LIVE! 'What's wrong with Muslim teaching Sanskrit'

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Fri, 22 November 2019

'What's wrong with Muslim teaching Sanskrit'

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23:25 Trump accuses Obama administration of spying on his 2016 campaign

In a startling revelation, United States President Donald Trump, who is facing an impeachment inquiry from the opposition Democratic party, on Friday accused the previous Obama administration of spying on his 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump said whatever the modern-day version of wiretapping may be, but the anti-Trump conspiracy still went "to the highest level" of the Obama administration.

"You're dealing at the highest levels of government. They were spying on my campaign. This is my opinion. I said it a long time ago," Trump told Fox News in an interview.

"Remember, when I put out a tweet and I talked about, they're wiretapping, in quotes, meeting, modern-day version of whatever wiretapping may be. And all hell broke loose. You know, who would have thought," he said.

Trump claimed that Democrats "looked like fools" during this week's impeachment proceedings. The president is gearing up for what polls suggest will be a tough 2020 general election.

"Personally, I think it goes all the way, because I think it's impossible," he said when asked if his predecessor was personally involved in spying.

"President, you say it could be historic. You have suggested in the past that this might go much higher than the Department of Justice or the FBI during the Obama administration. Are you suggesting it could actually go up into the West Wing of the Obama administration?" he was asked. -- PTI

23:21 'What's wrong with Muslim teaching Sanskrit'

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliate Samskrita Bharati on Friday came out in support of Feroze Khan, an assistant professor at Banaras Hindu University's Sanskrit department, whose appointment was opposed by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, saying he was trained by them and asked what is wrong with a Muslim teaching Sanskrit literature.

RSS' student wing ABVP were demonstrating against Khan's appointment in the Sanskrit department. Although the Banaras Hindu University has backed him, Khan has been unable to take classes.

The protesters said that only a Hindu can teach Sanskrit at the university.

Underlining that Samskrita Bharati is working to teach Sanskrit language across the world and is also active in Arab countries, the organisation said its volunteers sing a song "Pathyem Samskritam Jagati Sarva Maanavaan' (We will teach Sanskrit to every human being of the world).

"Dr Firoze Khan is one of the thousands of people who were trained by us," it said.

Urging students to not protest against his appointment, the Samskrita Bharati, in a statement, posed, "What is wrong with a Muslim teaching Literature?". It also requested Feroze Khan to "fearlessly make his contributions at the university."

The protesting students ended their 'dharna' on Friday. The university had announced on Thursday that classes at the department would resume, indicating that the stir against the appointment of assistant professor Feroze Khan had ended. -- PTI

Veteran actor and Shabana Azmi's mother Shaukat Kaifi passed away in Mumbai on Friday evening due to age-related illness at the age of 93.

Kaifi's son-in-law, veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar, confirmed the news of death of the theatre and film actor.

"She was 93 and she was having one problem after another. She was admitted to Kokikaben Dhirubai Ambani hospital, for certain days she was in the ICU and then she was out of ICU. It was all age related," he said.

"Ultimately they brought her home. She wanted to come back to her own room she stayed for a day or two and then passed away. Shabana is in Mumbai," Akhtar, who is in the US, told PTI.

The last rites will be held Saturday noon.

Kaifi's husband was the celebrated Urdu poet and film lyricist, Kaifi Azmi.

She and her husband were leading lights of the Indian People's Theatre Association and the Progressive Writers Association, which were the cultural platforms of the Communist Party of India.

Besides Shabana Azmi, Kaifi is also survived by son Baba Azmi.

Also credited as Shaukat Azmi, Kaifi's acting credits include Bazaar, Umrao Jaan and Mira Nair's Oscar nominated film Salaam Bombay!.

Her last film was Shaadi Ali's Saathiya.

After Kaifi Azmi's demise in 2002, she wrote an autobiography, Kaifi and I which has also been adapted to a play Kaifi aur Main.

It premiered in Mumbai in 2006 on the fourth death anniversary of Kaifi Azmi.

The play has been performed by Shabana Azmi and Akhtar. -- PTI

Image: Shabana Azmi with her mother Shaukat and brother Baba. Photograph: Shabana Azmi/Twitter

22:19 3 J'khand cops killed in Naxal attack

Three Jharkhand police personnel were on Friday killed in a Naxal attack in the state's Latehar district, officials said.

The attack by armed Maoists occurred at about 8:30 pm when a police party was on-board an official four-wheeled vehicle in the Chandwa police station area, they said.

The Maoists are reported to have sprung a surprise attack on the personnel.

Three police personnel, including a Sub-Inspector rank official, have been killed while one has been injured, they said.

Some home guard personnel are also reported to be in the casualty list. -- PTI

Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Raut said that party chief Uddhav Thackeray has given his consent to become the chief minister of Maharashtra.

Earlier, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar said in Mumbai that there is consensus in the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance that Thackeray should lead the new government in Maharashtra.

"The issue of leadership is not pending. There is consensus on Uddhav Thackeray leading the new government," Pawar said.

The state was plunged into a political crisis after the Sena broke its three-decade-long ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party after the latter declined to share the chief minister's post.

Image: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray leaves after a meeting with Congress and NCP leaders at Nehru Centre in Mumbai. Photograph: Shashank Parade/PTI Photo

Ramdas Athawale, a Bharatiya Janata Party ally in Maharashtra and Union minister, on Friday said the saffron party's leadership should have agreed to the Shiv Sena's demand of the chief minister's post for two-and-a-half years so that power would not have slipped out from their hands.

The Republican Party of India leader's remarks come in the wake of the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Shiv Sena inching towards sealing a deal on forming an alliance government in the state.

The state has been facing a political crisis after the Sena broke its three-decade-long ties with the BJP after the latter declined to share the chief minister's post.

"The Shiv Sena had repeatedly asked for the chief minister's post for two-and a-half-years, but the BJP said that there had been no such agreement earlier on this and it had 120 MLAs. In such a situation, the Sena has joined hands with the Congress and NCP. With the alliance of the three parties, the door for power has opened for them," Athawale told PTI.

"The BJP delayed things. If they would have accepted the Shiv Sena's proposal and Devendra Fadnavis would have become the chief minister for two-and-a-half years, their friendship would have continued," he said.

But the BJP thought that the Congress will not support the Sena and they would come back to the alliance and did not act, the minister of state for social justice and empowerment said.

Asked if the BJP should have accepted the Sena's demand of having the CM post for two-and-a-half years, Athawale said, "Instead of allowing power to slip out of its hand, if the BJP would have agreed, the Sena would not have left the alliance. If the Sena was not listening, the BJP should have agreed."

The step Uddhav Thackeray has taken is against the ideology of Balasaheb Thackeray, he said, adding that the Congress also stands to lose. -- PTI

Two Union Territories -- Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli -- will be merged into one and a bill in this effect will be tabled in Parliament next week, Union minister Arjun Meghwal said in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

The move comes three months after Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two UTs -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill 2019 is part of the proposed government business for the next week, Meghwal said.

Officials said the merger of the two UTs, located along the western coast near Gujarat, will be done for better administration and check duplications of various work.

So far, both the UTs have separate budgets and different secretariats even though they are just 35 km apart.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli has just one district while Daman and Diu has two.

The merged UT is likely to be named as Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and its headquarters could be Daman and Diu.

On August 5, the central government had announced the abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and its bifurcation into two UTs.

The country currently has nine UTs after the creation of the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. However, with the merger of Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the number of UTs will come down to eight. -- PTI

20:51 Cong evades questions on Uddhav as Maha CM

Talks on government formation in Maharashtra between the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Shiv Sena are inconclusive and will continue on Saturday as well, AICC General Secretary Ahmed Patel said on Friday.

Talking to reporters after marathon deliberations between top leaders of the three parties which are inching closer to formation of the new government, Patel said discussions will continue on Saturday.

Former Maharashtra chief minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, who attended the meeting at Mumbai's Nehru Centre, said the discussion between the three partners was conducted in a positive manner and they have reached many conclusions.

"The talks will continue tomorrow. The discussion between the Congress and the NCP concluded in New Delhi yesterday and reached an agreement on common position. The discussion with the Shiv Sena was held today and will continue tomorrow as well," Chavan said.

Asked about NCP president Sharad Pawar's statement that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will lead the three-party government, Chavan evaded a direct reply and said, "Whatever he has said is on record."

Pawar and Thackeray were also part of the three-party deliberations at Nehru Centre.

Speaking separately, NCP leader Praful Patel also said the talks on government formation will continue on Saturday.

Eknath Shinde, Subhash Desai, Sanjay Raut (all Shiv Sena), Ahmed Patel, Mallikarjun Kharge, K C Venugopal, Avinash Pande, Balasaheb Thorat, Chavan (Congress), Praful Patel, Jayant Patil and Ajit Pawar (NCP) took part in the meeting.

Meanwhile, shortly after the meeting at Nehru Centre, Thackeray met party colleagues Sanjay Raut and Subhash Desai at the Mayor's bungalow in Shivaji Park.

Thackeray's MLA-son Aaditya was also present. -- PTI

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee Friday said that she had a very cordial meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was on a day's visit to Kolkata to inaugurate India's maiden day/night test match against Bangladesh at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium.

"Had a very cordial meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister. It was just a courtesy meeting. We discussed a lot of matters regarding bilateral ties," she said after the hour-long meeting.

"Hope the relationship between both the countries will further flourish in the days to come," Banerjee said. -- PTI

Image: Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee during the historic pink-ball day/night cricket test match between Indian and Banglades, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo

Music composer Anu Malik, who has been under a #MeToo cloud for the last year, on Friday said he has taken a three-week break from judging a singing reality show to clear his name.

He said he has also written to the Music Composers Association of India (MCAI) to demand a fair chance to counter the multiple sexual harassment allegations against him.

Malik has been accused of sexual misconduct by singers Sona Mohapatra, Shweta Pandit and Neha Bhasin.

"I have written a letter to the Music Composers Association of India and I have told them to send the letter to the singers association, asking these girls to show evidence against me and where I have gone wrong. What are you saying and why are you saying this?" Malik told PTI.

Malik was briefly dropped as judge of the last season of "Indian Idol" when he was accused of harassment, just as the #MeToo movement gathered momentum in India last year. The claims resurfaced this September when he was back as a judge on the show.

On Thursday, a channel source said Malik had offered to step down from his post till he clears his name.

Malik countered the claim and said he had only sought a three-week break.

"I walked up to Sony and I told them that because of these idiotic, horrible, malicious things that you will read on Twitter, how will you work? I told them to give me a three-week break and they said ok. Let me clear my name and come back. I don't want to say anything further," he said. -- PTI

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, will lead the alliance between the Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Friday.

The announcement came after a meeting between leaders of the three parties at Mumbai's Nehru Centre to seal the ground rules for the alliance.

Pawar also said talks are still in progress on other issues.

The Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress will stake claim to form government in Maharashtra either late night on Friday or Saturday morning, NCP's chief spokesman Nawab Malik has said.

Malik also said the three parties will give priority to running the government for five years.

"Some leaders of the three parties will meet in the evening (on Friday). They will discuss all the points and take the final call. We will stake claim to form the government late tonight or in the morning tomorrow," Malik said.

He reiterated the chief minister's post will go to the Shiv Sena.

Asked about reports of the Shiv Sena and the NCP sharing the chief ministerial post for two-and-half years, Malik said the issue is not important for the parties.

"What is important is the government runs for five years, people's sentiments are respected...Our priority to form the government at the earliest," he added.

The three parties on Friday fast-tracked the process for forming the government in the state, where poll results were announced nearly a month ago.

The state has been facing a political crisis after the Sena broke its three-decade-long ties with the BJP after the latter declined to share the chief minister's post.

The BJP and the Sena, which fought the assembly polls in alliance, had secured a comfortable majority by winning 105 and 56 seats, respectively, in the 288-member assembly.

The NCP and the Congress, pre-poll allies, won 54 and 44 seats, respectively.

The combined tally of the Sena, the NCP and the Congress is way beyond the majority mark of 145.

The state is currently under President's rule. -- PTI

The NCP and the Congress said on Friday their smaller allies have backed the idea of forming a government in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena to keep its estranged ally BJP out of power in the state.

Congress and NCP representatives on Friday held a meeting with their pre-poll allies in Mumbai, which was attended by leaders of the Samajwadi Party, the RPI (Kawade faction), the RPI (Kharat faction), Raju Shetti-led Swabhimani Paksha, the Peasants and Workers' Party, the CPI(M), the Janata Dal and others.

"Our pre-poll allies have supported the idea of forming a government with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra to keep the BJP away from power," Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil told reporters after the meeting.

He was accompanied by senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan.

Patil said that during the meeting, leaders of the smaller allies were apprised of the progress the Congress-NCP have made so far towards the formation of government in the state, where poll results were announced nearly a month ago.

"These parties, including the CPI(M), want a government minus the BJP for the development of the state and for addressing agrarian issues," he said.

Patil, a former Maharashtra minister, said the Congress and the NCP will hold discussions with the Shiv Sena, following which the parties will stake claim to form the government.

However, he did not specify exactly when the parties will stake claim to form the government.

"We will speak to the Shiv Sena in a day or two," he added.

Chavan said the alliance partners have prepared a draft Common Minimum Programme, which is to be cleared by top leaders of the three parties. -- PTI

17:10 And finally, Sena-Cong-NCP meeting begins

Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge and Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray arrive at Nehru Centre in Mumbai for the much-awaited Congress-Shiv Sena-NCP meeting. Ahead of this, a meeting was held between Congress-Nationalist Congress Party leaders and other alliance partners, in Mumbai.Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi, Raju Shetty of Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathan are leaders attending the meeting. RPI faction led by Jogendra Kawade is being represented by its founder.

Ahead of the meeting, Congress leader Manikrao Thakre on Friday cleared that the next Chief Minister of Maharashtra will be from Shiv Sena. "It is almost final that the next Maharashtra Chief Minister will be from Shiv Sena," Thakre said while speaking to reporters.

Being asked about the speculation of Nationalist Congress Party to share Chief Minister Post for 2.5 years with Shiv Sena, he said: "The NCP has never demanded the position of Chief Minister."

The Congress is likely to have the deputy chief minister's post for the full term, they said.Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar also stated that a meeting of Congress, NCP leaders and allies parties is underway to work out final modalities and their role in the "Maha Vikas Aghadi" (NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena) government in the state.

Image: The Congress-NCP meeting earlier today.

15:58 Sensex ends 216 points lower; IT stocks fall

Market benchmark Sensex dropped 216 points on Friday, dragged by losses in index-heavyweights Infosys, TCS and HDFC Bank. After trading on a weak note through the day, the 30-share index ended 215.76 points, or 0.53 per cent, lower at 40,359.41.

It hit an intra-day low of 40,276.83 and a high of 40,653.17. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty settled 54 points, or 0.45 per cent, down at 11,914.40. Infosys was the top loser in the Sensex pack, dropping 2.89 per cent, followed by TCS, Asian Paints, Bharti Airtel and HCL Tech.

On the other hand, Tata Steel gained 3.74 per cent, NTPC 2.35 per cent, Vedanta 2.27 per cent and ONGC 2.18 per cent. IT stocks led the fall in the market amid reports of changes in US work visa requirements aimed at protecting American workers, traders said. -- PTI

Amidst the ongoing day-night Test between India and Bangladesh, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Friday did not waste the chance to get clicked with the Eden Gardens' crowd.

As soon as it was reported that India would be playing their first-ever day-night Test, ticket sales for the Test match went through the roof and it has been reported that the tickets for the first four days of the match have been sold out.

Ganguly shared a selfie with the stadium's crowd and captioned the post as: "Tremendous atmosphere at Eden for the pink test @JayShah @bcci".

Before the start of the match, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee and Sachin Tendulkar greeted India and Bangladesh players.

Ganguly had invited the Bangladesh PM for the historic occasion.

Before the start of the play, Hasina and Banerjee at 12.58 pm rang the Eden Bell in the presence of BCCI president Ganguly, secretary Jay Shah.

In the ongoing Test, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first.While filing this report, Bangladesh reached the score of 73/6 till the supper break. -- ANI

Terming the alliance among Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress as opportunistic, senior BJP leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said even if they formed the government in Maharashtra, it will not last beyond six to eight months.

In an interview to PTI in Ranchi during electioneering in Jharkhand, he said the alliance forged by these "ideologically different" parties was just to keep the BJP out of power, which was unfortunate. The state is going to five-phased polls from November 30.

"Opportunism is the base of their alliance. The three parties have become united with the only motto to keep the BJP out of power. I have doubts whether this government will be formed... Even if it is formed, it will not last beyond six to eight months,' Gadkari told PTI.

Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP are discussing the modalities for forming the government in Maharashtra. A long-time ally, Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP after the state poll results amid differences over chief ministership.

Asked if the BJP will try forming the government in case the alliance breaks, the minister said in case of such circumstances, the party will decide its future course of strategy.

"Anything can happen in cricket and politics', he quipped adding that it was beyond his comprehension why the three parties will forge an alliance to form the government despite huge ideological differences.

The base of Shiv Sena and the BJP alliance was "Hindutva", he said. Gadkari said Shiv Sena's claim that the chief minister would be on a rotational basis was found untrue when he enquired. "As per party President and others, the party's stance on chief minister was to be decided later but things took an unfortunate turn,' Gadkari said.

The chief minister should be from the party which got a higher mandate, he said adding that the decision as to who will be the chief minister lies with Maharashtra party president, state chief minister and the BJP president. "We did our efforts," Gadkari said. On what transpired in the meeting between NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gadkari said he was not aware of the details. The Congress Working Committee on Thursday granted in-principle approval to the party to form the government in Maharashtra along with the NCP and the Shiv Sena, sources had said. -- PTI

15:34 Only Uddhav knows: Sena MLA on Maha CM

"Ask Uddhav-ji," Shiv Sena MLA from Thane, Pratap Baburao Sarnaik said when asked how Uddhav Thackeray reacted when party MLAs demanded the Sena chief helm Maharashtra as the state's next chief minister.

Refusing to divulge what happened during Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's meeting with his party's legislators Sarnaik said, "How can we say anything? He himself has not said anything on the issue (of becoming Maharashtra CM)." Sarnaik reiterated the Sena stand that the decision made by Thackeray will be followed by all the elected lawmakers from the party.

As the move for the new government formation in Maharashtra gathers pace, Thackeray met his party's legislators in Mumbai hours ahead of the tripartite meeting between Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress later this evening in Mumbai.

In a related development, soon after this meeting, the Shiv Sena has moved all its MLAs to Hotel Lalit near Mumbai airport where they are likely to stay put till there is clarity on the next political dispensation in the state.

Interestingly, while all the Shiv Sena MLAs had stayed at The Retreat in suburban Mumbai during hectic negotiations between the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress soon after President's rule was imposed in the state by governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on November 12, this time around they have been sent to The Lalit that is closer to the airport fuelling more speculation about them being moved to Jaipur.

Sarnaik confirmed that the Sena MLAs were at the Lalit and will stay there till the next government is formed. He denied speculation that Shiv Sena MLas would be taken to Jaipur in Rajasthan, ruled by Congress chief minister Ashok Gehlot, to prevent poaching by the BJP. "We are not going anywhere," said Sarnaik, who is accompanying the MLAs along with Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai South, Arvind Sawant.

-- Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com

14:58 Sena corporators elected unopposed to BMC

Shiv Sena corporator Kishori Pednekar on Friday officially elected as Mayor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Another Shiv Sena corporator Suhas Waadkarand was elected as Deputy Mayor.

Both were elected unopposed as BJP, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party did not field their candidates for the posts.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi started cleanliness campaign. We should also be part of this. We should also clean Mumbai with everyone''s participation," Pednekar told reporters here after being elected.

There are 27 municipal bodies, including Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Aurangabad, where Mayoral elections were held.

BMC has a total of 227 seats. While the Shiv Sena has 94 corporators, BJP, Congress, and NCP have 83, 29 and eight, respectively.

The recent BIS report which said Delhi's water quality failed quality tests was "fabricated" to benefit manufactures of reverse osmosis (RO) purifiers, the Aam Aadmi Party said on Friday. The party also asked what connection does Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan have with these companies. AAP national spokesperson Raghav Chadha claimed that the report was presented to create an atmosphere in favour of the RO companies and alleged that a false report was created. -- PTI

13:53 Just Bengali women bonding over cricket

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BCCI Chief Saurav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah at Eden Gardens.

13:50 Next Maha CM from Sena: NCP

Congress leader Manikrao Thakre says that it is almost final that the next Maharashtra Chief Minister will be from Shiv Sena. "The NCP has never demanded the position of Chief Minister," he said.

13:14 Maha govt formation: Uddhav meets Sena MLAs

As the government formation process picked momentum in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Friday met his party's legislators to discuss the political situation in the state.

Sena MLA Bhaskar Jadhav told PTI that the meeting was convened to apprise the legislators of the government formation process and meetings of Congress-NCP leaders in Delhi.

Thackeray met NCP president Sharad Pawar in Mumbai last night. Jadhav said whatever decision Thackeray takes will be binding on all legislators of Shiv Sena. "We would like Uddhavji or Aaditya Thackeray to be the CM," he added. Results of the October 21 Assembly polls were declared on October 24 and President's rule was imposed in the state on November 12 after no party or combine staked claim to form the new government. For the better part of this week, Delhi was the centre of marathon meetings between top leaders of the NCP and Congress to explore the possibility of forging an alliance with the Shiv Sena, a party whose ideology is poles apart from the duo. -- PTI

Weeks after Amit Shah accused NCP leader Praful Patel of treason for having bought a property from the wife of an accused terrorist, the 'Mirchi' factor has come back to bite the ruling party. An exclusive report by The Wire.

12:48 The KBC Crorepati Jailor

From the rented home where he paid Rs 500 a month in the 1990s to the flat he will buy from the one crore won on KBC, Ajeet Kumar's personal journey is a story worth cheering for.

Archana Masih/Rediff.com met the jail superintendent-KBC winner in Hajipur, Bihar. Read his inspirational story here.

12:34 Kashmir shuts own again after warnings appear

Most shops and other business establishments in Kashmir were closed on Friday, the third consecutive day of a Valley-wide shutdown following a brief semblance of normalcy. On Wednesday, posters warning shopkeepers against opening their shutters as well as public transport operators appeared at several places in the city and elsewhere in the Valley, officials said. This ended the sense of the last few weeks that life was getting back to normal.

Main markets in the city and most other areas in the Valley were shut and shops did not open even for a few hours in the morning as they had been doing for the last few weeks. Public transport was also largely off the roads and there were fewer private vehicles than usual, officials said.

However, some auto-rickshaws and inter-district cabs were plying. Jamia Masjid, the grand mosque of Kashmir, was closed for prayers for the 16th consecutive Friday -- ever since August 5 when the Centre announced the revoking of Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 and its bifurcation into two union territories.

Authorities fear that vested interests might exploit large gatherings at the grand mosque to fuel protests, officials said. Pre-paid mobile phones and all internet services continued to remain suspended since August 5. -- PTI

Image: Complete shutdown in the Valley days after Home Minister Amit Shah said normalcy had returned. Pic: Umar Ganie

The Supreme Court on Friday sought the response of the Centre on a plea challenging the constitutional validity of the amendments made in the law allowing private entities to use the Aadhaar data for voluntary authentication of customers.

A bench, comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justice BR Gavai, took note of the plea filed by SG Vombatkere, who alleged that the 2019 amendments into the Aadhaar Act was violative of the earlier apex court judgments.

Earlier, a five-judge constitution bench, while upholding the validity of Aadhaar act, had made certain exceptions and said private entity cannot be allowed to use the data even for voluntary authentication of customers' details.

Later, the Centre amended the law allowing voluntary use of Aadhaar as proof of identity for users to open bank accounts and get mobile phone connection. The apex court issued notice on the fresh PIL and tagged it with a separate pending case for hearing. -- PTI

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the RO Manufacturers Association to approach the government on the National Green Tribunal's order prohibiting use of reverse osmosis purifiers where total dissolved solids in water are below 500 mg per litre. The apex court said this while hearing a petition filed by Water Quality India Association, representing the RO manufacturers, challenging the NGT's order which had directed the government to regulate the use of purifiers and sensitise public about the ill effects of demineralised water.

A bench of justices R F Nariman and S Ravindra Bhat said the association can approach the concerned ministry within ten days with relevant materials in this regard and the government will consider it before issuing a notification as per the NGT's direction.

During the hearing, the counsel representing the association referred to a recent BIS report on standards of water in various cities across the country and said that it points out presence of heavy metals in Delhi's groundwater. -- PTI

Image: BJP MP Hema Malini is the brand ambassador for Kent water purifier which uses the reverse osmosis technique

The TMC on Friday gave an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha over 'continued shutdown in Srinagar'. In August, the Central government had scrapped Article 370 and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two UTs -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Following this, phone lines and the internet were blocked in the region.

Normalcy is, however, gradually returning to Jammu and Kashmir as mobile and landline services have been restored in both the UTs and restrictions under Section 144 on movement have been withdrawn or relaxed.

The adjournment motion is an extraordinary procedure which, if admitted, leads to setting aside the normal business of the House for discussing a definite matter of urgent public importance. The Winter Session of Parliament commenced on November 18 and it will continue till December 13. It marks the 250th session of the Rajya Sabha. -- ANI

11:26 Pawar outwitted Chanakya of politics: NCP

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has finally "outwitted" the "so-called Chanakya of the Indian politics", the party said on Friday, as it inches closer to forming a government with Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra. The NCP's chief spokesperson Nawab Malik also reiterated that the throne of Delhi could not make Maharashtra bow before it.

"@PawarSpeaks Sahab has finally outwitted the so- called Chanakya of Indian politics. The throne of Delhi could not make Maharashtra bow down before it. Jai Maharashtra," Malik tweeted, without naming anyone.

It is believed that Malik's jibe was directed at Union home minister and BJP president Amit Shah, who is often credited for being instrumental in the BJP's victories in several polls and government formations in the country. The BJP and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena had contested the October 21 Maharashtra Assembly polls jointly and won 105 and 56 seats respectively. -- PTI

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in Kolkata around 10.30 am on Friday to inaugurate India's maiden Day/Night Test match at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium.

India is taking on Bangladesh in its first-ever pink- ball Test match, seven years after the International Cricket Council gave its approval to the format. Board for Control of Cricket in India president Sourav Ganguly received Hasina at the airport.

Several former leading cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, have arrived in the city to witness the historic match, which will kick off with Army paratroopers flying into the Eden Gardens to hand over a pink ball each to the two captains, just before the toss. This will be followed by ringing of the customary Eden Bell by Hasina and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Hasina and Banerjee are scheduled to hold a brief one-on-one meeting on the sidelines of the match. PTI

Image: Ek Hasina thi: Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina arrives in Kolkata for the Test match between India and Bangladesh today.

To mark the historic occasion of the first-ever day-night Test in India, all the iconic spots of Kolkata, where the match will be held, turned pink. The famous tourist points in the city were lit up in the colour to attract more people to the country's first pink-ball Test.

Landmarks like the Big Ben on Laketown, Howrah Bridge, Tata Centre, Eden Gardens, the Elliot Park, and Shahid Minar are all decked in pink to mark the occasion.

Taking to Twitter, Board of Control of Cricket in India president Sourav Ganguly posted some pictures of the spots."Welcome to pink test ..@JayShah @bcci," he wrote.

India won the first Test in Indore against Bangladesh by an innings and 130 runs after clinching the T20I series. The toss is scheduled at 12.30 pm and play will start at 1:00 pm. The lunch break lasting 40 minutes will be between 3 pm and 3.40 pm, and the tea break, spanning 20 minutes, is from 5.40 pm to 6 pm. - ANI

Image: The Tata Centre building in the Park Street area illuminated with pink lights ahead of India's first day-night test match against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday.

10:45 Sena CM in Maharashtra for full 5 years: Raut

Sanjay Raut says Maharashtra will have a Shiv Sena Chief Minister for full 5 years. Reports also say if Uddhav Thackeray declines, Raut is likely to be the CM.

Late last night Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his MLA-son Aaditya met NCP president Sharad Pawar in Mumbai. The over an hour-long meeting took place at Pawar's residence 'Silver Oak' in South Mumbai as the Shiv Sena continues its effort form government in Maharashtra with the support of the NCP and the Congress.

The Thackerays called on Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP, after he arrived in the city from New Delhi in the evening. Sanjay Raut was also present at the meeting. However, no Congress leader was present at the meeting.

"Since it was a meeting between top leaders, only they will know what transpired there. But the discussion is likely to have revolved around giving final touches to sharing of posts in the government being planned to be formed," an NCP leader said.

The meeting took place on a day when Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said in New Delhi that his party and the NCP have "complete unanimity" on all issues concerning government formation in Maharashtra and will now hold talks with the Shiv Sena to "finalise the architecture of the alliance". -- PTI

Image: People queue up to pay tribute to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray on his 7th death anniversary, in Mumbai on Sunday.

Two persons have been lynched over suspicion of cattle theft in Coochbehar district and 14 persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the incident, police said. It took place on Thursday in Mathabanga area when Rabiul Islam and Prakash Das were ferrying two cows in a van.

According to police, a mob stopped the van and recovered the cows, which it claimed were stolen from the area a few days ago and were being taken to cattle smugglers. After questioning the duo about their whereabouts, the mob beat them and set the van on fire. The police admitted them to a hospital where they succumbed to their injuries, the police said. The West Bengal Assembly had recently passed the West Bengal (Prevention of Lynching) Bill, 2019, which is waiting for the governor's assent. PTI

Faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan at Banaras Hindu University

has reopened, the university announced, after days of protests by a section of students over the appointment of a Muslim professor at the department.

"The Faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan, Banaras Hindu University, has reopened," a tweet by the university said on Thursday. A section of students have been demonstrating against Feroze Khan's appointment at the department. Although the BHU has backed him, Khan has been unable to take classes. The protesters say only a Hindu can teach Sanskrit at the university in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. PTI

Shiv Sena won't ally with the BJP even if offered Lord Indra's throne, Sena MP Sanjay Raut said on Friday. Talking to reporters, Raut reiterated that his party will get the Maharashtra CM's post when the three-party alliance with Congress and NCP assumes power.

"The time for offers has ended," Raut said, when asked about reports that the BJP had agreed to share the CM's post with the Sena. "People of Maharashtra want Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to become the CM," he said. Asked if the three non-BJP parties would meet the state governor on Friday itself, Raut quipped, "Why meet the governor when the President's rule is in place". -- PTI

With NCP-Congress and Shiv Sena inching closer towards staking claim to form government in Maharashtra, smaller allies of NCP-Congress will hold meetings with the leaders of alliance today to work out final modalities and their role in the "Maha Vikas Aghadi" (NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena) government in the state.

The meeting which will take place at 12 pm, comes hours ahead of the NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena meeting scheduled at 4 pm today. Apart from these three major parties, smaller allies of Congress and NCP like Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, Peasants and Workers Party of India, Samajwadi Party etc will also be a part of the alliance. They will most likely be part of the 'Maha Vikas Aghadi', the expected name of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance in the state.

According to the leaders of Congress and NCP, a Common Minimum Programme to run the alliance government has been worked out after a series of meetings and several rounds of discussions. They also told that power-distribution among the allies would soon be finalised in a couple of meetings.In a late-night development, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray along with his son and party MLA Aaditya Thackeray called on NCP supremo Sharad Pawar at his residence after he returned from Delhi.

According to sources, Pawar briefed Thackeray about his discussion with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and other leaders over the modalities of government formation and the basics of Common minimum programme decided by the Congress and NCP.

However, apart from the meetings of allies, each party is also expected to hold their separate meetings on Friday. Shiv Sena has formally called all its MLAs to Mumbai for a meeting scheduled in the afternoon today. After these meetings, the leaders are expected to visit Raj Bhavan to intimate Governor about their decision to form the government.

"After our meeting with our smaller allies in the afternoon and with Shiv Sena in the evening, our delegation may go to Raj Bhavan to intimate about our decision to form the government. As we hear that Governor has gone to Delhi for some official work and is not likely to be available to meet is in Mumbai today, we will submit our letters to Raj Bhavan Secretariat in that case, "said NCP leader Nawab Malik. -- ANI

A two-month-old boy, who had sustained severe injuries in a fire in the intensive care unit of a municipal hospital in Mumbai, died of cardiac arrest in the early hours of Friday, a civic official said. Prince Rajbhar sustained serious burn injuries in the fire at the KEM Hospital on November 6, after which, his left arm was amputated, the official said.

"Prince was put on maximum ventilator support and his condition deteriorated on Thursday night. He suffered a cardiac arrest at 2.30 am on Friday, and could not be revived," the official said. The baby suffered from congenital heart ailment, and was brought to the city from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh for treatment, the official said.

On November 13, Prince's father Pannilal Rajbhar filed a complaint at Bhoiwada police station, following which a case of negligence under section 338 of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the hospital staff, the official said. Earlier this week, the boy's parents met BMC commissioner Praveen Pardeshi.

The BMC offered a compensation of Rs 5 lakh, which was rejected by the parents who sought long-term rehabilitation. Stung by criticism from various quarters, the civic body on Wednesday doubled the compensation it had previously offered Prince Rajbhar's family to Rs 10 lakh. -- PTI

After accusing the Narendra Modi-led NDA government of ignoring the problems being faced by the farmers of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray's party has yet again attacked the Centre over economic slowdown and the high rate of unemployment.

In a strongly-worded editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena said that the Indin economy was in a very bad phase today. The Sena editorial stated that the economic growth rate has declined to the lowest level in the past 15 years despite tall claims made by the Centre.

"Today, our country is facing an economic slowdown. In the market, there is no excitement at all. Due to slowdown, the business is less by 30 to 40 per cent," the Sena editorial said.

Citing the CMIE report, the Maharashtra-based party expressed grave concerns over the rising rate of unemployment in the country. Training guns at the Centre, the party claimed that the rate of unemployment was highest in the past 45 years.

The party also highlighted the issue of job losses across the country and said, "Factories and industries are being shut down. Employment is not there. People are losing jobs."

The Centre has miserably failed to create jobs and a large number of educated youths are failing to get suitable employment, it added.

Self-styled godman Swami Nithyananda, booked in a criminal case related to his ashram, has fled the country, with the Gujarat police working to gather concrete evidence against him after taking two of his disciples in remand, officials said.

An FIR was registered on Wednesday against the controversial guru on the charges of kidnapping and wrongful confinement of children to make them collect donations from followers to run his ashram, Yogini Sarvagyapeetham.

Ahmedabad (Rural) Superintendent of Police R V Asari said Nithyananda has fled abroad, and if required, the Gujarat police will seek his custody through proper channel.

Nithyananda has fled the country after a rape case was registered against him in Karnataka, and it will be a waste of time searching for him here.

If required, we will go through proper channel to seek his custody from abroad. We will definitely arrest him if he comes back to India, Asari said.

Two of his disciples, Pranpriya and Priyatatva, arrested on Tuesday on kidnapping, illegal confinement and assault, among other charges, were sent to five days police remand by a rural court here on Wednesday evening and are being questioned by the police, Deputy SP (Ahmedabad rural), K T Kamariya said.

He said the police are also investigating the case of a woman missing from Nithyanandas ashram here after a complaint was registered by her father Janardhana Sharma at the Vivekanand police station.

We have taken two disciples in remand. If we get concrete evidence against the swami during the current investigation, then we will proceed with case against him.

07:53 JNU says misinformation campaign being run

The Jawaharlal Nehru University issued a statement giving the rationale behind the hostel fee hike and said it has a deficit of more than Rs 45 crore, while alleging that a "misinformation" campaign was being run on the issue.

The JNU, in a statement, said the deficit is largely because of the huge electricity and water charges and the salary of contractual staff.

The UGC no longer allows payment of salaries of contractual employees of hostels from the salary head of the budget. The number of such employees is over 450.

"The UGC has given clear instructions to JNU that all shortfalls in the non-salary expenditures should be met by using the internal receipts generated by the University. Thus, there is no alternative for the IHA than to collect service charges from the students," it said.

According to preliminary estimates, the revised hostel charges for each general student is approximately Rs 4,500 per month.

Out of this, Rs 2,300 is for food charges per month.

Of the remaining amount of Rs 2,200, BPL category students have to pay only 50 per cent.

Therefore, a BPL category student has to pay approximately Rs 3,400 per month, it explained.

This is to underline that there is a misinformation campaign which says that there is a massive hostel fee hike in JNU, they said.

"In reality service charges are being levied, which have been zero so far. For sustainability of the University budget which has run into huge deficit, it is necessary to levy the service charges in the hostel," the institute said.

There is also a propaganda that large number of poor students will be adversely affected by the revised hostel charges, it said.

"It may be noted that out of around 6,000 students who are residing in the hostels, 5,371 students receive financial assistance in the form of fellowships and scholarships," the statement said.

The university also dismissed reports that the revised hostel charges in JNU are more than similar charges in other Central Universities. "It needs to be underlined that JNU does not charge developmental fees, unlike other universities. Moreover, the admission fee in JNU has been minimal for decades and no revision has taken place for more than four decades," the varsity said.

-- PTI

Stating that the economy is in bad shape, former Reserve Bank governor C Rangarajan has said at the current growth rate, reaching the USD 5-trillion GDP target by 2025 is "simply out of question".

The Modi government soon after assuming office for the second term has set a target of taking the economy to USD 5 trillion over the next five years. But since there have been dark clouds gathering all over the economy leading many to question the maintainability of the target.

The economy has been on steady decline with growth rate slowing from 8.2 percent in FY16 to 6.8 percent FY19.

While the first quarter growth slipped to a six-year low of 5 percent, the best forecast for the second quarter is 4.3 percent now. Even RBI has lowered its growth full year forecast by a full 9o bps in two months to 6.1 percent in its October policy review.

"Today our economy is about USD 2.7 trillion and we are talking about doubling this over the next five years at USD 5 trillion. The required rate of growth to achieve that level is in excess of 9 percent per annum. Reaching USD 5 trillion by 2025 is simply out of question," Rangarajan said in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

"You have lost two years. This year it is going to be under-6 percent growth and next year it may be about 7 percent. Thereafter the economy may pick up," he said while addressing a function organised by IBS-ICFAI Business School.

He also if at all the GDP becomes a USD 5-trillion gorilla, our per capita income will grow still USD 3,600 up from the present USD 1,800, leaving us still in the low-middle income country bracket. -- PTI

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

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