External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was invited to visit Pakistan by her counterpart Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor.

 

A long-pending demand of the Sikh community to build a religious corridor linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with a historic gurudwara in Pakistan may finally be fulfilled with both the countries announcing that stretches would be developed in their respective areas.

 

Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony of the facilities at on the Pakistan side on November 28. 

Apart from Swaraj, Qureshi also invited Punjab Chief Minister Amrinder Singh and cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to the ceremony.

"On behalf of Pakistan I have extended an invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj @SushmaSwaraj , Capt Amarinder Singh @capt_amarinder & Navjot Singh Sidhu @sherryontopp to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at #Kartarpura on 28 Nov, 2018," Qureshi tweeted. -- PTI  

Congress leader P Chidambaram has termed as "false" and "baseless" the allegations of the CBI before a court here that he as finance minister had unlawfully granted FIPB approval to a Mauritius-based company in the Aircel-Maxis case.

 

The submissions were made by the politician in his rejoinder filed in response to the reply of the probe agency.

The CBI, in its reply to the anticipatory bail plea of Chidambaram, had alleged that he was not cooperating in the investigations.

"The averments (by the CBI) that the applicant (Chidambaram) had usurped the power of the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs, unlawfully granted the FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) approval to Global Communication Services Ltd, Mauritius, and had chosen not to disclose facts which are in his exclusive knowledge are denied as being false, baseless and untenable," the politician said.

The rejoinder submissions were filed before Special Judge O P Saini through advocates P K Dubey and Arshdeep Singh.

"It is submitted that the FIPB was chaired by the secretary, economic affairs, and included four other secretaries (industry, commerce, external affairs and overseas Indian affairs), and the secretary of the administrative ministry concerned.

"Five of them were among the senior most IAS officers and sixth was a senior IFS officer of the ministry of external affairs. Each one of them had a long and distinguished record of service," the rejoinder said. 

It said as per the normal procedure, the recommendations of the FIPB are submitted to the Ministry of Finance where they are once again examined by junior officers and then by the additional secretary and secretary before the file is put up to the competent authority (Finance Minister). 

It is the FIPB that decides who is the competent authority in the given case, the rejoinder said.

"Once the CBI itself chose not to either arrest Chidambaram during investigation, i.e., from the date of registration of the FIR in 2011 until grant of interim protection by this court vide it's order dated July 23, or even issue any summons directing him to appear for questioning after December 6, 2015, the CBI cannot at this stage, that too after filing of the charge sheet on July 19, oppose the grant of bail to the applicant of the ground of alleged gravity of offence," according to the rejoinder.

Chidambaram, a former finance minister, claimed that the allegations made by the CBI were "unsubstantiated" and there was no need of his custodial interrogation, as sought by the agency. -- PTI

The Uttarakhand government on Saturday decided to rename the Dehradun airport after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, an official said.

   

The proposal to rename the Jolly Grant airport after Vajpayee was approved by the state cabinet at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, the official said.

 

The cabinet also gave its nod to the setting up of the Uttarakhand State Agency For Public Services to ensure time-bound delivery of services and redressal of complaints, said government spokesperson Madan Kaushik.

 

The cabinet has cleared a total of 27 proposals, including convening a three-day Winter Session of the Assembly from December 4, the official added. -- PTI 

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh Saturday welcomed the building of the Kartarpur corridor, linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

 

Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments that the corridor will act as a bridge between the people of the two countries, Singh, however, cautioned that there were many hurdles to cross before it could be achieved.

"There are many hurdles and one should not underestimate those hurdles. But any beginning is a good beginning, I hope it is successful," he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference titled "Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation", organised by the Pranab Mukherjee Foundation.

Singh, however, did not say what he thought the hurdles were.

On first Sikh guru Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary Friday, Modi had said, "Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall? Maybe, with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, the Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the people of the two countries." 

Earlier, in a significant decision, the Union Cabinet had cleared a proposal Thursday to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry Friday said Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu would visit the neighbouring country to attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Border corridor. -- PTI 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the people in the city to be cautious while clicking a selfie and not drive at a high speed on the newly-opened Signature Bridge.

 

The chief minister made the request as three people have died in accident on the bridge in the last two days.

"I am extremely concerned about the accidents on Signature Bridge. It is the pride of Delhi. It is my appeal to all the people, especially the youth, to be careful while clicking selfies on the Signature Bridge and not drive vehicles at a high speed. Your life is precious to the country and for your parents," Kejriwal tweeted.

A 24-year-old man was killed and his cousin injured after their motorcycle skidded and hit a road divider on the Signature Bridge Saturday, a day after two medical students died in a crash there. 

On Friday morning, the two students on a bike were killed after ramming into a divider and falling from 30 feet.

With two accidents in two days and reports of people scaling its boundaries to take selfies, the Signature Bridge has been in the limelight since its inauguration by Kejriwal on November 4.  -- PTI  

The Tripura government has decided to do away with the school syllabus introduced by the previous Left Front regime and instead follow the curriculum on the Central Board of Secondary Education pattern.

   

Information about the change of school syllabus from the next academic session was given to the state legislative assembly by Education minister Ratan Lal Nath on Friday evening.

 

He also said that students would be taught from National Council of Educational Research and Training textbooks.

 

"The government would introduce NCERT textbooks and CBSE syllabus from the next academic session in place of the present curriculum prescribed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training," Nath said.

 

A team of NCERT experts is scheduled to arrive here on December 3 to impart a three-month-long training to the teachers about the new syllabus, he added.

 

"We shall introduce complete NCERT textbooks and CBSE syllabus from next academic year, because the students in our state are lagging behind the standard of the country. We want them to be as competitive as students of other states," Nath informed the assembly.

 

"The previous Left Front regime had indulged in crimsonisation of the school curriculum by teaching wrong lessons to students," Nath alleged.

 

Shortly after coming to power in March this year ending the 25-year uninterrupted rule of the Communist Party of India-Marxist-led Left Front, the Bharatiya Janata Party-Indigenous People's Front of Tripura government had set up an expert committee on the change of school syllabus.

The panel has recommended NCERT curriculum along with the implementation of the Central Board of Secondary Education syllabus across all government and government-aided schools in the state. -- PTI

The Muslim litigant in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, Iqbal Ansari on Saturday said he was satisfied with the security arrangements in Ayodhya ahead of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad Dharam Sabha, but questioned the intention of the leaders in bringing such large crowds to the town.

   

The Shiv Sena and the Vishva Hindu Parishad are organising separate Ram Temple events in Ayodhya where multiple layers of security have been put in place along with deployment of drone cameras to keep an eye on the possible mischief mongers. 

 

While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will offer prayers at the Ram janmabhoomi, the VHP will organise a Dharam Sabha in Ayodhya on Sunday to call for the construction of a grand temple for Lord Ram.

"If anyone has any issue on the matter of temple-mosque, he/she should go to Delhi and Lucknow to express their views," Ansari who succeeded his father late Hashim Ansari as the main litigant in the case said.

"They can gherao the (Uttar Pradesh) Vidhan Sabha or Parliament if they want but leave the people of Ayodhya in peace," added Ansari as he cast aspersions on the intentions of those encouraging people to gather at the temple town and "posing problems" for the locals.

He, however, lauded the Uttar Pradesh government for the security arrangements.

"The Yogi Adityanath government has done what is required with tight security arrangements in place in Ayodhya," Ansari said.

"We are satisfied with the steps taken by the government... The Yogi government is on the right track," he added. 

One Additional DGP, one deputy inspector general (DIG), three senior superintendents of police (SSPs), 10 additional SPs, 21 deputy SPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of  PAC, 5 companies of RAF, ATS commandos and drone cameras have been deployed in Ayodhya to ensure peace and order.

On the fears among some that history might be repeated in Ayodhya with such a large congregation of 'Ram Bhakts', Ansari said the situation this time was different from 1992 as all the eyes were on the events taking place in Ayodhya.

"The media, especially the electronic media, is telecasting everything before the country and the government is also maintaining a tight vigil," he said. -- PTI 

Image: Shiv Sena activists arrive at Lakshman Kila to attend the Ram Temple event, in Ayodhya on Saturday, Nov.24, 2018. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo

Vishal Bhardwaj on Saturday said that the censor board gives a "deaf" ear to the concerns of the filmmakers.

The writer-director, who has faced troubles with the Central Board of Film Certification in the past, said films are a "soft target" for anything and everything that goes wrong with the society.

When asked for his reaction on the possibility of censorship creeping into the digital medium, Bhardwaj said, "Did they listen to us when the put the 'no smoking' ticker on a running visual? Do they hear us even now? They (censor board) are deaf. They do whatever they want to do. We are the only nation in this world that has 'no smoking' on a running visual. How more ridiculous can it be?"

"The kind of things you can do in a series and there's no censorship. That Animal Welfare Board, my God, it's a pain in the neck, if I can't say a**. And the kind of things they impose on you. Films are such a soft target. If anything is happening to someone, (target) the film. As if films are responsible for every evil that exists in the society," he added.

He was speaking at NDFC's Film Bazaar Knowledge Series session "Storytellers First - Directors and Producers who Changed the Game".

Bhardwaj said he would love to create a project for the digital medium "as soon as possible". He added that he is looking for material which could be presented in a web series format.

"It is such a creative freedom for a director. I love cinema... But these series offer really something unique... In films, at the editing level, we have to let go of many nuances... The small characters you don't concentrate on... Series gives you that liberty and freedom," he added. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio broadcast 'Mann ki Baat', which completes 50 episodes on Sunday, has in its previous episodes covered issues of social, national as well as international implication: education of the girl child, tackling exam stress, climate change and drug menace.

 

In October 2014, in the very first episode of the programme, PM Modi urged citizens to use at least one khadi product, saying it would help poor weavers. 

 

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office issued Friday said that after the episode was aired, the sale of khadi products went up by 120 per cent.

The 'Mann ki Baat' programme is broadcast every month on the last Sunday on the All India Radio and the Doordarshan

Taking cue from a listener, Modi dedicated the entire December 2014 episode to making India drug-free. He requested all those active on the social media to create a continuous online movement by using #DrugsFreeIndia hashtag. 

The episode in January 2015, was the first ever joint radio address by an Indian Prime Minister and an American President.

PM Modi and then US President Barack Obama shared some personal stories and accounts and answered questions like "what makes you smile after a long day at work? or "did you ever think you would reach the position you have reached today?" 

The PM also discussed how exams should be celebrated as a festival. The PM followed it up with a book titled "Exam Warriors" which discussed how to deal with exam pressure as well as a community-driven initiative to make exams fun. 

In May 2015, the PM talked extensively about June 21 being declared by the United Nations as the 'International Yoga Day'.

In June 2015, the prime minister shared the account of a Haryana village sarpanch  who launched #SelfieWithDaughter campaign and the hashtag soon became a social media rage with millions of posts from citizens from all walks of life -- celebrities, national as well as global leaders, the statement said. -- PTI

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said the government does not need any extra funds from the Reserve Bank or any other institution to meet the fiscal deficit target.

 

However, he added that extra funds, which may accrue from the new capital framework of the Reserve Bank, can always be used for poverty alleviation programmes over the years by future governments.

"We don't need any extra funds from any other institution to finance our fiscal deficit. Let's be very clear that's not the intention of the government. And we are not saying that in next six months give me some money. I don't need it, the minister said in an interview to TV channel Times Now.

India's fiscal deficit is slated to come down to 3.3 per cent of GDP at the end of the current fiscal.

Responding to criticism that the government was eyeing RBI's reserves, Jaitley said globally central banks have a capital framework which determines the amount of funds that ought to be maintained as reserves.

"All we are saying is there has to be some discussion and some norms under which Reserve Bank will have a capital framework," he said, adding that surplus funds could be used for poverty alleviation programmes by future governments over the next several years.

The RBI board at its meeting earlier in the month decided to set up a high-level committee for examining the Economic Capital Framework to determine the appropriate levels of reserve the central bank should hold.

The RBI is reported to be holding a massive Rs 9.59 lakh crore of reserves.

Answering questions with regard to the autonomy of the Reserve Bank, Jaitley said it has to be exercised within the framework of law.

"The government's viewpoint is that we respect and we will always maintain the autonomy within the framework of the laws which have been laid down," he said.

The government, Jaitley added, would continue to flag issues with the Reserve Bank in the larger interest of the economy, and there has to be coordination between the central bank and the government.

A home guard was crushed to death by a car carrying liquor in Bihar's Nawada on Saturday, the police said.     

The incident took place at Sadbhavana Chowk where a patrol team had been deployed following information that two cars, moving at great speed, had jumped the Rajauli check post, superintendent of police Sujit Kumar said.

    

They intercepted a car which was carrying a huge quantity of liquor  both country made and foreign, the SP said.

    

Soon another car, carrying liquor, came at a great speed  and it knocked down home guard Kailash Chaudhary when he tried to stop it.

    

Chaudhary succumbed to injuries at a hospital.

    

The car was later caught and its sole occupant arrested. The bottles of liquor found inside the car bear the seal of Jharkhand excise department, he said.

    

Sale and consumption of alcohol was banned in Bihar by the Nitish Kumar government in April, 2016. -- PTI 

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today asked the Narendra Modi government to announce the date of Ram temple construction.

Thackeray who arrived in Ayodhya on Saturday afternoon along with his family for his two-day visit at the temple town, reiterated his that an ordinance be brought before 2019 for constructing the temple.

Uddhav said that he is in Ayodhya to wake "Kumbhakarna" from his "deep slumber" to set the ball rolling for the temple's construction.

 

The Sena chief arrived with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya amidst slogans of "Jai Shri Ram". 

This is Thackeray's first visit to Ayodhya and party leaders, including MP, Sanjay Raut, and others had been camping here for the last few days to make preparations for the visit.

On Sunday morning, Thackeray will go for a darshan of Ram Lalla accompanied, interact with the media and later with the public, party sources said.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena on Saturday for raking up the Ram temple issue ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, alleging it to be a "political tactic" to divert attention from their failures.

 

She said since the matter is before the Supreme Court, parties and outfits must await the outcome and not rake it up in such a way. 

"To divert attention from their failures, they raised Ram Mandir issue. Had their intentions been good they needn't have waited for five years. It's their political tactic, nothing else. Whatever their associates like Shiv Sena and VHP are doing is part of their conspiracy," the BSP chief said in a statement read out before the media. 

Various organisations are holding programmes in Ayodhya on Saturday for an early construction of the Ram temple there.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also urged party cadre from staying away from organisations such as Bhim Army, who were allegedly using her and the BSP's name to gather people at their rallies and to seek donation.

Without taking the name of Chandrashekhar Azad's outfit, Mayawati said such organisations may play in the hands of opposition parties during the elections.

She alleged that such outfits were trying to pit people from different castes against each other which will only lead to violence and polarisation of society. -- PTI  

Cash-starved private carrier Jet Airways has temporarily suspended its complimentary lounge services to JetPrivilege platinum and gold members travelling in economy class, as it battles high operations cost due to increased jet fuel prices and falling rupee.

          

The revised complimentary lounge access policy, which is not applicable for flights operated by its codeshare partner carrier, will come into effect from December 1, Jet Airways said in a communication to customers on its website.

"Effective December 1, we have revised our complimentary lounge access policy for guests travelling in economy. Complimentary lounge access for JetPrivilege platinum and gold members travelling in economy will be temporarily suspended," it said.

        

Queries sent to Jet Airways spokesperson on this issue remained unanswered.

These services, however, will continue to be provided to customers travelling in the first and business class across Jet Airways domestic and international network, the airline said.

The move comes weeks after Travel Food Services, the firm that operates the lounge at Mumbai airport, discontinued the facility for Jet Airways passengers due to non-payment of dues.

 

The Naresh Goyal-controlled full service carrier, partially owned by Etihad Airways of Abu Dhabi, has posted a net loss of Rs 1,261 crore in the September quarter, as the tough operating environment for the aviation industry continues to impact.

This was the third successive quarterly loss for Jet Airways, which is struggling to raise capital to keep itself afloat.

"In view of this extremely challenging operating environment, we at Jet Airways have had to take some unprecedented steps," the airline said in the communication.

One such step is suspension of these services for platinum and gold members of JetPrivilege travelling in economy class, it added. -- PTI

Delhi's air quality showed a slight improvement on Saturday due to increased wind speed, favourable for dispersion of pollutants, and settled in the 'poor' category, authorities said.

 

The overall air quality index was recorded at 264 which falls in the 'poor' category, according to data of the Central Pollution Control Board.

Four areas in the national capital recorded 'very poor' air quality while 22 areas recorded 'poor' air quality, the data said.

The level of PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) was recorded at 119 and the PM10 level was recorded at 235, it 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'.

According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the air quality has improved due to higher wind speed 

The particulate matter concentration is likely to reduce owing to increased wind speed and air quality is likely to be in poor category, it said.

Humidity in the city is high which is slightly unfavourable and stubble fire will have marginal impact, it said. -- PTI

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said Saturday Prime Minister Narendra Modi has betrayed the people, claiming that he had not fulfilled promises of providing two crore jobs every year and "depositing" Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts.

 

The Congress chief was addressing a rally at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, where assembly polls will be held on November 28.

"Modiji has betrayed the people on the issue of providing jobs to two crore people every year and depositing Rs 15 lakh cash into their accounts by bringing (back) black money stashed abroad," Gandhi said.

Modi, during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, had prominently highlighted the issue of black money and had promised to bring it back.

The fear of losing the 2019 general elections has created "hatred" in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mind against the Congress, Gandhi said addressing another rally at Damoh later.

The Congress chief said while Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan speaks with decency, Modi lacks it whenever he attacks the Congress and his family members.

"When you hear Modi's speech, he uses wrong words and speaks with hatred... and also speaks lies. The faith reposed by the people and youths in them has broken. Now, when Modi comes, people say he will speak lies," Gandhi said.

"He (Modi) speaks with hatred about me and my family, but Shivraj uses decent language. Modi doesn't know how to speak decently, but Rahul Gandhi will always maintain decency while speaking," he said.

"Though Chouhan has indulged in corruption, whenever he says anything against us, he speaks with decency," Gandhi added. -- PTI 

Ahead of the Dharam Sabha being held in Ayodhya Sunday to push for the construction of a Ram temple, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has said if required the army should be deployed in the town.

 

Thousands of people have started gathering in the town ahead of the Vishva Hindu Parishad event. 

Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray has also arrived in Ayodhya on Saturday for a separate programme.

     

Talking to reporters Friday, Yadav had said, "The Supreme Court should take notice of the situation in Uttar Pradesh. It should seriously consider the matter and bring in the army, if required... as the BJP and its allies can go to any extent," Yadav told reporters.

 

Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya dismissed Yadav's claims, saying his remarks simply showed his frustration as it was a Dharam Sabha and the army was not needed for it.

 

When asked that a significant section of the Muslim community was feeling apprehensive about the event, he tried to allay the fears.

 

"No one needs to fear (anything) as there is peace in Uttar Pradesh. The government has made elaborate security arrangements to ensure that no untoward incident takes place," he told PTI.

 

Referring to the firing on unarmed karsewaks in 1990, Maurya said, "If Akhilesh Yadav is thinking that a 1990-like situation will prevail, then this will not happen under the government headed by Yogi Adityanath. We will provide adequate security to all and take all necessary action."

 

"This is a Dharam Sabha, and there is no need to deploy the army, and Akhilesh Yadav must understand this," the UP deputy CM said.

 

On the eve of the VHP's Dharam Sabha, the temple town was virtually turned into a fortress will multiple layers of security and deployment of drones.

 

A UP Police spokesperson said one additional DGP, one deputy inspector general, three senior superintendents of police, 10 additional SPs, 21 deputy SPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of  PAC, five companies of RAF, ATS commandos and drones were deployed here.

 

The Dharam Sabha is being touted as one of the largest congregations of Lord Ram devotees after December 6, 1992, when the Babri Masjid was demolished, but some Muslim leaders view it as a move to polarise the voters ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. -- PTI

At least 15 people, most of them school children, were killed after their bus fell into a canal in Mandya district on Saturday, officials said.

 

The incident took place around noon near Kanakanamaradi of Pandavapura taluk.

Rescue teams have reached the spot and rescue operation was underway, they said.

Locals said the bus, which was on its way to Mandya from Pandavapura, was completely submerged under water.

Most of the victims are school children, they said, adding that they were returning home after half-a-day at school.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy expressed shock over the the incident and rushed to the spot.

According to a statement released by the Chief Minister's Office, Kumaraswamy has spoken to district in-charge minister C S Puttaraju and district deputy commissioner and directed them to visit the spot immediately and oversee the rescue operation. -- PTI 

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray arrives in Ayodhya for a two-day visit. 

He will take part in rituals near the Saryu river where he will address sainiks among others. 

He will visit the site of Ram temple in Ayodhya on Sunday. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the Congress today, days after its leader Raj Babbar compared the rupee's slide with the age of his mother, saying those who did not have issues to talk about, resort to abusing someone else's mother. 

   

Addressing a rally Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur, Modi, in an apparent dig at United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, said 125 crore people of the country were the "high-command" of his government, which was "not remote-controlled by a madam".

 

Hitting out at the Congress on Babbar's remarks, he said, "When one doesn't have issues to talk about, he resorts to abusing somebody else's mother." 

 

The Congress leader had kicked up a row in Indore on Thursday when he compared the falling value of rupee against US dollar with the age of the prime minister's mother.

 

Attacking Gandhi, Modi alleged that "coffers of banks were emptied for the rich during the madam's government". "However, our government opened doors of banks for the needy youth," Modi said.

 

The prime minister asked why the Congress was worried about Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan being called "mama".

 

"They are worried Shivraj is called mama...Why, don't you remember (Ottavio) Quattrocchi mama and Warren Anderson (then chairman of the Union Carbide) mama," he said, referring to the Bofors scandal and the 1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy.

 

He said the Congress was voted out of power in Madhya Pradesh 15 years ago because it indulged in the politics of divisiveness. -- PTI 

Asserting that the country is passing through a difficult phase, former president Pranab Mukherjee has said that the land which gave the world the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is now in news for rising levels of intolerance, manifestations of rage and infringement of human rights.

Speaking at the inauguration of a two-day national conference on 'Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation', Mukherjee stated, "We are holding this conference at a time when the country is passing through a difficult phase. Reading the newspapers in the morning is a painful and a distressing experience. The headlines are all about violence, anger, and hatred. The land which gave the world the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the civilisational ethos of tolerance, acceptance, and forgiveness, is now in the news for rising levels of intolerance, manifestations of rage and infringement of human rights."

"Peace and harmony prevail when a nation celebrates pluralism, practices tolerance and promotes goodwill among diverse communities and when we purge the toxin of hatred, envy, jealousy, and aggression from our everyday lives," he added.

Stressing on the need of providing basic facilities to the citizens of India, Mukherjee said happiness is higher in countries that ensure their inhabitant's basic amenities and resources, greater security, autonomy, and freedom as well as sufficient educational opportunities and access to information. "People are manifestly happier in countries where personal freedoms are guaranteed and democracy is secured. Regardless of economic conditions, citizens are happy in a climate of peace," he noted.

"For peaceful and harmonious social transformation, the society must have the capacity to meet the basic human needs of its citizens, establish the building blocks that allow citizens and communities to enhance and sustain the quality of their lives and create the conditions for all individuals to reach their full potential. Where people are largely dependent on the governments for basic amenities, good governance has a vital role to play in such transformation," he said.

Mukherjee also touched upon the issue of widespread "cynicism and disillusionment growing with the governance and functioning of the institutions such as Election Commission, Comptroller And Auditor General and Central Vigilance Commission".

"Institutions are a mirror of national character. To save our democracy, these institutions must win back the trust of the people, without any delay. Our constitution provides a delicate balance of power between various institutions of the State. This balance has to be maintained. We need a parliament that debates, discusses and decides. We need a judiciary that gives justice without delays. We need leadership that is committed to the nation and those values that made us a great civilization. We need a state that inspires confidence among people in its ability to surmount challenges before us. We need media and citizens who, even as they claim their rights, are equally committed to their responsibilities," the 82-year-old leader said.

Pranab Mukherjee also spoke on the poor quality of education in India and said that improving it should be placed on the top of the priority list. -- ANI

A civilian, injured in a firing incident near a security forces camp in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, succumbed to injuries on Saturday, officials said. 

 

Ishfaq Ahmad Ganaie was injured in the firing near the camp of army's 50 Rashtriya Rifles unit at Chattergam area of Budgam in central Kashmir  on Friday, a police official said. 

He said Ganaie succumbed at the SMHS hospital in Srinagar on Saturday morning.

Local residents had accused the army of opening unprovoked fire that led to Ganaie getting injured. 

However, Srinagar-based defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said the Army did not open fire and the civilian was injured in a "terrorist committed atrocity".

"In a case of terrorist committed atrocity, Ishfaq Ahmad Ganie of Magraypora was shot at by the terrorists, 500-600 metres away from Army camp at Chhatargam," Kalia said in a statement.  

He said when the Army troops heard the sound of the firing, the Quick Reaction Team immediately rushed towards the direction of the fire to find out what was happening.  

"When the party reached the spot, they saw Ishfaq in a pool of blood. He had bullet injuries, one in head and the other in leg and was immediately taken to Chhatargam hospital  from where doctors shifted him to SMHS," Kalia said. 

The defence spokesperson said the reports of "the individual lobbing a grenade on the army camp and the army retaliation are completely baseless".

Police have registered a case and initiated investigations in the matter, the police official said. -- PTI

The Election Commission has sent a notice to Congress leader from Rajasthan Dr CP Joshi seeking his reply by 11 pm tomorrow on his "Brahmins" remark.

On November 21, the Congress leader while addressing a rally in Nathdwara constituency in Rajasthan, had said that that only Brahmins can talk about Hinduism. 

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minister Uma Bharti, he questioned why the two speak on Hindu religion when they are not Brahmins or Pandits.

"They say a Congressi cannot be a Hindu, who gave them the authority to issue certificates? Have they opened a university? If anyone knows about religion then it's Pandits/Brahmins. They are just misguiding the people by such moves. Uma Bharti is a Lodhi, and she talks about Hinduism, the prime minister talks about Hinduism. It is only Brahmins who don't talk about it. The country is being misled. Religion and governance are two different things. Everyone has the right to practice their religion," Joshi had said.

The Congress leader, however, issued an apology for his remark tweeting, "With due to the Congress party's principles and its workers, I express regret over my statements if it has caused hurt to any section of the society."

Congress president Rahul Gandhi condemned Joshi's statement and said, "CP Joshi's comments are against the Congress party's principles. No party leader should make statements that hurt any section of the society."

"I am sure Joshiji has realized his mistake in view of the Congress's beliefs and workers' sentiment. He should apologise," Gandhi tweeted.

Assembly polls in Rajasthan are slated for December 7 and over 2,000 candidates are in the fray. The results will be announced on December 11. -- ANI

The Punjab Police launched a massive search operation in Shadipur village of Pathankot district after a local claimed to have spotted six suspicious men.

 

The search operation was carried out on Friday evening after a farmer claimed to have seen six suspicious persons who were carrying backpacks, police said on Saturday.

He immediately informed the police which conducted a search operation in sugarcane fields of the area to trace the suspects.

"We have carried out search operation on Friday evening and as a preventive measure, we will again launch search operation in some more villages on Saturday," Pathankot senior superintendent of police Vivek Sheel Soni told PTI.

So far, nothing suspicious has been found, he said.

Meanwhile, in another incident, police also recovered a car near Muthi village of Pathankot after its occupants abandoned it.

Police believed that the car, bearing Jammu and Kashmir registration number, belonged to some bovine smugglers.

All the police check posts were alerted in Pathankot district to stop the car on Friday night after getting an input about the bovine smugglers. 

However, four car occupants avoided two police check posts near Kollian village and Ujjh area. But later, they abandoned the vehicle near Muthi village when they found it was not possible to give a slip to the police check posts.

Police have also traced the owner of the car which is registered in the name of one Hassandin of Kathua area. 

"A raid was also conducted at his house but he was not found," police official said.

Nothing suspicious has been found from the vehicle, police said. -- PTI

The special investigation team, probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, has named Hindu right wing outfit Sanatan Sanstha in its additional chargesheet filed before a Bengaluru court.

 

The SIT submitted the 9,235-page chargesheet in the principal civil and sessions court on Friday.

The chargesheet stated that a network within Sanatan Sanstha targeted Lankesh for no personal reasons.

It also said the planning to kill Lankesh took place for almost five years.

"The killer and the killed have no personal or any other enmity. Why she was killed? Because she believed in certain ideology, she wrote and spoke on that. So, it must be an ideology and it must be an organisation," special public prosecutor S Balan said.

The SIT has also sought permission to investigate the case further.

The first chargesheet in the sensational case was filed in May last.

Lankesh, 55, known for her Left-leaning and strong anti-Hindutva views was shot dead in front of her house here on September 5 last year, triggering a nationwide outrage.

Soon after the then Siddaramaiah-led government constituted the SIT to probe into the killing. -- PTI

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has left frorm Mumbai for Ayodhya today for a two-day visit. 

He will take part in rituals near the Saryu river where he will address sainiks among others. 

He will visit the site of Ram temple in Ayodhya on Sunday. 

Uddhav is unlikely to hold a rally in Ayodhya. 

His visit comes amid a clamour among Hindu outfits for bringing an Ordinance to build the Ram Temple.

The Sena, which is part of the National Democratic Alliance but has had strained ties with ally BJP, has demanded the Centre promulgate an Ordinance and declare a date for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

"Uddhav will perform aarti at 5.15 pm on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya on November 24. All Sena shakhas across Maharashtra and party units across the country have been asked to perform aarti at the same time," a Sena leader said. The local administration has imposed CrPC section 144 in Ayodhya, restricting assembly of people.

Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday called on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to assure him that Thackeray's visit will be peaceful and there will be no law and order problems from the sainiks. A team of senior Sena leaders, including cabinet ministers, have already reached the venue to oversee preparations.

Earlier this week, Thackeray had said his trip to Ayodhya was to "remind BJP" of its poll promise. "Many are questioning why we (Shiv Sena) remembered Ram now, when the elections are nearing. Why should I hide it? I have taken up this issue because of the elections only. I am going to Ayodhya to remind the BJP about the promise," he said.

The Opposition parties had criticised Thackery's plan to visit Ayodhya, calling it "stunts" ahead of the elections. Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan had alleged that Thackeray's visit is poltically motivated and meant to polarise votes.

The air quality in the national capital slipped to 'very poor' category on Saturday morning, and is likely to get worse in the coming weeks. Pollutants called PM10, which are fine enough to cause respiratory diseases was recorded at 372, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research.

The Particulate Matter 2.5, which are finer and are capable of entering the bloodstream, through the lungs, docked at 183 at 8: 15 am in the morning.

"Air quality index is in the 'very poor' category and expected to increase further by tomorrow but will remain in very poor. Thereafter a slight improvement is predicted. At present, wind speed is slow and hence not good for air quality as it allows pollution to get accumulated. Humidity continued to be high and the temperature is likely to cool, both unfavourable. Stubble fire will have a marginal impact," the SAFAR added.

At Dhirpur, the AQI was 335 at 8:15 am, while in Mathura Road area it dipped very poor at 363. Furthermore, AQI near Pitampura, Airport Terminal 3 and Delhi University stood at 379, 335 and 357 respectively.

The India Meteorological Department has predicted that the temperatures in Delhi will remain stable as yesterday, with highs and lows reaching 31 Degree Celsius and 13 Degrees Celsius along with haze and mist in the air.

Anand Sharma, a resident of Delhi said that air problem is not causing them breathing issue but also is harming their digestive system. He also said that a solid step should be taken to prevent the air from getting intoxicated further. " This is not the first time that this poor atmosphere has prevailed in Delhi. I am been witnessing this from the past 5 years. Something solid should be done now," he added.

The menace of air pollution is not restricted to Delhi or the National Capital Region, but, is also engulfing most parts of the country especially metropolitan cities. According to the data compiled by Central Pollution Control Board in October, out of 68 cities, only 13 had AQI levels lower than 100, while 10 recorded AQI levels above 300.

During winter season each year, most of the northern part of India suffers from a spike in toxicity in the air due to the change in weather patterns and crop residue burning in neighbouring states such as Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Not only that, a dip in temperature along with low wind speed also tends to trap the air pollutants closer to the ground.

Former President Pranab Mukherjee expressed concern over rising intolerance and violation of human rights, coupled with a widening gulf between the rich and poor with top one per cent rich pocketing the lions share of countrys wealth.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day national conference on Towards Peace, Harmony and Happiness: Transition to Transformation, organised by Pranab Mukherjee Foundation along with the Centre for Research for Rural and Industrial Development.

The land which gave the world the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and the civilisational ethos of tolerance, acceptance and forgiveness, is now in news for rising levels of intolerance, manifestations of rage and infringement of human rights, Mukherjee said. 

Peace and harmony prevails when a nation celebrates pluralism, practices tolerance and promotes goodwill among diverse communities and when we purge the toxin of hatred, envy, jealousy and aggression from our everyday lives, he said.

He said happiness is higher in countries that ensure their inhabitants basic amenities and resources, greater security, autonomy and freedom as well as sufficient educational opportunities and access to information. People are manifestly happier in countries where personal freedoms are guaranteed and democracy is secured.

Regardless of economic conditions, citizens are happy in a climate of peace, Mukherjee said. 

Voting for the third phase of the Jammu and Kashmir panchayat elections is underway.

  

The polling began at 8 am in 2,773 polling stations, including 918 in Kashmir division and 1,855 in Jammu division, officials said.

The voting would end at 2 pm, they said.

The officials said 727 polling stations have been categorised as hypersensitive, including 493 in Kashmir division and 234 in Jammu division, for the third phase. 

They said 5,239 candidates are in the fray for 358 sarpanch and 1,652 panch seats. 

Ninety six sarpanchs and 1,437 panchs have been elected unopposed in this phase, they added.

The officials said an electorate of 4,23,592 are eligible for voting for sarpanch constituencies while 2,70,668 for panch constituencies.

They said all arrangements, including security related, have been put in place for smooth conduct of the polls.

The nine-phased elections, being conducted on the non-party basis, began on November 17. 

In the first phase of the polls, 74.1 per cent polling was recorded across J-K, including 64.5 per cent in Kashmir division and 79.4 per cent in Jammu division. 

In the second phase held on November 20, overall 71.1 per cent polling was witnessed across the state with 80.4 per cent in Jammu division and 52.2 per cent in Kashmir division. 

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 21st round of border talks in China's southwestern Sichuan province on Saturday, officials said.

Besides the border dispute, the two senior officials at the picturesque Dujiangyan city, would also review the progress made in bilateral ties since the Wuhan Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in April, officials said.

Doval and Wang are the designated special representatives for border talks between India and China. The talks were expected to be concluded later Saturday.

This is the first round of talks for Wang after he succeeded State Councillor Yang Jiechi earlier this year. Wang has become the state councillor, a rank higher than the foreign minister in the Chinese government's hierarchy.

Announcing the talks on November 21, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang presented an upbeat picture of the bilateral ties saying, "We have properly managed the differences through dialogue and consultation. The border areas on the whole maintained stability".

Officials maintain that this round of talks may focus more on reviewing the progress on trade and maintenance of peace at borders than movement towards a solution to the border dispute as India is headed for general elections next year.

Since the first-ever "informal summit" between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi in Wuhan, the two countries have launched a dialogue between trade officials to enhance India's exports to China to address the over $51-billion trade deficit.

Since then, progress has been made towards increasing India's export of rice, sugar and pharmaceuticals. This is expected to come under review at the talks, officials said.

Negotiations between the special representatives are regarded highly significant by both the countries as they cover all aspects of bilateral ties besides making efforts to resolve the vexed border dispute.

The India-China border dispute covers 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet.

The last round, held in New Delhi between Doval and Yang, took place in the backdrop of the 73-day standoff between the two militaries at Doklam over Chinese army's plan to build a road close to India's strategic "Chicken's Neck" corridor connecting the north-eastern states.

The standoff ended after the People's Liberation Army halted the plans to build the road.

Sakshi Maharaj has come up with a new shocker in the run-up the Lok Sabha elections: Demolish Delhi's Jama Masjid because it has been constructed on the remains of a Hindu temple.

"The first statement I made in Mathura after entering politics was: Let Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi be and demolish Delhi's Jama Masjid. If you don't find Hindu idols beneath its staircase, you are welcome to hang me," he said at a public rally in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

The BJP leader also claimed that the Mughals had demolished temples across India and constructed over 3,000 mosques in their place. "They did this to crush the spirit of Hindus," he said.

The Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India, was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1656.

The polarising statement comes at a time when a number of right-wing leaders, including Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat, have sought a government ordinance to ensure the early construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya. 

This is not the first instance of the firebrand BJP MP from Unnao making controversial statements related to religion. In January 2015, he urged Hindu women to bear at least four children each to safeguard their religion. The same year, he proclaimed himself as a "true Muslim" and identified Prophet Mohammed as a "Great Yogi". A year later, Sakshi Maharaj justified the mob killing of a Muslim man in Dadri by saying that Hindus do not mind taking up arms to prevent cows from being slaughtered. "We will not stand by silently if anybody tries to kill our mother. We are ready to kill and be killed," he said.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took offence on Friday at what she described as the "sarcastic tone" of a reporter's question about the 2016 surgical strikes carried out by the army on terror launch pads across the LoC.

  

During a press conference, a reporter asked her as to why the NDA government was "tom-tomming" the operation two years later. 

"I got hurt by the way... in a very sarcastic tone you asked the question," an upset Sitharaman said. "The word you used....'bin bajaye (tom-tomming)... I understand Hindi...." 

During the ongoing campaign for assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, BJP leaders including party president Amit Shah have repeatedly referred to the surgical strikes of September 2016 in which the Indian Army destroyed terrorist launch pads by crossing the Line of Control.

The reporter had asked her whether it was desirable to go public about the operation and if it was in the soldiers' interest, and whether the Congress governments had never carried out such operations.

"Every citizen should glorify it. Should we be ashamed of attacking an enemy? They attacked our jawans with the help of terrorists. We targeted their (terrorists') camp," Sitharaman said.

"We should be proud of the soldiers who laid down their lives for our motherland. We should be proud of them. Should we be ashamed of it?" she asked.

"I got hurt by the way.. in a very sarcastic tone you asked the question... He may not have meant it," she said after other reporters tried to mollify her.

If Congress governments of the past had ever carried out surgical strikes, the party should have glorified them as it is a matter of pride for the country, the minister said.

A French NGO that fights "economic crimes" has filed a complaint with their country's Financial Prosecutor's Office, seeking clarification on the conditions under which the deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets was signed with India as well as the choice of Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence as an offset partner by Dassault Aviation, the makers of the jet.

The NGO, Sherpa, says its complaint follows the one by a former minister and an anti-corruption lawyer to the Central Bureau of Investigation against "Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'abuse of authority' and 'grant of undue advantages' in connection with the sale of Rafale, and the facts revealed by Mediapart and Sherpa's investigation."

The NGO, in its press release, has said it expects the National Public Prosecutor's Office to "promptly investigate the seriousness of the facts and the presumptions on the reported offences: potential corruption, grant of undue advantages, trading in influence, complicity of these offences, concealment of corruption and laundering of these offences."

Sherpa, which filed the complaint at the end of October, calls itself an organisation with the "mission to protect and defend victims of economic crimes drawing on the power of the law and to fight against the new forms of impunity linked to globalisation."

The deal for the 36 fighter jets with France has turned into a huge political controversy in India, with allegations of corruption and crony capitalism. The Congress alleges that Dassault chose Reliance Defence as an offset partner despite its inexperience in the field, to bag the Rs 59,000 crore deal. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has accused Dassault of lying.

The Congress also accuses the government of deliberately scrapping a deal the previous UPA government had negotiated with Dassault, for 126 Rafale jets under which 18 jets were to be supplied in a fly-away condition and 108 were to be manufactured in India along with state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Dassault and the government have, however, rubbished Mr Gandhi's allegations. "We chose Ambani by ourselves. We already have 30 partners other than Reliance," Dassault CEO Eric Trappier said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hoped the Kartarpur corridor would act as a bridge between the peoples of India and Pakistan that might lead to a better future as he referred to the fall of the Berlin Wall to underline the importance of people-to-people contact.

On the occasion of the birth anniversary of first Sikh Guru Nanak Dev, the prime minister referred to the Partition and said, "What has happened in 1947 has happened."

He said the issues between the governments and the armies would continue and only time will show the way out.

Underlining the strength of people-to-people contact, the prime minister said, "Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall. May be with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, this Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the peoples of the two countries."

Modi was speaking at a function to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at the residence of Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal in New Delhi.

He was felicitated with a 'saropa' and turban by Shiromani Aklai Dal president and former deputy chief minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal and president of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) Manjit Singh GK at the function.

A long-pending demand of the Sikh community to build a religious corridor linking India's border district of Gurdaspur with a historic gurudwara in Pakistan may finally be fulfilled with both the countries announcing that stretches would be developed in their respective areas.

In a significant decision, the Union Cabinet Thursday cleared a proposal to develop a corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district to the International Border to facilitate Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan.  -- PTI