LIVE! Internet in J-K not on Parl panel agenda

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Fri, 28 August 2020

Internet in J-K not on Parl panel agenda

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23:22 Internet in J-K not on Parl panel agenda

Days after the Lok Sabha Speaker suggested parliamentary panels to not take up sub judice matters in their meetings, a house committee on information technology on Friday dropped the contentious issue of internet services suspension in Jammu and Kashmir from its agenda.

However, the panel's meeting where Facebook has been summoned remains on the agenda.

As per the updated agenda issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Friday, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Technology, headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, will discuss suspension of telecom or internet services in Bihar and Delhi in its meeting scheduled for September 1.

An earlier agenda had included Jammu and Kashmir too. Tharoor has been under attack from Bharatiya Janata Party members of the panel for taking up internet suspension in Jammu and Kashmir and calling up Facebook India executives, following a Wall Street Journal report that claimed that the social media giant refused to apply hate speech rules to certain ruling party politicians.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had also written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla requesting him to remove Tharoor from the post and appoint any other member chairman of the committee.

The agenda of both these meetings was also the bone of contention between BJP MPs and members from opposition parties in the parliamentary panel.

Dubey was vehemently opposing taking up of suspension of internet services in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that it is sub judice.

Birla on Tuesday had asked chairmen of all parliamentary committees to ensure rules Are strictly adhered to while holding meetings of the panels.

Talking about Lok Sabha rules for the conduct of the committee meetings, the Lok Sabha Speaker had pointed out that as per the convention, the committees do not take those subjects for examination where the issue is pending in the courts. -- PTI

Activist Anna Hazare on Friday said it was "unfortunate" that the Delhi BJP should ask him to join in its agitation against the AAP government when it has a huge cadre of its own and wields power in the Centre.

His going to Delhi would not make any difference as he did not believe any party can give the country bright future, he said in a letter.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta had on Monday written to Hazare, urging him to join his party's "mass movement" against the Arvind Kejriwal government which Gupta claimed was "a new name of social, political and economic corruption".

Kejriwal was Hazare's key ally in his 2011 anti- corruption agitation in Delhi.

"I felt disappointed reading your letter written to the press. Your party, BJP, has been ruling the country for the past more than six years," Hazare said.

"What could be more unfortunate than leaders of a party, which has youth cadres in big number and claims to have highest number of members in the world, urging an 83-year-old fakir (like Anna Hazare who resides in a temple's 10x12 feet room and has no asset and power, to join in its protest," he wrote.

The BJP-led Union government controls agencies like the CBI, Hazare said, asking why no legal action was being taken against the AAP government in Delhi if it was corrupt.

His agitations were never against any party, the octogenarian said.

The BJP came to power in 2014 showing dreams of corruption-free India, "but the worries of people have not lessened", Hazare said.

Political parties find faults with their rivals, but need to introspect and talk about their own flaws, he said.

"In the present condition, I don't think any party can give bright future to the country. Many parties are stuck in the circle of making money out of power and attaining power using money," he said.

"....people will not get relief until the system changes. Hence, I feel my coming to Delhi again will make no difference," he added.

-- PTI

Over 19 lakh candidates have downloaded admit cards for medical and engineering entrance exams -- National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) -- officials in the Ministry of Education (MoE) said on Friday.

While the NEET is scheduled to be held on September 13, engineering entrance exam JEE-Main has been planned from September 1-6.

"A total of 7.6 lakh candidates for JEE-Main and 11.49 lakh aspirants for NEET have downloaded admit cards till today," a senior ministry official said.

As many as 8.58 lakh candidates have registered for the JEE-Main and 15.97 lakh have registered for NEET.

The exams have been deferred twice in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The JEE-Main was originally scheduled to be held from April 7-11, but was postponed to July 18-23.

The NEET-UG was originally scheduled for May 3, but was pushed to July 26.

Subsequently, the exams were postponed again and are now scheduled in September.

The issue, which has been a matter of intense public discourse for the last few months, has evoked contrasting views with many backing the holding of the tests and arguing that not doing so would result in a 'zero academic year' for students, while opposition parties and a section of activists are demanding postponement of the exams in view of the pandemic.

Ministers of six opposition-ruled states moved the Supreme Court on Friday against its order allowing holding of NEET and JEE exams physically, saying it failed to secure students' 'right to life' and ignored 'teething logistical difficulties' to be faced in conducting them during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to National Testing Agency (NTA) officials, the Standard operating procedure (SOP) for JEE-Main has been developed by Tata Consultancy Services in collaboration with the Public Health Foundation of India and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The SOP has categorically stated there will be a touch-free entry into the JEE-Main exam centre.

Increasing the number of examination centers, alternate seating plans, fewer candidates per room and staggered entry and exit are among the steps the National Testing Agency will take for safely conducting NEET and JEE in September.

These steps have been introduced to ensure adherence to social distancing norms at the centres in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as chorus grew for postponing the crucial exams.

The NTA has also written to state governments to extend support in local movement of the candidates so that they are able to reach their examination centres on time. -- PTI

21:37 Punjab CM goes into self-quarantine

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has decided to go into seven-day self-quarantine, as per government protocol and the advice of his doctors, after two MLAs who met him in the Vidhan Sabha tested positive for COVID-19, says the media advisor to Punjab chief minister. -- ANI

21:28 Rhea leaves guest house after CBI grilling

Rhea Chakraborty has left the DRDO guest house in Mumbai where she was being questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation since morning.

She was summoned at the guest house by the CBI in connection with Sushant Singh Rajput's death case. -- ANI

Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister and Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday said he expects that the three-member All India Congress Committee committee, formed to look into the issues raised by him and other party MLAs, will meet soon and take action.

"The AICC general secretary in-charge of Rajasthan is coming to the state. He is a member of an important committee and I hope that the committee will meet soon and take action on the issues raised by us," he told reporters in Jaipur.

Pilot, who took part in a protest in front of the MNIT gate organised by the Congress and met with National Students' Union of India (NSUI) workers at the Rajasthan University, said the Centre should postpone the NEET and JEE examinations in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases across the country.

"Public transportation, hotels are closed in the country. How will the students from rural areas go to the cities for the exams? Exams keep taking place in states as it is possible logistically but lakhs of students are involved in a national-level exam and the Centre should not be adamant," he said. -- PTI

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday announced the withdrawal of 10 per cent water cuts in the city starting August 29, after stock in dams exceeded 95 per cent.

As catchment areas received heavy rainfall, the stock in seven dams supplying water to the city increased to 95.19 per cent in the early hours of the day, an official from the civic body said.

Apart from Mumbai, water cuts will be withdrawn in Thane and Bhiwandi-Nizampur municipal corporations and a few villages where the BMC supplies water, he said.

Earlier this month, the civic body had imposed 20 per cent water cut in Mumbai and later brought it down to 10 per cent after the stock in the dams rose over 85 per cent, the official said.

Poor rainfall in the catchment areas last month had resulted in less than 35 per cent water stock in seven lakes that supply 3,750 lakh million litre drinking water to the city.

According to the BMC, the seven dams have 13,77,690 million litre of water stock as on Friday.

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Friday sentenced three senior leaders of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) and close aides of mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack Hafiz Saeed to over 16 years in prison for terror financing.

Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki and Hafiz Abdus Salam, who were released on bail two weeks ago after the Lahore high court suspended their sentence in a terror financing case, are among the three leaders who were sentenced by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Lahore in another terror financing case.

"The ATC sentenced Zafar Iqbal and Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad for 16 and a half years in another terror financing case. A fine of Rs 150,000 on each of them was also imposed," a court official told PTI after the verdict was pronounced in the presence of the suspects.

"Hafiz Saeed's brother-in-law Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki has also been handed down the one-and-a-half-year sentence in the same case. A fine of Rs 20,000 was also imposed on him," the official said, adding that high-security measures were taken during the court hearing.

ATC-III judge Ijaz Ahmed Buttar gave the verdict.

Last week, the suspects were indicted in this case, he said.

"The suspects' trial was held FIR-91/19 in which the prosecution presented a total 10 witnesses," he said.

The verdict stated that the three JuD leaders have been found guilty of offence of terrorism financing.

In February, Saeed was sentenced to a jail term of 11 years on terror finance charges by an ATC of Lahore.

The court sentenced Saeed and his close aide Zafar Iqbal to five-and-a-half years each in two cases.

A total of 11 years sentence will run concurrently.

Saeed is serving his term in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail. He was arrested in July last year.

The Counterterrorism Department of Punjab police had registered 23 FIRs against Saeed and his accomplices for terror financing in different cities of the province.

Saeed-led JuD is the front organisation for Lashkar-e-Tayiba which is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, including six Americans.

The US named Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the US, since 2012, has offered a $10-million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice. He was listed as a terrorist under the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. -- PTI

19:56 No media trial of Sushant case: Press Council

Taking strong objection to the coverage of the Sushant Singh Rajput case by many media outlets, the Press Council of India on Friday said the media should adhere to the norms of journalistic conduct in covering cases under investigation and is advised not to carry out its own "parallel trial".

The media should not narrate the story in a manner so as to induce the general public to believe in the complicity of the person indicted, the Press Council of India (PCI) said in its advisory.

The Council said it has noted with "distress that coverage of the alleged suicide by a film actor by many media outlets is in violation of the norms of journalistic conduct" and, therefore, advises the media to adhere to the norms framed by it.

Asserting that publishing information based on gossip about the line of investigation by official agencies on the crime committed is not desirable, the PCI said it is not advisable to vigorously report crime related issues on a "day to day basis and comment on the evidence without ascertaining the factual matrix".

Such reporting brings undue pressure in the course of fair investigation and trial, it said.

"The media is advised to refrain from giving excessive publicity to the victim, witnesses, suspects and accused as it will amount to invasion of their privacy rights," the PCI said.

Identification of the witnesses by the media needs to be avoided as it endangers them to come under pressure from the accused or associates as well as investigating agencies, it said.

The PCI asserted that the media is advised not to "conduct its own parallel trial or foretell the decision to avoid pressure during investigation and trial".

The reporting of the alleged suicide by the actor by some of newspapers is also in violation of the norms formulated by the Council for reporting on suicide, it said.

The norm prohibits publishing stories about suicide prominently and advises the media not to unduly repeat such stories, the PCI said.

The media is expected not to use language which sensationalises or normalises suicides or presents it as a constructive solution to the problems, it said.

The PCI asked the media not to use sensational headlines or use photographs, video-footage or social media links while reporting on suicide cases.

Actress Rhea Chakraborty has been accused of abetting the suicide of filmstar Sushant Singh Rajput. The Supreme Court had last week upheld the transfer of an FIR, lodged by Rajput's father in Patna against Rhea Chakraborty and others for allegedly abetting his son's suicide and misappropriating his money, to the CBI.

The 34-year-old actor was found hanging on June 14 in his flat in suburban Bandra.

-- PTI

19:30 Bank bureau recommends Khara as SBI chairman

Just In: Banks Board Bureau recommends Dinesh Kumar Khara as next SBI chairman. Details soon.

19:27 H Vasanthakumar is first MP to die of Covid

The Congress member of Parliament from Kanyakumari, H Vasanthakumar, passed away at 7 pm today after battling coronavirus.

The 70-year old politician was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Chennai on August 10 with coronavirus infection

Vasanthakumar, a two-time MLA before he became a first-time MP in 2019, also founded the popular consumer goods retail chain Vasanth and Co, and the Tamil satellite channel Vasanth TV.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed his pain at the illness of his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe and lauded his "wise leadership and personal commitment" for making the ties between the two countries deeper and stronger than ever.

Japan's longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, earlier in the day said he intends to step down because a chronic health problem has resurfaced.

"Pained to hear about your ill health, my dear friend @AbeShinzo. In recent years, with your wise leadership and personal commitment, the India-Japan partnership has become deeper and stronger than ever before. I wish and pray for your speedy recovery," Modi said in a tweet.

Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that no Bharatiya Janata Party leader 'directly or indirectly' took state minister Aaditya Thackeray's name in connection with Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case.

Talking to reporters here on the sidelines of the inauguration of a COVID-19 hospital at Baner in Pune, Fadnavis said that surprising revelations are coming up in the case.

Rajput was found hanging at his flat in Mumbai's Bandra on June 14.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has recently taken over the probe into the case.

"No leader from the BJP has taken the name of Aaditya Thackeray directly or indirectly (in Rajput case). The kind of revelations that are coming up in the case, I think they are surprising," he said.

The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly wondered why all these revelations did not come to light before the CBI took over the probe.

"After 40 days (of the incident), the CBI took over the investigation. What if evidence were destroyed during these 40 days? I have come to know through media reports that eight hard disks were destroyed," Fadnavis said.

"After seeing these things, a question arises whether Maharashtra police was under any political pressure during the investigation," he said.

"I am sure the CBI will bring the truth out. The only thing is that if the truth was investigated earlier, I think the evidence would not have got destroyed and we would have known the culprit," he said.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had recently alleged a conspiracy to link Yuva Sena president Aaditya Thackeray to the actor's death case.

Although Raut did not take any name, he had said that the Opposition cannot digest the fact that the Sena-led government is in power in the state.

Aaditya, son of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, had himself also clarified that he was nowhere related to the actor's death case, and that he and his family were being targeted for no reason.

Congress leader Sachin Sawant has tweeted a photo of Fadnavis with film producer Sandeep Singh, whose name has cropped in the investigation.

Sawant sought a probe into the 'BJP angle' in the case. When asked about the tweet, Fadnavis said, "Sawant is in the government. Then why did their Mumbai police keep all the suspects away? Why weren't they questioned?"

"Why from the first day, it was termed as a suicide?" he asked.

On the photo, Fadnavis said that he might have been present in some programme, where Singh was also there.

"But the same person was a director or producer of a film on Balasaheb Thackeray," he said.

"It shows that Sachin Sawant does not do his homework. He is saying all these things out of frustration," he said.

Sawant in his tweet said, '@OfficeofUT, @AnilDeshmukhNCP request you to see @BJP4India angle in following request. CBI to qn Mr. Sandeep Singh in drug nexus in #SushantSinghRajputDeathCase.'

Singh was a producer of a biopic on PM Narendra Modi, whose poster was launched by Fadnavis. -- PTI

A swollen Yamuna river (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore).

18:48 Yamuna at warning mark as Delhi is rained out

The water level of the Yamuna in Delhi rose to 204.41 metres on Friday, precariously close to the warning mark of 204.50 metres following heavy rains, officials said. The water level rose because of rains in Delhi and neighbouring areas, he said.

"The water level was recorded at 204.41 metres at the Old Railway Bridge at 5 pm. It was 204.30 metres at 9 am on Friday morning and 203.77 metres at 10 am on Thursday," an official of the irrigation and flood control department said.

Besides, more water was released from the Hathnikund barrage on Tuesday. The flow rate was 36,557 cusec at 5 pm on Tuesday, the highest in the last three days, he said.

The water discharged from the barrage -- which provides drinking water to Delhi -- normally takes two-three days to reach the capital. Water was being released into the Yamuna at the rate of 13,871 cusec cusec at 4 pm on Friday.

"The flow rate has remained between 10,000 cusec to 25,000 cusec over the last two days, which is not very high," the official said.

One cusec is equivalent to 28.32 litres per second.

However, the water level may rise further if rains continue in the catchment areas, the official said. The river had swelled to 204.38 metres on Monday, which was just a metre below the danger mark of 205.33 metres.

Normally, the flow rate at the Hathnikund barrage is 352 cusec, but the discharge is increased after heavy rainfall in catchment areas. Last year, the flow rate had peaked to 8.28 lakh cusec on August 18-19, and the water level of the Yamuna had hit the 206.60 metre-mark, breaching the danger mark of 205.33 metres.

The Delhi government had to launch evacuation and relief operations after the overflowing river submerged many low-lying areas.

In 1978, the river had swelled to the all-time record water level of 207.49 metres. In 2013, it had risen to 207.32 metres.

Delhi's Water Minister Satyendar Jain had Monday said the government was ready to deal with any flood-like situation.

-- PTI

One terrorist surrendered while four were killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, the police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Kiloora area of Shopian district in south Kashmir following specific information about the presence of the terrorists, a police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon a search party of the forces, which retaliated.

In the ensuing exchange of fire, four terrorists were killed, the official said.

He said their identity and group affiliation were being ascertained. Some arms were also recovered from them.

The operation is on, the official added.

18:04 Probe 'BJP angle' in Sushant case: Congress

The Maharashtra unit of the Congress on Friday demanded that the 'BJP angle' in the Sushant Singh Rajput suicide case should be probed.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant claimed that the Central Bureau of Investigation was going to question Sandeep Singh, who was producer of the biopic 'PM Narendra Modi', with regard to the drugs aspect of the case.

'There is a definite BJP angle to it. CBI will investigate producer of PM Modi's biopic in drug dealing. This is very serious,' Sawant tweeted.

'Is that why there was a hurry to bring in CBI into the probe. When there are several top producers in Bollywood, why was Sandeep Singh chosen to helm the project?' he said.

'The chief minister, home minister should probe the nexus between Bollywood, drugs and BJP,' he said.

'The links between BJP and Bollywood is well known. Was the demand for CBI pursued to save somebody? Maharashtra government should probe this angle,' Sawant said.

Vijay Gutte, producer of the film Accidental Prime Minister which tried to 'defame' former prime minister Manmohan Singh, was also embroiled in a criminal case, he said.

State Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Keshav Upadhaye rubbished Sawant's demand and posted a link to a 2015 article which said Smita Thackeray, daughter-in-law of Bal Thackeray, was planning to produce a biopic on the late Shiv Sena supremo in association with Sandeep Singh.

"Do your home work. Will you find a link in this too," Upadhye asked.

BJP leader Ram Kadam, in a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has demanded a discussion on the 'Bollywood-drugs nexus' in the coming legislature session.

The Narcotics Control Bureau has registered a case after it came to light during probe that Rhea Chakraborty, who is accused of abetting Rajput's suicide, allegedly used to deal in banned substances. -- PTI

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis were seen together at the inauguration of a COVID-19 hospital in Baner area in Pune on Friday.

The two had famously come together on November 23 last year when Fadnavis was sworn in as chief minister and Pawar as his deputy in a hush-hush early morning ceremony.

Pawar, an Nationalist Congress Party stalwart, broke ranks to join the Bharatiya Janata Party leader to form government after the saffron party fell out with the Shiv Sena, but their government lasted only 80 hours as they could not muster the numbers.

On Friday, Pawar and Fadnavis stood side by side and addressed the gathering in Baner, though they painted different pictures of the coronavirus situation in the state.

Pawar, who is also guardian minister for Pune district, said in the last few days 2,200 hospital beds have been added for treatment of coronavirus patients in the city and neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad.

Referring to the phase 3 human trial of the 'Oxford vaccine' which began in Pune earlier this week, he expressed confidence that soon there will be 'affirmative picture in the state and country'.

Fadnavis pointed out that every day on average 15,000 new cases are being reported in Maharashtra.

"The main concern is that the positivity rate of the infection is still 19 to 19.5 per cent. As per the ICMR, it should be 5 per cent and where there is high infection (rate), it should be 10 per cent," he said.

The BJP leader also said that the state accounts for nearly 40 per cent of coronavirus deaths in the country.

"Since our current death rate is still 3.2 per cent which is above the national average, it is a matter of concern," Fadnavis said.

State BJP chief and Kothrud MLA Chandrakant Patil and Pune mayor Murlidhar Mohol were also present. -- PTI

17:19 Pak forces violate ceasefire at LoC in Poonch

Pakistani soldiers violated the ceasefire on Friday by resorting to heavy firing and mortar shelling on forward areas along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, officials said in Jammu.

The Indian Army mounted a befitting retaliation, they said.

"At about 1130 hours today, Pak army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along LoC in Balakote sector," a defence spokesman said.

-- PTI

16:57 Encounter breaks out in J-K

An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Friday, the police said.

Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the Kiloora area of the district following information about the presence of militants, a police official said.

The search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired on a search party of the forces, who retaliated, he said.

Exchange of fire is going on, the official said, adding that additional forces have been rushed to the area and further details are awaited.

-- PTI

Former Karnataka minister and JD-S leader H D Revanna has tested positive for coronavirus and has admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru, party sources said on Friday.

Praying for his recovery, Health Minister B Sriramulu in a tweet said, "H D Revanna has tested positive for coronavirus. I pray that he recovers and gets back to serve people."

According to JD-S sources, four policemen in his security had earlier contracted the virus. Subsequently, he too underwent a test but was found negative.

Recently, the son of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had displayed the symptoms. After tests, he was found to be infected by the pathogen.

Many leaders in Karnataka including Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, three of his ministers, Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar were also infected by the virus.

-- PTI

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh / Rediff.com

16:48 CBI books ex-NIA senior cop for wrongly procuring CDR

The CBI has booked former National Investigation Agency ASP Jalaj Srivastava for obtaining call details records (CDR) and analysis from Vodafone in an alleged fraudulent manner, officials said on Friday.

The agency acted on a complaint from the NIA, which sought action against Srivastava, now posted in his parent cadre -- Border Security Force -- they said.

After getting the complaint, the CBI sought a sanction from the home ministry to book Srivastava after which it booked him.

The agency has alleged that between 2017 and 2018, working as an additional superintendent of police, Srivastava abused his official position to procure the CDR of two mobile phone numbers on two occasions and tried the same for the third time but failed, the officials said.

It is alleged that one Avinash Kaur, who used to live in the same building as Srivastava, had asked him to obtain the CDR of one Sudesh Saini, they added.

Saini did not have any connection with any case probed by the NIA, the officials said.

-- PTI

16:36 Cong chief whip calls Tharoor 'guest artist'

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who was among the 'group of 23' that wrote to Sonia Gandhi seeking urgent organisational overhaul, has come under attack from some leaders in Kerala, with a senior MP calling him a 'guest artist' and asking him to follow party policies.

Hitting out at Tharoor, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee working president and the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha, Kodikkunnil Suresh on Friday said everybody in the party should work according to its policies and programmes.

"Shashi Tharoor is certainly not a politician. He came to the Congress party as a guest artist. He is still continuing in the party like a guest artist," said Suresh, who represents Mavelikara constituency in the Lok Sabha.

Taking a dig at Tharoor, the former Union minister also said 'Tharoor may be a global citizen', but he should not think that he can take any decision or say anything according to his will.

"Ultimately, he should follow the party (policies and programmes)," Suresh told reporters here in response to a query.

His statement came a day after Tharoor said that it is the duty of all to work together in the interest of the Congress once the party chief has stated that the matter is 'behind us'.

'Ive been silent for 4 days on recent events in @INCIndia because once the Congress President says the issue is behind us, it is the duty of all of us to work together constructively in the interests of the Party,' Tharoor tweeted on Thursday.

'I urge all my colleagues to uphold this principle & end the debate,' he said in the tweet.

Earlier on Thursday, former Kerala PCC president and Lok Sabha MP K Muraleedharan had also taken a dig at Tharoor over the issue, calling him a 'global citizen'.

Leaders in the Congress's state unit are also upset with Tharoor over his open support to the Centre's move to lease out Thiruvananthapuram International Airport for 50 years to Adani Enterprises.

"The people want the airport. It's some politicians who are opposed to it," Tharoor had said while all political parties in Kerala, barring the Bharatiya Janata Party, opposed the Centre's decision to give the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to Adani Enterprises on lease. -- PTI

16:05 Total COVID-19 tests in India near 4 crore

The cumulative tests for detection of COVID-19 have reached 3,94,77,848 in the country, and more than one crore samples have been tested in the past two weeks, the Union health ministry said, highlighting that the Tests Per Million have increased to 28,607.

India has tested more than 9 lakh samples for the detection of COVID-19 for the second consecutive day, keeping a sharp focus on the 'test, track and treat' strategy of the Union Government.

India has already created a capacity of doing 10 lakh tests per day. A total of 9,01,338 samples were tested in a span of 24 hours on Thursday taking the cumulative tests to 3,94,77,848 so far.

"More than 1 crore samples have been tested for COVID in the past two weeks," the ministry said.

"The Tests Per Million too have seen a sharp surge to 28,607. It is only by aggressive testing that positive cases can be identified at an early stage, their close contacts promptly tracked and isolated as well as timely and effective treatment can be ensured," the ministry underlined.

A record single day spike of 77,266 infections in a day, pushed India's COVID-19 tally to 33,87,500, while the death-toll climbed to 61,529 with 1,057 people succumbing to the diseases in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.

-- PTI

Television actor Rajesh Kumar, popular for his portrayal of Rosesh in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai has tested positive for COVID-19.

The actor informed his fans via a message on Instagram. He wrote that he was asymptomatic but had lost the sense of taste and smell. He is currently quarantined at home.

In the Instagram story uploaded, he said, I would like to inform my beloved fans and well-wishers that I have tested asymptomatic positive for Covid-19. I am asymptomatic and under home quarantine.

The actor added that he is being very well taken care of and thanked everyone for these prayers and good wishes. Rajesh also revealed that he will soon be seen in the show Excuse Me Madam on Star Bharat.

Speaking with Hindustan Times, the actor revealed that he had tested positive on August 22 and has been resting and exercising at home since then.

JEE Main 2020 and NEET 2020 has become the national headline now. Students, parents, celebrities, activists, and politicians are demanding to postpone the upcoming JEE Main 2020 and NEET 2020 exams, however, NTA has made it clear that it will conduct the exams as per the schedule.

Due to the covid-19 situation in the country, the public transportation service in many states is still on hold, therefore, students will have to arrange private transportation.

In the light of recent events, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood took to this Twitter account and posted that he will help those students who are stuck and can't reach their exam centres.

The actor has posted that incase JEE and NEET dosen't get postponed, he will help students reach their exam centers. "I am standing with you. If you are stuck anywhere, let me know your areas of travel. I will help you reach your examination centres."

As many as 346 personnel of Maharashtra police tested positive for coronavirus, while two died of the infection in the last 24 hours, an official said on Friday.

With the addition of the new cases, the state police's COVID-19 tally has reached 14,641 and the casualties stood at 148, the official said.

A total of 2,741 police personnel are currently undergoing treatment at various hospitals, whereas 11,752 have so far recovered from the infection, he said.

Meanwhile, the police have registered 2,43,595 offences and arrested 34,017 persons for violating prohibitory orders, the official added.

-- PTI

The effectiveness of the Centre's 'test, track and treat' approach is reflected in the progress on the COVID-19 recovery front and the reduction in fatality rate, the government said on Friday, highlighting that recoveries exceed active cases by over 18 lakh as on date.

The Union health ministry pointed out that in the past five months, More than three/fourth of COVID-19 cases have recovered and less than one/fourth are active now.

"Effective treatment of positive cases has resulted in a progressively dipping COVID case fatality rate, which is pegged at 1.82 per cent as on date," the ministry said.

The number of recoveries is nearly 3.5 times the active cases of coronavirus infection currently, it said.

With more patients recovering and being discharged from home isolation and hospitals, India's COVID-19 recoveries is nearing 26 lakh.

With a total of 60,177 patients having recuperated in a span of 24 hours, the recoveries have surged to 25,83,948 and the recovery rate has reached 76.28 per cent.

"Higher number of recoveries has led to a constantly growing difference between recoveries and active cases. Crossing 18 lakhs, the difference stands at 18,41,925 today," the ministry said.

A record single-day spike of 77,266 infections in a day, pushed India's COVID-19 tally to 33,87,500 on Friday, while the death-toll climbed to 61,529 with 1,057 people succumbing to the diseases in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.

-- PTI

The Punjab assembly, which met under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic on Friday, paid tributes to the soldiers killed in Ladakh's Galwan valley, the COVID warriors and Olympian Balbir Singh Senior.

The 12th session of the 15th Punjab Assembly began at 11 am with strict protocols in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thirty MLAs in the state, including four ministers, have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh led the assembly in paying tributes to 28 eminent personalities, including freedom fighters who passed away since the last session of the House.

The assembly paid its last respects to former MP Gurdas Singh Badal, Harminder Kaur (parents of state Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal), former MLA Chatin Singh Samao, former state minister Hari Singh Zira and Justice (retd) Satpal Bangar.

The members of the House also paid rich tributes to legendary field hockey player and Olympian Balbir Singh Senior and Hazoori Ragi Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa.

The House also remembered freedom fighters Sucha Singh and Piara Singh, among others.

It also paid homage to those who fell prey to the pandemic.

-- PTI

The defence ministry has taken an in-principle decision to host the next edition of Aero India -- considered Asia's largest aerospace exhibition -- in its traditional venue of Bengaluru from February 3-5 next year notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic, official sources said on Friday.

The ministry took the decision to hold the biennial event as scheduled following inputs from the domestic defence industry and global aerospace majors, they said.

The sources said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has already held a number of internal meetings on hosting the mega event.

"It was decided that the event will be hosted while taking maximum precaution against the coronavirus pandemic," said a source.

Since its inception in 1996, Bengaluru has been hosting the event.

The sources said a significant number of global defence majors and big investors are expected to participate in the event besides official delegations from several countries.

-- PTI

The decision of the National Testing Agency to conduct NEET and JEE exams 2020 in September amid the pandemic has evoked strong response from all over the country. There are voices both in support of conducting the exam on schedule and against it.

An eight-year old climate and environment activist Licypriya Kangujam said on Twitter, Tomorrow, some of our friends are planning for a protest outside the @UN Headquarter, New York at 1 pm EST. All Indians & other global friends living in USA Flag of United States, Plz join @JeromeFosterII Thank youFolded hands CC: @AlexandriaV2005."

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains 2020 examination is scheduled to be held between September 1 and 6 and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)undergraduate level exam is scheduled for September 13.

The Bombay high court on Friday refused to grant bail to lawyer and activist Sudha Bharadwaj, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Koregaon Bhima case being probed by the National Investigation Agency.

A bench led by Justice RD Dhanuka rejected an appeal filed by Bharadwaj in June this year, whereby she had challenged a special court's order that denied her bail on health grounds.

Bharadwaj, 58, had approached the HC seeking bail, saying that she suffered from chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

She had said these co-morbidities put her at a higher risk of contracting coronavirus while at the Byculla women's prison where an inmate had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier.

The court, however, noted the submissions made by the NIA and the Maharashtra government that the prison authorities were taking all precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and that they were providing necessary medical care to Bharadwaj for her comorbidities.

NIA counsel, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, also told the court that if at any time, Bharadwaj's condition needed further treatment or if she was required to be admitted to a hospital, even a private one, the state would provide for the same.

Bharadwaj has been lodged in the Byculla women's prison since September 2018 following her arrest in the

case.

The case pertains to the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune district on December 31, 2017. It is alleged that speeches made by some activists at the conclave led to violence near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial on outskirts of Pune city the next day.

-- PTI

12:48 6 states move SC to review JEE, NEET decision

Six ministers of opposition-ruled states moved the Supreme Court on Friday seeking review of its order permitting the Centre to conduct NEET and JEE entrance exams this year amid the persisting COVID-19 pandemic.

The review plea has been filed by ministers from West Bengal (Moloy Ghatak), Jharkhand (Rameshwar Oraon), Rajasthan (Raghu Sharma), Chhattisgarh (Amarjeet Bhagat), Punjab (B S Sidhu) and Maharashtra (Uday Ravindra Sawant).

The plea has been filed through advocate Sunil Fernandes.

On Aug 17, the top court had refused to interfere with the conduct of medical and engineering entrance exams -- NEET and JEE scheduled to take place in September saying that life must go on and students can't lose a precious year due to the pandemic.

The apex court had dismissed a plea by one Sayantan Biswas seeking direction to National Testing Agency, which conducts both the NEET and JEE exams, to postpone them and said that there was absolutely" no merit in the plea.

-- PTI

Former President Pranab Mukherjee continues to be in deep coma but is haemodynamically stable, the Army's Research and Referral Hospital said on Friday.

A patient is haemodynamically stable when the blood circulation parameters -- blood pressure, heart and pulse rate, are stable and normal, say doctors.

According to doctors treating the 84-year-old Mukherjee, he is under intensive care and is being treated for a lung infection and renal dysfunction.

The former president was admitted to the hospital in Delhi Cantonment on August 10, where he was operated upon for the removal of a clot in the brain.

He had also tested positive for COVID-19 at the time of his admission. He later developed a lung infection and kidney dysfunction.

"Shri Pranab Mukherjee is under intensive care and is being treated for lung infection and renal dysfunction. He continues to be in a deep coma and on ventilator support. He is haemodynamically stable," the hospital said in a statement.

Mukherjee was the 13th President of India from 2012 to 2017.

-- PTI

12:27 Sushant case: Rhea summoned by CBI today

After her brother Showik Chakraborty, Rhea Chakraborty has been summoned by the CBI today. The actress was called for questioning at 10 am. Rhea and lawyer have prepared the docket including medical files, chats file and accounts details. It is speculated that the CBI will grill the actress for hours, just like her brother who was questioned by the agency on Thursday.

Rhea's brother Showik Chakraborty has accompanied the actress for the questioning. He will be again interrogated by the CBI today, along with Rhea Chakraborty.

On Thursday, Showik Chakraborty was questioned for 14 hours by the CBI. The interrogation ended at 1 am on August 28. Rhea was in a live-in relationship with Sushant. She left the late actor's flat on June 8, a few days before his death. Sushant was found hanging at his Mumbai flat on June 14.

The Sushant Singh Rajput death case is witnessing fresh twists every day. Earlier, Mumbai Police was investigating the case. However, after Sushant Singh Rajput's father KK Singh's complaint against Rhea Chakraborty at Patna's Rajiv Nagar Police Station, Bihar Police was also involved in the case.

On August 19, the Supreme Court allowed the CBI to investigate the case. The CBI'S SIT started its investigation the next day. The agency is currently probing the case in Mumbai. Several people pivotal to the case have been grilled by the CBI.

Stating that COVID-19 cannot be a ground for postponing the Bihar elections, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL seeking to defer the assembly polls till the state is free of the novel coronavirus.

The Election Commission of India will consider everything, a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said.

The bench, also comprising Justices R S Reddy and M R Shah, said it is a premature petition as no notification for the assembly polls has been issued till now.

The petitioner, Avinash Thakur, had sought a direction to the Chief Election Commissioner to postpone the polls due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the ground that the Representation of the People Act provides for the deferment of polls in extraordinary situations.

-- PTI

The Supreme Court refuses to entertain a PIL seeking postponement of the Bihar assembly polls till state declared Covid-19 free. The SC says Covid-19 cannot be ground for postponement of Bihar elections, poll panel will consider everything.

11:36 Japan PM set to resign

Just in: Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe 'set to resign' over health concerns, say reports.

The Supreme Court on Friday said that states and universities cannot promote students without holding final year exams by September 30. Upholding the UGC decision to hold final year exams, a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said if any state feels they can't conduct exams by that date, they must approach the UGC for new dates to hold the exam. Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Shiv Sena, is one of the petitioners in the apex court and has questioned the UGC's directive to hold examinations amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The UGC had earlier said that the July 6 guidelines are based on recommendations of experts and have been made after due deliberation and it is wrong to claim that it will not be possible to conduct the final examinations in terms of the guidelines.

Assailing the decisions of some states like Maharashtra and Delhi to cancel final year examinations, the UGC had said that such decisions directly affect standards of higher education and will be an encroachment on the legislative field of coordinating and determining the standards of higher education that is exclusively reserved for Parliament under Schedule VII of the Constitution. -- PTI

11:14 Govt nod to meals on domestic, foreign flights

The government has permitted the airlines to serve pre-packed snacks, meals and beverages on domestic flights and hot meals on international flights, according to an official order. Moreover, any passenger who refuses to wear a face mask in a flight can be put on the no-fly list by the airline, said a senior official of the aviation regulator DGCA. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, in-flight meal service was not permitted on domestic flights since their resumption on May 25.

On international flights, only pre-packed cold meals and snacks were being served depending on the flight duration since May this year. In an order issued on Thursday, the Civil Aviation Ministry said, "Airlines may serve pre-packed snacks/meals/pre-packed beverages on domestic flights depending on the duration of flight."

Airlines and charter flight operators can "serve hot meals and limited beverages" on international flights "as per the standard practices", it added. The ministry said only single-use disposable trays, plates and cutlery should be used while serving food or beverages in domestic and international flights.

"Crew shall wear a fresh set of gloves for every meal/beverage service," it noted. The ministry also permitted the aircraft operators to let passengers use the in-flight entertainment system on international as well as domestic flights wherever available.

"Disposable earphones or cleaned and disinfected headphones will be provided to passengers at the start of the journey," it noted.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said, "A passenger who refuses to wear a face mask can be put on no-fly list by the airline." The official said no new order has been passed in this regard as the airline and its cabin crew are sufficiently empowered under the existing DGCA rules to take action. -- PTI

10:53 Not sour grapes

When surfing the internet yields dividends and not dunces. Using tips on the internet, a farmer from Uyumpok village in Manipur grew grapevines on a trial basis by planting 800 saplings of Thomson seedless variety of grapes. Laishram Ningthem says, "Watching videos during lockdown, I learned how to maintain grapevines and the vines bloomed soon."

10:22 Wish bhai had never met Rhea: Sushant's sister

After late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty during an interview with a media channel said that he did not have good relations with his family, Rajput's sister Shweta Singh Kirti slammed Chakraborty. In a series of tweets, Shweta Singh Kirti responded to some of the claims by Chakraborty and also said that she "drugged, confined and isolated" him.

Citing that Rajput had strained relations with his family, Rhea Chakraborty had on Wednesday during an exclusive interview with a media channel said that the actor returned to Mumbai from Chandigarh after meeting his elder sister within a short time frame in January 2020.

Responding to the claim, Shweta tweeted, "Jan (January 2020) was the time when Bhai made a SOS call to Rani Di, he was drugged, confined and isolated. Soon after he reached Chandigarh there were 25 calls made by Rhea in less than 2-3 days time frame. WHY?? What was the urgency to call him back!! #ArrestRheaNow."

Shweta Singh Kirti further claimed that it was due to Rhea's "constant pestering calls" that her "bhai" had left Chandigarh without even meeting her.

"The worst part was I didn't even get to meet him coz by the time I reached, Bhai had already left Chandigarh because of the constant pestering calls of Rhea and some work commitments. Family was always there standing rock solid for him!! #JusticeForSushantSinghRajput #Godiswithus," she tweeted.

"I wish Bhai would have never met that girl at all!! Drugging someone without his consent and then convincing him that you are not well, taking him to the psychiatrists... what level of manipulation is this!! How will you ever redeem your soul!!! You are so done!! #ArrestRheaNow," she said in another tweet.

Responding to the 'Mere Dad Ki Maruti' actor's claims that Rajput's family did not love him, Shweta shared screenshots of her flight tickets from America to India which she said were booked because she wanted to meet his brother.

"As Rhea mentioned in her interview, We didn't love our brother!! Yeah right, that's why I flew all the way from USA to India in Jan as soon as I got to know Bhai is visiting Chandigarh and is not keeping well. I had to stall my business and leave my kids behind! #Godiswithus," Kirti tweeted.

China has secretly built scores of massive new prison and internment camps in the past three years, dramatically escalating its campaign against Muslim minorities even as it publicly claimed the detainees had all been set free. The construction of these purpose-built, high-security camps -- some capable of housing tens of thousands of people -- signals a radical shift away from the country's previous makeshift use of public buildings, like schools and retirement homes, to a vast and permanent infrastructure for mass detention. Read the report here

Terming Covid-19 as a "new and powerful invisible enemy" US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said that the US would produce a coronavirus vaccine by the end of this year.

"In recent months, our nation and the entire planet has been struck by a new and powerful invisible enemy. Like those brave Americans before us, we are meeting this challenge," Trump said while addressing the Republican National Convention at the White House.

"We are delivering life-saving therapies and (we) will produce a vaccine before the end of this year or maybe even sooner. We will defeat the virus and the pandemic, and emerge stronger than ever before," he added.

Trump further informed that three vaccines are in the final stage adding that the US "would crush the virus".

"We have three different vaccines in the final trial stage. We are producing them in advance so that many doses are available. We'll have a safe & effective vaccine this year. Together, we will crush the virus," said the Republican Presidential nominee.

As per the latest updates provided, the US has a total of 58,66,214 cases and 1,80,814 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. To date, more than 24.3 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 829,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University. -- ANI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will formally induct the five Rafale fighter aircraft into the Indian Air Force on September 10 at the Ambala air base in Haryana in a ceremony for which French Defence Minister Florence Parly would also be invited.

Sources said that the induction ceremony would be held after the return of the defence minister from Russia where he is scheduled to attend the meeting of the defence ministers of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation from September 4 to 6.

"The Rafale aircraft induction ceremony would be held on September 10 with the defence minister as the chief guest. The French defence minister is also being sent an invite to attend the event to mark the strategic friendship between India and France," the sources said.

Five Rafale fighter aircraft arrived in India from France on July 29 and have started extensive training within 24 hours of touching down in the country. The French-origin fighter aircraft are part of the 17 Golden Arrows squadron of the Air Force.

-- ANI

India has once again posted a massive spike in new coronavirus cases with over 77,000 new cases being recorded in the past 24 hours. Coronavirus cases in India have crossed the 33 lakh-mark with the death toll going past 61,000.

Among the 33 lakh total coronavirus cases, the total number of active cases now stand at 7,42,023 while the number of recovered cases have gone up to 25,83,948.

According to the Centre, in the past 5 months, more than 3/4th of cases have recovered and less than 1/4th are active now.

The Supreme Court will on Friday pronounce the verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the University Grants Commission's (UGC) July 6 circular mandating to conduct the final term exams in all affiliated universities by the end of September amid the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, a bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan had reserved its verdict on the issue.

The bench had said it will also decide whether the states will have power under the Disaster Management Act to postpone the final examination till the COVID-19 situation normalises. The hearing was concluded on August 18.

Last week, the state governments of Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal and Odisha had urged the top court to direct the UGC to defer the final year examinations as the lives of lakhs of university students could be jeopardised due to the pandemic.

08:52 Congress to hold protests over NEET, JEE exams

The Congress has announced it will hold protests across the country on Friday against the Centre's move to push ahead with all-India entrance exams for engineering and medical courses amid the coronavirus crisis.

The Centre has said it decided to hold the exams based on feedback from parents and students, who do not want to lose the academic year.

The National Testing Agency that conducts key entrance exams in the country has also backed the Centre's decision as an attempt "to save one academic year".

In a statement AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said the move is in line with concerted opposition to this "dictatorial move" of the government.

State units of the Congress will be holding protests on Friday at 11 am in front of central government offices at state and district headquarters, he said.

US President Donald Trump has formally accepted the Republican Party's presidential renomination for the November election.

Trump, 74, accepted the nomination on the last night of the Republican National Convention on Thursday from the White House South Lawn.

"I stand before you tonight honoured by your support, proud of the extraordinary progress we have made together over the last four incredible years and brimming with confidence in the bright future we will build for America over the next four years," Trump walking to the podium alongside US First Lady Melania Trump.

Trump was introduced by his daughter Ivanka Trump.

"Four years ago I told you I would fight alongside my father and four years later here I am," she said after touting her father's economic policies and COVID-19 measures.

"Dad, people attack you for being unconventional. But I love you for being real and I respect you for being effective," she continued later in her speech.

"Washington has not changed Donald Trump. Donald Trump has changed Washington," she said.

-- PTI

07:50 ICMR starts second all-India sero survey

The Indian Council of Medical Research has begun the second round of its coronavirus disease (Covid-19) sero survey to determine how many more Indians have been exposed to the infection since the first such exercise was conducted in May during the nationwide lockdown.

The results of the sero survey to detect the presence of Covid-19 antibodies in the general population are expected by September-end.

The first sero survey, which was conducted by ICMR along with National Centre for Disease Control, state health departments and the World Health Organisation had shown pan-India prevalence of Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, at 0.73 per cent.

Close to 24,000 samples will be collected and tested from the same 69 districts in 21 states that were covered in the first sero survey. The sampling has already begun, with many states finishing sample collection and the others in various stages of completing the process.

Sero surveys are important also to determine whether the disease has entered the community transmission stage.

ICMRs National Institute of Epidemiology in Chennai is the nodal agency to oversee the survey and will be processing samples, and analyzing the results.

02:13 Moving fast to fix issues in India, US: TikTok

Chinese internet-technology company ByteDance on Thursday said it is moving fast to address issues related to its video-sharing platform TikTok's ban in India and the United States, amidst reports of its Chief Executive Officer Kevin Mayer resigning due to 'changes in the political environment'.

Mayer has resigned in just four months of becoming the chief executive officer of the Chinese video-sharing application.

He was prompted by a series of changes in the company's structure 'as a result of the (US President Donald) Trump administration's action to push for a sell-off to the US', according to a letter from Mayer to TikTok employees on Thursday, state-run CGTN-TV reported.

"I have decided to leave the company," Mayer said, explaining that 'as the political environment has sharply changed, I have done significant reflection on what the corporate structural changes will (be) require... and as we expect to reach a resolution very soon'.

In reply to Mayer's letter, Chairman of ByteDance Zhang Yiming said, "I fully understand the resulting outcome that we land upon due to the political circumstances... (it) could have a significant impact on his job in any scenario, but particularly given his global role while he's based in the US" Zhang said the company is moving quickly to find resolutions to the issues it faces globally, particularly in the US and India.

"I can assure you that we are developing solutions that will be in the interest of users, creators, partners, and employees," he said.

ByteDance is in talks with technology giant Microsoft to buy its US operations.

India has banned 106 applications with Chinese links, including TikTok and UC Browser, in June, saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country.

US President Donald Trump on August 6 had issued an executive order banning American transactions with ByteDance.

A week later, Trump signed another executive order, extending the deal time to 90 days.

TikTok filed a lawsuit on Monday against the executive order. -- PTI

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