British-born writer Aatish Ali Taseer stands to lose the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card as he allegedly concealed the fact that his father was of Pakistani origin.

A Home Ministry spokesperson said Taseer becomes ineligible to hold an OCI card, as per the Citizenship Act, 1955, as the OCI card is not issued to any person whose parents or grandparents are Pakistanis and he hid this fact.

Taseer has clearly not complied with very basic requirements and hidden information, the spokesperson said.

As per the Citizenship Act, if the registration as an OCI card holder was obtained by means of fraud, false representation or concealment of any material fact, the registration as OCI card holder shall be cancelled.

The person will also be blacklisted thereby banning his or her future entry into India.

The 38-year-old writer is the son of late Pakistani politician Salmaan Taseer and Indian journalist Tavleen Singh.

The home ministry spokesperson said Taseer was given the opportunity to submit his reply/objection regarding his Person of India Origin/OCI cards, but he failed to dispute the notice.

The spokesperson also denied that the government had been considering revoking Taseer's OCI card after he wrote an article in the Time magazine, which was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news was a 'complete misrepresentation and is devoid of any facts'.

Reacting to the home ministry statement, Taseer wrote on Twitter that he was not given 21 days to reply to the home ministry notice but just 24 hours.

"This is untrue. Here is the Consul General's acknowledgment of my reply. I was given not the full 21 days, but rather 24 hours to reply. I've heard nothing from the ministry since," he said.   -- PTI

In an apparent case of honour killing, a Dalit man and his wife, who married against wishes of the woman's family, were allegedly stoned to death when they returned to their village in Gadag district in Karnataka, four years after fleeing it, police said on Thursday.

According to police, Ramesh Madar and Gangamma had married Gangamma, belonging to the Lambani community, disregarding the opposition from her family members four years ago.

Fearing backlash from the family, they had fled their village Lakkalakatti near Gajendragad town and migrated to various places in Karnataka and worked as labourers.

On Wednesday they returned to their village.

Spotting them on a road, some people from the Lambani community attacked the couple and later stoned them to death, police said.

"Our investigations are on. There's a progress in the case, which we cannot disclose at this point," said a police officer at the Gajendragad police station.

The couple had two children.   -- PTI

With the deadlock over government formation in Maharashtra seemingly far from over, senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Thursday suggested that the Shiv Sena stake claim to the chief minister's post.

It it did that, the Congress and NCP would think 'positively' if it sought support, said Bhujbal, a former Shiv Sena leader who left the party in the 1990s.

Bhujbal's remark came a day after NCP chief Sharad Pawar said his party and the Congress had made up their mind to sit in the opposition, though the BJP and Sena have not staked claim to form government, either separately or together.

"I had said a day after the results that the Shiv Sena should decide whether it wants the chief minister's post or deputy chief minister's post... It should muster courage and stake claim to the chief minister's post....The Congress-NCP will definitely think positively when it sends any proposal (seeking support)," Bhujbal told reporters.

Allies BJP and Shiv Sena won 105 and 56 seats, respectively, in the October 21 state assembly election. Together they have the numbers to form the government, but they are bickering over the chief minister's post.-- PTI

Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convict A G Perarivalan was on Thursday granted ordinary leave for a month to take care of his ailing father, a top Tamil Nadu Prison official said.

Perarivalan, alias Arivu, who is in prison since 1991 and serving life imprisonment at the Vellore Central Prison will be released after compliance with norms for leave.

"Perarivalan is granted parole (ordinary leave) for a month to enable him to attend to his ailing father," a top State prison official told PTI.

The leave is granted by the prison department in accordance with the Tamil Nadu Suspension of Sentence Rules, 1982 following a plea from the convict citing the health status of his 76-year old father Gnanasekaran.

"The 30-day leave will be reckoned from the day he leaves the prison," the official said.

Perarivalan will be released from jail after a bond was furnished affirming compliance with rules including keeping peace, he added.

In 2017 August, Perarivalan got a similar leave, his first since 1991 in connection with the medical treatment to his father.   -- PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Gurdaspur, Sunny Deol will be a part of the official 'jatha' that will attend the inauguration ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor on November 9, according to Punjab Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

The Kartarpur Corridor will connect Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab's Gurdaspur district with Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the corridor from the Indian side while Imran Khan will open the route on the other side.

India and Pakistan had on October 24 signed an agreement on the modalities for operationalising Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, paving the way for its inauguration ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of the Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev. -- ANI

Pakistan Foreign Office on Thursday said Prime Minister Imran Khan has waived the condition of passport for one year for Indian Sikhs visiting the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib using the Kartarpur corridor, contradicting an earlier statement by the army spokesman who said the pilgrims will need a passport.

During his weekly media briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office Spokesman Mohammad Faisal said the condition of passports for Indian Sikhs was waived for one year in the wake of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.

Prime Minister Khan also waived the requirement to convey pilgrim information to the Pakistani government 10 days prior to entry, and he also waived $ 20 service fee per pilgrim on November 9 and 12, Faisal said.

"We have formally conveyed this to India," he added.

Earlier, Pakistan Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said that Indian pilgrims visiting the Kartarpur Sahib will need a passport to use the Kartarpur corridor, creating a confusion over the status of passports.

"As we have a security link, the entry would be a legal one under a permit on a passport-based identity. There will be no compromise on security or sovereignty," he was quoted as saying in the local media.

On Wednesday, India asked Pakistan to clarify whether passport will be required to visit the Kartarpur Sahib.

On November 1, Prime Minister Khan, while announcing the completion of Kartarpur corridor on Twitter, said he had waived two requirements relating to passport and registering 10 days in advance for Sikhs coming for pilgrimage to Kartarpur from India.

He said that Sikh pilgrims from India would only need a valid ID and not a passport to travel to Kartarpur.

The corridor will connect the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur, just 4 kilometres from the International Border, located in Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province.

The year 2019 marks the 550th birth anniversary year of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, whose birthplace Sri Nankana Sahib is in Pakistan.

Faisal also said that over 10,000 Sikhs from India and other parts of the world will attend the inauguration ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor by Prime Minister Khan on Saturday.

He said that under the agreement about 5,000 pilgrims can come from India per day.

"Our missions in other countries have also issued the same number of visas," he said.

Sikhs from Canada, Britain, America, Singapore, Malaysia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, New Zealand and Australia will also attend the inauguration ceremony.   -- PTI

Ending months of standoff, the name of Justice Akil Kureshi of the Bombay high court is learnt to have been cleared for elevation as the chief justice of the Tripura high court, government sources said on Thursday.

The file has been cleared by the government and is now pending before the President for signing the warrant of appointment, they said.

The Supreme Court collegium had earlier recommended him to head the Madhya Pradesh high court.

Following reservations raised by the government, the collegium modified its recommendation and proposed his name as the Tripura high court chief justice.   -- PTI

The Ministry of Home Affairs has initiated disciplinary proceedings against IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan who had submitted his resignation in August protesting what he alleged was the 'denial of freedom of expression' to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Gopinathan, an IAS officer of the 2012 batch of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, had put in his papers in protest against the central government's decision to impose restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the abrogation of the special status given to the erstwhile state under Article 370.

Posting the home ministry notice to him in his Twitter handle, Gopinathan said the charges against him include of potentially 'embarrassing the relations of central government with other organisations including foreign state' by 'unauthorisedly communicating with the print, electronic and social media on the issues of government policies'.

The home ministry said in its notice that the disciplinary enquiry was being initiated against Gopinathan under Rule 8 of the All India Services (Disciplinary & Appeal) Rules, 1969.

The ministry said the officer's letter of resignation was 'under examination pending decision of the competent authority' and asked him to reply to the charges within 15 days.

Gopinathan, who was the secretary, power department, the Union Territories of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, submitted resignation to the home ministry on August 21.

A week later, he was asked by the authorities to resume duty and continue to work till his resignation is accepted.   -- PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday assured Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal that the Centre will take into consideration Assam and its people while signing any accord with the Naga rebel groups to end insurgency in Nagaland.

Shah gave the assurance when Sonowal called on him in New Delhi, a release issued by the Assam government said.

The home minister had a lengthy discussion with the chief minister on the proposed Naga Accord.

The talks on the decades old problem between the Centre's interlocutor R N Ravi and insurgent groups like NSCN-IM are yet to end.

During the discussions, the chief minister urged the home minister to take into consideration the interests of the people of Assam while going for any accord, the release said.

Shah has assured Sonowal that nothing would be done that goes against the interests of the state and its people, the release said.

The Centre on October 31 said it is yet to conclude talks with Naga insurgent groups and will consult all stakeholders, including the states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, before finalisation of any settlement.

The Union home ministry had said it has come to the government's notice that lot of rumours and misinformation is being spread in the media and social media that the final Naga settlement has been arrived at and will be announced soon.

"This is creating anxiety and concern in some parts of the country. It is clarified that before any settlement is arrived at with Naga groups, all stakeholders including states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh will be duly consulted and their concerns will be taken into consideration. No credence needs to be given to such rumours and incorrect information," it said.

The central government has already rejected the NSCN-IM's demand for unification of Naga inhabited areas -- located in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

The three northeastern states have also vehemently opposed it.

Sonowal also drew the home minister's attention to the popular public demand regarding Numaligarh Refinery Limited and sought his cooperation to maintain its status quo as public sector undertaking.  -- PTI

Political clearance has been granted to Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu to travel through the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on November 9, ANI reported quoting sources.

Earlier in the day, former Punjab minister Sidhu wrote to the External Affairs Ministry, daring it to make clear if it has any inhibition on his attending the opening ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan.

The Congress leader added if he receives no response to the latest letter--the third one written by him--he will go to the shrine across the border like 'any other pilgrim'.

He apparently meant that he would go to the shrine, but not through the corridor which allows visa-free travel to pilgrims.

'I categorically state that if the government has any inhibitions and say no then, as a law abiding citizen, I will not go. But if you do not respond to my third letter, then I will proceed to Pakistan as millions of Sikh devotees go on eligible visa,' Sidhu wrote.

It was his third letter to the ministry, seeking permission to attend the inauguration of the corridor in Pakistan on November 9.

In this latest letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the cricketer-turned-politician also expressed his anguish over 'not receiving any response to his communication'.

'Despite repeated reminders, you have not responded to whether or not the government has granted me permission to go to Pakistan for the inauguration ceremony of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur corridor. The delay and no response is a hindrance to my future course of action,' he wrote.   -- ANI/PTI

The Army has cautioned its officials against 150 fake social media profiles that are being used by adversaries for honey trapping in order to extract sensitive information, sources said on Thursday.

They said that an advisory was sent to Army personnel last month to make them aware of the 'trap'.

An official said people using fake social media profiles have been trying to engage with the Army personnel for extracting information by pretending to be fellow Army officers, police personnel or even posing as women.

"The profiles are generally 2-3 years old. So, they do not raise suspicion and appear to be authentic. It is then that they started targeting," the official added.

On Wednesday, Rajasthan Police's intelligence unit arrested an Army jawan, who was honey-trapped by an agent of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, for allegedly sharing confidential and strategic information.

He was targeted through Facebook and WhatsApp, they added.  -- PTI

Pakistan said on Thursday that it has issued a visa to former Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend the inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor on November 9.

The Pakistan government invited Sidhu -- who also attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor -- to attend Saturday's inauguration.

A ruling party spokesperson had said that Sidhu accepted the invitation, Dawn reported.

"Pakistan has issued visa to Indian politician Navjot Singh Sidhu for his visit to holy shrine of Baba Guru Nanak," Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal announced during his weekly media briefing in Islamabad.

Sidhu, a Congress lawmaker, has sought permission from the External Affairs Ministry to attend the inaugural ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor in Pakistan on November 9.

He had come under fire from the opposition after he hugged Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa during the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Imran Khan in August last year.

Sidhu had then claimed that Gen Bajwa had told him about 'making efforts to open the Kartarpur Corridor'.

The passport waiver for Kartarpur pilgrims would extend up to one year as a special gesture on the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Faisal was quoted as saying by Geo TV.

Pakistan has also waived the $ 20 service charge per pilgrim per visit on November 9 and November 12, he said, adding that it has also waived the requirement of 10-day advance intimation for the mega ceremony.

Faisal said Pakistan hoped a massive inflow of Sikh pilgrims from all over the world during the ceremony.

He said the promotion of Hindu and Buddhist sacred sites situated inside Pakistan was also under consideration as the country was a cradle of ancient civilizations for centuries.

Rejecting the reports linking Pakistan's efforts on Kartarpur Corridor to encouraging Khalistan movement, Faisal said, "There was no such negativity in our policy."

The Kartarpur Corridor will connect the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Punjab with Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur, just 4 kilometres from the International Border, located at Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province.

Notwithstanding a chill in bilateral ties over Kashmir, Pakistan and India after tough negotiations signed a landmark agreement last week to operationalise the corridor to allow Indian pilgrims to visit the holy Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

The two countries decided that 5,000 pilgrims can visit the shrine daily. India and Pakistan have also decided that the corridor will be operational through the year and seven days a week and that pilgrims, except kids and elderly persons, will have a choice to visit it as individuals or in groups.  -- PTI

The Centre on Thursday asked states to take all possible steps to deal with the cyclonic storm 'Bulbul' and ensure there is minimum casualty and loss of property.

At a high-level meeting in New Delhi, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, P K Mishra also assured the states all necessary central assistance required in the developing situation due to 'Bulbul'.

He also advised the states to take all possible measures to ensure that there is minimum human casualty and loss to property, an official statement said.

The meeting reviewed the situation arising due to the movement of cyclonic storm 'Bulbul' in the last few hours.

The meeting was convened in the wake of concern expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the statement said.

At the meeting, chief of the India Meteorological Department gave detailed forecast on cyclone 'Bulbul', its projected track and accompanying wind speed and rainfall in the sea and along the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal. Coastal Odisha is likely to witness wind speed of 70-80 kmph gusting up to 90 kmph on Friday accompanied by heavy to very heavy rain.

Similar situation is likely to prevail in coastal West Bengal on Saturday.  Further sea conditions will be very rough and advised fishing operation to be completely suspended.

State chief secretaries informed the meeting of having taken all precautionary measures in the coastal regions and monitoring the situation in the districts on 24x7 basis.

Further all fishermen have been advised to not venture in the sea and those in the sea have been advised to return back.

The director general of the National Disaster Response Force informed that their teams are fully prepared with all the required equipment like tree cutters, pole cutters, etc.

The Indian Coast Guard is also on alert and advising fishermen and merchant ship not to venture into the sea. Top officials of Odisha, West Bengal and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands attended the meeting through video conference.

The meeting was also attended by secretaries of the ministries of Home Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting, Member, NDMA, directors generals of the India Meteorological Department, and the NDRF and other senior officers.   -- PTI

In a major relief to people of Gujarat, cyclone 'Maha' fizzled out into the Arabian sea as a 'depression' without making a landfall in the state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.

The cyclone over the Arabian sea started weakening rapidly on Wednesday and turned into a 'deep depression', and then a 'depression' by Thursday morning, it said.

The 'depression' is about 100 km south of Veraval coast of Gujarat, the IMD said in a release.

"It is very likely to move east-northeastwards and weaken into a well marked low pressure area off the south Gujarat coast during next 12 hours," it said.

The weather system would bring light to moderate rain in most parts of Gujarat during the next two days, it said.

"'Maha' is no longer a cyclone. It has become a depression into the sea without hitting the Gujarat coast. Rain may occur in most districts during the next two days," the Ahmedabad IMD centre's director Jayanta Sarkar said.

However, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during the next 12 hours as the weather conditions there will be 'rough to very rough' with wind speed reaching up to 40 to 50 km per hour, said the IMD release.

Unseasonal rain occurred in many parts of Gujarat between 6 am and 12 noon on Thursday due to the current weather system.

During that period, Thasra taluka in Kheda district received the highest 55 mm rainfall, followed by Umarpada in Surat (53mm), Jafrabad in Amreli (36mm), Kukarmunda in Tapi (26mm), Anklav in Anand (25mm) and Godhra in Panchmahal (24mm), a release issued by the Gujarat government said.   -- PTI

He apparently meant that he would go to the shrine, but not through the corridor which allows visa-free travel to pilgrims. "I categorically state that if the government has any inhibitions and say no then, as a law abiding citizen, I will not go. But if you do not respond to my third letter, then I will proceed to Pakistan as millions of Sikh devotees go on eligible visa," Sidhu wrote. 

It was his third letter to the ministry, seeking permission to attend the inauguration of the corridor in Pakistan on November 9. In this latest letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the cricketer-turned-politician also expressed his anguish over "not receiving any response to his communication". 

"Despite repeated reminders, you have not responded to whether or not the government has granted me permission to go to Pakistan for the inauguration ceremony of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur corridor. The delay and no response is a hindrance to my future course of action," he wrote.

On Wednesday, the Amritsar (East) MLA in his second letter had said that he had been invited by the Pakistan government for the opening ceremony of the corridor, which will connect the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur with the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Indian Punjab. 

"Conflicting reports are coming from Pakistan. Sometimes they say passport is needed and sometimes they say it is not required. As of now, there is a bilateral agreement which specified required documents," he said. Kumar said amendments cannot be made unilaterally. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has tweeted that passport will not be required, but according to the agreement, passport will be needed. Kumar also said that Pakistan is yet to confirm the list of Indian dignitaries who will attend the Kartarpur opening ceremony on the Pakistani side. 

"We are presuming that all names we have shared with Pakistani side for inaugural jatha have been cleared," he said. The MEA spokesperson also asked Pakistan to ensure adequate security to Indian dignitaries attending the event. PTI

Shiv Sena RS MP Sanjay Raut speaking to the media after the Shiv Sena MLAs met Uddhav Thackeray a while ago. "We have an alternative," says Raut on government formation in Maharashtra. 

"BJP is trying to force President's rule over Maharasthra, they should declare that they are unable to form the required majority", Raut added. 

On the meeting with Uddhav Thackeray he said the Sena chief had placed his views before the MLAs, and asked them whether he was right in taking the impending decision. The MLAs then told him that they were with him in whatever decision he wanted to take. "You're taking the decision with Maharashtra and its people in mind." Raut said. Uddhav Thackeray has made it clear that he won't break the alliance. The stand of Thackeray has been the same from since October 24, Raut said.

On government formation, Raut said, "We have the numbers to make our own Chief Minister, we don't need to show that here, we will show that on the floor of the house. We have alternatives, we don't speak without options and alternatives. If you (BJP) have the numbers, form the govt. If you don't have the numbers then admit it. Constitution is for the people of this country, it is not their (BJP's) personal property. We know the constitution well.We'll form CM of Shiv Sena in Maharashtra constitutionally."

He said the decision to stop the carving has been taken by top leaders of the VHP, a Hindu right-wing organization that has been at the forefront of the movement demanding the construction of a 'grand temple' dedicated to Lord Ram at the site of the demolished Babri Masjid. 

The Supreme Court is expected to announce its verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid demolition case by November 17, the day of retirement of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi who heads the five-judge bench that heard arguments in the case. 

"We have stopped the carving of stones and the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas will decide when the carving will be restarted," Sharma said. "All our proposed programmes regarding different activities of our outfits have been cancelled keeping in view the upcoming Ayodhya verdict," he said.

The carving of stones for the construction of a Ram Temple was started by the VHP at the Ram Mandir Nirmaan Karyashala here in 1990 when Mulayam Singh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party was Uttar Pradesh chief minister. The carving work by artisans had been carried out uninterrupted since then. 

According to the VHP, 1.25 lakh cubic foot of stone has already been carved. The organization claims that stone work sufficient for the first floor of the proposed temple is ready and that 1.75 lakh cubic foot stone for the rest of the structure is still to be carved. 

Ahead of the judgement on the contentious issue, the VHP has also appealed to its cadres to remain calm and restrain from creating an atmosphere of celebratory frenzy. -- PTI

Meanwhile, the Sena MLAs will be staying at the Rangsharda hotel in Bandra after they met party chief Uddhav Thackeray. Gulabrao Patil, Shiv Sena MLA after meeting said, "We (Shiv Sena MLAs) will be staying at Hotel Rangsharda for the next two days. We will do whatever Uddhav Sahab asks us to do." The Sena has said it will not budge till the CM's post is theirs. 

Image: State BJP president, Chandrakant Patil 

"The Sena MLAs passed a resolution authorising Uddhavji to take a final decision regarding government formation," party legislator Shambhuraje Desai told reporters after the meeting ended. Desai denied that the Sena legislators will be shifted to a hotel in south Mumbai, amid fear of switching sides.

The Shiv Sena has been maintaining that in February this year, before the Lok Sabha polls, it was decided that there will be equal sharing of posts and responsibilities between the party and the BJP. While the Shiv Sena has been insisting on sharing the chief minister's post, the BJP has rejected it.  -- PTI

The report issued by Chandka Medical College Hospital Woman Medico-Legal Officer, on Wednesday, said that Nimrita's death was determined to be caused by suffocation as asphyxial signs caused by a ligature on the neck that was detected during the autopsy, The News International reported.

The ligature marks also tally with the information. Such signs are produced either in strangulation or hanging and are to be ascertained through circumstantial evidence as corroborative at the crime scene by state investigation authorities," the report said.

A DNA test confirmed the presence of male DNA profile indicated from semen residue on the deceased's clothes whereas a vaginal swab tested positive for a forced sexual act.

Kumari was found dead in mysterious circumstances in her hostel room on September 16. The report has further proved the claim of Vishal, the deceased's brother, who insisted that his sister had been killed as she was neither depressed nor the sort who would end her life. -- PTI

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is in Nagpur, after his meeting with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, says the RSS chief has no role in government formation in Maharashtra. "It won't be appropriate to link the RSS chief to the goings on (over government formation)," he said.

He said the BJP will get Shiv Sena support. "We are in talks with them," the Union Road and Transport Minister said. "There will be a decision soon. The Government in Maharashtra should be formed under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis. The BJP and Shiv Sena have got the mandate to form the government and a decision to resolve the Maharashtra government formation tangle will be made soon. 

ON reports of his name doing the rounds as the next Maharashtra Chief Minister, he said, "No question of me returning to Maharashtra, I will continue to work in Delhi."

Titled "The Ramsay Biopic", it is written by Ritesh Shah. The Ramsay Brothers rose to fame with cult films like "Purani Haveli", "Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche", "Veerana" and "Bandh Darwaza". These films were widely popular for their unique mix of horror and erotica. "The late Tulsi Ramsay and Shyam Ramsay along with every member of the Ramsay family instilled their faith in us by giving us their biopic rights. -- PTI

Maharashtra Finance Minister and senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar on Thursday said his party is not in favour of forming a minority government in the state. 

Speaking to reporters ahead of the BJP delegation's meeting with Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Mungantiwar said there should be no doubt about Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' "leadership and acceptance" across party lines. The BJP is against forming a minority government in Maharashtra," he said, amid the continuing deadlock over formation of government even 14 days after the Assembly polls verdict. 

Mungantiwar said the BJP delegation, led by state unit president Chandrakant Patil, was going to meet the governor to inform him about the BJP's stand once the tenure of the existing Assembly ends on November 9. Asked about Shiv Sena's insistence on sharing the chief minister's post, Mungantiwar said, "Fadnavis is not just a BJP leader, but he should be seen as Sena's chief minister as well. There should be no doubt about his leadership and acceptance across the party lines." 

Mungantiwar also dismissed rumours that Union minister Nitin Gadkari may be appointed as the state's chief minister. "Nitinji will never come to Maharashtra. It is not even his distant dream to come to Maharashtra as chief minister," he said.  

The first 'jatha' travelling to Kartarpur via corridor requires political clearance.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had on Monday sent a formal invitation to Sidhu for the inaugural ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor on November 9.

A letter dated November 4 sent by Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan Syed Haider Shah and addressed to Sidhu, read, "Enclosed please find an invitation for Navjot Singh Sidhu from Imran Khan, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the inauguration ceremony of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur corridor, Narowal, Pakistan, on Saturday, 9 November 2019."

Sidhu, who has expressed his willingness to attend the inaugural ceremony, had written to Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, requesting permission to visit Pakistan for the same.

The Kartarpur Corridor will connect Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab's Gurdaspur district with Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan.

On November 1, Khan had tweeted that his government has waived off two key requirements for Sikh pilgrims travelling for pilgrimage to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur from India.

The Pakistan Army which holds complete sway over the Pak PM has now vetoed his decision. The Kartarpur corridor opens on November 9.

In a majority judgment of 2:1, a bench headed by Justice R F Nariman, said there are no grounds to review their verdict upholding the death penalty of convict Manoharan. 

While Justices Nariman and Suryakant dismissed the review plea, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who was also part of the three-judge bench, said he has a different view on the point of the sentence only. "In view of the majority judgment, the review petition stands dismissed in its entirety," the bench said. -- PTI

Efforts were made to rescue the tiger, but it failed to enter the cage that was placed close by, he said. The tiger also received injuries to its teeth when it tried to pull the cage, he said. 

"The big cat was found dead in the river on Thursday morning," Chief Conservator of Forest, Chandrapur circle, S V Ramarao said. On Wednesday, the tiger killed a wild animal and rested for a while on the bridge before jumping into the river and apparently got injured, an official earlier said. On getting information, forest officials reached the spot and launched a rescue operation but it was called off on Wednesday night due to poor light. Some forest personnel were deployed to keep a watch on the tiger's movements during the night, the official said. 

"However, the animal showed no signs of movement on Thursday morning," Ramarao said. The carcass was later fished out from the water, he said, adding that the exact cause of the death will be known after the autopsy. PTI

Image: The tiger is believed to have injured his spine after it jumped 30 feet off a bridge. The picture was tweeted by Muvvala Kondala Rao, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Maharashtra Forest Department.

Talking to reporters ahead of the meeting of Shiv Sena MLAs with Thackeray, Raut said legislators of his party and the opposition Congress and NCP "would not cross sides". "There have been no talks yet between Bhagwat and Thackeray," the Rajya Sabha member said.

Asked if he represented views of his party amid the logjam over government formation in the state, Raut said, "I put forth views of Uddhav Thackeray."

On reports of Shiv Sena shifting its MLAs to a resort, Raut said, "There is no need for us to do this, our MLAs are firm in their resolve and committed to the party. Those who are spreading such rumours should worry about their MLAs first."

The BJP and the Shiv Sena are engaged in a bitter tug-of-war over the latter's demand for equal distribution of portfolios and sharing the chief minister's post. 

The BJP has rejected the Sena's demand for sharing the chief minister's post for two-and-a-half years each. The tenure of the present Assembly ends on November 9. Sources from both the parties on Wednesday said back channel talks were on between the two old but often-feuding Hindutva allies and a breakthrough was expected. PTI

The 30-share index was trading 202.93 points, or 0.50 per cent, higher at 40,672.71. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 50.20 points, or 0.42 per cent, to 12,016.25. 

Top gainers in the Sensex pack included IndusInd Bank, SBI, ITC, HDFC, RIL, Axis Bank and Bajaj Finance, advancing up to 3 per cent. On the other hand, Tata Steel, Vedanta, ONGC, Hero MotoCorp, Tata Motors, Yes Bank and Bajaj Auto fell up to 2 per cent. 

In the previous session, the 30-share Sensex settled at a fresh closing peak, rising 221.55 points, or 0.55 per cent, to 40,469.78, while finished at 11,966.05, showing a gain of 48.85 points, or 0.41 per cent. -- PTI

Image: Top gainers in the Sensex pack included IndusInd Bank, SBI, ITC, HDFC, RIL, Axis Bank and Bajaj Finance

His remarks come days after India decided not to join the mega Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership deal as negotiations failed to address New Delhi's concerns. 

Chidambaram, in a tweet posted by his family on his behalf, said the UPA's decision in 2012 to engage with RCEP countries was correct. 

"The Congress' advice to the Government in 2019 to pause and not sign RCEP was also correct. The difference between 2012 and 2019 is the parlous state of the economy today thanks to the NDA's incompetent management," the former finance minister tweeted. 

With India deciding not to join RCEP, the Congress has claimed victory saying its forceful opposition ensured that the BJP government backs out from bartering the interests of farmers, dairy producers, fishermen and small and medium businessmen. -- PTI 

The organisation also stated that Dhirpur recorded an AQI of 145 at 8:30 am today. Mathura road recorded a figure of 309, IIT Delhi docked at 316, Airport Terminal 3 at 234, Lodhi Road 153 and Pusa 239.

"I am feeling much better today as the pollution level has decreased. I believe that Even-Odd has helped to bring down the pollution in the capital. The visibility has also increased on the roads," Robin Sharma, a visitor from Punjab told ANI.

The Center-run SAFAR has advised people to reduce prolonged or heavy exertion"Take more breaks and do less intense activities. Asthmatics, keep medicine ready if symptoms of coughing or shortness of breath occur. Heart patients, see doctor, if get palpitations, shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue," it said in an advisory. 

The Pakistan Army on Wednesday said that it was "too busy" in matters of national security to get involved in any political issue, apparently referring to the massive protest led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman demanding the ouster of country's Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, Pakistan Army spokesman, made the comments in an interview to Hum News Channel when asked if the army chief will mediate in the ongoing demonstration by the cleric-cum-politician Rehman.

Rehman is leading the massive protest, which entered the sixth day on Wednesday.

Dubbed as 'Azadi March', the protestors demand Prime Minister Khan's resignation, accusing him of "rigging" the 2018 general elections.

Rehman said the anti-government sit-in was staged with a view to fulfil a "national responsibility" and for which "much effort and resilience" has been exercised.

Ghafoor told the channel that army had nothing to do with the politics of sit-ins.

"We are too busy in matters of national security and defence to become involved in things like these and respond to these allegations," he said.

When asked if army chief would try to resolve the ongoing dharna against the government, he said, "the dharna is a political activity which the army as an institution has nothing to do with.

He rejected the impression that army was against the government when Imran Khan staged a similar sit-in in 2014 and said that the military had supported the government.

Ghafoor also rejected army's meddling in the electoral process.

"It neither has any role in the country's electoral process nor has it any desire to do so," he said. -- PTI

Four Indian Americans, including a Muslim woman and a former White House technology policy advisor, have won state and local elections held in the United States on Tuesday.

Indian-American Ghazala Hashmi, a former community college professor, created history by becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected to the Virginia State Senate, while Suhas Subramanyam, who served as the White House technology policy adviser to former president Barack Obama, has been elected to the Virginia State House of Representative.

In her maiden attempt, Hashmi, a Democrat, defeated incumbent Republican State Senator Glen Sturtevant for the Virginia's 10th Senate District, drawing national attention. 

"This victory is not mine alone. It belongs to all of you who believed that we needed to make progressive change here in Virginia, for all of you who felt that you haven't had a voice and believed in me to be yours in the General Assembly," she said after her historic victory.

Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who was the first woman presidential candidate, congratulated Hashmi. "I also want to shout out @Hashmi4Va, the first Muslim woman elected to the VA State Senate. As she said yesterday, her victory 'belongs to all of you who believed that we needed to make progressive change here in Virginia, for all of you who felt that you haven't had a voice'," Clinton said in a tweet.

Hashmi, who had moved to the US from India as a young girl with her family 50 years ago, responded, saying, "I am deeply honoured by your words, Secretary Clinton. You broke so many glass ceilings for women in public service."  

Hashmi was raised in a small town in Georgia and saw firsthand how community-building and open dialogue can bridge cultural and socioeconomic divisions, uniting people from all walks of life. 

She earned a BA in English from Georgia Southern University and a PhD from Emory University. 

She and her husband, Azhar, moved to the Richmond area in 1991. Hashmi has spent the past 25 years as a leading educator in Virginia's college and university system. 

She currently serves as the founding director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Reynolds Community College. -- PTI

Image: Ghazala Hashmi.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday will meet Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Thursday.

The party is hoping that by the time its state unit chief, Chandrakant Patil, and state finance minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar, meet Koshyari, talks with Sena would have begun.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has called for a meeting of the party's MLAs on Thursday to discuss the way forward.

The saffron allies, BJP and Sena, have been locked in a tussle over a power-sharing pact since the results of the assembly elections were announced on October 24. 

While BJP is the single-largest party with 105 seats, the Sena has 56 seats in the 288-member assembly. 

The standoff has been over sharing the chief minister's post, with Sena demanding an equal division of the top post's tenure and the BJP rejecting the proposal.

A Centreal Reserve Police Force jawan was killed in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, officials said.

 

The encounter took place in the Tonguda-Pamed area of Bijapur district at about 4 am, they said. 

The jawan belonged to the 151st battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force and this team along with the commando unit of the force, CoBRA, and the state police was out for an operation in the jungles, the officials said.

Some Maoists are also suspected to have been killed in the exchange of fire and the security forces are combing the area, they said. -- PTI  

Pakistan on Wednesday said that Sikh pilgrims will not be allowed to indulge in any 'political activities' at gurdwaras during their visit to the country to attend the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and the Kartarpur corridor opening.

"No political activity is allowed at the religious place (gurdwara). It is strictly banned and the action will be taken if any one (Sikh) is involved in political activities during his visit here to take part in religious festivities," Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) chairman Dr Amir Ahmed told PTI.

The EPTB is a statutory board that manages religious properties and shrines of Hindus and Sikhs who had migrated to India following the partition in 1947.

When asked about a four-minute-long video, released by Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday, showing a poster of Khalistan separatists Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, his military adviser Shabeg Singh and Amrik Singh Khalsa in the backdrop, Ahmed said: "It is not in my knowledge but the government will not tolerate any political activity by the visiting Sikhs."

Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandhik Committee president Sardar Satwat Singh refused to comment on the controversy, saying, "I am not aware of this matter."

The Kartarpur corridor, scheduled to be opened on November 9, links the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan -- the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev -- with Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur of Punjab, India.  -- PTI