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Sat, 24 August 2019
High alert along LoC, IB after terror threat
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21:44 High alert along LoC, IB after terror threat
Security forces are in a state of high alert along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir as the threat of cross-border terrorism 'continues to exist', officials said on Saturday.
"The threat of cross-border terrorism continues to exist. The security forces are maintaining a state of high alert," Principal Secretary, J-K government, Rohit Kansal, who is also the state government's spokesman, said.
Kasnsal was briefing the reporters about the situation in the state.
He said the day-time restrictions have been lifted from 69 police station areas in the Valley.
"The day time restrictions have been lifted from 69 police stations across the length and breadth of the valley, while 81 police stations in Jammu region are without any day-time restrictions," Kansal said. -- PTI
20:29 Jaitley loved Amritsar and its street food
As Amritsar was his 'nanka' (maternal grandparents' home), the love of former Union minister Arun Jaitley for the city was matchless and he was also very fond of Amritsari street food and culture, recall locals.
Paying rich tributes to the Bharatiya Janata Party leader, locals remembered how he loved to move around in its streets Amritsar and interact with the people.
Local BJP leader Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina ,who was the covering candidate for him during the 2017 bypoll for Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, said Jaitley acted as a bridge for the historic SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab.
"He was a visionary leader and was one of the tallest figures in the country's political history," said Chhina, adding that the nation lost a statesman-politician who was an asset not only for the party, but for the whole nation.
"He used to love Amritsari street food and culture and knew all the eating joints in the walled city areas. His love for the city was matchless as Amritsar was his 'nanka' (maternal parents' home)," the BJP leader said.
Jaitley would always say that Hindu-Sikh unity was paramount in Punjab and was the votary for SAD-BJP political partnership, he said.
Local resident Gunbir Singh said Jaitley used to cherish the food at Kesar Da Dhaba, Kultcha Land and Giani Tea where he would chat with the residents at length in Punjabi.
He visited the Khalsa College here several times and loved to interact with the students. -- PTI
20:16 Guj village adopted by Jaitley mourns his death
People of a group of villages in Dabhoi taluka of Vadodara district on Saturday mourned the demise of Arun Jaitley by downing shutters of shops and holding condolence meetings.
Jaitley, a three time Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, had adopted Karnali, Pipaliya, Vadia and Baglipura, all part of Karnali group panchayat, in December 2014 under the Centre's Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.
"People of Karnali and Pipaliya, Vadia and Baglipura expressed grief by closing shops and attending condolence meetings. Jaitley had rolled out a plan to modernise Karnali village, situated on the banks of Narmada river," Rajni Pandya, chief priest of a famous Lord Shiva temple in Vadodara told PTI.
"Jaitley helped develop various facilities in Karnali where lakhs of Lord Shiva devotees visit the Kuber Bhandari temple every year," Pandya said.
Jaitley had spent a day in his adopted village on June 1, 2015, and had also laid the foundation stone of a water tank and modern post office.
Among his plans for the village was construction of a bridge between Karnali and Chandod, located on the other side of the Narmada river, so that devotees could visit religious places without having to take a long road detour.
"We had been holding special prayers in the temple every day from August 10, soon after Jaitley was admitted in AIIMS.
The puja continued till today," he said. -- PTI
19:51 Hryana govt to observe 2-day state mourning for Arun Jaitley
The Haryana government has decided to observe a two-day state mourning as a mark of respect to former Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, who died in New Delhi on Saturday.
According to a circular issued by the chief secretary office in Chandigarh, the national flag will fly at half-mast from August 24 to August 25 in the state on all the buildings where it is flown regularly, and there will be no official programmes on these days.
Jaitley, 66, died at AIIMS in New Delhi on Saturday after being admitted on August 9 following complaints of breathlessness and restlessness. -- PTI
19:01 Oppn delegation sent back from Srinagar airport
Delegation of opposition leaders comprising Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad, D Raja, Sharad Yadav, Manoj Jha, Majeed Memon, and others that had reached Srinagar was sent back.
The delegation arrived at Delhi airport a while ago.
After arriving at Delhi airport, Rahul Gandhi said, "Some days ago I was invited by Governor to visit Jammu and Kashmir. I accepted the invitation. We wanted to get a sense of what people are going through, but we weren't allowed beyond the airport.
"Press people with us were mishandled, beaten. It's clear that situation in J&K isn't normal."
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "We weren't allowed to go to the city, but the situation in J&K is terrifying. The stories we heard from the passengers of Kashmir present in our flight, would bring tears even to a stone." -- ANI
18:45 Jaitley was every non-BJP person's favourite BJP-ite: Jairam Ramesh
In a fitting tribute to Arun Jaitley's camaraderie with opposition leaders, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said the former finance minister was 'every non-BJP person's favourite BJP-ite'.
'Arun Jaitley was every non-BJP person's favourite BJP-ite. Son-in-law of stalwart J&K Congressman, he was amongst the sharpest legal and political brains with a great sense of humour and repartee,' Ramesh said in his tribute to Jaitley.
'I once referred to him as Bedi+Pras(anna)+Chandra+Venkat for his extraordinary spinning abilities and he enjoyed it hugely. The GST Council may be amongst his most enduring contributions,' he said.
Bishan Singh Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Erapalli Prasanna and S Venkataraghavan comprised the famous spin quartet in the Indian cricket team in the 1960s and 70s. -- PTI
IMAGE: Actress turned BJP Lok Sabha MP Locket Chatterjee pays tribute to former finance minister Arun Jaitley at the ancestral house of Swami Vivekananda, in Kolkata, on Saturday Photograph: PTI Photo
17:59 Jaitley's body taken to his residence
President Ram Nath Kovind, Union home minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other leaders paid floral tributes to Arun Jaitley at his Kailash Colony residence in New Delhi on Saturday.
Union ministers Shah, S Jaishankar, Ravishankar Prasad, Harsh Vardhan, Jitendra Singh and BJP working president J P Nadda were among those who paid their last respects to Jaitley.
A number of Delhi BJP leaders, east Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir and party workers also paid homage to the senior BJP leader.
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia also paid tributes to the former finance minister. -- PTI
17:19 Shah pays tribute to Jaitley
Union Home Minister Amit Shah pays tribute to former Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at the latter's residence in New Delhi. -- ANI
16:53 Team India to wear black bands in today's match
Indian cricket team to wear black arm bands in its match against West Indies today to condole the demise of Arun Jaitley, who was also the president of the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) and former vice-president of BCCI. -- ANI
16:49 Jaitley demise: Maha CM suspends 'Mahajanadesh Yatra' for tomorrow
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has suspended his ongoing 'Mahajanadesh Yatra' for a day on Sunday in view of former Union finance minister Arun Jaitley's death.
Fadnavis will meet people as per schedule on Saturday, but will not deliver speeches or accept garlands, state Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Sujitsinh Thakur said in a statement.
"In view of Jaitley's death, the CM will only meet people. Various functions to welcome the chief minister will not be held...garlands will not be accepted. The yatra will be completely suspended on Sunday," Thakur said.
The yatra will proceed from Pathardi in Ahmednagar as per schedule on Monday.
The chief minister embarked on the month-long mass outreach campaign on August 1, carrying the message of good governance to consolidate the party across Maharashtra, where elections are due in September-October period.
Earlier, the yatra was suspended briefly following floods in western Maharashtra. -- PTI
16:11 Personally saddened by Jaitley's demise: CJI
Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Saturday said with the demise of Arun Jaitley, the country has lost 'an eminent senior advocate' and 'a tall leader'.
"I am personally, deeply saddened by the passing of Arun Jaitley," the CJI told PTI.
Justice Gogoi said on behalf of the country's judiciary, "I express my condolences to his family and pray for the noble soul to rest in peace." -- PTI
15:38
Bharatiya Janata Party Working President J P Nadda and Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan laid wreaths on mortal remains of Arun Jaitley, on behalf of BJP president Amit Shah and PM Modi, respectively.
MoS in Prime Minister's Office Dr Jitendra Singh also paid his tributes. -- ANI
15:35
Mortal remains of Arun Jaitley being taken to his residence from All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, where he passed away, earlier today. -- ANI
15:14 Workers of Ordnance factories call off their strike
Defence production at 41 facilities across the country is likely to normalise from Monday, with the unions representing civilian employees of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) on Saturday calling off their ongoing one-month strike over the Centre's corporatisation plans.
A joint statement by the three recognised federations representing civilian employees at OFB's 41 factories said that they have taken a decision to 'postpone' the ongoing strike from Monday (August 26), claiming that they have been assured by the government that no final decision has been taken to corporatise the ordnance factories.
The three recognised federations are All India Defence Employees Federation, the Indian National Defence Workers Federation and the Bharathiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh.
They claimed that they decided to postpone the ongoing strike, 'considering the statement made by the Secretary, Defence Production, that no final decision has been taken by the government to corporatise the ordnance factories and also the assurance that all the concerns expressed by the federations will be considered by a high level committee'.
The joint statement said that the decision was taken following a meeting between the Secretary, Defence Production, with the federations.
It said that a decision has been taken at the meeting that a high level committee will be constituted by the government to discuss the issues raised by the federations.
Defence production at the ordnance factories, which manufacture sophisticated weapons and equipment from tanks and artillery guns to specialised vehicles and ammunition, was affected with the 82,000-strong work force going on a strike from August 20 to protest the Centre's plan to corporatise the Ordnance Factory Board.
The unions claimed that the government's motive was to ultimately privatise the defence production facilities of OFB, which is under the Defence ministry, while the government asserted that it has no such plans. -- PTI
15:07 Jaitley's last rites to be performed tomorrow
Bharatiya Janata Party Working President J P Nadda on ArunJaitley: His mortal remains will be soon taken to his residence.
Tomorrow, around 10 am, the mortal remains will be taken to BJP headquarters for people to pay their last respects.
Post-afternoon, the cremation will be held a Nigambodh Ghat. -- ANI
15:04
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has arrived in Srinagar. -- ANI
14:56 Jaitley's demise 'big loss' for country, legal fraternity: Attorney General
Attorney General K K Venugopal on Saturday termed the passing away of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Union Minister Arun Jaitley as a 'big loss' for the country, his party and the legal fraternity.
Describing Jaitley as the brain behind managing difficult situations faced by the BJP, Venugopal said he had lost a 'friend' who was an excellent lawyer and an equally good politician.
Condoling the death of the former Finance Minister, Venugopal told PTI:
"His death is not only a loss for the country but also the legal community and his political party."
"We all will be missing him and his memory will last for long future to come (sic)," he added. -- PTI
14:29 Docs began counselling Jaitley family last week
Health condition of Former finance minister Arun Jaitley, who passed earlier today had worsened in the past two weeks, a top source at All India Institute of Medical Sciences said.
A senior doctor on the condition of anonymity told ANI that a team of doctors at AIIMS started to counsel Jaitley's family members last week as chances of Jaitley survival seemed were very bleak.
"On late Thursday night last week, he was put on ECMO. This is a higher version of a ventilator. His lungs were not working. ECMO was used to manage his heart.
"As he was also diagnosed with soft tissue skin cancer, fungal infection increased extensively. Team of doctors started to counsel the family members as the chance of Jaitley ji's survival were very bleak," said a senior doctor on the condition of anonymity. -- ANI
13:39 Deeply saddened to hear the passing of Arun Jaitley: Congress
The Congress said it was deeply saddened to hear about the passing away of former finance minister Arun Jaitley, who died at All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Saturday.
'We are deeply saddened to hear the passing of Shri Arun Jaitley. Our condolences to his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this time of grief,' the party said on its Twitter handle.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, 'Deeply saddened to know of untimely demise of former Union minister and senior BJP leader, Sh Arun Jaitley. My heartfelt condolences to his family members. May God give them strength. May his soul rest in peace (sic).'
Jaitley was admitted to AIIMS on August 9. He breathed his last at 12.07 pm. -- PTI
13:20 Jaitley's family asks PM not to cut short visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Arun Jaitley's wife and son, and expressed his condolences.
Both of them insisted that the PM does not cancel his current foreign tour.
Meanwhile, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu who was to leave from Chennai for Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, has cut short his visit and is returning to Delhi following the demise of Jaitley. -- ANI
13:16 Jaitley dead: Shah cuts short Hyderabad visit
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has cut short his visit to Hyderabad, and is returning to Delhi following passing away of former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
'Deeply pained by the demise of #ArunJaitley ji. It is like a personal loss for me. I have not only lost a senior party leader but also an important family member who will forever be a guiding light for me,' Shah tweeted. -- ANI
12:50
AIIMS press release on Arun Jaitley's death.
12:40 Former minister Arun Jaitley passes away
Former finance minister Arun Jaitley, who was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, on August 9 after he complained of breathlessness, has died.
The 66-year-old veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader and a confidant of Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi, had been put on life support last week.
His health deteriorated late on Friday night, hospital sources had said.
Jaitley did not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election presumably because of his ill-health.
In September 2014, he underwent bariatric surgery to correct the weight he had gained because of a long-standing diabetic condition.
He had undergone a renal transplant on May 14 last year at the AIIMS, and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had filled in for him in the finance ministry at that time.
Jaitley, who had stopped attending office since early April last year, was back in the finance ministry on August 23, 2018.
A lawyer by profession, Jaitley had been an important part in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet in the BJP government's first term.
He held the finance and defence portfolios, and often acted as the chief trouble-shooter of the government.
Jaitley's death comes on the heels of another former minister and a veteran BJP leader, Sushma Swaraj, who had passed away on August 6. -- With agency inputs
12:30 Fire at cricketer Sreesanth's Kochi residence, none injured
A major fire broke out at the residence of cricketer S Sreesanth here in the early hours on Saturday, officials said. However, no one was injured, they said. Sreesanth was not at home when the house caught fire.
His wife, children and two helpers who were present at the Edapally residence, were rescued by firefighters.
Fire and Rescue Services Personnel were alerted by the neighbours after they detected smoke emanating from the residence.
A room was completely gutted in the blaze.
Officials suspect short-circuit to be cause of the fire. -- PTI
12:10 Oppn leaders leave for Srinagar
Opposition leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress), Anand Sharma Sitaram Yechury, Sharad Yadav,
Manoj Jha (RJD), Majeed Memon (NCP), Tiruchi Shiva (DMK), D Raja also board flights to Srinagar.
The
leaders arrived at Delhi airport on Saturday morning and boarded a
scheduled flight from to Srinagar.
Before leaving, the leaders insisted
that they were only going to assess the ground realities and not for
creating any disturbance.
"If the situation is normal, why they
are objecting to our visit? And if they are objecting, they should
accept that the situation is not normal. We don't need security," RJD
leader Manoj Jha said. -- ANI
12:03 Yechury moves SC for production of detained CPI-M leader in J-K
Communist Party India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court for production of party leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, who has been under detention in Jammu and Kashmir since the Centre abrogated provisions of Article 370, the party said on Saturday.
Tarigami, a member of the Central Committee of the CPI-M and four-time MLA of the dissolved Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has not been keeping well, party sources said.
The writ petition has been filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, the CPI-M said.
Yechury had travelled to Srinagar earlier this month to visit Tarigami but was denied entry. A delegation of opposition leaders is scheduled to visit Srinagar on Saturday. -- PTI
11:59 Rahul boards flight to Srinagar
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on board flight to Srinagar.
A delegation of Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, are visiting Jammu and Kashmir today. -- ANI
11:01 As netas head to Srinagar, govt says stay away
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and leaders of other opposition parties will today visit Jammu and Kashmir, where restrictions have been imposed since the centre withdrew special status from the state and divided it into two union territories earlier this month.
The Jammu And Kashmir Information and Public Relations Department tweeted political leaders should not "not visit Srinagar as they would be putting other people to inconvenience" at a "time when the government is trying to protect the people of Jammu and Kashmir from the threat of cross border terrorism and attacks..."
Among the parties that will be part of the opposition's all-party delegation that will land at Srinagar are Congress, CPI-M, CPI, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamool Congress and the DMK, sources said.
Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma are the senior Congress leaders other than Rahul Gandhi who will fly to Jammu and Kashmir.
"We are all responsible political parties and leaders. We are not going to break any law. The Jammu and Kashmir situation is very concerning. It's close to 20 days. No news for 20 days. The government says the situation is normal. But then they don't allow leaders to go? Haven't seen such contradiction... If it's normal, why aren't we allowed?" Azad said as he left for the airport this morning in Delhi.
10:39
JUST IN: Encounter between security forces and Naxals underway in Abujmarh area of Chhattisgarh. Two jawans have been injured.
More details awaited.
10:31 Sumit Nagal set to make Grand Slam debut against Federer at US Open
Sumit Nagal mounted a sensational fightback from a set and break down in the final qualifying round to earn his first Grand Slam main draw ticket at the US Open on Friday night.
The 22-year-old will now play his first Grand Slam match on the biggest court in New York as he was drawn to face third-seed Roger Federer in the opening round of the main draw.
The world No 190 beat 210th ranked Joao Menezes of Brazil 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the final qualifying round. He started on the backfoot, dropping a set for the first time in three matches. At one point he was trailing 5-7, 1-4 but turned things around to win nine straight games and take control of the match.
Nagal converted five of 11 break points he had and lost serve only three times out of six.
The former junior Wimbledon doubles champion was in the third round of Grand Slam qualifying for the first time. His breakthrough win means there will be two Indians in the mens singles main draw at a Grand Slam after over 20 years. The last time there were two Indian men was the 1998 Wimbledon when Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi played.
10:12 Jaitley's health deteriorates, say AIIMS sources
The health of former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is admitted to AIIMS, deteriorated on August 23, hospital sources said.
Former Union Minister Uma Bharti visited the hospital to enquire about his health.
On August 19, BJP veteran LK Advani, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, UP Governor Anandiben Patel, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal and BJP MP Maneka Gandhi visited the hospital to know about Jaitleys health.
Jaitley, 66, was rushed to All India Institute of Medical Sciences on August 9 after he complained of breathlessness and restlessness.
AIIMS has not issued any bulletin on Jaitleys health since August 10. Hospital sources on August 20 said he is on life support. A multidisciplinary team of doctors is monitoring his condition.
Jaitley did not contest the 2019 Lok Sabha election, presumably because of his ill-health.
09:26 Modi in UAE, will receive highest civilian award
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday arrived in the UAE where he will discuss bilateral and regional issues with the top leadership.
PM Modi reached UAE capital Abu Dhabi from Paris on the second leg of his three-nation tour to France, UAE and Bahrain.
During the visit, PM Modi will discuss bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and also formally launch RuPay card to expand the network of cashless transactions abroad.
"Reached Abu Dhabi. Looking forward to holding talks with His Highness Crown Prince @MohamedBinZayed and discussing the full range of friendship between India and UAE. Deepening economic relations will also be on the agenda during this visit," PM Modi tweeted
He will also receive the ''Order of Zayed'', the highest civilian decoration conferred by the UAE government.
From Abu Dhabi, PM Modi will visit Bahrain where he will hold talks with King Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and also witness the formal beginning of the re-development of the temple of Shreenathji -- the oldest in the Gulf region before returning to France on Sunday to attend the G7 Summit meetings.
PM Modi's visit to Bahrain is significant as it will be the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to the country. He would also meet and interact with the Indian diaspora during the visit.
09:00 PM greets people on Janmashtami
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday greeted people on Janmashtami, hoping that the blessings of lord Krishna bring happiness in their lives.
"Janmashtami greetings to everyone! May the blessings of Bhagwan Shri Krishna always bring happiness and good health in our lives. Jai Shri Krishna!," Modi, who is in Abu Dhabi, tweeted.
The festival is celebrated to mark the birth of lord Krishna.
-- PTI
08:38 Bhiwandi building collapse: Death toll rises to 2
The death toll in the Bhiwandi building collapse near Mumbai in the wee hours of Saturday has risen to two, police said. Five are critically injured.
The deceased have been identified as Siraj Ahmed Ansari, 27, and Aakhib Ansari, 22. The injured -- Abdul Aziz Syed Mullani, Javed Salim Sheikh, Narendra Bawane, Devidas Wagh, and Sufiyan Abdul Hasan -- have been shifted to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Bhiwandi for treatment.
"Four people have been rescued so far," Ashok Rankhamb, Commissioner of Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation said.
He also said that the building was in a dilapidated state and was being vacated when the incident took place.
"People had informed us that the building may collapse. I along with officers reached the spot and asked people to vacate the building. Most had vacated the building but then some people went inside to pick their luggage. Meanwhile, the building came down. It is an 8-year-old building and was built illegally. An investigation will be done," Rankhamb said.
Disaster Management Officer Santosh Kadam said that fire brigade and personnel of the National Disaster Response Force were engaged in rescuing people trapped in the debris.
-- ANI
08:09 Rahul, other opposition netas to visit J&K today
Congress's Rahul Gandhi and leaders from various opposition parties will visit Jammu and Kashmir today where restrictions have been imposed since the central government withdrew special status under Article 370 and split the state into two Union Territories earlier this month.
Among the parties that will be part of the opposition all-party delegation that will land at Srinagar are Congress, CPI-M, CPI, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamool Congress and the DMK, news agency Press Trust of India reports, quoting sources.
Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma are the top Congress leaders other than Rahul Gandhi who are likely to visit. Azad was twice stopped at Jammu airport, most recently on Tuesday, and was "forcibly" sent back to Delhi on each occasion.
CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury, CPI's D Raja, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, RJD's Manoj Jha and Dinesh Trivedi from NCP will also be part of the delegation.
The report says the leaders also intend to visit some other parts of the state, if allowed to enter.
So far, the government has not allowed any political leader to enter the state.
The Jammu and Kashmir Department of Information and Public Relations on Friday evening requested the opposition leaders to not visit Srinagar as it would "disturb the gradual restoration of normal life."
"They would also be violating restrictions that are still there in many areas. Senior leaders should understand that top priority would be given to maintaining peace, order and preventing loss of human lives," the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Information and Public Relations tweeted.
Nearly 400 Jammu and Kashmir politicians and leaders, including former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, were either arrested or detained following the centre's decision to withdraw special status. The move also prompted a stringent security lockdown across the region that included the snapping of phone and internet services, as the centre looked to quell protests against its decision.
00:22
Ganpati immersion preparations at Girgaum Chowpaty in Mumbai. Photograph: Sahil Salvi
00:00 Modi arrives in UAE
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday arrived in the United Arab Emirates where he will discuss bilateral and regional issues with the top leadership.
Modi reached UAE capital Abu Dhabi from Paris on the second leg of his three-nation tour to France, UAE and Bahrain.
During the visit, Modi will discuss bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and also formally launch RuPay card to expand the network of cashless transactions abroad.
'Reached Abu Dhabi. Looking forward to holding talks with His Highness Crown Prince @MohamedBinZayed and discussing the full range of friendship between India and UAE. Deepening economic relations will also be on the agenda during this visit,' Modi tweeted.
He will also receive the 'Order of Zayed', the highest civilian decoration conferred by the UAE government.
From Abu Dhabi, Modi will visit Bahrain where he will hold talks with King Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and also witness the formal beginning of the re-development of the temple of Shreenathji -- the oldest in the Gulf region before returning to France on Sunday to attend the G7 Summit meetings.
Modi's visit to Bahrain is significant as it will be the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister to the country.
He would also meet and interact with the Indian diaspora during the visit.
Earlier in the day, Modi held bilateral meeting with his French counterpart Edouard Philippe and discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interests to further boost the comprehensive strategic partnership.
He also met UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay and addressed the Indian community at the UNESCO headquarters after inaugurating a memorial at the foothills of the Mont Blanc mountain in the honour of the victims of two Air India crashes in France in 1950s and 1960s in which several Indians, including Homi J Bhabha, regarded as the father of India's nuclear programme, were killed. -- PTI
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