LIVE! Pak minister-Mirwaiz's phone conversation: Foreign secy summons Pak HC

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Wed, 30 January 2019

Pak minister-Mirwaiz's phone conversation: Foreign secy summons Pak HC

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23:40 Pak minister-Mirwaiz's phone conversation: Foreign secy summons Pak HC

Pakistan High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood was Wednesday summoned by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale in connection with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's telephonic conversation with Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Mahmood was conveyed that Pakistan Foreign Minister's action was a brazen attempt to subvert India's unity and to violate its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the External Affairs Ministry said.

"The High Commissioner of Pakistan was summoned by the Foreign Secretary tonight in connection with the telephone conversation initiated by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from the All Parties Hurriyat Conference," the MEA said.

It further said the "Foreign Secretary conveyed the Government of India's condemnation in the strongest terms of this latest brazen attempt by Pakistan to subvert India's unity and to violate our sovereignty and territorial integrity, by none other than the Pakistan Foreign Minister." -- PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party national secretary Rahul Sinha on Wednesday suggested that party activists should carry sticks for self-protection while attending rallies.

Sinha's proposal came a day after the saffron party's workers were allegedly attacked by the ruling Trinamool Congress cadre at Kanthi in East Midnapore district after a rally of BJP president Amit Shah there.

"The way our party workers are being attacked, I would suggest they should carry sticks for self-protection while attending rallies organised by the party. If you are attacked, you can protect yourselves," Sinha told a press conference here.

A TMC party office was ransacked, several workers of both the BJP and the TMC were injured and vehicles ferrying the saffron party's workers were set on fire at Kanthi on Tuesday, the parties claimed.

The BJP as well as the TMC organised protests here and in other parts of the state on Wednesday, blaming each other for the violence. -- PTI

Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde, whose comments have often triggered controversies, on Wednesday called Congress president Rahul Gandhi a "hybrid breed", saying how can son of a "Muslim" father and Christian mother be a Brahmin.

He also hit out at Gandhi for his repeated allegations targeting the Narendra Modi government over the Rafale deal.

Addressing an event in Uttara Kannada district, Hegde said: "...they have no sense about religion. See how much they lie, father is a Muslim, mother a Christian, son is Brahmin. How did it come?"

"You cannot get such hybrid breed in any laboratory in the world, it is available in our country's Congress laboratory only," he said, attacking Gandhi.

A priest at the Pushkar lake in Rajasthan, who presided over the puja offered by Gandhi during the poll campaign there, had said that the Congress president's gotra was 'Duttatreya' and he was a Kashmiri Brahmin.

Hegde's comments come days after he said at an event at Madikeri that a hand that touches a Hindu girl's body should not be there.

On Monday, Hegde referred to Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao as "a guy who ran behind a Muslim lady" after he criticised the BJP leader's remarks.

Gandhi had criticised Hegde's comments and said, "This man is an embarrassment to every Indian. He's unfit to be a Union minister and deserves to be sacked." -- PTI

Finance Minister Piyush Goyal will on February 1 present Narendra Modi government's sixth and final budget, which will be an interim one, keeping up with established tradition.

The budget will seek Parliament's nod for spending for four months till a new government is sworn-in.

Official sources said the budget documents will contain revenue and expenditure projections for the entire 2019-20 fiscal year beginning April 1, but a 'Vote on Account' will seek Parliament nod for the expenditure side.

While it is widely expected that the interim budget may contain tax sops and a certain package for the farm sector, there will be no Economic Survey detailing the state of the economy.

The new government, elected after general elections due by May, is expected to present a full budget in July along with the Economic Survey.

With the ruling BJP looking to regain grounds lost in the recent assembly elections, it was speculated that the budget presentation on February 1 will be just like a full-fledged one with sops and announcements to woo voters.

The Lok Sabha website, however, in its Provisional Calendar referred to the event as an Interim Budget.

The finance ministry also denied having instructed its staff to refer to the upcoming budget on February 1 as a 'general budget'.

Confusion was created after the commerce ministry on Wednesday in a whatsapp message to media said: "do not refer budget 2019-20 as interim budget, it is officially referred as general budget 2019-20".

However, the finance ministry later clarified that the budget will be called interim budget 2019-20.

There were confusion in political circle that the government may deviate from the practice of presenting interim budget and come up with full budget ahead of the general elections. -- PTI

Chanda Kochhar said she is "disappointed, hurt and shocked" by ICICI Bank decision on Wednesday to treat her resignation as a "termination for cause" after an independent probe indicted her.

Kochhar, the first woman CEO of a bank in the country, also said she served the ICICI group for 34 long years "with all my dedication and hard work" and the bank's latest decision has caused her "immense hurt and pain".

An independent enquiry conducted by retired Supreme Court judge BN Srikrishna has indicted Kochhar, who had led the bank for nearly a decade, for violating various regulations, following which the lender decided to stop all unpaid retirement benefits and also recover bonuses paid to her since 2009.

"I am utterly disappointed, hurt and shocked by the decision," Kochhar, who was on leave from June and finally resigned early October, said in a statement this evening.

She was quick to add that none of the credit decisions at the bank are unilateral and the bank has established processes and systems which involve a committee-based collective decision-making.

"The organisational design and the structure obviate the possibility of conflict of interest," she claimed.

The remarks come days after the CBI named Kochhar, her husband Deepak along with VN Dhoot of Videocon Group and the then entire the entire credit committee members of ICICI Bank who are today heading other large financial institutions, in the FIR.

The case relates to a Rs 3,250-crore the bank had extended in 2011 to the Videocon group and the ensuing benefits his husband gained in business from the Dhoots. The loan became dud and the entire group has gone belly up.

Kochhar said she had served the ICICI group for 34 years "with all my dedication and hard work" and the decision from the bank today has caused her "immense hurt and pain".

"I have pursued my career as an independent professional with utmost honesty, dignity and integrity. I continue to have faith and belief in my conduct as a professional and I am certain that truth will ultimately prevail," she said. -- PTI

Responding to ailing Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar's letter, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that he hasn't shared details of their conversation but has referred to what is in public domain.

Rahul said that he understands the pressure Parrikar is in after their meeting yesterday.

"I empathise with your situation; I understand the immense pressure you are under after our meeting yesterday," he said in a statement.

He further said, "Pressure forced Parrikar to take unusual step of demonstrating loyalty to PM (Narendra Modi) and cronies by attacking me in uncharacteristic manner."

Gandhi was replying to Parrikar's letter, which slammed the Congress chief for politicising their 'five-minute meeting'.

Parrikar shot the letter to Gandhi after he targeted Modi over the Rafale deal, claiming that Parrikar, who is a former defence minister, had clearly stated that he has nothing to do with the 'new deal'.

Amid strains in the Congress-Janata Dal Secular ties, Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday again threatened to quit if Congress leaders continued to take potshots at him.

"Yes, I had said I would step down if Congress leaders continue to take potshots at me. If they repeatedly make such statements, how many more days can I tolerate such stuff. Power is ephemeral. What is permanent is you (party workers) and six-and-a-half crore people of this state," he said addressing the National JD-S Convention in Bengaluru.

On January 28, Kumaraswamy had threatened to step down over adverse comments by a Congress MLA, prompting the coalition partner to swing into damage control mode.

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal and incharge of party affairs in the state said the party high command has full faith in Kumaraswamy and the state government.

On Sunday, Congress MLA ST Somashekhar had demanded that Siddaramaiah be made chief minister again.

Somashekhar had claimed that development works had come to a grinding halt here and other parts of the state.

Addressing the convention Wednesday, former Prime Minister and JD-S supremo H D Deve Gowda also said the chief minister has been hurt by some Congress leaders taking potshots at him.

He also referred to Siddaramaiah's alleged ambitions to become chief minister in 2006-2007.

"Back then, Siddaramaiah had told me that if I had put pressure on Sonia Gandhi, he would have become chief minister, instead of Kumaraswamy. Siddaramaiah is nursing pain and he should be seeking answer from Sonia Gandhi about it," Gowda said.

Kumaraswamy said amid alleged bid to topple his government, it was becoming difficult for him to direct his officials to address people's problems.

"They (BJP and some Congress leaders) are giving threats of dislodging my government by Shankranthi or Rajyotsava Day, besides during assembly session beginning February 6. Amidst these media leaks, how shall I ask my officials to address people's problems. Just think of the situation I am in? However, I should be grateful to my legislators who have stood behind me," he said. -- PTI

In a bizarre incident, a woman's leg got stuck deep in the toilet hole of an express train and she was rescued after the western commode was detached and cut open.

The woman, who was not a passenger, endured agony for about half an hour till her leg was freed.

The departure of the Hyderabad bound Charminar Express was delayed for about 20 minutes on Tuesday evening due to the incident.

A railway official said the woman, who appeared to be mentally challenged, got into the coach at the Chennai Central Railway station after loitering around for some time.

When she tried to use the toilet, her left leg somehow got stuck deep in the hole.

"We are not sure how her leg got stuck in it. She was brought out along with the toilet and was freed after the toilet was cut and dismantled," the official said, adding that she was also immediately provided medical care.

When the woman could not get her leg out, she raised an alarm, attracting the attention of passengers, who alerted the authorities. -- PTI

The next meeting of the selection committee, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to pick the new Central Bureau of Investigation director will take place on Friday, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also member of the panel, said Wednesday.

The last meeting of the panel took place on January 24 but it remained "inconclusive".

"The next meeting of the panel on selection of the CBI chief will take place on February 1 at around 6 PM," Kharge told reporters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads the three-member panel with Kharge and Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi as its members.

In the last meeting, Kharge had sought details of dossiers of all the eligible officers for the post. -- PTI

Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar assumed charge as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Wednesday, according to a statement.

Kumar, an alumnus of Sainik School, Amaravathi Nagar and the National Defence Academ, Khadakwasla in Pune, was commissioned into the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy on July 1, 1982.

He has held various crucial staff and command assignments during his naval career spanning more than three decades.

After completing his specialisation in navigation and direction at Kochi in 1989, Kumar served as the Navigating Officer of the Indian Naval Ships Beas, Nilgiri, Ranvir and Vikrant, the statement said.

His other sea tenures include Commanding Officer of INS Kulish and Ranvir and Executive Officer onboard INS Brahmaputra.

In the rank of Vice Admiral, he has been the Commandant of the NDA and the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, it said.

Kumar is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and has attended the Army Higher Command Course at Mhow as well as the Expeditionary Operations Course at Quantico, Virginia, US. -- PTI

An independent enquiry initiated by ICICI Bank has indicted its former CEO Chanda Kochhar of violation of bank's code of conduct.

The enquiry report submitted by Justice (Retd) B N Srikrishna Wednesday concluded that there was lack of diligence with respect to annual disclosures and violation of code of conduct, on her part.

The board of the bank based on the report has decided to treat her resignation as Termination for Cause' under the bank's internal policies. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stressed the need for a full-majority government at the Centre, saying "hung parliaments" stalled the country's progress in last three decades.

Addressing a gathering in Surat, he also defended the government's demonetisation move, saying it brought down prices of houses and made them affordable for the young generation by checking black money in the real estate sector.

"As you all know, India witnessed instability for 30 years due to hung parliaments, as no party received a majority. This had stalled the country's development. And the country even regressed on some parameters due to that situation," Modi said.

"We are progressing today because the people applied their wisdom in casting votes (in 2014 elections). Their votes eradicated that 30-year-old illness called hung parliament and helped form a full majority government at the Centre," the prime minister said.

"You can ask me what I have done and I can give you answers because you voted for us unanimously. We have done what we have done because of the mandate we got. If we were a coalition government, then we could have given many reasons for not functioning properly," he said.

Modi was speaking after laying foundation stone for extension of the terminal building of Surat Airport.

The prime minister said his government in the last four and a half years constructed 1.30 crore houses, as against 25 lakh houses built under the previous UPA government.

"Just compare those 25 lakh houses with 1.30 crore. If the previous governments had to do the work we have done so far, they would have needed another 25 years," Modi said.

The prime minister also justified his government's decision to scrap old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in November 2016.

"I was asked what has been benefit of the note-ban decision. You should ask it to the youth, who could buy houses at affordable rates after the decision.

"Black money used to be parked in the real estate sector, but with decisions like note-ban and RERA (setting up of Real Estate Regulatory Authority) we put a check on it," the prime minister said. -- PTI

This is what Rahul Gandhi said in New Delhi earlier today: "Ek taraf Parrikarji cabinet meeting mein kehte hain ki mere paas Rafale hawai jahaz ki file padi hui hai, mujhe Goa se koi nahi hata sakta. Unka mantri journalist se telephone pe baat karta hai. Modiji Parrikar ko khush karne ki koshish karte hain."

17:40 Cold comfort

Open air classes in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. People clear snow at a primary school in Kanol as students attend classes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while delivering a speech here, suddenly stopped as one of the cameramen fainted.Prime Minister Modi had just inaugurated the new terminal building of Surat airport, when during his speech he was seen gesturing towards his officers and SPG personnel after he observed from the stage that a cameraman had fainted.

The PM told the officers to urgently arrange for an ambulance for the cameraman.The cameraman, Kishan Ramolia had developed dizziness and fainted. He was immediately rushed to a hospital in a 108 Ambulance.

Ramoliya said, "I had no water since morning as it wasn't allowed inside, so I fainted. It's good that the PM was paying attention to his surroundings during his speech, he noticed me falling down and asked officers to help me."

Ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of using his courtesy visit to him for "petty political gains", asserting that there was no mention of the Rafale issue in their five-minute meeting.

In a letter to Gandhi, Parrikar asked the Congress chief to put out the truth and not to use his visit to an ailing person to "feed political opportunism", BJP sources said.

His letter came a day after Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal, claiming that Parrikar, who is a former defence minister, had clearly stated that he has nothing to do with the 'new deal'.

"Friends, the ex-defence minister Mr Parrikar clearly stated that he has nothing to do with the new deal that was orchestrated by Mr Narendra Modi to benefit Anil Ambani," the Congress leader told a booth-level party workers meeting in New Delhi.

His statement had come hours after he met Parrikar at the Goa assembly complex in Panaji. In his letter to Gandhi, Parrikar said he feels "let down that you have used this visit for your petty political gains. In the 05 minutes you spent with me, neither did you mention anything about Rafale, not did we discuss anything about/related to it."

Launching a fresh attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale jet deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday alleged that he "sold" the Indian Air Force and "stole" opportunities of the youth by giving away Rs 30,000 crore to his "friend" and businessman Anil Ambani.

The government as well as Ambani have strongly denied any wrongdoing in the Rafale deal. Addressing the concluding session of the Youth Congress nationwide public outreach campaign 'Yuva Kranti Yatra', Gandhi said no one will be able to suppress the truth about the "Rafale scam" and it will come out finally.

"The entire country knows that Mr Modi stole opportunities of the youth to give Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani. No one can suppress the truth about Rafale, it will come out itself," he said. "You have sold the Indian Air Force," he alleged, targeting Modi over the Rafale deal. He said the prime minister spoke for one and a half hours in Parliament but when asked questions on Rafale, he could not look in the eye and kept looking elsewhere.

"The prime minister is trying to hide the truth," Gandhi also alleged. "You (Modi) cannot sleep in the night. When you sleep, you see the picture of Anil Ambani, you see the picture of Rafale jet, you see the picture of IAF martyrs... this is happening due to the Congress and youth Congress workers who have shown you the truth. The entire country knows that you have played with the future of the youth," he alleged. Gandhi also said the Congress will not be on the backfoot and will instead play on the frontfoot. "Modi has to face the public in 2019," he said. Attacking Modi, he said, "The prime minister has worked on dividing the country, burnt the Northeast, Kashmir, made people fight in Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala." "2014 taught us a lesson that we should not be arrogant and have humility... We did that and now the atmosphere is changing," he said.

Poking fun at the Opposition's mahagathbandhan, BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday said if the alliance succeeded in forming the government, there will be a different Prime Minister on each day of the week with the country going on leave on Sunday.

Addressing a gathering in Kanpur, Shah said: "If the mahagathbandhan makes the government then we will have different Prime Ministers on each day like Monday it will be Bhenji (Mayawati), on Tuesday Akhilesh, for Wednesday Mamata Didi will take charge, on Thursday it is going to be Sharad Pawar, on Friday Deve Gowda will become the PM and on Saturday Stalin will be the PM. On Sunday the country will be on leave."

Sharpening his attack on the opposition's alliance he said, "For us '4B' means 'Badhta Bharat' 'Banata Bharat' whereas for them '4B' is 'Bua-Babua, Bhai-Behen.' This gathbandhan being formed against BJP is an alliance of crime, corruption and selfish politics. This is basically done to stop our popularity amongst people."

Elaborating that the functioning of the government and the law and order in the state has improved, the BJP president added, "Before we came into power there was no law and order here, but today there is. This government under the leadership of PM Modi and CM Yogi in the state is going to progress further." -- ANI

Goa CM Manohar Parrikar addresses the budget session in the state Assembly in Panaji sitting in his chair with a tube inserted through his nose, says he is high on "josh". Parrikar is ailing with a pancreatic ailment for many months now. "Today, once again I promise that I will serve Goa with sincerity, integrity, and dedication until my last breath. There is a josh, that is too high and I'm fully in hosh," the CM said.

Josh is a reference to the film, Uri. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharam had caught a show of the Vicky Kaushal-starrer 'Uri: The Surgical Strike' along with ex-servicemen at a movie theatre in Bengaluru on January 27. In a series of tweets, Sitharaman praised the star cast of the movie, including Kaushal, Paresh Rawal and Yami Gautam, and also posted a video of herself asking the moviegoers in the cinema hall, 'How's the josh?', which is a popular catchphrase from the movie.

16:41 Vivek Doval records statement against Caravan

NSA Ajit Doval's son Vivek Doval Wednesday completed recording statement in his defamation plea against 'The Caravan' magazine for an alleged defamatory article and senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh for using that content.

Doval told Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal that all the allegations levelled by the magazine and later repeated by Ramesh at a press conference were baseless and false and damaged his reputation in the eyes of family members and professional colleagues.

The court has posted the matter for February 11 when the statement of other witnesses will be recorded. Besides Vivek Doval, there are two other witnesses -- his friend Nikhil Kapoor and business partner Amit Sharma -- who will record their statements in support of the criminal defamation complaint.

Doval in his complaint had said that the magazine and Ramesh had attempted to "deliberately maligne and defame" him to "settle scores with his father".

The Caravan in its January 16 online write-up titled 'The D Companies' had said that Vivek Doval, "runs a hedge fund in the Cayman Islands" which is "an established tax haven" and was "registered merely 13 days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government demonetised all existing Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, in 2016".

According to the complaint, Ramesh had held a press conference on January 17 reiterating the "baseless and unfounded facts" as narrated in the article. -- PTI

16:15 Devour books, you say?

You know you are among India's most popular authors when your hotel does this for you. Jeffrey Archer tweets this image saying, "Too good to eat! Tiny edible books in my room when I arrived - thank you @TheOberoiMumbai."

Making yet another controversial remark, BJP MLA Surendra Singh has compared Congress president Rahul Gandhi to Ravana and his sister Priyanka Gandhi to Surpanakha. The Baria MLA called Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ram, while likening the two Congress leaders to the villains in Ramayana.

"My Modi is in the role of Lord Ram and Congress president Rahul Gandhi is Ravana and his sister Priyanka Surpanakha," he said on Tuesday. "Ravana has put up his sister against my Ram,' he said. "Rest assured that Lanka will be conquered," the Bharatiya Janata Party legislator said referring to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's entry into politics.

"By appointing Priyanka as general secretary, Rahul has already proved his incapability to fight against Modi. Now the brother and the sister will fight together,' he said. "How will they face the character and uprightness of Modi? It is a matter of honour that we have a leader like him,' he said.

Singh called the appointment of Priyanka Gandhi a "joke'. "This is a democracy. How does the sister become a general secretary? Now the brother-in-law will also come into politics,' the MLA said.

He said "these people' are not familiar with Indian culture, which can be looked after only by someone with a personality like that of Modi. Priyanka Gandhi was recently inducted into active politics by Rahul Gandhi, who appointed her the party general secretary for Uttar Pradesh East. Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi falls in this region as do the Gandhi family bastions of Rae Bareli and Amethi. -- PTI

Image: Ram, Laxman, Sita and Surpanakha from the epic Ramayana.

15:36 The assassination of Mohandas Gandhi

Mohandas K Gandhi was assassinated today by a Hindu extremist whose act plunged India into sorrow and fear. All that you wanted to know about what happened that day. Read it here.

15:34 Interim Budget on Feb 1, says govt

The Centre has struck down reports of a full Budget being announced on February 1. The provisional calendar released by the Lok Sabha has categorised the event as Interim Budget.

15:07 Demo made homes affordable to youth: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday credited his government's demonetisation decision for bringing down prices of houses and making them affordable for the aspiring youth. He also said that if the previous governments had to do the work that he has done so far, they would have needed "25 more years" for it.

The prime minister was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for extension of the new terminal at Surat airport in Gujarat. "I was asked what has been the benefit of note ban decision. You should ask it to the youth, who could buy residential homes at affordable rates after the decision. Black money used to be parked in real estate sector, but with decisions like note ban and RERA, we put a check to it," Modi said.

He lauded the Civil Aviation Ministry's 'Udaan' (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme - a regional connectivity scheme that makes flying affordable for masses, saying it will boost development of the country's aviation sector. The prime minister also said that during the last four years of NDA rule, his government constructed 1.30 crore houses while during the previous UPA rule, 25 lakh houses were built.

He also stated that for the last 30 years, the country had a "hung Parliament" due to which progress was affected. "But four years ago, people voted to give full majority after which the country is progressing rapidly," he said. -- PTI

A small team of Israeli scientists think they might have found the first complete cure for cancer. "We believe we will offer in a year's time a complete cure for cancer," said Dan Aridor, of a new treatment being developed by his company, Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies Ltd, which was founded in 2000 in the ITEK incubator in the Weizmann Science Park. AEBi developed the SoAP platform, which provides functional leads to very difficult targets. Read the full report here.

11am: Prayer ceremony at his residence at Panchsheel Park, New Delhi.

3 pm: Cremation at Lodhi Crematorium.

The day after, on February 1, his ashes will buried at Prithviraj Road Christian Cemetery in the national capital.

The CBI has registered five cases against employees of HAL Engine Division at Koraput, Odisha for allegedly causing a loss of Rs 13.28 crore to the public sector undertaking, officials said Wednesday. It is alleged that Bhaben Mitra, Senior Manager Finance, in conspiracy with other employees misappropriated amounts by committing forgery of documents, siphoning off Rs 13.28 crore from the coffers of the cash-strapped PSU during 2013-17.

The alleged cheating which started with Rs 13.11 lakh in 2013 touched a new height during 2017 when Rs 7.78 crore was siphoned off from the company using fake bills, they said. The agency registered five FIRs against Mitra and other employees of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Koraput on Tuesday.

In October last year too, the agency had booked Mitra for alleged embezzlement of Rs 5 crore during January-August, 2018 by submitting fake bills, work orders and invoices.

The agency had carried out searches during which it found incriminating documents substantiating that the alleged fraud was going on for long in the government-run institute.

The HAL Vigilance Department had on Tuesday sent five complaints related to frauds committed from 2013 to 2017, they said. Based on these complaints, the agency has registered fresh cases against Mitra, other staff members and private persons allegedly involved in the scam. -- PTI

One of Hollywood's all-time classics, "Gone With the Wind" is set to return to the big screen for its 80th anniversary. The film, that made Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable the favourites of hopeless romantics around the world, will be screened courtesy of Warner Bros and Fathom Events, EW reported.

"Gone With the Wind" will be screened on February 28 and March 3, playing at 1 pm and 6 pm both days at participating locations.

Set against the backdrop of the Civil War and Reconstruction, "Gone With the Wind" is the story of Scarlett O'Hara (Leigh), a headstrong ambitious American southern belle who would go to any length to save her beloved family plantation, Tara.

Complications arise with Rhett Butler (played by Gable), a rogue with a secret heart of gold, who knows he and Scarlett are meant for each other.

Released in 1939, the timeless epic is remembered for its performances, stunning costumes and the sweeping romance. Directed by Victor Fleming, the film received eight Oscars, including two honorary Academy Awards. Tickets for the film's theatrical return are available now at the Fathom Events website or at participating theatre box offices. -- PTI

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has come under fire from the BJP for his "everyone in naked in this Sangam" jibe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's holy dip in the Sangam at Prayagraj on Tuesday.

Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli said such comments on Hindu practices by an educated person like Tharoor is very unfortunate.

"This is very unfortunate. An extremely educated and respected person like Tharoor always comes up with such kind of comments related to practices of the Hindu religion" Kohli said referring to the tweet posted by Tharoor yesterday.

The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram had posted on twitter, "Ganga bhi swachh rakhni hain, aur paap bhi yahi dhone hain. Iss Sangam mein sab nange hain. Jai Ganga Maiya ki!" (Ganga has to be kept clean and sins also have to be washed there. In this Sangam everyone is naked. Hail Goddess Ganga!)."

Venting his anger at Tharoor, Kohli further said, "One will never find his tweet related to beliefs and practices of Islam, Christianity or any other religion. Why does he do so? If somebody goes to Kumbh to take a holy bath in river Ganga, will they dress in a suit, tie etc? Yogi ji along with other ministers took a dip at Sangam Ghat on an auspicious day. Tharoor must show respect for other people too."

Kohli also pointed out that even Congress party president Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Prayagraj soon to take the holy dip. -- PTI

A massive search operation is being conducted along the Indo-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district for the second day Wednesday ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state on February 3.

The Army, police and other security force continued the search operation in Basantar river area in Ramgarh sector besides other border hamlets, officials said.

The operation was launched following reports of suspected movement in border areas of Ramgarh sector, they said.

"A suspicious movement was noticed post Monday midnight by alert Army troops in Samba sector," an Army officer said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jammu and Kashmir on February 3 to lay the foundation stone of a host of projects, including the AIIMS project at Vijaypur area of Samba district. -- PTI

Image: Terrorists lobbed a grenade towards a police station in Kulgam leaving three civilians injured.

The chief of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), Ranjan Daimary (pictured), and nine others were sentenced to life imprisonment by a CBI special court on Wednesday in the 2008 Assam serial blast case that had claimed 88 lives.

Amid tight security in court premises, CBI Special Judge Aparesh Chakraborty pronounced the quantum of punishment for Daimary, George Bodo, B Tharai, Raju Sarkar, Anchai Bodo, Indra Brahma, Loko Basumatary, Khargeswar Basumatary, Ajay Basumatary and Rajen Goyary.

Three other convicts - Prabhat Bodo, Jayanti Basumatary and Mathura Brahma - will be released after they pay a fine imposed by the court.

The CBI court has ordered the release of Nilim Daimary and Mridul Goyary as they have already served their sentence.

Daimary and 14 others were convicted on Monday under various sections of the IPC. The NDFB chief's bail was cancelled immediately after his conviction and arrested, while the 14 others were already in judicial custody.

Nine serial blasts were triggered by the NDFB on October 30, 2008 -- three each in Guwahati and Kokrajhar, two in Barpeta and one in Bongaigaon -- killing 88 people and injuring 540 others. -- PTI

12:53

NDFB Chief Ranjan Daimary, nine others sentenced to life imprisonment by CBI court in 2008 Assam serial blast case.

12:52 Axis Bank shares jump over 6 pc after Q3 results

Shares of Axis Bank Wednesday jumped over 6 per cent to its 52-week high level after the company reported over two-fold jump in its third quarter net profit. The shares of the bank rose by 6.38 per cent to Rs 703 -- its 52-week high -- on BSE. Similarly, at NSE, its shares jumped 6.44 per cent to its 52-week high of Rs 703.35.

Axis Bank Tuesday reported over two-fold jump in net profit to Rs 1,680.85 crore for the third quarter ended December 31. The bank had posted a net profit of Rs 726.44 crore in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. -- PTI

12:34 'George Saheb as I knew him'

"During 2005 Bihar elections, Advaniji on behalf of the BJP announced Nitish Kumar to be the Chief Ministerial candidate of the NDA. We, in the BJP, felt that this was logical and would also help us in unseating Lalu Yadav's regime. A murmur of protest came from George. When I went to meet him, I realized, because of failing health, he had not realized the full implication of his reaction. His parliamentary tenure in Lok Sabha ended in 2009. He needed an official accommodation for some more time. Nitish Kumar graciously put him up as a candidate in a bye-election for Rajya Sabha where George entered the Upper House for the first time. His oath taking showed his state of health. He could politically no longer contribute. He needed help and assistance at every stage. The tiger had been tamed but his escapades would be remembered for a long time. George Fernandes was a parliamentarian for several terms. He was a Union Minister thrice. But he will be remembered for several agitations he lead, several positions he took and several causes he represented."

Finance minister Arun Jaitley pays tribute to former defence minister George Fernandes who passed away yesterday. Read the tribute here.

12:30 Three injured in grenade attack in Kulgam

Jammu and Kashmir: Terrorists lob a grenade towards a police station in Kulgam; three civilians injured.

12:16 Fire in Mumbai building

Just in: Fire breaks out at Mochi building in Girgaon, Mumbai. Fire brigade and police are at the spot, no injuries reported, says ANI. Details awaited.

BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Wednesday "warned" Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that BJP workers will not be cowed down, after violence marred the rally of BJP President Amit Shah in the state.

"I want to warn Mamata Banerjee, that this way the BJP workers won't be afraid and won't bow down. This will cost her a lot (Hum Mamata ko chetawani dena chahte hain ki iss prakar BJP ka karyakarta na darne wala hai na jhukne wala hai. Ye Mamata ji ko bahut mehenga padega, ye main kehna chahta hun)," Vijayvargiya told ANI.

During Shah's public rally in East Midnapore district on Tuesday, the vehicles used for ferrying people were vandalised by miscreants outside the venue.

Police said miscreants lobbed stones on the vehicles and also torched some of them.

BJP supporters had staged a demonstration, condemning the attack.

On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up Mamata Banerjee and expressed serious concern over the violence and asked that the perpetrators be brought to book.

The BJP has accused the Trinamool chief of unleashing terror in the state and called her 'Talibani Didi'. "We have seen as to how a very worried Mamata Banerjee has unleashed the terror of TMC on the BJP and the ordinary people of West Bengal," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters in New Delhi.

Social activist Anna Hazare (81) on Wednesday announced the beginning of his fast to demand the setting up of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states as the Narendra Modi government "had failed" to set up the anti-corruption bodies.

"Through Lokpal, even the Prime Minister can be investigated if people will give any evidence against him... Similarly, in Lokayukta a Chief Minister and all ministers and MLAs under him can be investigated if somebody gives any evidence against them. That's why they don't want it. No party wants it. Lokpal was passed in the Parliament in 2013, but the government is yet to appoint it," Hazare told ANI, beginning his fast in his village Ralegan Siddhi.

Asked if any of his past supporters, many of who are now politicians, would be allowed to join him at the fast, Hazare said: "We don't want political leaders with us on stage.

"To restrict Lokpal, they passed another law within three days, got President's signature also on it. But to appoint Lokpal, they have taken five years and nothing has been done. We don't want political leaders with us on stage."

January 30 is the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, which is also observed as Martyrs' Day. As per provisions of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, a Lokpal as anti-corruption authority or ombudsman would be set up at the Central level, while a Lokayukta will be set up in each state.

"It has been five years now, but the Prime Minister Modi-led government at the Centre is making excuses. If they wanted, they could have done the needful by now," Hazare had said on Tuesday.

"I will not be fasting against a party or a person. I will be protesting for the betterment of the nation," said Hazare.

In July last year, the Supreme Court had expressed its displeasure over non-appointment of Lokpal by the central government. In September, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government had appointed a Search Committee to nominate the chairperson and members of the Lokpal. Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai was nominated as chairperson of the committee.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court asked the Lokpal Search Committee to complete its task of short-listing names for a Lokpal by February-end and submit the list for consideration to the Selection Committee. The apex court will hear the plea on March 7.

11:53 Monumental failures in implementing MGNREGA

Rural distress, the crisis in the agricultural sector, drought in several states and an election year -- everything that should spell high allocations and commitment to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. But as with budget statements over the last five years, we are likely to hear a repeat of the same tall claims of the 'highest allocation ever' -- actually concealing more than it reveals.

In fact, the MGNREGA has been suffering from a shortage of funds for over seven years now. In all likelihood, even in this budget, it will continue to suffer from its biggest challenge -- a sustained and continual fund crunch.

Read Nikhil Dey's column here.

Polling began in the third and final phase of the Panchayat elections in Telangana Wednesday. The first ever polls for panchayats after the formation of the State in 2014 are being held in three phases. The first and second phases were held on January 21 and 25 respectively.

Polling began at 7 am and will end at 1 pm while counting will be taken up from 2 pm. Though 4,116 panchayats were scheduled to go to the polls in the third phase, the election was declared unanimous in 577 panchayats, and polling to another ten was cancelled due to other reasons, SEC had said. -- PTI

The Supreme Court tells Karti Chidambaram to appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in the Aircel-Maxis and INX Media case on March 5, 6, 7 and 12.

The Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said, "If you (Karti) don't cooperate in the investigation as you were doing in the past, we will come down heavily on you."

The CJI added, "You can go wherever you want to, you can do whatever you want, but don't play around with the law." The SC directed Karti Chidambaram to deposit Rs 10 crore with the registry as one of the conditions for allowing him to go abroad.

The court warned him that not an inch of non cooperation would help.

"We will come down heavily, if an iota of non cooperation found," it said.

A Delhi court Monday had extended till February 18 the interim protection from arrest granted to former Union minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti from arrest in the Aircel-Maxis scam.

The case relates to alleged irregularities in grant of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

With two members of the National Statistical Commission resigning, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday said that one more venerable institution has "died' due to the government's "malicious negligence".

The former finance minister's attack on the government came in the wake of two independent members of the National Statistical Commission (NSC) -- P C Mohanan and J V Meenakshi -- resigning on Monday over disagreement with the government on certain issues. Mohanan was also the acting chairperson. "We mourn the death of the National Statistical Commission and remember with gratitude its valiant fight to release untainted GDP data and employment data. May the NSC rest in peace until it is re-born again!' Chidambaram said in a series of tweets.

With the two members quitting, the NSC now has only two members -- Chief Statistician Pravin Srivastava and NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant. In November last year, the NITI Aayog had come under fire for announcing the revised GDP data of the UPA years. NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar and Chief Statistician Srivastava had announced the back-series data by the government. -- PTI

The Enforcement Directorate has issued a show cause notice against Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan in connection with an alleged foreign exchange violation case against him, officials said Wednesday.

They said the notice for violation of forex funds to the tune of Rs 2 crore has been issued under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), after the probe in the case was completed recently. They added Khan, who is popular for his renditions in India and Pakistan, has been asked to reply to the notice within 45 days.

The case pertains to the probe agency initiating a FEMA investigation against him and his associates in 2014 after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), in 2011, intercepted Khan and his manager, Marrouf Ali Khan, at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi for allegedly carrying an undeclared amount of USD 1.24 lakh and some other instruments in foreign currency.

The ED, which is the central agency to probe such forex contraventions under the FEMA, took over the case after this episode. It had initiated the step after obtaining records of the said cash from the RBI.

The singer, who has been grilled by the ED in this case in the past, had said he had done nothing wrong and they were carrying the large amount of cash because they were travelling in a group and the act was inadvertent.
-- PTI

Indian-origin presidential hopeful Kamala Harris' town hall on CNN with an average of 1.957 million viewers got the network its highest ratings ever for such an event with an individual election candidate, according to the network.

Harris, 54, who was elected to the Senate in 2016, announced her run for presidency last week. She has been voted on top of the list of Democratic leaders aspiring to defeat President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election.

Harris, the second African-American woman elected to the US senate, has drawn comparisons to Barack Obama since early in her political career. CNN announced Tuesday that the broadcast was the most-watched cable news single candidate election town hall, according to Nielsen data.

The live event on Monday averaged 1.957 million viewers, a figure far greater than CNN's previous four town halls, which attracted an average audience of 1.119 million each, the network said in a statement. -- PTI

In an embarrassment to the ruling party in Gujarat, the state's education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama today wrote to rape-convict Asaram Bapu's organisation congratulating them for celebrating 14 February as 'Matru-Pitru Diwas'.

Chudasama thanked the ashram for organising its annual 'Matru-Pitru Pujan Divas' on 14 February instead of Valentine's Day, and congratulated him and sent him his 'best wishes' for doing "great work in making young boys and girls and unmarried men and women better citizens of India".

Matru-Pitru Poojan Divas is celebrated by the organisation 'so that the youth remember their parents with gratitude instead of getting influenced by western culture propagated by the celebration of Valentine's Day'.

Self-styled godman Asaram Bapu was sentenced to life in prison by a Jodhpur court which found him guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl in one of his ashrams five years ago. Madhu Sudan Sharma, Special Judge, SC/ST Cases, handed 20 years each in jail to Asaram's two aides, Sanchita alias Shilpi and Sharad Chandra alias Sharat Chandra, for helping him in the crime.

Image: The letter sent to Asaram's ashram by the Gujarat education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama.

10:17 The fractured face of George Fernandes

"He would often bristle at the suggestion that he had compromised his principles for power, defected from fiery blue-collar rights mongering to the conformist black shirts. He would pull out the Lohia doctrine as defence -- how his socialist mentor had made a compact with the Sanghis as counter to the Congress.

In a life riven with beguiling chasms between the purported and the real, anti-Congressism remained a core constant to the end.George never found it difficult to justify incompatible alliances because he thought it natural to make friends with enemies of the Congress."

Senior journalist Sankarshan Thakur's ode to former defence minister George Fernandes who passed away yesterday. Do read

The rupee depreciated by 25 paise to 71.36 against the US dollar in early trade Wednesday amid strengthening of the American currency and rising crude prices. Forex traders said strengthening of the US dollar against some currencies overseas and sustained foreign fund outflows weighed on the local unit. -- PTI

10:05 Rahul at Rajghat

Back in Delhi today, Congress President Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on his death anniversary.

Unusual praise for Rahul Gandhi from unexpected quarters: Michael Lobo, Goa Deputy Speaker and BJP MLA on the Congress president's dropping in to visit Goa CM Manohar Parrikar. "Rahul Gandhi came on a special visit to greet our ailing CM Manohar Parrikar. His simplicity, humility has to be admired by all Indians and Goans. He is a very simple person and leaders like him are required in Goa and India."

Is the Raga Dalbadlo being sung?

Yesterday, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi met Parrikar at the state assembly complex in Panaji and enquired about his health. Parrikar, 63, who has been suffering from a pancreatic ailment, heads the BJP-led government in the coastal state.

The meeting comes a day after Gandhi alleged that the "Goa audio tapes", cited by the Congress to attack the Centre on the Rafale issue, were authentic and Parrikar was in possession of "explosive secrets" that give him power over Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India has improved its ranking on a global corruption index in 2018, while its neighbour China lagged far behind, according to the annual index released by an anti-graft watchdog.

India rose by three points to 78 in the list of 180 countries in the world, while China ranked 87 and Pakistan 117 in 2018, the Transparency International said in its Corruption Perceptions Index for 2018.

"As India gears up for its upcoming elections, we see little significant movement in its CPI score, which moved from 40 in 2017 to 41 in 2018," the global watchdog said.

"Despite spectacular public mobilisation in 2011, where citizens demanded that the government take action against corruption and advocated for the passage of the comprehensive Jan Lokpal Act, these efforts ultimately fizzled and fell flat, with little to no movement on the ground to build the specialist anti-corruption infrastructure required," it said.

The top countries on the list are Denmark and New Zealand, with scores of 88 and 87 respectively. Somalia, Syria and South Sudan are at the bottom of the list, with scores of 10, 13 and 13 respectively.

Overall, more than two-thirds of countries score below 50 in the 2018 CPI, with an average score of only 43.

With a score of 71, the US has dropped four points since last year. This marks the first time since 2011 that the US falls outside of the top 20 countries on the CPI, it said.

-- PTI

Two independent members of the National Statistical Commission, P C Mohanan and J V Meenakshi, have resigned over disagreement with the government on certain issues, an official said Tuesday.

Mohanan was also the acting chairperson. With the two members quitting, the NSC now has only two members -- Chief Statistician Pravin Srivastava and NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant.

"I have resigned from NSC. We thought that the commission is not very effective now a days and we also thought that we are not able to discharge the commission's responsibility," Mohanan told PTI.

Both members tendered their resignation on January 28, 2019, an official said.

The NSC, under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, is to have seven members, as per its website. Already, three posts were vacant.

The tenure of Mohanan and Meenakshi was to end in June 2020. They joined as members in June 2017.

Reportedly, these two members are said to have resigned over disagreement with the government over the Annual Employment Survey for 2017-18, sources said.

In November last year, the NITI Aayog had come under fire for announcing the revised GDP data of the UPA years.

NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar and Chief Statistician Srivastava had announced the back-series data by the government.

Foreign ministers from around the world will meet next week in Washington to coordinate the fight against the Islamic State movement after US President Donald Trump's controversial decision to pull out of Syria, the State Department said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will host a day of meetings on February 6 of the 79-member Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, which the United States assembled in 2014 as the extremists seized vast stretches of Syria and Iraq.

"The United States is determined to prevent a resurgence of ISIS in Syria and Iraq after the withdrawal of US forces from Syria takes place, and remains committed to working with the Global Coalition to continue to destroy ISIS remnants and thwart its global ambitions," the State Department said in a statement on Tuesday.

Trump, a longstanding sceptic on US foreign involvements, said in December that he was withdrawing the 2,000-strong US force from Syria and declared the defeat of the Islamic State group.

The coalition last met at the level of ministers in July in Brussels.

British MPs voted to reject a chaotic 'no-deal' Brexit by 318 to 310 votes but backed British Prime Minister Theresa May's bid to change the withdrawal agreement already struck with the European Union.

Conservative Party MP Caroline Spelman and Labour MP Jack Dromey had tabled an amendment to try to prevent a crash-out exit of the UK from the EU, which won the support of MPs by eight votes, undermining the government's argument that Britain would be willing to crash out of the EU without an agreement.

However, the vote is not legally binding - meaning it showed the view of the House of Commons but does nothing to change the Brexit date of March 29.

Soon after, MPs also voted in favour of an amendment backed by the government to seek "alternative arrangements" to the controversial Irish backstop, which seeks to avert a hard border between Britain and Ireland after Brexit.

May had said she was backing the amendment to re-open negotiations in Brussels with an "emphatic message" of what British MPs want.

The amendment tabled by Tory MP Graham Brady passed by 317 votes to 301 - a majority of 16, which effectively calls on May to renegotiate her Brexit deal with the EU and find an alternative to the controversial Irish backstop.

"We will now take this mandate forward and seek to obtain legally binding changes to the Withdrawal Agreement that deal with concerns on the backstop while guaranteeing no return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. My colleagues and I will talk to the EU about how we address the House's views, May said in a statement after the vote.

Britain is set to exit the EU on March 29 and there is a scramble to secure a Withdrawal Agreement that is acceptable to all sides before that deadline to avoid a chaotic no-deal crashout of the UK from the economic bloc.

Different Brexit factions have tabled amendments to Theresa May's exit plan, which she was forced to bring back to the Commons on Tuesday after MPs had overwhelmingly rejected her Brexit deal earlier this month.

Relations between India and China is expected to remain tense this year, despite the efforts of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to improve ties between the two nations, a top American spymaster told lawmakers on Tuesday.

National Intelligence Director Dan Coats said though Modi and Xi held an informal summit in April 2018 to defuse tension and normalise relations between the two nation post the 2017 military standoff at Doklam, they did not address border issues.

"Misperception of military movements or construction might result in tensions escalating into armed conflict," he warned.

"We expect relations between India and China to remain tense, despite efforts on both sides to manage tensions since the border standoff in 2017, elevating the risk of unintentional escalation," Coats told members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence during a Congressional hearing on World Wide Threat assessment of the US intelligence community.

Coats said Chinese leaders will try to extend the country's global economic, political and military reach, while using China's military capabilities and overseas infrastructure and energy investments under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to diminish the US' influence.

"However, Beijing is likely to face political pushback from host governments in many locations...," he said.

India has been severely critical of the BRI as the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is part of the BRI, passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India says it cannot accept a project that ignores its core concern on sovereignty and territorial integrity.

India was the only country in the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on June 10 last year which refused to endorse the ambitious BRI for which Beijing has signed pacts with nearly 80 countries and international organisations. -- PTI

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