14 Wish India possessed Rafale jets during Balakot strike: Rajnath
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said had India possessed Rafale fighter jets earlier the IAF would not have needed to enter Balakot in Pakistan to hit the terror camps.
Singh defended performing 'shastra puja' while taking delivery of the first Rafale jet in France recently.
"Had we possessed Rafale fighter jets we would not have required to enter Balakot and launch a strike. We could have struck at Balakot while sitting in India," he said.
Singh reiterated that the fighter planes were meant only for self-defence and not for aggression.
On a controversy surrounding the "shastra puja", Singh said, "I wrote 'Om' on the plane, broke a coconut (as per tradition). Om depicts never-ending Universe".
"I acted as per my faith. Even other communities like the Christian, Muslim, Sikh etc worship with words like Amen, Omkar etc. Even when I was performing 'shastra puja', people from communities like Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists were present at the event," he said.
-- PTI
08:51 Omar and Mehbooba detained under PSA
There is a question mark on the continuing detention of former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti with Union Home Minister Amit Shah saying they have been detained under the Public Safety Act, while officials in Srinagar said they are unaware of the PSA being invoked against the two leaders.
Responding to a query on the detention of Omar and Mehbooba, Shah, in an interview to India Today TV channel on Monday, said: Unko Public Safety Act ke tehat abhi detention mei rakha hi hai (they are still in detention under the Public Safety Act).
This remark with a video of the interview was also tweeted by the BJP Live handle.
Omar and Mehbooba were among mainstream party leaders placed under detention ahead of the August 5 announcement that ended the special status of the state under Article 370.
The PSA was later invoked against Omars father Farooq Abdullah, a three-term Chief Minister and the current Srinagar MP, and his house in Srinagar declared a subsidiary jail. The stringent PSA allows the government to detain a person without trial for a period ranging from six months to two years.
Asked about the detention of leaders, Shah said: When the incident is fresh immediately after the removal of Article 370, that there will be shock among people is natural if someone tries to instigate, obviously there will be a problem in controlling the situation.
08:22 Rahul is captain who walked away on seeing Congress ship sink: Owaisi
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi made a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said when a ship sinks, the captain evacuates everyone safely but Gandhi is a captain who himself left on seeing Congress ship sink.
Owaisi's remarks came during his campaign for a party candidate in Bhiwadi West where he addressed a large gathering.
"When a ship sinks in the middle of a sea, the captain evacuates everyone safely but Gandhi is a captain who himself left after seeing the Congress sinking. Muslims are not alive due to Congress' mercy on us for 70 years, rather we are alive because of the Constitution and by the grace of God," said Owaisi.
The AIMIM leader also slammed the BJP-led government even as he panned the Triple Talaq law saying, "The Triple Talaq law is against all the Muslim women. BJP is a long-lasting government which means that this darkness is going to last long."
Owaisi also said that the government should give reservation to Muslims just as it has given to Marathas.
-- ANI
07:51 Sparks of brilliance: Abhijit Banerjee's teacher
As Kolkata celebrates city boy Abhijit Banerjee's Nobel glory, his classmate and school teacher remember the MIT professor to be an introvert, who showed sparks of brilliance.
Sharmila Dey, Banerjee's batchmate at South Point School, said she feels extremely proud to have shared the same class room in South Point during 1971-78.
"We were always impressed by the manner in which he used to solve problems in the mathematics class. Beyond academics, he took great interest in sports, especially football," she said.
Indian-American Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer jointly won the 2019 Nobel Economics Prize on Monday for their ''experimental approach to alleviating global poverty''.
Banerjee's maths teacher Dipali Sengupta recalled how the "introvert, unassuming boy" in Class 8 finished his class work easily.
"He showed sparks of brilliance even at that tender age," she said.
Asked if she was in touch with the Nobel laureate after his school days, the elderly lady replied in the negative.
"I hope he still remembers his maths teacher in school," Sengupta added with a smile.
-- PTI
00:10 Pak on verge of being in FATF 'Dark Grey' list
Pakistan is on the verge of strong action by the international terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the country may be put in the 'Dark Grey' list, the last warning to improve.
Officials attending the ongoing plenary of the FATF in Paris said as per indications, Pakistan will be isolated by all members for not doing enough.
Pakistan is on the verge of strong action by FATF, given its inadequate performance, whereby it managed to pass in only six of 27 items, an official privy to the development said.
The FATF will finalise its decision on Pakistan on October 18.
According to FATF rules there is one essential stage between 'Grey' and 'Black' lists, referred to as 'Dark Grey'.
'Dark Grey' means issuance of a strong warning, so that the country concerned gets one last chance to improve, another official said.
'Dark Grey' was the term used for warning up to 3rd Phase. Now it's just called warning -- that is the 4th phase.
The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
Pakistan was placed on the Grey List by the Paris-based watchdog in June last year and was given a plan of action to complete it by October 2019, or face the risk of being placed on the black list with Iran and North Korea.
If Pakistan continues with the 'Grey' list or put in 'Dark Grey' list, it would be very difficult for the country to get financial aid from the IMF, the World Bank and the European Union, making its financial condition more precarious.
Officials attending the ongoing plenary of the FATF in Paris said as per indications, Pakistan will be isolated by all members for not doing enough.
Pakistan is on the verge of strong action by FATF, given its inadequate performance, whereby it managed to pass in only six of 27 items, an official privy to the development said.
The FATF will finalise its decision on Pakistan on October 18.
According to FATF rules there is one essential stage between 'Grey' and 'Black' lists, referred to as 'Dark Grey'.
'Dark Grey' means issuance of a strong warning, so that the country concerned gets one last chance to improve, another official said.
'Dark Grey' was the term used for warning up to 3rd Phase. Now it's just called warning -- that is the 4th phase.
The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
Pakistan was placed on the Grey List by the Paris-based watchdog in June last year and was given a plan of action to complete it by October 2019, or face the risk of being placed on the black list with Iran and North Korea.
If Pakistan continues with the 'Grey' list or put in 'Dark Grey' list, it would be very difficult for the country to get financial aid from the IMF, the World Bank and the European Union, making its financial condition more precarious.
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