India will always be a reliable security partner for the Maldives, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here on Sunday, as New Delhi signed a USD 50 million defence Line of Credit agreement with the island nation to facilitate capability building in the maritime domain.

 

Jaishnakar, who is here on a two-day visit, held discussions with Maldivian Defence Minister Mariya Didi.

"Cordial meeting with Defence Minister @MariyaDidi . Useful exchange on our defence cooperation. India will always be a reliable security partner for the Maldives," he tweeted.

"Glad to sign with Defence Minister @MariyaDidi  the UTF Harbour Project agreement. Will strengthen Maldivian Coast Guard capability and facilitate regional HADR efforts. Partners in development, partners in security," he said. -- PTI 

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a meeting with farmer leaders, on Sunday said that the three farm laws are a "death warrant" to the farmers.

   

Kejriwal had invited farmer leaders from Western Uttar Pradesh for lunch at the Delhi Assembly.

 

"The three antifarmer laws are death warrant to the farmers. If these laws are implemented then the agriculture of India will go into the hands of some industrialists and the farmers will be devastated," the CM said. 

 

He added that if these laws are implemented, the the farmers of India will become labourers in their own land.

 

He also demanded that the central government immediately withdraw all the three "black laws" and the legal guarantee of MSP be granted to all the 23 crops following the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.

 

The meeting was attended by over 40 farmer leaders from western UP.

 

Talking to the media, farmer leader Rohit Jakhar of Rashtriya Jat Mahasangh said that while the UP government cut electricity and water supply at the Ghazipur protest site, Kejriwal''s government supported farmers'' protest by providing them water and toilets.

 

"Our support will go to those who will talk about our problems. The BJP government has hurt our self respect, we will give our reply through our votes," Jakhar said. -- PTI 

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Sunday summoned Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee's sister-in-law Menaka Gambhir in a coal pilferage case, sources said.

Gambhir was served a notice by the central probe agency at her south Kolkata residence, to appear on Monday, they said.

Earlier in the day, the CBI issued a notice to Banerjees wife Rujira, asking her to join the probe in the case.

The CBI had registered an FIR in November last year against the alleged kingpin of the pilferage racket Manjhi alias Lala, Eastern Coalfield Ltd General Managers Amit Kumar Dhar and others.

It is alleged that accused Manjhi Lala is involved in the illegal mining and theft of coal from leasehold mines of ECL in Kunustoria and Kajora areas, the sources said. -- PTI 

Writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over "spiralling" fuel and gas prices, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Sunday accused the government of "profiteering" off "people's misery" and demanded a rollback of the increase in prices.

   

In a letter to Modi, she said the truth is that as GDP "nosedives", the prices of gas, diesel and petrol continue to rise unchecked.

 

"I write to you to convey every citizen's anguish and deep distress regarding the spiralling fuel and gas prices. On one hand, India is witnessing systematic erosion of jobs, wages and household income. The middle class and those at the margins of our society are struggling. These challenges have been compounded by runaway inflation and an unprecedented rise in price of almost all household items and essential commodities," the Congress chief said.

 

"Sadly, in these distressing times, the government has chosen to profiteer off people's misery and suffering," Gandhi said.

 

Petrol price on Saturday touched an all-time high of Rs 97 per litre in Mumbai while diesel rate crossed Rs 88-mark. This was the 12th straight day of price hike and the largest daily increase since oil companies started to revise rates on a daily basis in 2017.

The increase pushed the petrol price to Rs 90.58 a litre in Delhi and to Rs 97 in Mumbai.

 

Stressing that fuel prices are at an "historic and unsustainable" high, Gandhi said petrol has breached the Rs 100 per litre mark in many parts of the country and the surging price of diesel has added to the escalating woes of millions of farmers.

 

"What baffles most citizens, is that these prices have been increased despite moderate prices of international crude oil. To put it in context, the crude oil price is nearly half of what it was during the UPA government's tenure. Therefore, your government's act of raising prices (continuously for 12 days till February 20th) is little less than a brazen act of profiteering," she said.

 

What is equally distressing is that despite being in power for almost seven years now, the government continues to blame previous regimes for its own economic mismanagement, she said in her letter to Modi.

To set the record straight, domestic crude oil production has fallen to an 18-year low in 2020, Gandhi said. -- PTI

Herd immunity is "very difficult" to achieve and one should not think of it in "practical terms" in India, especially in the times of "variant strains" of COVID-19 and "waning immunity", claimed AIIMS director Randeep Guleria on Sunday.

   

Guleria was speaking at the ongoing edition of Jaipur Literature Festival in a session on his book "Till We Win: India's Fight Against The Covid-19 Pandemic" -- co-authored by public policy and health systems expert Chandrakant Lahariya and renowned vaccine researcher and virologist Gagandeep Kang.

 

"Herd immunity is something that is going to be very, very difficult to achieve and it is something one should not really think of in practical terms... because the variant strains and varying immunity with times can lead to a chance where people may have reinfection or get infection again," the All India Institute of Medical Sciences director said.

 

"And one should also remember that large number of people have had mild infections and we do know that those with mild infection tend to have less antibodies production, their antibodies tend to wane over a period of time," he added.

 

Experts say herd immunity is said to have been developed in a population segment if at least 50-60 per cent of those are found to have the presence of antibodies in a sero-prevalence survey.

 

Herd immunity implies that in any set of people in a community, after becoming affected by the virus, a lot many of them become immune to it, on account of antibodies developed in response to it. And, hence, such people become a protective layer between the infected person and unaffected people, thereby breaking the chain of viral transmission.

 

Guleria here also gave the example of Brazilian city Manaus which even after having achieved the herd immunity in October is now battling the second COVID-19 wave.

 

"They (Brazil) had claimed that they got heard immunity with almost 70 per cent of the population being protected because of the past infection, and yet because of the Brazilian variant and waning immunity a large number of people got infected again. And now they are in a very bad situation because of resurgence of cases," he noted.

 

Here, he also asserted that no sero surveys done so far has suggested India being "anyway near" achieving the herd immunity. -- PTI

The West Bengal government on Sunday announced a reduction of tax by Re 1 per litre on petrol and diesel effective from midnight of February 22. 

State Finance Minister Amit Mitra said the move will provide some respite to people stung by burgeoning prices of fuel.

"The Centre earned Rs 32.90 per litre in taxes from petrol (on February 20), while the state got around Rs 18.46 only. In case of diesel, the central government's earning was Rs 31.80 per litre as against about Rs 12.77 for the state," Mitra said.

He also alleged that the Centre had imposed cess to avoid devolution with states, which is "against the characteristics of federalism".

To a question, Mitra said the Union government should reintroduce the planning commission. -- PTI 

The disengagement process by India and China in eastern Ladakh is 'complete' after nine rounds of diplomatic and military level talks between the two neighbours, defence minister Rajnath Singh said in Salem on Sunday

as he hit out at Congress for 'doubting' Indian soldiers' bravery.

     

The country will not allow any "unilateral action" on its border and will pay any cost to thwart such attempts, he told the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's state conference.

     

"After nine rounds of military and diplomatic dialogue, the disengagement process is complete. But unfortunately the Congress is doubting Indian army's bravery.... isn't it insulting to the soldiers who do the supreme sacrifice," he said.

     

Twenty Indian army personnel were killed in the Galwan clash with the Chinese troops last year during the face-off.

     

The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi "has never compromised with country's unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty" and it shall never do so, he asserted. -- PTI

Cabinet minister Yashomati Thakur said the lockdown will kick in from Monday evening.

The government said only essential services will be allowed to function during the strict seven-day lockdown.

The lockdown will be extended if people do not follow safety rules, the minister said, adding the decision to stop all non-essential activity was taken after COVID-19 cases continued to rise in Maharashtra.

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday asserted that the party will not be cowed down by the Central Bureau of Investigation notice to his wife Rujira, asking her to join the probe in a coal pilferage case.

The notice had asked Rujira to be present at their Harish Mukherjee Road residence at 3 pm to reply to queries related to the case.

"If they think they can use these ploys to intimidate us, they are mistaken. We are not the ones who would ever be cowed down," Abhishek, the nephew of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, said in a tweet.

"We have full faith in the law of the land," he added. -- PTI 

Days after being removed from the office of Lt Governor ofPuducherry, Kiran Bedi left for Coimbatore on Sunday enroute to Delhi.

     

She was seen off at Raj Nivas by staff and workers.

     

Before leaving Raj Nivas she told the staff she wished for a prosperous Puducherry.

     

The former IPS officer was keen that there should be 'perfect and corruption free administrationand financial prudence.'

     

She was replaced by Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, who is holding the post of Lt Governor under additional charge.

     

Tamilisai assumed office on February 18.

     

But, Bedi continued to stay on in Raj Nivas till Sunday.

     

In a WhatsApp message, she said she was thankful to her successor for having allowed her a few days(to stay at Raj Nivas) to help pack up to travel back to Delhi.

     

She said she would visit Isha Foundation in Coimbatore before flying to Delhi.

     

Bedi also said that she would visit Puducherry as a tourist to meet her friends and take a stroll on the beach here.

     

Bedi was the fourth woman incumbent of the post of Lt Governor.

     

She assumed office of Lt governor on May 29, 2016 and had been at loggerheads with chief minister V Narayanasamy on various issues. -- PTI 

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani tested negative for coronavirus on Sunday, the CM's office said.

Earlier, Rupani, 64, tested positive for the viral infection on February 15, a day after he fainted on a stage during campaigning for civic polls in Vadodara.

Since then, he was undergoing treatment at the U N MehtaHeart Hospital in Ahmedabad.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office on Sunday, he "tested negative for COVID-19 in the RT-PCR test done today". -- PTI 

One more ruling Congress MLA in Puducherry resigned from his post on Sunday, delivering yet another jolt to chief minister V Narayanasamy, who is scheduled to face a floor test on February 22 to prove majority.

     

K Lakshminarayanan, elected from the Raj Bhavan constituency, tendered his resignation to assembly speaker V P Sivakolundhu at the latter's residence.

     

Later, he told reporters that "this government led by Narayanasamy has lost majority."

     

Lakshminarayanan said he has also resigned from the party membership.

     

Following his resignation, the second this week, the Congress' strength further slipped to 13, while the opposition has 14 MLAs in the 33-member house which has five vacancies.

     

Four Congress MLAs -- including ex-ministers A Namassivayam (now in BJP) and Malladi Krishna Rao had quit, while another party legislator was earlier disqualified.      

Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, handed over additional charge of Puducherry, had on Thursday directed Narayanasamy to prove majority by ordering a floor test on February 22.

     

Lakshminarayanan's resignation comes on a day when the ruling party members are slated to meet under the CM to discuss the future course of action though similar discussions on February 18 yielded no results. -- PTI

Chandrayaan-3, India's third mission to Moon, is likely to be launched in 2022, ISRO chief K Sivan has said.

 

The COVID-19 lockdown has hit several projects of the Indian Space Research Organisation including Chandrayaan-3, which was scheduled to be launched in late 2020, and Gaganyaan, the country's first manned space mission.

Unlike its predecessor, Chandrayaan-3 will not have an orbiter.

 

"We are working on it. It is the same configuration like Chandrayaan-2 but it will not have an orbiter. The orbiter launched during Chandrayaan-2 will be used for Chandrayaan-3. With that we are working on a system and mostly the launch will be next year in 2022," Sivan told PTI. 

Chandrayaan-2, aimed at landing a rover on unchartered Lunar South Pole, was launched on July 22, 2019 on board the country's most powerful geosynchronous launch vehicle.

However, the lander Vikram hard-landed on September 7, 2019, crashing India's dream to become the first nation to successfully land on the lunar surface in its maiden attempt.  

Chandrayaan-3 is critical for ISRO as it will demonstrate India's capabilities to make landing for further interplanetary missions.

 He said ISRO is targeting December to launch the first unmanned mission under the Gaganyaan project. The mission was originally scheduled to launch in December last year.  

 It will be followed by another unmanned mission and the third leg is the main module, he said.

Gaganyaan envisages to send three Indians to space by 2022. The four test pilots selected for the mission are currently undergoing training in Russia.  

When asked about the launch of the third module of Gaganyaan -- the manned mission -- Sivan said, "A lot of technology needs to be demonstrated. We will decide on the time (of the manned mission) after checking whether all the technology is perfect." 

China has approved clinical trials for 16 indigenous COVID-19 vaccines, of which six are in the third stage, according to a state-run media report.

   

The latest vaccines for clinical trials are based on recombinant protein, adenovirus vector, nucleic acid and attenuated influenza-viruses technologies, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday, citing data from the National Medical Products Administration.

 

Six of the vaccines are in the third stage of the trials, which is one of the last phases, it said.

 

China has already given conditional approval to two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines made by state-owned developers -- Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotech.

 

The coronavirus has claimed 4,833 lives, along with 100,727 confirmed cases in China, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

 

As of February 9, China has given 40.52 million COVID-19 jabs to key groups, Xinhua reported, quoting a National Health Commission official.  -- PTI

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Sunday served a notice to the wife of Trinamool Congress leader and chief minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee at his Kolkata residence asking her to join the probe in the coal pilferage case, a development that could further raise the political temperature in poll-bound West Bengal.

   

The team is likely to question Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira Banerjee in connection with the case at her residence, sources said.

 

The central probe agency had on Friday carried out a fresh round of searches in connection with the case, they said.

 

The CBI had registered an FIR in November last year against the alleged kingpin of the pilferage racket Manjhi alias Lala, Eastern Coalfield Ltd General Managers Amit Kumar Dhar (of then Kunustoria area now Pandaveswar area) and Jayesh Chandra Rai (Kajor area) besides ECL Chief of Security Tanmay Das, Area Security Inspector, Kunustoria Dhananjay Rai and SSI and security in-charge Kajor area Debashish Mukherjee.

 

It is alleged that accused Manjhi Lala is involved in the illegal mining and theft of coal from leasehold mines of ECL in Kunustoria and Kajora areas, they said.

 

The assembly elections are due in April-May in West Bengal, where the BJP has launched a vigorous campaign to oust the ruling TMC that had secured consecutive wins in 2011 and 2016 under its leader Mamata Banerjee.

 

Abhishek Banerjee, who is a Lok Sabha member, wields considerable influence in the party and has been leading the Trinamool Congress' counter-attack. -- PTI

The Union health ministry has written to all states and Union Territories highlighting the need to significantly enhance the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations, noting that a large number of healthcare and frontline workers still remain to be covered. 

  

In a letter addressed to chief secretaries of all states and UTs, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said the number of days of vaccination in a week should also be increased to a minimum of four days per week at the earliest to speed up the process of vaccination and gear up system to take up the vaccination of the 50+ population.

 

While some states are carrying out vaccination twice a week some others are carrying out four or more than four times a week.

 

Adequate provisions have been made in the Co-WIN software to support such expansion of services, he said.   

 

The letter dated February 19 stated a large number of healthcare and frontline workers still remain to be covered and the progress is variable across several states and UTs.  

 

"As highlighted during several review meetings that have been conducted with the states and UTs, the pace of vaccination drive and its coverage needs to be accelerated exponentially to cover all identified beneficiaries in a minimum possible time.

"Further, the operational strategy for initiating the vaccination of next priority group of elderly population and persons with comorbidities to be taken up in March, 2021 is also being finalised," the letter said.  

 

"In view of the anticipated high number of beneficiaries to be vaccinated at a high speed in the forthcoming days", Bhushan advised states and UTs to ensure that all public health facilities from tertiary level medical colleges, hospitals and institutes to district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, community health centres, PHCs, health and wellness centres, health sub-centres etc. should be prepared for offering COVID-19 vaccination services on all designated vaccination days beginning March 1.

 

"You are requested to kindly direct the concerned officials to immediately undertake measures for expansion of COVID-19 vaccination drive. Your continuous guidance to the state and UT teams has been instrumental in driving the ongoing vaccination process and the same is anticipated for upcoming phases as well. I look forward to your continued collaboration in this critical mission of national importance," the letter stated.  

 

Till February 21, a total of 1,10,85,173 vaccine doses have been administered through 2,30,888 sessions, as per the provisional report. These include 63,91,544 healthcare workers (1st dose), 9,60,642 healthcare workers (2nd dose) and 37,32,987 frontline workers (1st dose). -- PTI

The government may consider privatising Oriental Insurance or the United India Insurance Co as their financial health has improved after a series of capital infusions, people aware of the development said.

          

To further strengthen their financial health, the government is expected to infuse Rs 3,000 crore in the public sector general insurance companies during the current quarter.

        

Both Oriental Insurance and the Chennai-based United India Insurance may be able to generate interest from the private sector because of their improved financials, sources said.

        

The process of choosing a suitable candidate for privatisation has just started and will take some time to decide, sources said while not ruling out the possibility for listed New India Assurance, where government stake stands at 85.44 per cent.

        

As per the plan, NITI Aayog will make recommendations to the government for privatisation and Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) under the Ministry of Finance will take the proposal to its logical conclusion.

        

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget 2021-22 had announced a big-ticket privatisation agenda including privatisation of two public sector banks and one general insurance company. 

        

As part of the divestment strategy for the financial sector, the government has decided to go for mega initial public offering (IPO) of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and residual stake sale in IDBI Bank during the financial year beginning April.

        

The government has budgeted Rs 1.75 lakh crore from stake sale in public sector companies and financial institutions during 2021-22.

        

Last year, the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared a proposal to provide capital support to National Insurance, Oriental Insurance and United India Insurance.

        

The cabinet had also decided to increase the authorised share capital of National Insurance Company Limited to Rs 7,500 crore and that of United India Insurance Company Limited and Oriental Insurance Company Limited to Rs 5,000 crore each to give effect to the capital infusion decision.

        

At the same time, the Cabinet junked the earlier Budget proposal of merging NICL, OICL and UIICL. -- PTI 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the Bharatiya Janata Party's new set of national office-bearers at a meeting chaired by party chief J P Nadda.

   

The meeting was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi and started by paying tributes to those who lost their lives due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

A political resolution is also expected to be passed during the first physical meeting of the party's office-bearers in almost one year, sources said.

 

Addressing a media briefing on the meeting, BJP general secretary Arun Singh said that during the course of the meet, discussions will be held on farm laws, Aatmanirbhar Bharat and upcoming state polls.

 

The meeting, which is also being attended by BJP state unit presidents, assumes significance as it comes amid fierce protests by a section of farmers in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh against the three new farm laws.

 

The farmer union leaders have been stepping up their attack on the Modi government over the issue.

 

The BJP is also readying for the assembly polls in five states, including West Bengal, which is being eyed by the saffron party as its next big prize in its bid to expand its footprint across the country.

 

These national official-bearers were appointed last year after Nadda took over as party president, and no physical meeting could be held so far due to the COVID-19 pandemic. -- PTI 

One had expected Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to say that she had a dream and a role-model in life, but alas it wasn't so and she was quite candid about it.

     

"When you were young, what was your dream, who was your role-model to get you to this position", she was asked at an interactive session hosted by Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Bengaluru on Sunday.

     

"Absolutely sweet question," responded Sitharaman.

    

 "But I am not even sure I had a dream. I just kept doing what was before me and went along the flow."   

"I don't think I chart any course in my life. I walked along the path which was before me and that destiny has taken me wherever I am", the Minister said.

   

"Only thing is I better perform so that I don't disappoint people who have given me the responsibility and I don't want to disappoint the people of India," Sitharaman added. -- PTI 

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ram Madhav said that social media has become so powerful that it can even topple governments, leading to anarchy and weakening democracy, and solutions to tackle this are needed to be found within the constitutional framework.

Speaking at the launch of his new book Because India Comes First, Madhav said democracy is stressed and facing new challenges with the rise of "non-political" and "non-state" forces.

"Social media is so powerful that it can even topple governments and regulating them is difficult as they are borderless. These forces can promote anarchy, which will weaken democracy but solutions should be within the constitutional framework," he said at the event hosted by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation on Saturday evening.

The existing laws are not adequate for this, he said.

"We require new rules and laws to tackle and manage. The government is already working in this direction," he added.

Madhav's comments come amid a row between the government and Twitter over blocking of accounts with Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asking the micro-blogging site to follow the Indian law.

Besides, the Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre and Twitter on a plea, seeking to regulate hate content and to make a law as per which action can be initiated against Twitter and their representatives in India for willfully abetting and promoting anti-India tweets and penalise them.

Madhav said that in his new book he has penned his observations on several decisions of the Modi government.

Answering a question on Gandhi, he said the RSS does not undermine any leader's contribution.

Gandhi was a great leader and his mantra of Ahimsa has been adopted by many global leaders, he said.

"There may be differences of opinion, which we even find between Nehru and Gandhi from the letters exchanged between them but that does not mean we disrespect a national leader. In the RSS morning prayer, we have Gandhi's name along with other leaders," Madhav said.

On Kashmir, he said that with the abrogation of Article 370, grassroot leaders are coming up against the hegemony of a few families.

He also emphasised that it is the responsibility of the people of the country to make Kashmiris feel that they are part of the 1.3-billion-strong family.

"Kashmiris are victims of propaganda for long. Things are changing but may take some time," he said. -- PTI  

In the light of the increasing rate of spread of coronavirus, the Pune District administration has announced fresh restrictions on night-time movement, large gatherings and operations of restaurants and bars.

The Pune divisional commissioner said that no public movement except those involved in essential services will be allowed in the night from 11 pm to 6 am. 

In addition to this, all schools and colleges will also remain shut till 28 February.

Pakistani Rangers opened fire at forward posts and villages along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said on Sunday. 

 

The firing from across the border targeting Border Outpost Bobiya area of Hiranagar sector started around 10:25 pm on Saturday ,drawing strong retaliation from the Border Security Force, the officials said. 

They said the cross-border firing between the two sides continued till 4:30 am but there was no report of any damage on the Indian side. 

The latest ceasefire violation by Pakistan broke several days of lull in the cross-border firing in the sector and forced the border residents to spend the night in underground bunkers, the officials said. -- PTI

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of vaccine major Serum Institute of India, on Sunday urged other countries to be patient as they wait for the supplies of COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, as the company has been directed to prioritise the needs of India.

   

Apart from making efforts to meet the requirements of India, the company is also trying its best to balance the needs of the rest of the world, he added.

 

"Dear countries and governments, as you await #COVISHIELD supplies, I humbly request you to please be patient, @SerumInstIndia has been directed to prioritise the huge needs of India and along with that balance the needs of the rest of the world. We are trying our best", Poonawalla said in a tweet.

 

On February 15, the World Health Organisation listed two versions of the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, giving the green light for these vaccines to be rolled out globally through COVAX. 

 

The vaccines are produced by AstraZeneca-SKBio (Republic of Korea) and the Serum Institute of India. -- PTI 

Four more people have been arrested in connection with the killing of 25-year-old Rinku Sharma in Mangolpuri area, police said on Sunday.

   

Deen Mohd (40), Dilshan (22), Fayaiz (21) and Faizan (21), all residents of Mangolapuri, were arrested by a team of the Delhi Police's Crime Branch, which is probing the case currently.

 

So far, nine men have been arrested in connection with the killing of Sharma, police said.

 

Additional PRO (Delhi Police) Anil Mittal said after examining witnesses and analysing the CCTV footage, the Crime Branch team probing the case has arrested four more men.

 

The accused were identified and arrested on the basis of a CCTV footage in which they were seen attacking Sharma, he said.

 

On the night of February 10, when the victim and the accused were attending a birthday party, an argument broke out between them over their food joints in Rohini.

 

They also allegedly slapped and threatened each other at the party, following which they left. The two parties had similar tussles over the same issue sometime back as well, police had said.

 

Later, the four men went to Sharma's house where the victim, along with his elder brother, was already standing outside with sticks. A scuffle broke out between the two sides again during which the accused stabbed Sharma and fled from the spot, a senior police officer had said.

 

The victim's brother Mannu (19), however, had alleged that Rinku was killed as he was actively participating in the donation drive for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

 

However, the Delhi Police had denied any communal angle to the murder and said the fight at the birthday party took place over a business rivalry. -- PTI 

Union minister Ramdas Athawale has called for a caste-based census in the country, but said his demand is not aimed at giving rise to casteism.

Addressing tribals at Vikramgad in Maharashtra's Palghar district on Saturday, the minister of state for social justice and empowerment also demanded that Marathas be given reservation without disturbing quota for other castes and communities.

The Supreme Court last year stayed the implementation of 2018 Maharashtra law granting reservation to Marathas in education and jobs, but made it clear that the status of those who have availed of the benefits will not be disturbed.

"The next census should also include data regarding various castes so that people know where they stand in the total population. This is not aimed at giving rise to casteism," the Republican Party of India (A) chief said.

He further said his party will carry out an all India agitation at the headquarters of various states and districts on February 25 to demand five acres of land for those who do not have any source of income, to enable them to earn their livelihood. -- PTI 

Actors Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan welcomed a baby boy this week. 

On Sunday, the new parents received congratulatory messages on social media from designer Manish Malhotra, who wrote: "Congratulations, Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan." Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, who is Kareena's cousin, revealed the couple have welcomed a son. 

Kareena and Saif, parents to four-year-old Taimur, announced their second pregnancy in August 2020. "We are very pleased to announce that we are expecting an addition to our family. Thank you to all our well-wishers for all their love and support," the couple said in a joint statement. Kareena and Saif, co-stars of films like Tashan and Omkara, married in 2012; Taimur was born in 2016.

Saif Ali Khan has two older children with first wife Amrita Singh - Sara, an actress like her parents, and Ibrahim.

After the recent terrorist attacks in Kashmir earlier this week, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti urged the Centre to start a dialogue with Pakistan to stop the bloodshed so as to ensure peace in the Union Territory.

Mufti urged the Central government to hold talks with Pakistan and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, saying the government must find ways to resolve the issues afflicting the Union Territory to curb violence. 

"Till when will people of J-K, Police and jawans be sacrificed. BJP says repeatedly that Pakistan sponsors violence here (Jammu and Kashmir) then they (Centre) should start the dialogue process -- be it here or with Pakistan," Mufti said.

The BJP government should think and start the process of dialogue so that the bloodshed is stopped, the PDP president added.

Expressing concern over the terrorist activities in the Union Territory, she said, "The government of India must deliberate, for how long the police personnel will be sacrificed in such a manner. This is a big issue which must be resolved for the sake of the people of Jammu and Kashmir."

Maharashtra relief and rehabilitation minister Vijay Wadettiwar said that the state government may impose a 12-hour night curfew, between 5 pm and 5 am, in regions in case the spike in Covid-19 cases continues. A meeting will be held with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai next week to finalise the decision.

The state government is considering a 12-hour night curfew and a harsh penalty of Rs 1 lakh on wedding halls that are flouting Covid-19 norms and allowing over 50 people.

The entire Vidarbha region is witnessing a spike in cases. Even in Nagpur, over 750 cases were reported on Friday. The government has already declared a partial lockdown in Amravati, Wardha and Yavatmal. If fresh cases jump, the government needs to take strict measures like a night curfew, the told The Times of India.

We will ask district administrations, including collectors and municipal commissioners, to take a final call on lockdowns depending on conditions in their areas. During curfew, all places like marriage halls, markets, cinema halls and others where crowds gather would be closed. The surge is due to a majority of people becoming careless and not following Covid-19 protocols like wearing masks and maintaining distancing, Wadettiwar said.

We are also considering regulating vegetable markets. Such places may be allowed to remain open from 10 am to 5 pm with restrictions, he said.

Meanwhile, Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar on Saturday threatened a lockdown in the financial capital.

India reports 14,264 new COVID-19 cases, 11,667 discharges, and 90 deaths in the last 24 hours.

India's tally is now:

Total cases: 1,09,91,651

Total discharges: 1,06,89,715

Death toll: 1,56,302 

Active cases: 1,45,634

Total Vaccination: 1,10,85,173

Elections to six municipal corporations in Gujarat are being held on Sunday amid tight security and adherence to COVID-19 norms.

People started queuing up outside polling booths soon after the voting began at 7 am across various wards in the six municipal corporations in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar.

The voting will continue till 5 pm.

In the morning, elderly voters were also seen at various booths, where precautions have been taken to follow COVID-19 prevention norms, including use of masks and sanitisers and maintaining social distance.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to cast his vote at a booth in Naranpura area of Ahmedabad.

The main contest is between the BJP, which has ruled the six corporations for last several terms, and the main opposition Congress.

The 10th round of Corps Commander-level talks between India and China that began on Saturday lasted for over 16 hours, concluding at around 2 am on Sunday. Militaries of both countries touched upon disengagement at the three friction points of Gogra Heights, Hot Springs and Depsang plains.

The talks took place two days after the Chinese and Indian militaries completed the withdrawal of troops, weapons and other military hardware from the North and South banks of Pangong lake areas as part of an agreement.

The meeting started at 10am at the Moldo border point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control, with India insisting on a faster disengagement process in remaining areas like Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang to bring down tension in the region that has witnessed a tense standoff between the two militaries for over nine months.

"The focus of the talks is on carrying forward the disengagement process," said a source. On February 11, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced in Parliament that India and China reached an agreement on disengagement in the North and South banks of Pangong Lake that mandates both sides to "cease" forward deployment of troops in a "phased, coordinated and verifiable" manner.

Under the agreement, he said China will pull back its troops to east of Finger 8 areas in the northern bank of Pangong lake while the Indian personnel will be based at their permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3 in the region. Similar action would take place on the south bank of the lake as well, he said. The sources said troops of both sides have retreated to positions that were agreed upon by both the sides.

The disengagement process began on February 10. The Indian delegation at Saturday's talks was led by Lt Gen PGK Menon, the Commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps. The Chinese side was headed by Maj Gen Liu Lin, the commander of the South Xinjiang military district of the People's Liberation Army. In his statement in Parliament, the defence minister also said that it was agreed to convene the next meeting of senior commanders of both sides within 48 hours of completion of the disengagement in the Pangong lake areas so as to resolve all other remaining issues.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry even as the two sides continued military and diplomatic talks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a meeting of Bharatiya Janata Party's national office-bearers on Sunday.

A BJP release on Saturday said the meeting will be held at the NDMC convention centre in the national capital from 10 am to 5 pm. 

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present in the meeting. It will be chaired by party chief Jagat Prakash Nadda," the release said.

PM Modi will inaugurate the meeting and address it.

Apart from the national office bearers, state in-charge and co-in-charge and state chiefs will participate in the meeting, the release said.