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Mon, 27 May 2019
Panel to probe Vidyasagar bust desecration

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23:25   Panel to probe Vidyasagar bust desecration
The West Bengal government has formed a five-member committee to look into the desecration of the bust of Vidyasagar during a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in Kolkata earlier this month, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday.

The panel will be headed by newly-appointed Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, and includes Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma, Additional Commissioner of Police Jawed Shamin and Principal of Vidyasagar College Goutam Kundu, she said.

"During the elections, miscreants destroyed the bust of Vidyasagar. We have formed a committee... It will look into the incident and its causes," Banarjee said at the state secretariat.

Two FIRs have already been lodged in the case and 35 people have been arrested, the chief minister said.

The college named after Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, a key figure in the Bengal renaissance, was ransacked and a bust of the 19th century social reformer shattered allegedly by BJP workers in clashes during a roadshow by party president Amit Shah in the city on May 14.  -- PTI
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22:31   Celebrate May 23 as 'Modi Diwas': Ramdev
Describing May 23, when the Bharatiya Janata Party rode back to power with a massive mandate, as a 'historic' day, Yoga guru Ramdev Monday said it should be celebrated either as 'Modi Diwas or public welfare day'.

The BJP won 303 of the 542 Lok Sabha seats that went to polls this time while the opposition was left way behind with the Congress winning only 52 seats.

The results for the seven-phase general elections were announced on May 23.

"May 23 is a historic day. It should be celebrated either as Modi Diwas or Jan Kalyan Diwas (public welfare day)," Ramdev told reporters here on the sidelines of a programme to launch milk and dairy products of Patanjali.

Narendra Modi is the third prime minister of the country who has been able to retain power for a second term with full majority in Lok Sabha after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

Speaking about Patanjali Ayurved Limited's latest line of products, the Yoga guru, who is the co-founder of the company, said Patanjali's toned milk, butter, paneer, lassi and chach were made from pure cow milk without any chemicals.

"These are cheaper and better than those of Mother Dairy and Amul," Ramdev said, without elaborating how Patanjali's products were better than those of its rivals.

He claimed other companies used a 'chemical colour' in its butter which was injurious to health.

The dairy and milk products of Patanjali are being supplied to Delhi-NCR, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Mumbai and Pune in the first phase and plans are underway to supply these soon to other states, Ramdev said.

On Sunday, Ramdev addressing a press conference had opined that India is not ready to deal with its population explosion and suggested some measures like denying voting rights and other government services to the third children onwards.  -- PTI
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21:39   Kamal Nath ready for floor test
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Monday asserted there is no threat to his five- month-old Congress government and expressed readiness to take the floor test to prove his majority in the assembly.

Nath's statement came in the backdrop of Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava of the Bharatiya Janata Party writing to Governor Anandiben Patel on May 20, requesting a special session of the assembly to discuss pressing issues and also seeking division (voting) on financial matters.

A division of votes in the House will indicate whether the Congress government enjoys majority support or not.

"There is no threat to my government. Let the floor test takes place. We are ready for it," Nath told reporters.

The chief minister along with senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh and others arrived at Shivrajpur, Churhat near here to pay tributes to Saroj Singh, the wife of former Union minister, the late Arjun Singh.

Saroj Singh died in New Delhi two weeks ago and her last rites were conducted at the family's ancestral place in Churhat in Sidhi district.

Asked about the Congress's poor performance in Madhya Pradesh in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections, Nath said, "During the brief period that we got, we are unable to apprise people about the number of welfare schemes implemented for them."

The ruling Congress won just one Lok Sabha seat -- Chhindwara (bagged by Kamal Nath's son Nakul) -- in the state which sends 29 MPs to the Lower House of Parliament.

The Congress won 114 seats in the 2018 assembly polls, two short of a majority in the 230-member House.

It formed the government in December with the support of the two Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs, one from the Samajwadi Party and four Independent MLAs.

Sources had said Sunday that Nath has made up his mind to expand his Cabinet and induct some of these MLAs to ensure stability of his government.

The BJP, which lost power in the state after 15 years, bagged 109 assembly seats.  -- PTI
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21:24   Khandu to be sworn in as Arunachal CM on May 29
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Pema Khandu will take oath as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on May 29.

'Pema Khandu will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on May 29. Extend my gratitude to BJP MLAs for electing Khandu as the BJP legislature party leader,' BJP leader Kiren Rijiju tweeted on Monday.

BJP emerged as the single largest party in Arunachal Pradesh by winning 37 out of 55 assembly seats in the recently held polls.

On the other hand, the Janata Dal-United won seven seats, while Congress and National People's Party could manage to win only four seats each. -- ANI
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20:29   Rajiv Gauba may be next Cabinet Secretary
Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba may be appointed as next Cabinet Secretary, replacing P K Sinha, whose four year tenure comes to an end on June 12, officials said on Monday.

Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, B V R Subrahmanyam, a 1987 batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, seems to be the top contender for the post of union home secretary after Gauba.

Gauba, one of the senior most bureaucrats, had served in various capacities in central government as well as in Jharkhand and Bihar governments, is supposed to complete his two-year tenure as home secretary on August 31.

There is all likelihood that Gauba will be the next Cabinet Secretary, the top post in the country's bureaucracy, an official privy to the development said.

If Gauba, a 1982 batch Jharkhand cadre IAS officer, is appointed as cabinet secretary, he will have a fixed two-year tenure, which can be extendable for further two years.

Incumbent Sinha was first appointed in 2015 for two years. He got an year extension of service in 2017 and again another year in 2018.

Both predecessors of Sinha -- Ajit Kumar Seth and K M Chandrasekhar -- had also served the post for four years.

Seth, who was appointed by the United Progressive Alliance dispensation in 2011 continued in the post till 2015 after the Narendra Modi government came to power in 2014.

As per the government rules, no government servant shall be granted extension in service beyond the age of retirement of 60 years but as per rule FR 56, extension in public interest may be given 'for a period not exceeding four years in the case of Cabinet Secretary'.

If Gauba's name is cleared by the Appointment Committee of Cabinet in the new government after it assumes charge on May 30, he will first be appointed as Officer on Special Duty, some time in first week of June before taking over the charge from Sinha, another official said.

In the central government, Gauba had served as secretary in the ministry of urban development, additional secretary in the ministry of home affairs, joint secretary in the ministry of environment.

He had also served as chief secretary of Jharkhand, Resident Commissioner of Jharkhand in Delhi.

Before bifurcation of Bihar, Gauba had also served as district magistrate of Gaya, Nalanda and Muzaffarpur districts.

Gauba had also served as private secretary to the then Defence Minister George Fernandes in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government.  -- PTI
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20:26   Citizenship amendment, triple talaq bills lapse
With the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha, the contentious Citizenship (amendment) Bill and the one on banning triple talaq have lapsed as they were not passed by Rajya Sabha.

The two bils could not be passed by Rajya Sabha in the Budget session, the last Parliament session of the outgoing government.

The term of the present Lok Sabha was to end on June 3, but with the election process over, President Ram Nath Kovind dissolved the lower house on Saturday.

The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha is likely to commence from June 6.

Bills introduced in Rajya Sabha and pending there do not lapse with the dissolution of Lok Sabha. Bills passed by the Lok Sabha, and pending in the Rajya Sabha, however, lapse.

The Opposition had been opposing provisions of the two bills in Rajya Sabha where the government lacked numbers.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 provided for according Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after seven years of residence in India instead of 12 years, which is the current norm, even if they do not possess any document.

The legislation was passed by Lok Sabha during the Winter Session on January 8 but could not be cleared by the upper house.

There has been strong opposition to the bill in Assam and other Northeastern states.

Student organisations, political parties and socio-cultural bodies have been protesting on the grounds that it seeks to grant nationality to non-Muslims who have come into India up to December 31, 2014, thereby increasing the deadline from 1971 as per the Assam Accord.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) bill which made the practice of instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) a penal offence, was opposed by the opposition parties which had claimed that jail term for the husband for divorcing his wife is legally untenable.

The government had promulgated the ordinance on triple talaq twice. Under the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2019, divorcing through instant triple talaq will be illegal, void and would attract a jail term of three years for the husband.

A Bill to convert the earlier ordinance, issued in September 2018, was cleared by the Lok Sabha in December and was pending in the Rajya Sabha.

Since the Bill could not get parliamentary approval, a fresh ordinance was issued.

Seeking to allay fears that the proposed law could be misused, the government has included certain safeguards in it such as adding a provision for bail for the accused during trial.

These amendments were cleared by the Cabinet on August 29, 2018. While the ordinance makes it a 'non-bailable' offence, an accused can approach a magistrate even before trial to seek bail.

In a non-bailable offence, bail cannot be granted by police at the police station itself.

A provision was added to allow the magistrate to grant bail 'after hearing the wife', the government had said.   -- PTI
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20:01   IAF chief leads 'missing man' formation in tribute to Kargil heroes
Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on Monday flew the 'missing man' formation in a MiG-21 aircraft to pay tributes to Squadran Leader Ajay Ahuja and other fallen heroes of the Kargil war.

He was accompanied by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) Western Air Command Air Marshal R Nambiar in the flypast organised at Air Force Station in Bhisiana in Bathinda.

The 'missing man' formation is an aerial salute accorded to honour the fallen comrades-in-arms. It is an arrow formation, with a gap between two aircraft in the formation depicting the missing man, the IAF said in a statement.

The Chief of the Air staff, led a four aircraft, MiG-21 'missing man' formation flypast to honour the valour and supreme sacrifice of men killed in action during 'Operation Safed Sagar' at Kargil, an IAF spokesperson said.

Later, in a sombre ceremony, he laid a wreath at the War Memorial to honour the IAF men who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja had laid down his life during the Kargil conflict.

He was at that time the Flight Commander of 17 Squadron and was awarded the Vir Chakra posthumously for his valour during the conflict which took place 20 years ago.

On the occasion Alka Ahuja, widow of Ajay Ahuja, also paid tributes to the late IAF officer.

On May 28, the air chief will visit Air Force Station in Sarsawa, Uttar Pradesh and fly in a Mi-17 V5 'missing man' formation to commemorate the Kargil martyrs.   -- PTI
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19:20  
UPDATE: The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, who is the current Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and the Prime Minister of Mauritius, who was the Chief Guest at this year's Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, have also been invited to PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony, the ministry of external affairs said.   -- ANI
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19:08   BIMSTEC leaders to attend Modi's swearing in
JUST IN: Leaders of the BIMSTEC nations will attend swearing in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 30.

BIMSTEC, or Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, is a group of seven nations including India.

Other members are  Bangladesh, Bhutan. Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

In 2014, Modi had invited leaders of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nations to his oath taking ceremony.   -- ANI
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18:30   FIR against Kannada editor for report on Gowdas
A case has been registered against the editor of a Kannada daily and its editorial staff for publishing a report about trouble within JD-S chief and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's family after the Lok Sabha election drubbing. 

 According to the complaint filed by Janata Dal-Secular state secretary S P Pradeep Kumar, the newspaper, Vishwavani, had published a "false report" on Saturday, which created an impression that there was commotion and confusion among Gowda's grandchildren. 

A first information report (FIR) was filed on Sunday against the editor, Vishweshwar Bhat, and the editorial staff under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating) and 499 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code, the police said Monday. 

Kumar said the report stated that Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, reportedly shouted at his grandfather, Deve Gowda, holding him responsible for his defeat at the hands of a woman in Mandya. 

Nikhil had lost to actor Sumalatha Ambareesh, an Independent candidate backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, by over one lakh votes. 

Reacting to the FIR, Bhat told PTI the report was a source-based story and if anybody had any objection, they could have issued a clarification, which, he said, the paper would have carried diligently as it had done in the past.
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18:26   IAF chief flies in 'missing man' formation to pay tribute to Kargil heroes
Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on Monday flew the 'missing man' formation in a MiG-21 aircraft to pay tributes to Squadran Leader Ajay Ahuja and other fallen heroes of the Kargil war.  

He was accompanied by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) Western Air Command Air Marshal R Nambiar in the flypast organised at Air Force Station in Bhisiana in Bathinda.  

The 'missing man' formation is an aerial salute accorded to honour the fallen comrades-in-arms. It is an arrow formation, with a gap between two aircraft in the formation depicting the missing man, the IAF said in a statement. 

The Chief of Air Staff led a four aircraft, MiG-21 'missing man' formation flypast to honour the valour and supreme sacrifice of men killed in action during 'Operation Safed Sagar' at Kargil, an IAF spokesperson said. 

Later, in a sombre ceremony, he laid a wreath at the War Memorial to honour the IAF men who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. 

Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja had laid down his life during the Kargil conflict. He was at that time the flight commander of 17 Squadron and was awarded the Vir Chakra posthumously for his valour during the conflict which took place 20 years ago. 

On the occasion Alka Ahuja, widow of Ajay Ahuja, also paid tributes to the late IAF officer.  

On May 28, the air chief will visit Air Force Station in Sarsawa, Uttar Pradesh and fly in a Mi-17 V5 'missing man' formation to commemorate the Kargil martyrs.
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17:42   ISIS suspected to be behind Dhaka blast on Sunday night
A police officer and two others were injured in a powerful blast claimed by the Islamic State in Bangladesh's capital.

The explosives that lead to the blast in a police pick-up van in Dhaka's Malibagh on Sunday night might have been planted, Dhaka metropolitan P\police commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia said on Monday.

"We think it (the explosive) was kept in the car and not hurled at the police," he said while talking to reporters after visiting the injured at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

"Based on primary investigation, we think it was an improvised bomb, but it was more powerful than the usual ones used here," he said.

An assistant sub-inspector and two others were injured in the explosion. 

He said police have yet to identify the culprits.

Meanwhile, US-based SITE Intelligence Group said that IS has claimed responsibility for the blast targeting the police van in Dhaka.           

Terming the incident as an act to spread fear, the DMP chief said: "If they (the attackers) wanted, they could have killed our police officials."           

"Attacking a police vehicle or checkpost is a move to break down the police's morale and its initiative to oust terrorism from Bangladesh," he said.

-- PTI
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17:37   Have to do Ram's work: Bhagwat's hint at Temple
Buoyed by the Bharatiya Janata Party's massive victory in the Lok Sabha elections, Rahstriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday hinted at stepping up efforts for construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, saying 'Ram's work has to be done'.

"We have to do Ram's work and we will get it done. This is our work. Ram lives in us, so this is our work and we will do it ourselves. Even if we outsource it to somebody, we have to keep an eye," Bhagwat said while addressing an event in Udaipur in Rajasthan.

He, however, asked the people to stay 'conscious, peaceful, active, and strong'.

The statement by the RSS chief came three days after BJP stormed to power for a second term with a strong mandate of 303 seats.

RSS, the ideological mentor of BJP, has repeatedly called for the construction of Ram Temple at the disputed land in Ayodhya.


They even demanded from Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government an ordinance for the construction of the temple.

But the land in Ayodhya has remained disputed for decades, with both Hindu and Muslim groups claiming their right to it.

The BJP, in its election manifesto, stated that it would 'explore possibilities within the framework of the Constitution and take necessary steps to expedite construction of Ram temple'.

Bhagwat, however, on Sunday said, "If we surrender it to someone else, then there will be a need to monitor that person. Ram's work has to be done and it will be done."

The RSS chief also underlined the importance of working for 'the betterment of the institutions which work towards achieving that goal'.

The issue is pending in the Supreme Court.   -- ANI
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16:49   Sanctity of CWC meet should be respected: Cong
After the debacle in the Lok Sabha polls and calls for accountability, the Congress on Monday urged everyone to respect the sanctity of its working committee meeting, while asking the media not to fall into the trap of 'conjectures, insinuations, gossip and rumour mongering'.

Referring to the May 25 meeting of the Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party, Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it was a democratic forum for exchange of ideas and taking corrective action, adding that it was a 'closed-door' meet and any speculation about it was unwarranted and uncalled for.

He added that the CWC was a forum for formulating policies and taking corrective action and in this context, the members had expressed their views at the meeting.

Surjewala said the CWC saw the reverses in the Lok Sabha polls as an opportunity for radical changes and a complete organisational overhaul and authorised Congress president Rahul Gandhi for the necessary measures.

"The Congress party expects everyone, including the media, to respect the sanctity of a closed-door meeting of the CWC. Various conjectures, speculation, insinuations, assumptions, gossip and rumour mongering in a section of the media is uncalled for and unwarranted.

"The CWC held a collective deliberation on the performance of the party, the challenges before it as also the way ahead, instead of casting aspersions on the role or conduct of any specific individual. The gist of the deliberations was made public in the CWC resolution of May 25, 2019," the Congress leader said in a statement.

"We would request everyone, including the media, to not fall into the trap of conjectures or speculation and await the calibrated efforts by the Congress party towards the future course of action," he added.

Surjewala was reacting to news reports about the happenings at the May 25 meeting, the first of the CWC after the Congress's humiliating defeat in the parliamentary polls, where Rahul Gandhi offered to resign as the party chief.

Meanwhile, resignations of state Congress chiefs have started coming in with Punjab and Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidents Sunil Jakhar and Ajoy Kumar quitting their posts.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also met All India Congress Committee general secretary K C Venugopal and senior party leader Ahmed Patel, triggering speculation.

There are also reports of Gandhi not meeting anyone, amid speculation that he is insisting on his resignation.

The Congress chief, however, tweeted on Monday morning remembering the country's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on his death anniversary.

He also attended a prayer meeting in Nehru's memory. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former president Pranab Mukherjee, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former vice president M Hamid Ansari were among those who paid floral tributes to Nehru on his 55th death anniversary at Shanti Vana in New Delhi.   -- PTI
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16:15   Siddaramiah says JD-S-Congress govt strong
Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday asserted that the JD-S-Congress government was a 'strong' one and ridiculed state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa for repeatedly claiming that the coalition will collapse.
  
In a series of tweets, he also said the people's mandate was for continuation of the BJP-led government at the Centre and not for 'toppling' the state government.

"Yeddyurappa has been saying for the past one year the government will fall. He will continue to say the same for the next four years. I am confident the government is strong," Siddaramaiah said.

Referring to Prime Minister Narenda Modi bowing to the Constitution after being elected leader of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance on Saturday, he sought to know which article in the Constitution gave the BJP the right to topple a state government.

"@BSYBJP (Yeddyurappa) claims to form the govt inspite of not having the number. This is not a new drama but this is continuously misleading the public. Mr. @narendramodi bowed to the Constitution but in which article has the constitution given the right for @BJP4India to destabilise our govt (sic)," the Congress Legislature Party leader asked.

He asserted that all Congress MLAs, including dissident leader Ramesh Jarkiholi, were with the party and nobody was leaving.

Dismissing Yeddyurappa's claim that the state government would collapse on June 1, Siddaramaiah dared him to resign from his post if his prediction did not come true.

The BJP has predicted the collapse of the ruling coalition and an increase in its tally in the assembly after the LS poll results, claiming that 20 odd Congress MLAs were unhappy with the government and may take any decision anytime.

-- PTI
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16:00   Don't fall for speculations: Congress on reports about Rahul's resignation
Amid reports that Rahul Gandhi was insisting on his resignation, the Congress on Monday said that "speculating and rumour mongering" on the proceedings of the Congress Working Committee meet held on May 25 was "uncalled for and unwarranted."

"The Congress party expects everyone including the media to respect the sanctity of a closed-door meeting of the CWC. Various conjectures, speculations, insinuations, assumptions, gossip and rumour mongering in a section of the media is uncalled for and unwarranted," the press statement shared on Twitter by Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala read.

The statement comes after media reports quoted sources to suggest that Rahul Gandhi continued to insist on his resignation as party president despite the CWC rejecting it.

It was also reported that Gandhi was upset with three senior leaders, including two chief ministers, for them focusing on getting election tickets for their sons rather than working on the party's performance.

The Congress statement went on to add that the role of any specific person was not discussed with regard to the party's dismal performance in the recently-concluded national polls.

"CWC held a collective deliberation on the performance of the party, the challenges before it and also the way ahead, instead of casting aspersions on the role or conduct of any specific individual," it read.

Explaining the role of the CWC and the powers granted to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, it read, "The CWC is the highest decision making body of the INC. It is a democratic forum to exchange ideas, formulate policies and take corrective action. In this realm and context, members of the CWC expressed their views in the meeting dated May 25."

"The CWC looked at the reverses in the Lok Sabha elections as an opportunity for radical changes and a complete organizational overhaul, for which it authorized the Congress President, Rahul Gandhi."

The letter ends with a request to the media to not engage in speculations regarding the decisions to be taken by Congress.

"We would request everyone, including the media, to not fall into the trap of conjectures or speculations and await the calibrated efforts by the Congress party towards the future course of action," it concluded.

Amid speculations about his resignation, Rahul Gandhi met his party's senior leaders, KC Venugopal and Ahmed Patel, earlier today.

The Congress managed to win only 52 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, far behind the BJP's massive 303. Rahul himself lost from Amethi, the seat he represented since 2004.

-- ANI
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15:25  
Naveen Patnaik invites Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his swearing in ceremony on May 29.
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15:14   Kamal Haasan invited for Modi's swearing-in
Makkal Needhi Maiam president and veteran actor Kamal Haasan has been invited for the swearing in ceremony of PM Narendra Modi on May 30. 

Interestingly, superstar Rajinikanth has also been invited for the event. 

In the past, Haasan has been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. 

He has also been booked for terming Mahatma Gandhis assassin independent Indias first terrorist and pointing out that he was a Hindu. Haasan was booked for outraging religious feelings. The complaint was filed by Hindu Munnani District Secretary KV Ramakrishnan. 
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14:50   Rajeev skips CBI summons, sends letter seeking more time
Former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar skipped a meeting with the CBI officials on Monday despite being summoned by the agency for questioning in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam, officials said.
 
Kumar, however, sent a letter to the Central Bureau of Investigation, seeking some more time to appear before its officers in connection with the case.
A CID official visited the CBI office in Salt Lake and submitted the letter, in which Kumar said he is on a three-day off and, therefore, unable to attend the summon.

CBI sources said officials were at the Barasat court to prevent Kumar from taking any legal step to stop the agency from interrogating him.

The CBI had on Sunday summoned the IPS officer to the agency's Salt Lake office on Monday after a team failed to meet him at his residence in connection with the Saradha probe.
Kumar has been reinstated as the additional director general of the CID on Sunday night by the West Bengal government after the model code of conduct ceased to exist.
On Saturday, the CBI had also issued a lookout notice against Kumar to prevent him from leaving the country. 
 
The agency wants custodial interrogation of Kumar in connection with the chit fund scam as he was heading the police's special investigation team to probe the case before the CBI took over.
The ponzi scheme scam was over Rs 2,500 crore by the Saradha group of companies, which had duped lakhs of customers promising higher rates of returns on their investment, the CBI had said.  

-- PTI
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14:45   Ajay Devgn's father Veeru Devgan passes away
Ajay Devgn's father Veeru Devgan, a popular stunt and action choreographer of Hindi film industry, passed away today. He was admitted to Surya Hospital, Santacruz, Mumbai. According to sources, his funeral will be held this evening.

Veeru Devgan rarely attended events and parties. The action choreographer was last seen in public in February 2019. Veeru Devgan had attended the special screening of son Ajay Devgn-starrer Total Dhamaal at a preview theatre in Santacruz, Mumbai.

Image: (From left to right) Veeru Devgan with son Ajay, director Vishal Bhardwaj and producer Kumar Mangat
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14:26   Rahul asks Congress to find replacement for him
Rahul Gandhi has categorically told the Congress that they would have to find a new chief as he was not changing his mind about stepping down, sources said. 

The Congress chief, who  informed the party about his decision to quit following the party's decimation in the Lok Sabha polls, has refused to meet the newly elected lawmakers who called on him. All his meetings and appointments have been cancelled.

In a tweet this morning - his first since he announced his decision to quit -- he paid tribute to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru - his great-grandfather - to mark his death anniversary.

Sources close to Rahul Gandhi said he is "not abandoning the post" even though he is determined to quit. He will give the party time to choose a new person for the top job.

Rahul Gandhi's mother Sonia Gandhi and sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reportedly agree with his decision - they had initially tried to get him to change his mind - and acknowledge that the Congress "has to come to terms with the fact that there has to be a change of guard" and a total reset.

Sources also say Rahul Gandhi has not changed his mind, despite several Congress leaders pleading with him over the weekend and asking him to go for a full overhaul. Officially, the party told reporters on Saturday that Rahul Gandhi's resignation offer had been "unanimously rejected".
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14:15   Did the BJP fight the just-concluded elections on the plank of inclusiveness?
On May 17, 2019, while addressing a rally at Khargone, Madhya Pradesh,  Mr Narendra Modi said, From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kutch to Kamrup, the whole nation is saying Ab ki baar, 300 paar, phir ek baar, Modi Sarkar. He got his psephology right, but geography wrong. The final tally proved that his electoral marksmanship deserved a perfect 10.

So, congratulations are in order to Mr Modi, the BJP, the millions of workers of the party and the allies. As he begins his second term of office, I wish the Prime Minister success in steering the government and in the service of the people.

READ P CHIDAMBARAM'S COLUMN HERE
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13:54   Punjab Cong chief resigns from post
Punjab Congress Chief Sunil Jakhar offers to resign from his post after he lost elections from Gurdaspur.

Actor and BJP candidate Sunny Deol on May 23 won his electoral debut by defeating Congress heavyweight and sitting MP Sunil Jakhar from the Gurdaspur constituency.

Deol defeated Punjab Congress chief Jakhar by a margin of 82,459 votes, the Election Commission's website said.
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13:23   Maths was defeated by Chemistry: Modi in Varanasi to BJP workers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today thanked the voters of Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, for "reposing faith" in him by addressing them at the Pundit Deen Dayal Hastakala Academy. Earlier in the day he had performed rituals at the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple along with BJP chief Amit Shah.

Here are the highlights from his address:

>>  I had spoken to workers of Varanasi. All of you had ordered me that I can't set foot in Varanasi for a month. The nation might elected me as the PM but for you, I am a worker. For me, your order was the priority

>> After the campaign, I used to think of coming here but I used to recall your orders. Your hardwork was the reason for it. I was relaxed so I went to Kedarnath

>> I am grateful to the opponents who fought against me

>> Maths was defeated by chemistry, but there is no alternative to hard work
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13:11   Owaisi hits out at Ramdev's comments on population explosion
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday hit out at yoga guru Baba Ramdev over his comments that the country is not ready to deal with its population explosion and for suggesting measures like limiting voting rights to two children only.
  
"There is no law preventing people from saying downright unconstitutional things, but why do Ramdev's ideas receive undue attention?," Owaisi tweeted.

"That he can do a thing with his stomach or move about his legs shouldn't mean @narendramodi lose his right to vote just because he's the 3rd kid," the tweet said.

Owaisi was re-elected from Hyderabad constituency in the recent Lok Sabha election.

The yoga guru on Sunday opined that India is not ready to deal with its population explosion and suggested some measures like denying voting rights and other government services to the third children onwards.

Addressing a press conference in Haridwar, he said the country's population should not be allowed to go beyond 150 crore.

"This is only possible if we enact a legislation denying voting rights to the third or higher children of a parent. Such children should also be denied right to contest elections and other government services," he had suggested.

-- PTI
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12:45   After UP, Odisha, Cong head in Jharkhand resigns
Jharkhand Congress chief Ajoy Kumar resigned from his post on Monday taking moral responsibility for partys poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections in the state, days after the PM Modi-led NDA swept to power bagging 352 of 542 seats.

PCC chief has taken moral responsibility of the partys performance and sent his resignation on May 24. However, partys performance was not that bad as we won Singhbhum comfortably and lost Khunti and Lohardaga by a wafer thin margin, said Jharkhand Congress spokesperson Alok Dubey.

Congress lost in Khunti by 1,400 votes and Lohardaga with 10,000 votes.

While Congress president Rahul Gandhi himself offered to quit, which was rejected, at the CWC meeting on Saturday, a bunch of resignation landed on his table with four state leaders quitting or offering to quit on Friday.

Uttar Pradesh, state from where the Congress president lost in shock defeat, state unit chief Raj Babbar sent his resignation to Gandhi taking responsibility for the poor show. The results are depressing for the Uttar Pradesh Congress. I find myself guilty of not discharging my responsibility in a proper manner. I will meet the leadership and apprise it of my views, Babbar tweeted in Hindi.

Yogendra Mishra, president of district Congress Committee -- Amethi, the constituency that handed out a defeat to the Gandhi, also resigned taking responsibility for the defeat.

Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi to BJPs Smriti Irani in the biggest upset of Lok Sabha election 2019. With this Amethi snapped its 39-year-old ties with the Gandhis that started in 1980 with Rahul Gandhis uncle Sanjay Gandhi contesting and winning this seat.

The Congress managed to hold on to just one seat in the state, that of Sonia Gandhis Rae Bareli.

Another leader who quit on Friday was Niranjan Patnaik, president, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee. I too had contested the election, party had given me a responsibility, I take the moral responsibility for this debacle and relinquish this job. Ive communicated it to my AICC President, he said after the Congress managed leads in just one of the states 21 Lok Sabha seats and its tally came down to 9 from 16 of the outgoing assembly.

Karnataka Congress campaign committee president HK Patil also put in his papers writing to party president Rahul Gandhi, It is time for all of us to introspect. I feel it my moral duty to own up the responsibility, hence, I submit my resignation from the post.
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12:23   Delhi HC seeks Vadra's response on ED's plea to cancel his anticipatory bail in PMLA case
The Delhi High Court on Monday sought Robert Vadra's response on an Enforcement Directorate plea seeking cancellation of his anticipatory bail in a money-laundering case.

Justice Chander Shekhar issued notice to Vadra on ED's petition challenging trial court's April 1 order, which granted him anticipatory bail.

The court also sought response of Vadra's close aide Manoj Arora on the agency's plea seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing ED in the court, said they required his custody as Vadra was not cooperating in the investigation and and the trial court had not discussed the gravity of the offence in its order.

Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, is facing allegations of money laundering in purchase of a London-based property at 12, Bryanston Square worth 1.9 million pounds (over Rs 17 crore).

The case is being probed under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

-- PTI
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11:53   Modi performs pooja at Kashi Vishawanath temple
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday offered prayers at Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency from where he was re-elected by around five lakh votes in the just-concluded Lok Sabha polls.

Modi, who entered the temple with his hands folded, was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP president Amit Shah in his first visit to his parliamentary constituency after his party registered a massive electoral victory.

The PM also offered flowers and 'Gangajal' (Ganga water) to Shivlinga inside the temple premises.

In March, Modi had laid the foundation stone for extension and beautification of the historically significant Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The 'Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Vistarikaran-Saundarayakaran Yojana' (Kashi Vishwanath Temple Extension and Beautification Plan) is an ambitious project that includes approach roads and beautification spread over around 39,000 square metres at Baba Vishwanath temple and nearby areas.

With the construction of this corridor, the temple complex will get direct connectivity with the river Ganga.

-- ANI
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11:49   SC refuses protection from arrest to rape-accused MP
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant protection from arrest to newly elected Bahujan Samaj Party MP from Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, Atul Rai, accused of raping a college student from Varanasi.

A vacation bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose said it was not inclined to entertain a petition to grant relief from arrest to Rai. 

Previously, the apex court had refused to grant interim protection from arrest to Rai.

An FIR was registered against him on May 1 on a complaint by a college student, alleging that he took her to his home on the pretext of introducing her to his wife but sexually assaulted her.

Rai's lawyer has said there was no provision for anticipatory bail in Uttar Pradesh, and since the high court on May 8 had dismissed Rai's petition seeking protection, he feared his client could be arrested in the case.
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11:28   Gautam Gambhir calls attack on Muslim man in Gurugram deplorable
Gautam Gambhir, former cricketer and East Delhi MP-elect from the Bharatiya Janata Party, on Monday termed the attack on a Muslim man in Gurgaon deplorable and demanded exemplary action against the culprits.

Mohammad Barkat Aalam, 25, has alleged that he was attacked on his way home on Saturday night and also forced to chant Jai Sri Ram and Bharat Mata Ki Jai. The attackers also allegedly threw his skull cap. According to the FIR registered in the matter, the men told the complainant that the cap was not allowed in the area

Taking to Twitter, Gautam Gambhir said, In Gurugram, Muslim man told to remove skullcap, chant Jai Shri Ram. It is deplorable. Exemplary action needed by Gurugram authorities. We are a secular nation where @Javedakhtarjadu writes O Palan Haare, Nirgun aur Nyaare and Rakeysh Om Mehra gave us the song Arziyan in Delhi 6.

Aalam alleged that there were four men on motorcycle and two on foot. The men on foot beat me and said you cannot wear a cap in this area They had both consumed alcohol. The four men on the motorcycle did not say anything to me both men threatened to kill me.
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11:14  
PM Narendra Modi likely to visit Maldives on June 7-8. It will be his first bilateral visit after assuming office for the second term.
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11:08   Smriti Irani says may move SC in aide's murder
BJP leader Smriti Irani attended the funeral of her aide, a former village head and party worker who was shot dead in Amethi, and said she will "move the Supreme Court, if needed, to seek death sentence" for the killers. 

Amethi - a bastion of the Gandhi family for decades - voted out Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, its three-time lawmaker, this time and opted for Irani.

Surendra Singh, former head of Barauli village, was shot dead by unidentified men around 3 am on Sunday. He was attacked at his home when he was sleeping, his son Abhay Singh told reporters. Seven people have been taken into custody in the murder case.

Smriti Irani reached Amethi in afternoon hours after the murder and met his family. She was one of the pallbearers at Surendra Singh's funeral.

"I have taken a vow before Surendra Singh ji's family. The one who fired at him and the one who ordered it.... even if I have to go to Supreme Court to seek death sentence for them, I will knock the doors of the court," she said after the funeral. She also said it has been the policy of Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath government to ensure justice

Irani had virtually stationed herself in Amethi ahead of the elections. Surendra Singh had actively participated in her election campaign and had earned praise from the BJP leader in her speeches at public meetings.

Rukmani Singh, Surendra's wife, has claimed he was killed because "he campaigned for the BJP leader". "He did not have any rivalry with anyone. It was only after he supported and helped Irani win that he was killed," she said.

Earlier, his son had alleged involvement of Congress supporters. "My father was an aide of Smriti Irani and he campaigned for her day and night. After she was elected as an lawmaker, a victory procession was carried out. I believe some Congress supporters didn't like it," he said.
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10:59  
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offers prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple during his Varanasi visit. 
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10:59   Modi in Varanasi to thank voters after poll win
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached his parliamentary constituency Varanasi to thank the people for "reposing faith" in him. 

He was received at the airport by BJP chief Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath among others. A large number of security, paramilitary and Special Protection Group personnel have been deployed at various places in the city.

His first stop will be the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple where he will pay obeisance. An LED screen has been installed at the entrance of temple which will live-stream visuals from inside when he offers prayers. Then he will address a gathering of BJP workers at the Pundit Deen Dayal Hastakala Academy.

This is PM Modi's first visit to his constituency after he won the Lok Sabha elections by a huge margin of 4.79 lakh votes. He not only retained his seat, but also saw his victory margin increase by nearly 1 lakh votes as compared to the 2014 general elections.

Prime Minister Modi led the BJP to a resounding victory for a second term in office. In first back-to-back majority in the general elections for a single party in over three decades, BJP won 303 out of 542 Lok Sabha seats that went to polls, handing out a crushing defeat to the Congress and many other political opponents. 
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10:26   P S Golay takes oath as chief minister of Sikkim
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha president Prem Singh Tamang, popularly known as PS Golay, takes oath as the new chief minister of Sikkim.

The 51-year-old Golay was administered the oath of office by Governor Ganga Prasad at a function at Paljor Stadium.

The SKM supremo, accompanied by the 17 newly-elected legislators of his party, on Saturday had called on the Governor and staked claim to form the next government in Sikkim.

The SKM, founded in 2013, won a slender majority in the 32-member Sikkim legislative assembly by bagging 17 seats against 15 won by the SDF.
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10:08  
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being greeted by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Modi will be visiting Varanasi today to thank voters for his electoral triumph. 

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09:22   Rahul's personality does not attract people: Shiv Sena
Taking a potshot at the "shameful defeat" of the Congress in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Shiv Sena on Monday said Congress president Rahul Gandhi's personality "does not attract people."

"The Congress party faced a more shameful defeat than 2014 this time," Shiv Sena said in its editorial mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"Rahul Gandhi's personality does not attract people and his speeches are not impressive. Is there anything that can inspire a person or the country from whatever Rahul Gandhi says?" it asked.

After analysing Congress post the Lok Sabha elections, Shiv Sena said the grand old party is visionless right now. It also stated, "Congress party has leaders, but lacks party workers."

Shiv Sena took a jibe at the appointment of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as the party's general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh. "Congress won two seats in Uttar Pradesh in 2014, but only managed one in 2019," Shiv Sena stated. 

-- ANI
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09:06   Muslim youth beaten for wearing skull cap
A 25-year-old Muslim man was allegedly assaulted in Gurugram by four unidentified youths for wearing a traditional skull cap, an official said Sunday.
  
The victim was identified as Mohamad Barker Alam, a Bihar native, living in the Jakob Pura area of Gurugram.
In a complaint to the police, Alam alleged that four unidentified youths accosted him in a Sadar Bazar lane and objected to his wearing the skull cap. 

"The accused threatened me, saying wearing cap was not allowed in the area. They removed my cap and slapped me, while asking me to chant Bharat Mata ki Jai," Alam said in the FIR, lodged at the city police station.

"As I followed their instruction and chanted Bhrat Mata ki Jai, they asked me to chant Jai Sri Ram which I refused. At this, the youths picked up a baton from the roadside and began mercilessly beating me. They hit me at my legs and back," he added.

In the FIR, Alam said he was returning home after offering Namaz in a mosque at Sadar Bazar when the incident took place. 

He said as he cried for help, other people from his community rushed to help him, when the assailants fled.

"We have received a complaint about the incident and registered an FIR under sections 153, 147, 149, 323 and 506 in the city police station. We have also conducted medical examination of victim," said Gurgaon City ACP Rajiv Kumar. 

While section 153 of the IPC pertains to causing enmity between people of different religions, sections 147 and 149 define offences of riots and unlawful assembly respectively.
Sections 323 and 506 deals with offences of causing hurt and crminal intimidation.    

"We are also scanning the CCTV footage of the area to identify the accused. Effort are on to nab them," ACP added.

-- PTI
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08:28   Varanasi all decked up ahead of PM Modi's visit today
The city of Varanasi is all decked up, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to his constituency on Monday.

The preparations for his welcome have been completed and the area has been decked up with BJP flags, ribbons and wall paintings of Buddha and other spiritual idols. Cleaning and maintenance work has been completed.

On Sunday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a meeting with local administration officials in Varanasi to assess preparations made ahead of Modi's visit here.

Modi is scheduled to hold a five-kilometre-long roadshow in the constituency to celebrate his massive victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

All the roads along the route which Modi's convoy is scheduled to take have been barricaded.

After the 'darshan' and 'puja' at the Kashi Vishwanath temple, the PM is scheduled to address BJP workers at Deendayal Hastkala Sankul.

In the Lok Sabha elections, Modi defeated his Samajwadi Party rival Shalini Yadav by a margin of over 4.80 lakh votes from Varanasi. The BJP, which had won 282 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, managed to increase its tally and notched up 303 seats in the 2019 elections. 

-- ANI
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07:58   1st session of new Lok Sabha likely from June 6
The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha may start from June 6 and last till June 15, sources said Sunday.
  
The dates of the first Parliament session are expected to be finalised during the first meeting of the new Cabinet on May 31, a day after Narendra Modi takes oath as the Prime Minister of the country, they said.

The BJP-led NDA government will prove its majority during the session which is likely to have six sittings, starting from June 6 and concluding on June 15, the sources said.

President Ram Nath Kovind will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Modi and other members of the Union Council of Ministers during a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday at 7 pm, an official communique said.

Modi is the first BJP leader who has been elected for a second time after completion of his five-year tenure, a feat so far achieved only by two Congress leaders -- Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. 

-- PTI

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