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Sun, 18 November 2018
Cyclone Gaja toll hits 45; EPS to meet PM on Nov 22

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21:17   Havaldar killed, 2 injured in militant attack on CRPF camp
terrorists attacked a newly set up camp of the Central Reserve Police Force in Pulwama district of south Kashmir Sunday, killing one havaldar, officials said.

The ultras opened indiscriminate fire and hurled grenades on the CRPF camp at Kakapora in the district, killing the havaldar and injuring two others, they said.

The camp had come up in view of the ongoing panchayat elections in the state. CRPF personnel immediately cordoned off the area, leading to an encounter with the terrorists.  -- PTI
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20:29   Will appear if I'm fit to travel: Choksi to PMLA court
Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, accused of involvement in the over $2 billion fraud at Punjab National Bank, has told a special court in Mumbai that he will appear before it if he is fit to travel.

His lawyer Sanjay Abbot made this submission Saturday before special PMLA judge M S Azmi during the hearing of ED's plea to declare Choksi a fugitive under the new Fugitive Economic Offenders Act.

Choksi is not fit to travel, so his statement can be recorded through video conferencing or ED officers can visit Antigua and take his statement, Choksi's lawyer told court.

The agency can even wait for three months, for if his condition improves, he'll come back to the country, the lawyer added.

Last month, Choksi had cited 'health issues' to seek dismissal of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea to declare him a 'fugitive economic offender'.

In one of the ten applications filed before the court on October 30, Choksi had stated that he cannot take a '41-hour' flight to come to India due to a "brain clot" and other medical conditions.

Choksi and his nephew Nirav Modi are wanted by the ED and the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) for allegedly defrauding the PNB to the tune of Rs 13,400 crore in collusion with a few of its employees.

The ED had prayed that Choksi be declared a 'fugitive economic offender' for evading summons to appear before the agency and that his properties be confiscated under the provisions of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018.  -- PTI
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20:01   Cyclone Gaja toll hits 45; EPS to meet PM on Nov 22
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on November 22 to seek central relief for the damage caused by cyclone Gaja.

Meanwhile, the toll in the cyclone has touched 45, Palaniswami said on Sunday and appealed to leaders of all political parties to take part in the relief activities.

He said the relief operations were going on a war footing in the districts affected by the cyclonic storm and state ministers have been deployed in Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Pudukottai to monitor it.

The state government is collecting details about areas which have been badly affected by the cyclone, Palaniswami told reporters in Salem.

"In villages, lots of trees and standing crops have been damaged, affecting the livelihood of farmers. The extent of damage is being evaluated. Till now, 45 people have lost their lives due to cyclone," the chief minister said.

The Tamil Nadu government has announced a solatium of Rs 10 lakh to family of each of the deceased from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund (CMPRF).

Those with severe injuries would be provided with Rs one lakh each while those whose injuries are not grievous in nature would get Rs 25,000 compensation.

Palaniswami said 1.7 lakh trees have been uprooted, 735 cattle died, 1.17 lakh houses damaged and 88,102 hectare agricultural land has been affected in coastal districts.

Nearly 2.50 lakh people were provided accommodation in 483 relief camps.   Besides, 1,014 mobile medical vans have been set up and so far one lakh people in affected areas have benefited from it, the chief minister said.

Noting that 39,938 electric poles and 347 transformers were damaged in the affected districts, he said 12,532 men of the state electricity board have been despatched to take up the repair work.

Responding to a question, Palaniswami urged all political leaders and people to extend a helping hand in this time of need.

"It is a natural calamity. There should not be any differences like opposition, ruling party in taking up relief operations. I appeal to everyone to help the affected people,"
he said.

On whether the government would seek the Army's assistance, Palaniswami said, "As of now officials and ministers have been directed to visit the affected places. If required we will seek assistance from the Centre."

"Currently, we are facing challenges in removing uprooted trees and replacing the damaged electricity poles," he said.

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam visited Nagapattinam and said relief works in affected districts were going on a war footing and normalcy would be restored soon.
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19:56   Chhattisgarh election: Campaigning for final phase of polling ends
A high-voltage campaign for the second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh assembly polls, dominated by the issues of farmers, jobs and corruption, came to an end Sunday evening.

Polling will be held across 72 seats in 19 districts on November 20.

In the first phase, polling was held for 18 seats in the eight Naxal-affected districts of the state on November 12.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, ruling the state for 15 years, and the main opposition Congress fielded their top leaders in the campaign.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath campaigned for the ruling party on the last day.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and BJP president Amit Shah had addressed rallies in the state on Saturday.

The BJP top brass targeted the Gandhi family during the campaign for the 'misrule' of 50 years.

The Congress focussed on farmers' issues, promising loan waiver, bonus on paddy procurement and setting up of food processing units.

Rahul Gandhi also targeted Modi over the Rafale fighter jets deal and Chief Minister Raman Singh for the alleged PDS (Public Distribution System) and chit fund scams in the state.

A total of 1,101 candidates are in the fray in the second phase.

The list includes BJP ministers Brijmohan Agrawal (Raipur City South), Rajesh Munat (Raipur City West), Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur), Bhaiyyalal Rajwade (Baikunthpur), Ramsevak Paikra (Pratappur), Punnulal Mohile (Mungeli), Prem Prakash Pandey (Bhilai Nagar), Dayaldas Baghel (Nawagarh) and Ajay Chandrakar (Kurud) and state BJP president Dharamlal Kaushik (Bilha).

State Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel (Patan), Leader of Opposition in the Assembly T S Singh Deo (Ambikapur), Lok Sabha member from Durg Tamradhwaj Sahu (Durg Rural), former Union minister Charandas Mahant (Shakti) are among the key Congressmen whose fate will be decided in the second phase of polling.

Former chief minister Ajit Jogi, who has floated the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), is contesting from Marwahi, his wife Renu Jogi is in the fray from Kota while his daughter-in-law Richa Jogi is a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) nominee from the Akaltara seat in the second phase of polling.

The coalition between the Mayawati-led BSP, Jogi's JCC(J) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) has added a twist to the poll battle between the BJP and the Congress.

In the second phase, the highest number of 46 contestants are in the fray from the Raipur City South seat.

Of the 19 districts going to the polls on November 20, Gariaband, Dhamtari, Mahasamund, Kabirdham, Jashpur and Balrampur have some Naxal presence.

Extra security would be provided in these areas, a senior police official said.

In the first phase, 76.28 per cent voting was registered.  -- PTI
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19:42   Boil on leg worsens Lalu's health condition: RIMS doctor
The health condition of Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad, who is serving jail term in fodder scam cases, has deteriorated due to a festering boil on his right leg, the doctor attending him said on Sunday.

Yadav is currently lodged in a paying ward of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in  Ranchi.

The sugar level and blood pressure of the RJD chief, who is a diabetic, have shot up in the past two to three days due to the boil, Dr Umesh Prasad of the RIMS, who attends Prasad, told PTI.

The former Bihar chief minister's dose of insulin has been increased to bring down the sudden increase in sugar level, he said.

The doctor said Yadav's creatinine level has also increased to 1.85 from 1.5 and so has the while blood cell count to 12,000, the normal range of which is between 4,000 and 8,000.

"It will take some time for the infectious boil to heal," the doctor, who is monitoring the RJD chief's health condition round-the-clock, said.

Due to the boil, the RJD chief is experiencing difficulty in standing up and going to the washroom, sources close Yadav said.

When asked if the RJD chief needs to be shifted to any other hospital, Umesh Prasad said proper care of the patient was being taken at the RIMS.  -- PTI
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19:16   Fadnavis announces Maratha quota
The Maratha community will get reservations in jobs and education, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday.

"We received Backward Class Commission report with three recommendations. Independent reservation will be given to Maratha community in SEBC.

"We've accepted the recommendations and constituted a Cabinet Sub-committee to take statutory steps for implementing them," Fadnavis said.

More details awaited.  -- ANI
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19:03   Khaleda Zia challenges 7-year sentence in graft case
Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia on Sunday challenged the seven-year sentence handed out to her in a corruption case for embezzling millions from a charitable trust in her late husband's name, claiming that she has been convicted 'illegally and unjustly'.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief challenged the trial court's decision four days after receiving the full text of the verdict announced on October 29.

The 638-page decision and the 700-page appeal petition also include a petition for bail, said her lawyer Kayser Kamal after submitting the petition to the High Court on Sunday, the bdnews reported.

"The BNP chairperson has been convicted illegally and unjustly," he was quoted as saying by the daily.

"We have appealed for her sentence to be dismissed and for her release. A high court bench will be formed to decide on the appeal."

The trial court in its verdict in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case found the former prime minister guilty under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947 and sentenced her to seven years in prison and fined her Tk 1 million.

Zia, 73, has been in custody since February 8, when she was sentenced to five years in prison in another case related to embezzlement of funds of an orphanage named after her husband late president Ziaur Rahman.

The latest sentence, which comes ahead of general elections in December, is related to the Zia Charitable Trust.

According to the case, Zia and three others abused their power and collected $375,000 for the trust from unknown sources.

The Zia Charitable Trust graft case was filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2011.

The judge granted the three other suspects in the case the same sentence for abetting corrupt activity under the Penal Code.

The court order also allowed the government to seize the 70 decimals of land bought in the name of the Zia Charitable Trust.  -- PTI
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18:23   3 security personnel injured in IED blast in Sukma
Three jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of police were injured, one of them seriously, in a blast carried out by Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Sunday, an official said.

The incident took place between Bhejji and Elarmadgu villages when a team of security personnel was conducting a search operation, Sukma Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Meena told PTI.

As the team was cordoning off the forest between Bhejji and Elarmadgu, around 500 km from Raipur, the rebels detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), he said.

"One jawan was seriously injured in the explosion, while two others sustained minor injuries," Meena added.

Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured jawans were taken to a local hospital, he said, adding that a search operation was underway to track down Naxals in the region.

Polling for the Assembly election took place in Sukma and seven other Naxal-affected districts on November 12.

The second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh polls is scheduled to be held on November 20 and the results will be announced on December 11.  -- PTI
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18:05   Kashmiri woman arrested for luring youths into militancy through Facebook
In a first-of-its-kind case , a woman has been arrested by security agencies in Kashmir for allegedly luring youths through Facebook into militancy, especially the Jaish-e-Mohammed, officials said on Sunday.

Identified as Shazia from Naidkhai in the Sumbal area of Bandipore in North Kashmir, she was picked up after intelligence agencies zeroed on her Facebook profile, through which she was 'luring youths for jihad and picking up weapons', the officials said.

During interrogation, it was found that she had handed over some ammunition and magazines to two youths from Anantnag, one of whom has been picked up.

Shazia, who is in her early 30's and a mother of two, had been on the radar of security agencies for quite some time. She would seek favours from senior officers promising them help in getting some militants arrested.

A video featuring Shazia had surfaced on Facebook  a few months ago, and it was alleged that she was a police informer.

On the basis of a complaint filed by her, two youths were picked up and later let off with a warning.

"It seems that she was being used by terror groups to extract information from police and other security agencies and pass it on to the militants," an officer, privy to the case, said on condition of anonymity.

She has not been forthcoming in her interrogation so far other than dropping names of militant commanders, the officials said.

Shazia's arrest comes a week after police nabbed 28-year-old Aysia Jan for carrying 20 grenades at Lawaypora on the city outskirts following inputs about terrorists trying to smuggle arms and ammunition into the city.

Besides grenades, police also recovered ammunition from her possession.

Her two brother were detained in connection with the case.  -- PTI
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17:21   Amritsar grenade attack appears to be 'terrorist act': Police
Punjab police said on Sunday the grenade attack on a religious congregation on the outskirts of Amritsar city appears to be a 'terrorist act'.

"It (this incident) appears to have a terror angle. Because it is against a group (of people) and it is not against any individual. There is no reason to throw a hand grenade on a group of people, so we will take it as a terrorist act. Till proven otherwise, prima facie we will take it as that," Punjab Director General of Police Suresh Arora told PTI.

To a question, the DGP said there was no specific input about any possible attack on Nirankari Bhavan.

"There was no issue with this group as such' There was no specific input on (Nirankari Bhavan)," he said.

Three persons were killed and at least 10 injured in a grenade attack on a religious congregation on the city outskirts on Sunday, police said.

The attack took place inside the Nirankari Bhavan at Adliwal village near Amritsar's Rajasansi, close to the international airport, police said.

A religious congregation of the Nirankari sect was being conducted inside the Bhavan at the time of the incident.

"A grenade was lobbed and three people have died in the incident while 10 have been injured in the incident, two of them critically," Inspector General of Police S S Parmar, who visited the incident spot, told reporters.

He said about 200 devotees were inside at the time of the attack.

No CCTV camera was installed at the premises, preliminary investigations found, he said.

"We have launched relief and rescue operations," he said. -- PTI


IMAGE: Wailing relatives of a victim at the hospital. Photograph: PTI Photo
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17:09   State cabinet expansion at the earliest, says Siddaramaiah
Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the much awaited expansion of the H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition cabinet in Karnataka would take place 'at the earliest'.

"We will have to do it (cabinet expansion); we will do it as soon as possible,"  he said.

Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, he referred to the ongoing elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and said the party's state leadership would soon seek Congress President Rahul Gandhi's time to discuss about the expansion.

"It (expansion) will happen at the earliest...elections are about to end there (in MP and Rajasthan). In between we will seek time to discuss and do it," the head of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition coordination committee said.

State Congress Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao and Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara had recently said the cabinet expansion would take place within this month.

The cabinet expansion and appointment of MLAs as heads of boards and corporations that was to take place in October was put on the back burner by the Congress-JD(S) coalition, as the schedule for the November 3 bypolls to two assembly and three parliamentary seats in the state was announced.

Several MLAs, especially those from the Congress, who are aspirants for ministerial posts, have been demanding the expansion to be taken up at the earliest.

Some of them, including former Minister M B Patil and senior legislator B C Patil even met Congress General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Vengopal on Saturday to put forward their case.

According to Congress sources, many MLAs feel that this is the right time for cabinet expansion, with the ruling coalition winning two of the three Lok Sabha seats and both the assembly constituencies.

This would be the second cabinet expansion since the coalition came to power in May in a post-poll tie-up between Congress and JD-S.

Under the power sharing arrangement reached by the two parties, Congress will have 22 ministers and the JD-S 12.

In the earlier exercise on June 6, Kumaraswamy had inducted 25 ministers, taking the ministry's strength to 27.

However, the lone Bahujan Samaj Party minister in the coalition cabinet N Mahesh, who was inducted from JD-S, quit his post in October, citing personal reasons, but said he would continue to support the ruling coalition.

There are now six vacant ministerial positions left for the Congress, and two for the JD-S.

The decision to expand the cabinet has come amid speculations that some disgruntled Congress MLAs were still being wooed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, besides reported factionalism within the party.

With the growing number of aspirants and limited ministerial berths in hand, the Congress is preparing a list of MLAs to be appointed as heads to boards and corporations,in an effort to prevent any kind of resentment, party sources said.

Responding to a question about Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwaras statement that he was ready to take up the responsibility of Chief Ministership if the high command so desired, Siddaramaiah said the top post was not vacant now.

"Parameshwara has said that if given an opportunity he has the capacity to become chief minister, but where is it (CM post) vacant now? In Congress, there are several leaders who have the capacity and eligibility to become chief minister.

"He (Parameshwara) has said that he too is eligible to become chief minister.

"What is wrong in that? Ultimately it is to be decided by the high command and MLAs," he added, while noting that the Congress was in the coalition government with JD-S due to the fractured verdict in the assembly polls.

Also, the chief minister's post was not vacant, with their alliance partner currently holding the position, Siddaramaiah said.

Responding to a question, Patrameshwara on Saturday had said that he was ready to take on the responsibility as chief minister if the high command so wished.  -- PTI
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16:28   2 turbaned youths threw grenade in Amritsar: MHA
Two turbaned youths threw a hand grenade at a religious gathering in Amritsar, where three people were killed and at least 10 others injured on Sunday, Union Home Ministry officials said.

According to an initial report, two motorcycle borne youths wearing turbans threw the grenade at a prayer hall brimming with around 200 devotees at Raja Sansi village.

The Punjab Police and the central security agencies have launched the investigation, but it is too early to come to any conclusion, they said.

There are 'enough leads' and the probe is going in the right direction, the officials said.

The Punjab Police had carried out 'fantastic' investigations into the killing of seven Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh men in the past and the force is capable of unearthing the conspiracy behind similar incidents, another ministry official said.

The blast occurred during a religious gathering of the Nirankari sect at Nirankari Bhavan in Adliwal village near Amritsar's Rajasansi, which is close to the international airport.  -- PTI

IMAGE: Police inspects the site of blast at the Nirankari Bhawan, where two men on a motorcycle reportedly threw a grenade during a religious congregation, in Adliwal village near Amritsar, Punjab, on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo
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16:17   2,500 fishermen chased away by Sri Lankan naval personnel
Nearly 2,500 fishermen were chased away by Sri Lankan Naval personnel for allegedly fishing near Katchathivu islet, a fishermen's association leader said on Sunday.

They naval personnel also snapped the fishing nets of 15boats, took away the GPS sets in these boats and threw the catch into the sea, Fishermen's Association leader S Emerit said.

He said the fishermen had set out to sea in 437 boats on Saturday after a gap of one week due to rough seas and strong winds under the impact of cyclone Gaja.

He requested the central government to take steps to ensure that such incidents did not recur.  -- PTI
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16:10   Delay in ordinance for Ram temple indicates BJP not interested: Raut
Pressing for an ordinance to facilitate the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, National Democratic Alliance constituent Shiv Sena has said the delay in exercising the option is an indication that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh was not keen on building it.

Senior Shiv Sena leader and party MP Sanjay Raut said if the NDA government can bring an ordinance on banning instant triple talaq then why not take the same route to remove hurdles for the construction of the Ram temple, which is a 'matter of pride' for the nation.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which helped the BJP come to power in 2014, should pull down the National Democratic Alliance government if it fails to bring an ordinance for construction of the temple, he said.

Raut's remarks comes ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's visit to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on November 25, during which the party is likely to declare its next course of action on the issue.

"We never use the issue of Ram Mandir for elections. But those who wish to do it, we feel they don't want the Ram Mandir," Raut told PTI in an interview.

"If you want the Ram Mandir then legislate a law," he said.

Raut, who is also executive editor of the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Dainik Saamana, claimed that when the BJP came to power for the first time in the 1990s, it cited a lack of absolute majority in Parliament and power in Uttar Pradesh for not coming up with a legislation for the construction of Ram Temple.

Today, BJP has absolute majority at the Centre as well as in Uttar Pradesh, but it has 'failed' to resolve the long-pending issue, he said.

"If you can bring an amendment to the triple talaq bill and the SC and ST Act, then why not on Ram Mandir. If this is the will and demand of the people and you have seized power because of the same issue will then you have to accept it," the Sena MP said.

Though the Shiv Sena and the BJP are in alliance, both at the Centre and in Maharastra, there has been an increasing bitterness in their ties.   -- PTI
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15:14   Amritsar grenade attack: CM gives Rs 5 lakh ex gratia to kin of dead
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday reviewed the law and order situation in the state in the wake of the grenade attack on a religious congregation inside the Nirankari Bhavan at Adliwal village near Amritsar's Rajasansi which left three persons dead.

While reviewing the law and order situation, Singh directed the Home Secretary, director general of police, director general (Law and Order) and DG Intelligence to rush to Rajasansi in Amritsar to supervise investigations, an official spokesman said in Chandigarh.

On the directions of the chief minister, security has been strengthened at all Nirankari Bhawans in the state, the spokesman said.

He said Singh announced Rs 5 lakh as compensation for the kin of the dead and free treatment for the injured.

In a series of tweets, Singh said:

'Strongly condemn the bomb blast at Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar. Have asked Home Secy and @PunjabPoliceInd DGP, DGP Intelligence and DGP Law & Order to rush to the spot to investigate.

'My heart goes out to victims of the Amritsar bomb blast & their families. My govt will give Rs 5 lakh to kin of each of the dead and free treatement to injured. Have asked district administration to extend all help.

'I appeal to the people of Punjab to maintain peace in wake of Amritsar bomb blast. I urge them not to panic and to remain calm. We will not let the forces of terror destroy our hard earned peace.  -- with PTI inputs

IMAGE: Visuals from the hospital where the injured have been taken. Photograph: ANI
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15:02   Govt wants to 'capture' RBI's reserves: Chidambaram
Ahead of Reserve Bank of India Board meeting, Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday alleged that the central government was determined to 'capture' the bank to gain control over its Rs 9 lakh crore reserves.

In a series of tweets, the former finance minister also claimed that the government and the RBI was heading towards a 'confrontation' in the Monday's board meeting of the bank.

'Government is determined to 'capture' RBI in order to gain control over the reserves. The other so-called disagreements are only a smokescreen (sic),' he said on microblogging site Twitter.

Chidambaram said, 'Nowhere in the world is the central bank a board-managed company. To suggest that private business persons will direct the governor is a preposterous idea.'

'November 19 will be a day of reckoning for central bank independence and the Indian economy,' he tweeted.

The RBI has a massive Rs 9.59 lakh crore reserves and the government, if reports are to be believed, wants the central bank to part with a third of that fund -- an issue which along with easing of norms for weak banks and raising liquidity has brought the two at loggerheads in the recent weeks.

The government on November 9 had said it was discussing an 'appropriate' size of capital reserves that the central bank must maintain but denied seeking a massive capital transfer from the RBI.

Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg had also clarified that the government wasn't in any dire needs of funds and that there was no proposal to ask the RBI to transfer Rs 3.6 lakh crore.

"There is no proposal to ask RBI to transfer (Rs) 3.6 or (Rs) 1 lakh crore, as speculated," he had said.

"The government's FD (fiscal deficit) in FY 2013-14 was 5.1%. From 2014-15 onwards, the government has succeeded in bringing it down substantially. We will end the FY 2018-19 with FD of 3.3%. The government has actually foregone (Rs) 70,000 crore of budgeted market borrowing this year."

Garg said the only proposal 'under discussion is to fix appropriate economic capital framework of RBI'.

Economic capital framework refers to the risk capital required by the central bank while taking into account different risks.  -- PTI
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14:16   Dalit Sitaram Kesri 'was thrown out to make way for Sonia': PM
Hitting out at the Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi family, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that Dailt leader Sitaram Kesri was not allowed to complete his term as Congress president, and was 'thrown out of office' to make way for Sonia Gandhi as the new party chief.

Addressing a rally on the last day of campaign for the second and final phase of polling for Chhattisgarh assembly election, Modi said four generations of a family ruled the country and 'benefited from being in power', but the country did not benefit from their rule.

"The country knows that Sitaram Kesri, a Dalit, was not allowed to complete his five-year-term as Congress president; he was thrown out of office and into the footpath to make way for Sonia Gandhi as the new party chief," Modi said.

"Earlier Delhi had a remote-controlled government. The remote was in hands of a family which was afraid of the BJP," he said, targeting the Congress and the Gandhis.

Modi challenged the Congress to select someone 'capable' as their party president who doesn't belong to 'that one family'.

"Remember the days when four generations of a family ruled the country. What was the fate of people? They only thought about welfare of one family but never gave a thought about welfare of people. How can we trust them that they will fulfil aspirations of people now," Modi said.

The prime minister claimed that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh also faced a lot of challenges from the then Congress government at the Centre.

"For 10 years, the Centre was ruled by a 'remote-control' government which never paid attention towards Chhattisgarh," Modi alleged.  -- PTI
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13:39   3 dead, 10 injured in grenade attack at Nirankari Bhawan in Punjab
At least three people died and 10 others injured in a blast at Nirankari Bhawan in Amritsar's Rajasansi village, Inspector General (Border) Surinder Pal Singh Parmar said.

Two men on a motorcycle, their faces covered, reportedly threw a grenade near the Nirankari Bhawan, where a religious ceremony was on at the time, NDTV reported.

"My condolences are with families of those who lost lives in this incident. It is an attempt to disturb peace in Punjab.

"I believe all the security agencies should stay alert and coordinate with each other to maintain peace," Punjab Congress Chief Sunil Jakhar said.
 
More details awaited.

-- with ANI inputs
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12:50   Another youth kidnapped in Kashmir
A youngster was kidnapped in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian a day after a second Kashmiri teenager was killed by terrorists, NDTV reported.

The reports says the young man has been identified as Suhail Ahmad Ganai. He was kidnapped from a village in the south Kashmir district.

The kidnapping comes a day after a 19-year-old's body was found with his throat slit in Shopian.

Huzaif Kuttay, a baker from nearby Kulgam district, was among five people kidnapped by terrorists from various villages across the district on Saturday.

Image only for representation.
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12:11   CAG conducting performance audit of GST, report likely soon
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is conducting performance audit of goods and services tax and is likely to finalise its report soon.

The performance audit report on implementation of GST could be tabled in Parliament as early as in the forthcoming Winter session beginning December 11, according to sources.

The CAG is auditing the functioning of the new indirect tax regime since its implementation on July 1, 2017.

The audit aspect would include registration, refund, input tax credit, transition credit mechanism, ease of payment of taxes and the impact on the economic activity, the sources told PTI.

The CAG team has already visited the GST Commissionerates in major states to get clarity on the functioning of the new indirect tax system and its efficiency and effectiveness, the sources said.

As part of the performance audit, the CAG looks at programmes, systems and activities to check if they are in accordance with the principles of economy and whether there is any scope for further improvement.

The performance audit will not take into account revenue collections. Its focus would primarily be on the implementation aspect of GST, which has subsumed 17 local taxes.

Tagged as the biggest tax reform since Independence, GST has faced some teething problems in the initial months of its implementation with the GST Network unable to take load of last minute monthly return filing rush.

Also, there were hiccups with respect to refunds to be claimed by exporters as well as excessive transitional credit claims.

The monthly average revenue collection from GST in the previous fiscal (July 2017-March 2018) was Rs 89,885 crore.

In current fiscal, the collections stood at Rs 1.03 lakh crore in April, Rs 94,016 crore in May, Rs 95,610 crore in June, Rs 96,483 crore in July, Rs 93,960 crore in August, Rs 94,442 crore in September and Rs 1 lakh crore in October.  -- PTI
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11:57   BSE to part ways with S&P Dow Jones; plans to develop own indices
Asia's oldest bourse Bombay Stock Exchange has decided to snap ties with S&P Dow Jones, which manages and operates benchmark Sensex, and plans to develop indices through its own in-house development team, exchange's officials said.

The two entities had announced a joint venture -- Asia Index -- in 2013 to provide an array of indices enabling global and domestic investors to participate in South Asia's vibrant economies.

The deal with BSE came after the expiry of the licensing arrangement between India Index Services & Products (IISL), a joint venture of NSE and S&P-owned Crisil.

The exchange officials said that BSE will not renew its agreement with S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC which expires on December 31, 2018 and it is looking to develop indices through its own team.

"Basically, we had done this tie-up five years back, but the joint venture could not do much in terms of expanding in the foreign jurisdiction, the usage of the indexes and all," BSE Managing Director and Chief Executive Ashishkumar Chauhan told investors in a conference call.

"And that is why we have decided to not renew it, but overall the impact on profits or on the revenues will be minuscule," he added.

Rival bourse National Stock Exchange's indices are managed and operated by NSE Indices, an arm of NSE. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies, is the world's largest global resource for index-based concepts, data and research.

BSE is Asia's oldest stock exchange and home to the iconic Sensex index -- a leading indicator of Indian equity market performance.  -- PTI
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11:52   Delhi's air quality oscillates between 'poor' and 'very poor'
The air quality in the national capital oscillated between 'poor' and 'very poor' categories on Sunday due to increased pollutant-holding capacity of air after rainfall a few days back, authorities said.

According to the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR), the overall air quality index (AQI) in Delhi was recorded at 326, which comes under 'very poor' category.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed the overall AQI at 299, which falls in the 'poor' category. According data provided by the apex pollution control body, 14 areas in Delhi recorded 'very poor' air quality and another 14 recorded 'poor' air quality.

The PM2.5 -- particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres -- level on Sunday was recorded at 153, while the PM10 level was recorded at 289, the CPCB data said. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

The SAFAR, in a report, said Delhi's air quality is fluctuating between poor and very poor and it is expected to be in the very poor category in the next two days.

"Wind speed is quite good for dispersion of pollutants which is keeping pollution in check," its said, adding, "Fire counts from stubble burning declined significantly and hence have negligible impact."

Delhi's air quality showed significant improvement on Wednesday and Thursday after rain washed away the pollutants but the rainfall also led to increased air capacity to hold pollutants, the SAFAR said.  -- PTI
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11:06   Deepika, Ranveer arrive in Mumbai after Italy wedding
Newlyweds Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone today arrived in Mumbai after tying the knot on November 14 and 15 in traditional Konkani and Sindhi ceremony respectively in Italy.

Later, the couple headed to Ranveer Singh's residence.

The lovebirds will be heading to Bengaluru on November 20, for the reception on November 21. 

Deepika Padukone's extended family members and friends have been invited to the reception.

The couple will also host another reception for their celebrity friends in Mumbai on November 28.
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11:05   Women cry rape after fallout with partner, says Haryana CM
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has courted a controversy over his remarks on rape incidents, with the Congress condemning the statement, saying the state government's "anti-women mindset" was exposed.
   
At a function in Kalka town of Panchkula district on Friday, Khattar said, "The incidents of rape have not increased... Rapes used to take place in the past and even today as well. (Only) the concern (over such incidents) has increased.
  
"The biggest concern is that in 80 to 90 per cent of rape and eve-teasing cases, the accused and the victim know each other. In many cases, they know each other for a long time and, on one day, when there is an argument (between them over some issue)... an FIR is lodged, saying: 'He has raped me'," Khattar had said.
 
Hitting out at the chief minister, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala termed the statement deplorable.
 
"Anti-Women Mindset of Khattar Govt Exposed! Haryana CM Khattar ji makes an utterly condemnable remark. Blaming Women for complete failures to control Rapes & Gangrapes? Deplorable!," Surjewala tweeted. -- PTI 
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11:00  
Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone at former's Khar residence in Mumbai. 
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10:32   Delhi chief secretary, who accused Kejriwal of assault, transferred
Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, who was allegedly assaulted at chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence in February this year, was transferred to the department of telecommunications Saturday, an official order stated.
Prakash, a 1986-batch IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory cadre, had been at loggerheads with the Kejriwal government.
According to an order of department of personnel and training, Prakash has been posted as additional secretary in the department of telecommunications.
He had alleged assault by some the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's MLAs in the presence of Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia at the chief minister's residence in February this year.
The incident had triggered a bitter power tussle between the Delhi government and its bureaucrats.
Kejriwal, Sisodia and nine other AAP MLAs were granted bail in the case by a court here last month. The case will come up for hearing again on December 7.
The name of Delhi's additional chief secretary-home Manoj Parida, who hails from Odisha and is also an officer of the 1986 batch of the AGMUT, is in the race for the next chief secretary of Delhi.
Jalaj Srivastava, additional secretary in the department of agriculture cooperation and farmers welfare, was also transferred. 
He was posted as additional secretary in the Inland Waterways Authority of India, the DoPT order said.
Satbir Bedi, member secretary of National Commission for Women, was transferred and posted as chairperson of National Council for Teacher Education.
The DoPT order stated that Amit Prasad, additional secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has been posted as director general of National Productivity Council.
Rakesh Kumar Vats, additional secretary, Health and Family Welfare Ministry, has been appointed as additional secretary and financial advisor in the same ministry. -- PTI 
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09:51   Can't pressure Dassault to share details just because Oppn wants it: Def Min
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said India cannot put pressure on French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to share details of  offset partners related to the Rafale deal just because the Opposition wanted to know the same. 
 
Dassault, the Original Equipment Manufacturer in the Rafale fighter jet deal, is obliged to share details of the offset partners under contract with India, but has a year's time to do so, she said.
"Just because my Opposition wanted to know it (offset partner details) yesterday, I cannot put pressure on my OEM saying the Opposition wants it now, give it now.
"By rule, they can tell me even next year," the minister said at the annual ET Awards in Mumbai.
"I am waiting for it. Once I come to know, I will tell you. Before that, why should I speculate based on news reports?" she said. 
Sitharaman explained that as part of the Rs 58,000 crore deal, the French firm has to give details of the offsets of over 30 per cent of the total contract value, and the Indian government has the right to know the same before giving it the required credits for the same.
She said the Congress, which had alleged a scam in the deal, was moving from one point to another after being unable to prove anything and hoping that something would stick to the BJP-led government.
The Congress first alleged the deal was signed to benefit an offset partner with a malafide intention and is now questioning the "haste" shown by the prime minister in concluding the contract, the BJP leader said.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi influenced the Rafale deal to save "debt-ridden" Reliance group chairman Anil Ambani's business.
The Centre and the Reliance group have repeatedly denied any irregularities or favouritism in the deal, under which the country is buying 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition.
Last week, the Centre told the Supreme Court that as per the Defence Offset Guidelines, the OEM was free to select its Indian offset partners  for implementing the offset obligation in the deal.
"There isn't anything wrong with the procedure, with the methodology, with the price, with the technical details, with the list of ammunition...so they (Congress) do not know how far they have to go on with it hoping that something will stick on to us," the defence minister said.
Sitharaman asserted that the Rafale controversy will not be able to blemish the Centre's record on corruption and added that it had achieved feats like making defence acquisitions middlemen-free. -- PTI
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09:46   Odisha accepts Delhi scribe Mitra's apology, drops breach of privilege charges
The Odisha assembly on Saturday accepted the "unconditional and unreserved" apology of Delhi based journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra for his statement against the state lawmakers and dropped the breach of privilege charges against him.
 
The relief for Mitra comes even as he remains in judicial custody since October 23 in connection with two FIRs lodged against him for his alleged "derogatory, mischievous and objectionable comments" on social media on art and culture of Odisha, Lord Jagannath and the Odia community as a whole.
 
The assembly granted pardon to Mitra after accepting the recommendations of a House Committee that inquired into the allegations against the journalist. The committee also recommended to the House to direct the state government to provide material to  Mitra to educate him about the art, culture, history and the people of Odisha.
"The assembly accepted the recommendations made by the House Committee which was set up to inquire into the question of alleged breach of privilege relating to the statement made by Abhijit Iyer Mitra," Speaker P K Amat said after a voice vote on the recommendations of the committee.
 
The chairman of the Committee, Narasingha Mishra, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, laid the report on the table of the House. The committee was set up on September 20 after concerns were expressed by MLAs cutting across party lines.
 
Mitra was arrested by Odisha police on October 23 after he was charged with hurting religious sentiments, promoting disharmony and other offences in the two FIRs.
 
A case was registered at Konark police station in Puri district on September 19 under various sections of IPC, Information Technology Act and Ancient Monument & Archaeological sites & Remains Act against Mitra.
 
The second case was lodged at Saheed Nagar police station here on September 20 under various sections of IPC and IT Act against Mitra. -- PTI
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09:45   Varavara Rao taken into custody by Pune Police
Telugu poet Varavara Rao, accused of having Maoist links, was on Saturday taken into custody by the Pune Police from Hyderabad in a case related to Elgar Parishad conclave, a senior official said.
 
Rao was so far under house arrest in Hyderabad.
 
Joint Commissioner of Police (Pune Police) Shivaji Bodakhe said an extension of his house arrest granted by the Hyderabad High Court expired on November 15.
On October 26, the Pune Police had taken into custody co-accused Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves, while Sudha Bharadwaj was taken into custody the next day.
Left-leaning activists Rao, Ferreira, Gonsalves, Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha were arrested in August after the Pune Police conducted raids at various places in the country in connection with the Koregaon Bhima violence case.
 
Navlakha has not been taken into custody yet.
The police alleged that the activists had links with the Maoists, who backed Elgar Parishad held in Pune on December 31 last year. The Parishad, the police alleged, instigated violence near Koregaon Bhima war memorial in Pune district the next day.
However, the activists were put under house arrest on Supreme Court's order. The apex court subsequently said the Pune Police can go ahead with the probe. -- PTI  
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09:06   2 terrorists killed in encounter in J-K's Shopian
Two terrorists were Sunday killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.
 
Based on a credible input about presence of militants, a cordon and search operation was launched by security forces at dawn in Rebban area of Zainapora in the south Kashmir district, a police spokesman said.
He said as the search operation was going on, the search party was fired upon by hiding militants.
The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter in which two militants were  killed, the spokesman said.
He said the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter and their identities are being ascertained.
Incriminating material including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter,the spokesman said, adding police have registered a case and initiated investigation in the matter.
No collateral damage took place during the encounter, he said. -- PTI
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08:27   61-year-old Indian gunned down by teenager in US
A 61-year-old Indian has been shot dead by a 16-year-old boy in the United States state of New Jersey, media reports said on Saturday.
 
Sunil Edla, who was to travel to India this month to visit his mother for her 95th birthday and celebrate Christmas with family, was killed outside his apartment in Ventnor city on Thursday night, The Press of Atlantic City reported.
Known for playing piano during church services at Chelsea Community Presbyterian Church in Atlantic City, he was a father of two and grandfather.
He was a 30-year resident of Atlantic County and worked in Atlantic City's hospitality industry.
An autopsy revealed that he died of multiple gunshot wounds, the report said.
The accused, whose name is being withheld due to his age, has been arrested from Egg Harbor City, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G Tyner said Friday.
He was charged with murder, felony murder, robbery, carjacking, unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a handgun for unlawful purpose.
The motive behind the killing was not immediately known, police said.
Police believe the teen shot Edla and took his car. Atlantic City police found the vehicle later.
"He (Edla) was humble. He never argued. I helped him when he came to US in 1987. I was very close to him," his cousin Raj Casula was quoted as saying in the report.
On Thursday, Edla was leaving his home to work the overnight shift at the North Carolina Avenue Rodeway Inn in Atlantic City, his family said.
He started his car then went back in the house briefly. After walking back down the second-floor apartment stairs, he was shot on the sidewalk and left for dead, the report said. -- PTI

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