LIVE! NYT compares Ramdev to Trump, predicts he could be India's future PM

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Sat, 28 July 2018

NYT compares Ramdev to Trump, predicts he could be India's future PM

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21:06 NYT compares Ramdev to Trump, predicts he could be India's future PM

In an apparent effort to introduce him to a yoga-obsessed American audience and elaborating on his achievements and influence in India, a recent New York Times feature compared Ramdev to US President Donald Trump and predicted that he could be the future prime minister of the country.

While Ramdev's achievements have made international headlines and he continues to grab spotlight both in India and in foreign countries, he has hardly ever been compared to an extremely controversial Trump.

The NYT feature though finds many similarities. "In his own way, Ramdev is India's answer to Donald Trump, and there is much speculation that he may run for prime minister himself," reads the feature titled 'The Billionaire Yogi Behind Modis Rise'.

It then goes on to elaborate on just why Ramdev is much like Trump. "Like Trump, he heads a multibillion-dollar empire. And like Trump, he is a bombastic TV personality whose relationship with truth is elastic; he cannot resist a branding opportunity his name and face are everywhere in India."

After Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf emerged as largest party in Pakistan, India today expressed hope that the new government of Pakistan will work constructively to build a safe, stable, secure and developed south Asia free of terror and violence.

"India desires a prosperous and progressive Pakistan at peace with its neighbours," the foreign ministry also said.

65-year-old Imran Khan, the flamboyant cricketer-turned-politician, is set to become the next prime minister of Pakistan with his PTI emerging as the single largest party with 116 seats, but falling short of a majority.

Khan said Pakistan was ready to improve its ties with India and that his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir.

20:24 I consider 'bhagidar' comment a compliment: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hit back at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his 'chowkidar-bhagidar' remarks, saying he took the remark as a compliment.

"These days I am dubbed as 'bhagidar' (partner) and not 'chowkidar' (watchman). I feel honoured to be a 'bhagidar' of the problems of the poor," the prime minister said, referring to Gandhi's insinuation that he was a collaborator' in graft.

"I take this allegation as a an honour, I am proud to be a 'bhagidar' of the pain suffered by the poor, the hard working labour class, the agony of a sad mother, a poor farmer whose crops get destroyed by natural calamities, of soldiers who brave bone-chilling weather as well as scorching heat," he said.

Modi was speaking at an event to mark the third anniversary of three government initiatives related to urban development.

In his 30-minute address, Modi said by 2022, the government will provide a roof to all homeless people.

"I am a 'bhagidar' of that poor family which is forced to sell his land for medical treatment, of the homeless, of illiterate children, and of the unemployed," he said.

Modi was speaking at a programme on "Transforming Urban Landscape", marking the third anniversary of three key government initiatives related to urban development -- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation of Urban Transformation and the Smart Cities Mission.

-- PTI

A piece of US President Donald Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star is on sale on e-commerce website eBay.

An eBay user, who says he got hold of a piece of the star debris after Austin Clay obliterated it with a pickaxe, has put it up for auction, with a starting bid of $500, reports tmz.com.

There's still about a week left on the auction, but as of now nobody's bidding.

Since the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce legally owns the Trump star even the smashed up bits, it has the power to shut down the sale.

Trump's star on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles was vandalised on Thursday.

The Congress today demanded a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe into alleged sexual exploitation of inmates at a government-funded shelter home in Muzaffarpur and 14 other such institutions in Bihar and asked if it was an example of "good governance model" of the ruling JD-U-BJP alliance.

It also questioned Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's silence on the issue.

Attacking Kumar, who has recommended a CBI probe into the alleged sexual exploitation of girls at Muzaffarpur shelter home, the party claimed young boys and girls were also sexually exploited and beaten in the 14 other shelter homes, but such "outrageous crimes were conveniently ignored".

Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil told reporters that the alleged sexual exploitation of inmates at the shelter home had come to light in a social audit report of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, which also expressed "grave concern" over "shocking details of sexual abuse" in 14 other state-funded institutions.

Taking a dig at Kumar, Gohil said he is termed as "sushan babu" (good governance man) and asked,"Is this the good governance model of the BJP-JDU?"

-- PTI

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the tax payers would have to pay Rs 1 lakh crore over the next 50 years to "Mr 56's friend" for maintaining the 36 Rafale aircraft that the country was buying.

Gandhi has been taking a swipe at Modi using the "56-inch-chest" remark that the latter had made at elections rallies in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress had also been questioning the prime minister about when he would show that "broad chest" while dealing with Pakistan and China.

"Over the next 50 years, Indian Tax Payers will pay Mr 56's friend's JV, 100,000 Cr to maintain 36 RafaleScam jets, India is buying," Gandhi tweeted.

The Congress chief attached an investor presentation of Reliance Infrastructure, saying there was "truth" in it, which would soon be denied "as usual" by Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a press conference.

Gandhi had alleged yesterday that "Mr 56's friend" would actually benefit "$20 billion", equivalent to Rs 1.3 lakh crore, through offset contracts in the Rafale deal.

-- PTI

Senior PDP leader and Lok Sabha member from Baramulla Muzaffar Hussain Baig today warned of another partition of India if lynching of Muslims over cow-smuggling allegations were not stopped forthwith.

He was addressing a rally to mark the People's Democratic Party's 19th foundation day.

Referring to the incidents of mob lynching in the name of cow vigilantism, Baig said, "We want to appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that killing of Muslims in the name of cow be stopped. One partition has already taken place in 1947, (but) more could take place if these continue."

He said the PDP had allied with the BJP not for power but to ensure that justice was done to Muslims across the country and to the Kashmiri people.

"We allied with the BJP so that they can trust Muslims. We allied with the BJP so that justice is done to Muslims and Kashmiris and talks with Pakistan can take place," he added.

-- PTI

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia advised the media today to focus on issues like farmer suicides and rapes instead of being concerned about party chief Rahul Gandhi's wink in Parliament.

"Farmers are committing suicide, women are being raped, Dalits are being oppressed, the lands of tribals are being snatched and unemployment is rising. In spite of all this, the fourth pillar of democracy (press) is more concerned about someone winking," he told reporters, while responding to questions about Gandhi's wink in the Lok Sabha during the discussion on the no-confidence motion on July 20.

"Should the media focus on the issues raised by Rahul in Parliament or should winking be given priority? Was the wink such a big issue? Have you never winked in your life?" the Lok Sabha MP asked.

Scindia described the recent increase in the minimum support price for paddy and other crops by the Centre as an "election bluff". The MSP was arrived on the basis of an "improper" formula and, therefore, farmers will not get correct prices for their produce or labour, he added.

Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government over fuel prices, Scindia said, "Before the last general elections, Modi had said that Rs 15 lakh would be deposited in the accounts of every citizen by bringing back black money stashed abroad. But the government has realised Rs 15 lakh crore from the public through costly petrol and diesel."

-- PTI

17:53 UN runs out of money, urges members to pay up

The United Nations is reeling under alarming financial crisis and is also appealing to its member to pay up to the international body, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said.

As per Fox News, Guterres, in a letter, said he has warned member states of a "troubling financial situation facing the United Nations," which he stated is caused due to late payments by member states to the UN.

"Our cash flow has never been this low so early in the calendar year, and the broader trend is also concerning; we are running out of cash sooner and staying in the red longer," Fox News quoted Guterres' as stating in the letter.

Guterres further said that the UN will take some measures for reducing costs and will also propose several ways to states in order to improve financial stability at the UN.

United States President Donald Trump threat to deduct funding is not being considered as the reason of the cash crunch as the US has not made any delay in payments to the budget.

-- ANI

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Saturday urged the regional parties to come together to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

Abdullah said, "The question you asked about Mamata didi's proposal, is what we are discussing- how best can regional parties come together to take on BJP in general elections."

He further said that no effort towards opposition unity will succeed unless Congress is able to fight the BJP.

Praising United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi's efforts to bring opposition parties together against the BJP, Abdullah said, "It is an ongoing conversation. You have seen a number of efforts made particularly by Sonia Gandhi to bring opposition parties together. As we get closer to the general election in 2019, I'm sure it will take on a greater shape."

Abdullah's statement came a day after he met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Howrah to discuss the prevailing situation in the country.

-- ANI

The Madhya Pradesh government has found a way out to bypass the state high courts' order that directed it to vacate the houses allotted to four ex-chief ministers of the state within 30 days.

Chief Minister Shivraj Chauhan, using his discretionary quota has reallotted the same houses to three of the four ex-chief ministers.

The three ex-chief ministers who have been reallotted the same house include Kailash Joshi, Uma Bharti and Babu Lal Gaur. Digvijay is the lone exception who has still not be reallotted the house.

The Madhya Pradesh government, in order to escape contempt of court, cancelled the allotment of all the four houses. Next day, the government asked all the four to apply afresh for the houses with a reasonable ground.

Digvijay did not apply afresh and has not got the house while the three remaining ex-chief ministers applied afresh giving their own reason for the need of a government bungalow.

Jammu and Kahmir former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti today appealed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accept the hand of friendship extended by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan for ending bloodshed in the state.

Cricketer-turned politician Khan in his first public address after leading his party to victory in the general elections, had said Pakistan is ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir, through talks.

Khan, whose party emerged as the single largest in the National Assembly elections, asserted that the blame game between the two neighbours should stop.

"I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A new government will be formed in Pakistan and there will be a new prime minister, who has extended a hand of friendship towards India. He (Khan) spoke of dialogue. He (Modi) should respond to it positively.

"It is my request that he (Modi) should grab the opportunity and respond positively to the offer of friendship by Imran Khan," Mufti said at a rally to mark the 19th foundation day of her Peoples Democratic Party.

-- PTI

The National Commission for Minorities today strongly opposed the National Commission for Women's recommendation for abolishing the practice of confessions in churches, saying it was an integral part of Christianity and cannot be interfered with.

The assertion by the NCM comes a day after the NCW chief Rekha Sharma recommended the ban saying the practice can lead to blackmailing of women.

Sharma made the recommendation after allegations against four priests of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala of using a married woman's confession to sexually abuse her came to light last month.

"The minority commission outrightly rejects the recommendation and is opposed toit," said NCM chairperson Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi.

"The practice of confession is an integral part of the religion of Christianity, so it cannot be banned. There can be no interference with religious practice," he said.

On Friday, Union minister Alphons Kannanthanam, a native of Kerala and a Christian, too dismissed the NCW's recommendation, saying the Modi government would never interfere with people's religious beliefs.

"It is not the official stand of the government," Kannanthanam, the Union minister of state for tourism, said in a Facebook post.

"It is the personal opinion of the NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma," he added.

Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council president Archbishop Soosa Pakiam, at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram yesterday, said a memorandum had been sent to the Prime Minister against the recommendation which was shocking not just for Christians, but for everyone who stands for freedom of religion.

-- PTI

The Samajwadi Party national executive today authorised party president Akhilesh Yadav to take decision on alliance and seat sharing for the general elections next year, an SP leader said.

Senior SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said, "The main decision taken in the national executive is that party president Akhilesh Yadav has been authorised to take a decision on alliance and seat sharing for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls."

"The executive is of the view that elections should be held through ballot papers and not through EVMs," he told reporters.

Asked to elaborate on the discussions at the meeting about the political scenario, Yadav parried a direct reply, saying, "I am telling you about the decisions not the discussions."

About absence of some party leaders, including Mohd Azam Khan from the meeting, he said, "Is it necessary that all should remain present? Ninety per cent of the members were present. Party president Akhilesh Yadav was also there."

On being asked as to what the party would do if the Election Commission did not accept their demand for polls through ballot papers, Ram Gopal Yadav said SP leaders would sit at the doors of the EC and resort to satyagraha.

-- PTI

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram today asked his party workers not to get fooled by the "BJP's propaganda of Congress-mukt Bharat", saying if at all there was a "mukt Bharat, it would be BJP-mukt".

The former Union minister said that things had changed from the time when the Congress was an "unchallenged" political party in India and stressed on the need to strengthen it at the booth level, reminding that now elections were fought at that level.

"There was a time when all that the Congress had to do was to mention the name of Jawaharlal Nehru or Indira Gandhi and then millions of people would simply come to the booth and vote," Chidambaram said.

"It is a booth-wise election now, which is why in every booth we must be present... We must have enough people in every booth... What matters now is the number of feet on the ground," he added.

He said, that was the time when the Congress was an "unchallenged" political party in India, but things had changed, as they would in any country.

"Today more political parties have come to play important roles and more regional political parties have come," he said, addressing party men after launching project 'Shakti' here.

The former finance minister said that there were only two parties today which had a national footprint -- one was the Congress, and the other was the BJP.

-- PTI

A bus, on its way to a hill station, fell into a gorge in Raigad district of Maharashtra this afternoon killing 33 passengers, senior officials said.

The bus was carrying 34 staff members of an agriculture university in the Konkan region. It fell into a 500-feet deep gorge at Ambenali Ghat near Poladpur town, District Collector Vijay Suryawanshi told PTI.

Thirty-three passengers died in the accident which took place at around 12.30 pm, he said.

SP Anil Paraskar said the passengers were on their way to Mahabaleshwar, a hill station in Satara district, for a picnic, when the driver lost control over the vehicle while negotiating a turn and fell into the gorge.

All passengers of the bus were all staff of Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth in Dapoli town, he said.

A team of the National Disaster Response Force has been called to the spot to take pull out the bodies from the ill-fated bus. A dozen ambulances and 15 doctors have also reached the spot, Additional SP Sanjay Patil said.

cuadorean and British officials are discussing how to get Julian Assange out of Ecuadors embassy here, where he has been holed up for six years, the president of the South American nation confirmed Friday.

It comes after British media reported earlier this month that authorities were "locked in discussions over the fate of Assange."

Ecuador's President Lenn Moreno said the life of the WikiLeaks founder would have to be guaranteed if he is to be released.

Speaking in the Spanish capital of Madrid, Moreno said nobody should remain under asylum for too long." He said that any change in Assanges status should be the result of negotiations with all sides.

What we want is for his life not to be in danger, Moreno said.

Assange sought refuge in the embassy in central London in June 2012, after fleeing there to avoid being extradited to Sweden, where he was wanted for questioning over allegations of sexual assault and rape.

Sweden dropped its criminal investigation in 2017, but a warrant issued for Assange's arrest by police in London for breaching the conditions of his bail remains in effect. Assange is concerned that if he leaves the embassy, the US would seek his arrest and extradition over the leaking of classified documents to WikiLeaks.

The water level of the Yamuna river has crossed the danger mark and is expected to rise further, prompting authorities to issue advisory to take appropriate measures to avoid flood-like situation, officials said.

The Yamuna water level at the Hathinikund barrage has crossed the danger mark of 90,000 cusecs and reached 2.11 lakh cusecs by 9 am.

The water level of the Yamuna river at the Delhi Railway Bridge is expected to rise further to 205.40 m from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm today, according to a statement issued by the East Delhi district administration.

"The water level of river Yamuna at Delhi Old Rly Bridge reached at 204.92 metres at 7 am on July 28 (above the warning level) and having rising trend," it said.

An alert was sounded yesterday by the Delhi government after the water level of the Yamuna river crossed the danger mark, an official said.

-- PTI

Image: People shift with their belongings as water levels of Ganga and Yamuna rivers rise, in Allahabad. Photograph: PTI Photo

14:18

JUST IN: All party meet begins in Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan to discuss Maratha reservation issue.

13:51 Imran Khan begins preparations to form next govt in Pakistan

Imran Khan has started reaching out to leaders of different political parties and independent candidates to form the next government in Pakistan after his party won a majority of seats in Parliament, according to his party officials.

Khan led his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party to victory in the parliamentary elections this week, amid a growing consensus among South Asia experts and Pakistan-observers that it was greatly influenced and meddled by the strong Pakistani Army.

The PTI has so far bagged 115 of the 270 National Assembly seats on which elections were held, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan which has released results on 267 seats.

Pakistan's NA - the lower house of Parliament - comprises a total of 342 members, of which 272 are directly elected. A party can only form the government if it manages to secure 172 seats in total.

Jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz with 64 and former president Asif Ali Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party with 43 seats are placed at number two and three respectively. Independent candidates have won 13 seats.

Khan yesterday met Saudi ambassador Nawaf Saeed Ahmad al-Malilki in Islamabad. The two discussed bilateral relations and agreed to further deepen the ties during the tenure of the PTI government.

According to PTI sources, Khan has consulted his party leaders about the federal cabinet and formation of government in Punjab where PML-N is also in the race.

Khan's confidante Jehangir Khan Tarin, who has been tasked to contact independent candidates, talked with Muttahidda Qaumi Movement Pakistan leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui who later refused to attend a multi-party meeting which rejected the election results.

-- PTI

Just a few hours before the commencement of the all-party meeting on Maratha quota issue, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' published an editorial stating that Fadnavis government is not serious about the demands of the Maratha community.

"The state government is not serious about the demands of Maratha community, else they would have taken a decision over their demands by now, "reads the editorial.

The publication also criticised the approach of the Central Government on Maratha reservation agitations.

According to the mouthpiece of Shiv Sena, the Centre has always been of the approach that movements and agitations need to be suppressed without fulfilling their demands. It also cited an example of Patel's agitation in Gujarat and said the Narendra Modi-led government also suppressed the demands of Patel reservation and now same is feared with Maratha reservation movement too.

Taking a further dig at the ruling party in Maharashtra, the 'Saamana' demanded that Cabinet minister Pankaja Munde should be made the chief minister for at least a day, after she stated that she would have cleared the Maratha quota file in a day if she was the decision maker.

"If Pankaja is so sure about making a decision on it in a day, she must be made the chief minister of the state at least for a day," the publication quoted

It also pointed fingers at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wrote, he has no time and interest in fulfilling the Maratha community demands as he is busy visiting foreign countries.

"Even if the CM goes to Delhi, whom would he meet, when the PM is out of the country most of the time. So it seems that PM has no time or interest to listen to demands of the states, but if Fadnavis is finding himself helpless in taking a decision on the Maratha quota, Pankaja Munde should be given chance to decide over it at least for a day," the 'Saamana' wrote.

-- ANI

France's Brigitte Macron keeps her golden locks looking good with the help of her husbands official hairdresser, whose services to the presidential couple cost the French taxpayer a whopping 5,200 (Rs 4.16 lakh) a month, a new report reveals.

The Court of Accounts provided the figure in its annual review of the lyse budget, but the lavish spending on the couples hair and make-up has not caused the outcry it might have in Britain, where David Camerons outlay of 90 (Rs 8,000) for a trim raised eyebrows when he was PM.

Instead French media focused on the fact that the first ladys office cost the state 278,750 a year, lower than the annual 440,000 a year predicted by the government.

Read more HERE

12:41 Putin ready to visit US

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to visit the United States of America.

According to CNN, the Russian President has also invited his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to Moscow.

"We are ready for such meetings, we are ready to invite President Trump to Moscow. He has this invitation already and I told him about it", Putin said at the BRICS summit, as quoted by CNN.

On the other hand, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, in a statement, said that Trump was "open to visiting Moscow", but suggested that he is yet to receive a formal invitation from his Russian counterpart.

"President Trump looks forward to having President Putin to Washington after the first of the year, and he is open to visiting Moscow upon receiving a formal invitation," she said.

Ailing DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi was shifted to a Chennai hospital past midnight, hours after his son MK Stalin issued a statement that there is an improvement in his health and urged party workers not to believe rumours being spread.

His family said the 94-year-old veteran politician's condition suddenly declined later in the evening due to blood pressure issues. His entire family including sons MK Stalin and MK Alagiri, daughter M Kanimozhi and top DMK leaders rushed back to the house and decided to move him to Kauvery Hospital. "He is better. His blood pressure has stabilised," Kanimozhi told reporters this morning.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit met Stalin at the hospital today. There's heavy deployment of police personnel at the hospital as hundreds of supporters of Karunanidhi have gathered outside, holding posters and photos of the politician.

A health bulletin by the hospital at 2.30 am said the former Tamil Nadu chief minister was taken to the Intensive Care Unit at 1.30 am after "following drop in blood pressure".

"His blood pressure has stabilised with medical management and he continues to be monitored and treated by a panel of expert doctors," the hospital's executive director Dr Aravindan Selvaraj said.

11:51 Militants abduct policeman in J-K's Pulwama

Militants have abducted a policeman from his home in Tral area of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir, police said today.

Special police officer Mudasir Ahmad Lone was abducted by the militants from his home at Chainattar village last night, a police official said.

Security forces have launched an operation to rescue the abducted policeman, he said.

-- PTI

Antigua government has assured to look into India's request to extradite fugitive diamond merchant Mehul Choksi, who obtained citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda before the Rs 13,400 crore Punjab National Bank scam.

According to Antigua's The Daily Observer newspaper, foreign affairs and immigration minister EP Chet Greene has said that they will 'honour any legitimate request' in order to preserve the integrity of their Citizenship by Investment Programme, through which Choksi obtained citizen in November 2017.

Greene was quoted as saying he was not aware that the government of Antigua and Barbuda had received any requests from any Indian government or law enforcement body for cooperation or extradition regarding Choksi.

"However, if a request is received we will honour any legitimate request made of us notwithstanding that we do not have any extradition agreements with India. That is the extent of our commitment to preserving the integrity of our programme, Greene said after a cabinet meeting.

Choksi had said that his motivation for becoming a citizen was to 'expand' his business interest in the Caribbean and 'to obtain visa free travel access to 130 or so countries' something that Antigua and Barbudas passport allows.

11:16 Request by PML-N for recount of votes rejected

he request for recounting of votes in NA-249 by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Shahbaz Sharif was rejected by the returning officer of the constituency.

According to unofficial results, Shahbaz has lost to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's Faisal Vawda, with a narrow margin of 718 votes.

PML-N leader Rana Mashood had filed the appeal on behalf of Shahbaz Sharif with the returning officer of NA-249 from where PTI candidate Vawda has been unofficially announced elected with 35,344 votes.

Sharif emerged as the runner-up as he bagged 34,626 votes, while Mufti Abid Mubarak of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan secured the third position with 23,981 votes, The Dawn reported.

Mashood said in his application that Vawda had won the seat with the winning margin of only over 600 votes, while over 3,000 votes were rejected during the counting.

Reacting to the decision of the returning officer, senior leader of the PML-N Mushahidullah Khan said, "The returning officer would have accepted Shahbaz's request for recounting of votes, instead of 'summarily' rejecting his application."

He added that the PML-N would file an appeal with the Election Commission of Pakistan against the call of the returning officer whose conduct "has proved that the party is not being provided a level playing field".

Meanwhile, a number of applications for recount of votes were filed on Friday in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by the losing candidates in the general elections.

-- ANI

At least 10 people including four police personnel were injured when a mob attacked the cops in Manipur's Jiribam district. Six protesters were also injured in the clash at Lalpani area of the district yesterday, the police said.

They said a large number of protesters tried to stage a sit-in demonstration protesting against the Manipur People's Protection Bill 2018 which was passed by the state assembly recently.

The bill seeks to protect the identity of indigenous people of the state taking 1951 as the base year for treating people as natives of the state. The protesters have been demanding a change in the base year to 1972.

"Since Section 144 of CrPC have been imposed in the district since morning, the police had asked the protesters to get permission for their sit-in from the district administration," said a senior police officer.

The protesters hurled stones at the police forcing the cops to retaliate with tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the agitators.

During the clash, four personnel including the SP and a woman personnel received minor injuries. Six of the protesters were also injured, they said.

Later, reinforcements comprising of state police commandos and Indian Reserve Battalion personnel were rushed to the site to bring normalcy and establish law and order.

The issue began on Wednesday after the Joint Action Committee took out a rally to denounce the Manipur People's Protection Bill 2018 which was passed unanimously by the assembly on Monday.

The bill had sought to regulate the entry and exit of the outsiders in the state. It maintains that those who are not ethnic Meiteis, the Pangals Muslim and STs recognised by the state will be considered as non-Manipuris.

Jiribam, which shares border with Assam, has witnessed large influx of Bangladeshis and ethnic Rohingyas over the years.

The Centre is in the process of framing a new law to tackle problems in NRI marriages and provide for deterrent measures like confiscating the property of NRIs who have abandoned their wives and illegally married abroad.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday said that the government will enact a law, 'Summons and Warrants Against Indian People Living Abroad', during the next session of Parliament.

"Government will make a law, 'Summons and Warrants Against Indian People Living Abroad', in next session of Parliament which will make provision of confiscating property of NRIs who have abandoned their wives in India and illegally married abroad," Swaraj said at a seminar on 'NRI marriages and trafficking of women and children'.

She further said that her ministry will be developing a separate website where summons and warrants against NRIs who have abandoned their wives and have illegally married abroad will be uploaded.

"The law will enable online serving of summons/warrants against NRIs who have abandoned their wives and have illegally married abroad through a new MEA website. We will upload summons and warrants on the website and those not responding to it will be declared a proclaimed offender and his properties would be seized," she said.

The external affairs minister said that under the new law, the passport of the person will be cancelled along with confiscation of property.

Swaraj also said that the external affairs ministry is in talks with the law and home ministries and all efforts are being made to ensure that a law is in place by the end of this year.

"We will not only cancel the passport but also confiscate the property. And NRIs who don't return, their property could be sold to give financial aid to their aggrieved wives. We will have to make some amendments in the Code of Criminal Procedure," she added.

to the MEA, 3,328 complaints were received during the last three years from Indian women who have been deserted by their NRI husbands.

"We are acting tough in such cases. For a start, the passports of eight NRI men accused of abandoning their wives have been cancelled. The accused whose passports were revoked have surrendered," Swaraj said.

Some steps, including curbs on freedom of expression and association, taken by authorities in Pakistan ahead of its July 25 general elections were at odds with their stated goal of a free, fair and transparent polls, the Trump Administration said today.

Cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan led his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf to victory in the parliamentary elections this week, amid a growing consensus among South Asia experts and Pakistan-observers that it was greatly influenced and meddled by the strong Pakistani Army.

The development of strong democratic and civilian institutions of governance and a vibrant civil society is critical to Pakistan's long-term stability and prosperity, US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said.

"In that context, the United States shares concerns about flaws in the pre-voting electoral process, as expressed by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan," she said.

"These included constraints placed on freedoms of expression and association during the campaign period that were at odds with Pakistani authorities' stated goal of a fully fair and transparent election," Nauert said in the first official US statement since the general elections in Pakistan on Wednesday.

Khan was today inching closer to form a government in Pakistan with the support of allies and independents even as a multi-party meeting rejected the poll results alleging rigging and demanded "transparent" re-election.

08:55 Truckers call off 8-day-old strike

Transporters have called off their eight-day long strike after the government agreed to consider their demands, bringing relief to the industry mainly FMCG, ecommerce and auto players who were hit by the disruption in supplies.

A joint statement from the ministry of road transport and highways and the All India Motor Transport Congress said, "The agitation by the AIMTC stands withdrawn immediately."

The decision to end the stir was taken after a marathon meeting of transporters and senior Road Transport and Highways Ministry officials today.

The truckers' body, that claims support of 93 lakh truckers across the country, had gone on an indefinite strike on July 20 to press for their demands such as reduction in diesel prices, low third-party insurance premiums, and a favourable toll collection system.

Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari said, "The AIMTC has called off its strike on the appeal of the government. The government is sensitive towards the demands of the transporters. It has agreed to their many demands already and to consider the rest it has constituted a high-level committee."

The committee will be set up under the road transport, highways secretary and it will submit its report within three months.

It has been agreed that the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India will discuss on Saturday the demand to review the premium for third-party insurance for heavy vehicles, the statement said.

"With regard to toll collections, government agrees to put in place, within six months, a mechanism to ensure seamless movement of transport vehicles across the toll plaza with the help of technology," the statement said.

Industries such as e-commerce, FMCG and automobile makers had faced the heat of the protest as also supplies of farm commodities like cotton, grains and spices took a hit. Industry body Assocham said the strike caused direct and indirect estimated loss of more than Rs 50,000 crore to the economy, with micro, small and medium enterprises being the worst affected.

DMK president M Karunanidhi, who is being treated for fever due to urinary tract infection, was shifted to a private hospital from his residence in Chennai early today, the party said.

Karunanidhi, 94, was admitted to Kauvery Hospital around 1:30 am. An official update on his health condition is awaited.

Several DMK leaders, including party working chief and Karunanidhi's son M K Stalin, visited him at his residence in Gopalapuram area before he was taken to the private hospital.

Among the visitors was Karunanidhi's estranged son and former Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader M K Alagiri, who was expelled from the party by the DMK chief in January 2014 after a prolonged struggle for power with his younger brother Stalin.

Hours before he was moved to the hospital, Stalin said the former Tamil Nadu chief minister's health was improving. On Wednesday, he had assured people that there was nothing to worry about his father's health.

Security was tightened at the former Tamil Nadu chief minister's Gopalapuram residence as DMK cadres kept pouring in.

For the past two years, the DMK president has not been making any public appearance owing to his ill-health, but he still holds the top post in the Dravidian party.

Karunanidhi has not been keeping well since October 2016. A few days ago, he underwent a procedure to change his tracheostomy tube to help him in breathing.

Karunanidhi, who is addressed as 'Kalaignar' (artiste) by his supporters, followers and some politicians, entered his 50th year as party chief yesterday.

Nearly 2,000 curious skygazers converged at New Delhi's Nehru Planetarium to witness the century's longest lunar eclipse, but had to return disappointed as clouds completely surrounded the moon as if to conceal it.

The skies turned ember but the so-called "blood moon", when the Earth's natural satellite turns strikingly red, remained elusive.

Enthusiasts anxiously waited until past midnight for clouds to give way to the spectacular event to become visible. Many of them had brought their telescopes.

Several parts of north India, including Delhi, have been witnessing monsoon rains for the past a few days.

The annual weather pattern prevented people from enjoying the spectacular celestial event witnessed across several parts of the world.

The "totality" period, when light from the moon is totally obscured, started at 10:53 pm and lasted for 103 minutes (1 hour and 43 minutes).

The planetarium had organised a "Moon Carnival" and set up special telescopes for people to experience the phenomenon. It had also organised a series of programmes, including shows on astronomy, eclipse and even street plays.

Amateur astronomers were visibly excited and voluntarily explaining the phenomenon to the visitors.

"Nothing was seen because of clouds," N Rathnashree, director of Nehru Planetarium, said.

A cleric attached to a Muslim orphanage in Pune was on Friday arrested by the police for allegedly sexually abusing a child.

Two children from the orphanage had stated that the reason they ran away recently was that one of the clerics who visited the institution used to sexually abuse another inmate.

Maulana Rahim, 21, the accused, was arrested this evening, police said.

Two children, both 10-year-old, ran away from the orphanage recently.

After they were traced by an NGO, they were produced before the Child Welfare Committee.

"A committee member asked them why they ran away. They revealed that one Maulana Rahim sexually abuses a brother of one of them and they were scared," said a police officer.

Dr Yamini Adbe, a child rights activist, then lodged a police complaint.

The orphanage houses children from Bihar, the officer said, adding that all of them have been now shifted elsewhere.

"We arrested Rahim, who also hails from Bihar, under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act," he added.

Statements of all the inmates of the orphanage will be recorded at the CWC office to find out if any other child had faced sexual abuse, the officer said. -- PTI

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